All the way north, the car drove all night.
Halfway through, Genzi's father called and said that he was fine, and that his leg had been fixed by the village doctor, so he told them not to worry. Changing back to drive, it was already five o'clock in the morning when we arrived at Qianshulin Village.
There was no road in the village, so Genzi parked the bread at the entrance of the village. Lu Qiang got out of the car, stretched his muscles beside the station, and lit a cigarette with his hands together. The breath he exhaled seemed to freeze.
Cold and windy, it is the true north.
Opposite the village, there is a flat river, empty and uninhabited, covered by heavy snow, and there are large areas of crops in spring.
Lu Qiang walked over to the crops, took out his brother to release water, held back all the way, and couldn't help shivering. He supported it with his hands, biting the cigarette in his mouth, raised his head slightly, and squinted his eyes because of Bai Huang.
There was a sound of footsteps behind him, and Gen Zi also joined in the fun, and the two stood side by side.
Lu Qiang glanced sideways at him, then turned his eyes to the distance. Genzi sighed, the last time the two of them stood here together was not so long ago, and they were full of emotions for a moment.
He smiled and asked: "Brother, do you still remember? When I was a child, I stood around and peed farther than anyone else!"
Lu Qiang said, "Remember."
"At that time you were the fiercest, able to straighten a meter or two."
"It's not bad now." Lu Qiang glanced under him and smiled.
Genzi whistled, and seemed to turn sideways unintentionally, blocking his gaze, and squinting at him.
Lu Qianghun didn't care, and showed him openly. He finished peeing first, stuffed it back, and pulled up his pants chain to wait for him.
I live not far from the entrance of the village. The two families are neighbors separated by a fence. The condition of Genzi's house is better. The two tile-roofed houses were just renovated last year. Qian Yuanqing only changed the main house, and the west house is still the former adobe house. A tile fell in the west room yesterday, and she didn't want to bother anyone, she wanted to fix it herself, but the ladder was slippery in the snow, and she fell off the roof without paying attention.
Genzi's pace is a little faster, it's okay if he doesn't come back, but when he arrives at the door of the house, he feels a sense of being close to his hometown.
Seeing that the door of the house was open, Genzi turned his head back, and unconsciously pulled away from Lu Qiang by more than ten meters. He put his pockets in his pocket and followed at a leisurely pace. He paused, and took a few steps back.
"Brother, hurry up!"
Lu Qiang looked down at him, but he didn't seem to smile.
Genzi was stunned for a moment, and knew his scruples, so he didn't dare to rush, and followed him to move forward step by step.
The one who went to Lu Qiang's house first, Genzi walked in front, opened the heavy cotton curtains, the corridor was dark and dilapidated, and there was only one door next to it, with light shining through it.
"Aunt Qian?" Genzi called out, "I'm Xiaozhi! I'm back to see you."
Wang Quanzhi, Genzi's real name.
He held his breath and waited, there was a series of footsteps in the door, the door was pushed open, Genzi's eyes lit up, and he saw his old lady.
"Mom! You are here!"
The Queen Mother came up and pulled his ear, and let him go in, "Little bastard, you still know how to come back."
Genzi hangs his head, grins his teeth, and yells.
The room was filled with a pungent ointment smell, and only an incandescent lamp was turned on. Opposite the window was a long old kang with a stove beside it and a kettle on it. The person on the kang was lying flat, a simple belt hung her leg, and the other end was tied to the clothesline on the roof.
Qian Yuanqing looked over and smiled: "Xiaozhi is back?"
Genzi escaped from the clutches of the kang, and lay half on the side of the kang, "Auntie, how did you make it like this, is it serious? Does it hurt?" Looking at her leg, she saw that her calf was fixed with a special wooden board around it, entwined The red string looks rough and simple.
Genzi turned around: "Mom, can this be cured? Or send me to the hospital, my car stopped at the entrance of the village."
The queen mother scolded him for forgetting his origins. He didn't know his surname when he went out for a few years. He broke his leg when he was a child, and he didn't see him limping now.
Genzi pouted, Qian Yuanqing patted his hand, "Ma'am, it's okay, go back with your mother," and said to the Queen Mother, "Sister, didn't his father still talk about him yesterday, come back quickly." , I'm fine here."
Genzi paused, but did not move: "I didn't come back by myself."
The Queen Mother hurriedly answered: "Have you got a date?"
Genzi ignored her and held Qian Yuanqing's hand: "Brother Qiang is at the door."
They didn't pay attention to it just now, but now they cast their gazes over there, and saw a tall man standing there, wearing black clothes and trousers, almost blocking the entire doorway.
He didn't notice other people's eyes, and his eyes were fixed on the cabinet directly opposite the door.
Genzi obviously felt the hand in his palm trembling, then he pulled it out in vain, put it on his chest, closed his eyes and said, "Get out."
The voice is of restrained indifference.
