That window was directly opposite his window, separated only by a half-meter wide plywood. It hadn't been opened since he moved here. Behind the two wooden latticework window panes hung without a wrinkle of the half-new white on yellow curtains, as if a painting full of yellow flowers, set in the window.
Behind the tightly closed window, from time to time came a girl's murmur, sometimes in the middle of the night there will be wan moans, sometimes there is a low cry, lowered voice afraid to let people hear.
Li Yuanrong lying in bed when he could not sleep, he tilted his body, slightly raised his head to let his ears listen to the movement, at this time, Hua Yuru will use her foot to kick Li Yuanrong a little bit, and low whispered cursed:
"Old immodesty!
"You want to commit old habits?"
Li Yuanrong every hurry to lie flat body, tightly closed his eyes, but the brain repeatedly guessed that the window behind the scene.
Li Yuanrong and his companion Hua Yuru moved into the west corner stick Hutong No. 3 after the eleventh day, Li Yuanrong sat in front of the window for about twenty minutes, across the curtains moved slightly, like a calm lake ripples, like the yellow flowers in the wind, "Wow" curtains opened, the window was pushed open, a bald man from the bottom slowly rise up - under the bald man is a man who has been in a hurry to get to the top. Rising up - under the bald head was a girl's white face, her hands holding the horizontal wooden bar in front of the window, looking in all directions, tightly closed red lips, her nose sucking in the outside air with a twitch. She saw Li Yuanrong, with wide eyes looking across the window at this old man with a rosy face and particularly spirited eyes.
"Are you a new mover?" The little girl asked.
"Yes, how do you know? Li Yuanrong asked amiably in return.
"I heard my father say that an old couple moved in next door, they are engaged in art, how art is called engagement, I don't know."
The little girl stared at Li Yuanrong with curious eyes.
Li Yuanrong smiled and said: "engage in art, that is to say, do art this work."
The little girl thoughtfully blinking bright little eyes, mouth mumble mumbling to ponder this sentence.
Li Yuanrong also asked: "Why don't you see you out of the house, and did not go to school? We are neighbors to get to know it, my name is Li Yuanrong, what is your name ah?"
"My name is Lin Xiaowen, as for why not go to school, you will know later."
Li Yuanrong thought, this girl will use words like 'as for', it is really quite witty, so he further asked: "You come out to play, right, alone at home, not lonely? It's not like a child like you should be ah?"
"I can't go out, and I can't stand for a long time, so I have no choice but to do this first. I can't give you much to talk about, I have to go down and lie down."
With that, the little girl disappeared behind the window and the curtains were drawn again.
Hua Yuru came in with a basin of water from outside and said, "Be careful, don't forget the mistakes you've made, why do you still want to go in for a meal in jail, haven't you had enough?"
Li Yuanrong disliked: "Be careful what? I that was wrongly accused, this you know!"
Hua Yuru wiped the table and said, "It is precisely because of the wrongdoing that people are blocked, which will have to be more careful in the future is yo, my big brother comrade--"
Hua Yuru made an album, trying to make Li Yuanrong happy, Li Yuanrong only reluctantly Bitter smile.
The next day, Li Yuanrong is still sitting at the table looking at the window to daze, his mind recalled that the window in the cell, he was then also every day to look at the high window to daze, the window outside the scenery is very beautiful, in his eyes, even if the dark night wind and rain, are the rhythm of life, is to give hopefully waiting to accelerate the time of the beat, even if sometimes the sun does not shine, there is no frustration, the sun is not shining, there is no frustration, the sun is not shining. After all, life is only once, are a process, life so much time is not spent waiting; waiting for people, waiting for cars, waiting for dawn, waiting for opportunities.
"Knock, knock, knock" Someone knocked on the door.
Hua Yuru opened the door and Lin Xiaowen came in.
To be precise, she climbed in; two skinny, bony arms on the half-foot-high threshold, barely supporting the body, she half-crawled on the threshold, Li Yuanrong and Hua Yuru stared in amazement, saw the girl's back bulging a bulge, like a naughty bunny climbed on the back, with Wen's body swaying from side to side, any how to move not to leave her. Vivian did the climbing carefully, it looked so strenuous. But she did it with great satisfaction at her success; two little legs drifting over one after the other. Like a white swan, her face beaming with happiness, she stood in the doorway, and a large patch of sunlight behind her followed steadfastly into the house, immediately brightening the room that had been dim a moment before.
