谁先住进去 First,Move into Your New House
待得灾区安广厦尔吾万众尽欢颜
Fain would I contrive warm houses for the quake victims so that they can all live a happy and peaceful life.
陇南地震灾区有个黄家湾村，震后一周年不到，这个村95%的受灾户住进了新楼房。2009年10月1日之前，100%的受灾户全能搬进新楼。黄家湾村的乡亲们一谈起这个好日子，个个都跷起大拇指说：一是国家的救灾款给得及时；二是党的富民政策好，让我们都富了；三是我们村有两个拼着争着致富的带头人。
一
1◀◀美丽清澈的白龙江在高矗入云的大青山前轻轻地划了一个弯儿，千百年的流淌堆淤下一块平坦，后来这达儿来了人，慢慢地人越来越多，听说乾隆年这儿就形成了有几十户人家的小村子，这个依山傍水坐落在月牙般的江畔和巍巍大山之间的村子，就是地方不大名气不小的黄家湾。在这村的村东头住了个蔡老汉叫蔡大年，在村腰坎住了个黄老汉叫黄满福。蔡老汉人高马大，粗喉咙大嗓门，黄老汉人矮白净，细声文语。就是这么两个人从年轻时起就相互拼着劲地争，一直争着没闲下。争到后来他俩真可称得上见啥争啥，想啥争啥。一争就争了快四十年，四十年啊！真快一辈子了。按照当地的方言话说，就是这两个犟牛筋扯筋了一辈子。这还不算，他们老的争罢小的还要争，什么儿子们上的什么学，分到什么单位，分个什么房，买的什么车，用的什么家电，什么五爱家庭、计划生育先进、模范村民都是争的内容，最后没什么争的了，就连小孙子在学校得了几朵小红花，也要争一下。他们俩变着法儿地争，铆着劲地争，他俩这么整着争着，全村人却是看在眼里喜在心中，都盼着他俩能再多争几年，不停地整下去，再多争出几个花样来好照样子学呢！这蔡老汉和黄老汉这么争了几十年，为什么村里人就不劝一下呢？为啥还高兴呢？这话说起来就长了。
Within a year after the Wenchuan earthquake which occurred in May 2008,most victims in Huangjiawan,a small village of Gansu province,moved into their new houses and the others would also have their own before October 1,2009.What a miracle!Talking about their apartments with their thumbs up,the villagers attributed their fortunes to Chinese government’s relief efforts and preferable policies as well as to their two cadres who emulated with each other to ameliorate their life.
1
1▶▶In Longnan,Gausu province,between the crystal Bailong River and the soaring Daqing Mount lay a picturesque hamlet by the name of Huangjiawan.The place was an alluvial plain created throughout centuries by the river,which made a crescent-like turn before the big mountain.From when God knows,people came in succession to settle down here,eventually forming a tiny village by the Reign of Qian Long(1711-1799).Small as it was, Huangjiawan boasted a story that spread across the province.The heroes of the story were Cai Danian and Huang Manfu,two old men living at the opposite ends of the village.Cai was tall,tough and chattering,while Huang was short,gentle and quiet.Since their youth,the two had tried to beat each other in everything they thought was worthwhile. As the locals said,they were so stubborn when quarreling that even ten cows could not drag them back.What they quarreled over?The colleges their offsprings attended,jobs they had,houses and cars they bought,home appliances they used,even unimportant honors and titles such as“five-virtue family”they earn——all these were grists that went to the mill of their quarrel.They were even jealous about such trivial things as the number of stars their grandchildren got from their teachers as a prize.The older they grew,the more they would like to argue.During forty years they had been this way.Forty years——they would doubtlessly be so to their graves.Little did it seem their quarrel would come to an end. Quite strangely,the residents were more than happy to see the two old fellows quarrelling day to day.No one had the slightest mind of dissuading them from the life-and-death warfare.
二
2◀◀话从改革开放前十年说起，那时黄家湾村那个穷啊，真称得上是穷掉渣了。家家就是靠着集体分的人均二百来斤毛粮活着，住没好房子住，穿没好衣服穿，吃没好饭菜吃。不怕人笑话，那时黄家湾村家家炒菜时，不是往锅里倒油，而是用个刷子在油碗里一蘸，再往热锅里一刷之后下菜，那么做不是想把菜炒得香，为的是不粘锅啊！为的这样省啊，不省不行啊，一年一人才分1斤清油，不这样熬不到年底呀。每逢灾年半个村子的人都出去讨要，日子过得那个苦啊。
3◀◀就在这时，在部队当了几年铁道兵的蔡大年复员回村了，那时蔡大年二十几岁身强力壮，加上在部队里学了本领长了见识，看到家乡这么落后，乡亲们如此贫困，暗下决心要带领乡亲们摆脱贫困。
2
2▶▶Our story began ten years before China launched the economic reform in the late 1970s.In those days,the nation suffered a chaos and economic disarray due to the Cultural Revolution.Huangjiawan,where the story happened,was stuck in stark poverty.Living on the scarce amount of grain allocated by the commune，each family led a hand-to-mouth life,with no proper houses,nor decent food or clothing.Embarrassing to say,they could not afford to pour enough oil into the pan when they cook their dishes. Rather,they dip a brush in the oil and then applied it to the pan.As a matter of fact,the dishes did not cook well in this way,but much oil was saved.With half bottle of oil allocated from the commune to each person,the villagers had but to economize on their daily provisions.What’s more, they had to leave their hometown in bad years to beg along the streets in town.What a miserable existence!
3▶▶Things went on this way for a long time until Cai Danian returned home from the army.He was elected lieutenant in the village militia.A strongly-built man in his twenties who had seen the world in the army,Cai was de termined to help his fellow men to shake off poverty.
