On the twenty-third day of the lunar month, the tense atmosphere before the Lunar New Year has permeated this small village. Every household is busy cleaning and preparing New Year's goods, and Zhang Hua's family is no exception. However, this year's New Year's flavor seems to be missing something. Outside, the snow covered the entire village silently.
Zhang Hua stood at the door of his house, looking at the white world, anxiously looking at the path leading to the outside of the village. "Mom, why haven't you come back yet?" He muttered to himself, putting his hand in the pocket of his padded jacket, and in the cold wind, he felt a trace of coldness and worry.
Since the death of his father, Zhang Hua and his mother Liu Hui have relied on each other. This year, the mountains were closed by heavy snowfall, and I could only hope to earn some money from selling pig hair to supplement my family. In the morning, her mother, Liu Hui, carried a bag of marijuana and staggered on the road to collect pig hair. It is said that Uncle Li's family in a nearby village has a lot of pig hair to sell, and the price is not cheap.
"Mother, you have to be careful, don't catch a cold." At that time, Zhang Hua was still admonishing his mother on the kang.
"Phew, mother's bones are hard." Liu Hui smiled at that time, with a determined and heroic face.
At this moment, under the big locust tree at the entrance of the village, Uncle Wang walked slowly with a cane, and saw that Zhang Hua was alone, so he came over.
"Zhang Hua, why hasn't your mother come back yet? It's snowing so hard, it's really worrying. Uncle Wang asked with concern in a thick local accent.
"Yes, uncle, I'm worried too. You said, this snow covers the road, will something happen to my mother? Zhang Hua couldn't hide the anxiety in his heart.
"Hey, I can't say anything about this weather. But your mom is tough, so she's fine. Uncle Wang tried to comfort Zhang Hua, but his own tone was not too sure.
At this time, the village radio sounded: "Please pay attention, due to the snow, the road outside is not easy to walk, and those who have elderly and children at home should pay attention to keeping warm and do not go far away." ”
Listening to the radio, Zhang Hua's heart was even more bottomless, he decided to wait, if his mother didn't return before dark, he would have to look for it even if it was snowing.
"Uncle, if my mother comes back, you will shout." Zhang Hua said to Uncle Wang, and then walked home nervously, prepared some hot water to warm up, and by the way, also prepared some hot tea for his mother, hoping that she could come back early to warm up. The sky was getting darker, and the snow still didn't mean to stop. Zhang Hua sat by the hot stove, a little anxious and unwilling, so he could only sit and wait for death. Seeing Uncle Wang passing by his door again, Zhang Hua suddenly felt an impulse in his heart, he stood up and walked out of the door.
"Uncle, it's so dark, what are you walking outside?" Zhang Hua greeted Uncle Wang.
Uncle Wang looked up at Zhang Hua and shook his head, "I'm also worried about your mother, come out and have a look." How are you? ”
Zhang Hua sighed, "I think I'll have to find it." ”
"This wind and snow are so big, you are alone..."Uncle Wang was a little worried, but he also understood his feelings.
Zhang Hua said while tying a scarf: "Uncle, I remember that you and my father are good friends, and you always say that you watched me grow up." My mom has been out for so long, I need to go and see. ”
"Oh, your mother, you are stubborn. I remember the winter when your father went, your mother went out to work before dawn for the sake of the family, and came back after dark, you were still young and didn't understand anything. Uncle Wang began to talk about the past.
Zhang Hua stopped moving, he could hear that these past events were too far away for him, "Uncle, can you tell me more about my mother?" ”
"At that time, your mother supported the whole family alone, do you remember the piece of land in the mountain behind your house? That's what your mother dug up with a hoe. The people in the village admired her. Uncle Wang said slowly.
Zhang Hua's eyes were split when he heard this, and his admiration for his mother arose spontaneously, and he became more anxious, he was even more worried about his mother's current situation.
"Also," Uncle Wang suddenly whispered, "Your mother's year, in order to save medical expenses for you, she took her sick body to the mountains to collect medicine, and she almost didn't survive the illness." ”
"What?" Zhang Hua was shocked, he had never heard of this past.
Uncle Wang sighed, "Yes, at that time, you were only three years old and very sick. Your dad just went again, and the family is so poor that it clangs... ..."
Zhang Hua felt a sour nose, clenched his fists, and silently made up his mind in his heart, no matter what, he wanted to find his mother, even if it was cold, even if the night and the wind and snow were fierce.
"Uncle, I'll leave now." Zhang Hua only said this in the end, then turned around and went into the house, carrying the things prepared in advance.
