1
The day after Japan signed the surrender agreement, the National Government ordered a national celebration. On that day, Lao He was born in a small tiled house in Fangcheng County, Henan Province.
Lao He was sent to learn the art of vinegar making from a teacher since he was a child, and he has been doing it for most of his life.
In those days, it was hard to support a family by relying on one mu of land. If you can learn a craft, you can get a living. With the craft of vinegar making, Lao He brought up two children. The oldest one is a daughter, who found a job in the county, so she can come to see the two old people when she is not busy; the youngest one is a son, who strives for excellence, and got into a university, found a job in a big city and got married. Neighbors said Lao He can now enjoy the blessings. But Lao He couldn’t stay idle and was still making vinegar.
He always makes vinegar on the day of three volcanoes. Lao He’s vinegar has a different degree of acidity, and the high acidity can be stored for a long time, so it will not be bad even if it is sold in winter. Every now and then, people in the neighborhood can see Lao He riding a small tricycle with two big barrels of vinegar, walking around the streets and selling. Those who grew up with Lao He’s vinegar in the same generation as his son, have been eating his vinegar. The younger generation, who were children, had never seen this kind of vinegar selling method, and they thought that vinegar was sold in bottles in stores.
Therefore, when Lao He sold vinegar, there were always three or five children who felt novel and followed him to look into the barrel. It was not that they were guarding Lao He, but once he arrived, the smell of vinegar could float far away.
Lao He did not mind that the children disturbed his business. People are old, do not like to deal with adults, like to deal with children. Once the children came together, old He stopped the tricycle and went to a few children. Smilingly asked.
“Does the vinegar smell good this time?”
“Yes.”
When the children said it smelled good, Lao He smiled more happily, then he took out a spoon for scooping vinegar and a small bowl, and let the children taste it one by one. When the children took a sip of the vinegar, their eyebrows knitted together and they grimaced.
“It’s so sour, it’s sour.”
“Sour is right, it means my vinegar is good.” Lao He’s words were a little proud.
“You have tasted my vinegar, why don’t you shout for me and say ‘the vinegar seller is here’.”
So, those who drank vinegar and those who didn’t drink vinegar didn’t really shout for Lao He, they just thought they had nothing to do, so they ran and scattered into the hutong, shouting at the top of their voices, “Here comes the vinegar seller, here comes the vinegar seller”.
Whenever this happens, the children do not mind the acetic acid and always sip on two mouths, then they help Lao He yell.
Lao He likes to sell vinegar.
2
Lao He’s son thinks that his father should take a rest after a lifetime of work, so he advised him to stop selling vinegar and spend his old age well.
Moreover, Lao He’s vinegar was not selling as well as before. People go to the store to buy vinegar, and the vinegar in the bottle is bright and clean. However, the two blue vinegar barrels in which Lao He had vinegar were stained with vinegar everywhere and looked shabby.
But Lao He was stubborn and wouldn’t listen. Lao He said, “It is selling this vinegar that you and your sister can grow up, so we can’t forget the old business. He also said, as long as there is still a person to buy his vinegar, he has to do vinegar. Lao He’s son had to give up.
When Lao He sold vinegar, he would pass by the entrance of the nearby elementary school. After this doorway, he always met Lao Yang.
“Selling candy man?”
“Yes, you, selling vinegar?” When they met, they always had to greet each other, and Lao He and Lao Yang were old friends.
Old Yang is a candy blower. Like Lao He, Lao Yang also relied on sugar blowing to add some income to the family when he was young, in addition to farming. And also the same as Lao He, Lao Yang can not be idle, every two days to blow some candy man, inserted into a straw stick, carried to the school gate to sell.
Blowing sugar man is a clever job, Lao Yang’s candy man blowing the gods, people buy also do not want to eat, always wait until the sugar began to melt before moving the mouth. Old Yang is also proud of, think this is a good craft, should be passed on. But nowadays, there is no more worship, and, no one wants to learn this.
Old Yang is clear, the craft is difficult, and not earn money. The four children, although filial, are not willing to learn from him – in their opinion, this craft, learning it is not useful – not only do not learn, they also advised Lao Yang: “Dad In the past, the age, blowing sugar people can not afford to feed a person, we do not learn. You simply do not blow, nothing to run around, work most of your life, earn money we come on.”