4◀◀当年冬天，蔡大年这个民兵连长没跟当时队里的黄满福支书打个招呼，带着几十个年轻人就进了山，挖山货套野猪，苦苦地干了一个月。年前，他们整回了好几十麻袋山货，除了每户分点野猪肉外，还给每家分了两只野兔一对野鸡。全村人头一回过了个有肉味的好年不算，还换回了二百多元钱放在了民兵连。第二年一打春，蔡大年就又开始大整了，用这二百来元钱买回了三十多头小猪，偷偷地分别寄养在二十几个基干民兵家里。他和黄支书一商量，把村口场上堆的玉米蕊和玉米秆子粉了，给养猪户一家送去了一架子车，算作生产队对养猪的入股。
5◀◀说也真巧，那年的雨水好，山上的野菜也特别的多，挖回来一煮，再加上些蕊秆粉，猪吃得可欢了。没用三个月，个个都长到了百十来斤。那年的五一劳动节，蔡、黄二人一商量，一大早就在村上的场口杀下了三口一百五六十斤的肥猪，全村一百五十二户家家分了三斤二两猪肉，养猪户还能多分得一份下水。那天，蔡大年拎着分给他的那根猪肠肠，送给了有患病老人的黄支书家，只把自己分的那份肉拿回家了。他亲自下厨美美地做了一锅红烧肉，抽着烟坐在一旁看着，让婆娘和娃扎扎实实地吃了一顿。后来，蔡老汉一回忆起这些事就说：那顿肉吃的是满嘴流油，满肚子舒坦，浑身是劲，一夜的精神，真个是窝爷极了，忘不了！到死都忘不了！
4▶▶Cai took action immediately in the winter.Without gaining the approval of the CPC village secretary Huang Manfu,he led scores of young men into the deep mountains where they worked hard for one month,hunting local specialties and wild animals.Shortly before the spring festival, they came back home with dozens of sacks of wild foods. Each family was given some boar meat,two hares and two pheasants.It was the first time the villagers had meat on their festival dinner.Later,Cai sold the rest of the foods for two hundred yuan which he deposited in the militia office. In the spring,Cai invested the money into a larger project, purchasing 30 pigs and secretly breeding them separately in some militia soldiers’houses.With the permission of Huang,he had a heap of cornstalks grinded for fodder.As the cornstalks belonged to the commune,the fodders should be counted on their agreement as a collective investment.
5▶▶Fortunately,there were plenty of edible wild herbs on the hills due to the favorable weather.The villagers picked the herbs,boiled them and fed them together with the stalk fodder to the pigs.To Cai’s delight,the animals were so fond of the food that they grew very fat three month later.On the Labor Day,Cai and Huang decided to slaughter three of them and divide the meat among the 152 households of the village.It turned out that each family got a considerable share of meat while the entrails went to those who had looked after the animals.Cai gave his share of entrails as a present to Huang,whose parent was ill.With the pork he took back home,he made a good meal in person for his wife and children.The family enjoyed the meal so much that they almost stuffed themselves.Recalling that day,Cai would say in high spirit:“How delicious the meal was,how refreshing!And how gluttonously we ate with content!It was an unforgettable dinner.I will remember it until my death!”
6◀◀分完肉的第二天一大早，蔡大年就找到了黄支书说：昨个夜里我想了一昼，咱们可不能把猪全都分着吃了，我试想把猪卖了，卖了换上些钱回来，往后队里大小事紧要处好有个花费。黄支书点了点头说：卖了当然好，不过你千万可要悄悄地，卖猪时千万别让造反派把人给逮着了。
7◀◀接下来两个多月的时间，蔡大年领着几个脑筋灵光些的手下，骑上车子跑东村窜北县的，活挂零割，先估后称，现杀现卖，想尽了各种办法。硬是把三十一头肥猪卖了出去，除去各种开支给村里存下了五千元零陆角。
8◀◀看到蔡大年带领人们养猪攒到了钱，黄支书也不甘落后，随即组织了十几个家庭生活困难的大姑娘、小媳妇抓了七八百只小鸡，没半年就有四百多只母鸡下蛋了。黄支书又组织妇女们出去卖蛋或以粮换蛋，为村里也补贴了不少。
9◀◀那年头，有了蔡老汉和黄老汉这么折腾，村里钱多了，猪多了，鸡多了，肥也多了，自然而然粮也多了。黄家湾村的日子还算过得去。
6▶▶The next day,when Cai Danian met Secretary Huang Manfu,he said to the latter:“We can’t kill the pigs and eat them all.Isn’t it a good idea that we sell them for some money to cover the expenses of the village?”“Good. But you must do that secretly.The insurrectionists will reprimand us if they find it out.”
7▶▶During the following two months,Cai had other 31 pigs killed in succession.With the help of several clever villagers,he carried the pork by motor tricycles and vended it in the neighboring villages and in town.Thanks to his resourcefulness,Cai eventually sold out the meat and earned over 5,000 Yuan for the village.
8▶▶Inspired by Cai’s success,secretary Huang was eager to do something for the community.He mobilized the young wives and girls in the village to raise a farm of hundreds of chickens.Six months later,the female birds produced more than 400 eggs.Huang had the eggs sold in town and earned much money for the village.
9▶▶So Cai and Huang tried all means to earn money for the collective.With money streaming in,they bought and bred more pigs and chickens,which produced a lot of dung for the crops.Under their leadership,the villagers had ample food and clothing.
