This is a story adapted from a real family, a nurturing love, a reward, and a short sixteen years of life that has lived out the affectionate commitment of a little girl.
A touch of sunset casts an orange glow on the farm yard.
Yang Xiukun held the painting clip in one hand and skillfully drew with a pen in the other, and from time to time looked up at the little sister Xiuzhi who was very comfortable sitting on a bamboo chair. The little sister who is busy all day like a top, it is rare to have such a quiet and comfortable time.
The smooth lines on the drawing board outline the melon face of the xiuzhi, with short hair at all ears, light eyebrows and phoenix eyes, and a small nose slightly hooked. At the cuffs of the floral shirt, a plain hand on the delicate jaw, Yan Yan looked like a fifteen-year-old girl.
Xiuzhi said, "Brother, if you go to art school, you will be admitted to the university in Beijing, and you will study well. ”
Xiukun turned eighteen at the end of this year and will take the college entrance examination next year, but he didn't think about it well, and said vaguely: "Zhizi, do you really want me to take the exam?" ”
"Of course."
Xiu Kun was silent, and when Xiu Zhi was nine years old, the three ringers sent their birth mothers not to marry, crying: "Mom, you go by yourself, Zhi Zi can't forget that his father raised me for six years, and now he is crippled, he can't be ungrateful, I want to stay and serve." Mom, I know you're having a hard time, I don't blame you when you leave, just let the branches stay to repay the favor."
When the eldest brother was eighteen, he failed the college entrance examination, his father was paralyzed in bed, and his two younger brothers went to school, but nine-year-old Xiuzhi had to take a stick and rushed his eldest brother to the armed forces to sign up for the army. The eldest brother walked with tears in his eyes, made meritorious deeds twice in a year, and joined the party to promote cadres. Three years later, the second brother, who has always had excellent grades, was admitted to Nankai University, and the eldest brother wanted to retire from the army to help the family. Two more letters were sent to the unit by my sister, one to the leader of the unit, pleading with her brother, who was already a technical volunteer, to remain in the army for development. The letter was written by the village chief, and it was said very earnestly, and no one could believe that this was the idea of a twelve-year-old girl.
Xiuzhi stayed at home for another six years, in addition to taking care of her father, she also had three acres of land, and when she was a child, she had to step on a stool to cook. Later, the second brother left, and the land was also less, but Xiuzhi instead wrapped two acres of land for others. Until last year, in the continuous fields, the fields were planted with mung beans and sesame seeds, plus fruit trees and vegetable fields outside the courtyard, two pigs in the backyard, and processing strips woven with wheatgrass, and the one-dollar yuan was slowly deposited into Xiuzhi's wallet, which supported his father's medical expenses and his brother's tuition and living expenses for several years. Until his father's funeral last year, the eldest brother did not know that his future was actually bought by the little sister with hard work, and the second brother tearfully stuffed his work-study money into his sister's arms.
All this, Xiu Kun, who is similar to Xiuzhi's age, knows best, except for his two vacations a year, this family is taken care of by the little sister. If he went to school in a foreign country, he did not dare to think about all this, and no matter how hard his heart was, he could not bear to leave his sister alone.
Xiuzhi said, "Brother, are you talking, do you agree or not?" ”
Xiu Kun grabbed her: "The eldest brother and the second brother are not at home, but the third brother is still close to you, do you really want me to go so far?" ”
"Far away, isn't it just going to school, I want you to be close, but there is no nearby."
Xiu Kun knew that she was interrupted, did not want to say anything more, and got up to go back to the house.
Xiuzhi hurriedly pulled back and giggled, "Brother, don't be angry, I'm talking about playing." I think so, now that my father is gone, my eldest brother and second brother are also settled, and the three men in our family are not yet able to do it, you don't laugh, I don't mean you can't do it, hey! That's not what it means."
She punched Xiu Kun with her hand, who was not funny, and said seriously: "Brother paints so well, the study is not bad, if you don't do this line of work, the loss is big, our family has not produced a painter in several lifetimes, you grow up, but also make our father happy and happy, is it not good?" ”
Xiu Kun sighed and did not reply immediately.
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A few years ago, the third brother said that he would not come back for the winter vacation of the tuition major, and Zhizi was very happy and personally sent him a bank card. There are still half a month of New Year's Day, dad's death day, Xiuzhi gave herself a day off. After making my father's favorite leek dumplings, he filled a small pot of wine and walked along the snow-covered wheat field to the cemetery in Dongshan.
