Shen Congwen - "Border City· Zhong"

The most lively days of the year in the border city are the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the New Year.

On the Dragon Boat Festival, local women and children put on new clothes and drew a "king" on the forehead corner with male yellow dipped wine. Anyone can eat fish and meat on this day. On this day, after lunch, all the people of Cha Tong will go to the river to watch the rowing boat, that is, the dragon boat race. After the boat race, the commander of the shu army in the city, in order to show the joy of the people and increase the pleasant atmosphere of the festival, he tied a red stripe around the neck of the male duck and put it into the river, so that the soldiers and civilians who were good at swimming water and other people went into the water to chase the duck. Whoever catches the duck becomes the owner of the duck. Boat-to-boat races, man-duck races, don't end until dark.

Both Tempo and Goku are good local swimmers. When the Dragon Boat Festival is coming, the first five rowing boats, the first day of the river street meeting. On that day, Tianbao accompanied the overland merchants across the Chuandong Dragon Ship to deliver the festival goods, so he only participated in the delivery.

In Duanyang in May, my grandfather asked an old acquaintance who lived in the city to help watch the ferry for one day, so he took Cuicui and the yellow dog into the city to watch the rowing boating. There were many people by the river, all looking at the river with their eyes open, and after a long time, the yellow dog was still there, but the grandfather was squeezed out.

Cuicui paid attention to the rowing, and thought to herself, "Grandfather will always find it soon." After arriving at the river, the attention was all attracted by the boats in the river, so the grandfather's absence was dispensable. Grandfather thought: it was still early, there were still three moments before the end, thinking of the friend at home who watched the ferry for him, planning to rush back to change the friend to come and see the bustle of the young man. So tell Cuicui: There are too many people, stand here and watch, don't move, he will go to do something, and he will come back later to accompany her home.

But after going back, the friend was willing to drink with the old boatman, and the two talked about some old Things in the Dragon Boat Festival, while drinking, and after a while, the friend was drunk. Since the man was drunk and could not enter the city, his grandfather could not leave the ferry for the inconvenience of responsibility, so he could not go into the city to pick up Cuicui.

By the time the rowing had decided the final victory or defeat, the city officer had already sent someone to drive a small boat to release a flock of ducks in the pond, and grandfather had not yet seen him. Cuicui was afraid that her grandfather was waiting for her elsewhere, so she took the yellow dog and huddled around the crowd to look for her grandfather, but she still couldn't find any trace of her grandfather. Later, it was almost dark, and the soldiers came out with benches to see the liveliness, and they had all carried their stools home one after another.

She remembered the words her grandfather had told her not to leave the place, and then it was dark, and she still didn't wait for her grandfather. Cuicui still does not leave the dock, always believing that her grandfather will come to her to go home with her.

Cuicui was waiting for her grandfather at the docks when she heard the sailors on board say some rude conversation. Cuicui was very unaccustomed, but she couldn't walk away, so she began to be anxious. At this time, the second old man sent a duck from the water to the shore and noticed Cuicui, so he asked Cuicui to go upstairs to his house to wait for his grandfather. Cuicui, because she had heard the sailor talk about the ugly woman before, misunderstood the kindness of the escort to invite her into the house, and gently scolded the maid.

He said jokingly: Stay here, the big fish in the water bites you, don't shout.

When he got home, he sent his family guys to send Cuicui back. On the way back, Cuicui knew from the mouth of the guy that it was the second old man who had just invited her home, and remembered what he had just scolded him, and his heart was surprised and shy. After going back, Cuicui was silent all night.

Another year of the Dragon Boat Festival, Cuicui can not forget the sweetness of last year's Dragon Boat Festival.

This year, Cuicui and her grandfather went to the river street on the edge of the city to watch the boat race. This time, in order to avoid the rain, the grandson and grandson went to shunshun's stilt house. Cuicui recognized the guy who sent her home last year, and the guy laughed and said about last year's misunderstanding, Cuicui didn't say a word, just smiled.

Cuicui did not see The Elder, but learned from his grandfather's conversation with others that the Second Elder Sent spent the Dragon Boat Festival at Qinglang Beach, six hundred miles downstream, but this time he did not see the Second Elder but he knew the Elder Elder, and also met the famous Shunshun.

After the elder catches the ducks in the river and returns home, because the old boatman who guards the ferry praises the fat duck twice, Shunshun asks the elder to give the duck to Cuicui. Moreover, I learned that the days of the two grandchildren were very poor, so I sent many triangular dumplings.