Old Yang, of course, will not stop blowing candy, blowing candy is certainly not for the two money. But the son said so, in the end, let the old Yang angry beard glare: “all day long is money, a few fall into the eyes of the money goods. My craft is also considered a good job, why not learn?
As soon as the matter was mentioned before Lao He and them, Lao Yang’s mouth was cursing. The same neighbors of the old horse, living a cheerful life, really can not see it, said two sentences: “What craft or not craft, is not just to earn a living things. Now the world has changed, we can’t earn much money from this craft, it’s gone. Besides, which of your children is not filial? They all want you to take a break, why do you still blame them.”
Old Yang felt that the old horse is also reasonable.
But everyone knows that the words are also more or less penetrated with some sadness and helplessness.
3
The old horse is a head of reason.
Old horse in the city has a store, and other old barber store, the same, stand two old barber chairs, cast iron, round chassis, thick cushion, can give people repair, haircut. The tools laid out in the store and other old barber stores, the same hygiene.
It is not that the old horse barber store is not clean. The house floor also sweep, also drag. Only the age of the wall skin always fall, looking at the puddles. In addition, the two old sofa chairs on the enamel also fell almost, the rust on it, wipe can not wipe clean. Plus the bench placed behind, over the years, worn black, even if the house is not ash, look like there is ash.
In earlier years, in addition to the city people haircut, the old horse also packaged a few villages near the county, specifically to the village people’s haircut. When you go to ride a two-bar bicycle, the back of the car fixed a wooden toolbox for haircuts, and then bring a high-heeled stool. When you arrive at the village, first find an open space, set up a position. People in the village saw the old horse, they all came to a haircut, but also let their own children go to the village to yell, notify the unseen. So, a few children will run in the village lane, shouting, “haircut is coming, haircut is coming, to haircut go quickly.
In a short time, the old horse around can gather a group of people. Talking about barbering, sometimes a barber is a day. In the village haircut is no mirror, this is also kung fu.
But the times are changing fast, the old horse store is located on the street, opened two or three hair salons one after another. Inside haircuts are young people. Haircut old horse can not understand. These hair salons are well decorated and clean. With these hair salons, the old horse store naturally not much come.
Old Ma’s children are also grown up, life is not bad for the few haircut money. But the barber store old horse has been open, one does not want to be idle, the second is the older generation, like old he, old Yang, are still in his haircut, by the way in this drink a tea, play a chess. Old Ma’s store, but has become a place for the older generation to gather.
This is how to live is also clear.
Lao He felt that their generation, even in their old age is comfortable. Suffering for most of his life, it is time to quiet and quiet. But the old horse also did not enjoy the blessing for a long time, it is gone. I think the old men used to drink tea and play chess, old horse while burning tea and joking that he must be the last to go, otherwise who will give them the head, and where they find a place to drink tea and play chess. But who knows, he actually went first.
The old horse is in the New Year’s Eve left. Old Ma’s children invited the county’s most famous performance troupe to sing a big opera, the stage set up in front of the barber store, a singing is two days.
The night the opera began, Lao He’s grandson asked Lao He’s son, why people died, but also in the above singing and dancing, which is not that people died, but also happy? Lao He’s son said, the old family died, must sing and dance, do nothing, the old man buried, the neighbors will laugh, said the family died and the same as the dead dog, the sound is not said.
Lao He’s grandson seems to understand, and asked why grandpa looked not sad, grandpa Ma is not playing very well with grandpa? Lao He’s son looked at his father standing in the distance and did not answer.
When the mourning family invited people to eat, never drink wine Lao He drank red face, staring at the barber store sign to look at. The surrounding people are busy, did not hear Lao He himself muttered a sentence, “old man, after I look for who haircut to go”.
More haircuts, but the old horse’s craft, even if it is broken.
4
Old Ma left, Lao He’s son suddenly felt that his parents are old, insisted on taking the two old people to live with him, Lao He did not argue with his son this time. Before leaving, Lao Yang came to see him.
“You’re gone, we can see each other at least every New Year’s Day. My body is not as good as before, see one side, one side less yo.”