Lin Xiaowen curiously scanned towards the house and said: "It's almost as I imagined na! You have a sitting clock here, and I have one at home too. This clock does not look like it is just sitting, but it is accurate; it keeps on ticking and talking to me every day, it is just like me, only the heart beats, but the legs and feet can't take a step, but don't worry, I will get well."
Hua Yuru peeled a small apple for her and handed it to her, saying, "Girl, eat!"
Lin Xiaowen politely bent over and bowed and said, "Thank you, really don't worry about me, I can still fold small airplanes!"
Hua Yuru took Wen's little hand and said, "Child, you are ......"
Lin Xiaowen said, "You know why I don't go to school and don't go out of the house! "
Li Yuanrong busy said: "Nothing, nothing, know, more you heartache."
Xiaowen laughed, her voice clear, like a small bell echoed in the room, the room furnishings are activated; sitting bell when when the local laugh ringing, mosquito netting in the air dance, the eight hundred years on the table of the newspaper paper and brushes are also happy to dance ......
Lin Xiaowen laughed and finished, said in all seriousness:: "I have the original back of the back, but I do not know what to say, I do not know what to say. "I had two humps on my back, the doctor said, I was a spinal arch curvature, let me lie flat and slowly grow straight, can not be rushed. Mr. Guan said, I was born with a lack of calcium, but also let me drink bone broth, drinking, lying down, drinking down, lying down a, this is also almost let me lay flat. They do not want to go ah, I said, you do not want to leave me, I know, but you do not go, I can not go, can only lie down to read, just look at the scenery at the window that how to do, read a thousand books is not as good as walking ten thousand miles, Director Ma also said, she may come in the next couple of days, she said that she is busy, but also will give me a new villainous book nah! Do not talk to you, sitting bell are local tell me, I should go back to lie down to go."
Li Yuanrong busy asked: "Xiaowen, you still come?"
Lin Xiaowen tilted her head and said: "Probably will come." As she spoke, she gently put the apple core into the small garbage can by the door of the house.
She looked at Li Yuanrong and Hua Yuru, put her small hand to her mouth, and mysteriously, whispered, "Next time I come, I'll bring you a new friend."
In the two or three days after Wen's arrival, Li Yuanrong and Hua Yuru felt that their lives had changed, and they coincidentally felt a cold pain in their backs, as if Wen's illness had been passed on to them, but they did not have any complaints, and did not talk about Wen again.
Li Yuanrong found a piece of sandalwood in his collection and started to carve the old man; Hua Yuru folded up green, red and yellow paper airplanes and swallows, and hung them on a rope in the house, and the swallows flew, and the airplanes flew, and they were colorful, and their moods were colorful, as if they had opened a window.
A few days ago, Li Yuanrong was still torn about whether to go to the troupe to teach, teach a few students, how much to pay? Now he seems that all that is not a matter. The company has also taken the initiative to find the head of the Wang said, while the body can still move as soon as possible to go to work, more for the arts to do something.
The king was surprised at how Mr. Li came to a hundred and eighty-degree turn, the ideological awareness all of a sudden improved?
Wang knew that artists love art more than love themselves, they are afraid of being hung out to dry, not letting you perform not letting you teach, he deliberately tensed Li Yuanrong, is more than to see who has more stamina, but also in the bargaining to take the initiative. He may never know that Li Yuanrong has felt the rapid passage of life and time from Xiaowen, as well as the spirit of man's richness far outweighs everything else.
On the morning of the fourth day, Li Yuanrong was still sitting at the eight-imperial table carving the old birthday boy, glancing from time to time toward Xiao Wen's window --
"Director Ma is here!"
"Heh, your yard smells of sandalwood,......"
Ma Dafang, carrying a black leather bag, walked into the No. 3 yard and smelled the sandalwood smell, and spoke loudly.
Ma Dafang tall, age in the 50s, to her face, when she was young was also a beauty.