"Be careful!" Uncle Wang stood behind, looking at Zhang Hua's back worriedly and helplessly, and whispered, "Liu Hui, your son is really like you, and he is so stubborn." ”
Zhang Hua locked the door and walked towards the outside of the village, the snow was still heavy, but his steps were firm. In this snow-clad world, he has only one belief, and that is to find his mother, and no matter what difficulties he encounters, he will not back down. The snowflakes were the size of doves, and the cold north wind blew Zhang Hua's cheeks painfully. The road is no longer real, and I can only rely on memory and intuition to move forward step by step. The not-so-high hill outside the village became the destination for the evening, the last place where his mother might have picked pig's hair.
"Mom! Liu Hui! Zhang Hua walked along the path, shouting and moving forward. His voice was swallowed up in the wind and snow, and it seemed so weak and insignificant.
Just when he was almost in despair, at the turn of the mountain road, Zhang Hua saw a huddled black shadow. He hurriedly ran over, "Mom, Mom? Is that you? His voice trembled, with fear and hope.
The black shadow moved, "Hua... Huaer? It was Liu Hui's voice, weak but with a hint of surprise.
"Mom! Why are you here? Are you okay! Zhang Hua said as he hurriedly used his hands to pick up the snow covering Liu Hui.
"I ...... My foot slipped and I fell here and couldn't get up. Liu Hui's tone was full of helplessness and shame.
Zhang Hua checked his mother's leg, "It doesn't seem to be broken, don't move first, I'll help you up." He patted the snow off his mother's body and carefully lifted her up.
The two of them walked slowly like this, supporting each other. In the wind and snow, Zhang Hua felt his mother's body trembling constantly, and inside was the hardships and sacrifices accumulated over countless years.
"Hua'er, why did you come out, such a big snow." Liu Hui's heart was full of worry.
"I'm afraid something will happen, how can I not come?" Zhang Hua held his mother's hand tightly, "You always carry everything alone, this time, let your son take care of you." ”
At this time, a snowstorm stronger than just now suddenly swept in, and Zhang Hua tried his best to protect his mother, "Mom, we have to persevere, home is not far away!" ”
In the wind and snow, his mother's body became heavier and heavier, and Zhang Hua's worries and anxieties also grew. "Mother, don't sleep, you talk to me!" He called out loudly in case his mother fell unconscious from exhaustion.
"I ...... I'm fine, son, when you were three years old, it was also such a big snow......" Liu Hui tried hard to sober up, but there was still a hint of confusion in his voice.
Zhang Hua listened to his mother's intermittent words, and his steps became more and more determined. "Mom, do you remember when I was a kid and didn't want to take a shower? It's always hard for you. He tried to keep his mother awake with homely anecdotes.
Liu Hui actually laughed, "You were really a little naughty back then." "The smile I haven't seen for a long time is so warm in the wind and snow.
"Yes, I remember you made a grimace to tease me, and then I ......" Zhang Hua continued to talk about the past while trying his best to protect his mother, and the mother and son snuggled up to each other like this, and insisted on moving forward in the test of wind and snow. The wind and snow finally subsided, and the village returned to its former tranquility. Liu Hui and Zhang Hua struggled and finally returned to their warm home. The light of the stove in the room jumped, casting two figures.
Zhang Hua brought a dry towel to help Liu Hui wipe her wet hair, and handed her mother a cup of freshly brewed hot ginger tea, full of guilt and gratitude.
"Mother, you drink some hot tea first to warm up your body." Zhang Hua said softly.
Liu Hui took the teacup and took a sip, with a tired but happy smile in his eyes, "This hot ginger tea is quite warm, my son, you saved my mother tonight." ”
"You always work so hard, I will be more considerate of you in the future." Zhang Hua looked at his mother, and a trace of determination flashed in his eyes.
The two sat around the fire, and the room was wrapped in heat and affection. Liu Hui took out the pig hair that he had not handed over from the cloth bag next to the stove, and said with some guilt: "Look, I haven't had time to sell these pig hairs." ”
Zhang Hua waved his hand and said, "Mother, don't think about this. As long as you're safe, you can say anything. ”
Liu Hui sighed, his eyes full of memories, "Speaking of which, your father taught me these pig hairs, and our family was quite warm at that time." ”
"yes, I remember how Dad taught you." Zhang Hua is immersed in the past, and time seems to flow back to that warm afternoon.
"When you were a kid, you always walked around behind your father's ass, and the whole village said that this little guy was going to be a big man in the future." Liu Hui smiled, as if the years had not left too many marks on her face.
"But I don't seem to be able to help you right now except to chat with you." Zhang Hua smiled self-deprecatingly.
"Don't say that, son, my mother is happier than anything else to have your filial piety." Liu Hui's warm eyes were filled with deep love.
The two of them were by the fire, immersed in those ordinary but beautiful memories, and faced the future side by side. "Doesn't it say that the family should be united when there is trouble? The two of us, it is not easy to have today. Liu Hui said affectionately.
"We'll always be like this, won't we, mother?" Zhang Hua looked at Liu Hui affectionately, with endless firmness and warmth hidden in his eyes.
This content is a fictional short story, please read it rationally, and do not sit in the right seat