10▶▶For his contributions to the village,Cai was later elected village head.In 1978,the government started the reform and opening-up,encouraging Chinese people to develop economy and get rich.Cai Danian,who had earned much money for the village from the pork business,was extremely excited at the new politics.A meeting was held in the village to learn the documents of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of CPC.As a representative,Cai stood up and made a speech:“Since the government offers us preferable policies,we must use them to earn a better life for ourselves.We have met so many difficulties during the past years,and we got over.We have lived a better life than the neighboring villages.Now the government supports us to increase our income,so we should do it much better.”Then turning to Huang,he said,“Secretary Huang,now it’s our show time.Let’s see who will beat down the other and who will be better-off.”Huang Manfu kept quiet to Cai’s challenge.When the meeting was over,however,he dragged Cai to a corner of the village square.Before Cai had the chance to open his mouth, Huang complained to him,“You should not have raised your voice and talked nonsense at the meeting.What were you shouting about?Challenging me?Who did you think you were challenging?Look,I am not afraid of you at all.I will play with you and I will win the game.Let’s go and see...”Before Huang finished his words,Cai said loudly,“Not afraid of me?Then why did you keep silent at the meeting?Challenge you?How did it come that I challenge you?By no means.There is no point in doing that.My purpose was to prod you to do something for our village.How can you regard it as a challenge?I am very unhappy to hear that.Look,I am not afraid of you either.So I must play with you.We will see who is a better cadre and who serves the village better.”“Listen,Old Cai,”Huang interrupted,“That is a deal.Surely we will play,but more important is to set good examples for others to follow.Old fellow,I tell you,the 30 people doing the pork business will go on working under you.You must manage and instruct them well. Since we have laid a foundation in the pork business,I will mobilize twenty poor households to cooperate with you so that you can open up the market in the town.And let me tell you,the females in the other poor families will take charge of the village chicken farms.You know,there are over five thousand chickens on it.I have given order that they be well looked after.”Cai interrupted Huang again:“I have no objections.Actually,I couldn’t agree more.It is a good idea to join hands to open up the market.But we must have a fair play,so I will give you my 15 apprentices who have experience in the pork business.I will get some other youngsters and have them trained.Another thing,I will arrange five thousand Yuan for you to start.But I will absolutely look down upon you if you turn out to be totally useless.”When the conversation was over,they clapped their hands and then parted company without a word.
11◀◀第二天，天还没亮，蔡村长、黄支书就领上人把现杀下的热乎乎的猪肉分别装上了两辆手扶子，只听老蔡长长地一声大吼：走！……就看那手扶子、自行车组成的黄家湾卖肉队，黑糊糊地一长溜便向城里走去。常言道：开弓没有回头箭，他俩带着乡亲们这么一走，就走过了三十多年。
11▶▶The next day,Cai and Huang had some pigs slaughtered before daybreak.The newly-cut pork,warm and steaming,was loaded up into two tractors.At Cai’s declaration“Go!”,a troop of villagers was seen drawing out of Huangjiawan towards the town,some on the tractors and others by bicycle.As a Chinese proverb goes,a shot arrow will not come back;Cai and Huang,heading the country folks,did the meat business day after day for 30 years.
3
12▶▶You must be surprised that the country folks who traded in pork under Cai and Huang would make money. And they did make a lot.Each household had over 100,000 Yuan deposited in the bank and led a well-off life.Now,Cai and Huang were no longer what they had been before: they were rich people known far and wide.Because of what they did for the villagers,they were chosen by the government as model workers,enjoying many honors which boiled down to a word——rich.However,how much they possessed only God knew.Some government officials tried to inquire into it,but the two old geezers kept their mouth sealed so nobody could ever smell it out.We only got some clue from one incident.A pig breeder from Sichuan province delivered one truck of pigs to Cai.When they were sending other two trucks to the slaughterhouses in the counties around,the road was blocked by a mud-rock flow as a result of days of downpour.Not being able to leave or unload the cargo,the Sichuanese was like a cat on hot brick. He had no choice but turn to Cai Danian for help,begging him to buy the two trucks of pigs.Buy them all?Can you imagine how much they were worth?Above 10,000 Yuan for one truck!Cai made a couple of calls and then agreed to accept the cargo,even without bargaining.He then produced over 200,000 Yuan in cash.That time he paid almost 400,000 Yuan in total for the three trucks of pigs.He even had not to go to the bank——all in cash!How rich he was!“I do business with a clean hand,”he remarked,“And I make money from the pork business.Don’t ever think of it as simple.I tell you,there is much to learn to be a good butcher. What you need particularly is good insight.With it,money will stream into your pocket even when you are sleeping.”Cai had a keen insight into the business.Rarely did he make mistakes in the field during the thirty-odd years. Once,he earned over 100,000 Yuan from the two trucks of pigs.As it turned out,he called some pork retailers to inquire into the current prices in the town market.He learnt that the prices were going up due to the floods which had destroyed the road.Therefore,he decided to accept the other two trucks of pigs.As a local,Cai was familiar with the geography of the area.Since the main road was destroyed, he had the pigs transported by motor tricycles to town through mountain paths.Within several days,all the meat was sold out in town.Talking about the experience,Cai would say in a casual way:“We only had to forbear more hardship than usual.But what to fear?”This story spread widely among other butchers as a perfect case of earning big money from pork business.Hearing their compliments, Cai would feel extremely proud and satisfied,taking off his hat and beating it upon his hand.