Manni, who lives in the west house, stopped her and said quietly: "Director Ma's nose is really sharp, and the old couple who just moved to the north house don't go out much, so I don't know what they are drumming up in the house. The yard is full of aroma!"
Ma Dafang said: "People are Peking Opera artists, from Beijing, good things naturally, the neighborhood more care, I'm going to see them."
Mr. Zhao, who lives in the southwestern house, hobbled out and asked:
"Director Ma, my family's Xiao Si went to work, to ask? I know you are busy, Xiao Si is blind in one eye, the whole people are still not good arrangement of work which, let alone him, so embarrassed to go home to find you, Xiao Si is also afraid of nest, let him go to find you, he is still not afraid of ......"
Ma Dafang laughed and said:"" Zhao teacher, you don't have to be polite, I've been remembering the little four things, today to come is to tell you, the little four work from the district asked down, to the little four arranged in the city milk field work, you have no opinion, let the little four tomorrow to go to look at, he likes, not afraid of hard work, dry on the line."
Mr. Zhao surprised face bloomed wrinkles, busy said: "like, like, he a disabled person and what to pick ......"
Ma Dafang did not laugh again, but also a little serious, said:". Zhao teacher, don't put the disability disability hang on the mouth, the disabled is also a person, let Xiaosi hear the heart how difficult ah, you're not blowing his enthusiasm; not to mention that the disabled is also our residents, but also your son, but also have the right to participate in the work and choice of work. Don't say that again. Well, I'll go to the north house to see the artist, and then I'll see Xiao Wen in a while, I'll bring her the little people's books--"
Ma Dafang waved his hand, counting goodbye to Mr. Zhao, and then he took a big step towards the north house.
Behind her, Manni Niang pointed out to Mr. Zhao, meaning to also blame him for talking hard, but also admire Ma Dafang, Mr. Zhao secretly ashamed, from the heart to admire Ma Dafang's sincerity to treat people.
Ma Dafang in the yard with Mr. Zhao talking, the north house of Li Yuanrong and Hua Yu Ru heard really, they heard is to see their own, the heart a little excited, after all, here is a strange environment, there is such a street director can come to the home to see them, for them to say that is really such as a guest of honor visit.
Hua Yuru has already opened the door to the house, Li Yuanrong stood in front, Hua Yuru stood behind him, smiling and waiting for Ma Dafang into the house. Ma Dafang walked in while saying; "artists, is to have taste, after you this live, this No. 3 courtyard has the aroma of sandalwood, this north house have the atmosphere of art ......" She has always been the people to the words to, bring their own rhythm.
Li Yuanrong and Hua Yuru is seen in the world, but also read countless people, but, like Ma Dafang, such as the grass-roots level of the street work of the people, they are still the first time zero-distance contact -
Ma Dafang into the north room, while cruising to look at hanging on the wall of Li Yuanrong and Hua Yuru that the only remaining few flooded with the old style of the
Ma Da Fang entered the north room, while looking around at the few remaining ancient style photos of Li Yuan Rong and Hua Yu Ru.
Hua Yuru had already wiped the seat a few times and invited Director Ma to sit down. Ma Dafang sat on the chair, took out a small bushel fan from the black leather bag, fanning it vigorously a few times, and put the black leather bag at her feet by hand.
She saw Li Yuanrong standing in the doorway, and shouted at him to sit down so that he could talk. Li Yuanrong then sat on the other side of the chair, posture constrained. Hua Yuru brought the freshly brewed jasmine tea and asked Ma Da Fang to drink it.
Ma Dafang picked up the tea bowl and smelled the tea and said:
"Good fragrance! Many years have not smelled so fragrant jasmine tea - or ten years old when first came to this city as a child bride, to the lord and wife often steep this jasmine tea ......, hey, words far away. Talk about your situation; the district leadership accounted for, so that the street to take care of you, our streets are many houses less, can only vacate these three houses, so that the street construction team simply painted a little bit, commissioned you to live first, and then later have the opportunity to transfer 、、、、、.
Li Yuanrong busy said: "quite good, quite good, to the street trouble!"
Hua Yuru also said: "Yes, yes, it is fate, neighbors are also good, what is missing what less help ......"
