After the autumn harvest, the last stubble of rice is stored in the warehouse after the last sun, and winter will begin after a few autumn rains.
There is food in the warehouse, and it is the slack season again. There are more people celebrating weddings, and the villages are also lively.
Qin Xiaoman bit a rice cake, opened the door and glanced at the sky outside, it was gloomy, but at least it wasn't raining.
After lying at home for two days, his legs and feet were swollen, and he was a little dizzy, but the winter wind blowing over made him sober.
Farmers dare not be greedy for idleness, but he has figured it out in his heart, no matter how bad life is, he still has to live on.
In the mist, Qin Xiaoman was carrying a hoe to turn over the ground. In the wind of the cold moon, the wilderness with dry grass and mud immediately turned into white mist.
When he went to his family's field, in the winter morning the fields were dotted with a few dusty village women and gaunt husbands wearing headscarves.
I've been busy for quite a while now, and while I was wiping my sweat, I pinched my waist and muttered, not knowing which family I was talking about.
Just as Qin Xiaoman supported the ground with a hoe and jumped into the ground from the ridge with his strength, a burst of firecrackers came from the distant valley.
Although it wasn't too loud because it was in Chongshan's nest, it rang for a long time.
"Who's doing business, so lively?"
Qin Xiaoman put his waist down and looked at the place where the firecrackers sounded, and said something to himself.
"Brother Man, don't you know?"
A village woman in the field heard his voice and looked over with bright eyes. It seemed that there was more excitement to talk about today than asking about his gossip.
"What's the matter?"
The village woman said: "The old man in the next village got married today, and the firecrackers rang once before."
Qin Xiaoman's eyebrows twitched: "Is the old brother from the next village married?"
He was surprised that there was an old man in his twenties in the next village who had never been married, and he was the talk of the villagers.
Whose girl and brother are not satisfied with the family that the matchmaker said, the family will use the old brother from the next village to talk about things, and teach their brothers and sisters a lesson:
"I don't like it, I want you to know that after you get old, you will be like the one in the next village and you won't be able to get married."
"If you're not satisfied with one thing or another, if you stay at home like the brother in the next village, you'll be fine. Our poor family can't afford the wedding tax that night."
…
Although Qin Xiaoman's family no longer had parents, no one should have taught him this by ear, but the folks in the village were very enthusiastic. They didn't respect them as parents, but they said everything about him as if they were their children.
Although he is only sixteen this year, since his father's marriage was not long ago, the family he had arranged to abandon him not long ago. The matchmaker came to tell him that an old widower in his forties was kicked out by him with two brooms.
When the villagers saw him again, they told him not to be picky about others, and to prepare more dowry to marry, and he would be the second elder brother by then.
The elder brother's parents in the village next door are still alive and someone will take care of him, but his family will be alone, and there will be no one to take care of him when he gets old.
Now that he heard that the elder brothers in the village next door were already married, he couldn't help feeling a little bit embarrassed. He had only been at home for a few days, and they all had a home.
"Yes, I finally got married at such an old age. The parents in the family are so happy that they are crazy, and they chat with everyone." As she spoke, the woman made a point of saying: "I heard that the son-in-law was recruited from the door. No gift money was given!"
Rao Qin Xiaoman is a relatively calm person. When he heard such words, he stopped what he was doing. He seemed to be talking about something he cared about, and asked quickly: "Are you still looking for a son-in-law? I heard that the family's family status It's not particularly good, how can a man be willing?"
"Oh, this matter is also a matter of fate." Seeing the excitement here, the husband in the side field also came over: "This year, Qiuyang County suffered a natural disaster, and the crops were not harvested, and the refugees all begged for us. The county is here. It’s rare to see refugees in the villages, I went to the city to sell vegetables two days ago, alas, the streets are full of beggars.”
"The yamen officials are still trying to chase them away, saying that they are affecting the appearance of the city, and the county magistrate is dying of anxiety."
"Look where I'm talking about." Fu Lang pulled back in time and said:
"The old man's man in the next village is a refugee. I don't know if he was driven out by the city or he came here by himself. Anyway, he just went to the next village to beg for food. Just in time for the old man's family to bump into him and see how good he is. A man of mine immediately thought about it."
Qin Xiaoman listened intently.
The woman answered, "The man is also willing?"
Fu Lang nodded: "The old couple asked him. He was willing to talk about it quickly. Besides, if you don't want to, you are a person who is in trouble. It is precarious. You can be a son-in-law at home. A family, who would not be happy, those refugees can't wait."
The woman said: "It's the same reason. I'm just afraid that if I have a family, I will talk about it when the days are better."
"We haven't seen what the man looks like. Who knows what's going on, but that old man has been unable to marry. It's a good thing to find such a door-to-door son-in-law. After all, you have to take some risks. Some Ming media are getting married. It’s not just a bunch of bad things.”
Speaking of which, the two villagers laughed tacitly, and after chatting for a while, seeing Qin Xiaoman remained silent, the woman said: "Brother Man, I heard that you also want to find a son-in-law, and this is a good opportunity, so go too." Try your luck. Don't be sad about the Zhao family anymore, just find another one."
Qin Xiaoman said lightly, "I'm not sad."
Fu Lang glanced at the woman, both of them harbored disbelief in their stomachs and did not dare to show it in front of others.
