During the Republic of China period, warlords were fighting each other, the people's lives were miserable, and the difference between the rich and the poor was huge. There are both the "Zhumen wine meat smell" of the rich and noble families, and the "frozen bones on the road" of the low-level peasants, everyone is trying to survive, and they dare not slacken off in the slightest.
This includes Cheng Jinmei, a 17-year-old girl who is struggling to survive, who was sold into a flower house by her father to pay off her debts, receiving customers every day, often beating and cursing, and being scaled all over her body. It was not until after the liberation of New China after 1949 and the Tianjin Women's Federation rescued the runaway woman that Cheng Jinmei told her story of suffering.
It turned out that what she was most afraid of was not the addition of sticks and sticks, punches and kicks, but "bayberry sores". If you ask the ancient serious woman who became a prostitute, what was the most tragic thing? Compared with the famous festival, the "bayberry sore" is the most terrifying; Once infected, there is no cure.
And Cheng Jinmei is one of the survivors who struggled to survive in such an environment. So, what is a "bayberry sore"? What kind of story is there? Today, let's talk.
Young dreams shattered, not in the untouchables
Cheng Jinmei was born in Jing'an District, Tianjin, to ordinary farming parents who made a living by farming. In some areas, two warlords were changed every three days, and each time they changed, the peasants had to pay a tax in advance, and the tax period was as long as decades.
Daily food and clothing is the minimum wish of farmers, and it is very difficult for ordinary people to survive, but Cheng Jinmei's father began to smoke at this time. The great smoke was a sign of that era, a means for the government to amass wealth, and something harmful to the wives and children of the commoners.
Even if the smoke is so harmful to society, it is still sold on a large scale and cannot be stopped. Cheng Jinmei's father, like all smokers, faced with the burden of life, was extremely depressed, overwhelmed, and only wanted to indulge himself.
The smoke made him forget the hardships of life, the troubles of reality, and sink into the illusion and flutter. The feeling of drunken dreams and death every day made Cheng Father more and more addicted, and the family was already stretched, and he sold out the valuable items in the family in order to buy a big cigarette.
Soon the family was surrounded by disciples, and Father Cheng could no longer sell decent things, but the smoking addiction that could not be quit was like countless insects and ants nibbling at his body and mind. Therefore, when he could not buy a big cigarette, he often beat his children to vent his anger.
However, when people's desires swell to a certain extent, the inferiority in their bones is revealed, and all children's affection is sidelined. Father Cheng's addiction to smoking was getting bigger and bigger, but he couldn't come up with a little money to buy big cigarettes. Extremely vicious, he came up with a brilliant idea - to sell women for money.
More than two thousand years of feudal system poisoned down, the idea of male nobles and lowly women is deeply rooted, Cheng Father thought, the son will be used to prevent old age in the future, the daughter will marry sooner or later, it is better to change money to play a little role, and we will not waste our time to raise her.
At this time, Cheng Father only had money and smoke in his eyes, and he didn't care at all about the relatives that had already been booked for his daughter. Once upon a time, in order to reduce the burden, the parents of the Cheng family gave their daughters to ordinary families, and the two families met to get married.
Therefore, in order to avoid future disputes, Cheng's father deliberately looked for Cheng Jinmei's fiancé's stubble, created a conflict, beat people up, and stirred up the marriage. For Cheng's father, without a marriage contract, his daughter is much better to sell.
On this day, Cheng's father asked Cheng's mother to dress her daughter up beautifully and wear good clothes that she usually does not often wear, and Cheng's mother secretly shed tears while combing her daughter's hair. Father Cheng looked at his wife's grinding and chirping look, scolded and grinned and began to urge them.
Cheng Jinmei happily said goodbye to her mother and went out with her father, who she thought was taking her to buy wedding supplies. Along the way, Cheng Jinmei fantasized about the scene of becoming intimate with her fiancé, the appearance of her future wife and mother, the joyful scene of her children wrapped around her knees, and the four generations in the same house.
In a short distance, she had already thought about the future of her life, until the carriage stopped in front of a brothel called "Yongchuntang", and her thoughts were stopped. Out of it came a man and a woman, a man named Tong Fuhai, the owner of a brothel.
I saw him walk over with a big belly and gesture to the old bustard next to him. The old bustard wore a peony on his head, held a fan in his hand, and was dressed revealingly, approached Cheng Jinmei, pulled her arm around, touched his hand up and down, and said satisfactorily: "Not bad, stay!" ”
Immediately, xiao Wei, who was standing next to Tong Fuhai, took out ten pieces of ocean from his money bag and handed them to Father Cheng, who counted them correctly and turned to leave. Looking at his father's back, Cheng Jinmei suddenly understood that he had been sold, worth ten oceans.
Not afraid of scolding, only afraid of bayberry sores
Cheng Jinmei couldn't enter the Yongchun Hall, and Father Chong gradually blurred his back and cried hysterically: "Daddy, don't sell me ~ take me home!" Take me home! Only to see that the vague back disappeared in an instant, leaving Cheng Jinmei's cries and scoldings from the old bustard and Xiao Wei.