“What are you talking about, the school children are still waiting to eat your candy man, when they don’t eat your candy man, you are useless, and say that the body is weak.”
The two old people laughed out loud.
Old Ma said right before he died, he left, Lao He they have no place to gather. Old Ma’s barber store, although not large, the street is not much life, but at least it is a front. When the old horse is alive, the sons and the old horse discussion, do not let dad dry, the barber store rented out, a year also fell some money, all as to the old horse to save their own. The matter is a reason, and the old horse discussed a lot of times, the old horse did not agree. The old horse has never been so stubborn in his life, the sons did not dare to mention again.
When the old horse is alive not to mention, when the old horse died, things will be different.
Old Yang was on the way to sell candy, saw the two sons of the old horse in the barber store to move things, this time from the old horse away has been a year, the two sons of the old horse to the barber store after the removal of things, in the door posted a two palm-sized paper, written “house for rent”, leaving a phone number behind.
This is good, when the old horse just died, the old Yang they are not really no place to gather, the place or the old horse barber store. There were two stone tables in front of the barber store, not big enough to put a chess board. Old Yang they can still play chess here, is not a tea burner. Old Ma just left, this is a sad place, people do not want to come here. But they didn’t want to come here, not forever. The old man had a thorough understanding of life and death, and it was a matter of who was first and who was next.
But the old horse’s son wanted to rent this out, and now there was really no place to go. People rent a storefront, to do business. Drinking tea and playing chess in front of people’s homes blocked their way to wealth.
The house is rented quickly, coincidentally, the rented house is also to open a barber store. The person who rented the sharp, soon brought a group of renovation people, first the hole in the wall to fill, and then painted white inside and out, the floor was also paved with dark white floor tiles, the original place to put two old sofa chairs were replaced by three high-grade swivel chairs, swivel chairs directly opposite the wall, removed the original foot of a wall of large, uneven old mirrors, and put on three small oval mirror, mirror below a row of artistic sense Adequate storage shelves, the top put some hair dryers, brushes, a variety of shears. The small cabinet below the shelf is stuffed with various kinds of baking creams. To the two corners of the wall, one corner put two perms, the other put a small shampoo machine. The roof also pulled some rope, the rope hung with a variety of perm hairstyles of women and men’s pictures.
At the beginning of the renovation, the old Yang always go in to take a look. Later, when the completion of the time, the old Yang outside the door to see the grandeur of the inside, but did not dare to enter. Not afraid to enter, just go in, always feel a little restrained, feeling that they can not get on the stage.
Lao Yang finally stopped to look here when the new owner is busy hanging signs. The original signboard is three square plastic panels, the color is like lime mixed with water, with three words written in red paint – “barber store”. The new owner had workers remove these signs, nailed on a layer of large black wooden board, the top is two artistic words – “cutting art”. Old Yang saw this, carrying straw sticks away.
Store opening, two large flower baskets on one side of the door, put also do not know how many firecrackers. The new barber store opened a big reward, two days before the haircut free, attracting a large number of people to go to this lively, so the whole store looked red hot.
Lao Yang did not see this lively, the opening of the whole day, he did not go.
5
The old Yang’s partner left early, the old Yang have heartfelt words, not and children say, and Lao He Lao Ma said. It’s not that Yang’s children don’t listen to him, but Yang feels that when he says heartfelt words to his children, there is communication on his lips, but not on his heart. But now Lao He Lao Ma are not in, Lao Yang no one to shoot the words on the heart, all of a sudden will be old.
The heart is empty, and suddenly the body is not good. Not sick, but the old Yang’s children feel that he no longer have the original life. Now, only when selling candy canes in front of the school can live a little.
With no one to talk to, Yang stayed at home watching TV. Old Yang’s children are afraid that he will stay at home all the time and really suffocate a disease. They urged him to go out for a walk.
“Dad, the small park near our home, there are old men and women dancing in the evening, you also go bounce, activity, how?”
“No, it’s too noisy. People are knowledgeable and educated, we are ordinary people, go to get what? Besides, we don’t know how to dance.”
“You don’t want to make noise, the west side of the city highway, is not filled with an artificial lake, can fish, you like fishing, why don’t we go fishing?”
“That is a ditch, fishing a fish but also charges, not go. You do not care about me, I am at home strange beauty. I still go out and sell sugar people?”