If he really annoyed Qin Xiaoman in front of a joke, this guy is very fierce, he can pick up a hoe if he is not sure, he can even beat a man of the same age, the two of them can't deal with him.
"It's good if you're not sad, it's just that a marriage has not been negotiated, and most of the villages are settled after several discussions."
"Um."
Qin Xiaoman answered hastily and buried his head in turning over the ground. He turned over the ground quickly and deftly. Although he was a little absent-minded today, he turned the land back within an hour.
As soon as the people left, the field immediately became lively.
"This brother Man is not only tough in his fists and feet, but also hard in his mouth. He hasn't been out for a few days, and he still says he's not sad. Maybe he won't be able to get up crying in the room."
"There's no one at home, so we don't even know we're crying."
"Although the Zhao family's ruining the marriage is a bit unkind, but the conditions of the Zhao family are not bad. Mrs. Zhao has never liked Brother Man. If it were me, I would not want my only son to marry such a fierce and domineering brother. Son, if you are a little stumbling, if you move your fists, you may even hit your mother-in-law."
"That's right. It would be best if he finds a son-in-law who comes to visit. Anyway, there is no parental care. He will fight at home all day long."
"But he is so lucky to be able to find a son-in-law at home. It's not the cabbage in the field, so it's so easy to find."
There was another discussion in the field.
At night, Qin Xiaoman lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
Knowing what happened to the old man in the next village moved his heart a little today. Although he knew that the villagers said those words just to see his excitement, he really had that meaning.
Some of the original marriages were gone, and he had a big fight with the wife of the Zhao family, and the matchmaker who came to matchmaking was beaten away by him again, and his reputation of being domineering and fierce was once again confirmed in the village. Don't even think that there are matchmakers willing to come to the door.
He knew that his temper was a little rushed, too willful and reckless.
But the Zhao family and the matchmaker were too humiliating. It was because he had no parents and only an orphan, so he was easy to bully. If he wanted to do it again, he would still do that.
Now that something has been committed, he can only bear the consequences.
Although the folks said it was a bit harsh, but it was also reasonable. Even if the old man in the next village got married late, he still has parents and brothers, and his parents have passed away, and he has no brothers to help and support him, so he can only rely on himself for everything.
Now that I am still young and can have enough to eat, I still have to make plans for what to do when I get old.
Hope can't be pinned on others, you have to earn it yourself.
So from the next day, Qin Xiaoman began to pay attention to the refugees who came to the village to beg, but for three or five days in a row, he didn't even see a single one.
He also knew that he couldn't find what he wanted. If he didn't come to the village, he ran to the official road for a walk. Now he really met refugees, but most of them were women and children. After all, there are few men, even if there are two, it is still old and weak.
Qin Xiaoman gave the food that he brought with him to the refugees, but after half a month, he got nothing, and he was discouraged.
Winter bamboo shoots grew in the mountains, so he forgot about finding a son-in-law among the refugees.
It was the winter moon, and on this day, Qin Xiaoman stocked up half a basket of winter bamboo shoots, and he was going to carry them to the county town to sell them for some candles and go home.
As soon as the winter bamboo shoots are on the market, bamboo shoots are placed on the vegetable stalls in the county.
This year's winter bamboo shoots have grown a lot, and the price is not as good as last year. They can only be sold for five or six yuan a catty, and there are more people selling them.
Qin Xiaoman didn't sell out the bamboo shoots until the afternoon. He originally wanted to take a stroll in the county town, but he didn't expect it to start raining later in the afternoon.
The winter rain is not heavy, but the lingering chill is enough to make people afraid to stretch their necks.
Carrying an empty backpack, Qin Xiaoman wrapped the purchased candles in oiled paper, fearing they would get wet and put them in his bosom, and when he went out without an umbrella, he bought an oiled paper umbrella for fifteen renminbi.
Ordinarily, oil-paper umbrellas that sell for twelve or thirty renminbi would start to rise in price on rainy days, so it was three renminbi more expensive.
Qin Xiao was so angry that he left the city with an umbrella.
Originally, I planned to go back to the village in an ox cart, but I was forced to buy a new one because I had an umbrella at home, and was ripped off, so I decisively gave up taking the ox cart and spending money, and chose to walk back.
The drizzle on the road was getting heavier, and Qin Xiaoman stepped up. Fortunately, the official road from the county town was paved with stones because of the muddy winter, so it was not as slippery as the village road.
The farther away from the county town, the fewer and fewer people on the road in rainy days. After walking to the back, Qin Xiaoman saw a mother and son walking ahead.
He has been following behind neither far nor near, walking and moving his body without feeling cold.
"Mom, that's...um..."
Qin Xiaoman suddenly heard the sound of footsteps, so he couldn't help raising the canopy of his umbrella.
The mother and son at the front stopped, and the child let out a cry of surprise. Before he finished speaking, the old woman covered his mouth and whispered something in his ear, and was dragged away quickly.
Qin Xiaoman frowned, a little surprised what happened, and went forward without fear of trouble, and glanced aside where the mother and son stopped.
Immediately, a clay figurine lying in the ditch beside the road came into view.
Qin Xiaoman looked at the person in the ditch from above with a big skeleton, long hands and long legs, it seemed to be a man.
His whole body was dirty and torn, and he just lay motionless by the side of the ditch where the water lay, wondering if he was still alive.
Just when he was hesitating whether to go down and take a look.
The man trembled suddenly, as if seeing him, he stretched his arms slightly.