I just lovingly touched the child's hair and told him that this stone jade carving was a divine beast, invited back from the Tiananmen Square watch in Beijing, and it would bless the happiness and well-being of our whole family.
Sun Bingwei
On the third day of the Chinese New Year, the daughter returned to her mother's house. The little grandson pointed to an animal jade sculpture in my bookcase and asked me what it was? I replied that it was called "Stone Fox". The child is puzzled. I smiled and asked the child to take a closer look at the characteristics of this stone jade carving. He observed and said that its horns resembled that of a deer, its head like a camel' head, its claws like an eagle, and its hair like a lion's. Haha, almost said, the child's observation is really cool.
The child curiously asked me about the origin of this stone jade carving, which immediately aroused my memories of a past.
More than 30 years ago, I had just entered the year of confusion, and I went to Beijing on a business trip in the early spring when it was warm and cold. When I passed Tiananmen Square, I stopped in front of Huabiao, and I looked at this huge stone pillar symbolizing the royal majesty of the imperial capital, carved on the pillar, and decorated with flowing clouds, and on the top of the stone pillar there was a dew plate, and a squat beast called "ChaotianJiao" stood proudly on it, roaring in the form of looking up at the sky, highlighting the spirit, temperament and charm, which made people involuntarily rise from the heart with a sense of sacredness and solemnity.
Walking down the street with a kind of fascination, passing by a store, I suddenly saw a sign with a stone calf painted on it, which reads"Advise the king to stay and take a look, a hundred kinds of stone calves for purchase." "Stone calf"? My eyes lit up, could it be the stone calf on the top of the Hua watch in front of Tiananmen? Curious, he lifted the blue curtain and went inside.
As soon as I entered the door, I felt that the cigarette smoke was swirling and the fairy atmosphere was full. A thin man in his fifties sat in front of the coffee table, pouring kung fu tea. His long hair was curled in a bun, his chin was sparse and sparse, his eyes were shining with wisdom in a pair of slender eyes, and a string of milky white Buddha beads hung on his chest. When I saw someone come in, I got up and greeted me, sir, I want to buy a stone calf. Look, I just look. As I answered, I aimed at the stone jade carvings on the shelves, and the white dangling in front of my eyes was a large shelf, and there were many layers of stone jade carvings of different sizes. Mr. is optimistic, this is the Beijing City Stone Shop, the most complete variety, the most exquisite production, the most realistic, the most fair price. The skinny boss stood behind me and introduced himself. I stared at the stone jade carving carefully, and it was indeed like the book introduced: like a dog is not a dog, the head is like a camel, the horns are like a deer, the ears are like a cat, the mouth is like a donkey, the hair is like a lion, the scales are like a carp, the claws are like an eagle, and it is like a tiger. Look at the price list, small one, two hundred yuan, the middle does not slip autumn thousands of range, the large price of one to fifty thousand. Obedient, full of eyes, slippery and slippery eyeballs.
Just want to move away, the thin boss spoke, sir can you know, how many people from all over the world come to Beijing to buy this thing? Don't tell you that I often run out of stock here. He looked me up and down and continued, all those who buy this thing, most of them come to collect the auspicious atmosphere of the imperial city roots, those who are in difficulty turn danger into disaster, those who have nothing to do to drive away evil spirits and nafu, entrepreneurs are full of pots, scholars are on the gold list, the elderly in the family are unharmed and long-lived, the breasts under the knees are innocent and messy, the husband and wife are Aegense and Ming, and the family is harmonious and harmonious.
I couldn't help but laugh at this. This is a boss, just an orator. The thin boss arched his hands to give me a stroke, and I was afraid of being rude and returned the wave. Sir, I see that your heavenly court is full, the pavilion is round, and there is a heroic atmosphere between your eyebrows, and what is revealed in your eyes is a little bit of love, and it is clear that you are a person with compassion for you. But..., the thin boss said, suddenly wanted to talk and stopped, but went straight to a huge stone statue offering incense, folded his hands, and murmured words in his mouth. I glared at him, but what? You say? Dare to ask Mr. Your last name? Let the skinny boss this meal of "overflowing words" plus sell a level, I actually quickly reported the last name. Sir, please sit down, I have something important to tell. Seeing him in the clouds and flashing words, my appetite was suddenly lifted.