“Didn’t you used to go with Ma Bo and Uncle He, why don’t you go now.”
Old Yang eyes straight at the TV, two legs folded, two arms coiled in the bosom, a moment of silence. Old Yang’s daughter saw her father did not speak, sighed, turned around and went to the kitchen to cook. Old Yang saw his daughter leave, his mouth muttered a sentence: “Before is before ah”.
No more talking, old Yang would like to go to sell candy man more. Before selling candy, two days to go to the school gate once. Now once a day, before only go to the nearby elementary school, now also go to the distant elementary school.
Old Yang is always half an hour early to the school gate, when the road in front of the school has been blocked tightly. The old Yang stood under the big sycamore tree next to the school entrance. When the bell rang, the door opened, the children of each class will come out in a line, with pocket money, directly to run over, did not bring, if parents came to pick up, will run to pull parents, to buy candy man here.
“Grandpa, I want this dragon.”
“Grandpa, grandpa, I want the horse.”
Old Yang listened to the children called a grandfather, and answered in a loud voice, and moved nimbly to take down the candy man to the children. Old Yang’s candy man, there is no day not sold out.
6
The first time he lived in his son’s house, but not as long as now, not sure when to go home to live.
When Lao He first arrived here, he could still be patient. Then a long time, suffocating, but look at the son strange busy, thinking to save them a snack, also put up with it.
It is hard to hold back, in fact, there is no one to talk and play with. The community where Lao He lives also has old men, not that Lao He does not want to find them to chat, but these people are speaking Shanghainese, Lao He does not understand.
There is also a reason, Lao He feels that since a countryside, “not as high thinking”, afraid that people look down on. Lao He was talking to his partner, but in the past, he was talking about the trivial things that happened in the neighborhood. The daughter-in-law of a family in the east had a new girl, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of a family in the west had a conflict. When talking about these things, Lao He only listens to his partner and does not talk about himself. Now there is no one to know the neighbors, shooting words are more no words to shoot.
No words to hold is one of them, the other is not a thing to do. People still can not be idle, idle heart bored. When I was in my hometown, Lao He could sell vinegar, which was a small thing, but I could not let people stay idle. Now in Shanghai, of course, vinegar can’t be sold, Lao He feels like he has entered the prison, “at least suffocate a disease”.
Later, the solution Lao He found was to walk. Why not say walking, because walking is leisurely walking, Lao He walked, faster than walking. People who rely on strength to eat, foot power, Lao He walked every morning, evening walk, a walk is a dozen kilometers, when it is breathable.
When one stays alone, one always likes to think about things. This evening, Lao He came out walking again. Walking, in his head, he spent most of his life again. To this day, Lao He always feels that those things are like a dream compared to his current life.
The twilight of a craftsman
Thinking about walking, unconsciously arrived at a commercial area. By this time, the streets were deserted in his hometown, but the place was still lit up. There were strings of golden light bulbs hanging from unknown trees along the street, and all kinds of cars whizzed by on the highway next to the street, and all the store signs were lit up in red and green. All the lights on the angles of the tall buildings were attached with luminous strings of lights, which made the whole sky covered with a layer of orange. Instead of seeing any stars, even the moon looked dull.
Lao He looked at this scene, his ears filled with the noise coming from all directions. Suddenly, as if the door in his heart was flushed open, Lao He figured out that he still had to go back home, he wanted to go home to be with his old friends, to go home to continue selling his vinegar. Lao He felt that he did not belong to this, not only does not belong to this, to put it more literally, Lao He felt that he did not belong to this era.
He told his son the next day that he wanted to go back to the county.
“I’m sorry to go back.”
“Why do you want to go back, this life is not a strange good.”
“Life is good, but it is unbearable to be idle and suffocating. There’s no one to talk to, and there’s nothing for me to do.”
“No, you are also old, you and my mother back to live, I do not feel at ease.”
“What’s not to worry about, I’m still strong, I can take care of myself. Your mother will not go back, so she can cook for you and take care of the grandchildren.”
“That is not possible, you are at home by yourself, I do not feel at ease.”
“I still have your sister. Dad still wants to go back to sell vinegar, not for the money, but for the peace of mind when selling vinegar.”