Ma Dafang said: "We West corner stick Hutong people are kind, are ordinary residents, but with the arts have a destiny ah, you see, the south side of the Peking Opera Troupe, the north is the popular theater, the west side of the May Day Cinema, the seventh house living in the Peking Opera family, but also about Mr., that is, Zhu Ge Liang, there is Lu Dafu, is the ancestor of traditional Chinese medicine, the two of you a Peking Opera, a large martial arts, a large Mei school of Qing Yi, you came to the West stick that is a humble, it's more lively! "
Li Yuanrong was said by Ma DaFang heart bursting with joy, Hua Yuru also hurried to ask Director Ma to drink water.
Li Yuanrong said: "Director Ma praise praise, that is the past, now we are your residents. Director Ma also quite understand the theater ah?"
Ma Dafang took a sip of tea and said, "Where do I know the theater, only to see more, listen to more, in front of your experts can not mention Yo!" She looked up to see the rope hanging on the airplane and asked: "So many paper airplanes paper swallows really nice, is the performance with ah!
Hua Yuru was about to explain that it is for Xiaowen, Ma Dafang has already spoken, Hua Yuru is not good to interrupt her words.
Ma Dafang said again: "Opera should engage in modern theater, always the old theater, good is good, but the delicious light to eat also have annoying time, you say is not it? I now listen to the radio every day to play "Wang Ruofei in prison" book, moved to cry again and again, but after crying, it has become a force, love our party love our new China, love our people, I run all day and night all over the street, tired, tired, but the heart of the comfortable romantic - we have to do the socialism of the people of the stick have such a force, this force in the end what is it? What exactly is this energy? Take your courtyard teacher Zhao, was purged from the school in the late fifties, but he did not blame God or the earth, decades of voluntary literacy teaching in the streets, rely on rag picking to make ends meet, Dr. Lu volunteered to see the doctor for decades as one day, never charge for going to the house in the wind and rain; next door to the old Lin family's Xiaowen, a small child, the heart of the matter, don't look at the daily lying down, but her aspirations are far-reaching, just how old is it! There are many more such stories. Our material life is not rich, but we are in good spirits. Shouldn't we do something to make opera reflect life?
Li Yuanrong was relieved to take a long breath, Hua Yuru laughed at him and said, "Look at how nervous you are, as if you are more tired than singing a play 'picking a skateboard'."
Li Yuanrong sat back in his chair again, took a sip of tea and said: "Director Ma is a character, she wants to say what to say, the heart is like a fire, there is a true nature ......."
The courtyard is bustling with activity, first of all Manny and her mother did not know What is the matter quarrel up, gradually listen to a little bit clear --
Manny mother pleaded and said: "Manny, you don't look for trouble, Xiaosi is still a child, what can he do, tomorrow he will go to work in the milk field, you don't give him face also de look at Mr. Zhao's face ah?
Manny, you've got to be kidding me.
Manny shouted: "I give them face, he Xiaosi gave me face, he is playing--
Manny's mother shouted anxiously: "Manny, don't say those two words, as long as you spit out those two words, our family and the old Zhao family for decades.
Manny was panting for half a day, but she didn't find a more suitable word to relieve her anger, so she shouted, "Xiao Si of the old Zhao family, get out of here ......."
Mr. Zhao and Xiao Si were in the house, and when they heard Manny shouting in the yard, Mr. Zhao was furious and pointed at Xiao Si, asking him if he was a good boy. Angry pointing at Xiao Si asked him what was going on with Manny, Xiao Si touched his head, mumbling did not say a one, two, three.
Manny's voice is sharp, coupled with the top of the head, shouting with a female voice, vibration of the third courtyard of the doors and windows are whistling and trembling, and even the old acacia tree on the young birds were frightened fluttering short wings, chattering and asking the mother bird: "Manny sister, usually quiet like Xue Baochai, today is like Sun Erniang, which is a joke ah? "
The bird mother does not let the children yell, together with breathlessness are climbing in the window of the bird's nest towards the lower side of the look - more and more people gathered, are coming out of their respective nests; Li Yuanrong, Hua Yuru, Ma Dafang, skinny old king, white, fat three, and Lu Lili, Guo Vernacular, the birds know that the two of them are engaged in a relationship 、、、、、, .