On the way back, grandfather asked Cuicui if the eldest wanted to marry her as a daughter-in-law, whether she would be willing. Cuicui was very unhappy and walked forward, and suddenly stopped asking: Is my grandfather's boat in the lower Blue Wave Beach. The grandfather didn't say anything, just sang, and the grandson and grandson walked home in silence.

It was the Dragon Boat Festival of another year, and grandfather and Cuicui talked about what happened during the Dragon Boat Festival two years ago. As Cuicui grew up day by day, he also reminded his grandfather of some old things, and retrieved some thoughts from the stories buried in a large amount of time.

Grandfather was worried that Cuicui was like her mother, the old boatman was older, and if the same thing happened again, would he be able to raise a little chick again? Cuicui has grown up and proved that she is really old. But no matter what, he had to let Cuicui have a landing. Cuicui was handed over to him by her poor mother, Cuicui grew up, he also handed Cuicui to a person, his business is over! But who should Cuicui give? What kind of person is needed not to wrongfully accuse her?

A few days ago, when the shun family Tianbao elder crossed the creek, he talked with his grandfather, spoke straight and fast, praised Cuicui, and expressed his heart. After my grandfather sent the elder away, he thought about what he had just said, and he was sad and happy. Worried that this person is suitable for taking care of Cuicui? I also wonder if Cuicui is willing?

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, my grandfather went to the city to do things for the festival. After my grandfather left, the yellow dog accompanied Cuicui to guard the ship. When Cuicui had nothing to do on the boat, even if the old boatman's itinerary, she knew where he should meet and talk about, what the situation at the city gate should be on this day, what the situation should be on the river street, "a book in her heart", she was exactly as if she had seen it with her own eyes.

As soon as grandfather arrived on river street, many shop merchants gave her rice dumplings and other things, as a little respect for this loyal rower, although my grandfather could not move, but he would also take some things, and generally received some affection. Walking to the table where the meat seller was sold, he wanted to buy meat, but as usual, people did not want to accept money. If the butcher doesn't charge money, he'd rather go to another house and buy it, definitely not take advantage of that.

When my grandfather came home, it was almost time for breakfast. The second elder came over to return the wine gourd, and invited Cuicui and his grandfather to the city to watch the rowing boats, and sent someone to be the substitute for the ferry. When Cuicui and her grandfather went to the big river in the city, the river was already full of people, the drizzle had stopped, and the ground was still wet. Cuicui watched the rowing boats in the stilt house of the Shunshun family, and her grandfather did not watch the dragon boat racing, and was pulled by an acquaintance to see the water mill of the new mill.

The friend told the old boatman how the shun family elder praised Cuicui and asked him to inquire about the old boatman's tone. The old boatman remembered what the elder said in person the last time, knew that the meaning of the elder was true, and also knew that Shunshun was also happy and green, so his heart was also very happy.

According to the rules, this person should personally go to the house with a sealed snack in order to see the matter cautiously. Then he said: The car is the road, the horse is the road, and each has its own way of walking. The eldest elder is taking the road, which should be decided by the eldest father, and invited a matchmaker to come to the house to propose to the family. If you are walking on a road, you should make your own decision, stand on the high cliff opposite the creek at the ferry, and sing a song for Cuicui for three years and six months. But first go back and discuss, everything is up to Cuicui herself.

Cuicui was called to sit next to the squire woman, the location was particularly good, but her heart was not at peace. Suddenly thinking of the dog, only to find that the yellow dog had long since disappeared into nowhere, he left his seat and went to the crowd to look for the yellow dog. While looking for the yellow dog, he listened to what others were saying. Then he learned that the tuanzong wanted to use the new mill as a dowry, and he entrusted the person to Shunshun and asked him to be a son-in-law.

Later, someone brought a gift to Cuicui's house, and Shunshun of the palm water dock dragged the matchmaker as a relative of the son to the ferry. After the visitor finished speaking, the old boatman said that he needed to ask Cuicui's claim and sent the person away. Then asked Cuicui's opinion, Cuicui did not know how to answer, so she was silent.

Later, Cuicui figured out that the person who came to be a matchmaker was the elder! Cuicui did not make a sound, and the grandfather said: I want to think for a few days without getting in the way. Although Cuicui did not make a sound, she wanted to cry in her heart, but there was no reason to cry. Cuicui's heart was chaotic, and she wanted to rush to her heart, but she couldn't catch up.

The next day, the second time Cuicui was in the vegetable garden under the White Tower, and when his grandfather asked him what he advocated, Cuicui lowered his head and ignored it, but only pinched the green onion with his hand. It felt strange, but I didn't mention it again.