Her father's grave was covered tightly by the residual snow, and she often came here to pull grass and add soil, knowing that the snow was clean underneath. Wiping away the snow from the tombstone, Xiuzhi put on a tribute, poured wine, and half-knelt down to give Dad: "Dad, you have been gone for a year, our family has changed a lot, last year the government exempted taxes, and subsidized money." Rest assured, life is much better, and the eldest brother has a salary. ”
She sprinkled the wine offering in front of the grave, poured another cup, and discussed: "The second brother graduated this year, I heard that many people want to go to graduate school, I inquired, admitted to graduate school can enter the government as an official." I wondered if my second brother was well educated, because our family had virtue in our ancestors, and my father was a good man, if you hadn't taken us in, I would have starved to death. She sniffed her nose and wiped the corners of her eyes: "It's just rushing these I didn't go, or how can I be tired in the past few years, really, sometimes I really want to sleep."
She sobbed and shed tears for a while, and then wiped: "Dad, I shouldn't think so, you hurt me for six years, like a daughter, a brother, they are all relatives of the branches." I will continue to work hard to support the second brother to pass the civil service examination, and also let the third brother become a painter," she broke a smile, and her eyes began to shine again: "Dad, rest assured, the branches will desperately earn money to save their tuition, and when they are out, they will give you the whole decent cemetery, like those rich people." ”
A gust of wind drifted through the woods, and a few remnants of leaves swirled around the grave.
"Dad, did you hear me?" You really hear it. Xiuzhi was surprised for a moment: "Rest assured, I will help them have a good future, and I will marry a daughter-in-law and give you a grandson." ”
On the way back to the village, Xiuzhi met the village elder Ge Tou, and he smiled at himself when he was far away, and Xiuzhi said, "Uncle Ge, what is the good thing, why are you so happy?" ”
Old Ge Tou narrowed his eyes and smiled, "It's a good thing for you." Come, girl, it's so, your mother was not at ease when she left, she left my address, and now I heard that your fucking father is gone, ask you if you can go back with her. Daughter-in-law, your stepfather is a little skilled, and he also promised to keep you, and there is a brother of your half-mother in the family. ”
"I'm not going," Hidee said, turning her head and leaving.
"Hey! You always have to make it clear, and I'll answer her. ”
"Uncle, you told my mother that since I entered the Yang family's door, I have recognized my father and brother, and there is no reason to leave." Just say that when she is old, I will go to her to do filial piety, but now I can't. ”
Old Ge Tou advised: "After all, the Yang family has no blood relatives with you, and the hardships you have suffered in the past few years have been seen by the people in the village, and they are worthy of them. ”
"Uncle, you don't need to persuade me, I'm not confused, my father and brother both take me as their own pain." I was the only girl in his family, and they all held me in their hands and spoiled me, and I couldn't have no conscience. When my father was dying, I vowed to be a good sister of my brother and let them always have a home. Now that the second brother and the third brother want to go to school, I have to help them, and I can't miss the future of the eldest brother in the army. The eldest brother once saved my life, so high roof, I almost smashed his leg, uncle think, is the kiss can still be like? ”
Old Ge Tou sighed, did not persuade again, and said: "Speaking of your third brother, I heard my girlfriend say that this art exam seems to be without him." ”
Xiuzhi was stunned: "No, I told him to report it?" ”
Xiuzhi turned around and ran home, and Old Ge Tou shouted from behind: "This child may hurt money, and you should not blame him." ”
Xiuzhi hurried home to change her clothes, took a piece of miscellaneous noodle bun and nibbled it on the road outside the village to wait for the shuttle. She looked at the small red mobile phone in her hand, lovingly wiped it with her hand, and carefully put it into the small bag she made. This is the second brother in the mall to play a winter vacation work for themselves to buy, summer vacation back a few days to teach themselves how to use, she has always cherished tightly, never carry when working.
Nowadays, the school is on winter vacation, there are few people in the whole building, but there are some traces of the removal of art cram schools. She couldn't find Xiukun, so she inquired about the only teaching office with a teacher on duty, and as soon as she entered the door, she asked the male teacher who was bending down and pouring water: "Hello teacher, I want to ask, when will the art examination be registered?" ”
"Registration, when to register, the exam will be completed at the end of last year."
"Ah!" Hidee was dumbfounded: "How could this be, he lied to me." ”
"Who lied to you?" This thirty-something male teacher looked surprised, seeing that Xiuzhi's age was not a high school student, was there any misconduct among the students?
"Wait, little girl, what the hell is going on?" You're not our student, are you? ”
"Oh! I'm not, my brother is, he promised to apply for art, but he lied to me. ”
The male teacher breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "What is your brother's name?" ”
"Xiu Kun, Yang Xiu Kun, senior third class."