Lu Qiang's figure moved slightly: "Mom." The cry was stiff, with a hoarse voice that had not spoken for a long time.
Qian Yuanqing's chest rose and fell.
He stood still: "Is the injury serious?"
Qian Yuanqing suddenly opened her eyes: "Don't call me Mom, I don't have a son like you, you've entered the wrong house... Get lost!"
Lu Qiang lowered his eyes, but still didn't move.
Qian Yuanqing's hands trembled violently, she grabbed the teacup on the kang and threw it over with all her strength, the movement was so big that she hurt her leg and broke out in a cold sweat.
Lu Qiang didn't move and didn't hide, the water in the cup was boiling hot, and it was all on half of his neck and front.
He gritted his teeth and said nothing.
Seeing that she was agitated, the queen mother hurried to hug Lu Qiang and called Genzi: "You take Qiangzi back to our house first, and ask your father to find scald ointment for him. Stay here first, and we will talk later if you have something to say. Don't leave it here to cause trouble."
Genzi came back to his senses, responded, and half-pushed to get him out.
The Queen Mother stepped forward to check her legs and helped her adjust the position. Qian Yuanqing was emotionally unstable and still a little out of breath.
The Queen Mother sighed and pulled a chair to sit beside her: "Elder Sister, why are you bothering to deny your own son for the rest of your life?"
"This beast has nothing to do with me."
"Don't be angry, they are all mothers, I understand. No matter how many wrong things you do, you are still in your heart. What's more, now that the child is back, you still drive him out."
Qian Yuanqing's eyes were astringent, and the tears rolled continuously: "Old Lu is so mad at him, he still has the face to come back."
The Queen Mother sighed and shook her head: "Old Lu Zaitian's spirit must also wish you well."
***
Lu Qiang went back with Genzi, and went directly into the side room of the main house. The layout is different from Qian Yuanqing's. There are two rooms on the left and right of the main house, where the old couple and Genzi live respectively. No one lives in the west house, and it has become a firewood house to raise livestock by the way.
Genzi's father found scald ointment, and Genzi was anxious, and he reached out to apply it on Lu Qiang's neck.
Lu Qiang tilted his head and took it: "Do it yourself."
The two of them tossed about half the night without eating. Dad Genzi cooked a big pot of dumplings and served them steaming. He also brought a bottle of white wine and peanuts. Genzi was so hungry that he ate half of the plate in a short time. When he looked up, he saw Lu Qiang was smoking a cigarette without taking a few sips.
"Brother, don't you agree? Let my dad make something else?"
"Not hungry, you eat."
"Then why don't you drink some wine to warm up?"
He hooked his forehead with his little finger holding a cigarette: "It's enough to sleep, I'm not energetic."
The roots were eaten quickly, and he was not sleepy, so he gave him the side room and went out to watch TV by himself.
Lu Qiang took off his coat, kicked off his shoes, and lay on his back on the kang, his back was warm, and the cold air was forced out inch by inch.
He opened his eyes for a while, looking at the roof, his head was empty, and he didn't think about anything. His eyes were gradually turning sore, he raised his arms to cover them, without covering the quilt, and fell asleep at some point.
This sleep lasted until the afternoon, and it was already three o'clock when I opened my eyes.
Lu Qiang sat up straight from the kang and rubbed his face. There were occasional voices from the outer room, and the TV was replaying the Spring Festival Gala.
The mobile phone vibrated behind him, and Lu Qiang sat there for a while before turning around to touch it.
It was Lu Yin who made the phone call, and she didn't hear a few words clearly. People over there were noisy and chaotic. If you listen carefully, there is also the sound of the radio in the train room.
His heart skipped a beat, he had a premonition, and asked in a deep voice, "Where is it?"
After a while, something was said over there.
Lu Qiang frowned: "Speak louder."
"I said, I'm at Wuqing Railway Station. I just got off the train. How should I go?"
She shouted, this time very clearly, every word was like a hammer, hitting his heart hard.
Lu Qiang swallowed: "... Where do you say you are?"
She said loudly, "Wu Qing."
"Wuqing in Huaizhou?"
"yes!"
Lu Qiang supported Kang Yan'er with his hands, squeezed hard, his joints turned white, and he didn't speak for a while. The other side anxiously asked: "And then, how to get there?"
Lu Qiang finally reacted, grabbed his coat, and stepped out a few steps: "Wait for me there." He slammed the door open, and several people outside the room were startled, all looked at him, and he pointed at the roots: "The car key."
Genzi froze for a moment, acted before thinking, and threw it to him from the air.
Lu Qiang caught it without explaining, and walked out quickly.
Lu Yin took a deep breath: "Hurry up, it's freezing to death." Her voice was trembling, with a bit of complaint and a bit of coquettishness, which made people feel distressed.
Lu Qiang pursed his lips: "I'll be fast. You stay in the waiting room."