三
12◀◀可还别说，跟他俩出去闯市场卖肉的乡亲们还都赚到钱了，家家攒下十几万元，家家日子过得有滋有味。那蔡老汉、黄老汉更是今非昔比，成了远近闻名的富裕户。多次被县里、市里表彰并被评为致富能手、卖肉大户。说一千道一万，最后还是归到两个字——有钱！可他俩到底有多少存款？没人知道。因为，很多领导问了都没问出来，两个老家伙死活不吐半点口风，自己不说谁都没办法知道么。大伙光知道有那么一次，一个四川的养猪大户，给蔡老汉送来了一车猪，顺便也给周边县的几家屠宰户送了两车猪，由于连日的暴雨造成洪水，泥石流冲毁了道路，车开不到那儿了。拉猪的车也走不了猪也卸不下，把个四川货主急得那个上火啊。后来，他又找到蔡老汉能不能帮个忙？把这两车肉猪也都收下？都收下？一车肉猪可要十多万元呢！只见蔡老汉拿起手机打了几个电话后，二话没说照价都收下了。蔡老汉一下子就又掏出了二十几万元钱，加上先前自己的一车肉猪快四十万元了。蔡老汉他连银行都没有去，现把子全掏！真有钱！照他自己的话说，咱一不偷二不抢，只会做个卖肉的生意赚钱，你们可别小瞧，这杀猪卖肉也是学问，做这生意赚不赚钱，关键靠的是眼力，眼力看得准，钱不用想都往咱的腰袋袋里钻。蔡老汉这么说的也是这么做的，他做买卖的眼翘可准确极了，几十年从没有走过半回眼。就比如这次他收下的两车肉猪，就又多赚了十多万元。原来，蔡老汉先打电话联系周边县的卖肉人询问了市场价位，对方回话说了，因为洪水毁路的原因，周边县的肉价普遍上涨了，于是他才大胆地收下了那两车猪肉。蔡老汉是当地人路熟道清，大路不通大车走不了，农用车、三马子可以走小路、山路去送猪送肉，没几天肉卖完了。“不就是多吃点苦嘛！怕啥嘛？”蔡老汉总是这么淡淡地一说。他这次狂收猪赚大钱的经过都成了经典，在同行中广泛地流传开了。再看看蔡老汉，一听同行们讲他这些事，那个牛得、美得了不得了，有事没事地把帽子取下来，在手上摔两下整个响。
13◀◀咱们再听听黄老汉是怎么说蔡老汉的：我最看不起的就是他老用鬼点子赚钱了，不就是本钱动得大么，这一回又让他钻了个小空空嘛！有啥牛的嘛？人啊人！做生意就要实在些嘛！啧、啧，你们大家伙都看一下那个老东西，钱是赚下了，钱多得很！可是你人也老了，要那么多钱干啥用呢？老就老了干啥还要装嫩嘛？大家伙儿都看一下嘛，不是我说他嘛，发财了的蔡老头真个是：头顶光了，扣了个帽帽；脖子粗了，戴了个套套；肚子大了，系了个腰腰；声音老了，挂了个哨哨；啧、啧看看他把自己都快弄成啥了么。
13▶▶Huang Manfu,who did not like Cai’s way of doing business,criticized the latter like this:“It is by using petty tricks and big capital that Cai makes money.Nothing extraordinary.This time he takes advantage of the loophole again.There is nothing to be proud of.We must be open and honest in doing business.”“Besides,look at him:what an old chap he is——An upstart,a shabby old guy with a balding head hidden in an ugly hat,a fattening neck,a swollen belly,plus a coarse voice!He makes a lot of money.It is true;but what does an old chap have so much money for?An old guy should not pretend to be fashionable as a young man.Well,well,look at him!”
14▶▶Cai was never offended by Huang’s criticism,less did he slandered the former behind his back.It was when Huang attacked him in his face in the market that Cai would fight back.
14◀◀面对黄老汉的攻击，蔡老汉从来不生气不发火，更不背后说人。他总是在卖肉案前，在菜市场大庭广众面前才回击呢。
四
15◀◀咱们先别说别的，单表一下黄家湾卖肉人今天的那个威风吧！陇南市里的中心市场肉食区，齐刷刷地摆下两溜肉案，那东面一溜打头的正是黄家湾村的村长，致富带头人蔡老汉，只见他身高一米七八左右，古铜色的面孔高鼻梁大眼睛，厚唇大嘴一对巴掌大耳，头上戴着一顶黑色长舌头李宁牌棒球遮阳帽，脖子上系着一个防颈椎病的磁化颈圈，上身穿一个圆口老汉衫，略显凸出的肚子上穿的是一条背带裤，脚穿一双一脚蹬的棕色皮鞋。对了，还有右背带上拴着一个绳绳真系下个大铜哨子，这是他从部队里带回来的，一直装在胸前口袋里平常谁都看不着。蔡老汉的形象真和那黄老汉说得那像一点都没错，只是这个老汉咋看咋都精神！再看看他身边站下的几员蔡姓黄姓干将，江湖人称：七蔡八黄，个个也是一样的爽，人人也是一向精神的了得。
4
15▶▶Now let’s take a look at the prosperous butchers busying themselves in the central market of Longnan.Two rows of stalls spread neatly before our eyes,the eastern row owned by the Cai residents of Huangjiawan and the western by Huang.The first stall in the eastern was owned by Cai, the village head and pilot money-maker.Tall in stature,he had a brown face,an arching nose,big eyes,thick lips and large ears.(In Chinese culture,large ears are regarded as a sign of a good fate.)He wore a black long-shade cricket hat of Lining,a famous clothing brand in China.Below that was a T-shirt for old people,suspenders upon his fatty belly and brown shoes.Around his neck was a magnetic device designed to prevent cervical spondylosis.From the right strap of the suspenders a big bronze whistle was hung into a pocket.He had brought back the device from the army. Since he had it stowed in his pocket,no one had seen it except on rare occasions.Cai looked exactly as Huang described except that he was vigorous and high-spirited.It was the same with his fifteen butchers who owned stalls in the same row.Since their family names were Cai or Huang, people called them“The Able Seven Cais and Eight Huangs.”