Sit down, go to tea, I can't care about drinking tea, eagerly ask him, quickly say, what is the matter? The thin boss's mouth is slightly cocked, dare to ask Mr. Guigeng? Lunar birthday? I told him. He grabbed one of my left hands and put five fingers together, and he rubbed two of his fingers in the palm of my hand as he examined it carefully, his eyes narrowing a line and muttering in his mouth. Sir brother three, you are the eldest. I was secretly surprised in my heart, and I thought, how did he know? The husband has two daughters, and the youngest daughter should have just entered primary school. I was so taken aback at this point! The skinny boss in front of me was a godsend. Sir, with all due respect, I have just seen you face to face, and I have communicated with the soul of the head of the stone calf in our shop, warning you of the hidden disaster of blood and light. yes! My heart sank, and I hurriedly asked him, what kind of blood and light disaster? Hurry up and make it clear. The skinny boss paused, took a sip of tea, shook his head and stuck out a finger. I didn't understand what he meant and urged him to say it quickly. The little girl was in a car accident on the way to school within a week. I panicked, yawned, crow's mouth, nonsense. The thin boss stood up without hurry, Mr. may not believe me, but believe in the words of Shi Yi, which is the god of the top of the Huabiao, also known as "Looking at the Heavenly Roar", "Looking at the Emperor's Return", you must not believe it.
I was stunned, a materialist who had never believed in ghosts and gods, and his heart was suddenly jumping. Eagerly asked, what then?
How to eliminate disasters? You must buy a stone calf, no matter how big or small, and go home and put it in a clean and high place in the house. Within a week, two things must also be done, one is to release the life; the other is to take advantage of the night to put the little girl's clothes and place them in the middle of the road through which she must go to school, and pay special attention to these two things to be done in secret, not exposed, cut!
My brain was chaotic for a while, and the sweet smile of my little daughter appeared in front of my eyes, and my heart was full of mixed feelings. Loving her daughter's heart, she broke the wealth and avoided disaster, and then decided to buy a stone calf. I immediately went to the shelf to choose, selected a snow white, not big, not too small, not even the price to talk about, a full 300 yuan. The thin boss carefully packed it up for me and sincerely advised me not to stay in Beijing for too long, and to hurry home and do the two things he instructed.
After hurriedly returning to Qingqing, I did not even dare to say it to my wife, so I mysteriously found a top that my young daughter often wore to hide, and fished out a few fish from the fish tank. The next morning, before dawn, he told his wife that he was going to go up the mountain to exercise and walk a little early, so he walked out of the house alone. The street lights on the road are quiet, there are no vehicles and pedestrians, I look like a thief, back and forth, left and right, run to the middle of the road that my daughter must pass through to go to school, hurriedly throw down the daughter's blouse, and leave quickly. He hurried to the pond on the mountainside and released a few fish.
At this time, the sky has been brightened, and the breeze in the morning light has wafted with the fragrance of flowers, and I suddenly feel clear in my heart. After the two things were done, I felt that the "disaster of blood and light" had left us, as if I had unloaded the burden of a thousand pounds in my heart, as if I saw my little daughter who was like a flower and jade carrying a school bag to school with joy and joy, and my eyes could not help but moisten.
The white colt crossed the gap and passed away in the spring and autumn of thirty years. Over the years, this jade carving has squatted on the top of my bookcase, quietly accompanying us through the clean glass door. The house is full of books, strong family affection, husband and wife love, and family harmony. Especially the little girl has been a mother for a long time, she has a successful career, is happy, loving, and pays attention to filial piety, and together with her sister, she has brought endless spring breezes to our family.
Looking at the stone jade carving, in fact, I have a number in my heart, the thin boss of that year had a lot of "fooling" me, and the 300 yuan at that time was not a small amount. But I never had the slightest remorse, because what I bought back was a young father's blessing for his beloved daughter. I have always believed that this divine beast brings protection to the little girl and the whole family, and it is the peace of my soul away from the red dust.
Grandpa, Grandpa, what does this stone calf mean here? I came back from my galloping thoughts. But how do I answer my child? I just lovingly touched the child's hair and told him that this stone jade carving was a divine beast, invited back from the Tiananmen Square watch in Beijing, and it would bless the happiness and well-being of our whole family.
Author Sun Bingwei Member of China Prose Literature Association Member of Shandong Prose Literature Association Member of Qingdao Contemporary Literary Creation Research Association Member of Qingdao Qindao Writers Association
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