Manny exasperated said: "Ma director just you in, you give comment, I sleep in the house after the night shift, a turn over to see the small four, he climbed in my window to look in, this is not play 、、、、 is what?"
Manny again angry, also restrained, finally did not say those two words.
Ma Dafang huffed and puffed violently column shook the small bushel fan, rushed to the southwest house shouting to let Xiao Si out.
Li Yuanrong and Hua Yuru stood on the side of the watch, both of them heart also straight into muttering, met Xiaosi a few times, think Xiaosi naive some weak, can do this kind of thing? He pinched a sweat for Xiao Si, the key to this kind of thing can not be said, he vaguely recalled that he also encountered such embarrassing things.
Manny kept shouting, but she caught the opportunity to show that she is not offensive.
Xiao Si was pushed and shoved out by his father, he really is like a child who has done something wrong, standing timidly in the doorway, with his head lowered, and after scanning the crowd with that good eye, he said: "I didn't peep at Manny's sister to sleep, I went to the room to pull out the bird's eggs, and walked past Manny's sister's window. ...... "
The birds on the tree heard Xiao Si say this, have scolded Xiao Si too bad.
Manny asked: "You did not look, how do I see you?"
Xiaosi stammered, neck a stump unconvinced, said: "Manny sister, I do not have a bad heart - you are beautiful, than I am a few years older, we grew up together, but I have always taken you as a sister to see, you do not just think of people to the bad side, you think of me as your younger brother, is to give you a guard post, you will not be angry! I'm just your brother, standing guard for you, so you won't be angry anymore." After saying this, Xiao Si laughed nervously.
Manny heard Xiao Si said quite sincere, that a stomach of gas like a punctured tire, bared slowly put.
"Then what are you crawling through the window for?" Manny tried to further force the truth out of Junior.
Xiao Si looked at everyone, and then looked at Ma Da Fang, and said, "I, I, to tell the truth, I look at the towel quilt covered by Manny sister is particularly good-looking! I've never had a new quilt in my life, let alone a towel quilt," he said. I think Manny is really lucky. How come she has a towel quilt, while I don't even have a cotton quilt? I looked at the towel quilt and wondered when Dad and I would get a towel quilt, how soft and nice it would be! I was thinking of this na, to assure Chairman Mao!"
Manny listened to Xiaosi all guarantee to Chairman Mao, also believe that Xiaosi is telling the truth.
Manny knows that the whole West corner stick hutong not to mention the towel quilt, that is, the quilt is not every family has, most of the children cover a bed quilt.
The towel quilt she covers is the money she saved up and entrusted to someone from Tianjin to buy it back.
Why Manny's mother bought Manny a towel quilt, Ma Dafang know, Manny's mother also know; Manny is an orphan, the child's life is bitter ah - I do not know who the birth parents are, Manny's mother adopted her, in addition to giving her the warmth of the family, but also to do their own strength to give her a better some of the material life.
Ma Da Fang and Manni Niang looked at each other, both eyes are hot.
Manny's eyes are also hot, she walked a few steps and hugged Xiaosi, Xiaosi also fell in Manny's arms crying.
Ma Dafang wiped his eyes and said: "In the future, every family has a towel cover, you believe in the Party, believe me Ma Dafang. This matter is not allowed to say anymore, not to mention to the outside world. Xiao Si ah, tomorrow will go to work, when you open the payroll also buy a towel quilt, however, first let your father cover cover!
Xiao Si pursed his lips, nodded vigorously. Everyone sighs and walks away.
Hua Yuru touching the tears, pulling Li Yuanrong walk back to the north house, only a dozen steps, they seem to walk a long time.
The birds chattered and laughed, and in a short while they were fighting and rolling to the nest.
Li Yuanrong sat behind the bazhong table again, looking at the window and fuming; his thoughts and feelings were all over the place -
Vivian was fighting her illness inside the window; what kind of new friend would she bring next time?
Xiao Si speaks the truth, and the truth is the truth, and the truth touches the heart;
He wonders why he was once a criminal for singing martial arts.
I'm not sure what I'm talking about, but I'm not sure what I'm talking about, and I'm not sure what I'm talking about.
Maybe it's just that you didn't meet a good party member or cadre like Ma Da Fang?