16▶▶At the beginning of the western row we had the pork stall of CPC secretary Huang Manfu,another pilot businessman from Huangjiawan.Middle in stature,he wore a pair of golden glasses on his delicate face,which suggested wisdom of age.He was in a yellow short-cuffed shirt,jeans and polished black shoes.He wore an apron which kept his clothing clean but which made him look much shorter.From head to heel,he was a shrewd and able businessman.His apprentices who sold pork in his row had shaken off poverty long before and were all making big money.
16◀◀再看，那西面一溜领头的是黄家湾村的支书，致富主心骨黄老汉，只见他身高一米六五左右，白净的圆脸上架着一副金丝边低度近视镜，五官清秀透着智慧。上身穿一件杏黄色短衬衣，下身穿了一条牛仔裤，一双三接头的黑皮鞋擦得贼亮，怕把衣服搞脏了他系了一个快到胸口的高腰围围，让本来个子不高的形象又进一步受到了点影响。但是，不管从什么角度看他人都精得不成能得不行。再看他身边站下的几员大将，个个早已脱贫致富，成了一个个赚钱的先锋。
17◀◀这人看罢了，再看那两队的阵势。这蔡家队每人用的肉案一水是一块两米长，一米五宽，三寸多厚，外面包了不锈钢铁皮的枣木大案。蔡老汉逢人就说，这枣木结实又不爱吸油好用。可那黄家队每人用的肉案都是一块两米二长，一米六宽，四寸多厚，外面单面贴了一张不锈钢板的冬果梨木大案。黄老汉逢人也爱讲：这是在省上工作的一位陇南籍领导，专门从兰州给我捎来的冬果梨木做的，这尺寸嘛我们的也比老蔡头们的大，卖肉嘛！肉案子大了真个美！
18◀◀比完肉案子，再比案上的家什。蔡家队人人案上是一个半米高，盆口大小的柿子树根截成的肉墩。那黄家队人人案上是一个半米高，盆口大小的香椿树根整下的肉墩。因为，黄老汉硬说香椿木肉墩上剁下的肉格外香。黄老汉那伙的案上摆放着骨斧、剁刀、切刀、片刀、剔骨尖刀外加一柄荡刀棒、一块油沙石、一只不锈钢抓钓。蔡老汉这边清一水的两件，一把二尺长五寸宽厚背剁刀，外加一把三寸剔骨尖刀。从卖肉那天起老蔡头就讽刺说：黄老汉那货是做细活的，再给他加上针线的话，他都能给死猪做手术了。黄老汉也不是个让人的人，只要蔡老汉这么一说，他就立马会回击一句：粗货！只打你卖肉那天起，你给哪个顾客片过肉片？给哪个顾客切过肉块？粗货！粗货！粗货！……
17▶▶Now let’s compare the tables of the two families of Cai and Huang.Each butcher of Cai owned a big table made of date wood,2 meters long,1.5 meters wide and 3 inches thick,covered with stainless steel.Cai brags of his table whenever he had the chance,saying that the wood was both hard and oil-proof.Huang’s table,on the other hand, was made of pear wood,over 2 meters long,1.6 meters wide and 4 inches thick,also covered in stainless steel.Proud of his table,Old Cai often told people that the material came from a provincial government official who was his townfolk.The latter contrived it in Lanzhou,the capital city of Gansu province and sent it to Cai in Longnan.The table was bigger than that of Huang.Selling pork on a big table was a very nice feeling,he said with great relish.
18▶▶Finally,their tools were worth a comparison,too. Cai and each of his apprentices had got a block of persimmon wood for chopping meat.The wood was half a meter in height and as big as a basin in the cross section.Each man in the Huang family,on the other hand,had got a part of Chinese toon for cutting meat.You know why they use Chinese toon? Old Huang claimed that such a piece of wood made the meat particularly tasty,though that seemed groundless.Now Huang and each of his apprentices had an axe and knives for chopping,for slicing,for splitting and for deboning and other kinds of knives.They were equipped with iron and stone grinders and hooks.The Cai butchers,however,had only two tools on each table:a big chopping knife of 2 feet in length and 5 inches in height as well as a deboning knife of 3 inches in length.From the first day they started business in the market,Cai had always mocked Huang by saying that it was a woman’s work that the latter was doing,“If Huang learns embroidering,he can even operate on a dying pig.”Then Huang would fight back:“Roughneck! Roughneck!Have you ever sliced meat for your customers? Roughtneck!Roughtneck!Roughtneck!”
19◀◀话没说完就会被蔡老汉打断：我粗！我粗！我要把细活也干了，那些片肉片片的、切肉块块的还找你吗？说我粗说自己细？鬼才信呢！你卖肉卖得把土都掩到脖子底下了，还没学会自己开三马子，成天个让儿媳妇彩霞开三马子晚接早送的。嘿嘿！还没叫儿媳妇背呢？羞死人哩！啧、啧，能死个人哩能死个人啊！上哪达儿才能找上你这么一个大能人呢？再反说过来，你卖肉让儿媳彩霞接送就接送呗！干啥又鼓动你儿媳妇去卖肉嘛？你儿媳彩霞要一个人去卖肉就卖肉嘛！干啥又要挑动上我儿媳秀秀也去呢？还说什么牛不抵牛是
牛，挑的我儿媳秀秀硬是把小学教师这个铁饭碗给扔了。两个人带上村里的小媳妇、大姑娘们去了东市场，也干起了杀猪、卖猪肉的事儿，秀秀也与你的儿媳妇摆上擂台了。这些我也都没说啥，只是不能撇下我那刚满半岁的小孙子喜娃没人奶嘛……
19▶▶Immediately Cai would fight back,“Rough? Rough?If I take the work like slicing,will you have any business?I am a roughneck,and you a good cutter——what a ridiculous joke!You have spent most of you life in this trade,but you even haven’t learned to ride a motor tricycle.It is Caixia,your daughter-in-law,who sends and picks you up on a motor tricycle.Why don’t you have her carry you on her back?What a shame!Well,well,what an able man you are!”“Another thing,it is none of my business that Caixia sends and picks you up,but why did you talk her into the butcher’s trade?And I again,may keep quiet on that, but on what ground must you incite Xiuxiu,my daughterin-law to give up her stable teaching job for this business? Look at what you said——A woman is not a good woman if she refuses to do something challenging.The result:the two women got the young wives and girls in the village together to butcher in the eastern market.My grandson,Xiwa,who was only six months old,was left behind with nobody feeding him.What a shame!”