"Hooray! It was him, I know, he is quite talented in painting, I persuaded him, but he is afraid that he will not even participate in the college entrance examination. ”
"What? This villain! Xiuzhi turned her head and ran, and was stopped by the male teacher: "He works everywhere, you can't find him, I know where to find." He walked out the door and stopped a passing student to say a few words.
That is, a few minutes of kung fu, Xiu Kun came, he did not say anything to pull his sister to the corridor outside the door, but was beaten by his sister with a split head and a face cover: "Liar, still take my money to deceive me, I don't care, you pay me." ”
Xiu Kun blushed, looked around, lowered her head and grabbed her hand, "Don't make trouble, this is the school is not home." ”
"I don't care, you pay me, say, why don't you take the art exam?" Not to mention college, are you worthy of dad? Is it worth my hard work? ”
"I am because of your hard work, why should I make you work so hard, it is enough for us to have a second brother, I work early to help you earn money."
"It's not rare," Xiuzhi said, although he listened emotionally, but he was angry in his heart: "Say that you want to be a painter, what is the use of money, isn't it earned by people?" Without the opportunity, how much money can not be exchanged, why are you stealing like this? I'm angry, I'm, I'm angry! Xiuzhi shouted, this gas does not know where to send.
Xiu Kun was also frightened, I don't know what the sister still has to shout out, pressing her shoulder and whispering for forgiveness: "Good sister, is the brother wrong, I change, I must change, I promise you to take a good school is not OK?" Please don't bark, okay? Others still think I'm bullying you. ”
"You're just bullying me," Xiuzhi said with a slight smile, "well, just go to the big art school in Beijing." In her heart, Beijing is a place that everyone admires, and everything is good.
Xiu Kun smiled bitterly: "You are not difficult for me, I mean to enter an ordinary university." ”
Xiuzhi's phoenix eyes were pure and clear, straight to the bottom of the heart: "Brother, sister to tell the truth, I like to see paintings, like you to be a painter, when you learn well, you will paint our hometown beautifully, and then bring the paintings to the whole country." Let others also see how beautiful we are here, the sky blue mountains are beautiful, even the breath in the crops is sweet, let those who do not want to come back to see that their homes are not ugly. ”
"Branches, branches, I," Xiu Kun's eyes were wet, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm delayed." ”
"It's not too late, as long as you have a heart, it's not too late." The male teacher came over: "Little sister, what you said is so good, I haven't heard such a thing for a long time." My surname is Zhou, you just call me Teacher Zhou. He turned back to Xiu kun and said, "Don't hide it, there is still a school exam in March, and it is too late to register now." ”
"Teacher, those are all famous schools, how can I get in, and then say that the light comes and goes--" He originally wanted to talk about the cost, look at the sister, and then hold back.
Teacher Zhou looked at the little girl next to her with a hopeful face and said to Xiukun: "You have a good foundation, don't try how to know, just rush to this good sister, you should also work hard, I will help you register online, try to choose a school that is convenient for taking the exam."
Teacher Zhou said to Xiuzhi again: "Rest assured, I will help you with your brother's business, and tell you that good schools are not necessarily all in Beijing, and many cities have famous schools, which are on the national list." ”
In Xiuzhi's eyes, Teacher Zhou is an authority, and she is not at ease: "Thank you, thank you Teacher Zhou," she bowed again: "Thank you for my father!" ”
After this time, Xiukun did not dare to slacken off, and was busy until the end of March before he closed several examinations at the Academy of Fine Arts in Xi'an. In mid-April, I got the certificate of conformity, and I was busy preparing for the exam in June, which was a mess. At the beginning of May, Xiukun had a cold and became pneumonia, and after a few days of drip-ups, he was distressed about money, and as soon as the fever subsided, he changed to taking medicine and rested in the dormitory while reviewing. Xiuzhi looked distressed and regretted a little, saying that he forced his brother to be tired of the exam. Xiu Kun put down the book, nodded at the little sister's forehead, and said: "Regret now, it's too late, even if you owe me, wait until you get the enrollment notice, give me a supplement for eating." ”
"Hmmm!" This time Xiuzhi did not have a poor mouth, nodded vigorously, and smiled like a blooming hibiscus flower.
With the example of Xiu Kun, the second eldest Hideaki did not oppose the examination, he wrote to the third brother and four sisters, saying that he could find an opportunity to take the job to graduate school, everything cost himself to solve, and instructed the little sister not to work so hard.