7
Lao He still went back, and he didn’t want to stay even if his son did.
This time, Lao He lived in his son’s house for a year and a half, and when he went back, his partner did not follow. Old He’s son and daughter-in-law in Shanghai life is not easy, the two are doctors, often working overtime. Lao He’s grandson is in kindergarten, the old companion there, just to pick up the grandson, but also so that the son and daughter-in-law home at night to have a hot meal.
After Lao He went back, he went back to his life of drinking tea and playing chess with Lao Yang. Of course, the most important thing is that Lao He started to sell vinegar again.
But Lao He went back not long, the notice of demolition came down. Said the county to engage in planning, to demolish their old house, to build a high-end community. The scale of demolition is large, Lao He Lao Yang’s home are to be demolished. Lao He did not do the same to most people nail households, arguing over compensation, but signed the contract early. The daughter of Lao He found a new house for Lao He, ready to take the compensation money, himself and his brother and then add some money to buy it for Lao He to live.
Strange to say, soon after the demolition, Lao He’s piece at once three families died, all of them are the family’s elderly. The three families built three theater stage, not far from each other, at night, all sing a big opera, but also sing some popular songs like “I am a little bird”. The three theatres, but a bit of competition for a higher meaning, the sound is one louder than the other. The noise is too loud, people can not rest, noise can not rest, then go to a lively. Old Yang Lao He also ran to see people singing opera, has seen the incandescent lights outside the door of each family are turned on, see the evening breeze blowing wicker swaying one by one.
Old Yang held the grandson asked Lao Yang: “Master, how did three people die at once?”
Old Yang thought for a while: “They say that leaves return to their roots, like the master of the old man, died to return to their own roots. Now the roots are broken, the leaves should also go. Your grandfather and I, it’s almost time.”
Old Yang’s grandson did not understand much, but the son heard the words of the old Yang.
“Dad, don’t talk nonsense, you and they can compare, you are still strong miles.”
Old Yang did not answer the question, and laughed. The opera was being sung on the stage. The sound of the opera drifted from the stage to the dark sky, only gradually becoming smaller, but always incessant.
8
The new house that Lao He wants to live in is a small second floor, the city is crowded with rows of houses, the front and back of the house blocked the light, the second floor is fine, the first floor is not turned on during the day, people can not see things.
Moving to a new house, the rules of the old family is to set off a string of firecrackers, then open a stove, eat the first meal. The first meal to more people good, to bring some life to the house. Lao He’s son was busy and didn’t come back, it was his daughter and son-in-law who made the arrangements, his daughter’s family came to eat the first meal, but also lively.
Old Yang that a few old man also moved to a new home, but the old Yang and the old He new home far apart, said far is not really far, but and the original go out to each other home than, some far away. Far away also together to play, is not playing more than before.
Time always goes without a trace. Another winter, the sky has been gradually dark, Lao He still riding a tricycle in the hutong shouting: “selling vinegar, vinegar to come.
As before, he was not the only one yelling, there was a group of children following the yelling, he yelled a sentence, the children followed the yelling. The children yelled, also with Lao He’s accent, causing Lao He to laugh. The old man came to the special candy brought out and gave it to the children. The children yelled more vigorously when they took the candy.
“Thank you for the candy, goodbye grandpa.”
“Hey, bye.”
On the other hand, Old Yang sold his last candy man in front of the school. After selling the candy man, Lao Yang did not leave, he was waiting for Lao He to come back from selling vinegar. When they met just now, the two of them agreed to go see Lao Ma later, another year of Spring Festival.
Opposite the school where Lao Yang is, is their old house. The new community has been built, the name is “Central Mansion”, which is upright with a large high-rise, is the highest batch of the entire county.
On the road in front of the school, the street lights illuminate the road dark yellow, just like the color of brass. Old Yang saw Lao He riding a tricycle from afar, pedaling hard to him, Lao He’s body is not as good as it used to be, pedaling a tricycle is a bit of a struggle.
“Go, let’s go buy some paper money.” Old Yang said towards Lao He who came over.
“And then buy some wine, this time drink two cups with him.”
“Drink on two cups on two cups, this guy likes to drink.”
“Hahahaha ……”
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