20▶▶His hat turned backward and his hands trembling,Cai roared in rage:“You,you,you evil old guy.You, you,you evil old guy...”well close to sobbing.
21▶▶“Enough!Enough!”Huang burst out,“Cut the bullshit.Three points we must make clear.First,what my family does is nothing of your business.You haven’t given us any business to do.Second,my daughter-in-law carries me on a motor tricycle,not on her back.Third,I have never talked anybody into business so that she left your grandson behind.And another thing I must let you know.I could not have succeeded in mobilizing the dozens of loafers to do business if I had not any wiles.You see,the girls in our village have been in this trade for eight years and they are doing well and making a lot of money.To be frank,it is my wisdom.I am happy I have done a good thing,I,I...”
20◀◀说到这时，只见蔡老汉气得头上的棒球帽帽也转开了，没拿刀的手也抖开了，满嘴里的都是你呀、你呀、黄老邪，你呀、你呀、黄老邪……都整出秦腔中的哭腔了。
21◀◀只听黄老汉一声，嘟！打住！蔡老汉你再别装疯卖傻！更正你三处：第一，我黄家队做我们的市场生意，不是你老蔡们让下的！第二，你不能胡说！儿媳妇是用三马子接送我，不是背！第三，你小孙子不是被我挑动撇下没人奶的！当然我也说明一点，要想让全村人都富起来，再带出来几十个剩余劳动力，我这个书记不玩点心计也不行！现在村里的女娃她们也干了八年多了，她们干得也很好，钱也都赚下了，我成功了！明告诉你吧！这也是我的本事！我又完成了一件心事！我……
22◀◀蔡老汉气得嘴唇抖动着：你成功了？你成什么功了？黄老邪呀！黄老邪！就算我俩带着乡亲们养猪杀猪卖肉跑市场走对了，再有就算你挑着我们两家的儿媳妇都出来领人闯市场，又斗出个半边天来，也成功了、也赚钱了，这些都算你的功劳也行！可是你怎么也不能，怎么也不能又挑着我老伴也带着人去卖什么卤货嘛！原来我一回到家热茶热饭有了。现在可好，我家所有的锅里整天煮的都是猪头、猪蹄、猪下水什么的。这些东西头几顿吃起来也挺好，可这天天卤肉、卤蛋、卤面、卤汤的吃，让我怎么受得了嘛！你个老东西啊！你个老……
22▶▶What he said made Cai turn pale with his lips trembling:“Your wisdom?What wisdom?Old evil fellow, old evil fellow!It is a good thing that we have brought our fellow villagers out into business;and it might not be bad, either,that our daughters-in-law get involved.They both succeed and are making money.You could attribute this to your so-called wisdom and ability.But it is your fault to have talked my wife into trading in marinated foods.Before she worked outside,she prepared warm dinner for me when I returned home.But now,I must eat pig heads,pig trotter,pig entrails,marinated pork,marinated eggs,marinated noodles and something like that every day.These were good in the beginning,but anybody would get disgusted when he has to eat the same thing repeatedly.You old thing!You old...”
23▶▶“Stop.”Huang interrupted Cai abruptly,laughing,“Enough!Ha,Ha,Ha...I did not incite your wife,nor did my wife.It is your fault because you did not discipline your wife well.It happened like this.A couple of days after the spring festival,your wife paid a visit to us.She said to my wife that she had nothing to do at home except preparing dishes and picking up your grandson.To her surprise,my wife said the same thing.After talking for several hours, they came to negotiate with me in a rather serious manner. She said,‘Secretary Huang,you know,we are determined to do some business and make money like other villagers. The village slaughters more than one hundred pigs every day and produces a lot of pig heads and entrails.People from other places buy them and sell them to restaurants in town.They earn a lot of money this way.Besides,the village chicken farms produce thousands of eggs and hundreds of chicken every day.What do people call this?Resources——yes,resources!These are two kinds of resources we have.How about mobilizing the jobless middleaged women to make marinated foods with the pig heads, trotter,entrails,chicken and eggs?Mrs.Huang and I can go out to develop the market.We are going to compete and cooperate with each other.So I believe we will make money.For this I ask for your approval,secretary Huang.’”