Cheng Jinmei was dragged into the Yongchun Hall and locked in a room. In the evening, the old bustard opened the door, sat down on a rocking chair, and said calmly: "When you enter this door, you will not want to go out in this life, unless you are carried out horizontally." ”
The old bustard's words and sentences frightened the simple and ignorant Cheng Jinmei to the bone, but chastity has been the most sacred thing for women since ancient times, and prostitutes are even more spurned identities, and she must keep her innocence no matter what.
At first, the old bustard was afraid of breaking her body, and it was not easy to attract guests in the future, but he just cut off her food. Day after day, Cheng Jinmei was still struggling to persist, not eating for many days, only afraid of his life, the old bustard thought:
"This is what Boss Tong bought with money, and if he hasn't made any money, he will lose money, and Boss Tong will definitely not rely on her." So the old bustard asked someone to bring her a meal, and when she had finished eating, he hung her up and whipped her, and she was tortured.
After a day of torture, Cheng Jinmei peeled flesh, blood scabs cracked and cracked, cracked and closed, the pain was unbearable, and at the same time, her heart was very frightened. The girl who brought her food every day advised her not to annoy the old bustard, otherwise there would be no good fruit to eat in the end.
Originally, there was a fierce girl who was beaten to death because she refused to obey. Cheng Jinmei couldn't help but shiver when she heard this, she wasn't afraid of being beaten, but she didn't want to die like this. Her life has only just begun, although it is a bad start, but as long as she lives, there is still hope.
Therefore, Cheng Jinmei obediently accepted the arrangement of the old bustard, painted red thrushes every day, received endless guests, and learned to flatter them; Obviously, his heart is miserable, but he still has to smile and greet him. Cheng Jinmei slowly began to adapt to such a day, thinking in her heart, as long as she lives.
However, it is such a small wish that is also a luxury for the women of the Qinglou. One day, a news spread throughout the building that the sister Cuiyu was infected with "bayberry sores" and was locked up in the firewood room, leaving it to fend for itself, and no one was allowed to go near it, so as not to be infected.
It is said that "bayberry sores" is a chronic systemic disease caused by syphilis, which can be transmitted to various organs through the blood, causing lesions and finally decaying all over the body. The profession of prostitutes is most susceptible to this disease! Once infected, there is nothing that can be done.
Listening to the sisters' tongue-in-cheek discussion, Cheng Jinmei's originally settled heart became tense again. The "Yangmei sore" was like an untime bomb, buried in Cheng Jinmei's heart, making her panic and uneasiness.
Thinking about this, Cheng Jinmei remembered the poor sister who was locked up in the firewood room, so she secretly brought the meal to the outside of the firewood room, stood in the distance, and asked her to come and get it. A few days later, when she came to deliver food, the firewood room was empty. Listening to the steward, the girl was thrown out early in the morning by a few beggars hired by the old bustard wrapped in mats.
Cheng Jinmei was afraid after listening to it, maybe she would also have this day, maybe this day is tomorrow. However, fortunately, fate did not embarrass her too much, and she was strong enough to finally wait for the hope she looked forward to day and night.
Get out of the sea of suffering and meet a good person
Cheng Jinmei lives the life of a caged bird every day, flirting with guests, guests are not satisfied with being slapped and kicked, old bustards are not satisfied with being scolded by old bustards, and sisters are not satisfied with being sued by sisters for black. Every time she was physically and mentally injured, she wanted to give up herself and give up her life, but there was always a strong voice in her head: "Live!" ”
Therefore, she learned to be flattering, learned to play on the spot, learned the rules of survival, acted according to the rules, and no longer feared anyone. However, for the "bayberry sores", it is always like an invisible shackle, which binds her and makes her not free to tremble.
Shakespeare once said: "No matter how long the night is, the day will always come", Cheng Jinmei used her strength and hope to wait for a new life. In 1950, the situation in New China gradually stabilized, and the leaders noticed the black industrial chain of the mainland and cut it down.
At the same time, the government also sent women's federations to rescue and resettle the girls in the brothel. The girls were grateful to Shu Zero, and did not expect that one day they would be able to get rid of the sea of suffering, regain a new life, and say goodbye to the life that did not see the light of day and talk about the tiger color becoming "bayberry sores".
They are either sent home or given a career, each with its own place. Cheng Jinmei hated her father and mother, and for money, she did not care about her daughter's life and death, and even ruined her happiness in life, and she would not forgive them in this life no matter what.
Therefore, Cheng Jinmei did not go home, was arranged by the organization to work in a textile factory, and met the honest old Feng; He is not good at words, but he treats Cheng Jinmei very well, and he does not care about Cheng Jinmei's origin.
Soon, the two married under the mediation of friends, and Cheng Jinmei was old at this time and could not have children; Coincidentally, Old Feng had many children. Cheng Jinmei regards his stepsons as his own, takes good care of them, and the family is happy and harmonious.
Throughout Cheng Jinmei's life, there is no doubt that he was full of hardships and misery. However, no matter what kind of adversity she was in, Cheng Jinmei has always insisted on not giving up, holding hope in the center of the dirty environment, waiting for the day when the morning sun will reappear.
In fact, people's lives are really short, and everyone should do their best to face the difficulties and obstacles on the road of life and live for themselves. As long as you live, there is hope! As long as you live, anything can be done.
After all, people live all their lives in order to prove their worth! What do you think about that?