The outside temperature was twenty degrees below zero. When Lu Yin got off the train, a breath of cool air rushed from the nose to the back of the head, and her temples twitched. She was wearing a cashmere coat and short boots, and the wind blew through her instantly.
It was the first time for her to come to such a northern place. She checked the flight to Huaizhou in the morning, and then transferred to Wuqing by train. She didn't know how to get there. She was afraid that he would be busy, so now she could only call him.
Lu Yin put away her mobile phone, turned and went back to the waiting room.
Wuqing is not big. The railway station has a long history. It was repaired by the former Soviet Union. It has only one floor with yellow walls and green tiles. The staff all wore military overcoats, and the heating measures were not perfect. After sitting for a while, Lu Yin lost feeling in her feet.
She was in the corner of the station, the door was on the right front, and there were not many passengers in the small station, and only one person came in occasionally. She stared at that direction intently, and after an unknown amount of time, the door curtain was lifted vigorously, and a tall figure walked in.
Lu Yin's eyes lit up, she stood up abruptly, her feet went numb, and she fell back again.
Lu Qiang also seemed to have a sense, and his eyes fell directly on her. At that moment, no one moved, and they just looked at each other for a long time.
He seemed to subconsciously touched his pocket, but he didn't continue and strode over.
Lu Yin moved her feet and stood up slowly: "So fast?"
It was half an hour before and after.
Lu Qiang said with a cold face, "You won't call me?"
"I hit."
"What did you do?" His eyes fell on her red nose, and his voice softened: "Let's go."
He carried the luggage in one hand, and held her with the other, like holding an ice cube.
Lu Yin walked slowly.
He paused: "Frozen?"
"It's too cold here for you."
Lu Qiang glanced at her, let go of her hand, and bent down halfway. Lu Yin didn't know why, but in the next second, the world was spinning, and he pinched her knees and lifted her up.
Lu Yin whispered and patted him on the back: "Quickly let go, there are so many people watching."
"If you're afraid of people watching, just stop."
Regardless of other people's eyes, he carried her out all the way.
The car parked in the front square, Lu Qiang opened the back door of the bread, threw her in, took off his coat, wrapped her up, and then went around to the front to light the fire and turn on the air conditioner.
Lu Qiang drove away in no hurry, and sat next to Lu Yin.
Her cheeks were slightly red because of the congestion, she shrank in a corner, her body was covered with a coat, and only her eyes were exposed.
Lu Qiang grabbed her feet and took off her shoes and socks. Lu Yin struggled a little: "What are you doing?"
With a tug, he lifted off the clothes on his chest, put those two little feet on his stomach, and couldn't help shaking, "Fuck, it's so fucking cold."
Lu Yin bit her lip and flinched: "Actually, there is no need..."
"How long have you been waiting?"
"It didn't take long," the soles of the feet slowly felt the heat: "I called you as soon as I got out of the car."
"Don't you want to come back on the fourth day?"
Lu Yin lowered her face: "I really shouldn't have gone."
"Not good for you?"
"No." Lu Yin couldn't define it. After all, her uncle treated her sincerely, and her aunt was mean, but she didn't break her face. People love money, or maybe they need it too much.
After all, it wasn't home, and if she really had a sense of belonging, she wouldn't be here now.
Not wanting to continue this topic, Lu Yin turned around and asked, "How is Auntie's injury?"
Lu Qiang leaned forward, and simply stuffed her hands in: "The doctor has seen it, I guess it needs to be raised."
Lu Yin hummed, her hands and feet were on his chest, curled up in a strange and awkward posture.
The two chatted for a while, the temperature in the car rose, the hands and feet warmed up, and finally it was not so cold.
After spending half an hour in the car, the sun slanted to the west and was bright red, shining on the icicles of the car window, flashing a strange light.
Lu Yin asked, "When shall we go back?"
"It's not cold anymore?"
"Um."
Lu Qiang took out her feet and pinched them up and down. They were white and soft, and the nails were smooth and translucent with powder, and they were only as big as his slap.
Lu Yin flinched, his hand tightened, and he naturally brought it up to his nose to sniff, deliberately teasing her: "It really stinks."
Lu Yin's face was flushed, and she pinched his chest with her hands, "...then you still smell it."
Lu Qiang sniffed it again, put his mouth on it, and kissed the soles of her feet and toes: "I don't dislike it."
"There's something wrong with you."
The two fought together and entangled for a long time. Lu Qiang found her and kissed her lips hard. This kiss lasted for a long time, and in the end, her breathing was messy.
Lu Qiang finally let her go, and said in a low voice, "Why did you come?"
Lu Yin's lips were bright red: "There's nowhere to go anyway."
Lu Qiang pinched her flesh.
Lu Yin gritted her teeth and changed her words, "I want to see you."
Lu Qiang looked at her and gritted his teeth: "You are always capable of making me want to fall in love with you."