23◀◀“嘟！”蔡老汉的话又被打断了。你给我再打住！哈！哈！哈！……只听黄老汉笑着说：这可不是我挑动的，也不是你嫂子先要干的，是你把家里的没管住嘛！说起这，那还是去年刚过罢年没几天，弟妹到我家来转时说：孙子也大了，家里就着什么事也没有，成天的不是做饭就是接娃的。没想到你嫂子也是这话，俩人一商量就是大半天。下午快吃饭时，她俩一本正经的找我谈事说：咱村每天有一二百的猪头、猪下水，原来都是外边人收，然后，拿去卖给城里的酒店了，他们也都赚了钱。另外，咱村鸡场每天能产近千斤蛋、上百只肉鸡，这都是什么来的？叫什么什么资源？对！就是资源！我俩能不能把待在家里的老婆子们也组织起来？开发咱村的这些资源，把头、蹄、下水、肉鸡和蛋都加工成卤货。我俩也带上人去闯市场！去打对阵！去赚钱！黄支书你看行不？
24▶▶“After hearing her out,”Huang proceeded,“I thought it was a good idea.They made good analysis;they had a good plan,clear goal and starting fund as well.As long as they work hard,they will surely make money.As the secretary,I was supposed to give them whatever support I could,only warning them to be careful with the condiments.Look,they have been doing this for over one year. The thirty-odd women working under them all make money. What a wonderful thing!”
25▶▶Cai interrupted him again with a serious look:“I have to put you right.You call yourself a PARTY SECRETARY over and again.Are you a SECRETARY?What kind of SECRETARY do you think you are?Old fool,old fool,check yourself carefully.You are exactly a village PARTY SECRETARY,the lowest rank village cadre without salary. Don’t call yourself a PARTY SECRETARY anymore.”They were arguing when several people came to Cai to buy meat. Immediately he busied himself with his customers:“What do you want?Five kilograms of meat,half to be sliced and the other half cut into cubes for braised pork？Well,Huang over there is a good meat cutter.You can go to him for that. Next one,next one.You want some pork from the hind leg? How much?Fifteen kilograms?No problem!”He raised his knife to cut off a piece of meat which he then placed on the scales.“Look,over fourteen kilograms.Is that OK?It is very good meat and I will give you three Liangs[1]free of charge.You are welcome.You are welcome.See you next time.”With these words,Cai finished a deal very quickly. After a while,he had got another customer.“Is this OK? What do you want?”Cai raised and landed his knife upon the pork.
24◀◀我一听，人家的这个主意不错，有根有据有目标，她俩又有本钱，又有热情肯定也会有钱赚嘛，我是书记我还能说啥？只能表态全力支持她们呗！并提醒她们卤肉时要把调料使用好。看见了吧，她们不是也干了一年多了嘛？带下的三四十个老婆子们也赚下钱了嘛！好着得了得！
25◀◀黄老汉的话又被蔡老汉给打断了。只见他突然面孔严肃地说：应该认真的纠正一下你了，你是书记？你是什么书记？今天你已经第二次错误地说自己是书记了，黄老汉啊！黄老汉！正视一下自己吧，你是个支书，是个村支书！不是书记！你是一个八品之外、九品之后没有工资的村官!“要什么？……来十斤肉？”就在这时来了生意，蔡老汉立马光顾忙活了，“要片五斤肉片？再切五斤红烧肉的块块？噢！对面那个黄老汉的手艺非常好，让他给你整去！下一个、下一个！你要个后丘？大概是多少斤？三十斤左右？行！”只见他手起刀落肉就上称了，“请看称！二十八斤称高高的！行不行？这肉好下子的，师傅看着！又给你送上三两，不用谢、不用谢……钱肉两清，下次再来！”吆喝声中，蔡老汉的一份生意就这样成交了。“这一块肉咋样？要啥？”这时又有人来要肉了，蔡老汉的大剁刀就又剁下去了。
5
26▶▶Their quarrel went on like this for years.Once they met in the market early in the morning,they would argue with each other,sometimes their faces turning red.People gathered and listened to them in front of their tables,thinking the quarrel would grow into a fight.With more and more people gathering there,naturally the two old guys had more customers.In the right time,Huang would announce to the crowd,“I am not good at quarreling,but at slicing and cutting meat. And that big old fool,he is skilled in chopping ribs,elbows and hind legs.”Such an advertisement to the crowd took very good effect,bringing a lot of customers for them both.
五
26◀◀这两个老汉几十年天天如此，俩人大清早一来就斗，天天都争得面红耳赤，案前老是围下一群人听他们吵，还以为他俩吵完还要打架呢？围下的人多了去了，人聚得多了，其中买肉的人肯定多嘛！往往又总是到关键的时候，黄老汉都会说这么一句话：吵架我不行，片肉片、切肉块我行。剁排骨、切肘子、砍后沟子，那位傻大个老汉整得好。筑下这么大的场子，圈下这么大的人气，这么价的再给人们一介绍，俩人的生意一下子就来了，马上就都火了。
27◀◀原来呀这俩老汉每天都能卖上两头半猪肉，真可称得上出手快生意好，可是有的卖肉人一天连半头猪的肉都卖不了。于是，为了照顾大伙生意，蔡老汉、黄老汉自己定下了个规矩，除了年节，平日他俩每天每人只能卖一头猪的肉，生意做完没事时间多了，他俩接上老话题再没完没了得整，直到连骨头渣渣都卖完了，走人，这天的嘴争才算结束。
28◀◀听听蔡老汉的大徒弟旺财是咋说下他的：我师傅常说，叫我天天和黄支书对着讲笑话，我俩还没有天天编排笑话的本事呢。天天我俩整上骂上不孤单、也不寂寞清静，事情就是这样环境太清静了也没生意。我师傅还说，你们不知听过没有？理发馆的哪位理发师和顾客说的话多，他们的回头客就多，生意就好。我师傅还说过：娃们，整仗这也是学问，人家东北的二人转段子就是这么整出来的。他俩这么说也是这么整，一整就整了大半辈子，到底还要整多久？谁也说不清楚。
27▶▶Their business had prospered since they first came to this market.Each of them could sell out as much as two pigs every day.Some pork retailers,in contrast,sold out as little as half a big.Cai and Huang,therefore,set a rule between themselves that they should only sell one pig each day,except on festivals,so that other retailers could have more business.Toward the end of each trading day,they would meet and argue over their old topics endlessly until they sold out everything on the table and return home.
28▶▶The senior apprentice of Cai often quoted his master,“My master often says,I wouldn’t chat or tell jokes with Huang like friends from morning to evening;we were not born for that,but for quarreling.In that way we don’t feel lonely or bored.Strangely,you won’t have many customers if the workplace is too quiet.And my master says,a barber needs to talk with his customers to become a friend to them so they will come back again.My master says again, quarrelling is a sort of art,just like north-east Errenzhuan[2].”
六
29◀◀2008年5月12日那天，一大早蔡老汉肉案前就来了一位老顾客，这就是东大街景阳楼大酒店年轻的采买胖姐，她是酒店老板的堂妹，因为有几年餐饮管理经历，他哥把她特意从县上老家的小酒店里请过来帮忙。由于她门儿精，平日里她是买家中最能挑剔的一位，年龄不大本领可不小，市场里她只要扭着个胖屁股从这头到那头的一走，谁家货啥成色都能了解个八九不离十，再加上她选料精定价准让人称服，她的这好眼翘为景阳楼的生意减少了不少的成本。又因为是“上帝”中的大买家，这辈分自然也就大了，最后，大到就连蔡老汉和黄老汉都称她“姐”了。今天，她一眼相中案上放的这头猪肉，说这肉是黑猪肉，天生质地瓷实是做红烧肉和扣碗的好材料，一口价全挂买了。肉光货尽完事，蔡老汉今天连刀都没有动弹一下就完活了，这生意做得一点没费事，他收钱时照例饶了胖姐两斤肉钱。当他将钱塞进背带裤中间的那个大口袋里后，拍了拍口袋冲着对面斜裂着个嘴说：看明白了？这胸前兜兜的优点：一是兜大钱不用码一把就塞进去了；二是钱装在前兜里，两只眼睛老能瞅见，用不着过一会摸摸还在不在；三是钱放在这哒儿离心口是最近的，放在这哒暖和着的，肯定窝爷得很呗！说话间，他习惯地拿出几张餐巾纸很使劲地擦了擦双手，然后将帽子摘下轻轻地甩了几下，取下扎在腰间的油布围围铺在案上，轻轻地把砍刀和剔刀包了起来拎在手中，其他杂物一把装进了一个铁桶，当一切收拾妥当后，蔡老汉冲着大伙一声：今天的生意我又提前做完了，各位同仁继续辛苦！我要先走一步，回村去学校接孙子了！
6
29▶▶Early in the morning of May 12,2008,Cai welcomed an old customer whom people called Miss Fatty.She worked as a purchasing manager at Jingyang restaurant along the eastern avenue.She had been a waitress in a small restaurant in her hometown and accumulated rich experience in restaurant management.In addition,she was a cousin of the boss of Jingyang restaurant.Therefore she was invited to work in the grand restaurant.Despite her youth, she had an acute sense about purchasing.Once she made a walk around the market,she was able to decide whose goods were the best.A good bargainer,she greatly cut down the costs of the restaurant.As Chinese people say:The customer is God.An important client like Miss Fatty was therefore highly respected by Cai and Huang,who called her Madame.On that day,as she stood for a few minutes in front of Cai’s table,she decided to buy the whole pig on the table,which she thought was good material for braised pork and steamed pork with preserved vegetable en casserole since it was tender meat from a black pig.When Miss Fatty went away,Cai completed the work of the day even without raising his knife,only to give her some discount as usual.What an easy deal!When he stuffed the huge stack of money into the big pocket upon his belly,he said with a smile to the pork retailer opposite him:“Do you see?This is the convenience of a front pocket:first,you can put big money into it very easily.Second,you don’t have to watch it all the time,worrying it would be lost.Third,here is the closest place to your heart.Your heart is warm when you feel your money right there.”As he was saying this,he habitually took out several pieces of tissue paper to clean his hands.Then he took off his hat and spun it upon his hand for a few seconds.He untied his plastic apron and spread it over the table.With his knives carefully folded and held in his hand,and other tools put in place,Cai announced proudly to his fellow workers:“I have finished my work in advance again.Now I am going back to pick up my grandson in the village school.See you!”
30◀◀他的话还没说完，黄老汉接上茬了：才九点多时间还早哩，说是去接孙子，不知又去找哪个他姐他妹了吧？大伙看看嘛，就这
样子，咋还那么有女人缘呢？尽是女人要他的货没完没了，他个老家伙又不怎么会日弄，再好的肉他也只是一砍一剁一戳，唉！唉！居然还有这样的女人，说什么吃起他卖的肉一回比一回香。我就不相信，都他哥的是猪身上长下的肉还能一头比一头香，又不是吃他老
的肉，真格是让人想不通。黄老汉这么说不是硬逼着叫蔡老汉搭话吗？不同的是蔡老汉这次回击时他没有高喉咙大嗓子，就听他轻声说道：你个黄老头呀，黄老头，你连我有个好人缘也要嫉妒，也要说三道四的，你我都是有了孙子的人了，这点秘密我也不再怕你偷学了去。告诉你吧，倒退过三十年，我砍刀一挥力千斤，一头整猪我只用四刀便能劈开成两片，你懂那个叫什么吗？那叫猛！那叫爽！就是现在我还能一刀一肘子，两砍一个猪头，你懂那叫什么吗？那叫威！那叫沉！就是说虎老威还在，熊老照样沉！女人家个个都知道，你知道吗？你晓不得，不和你解释了，说多了你也不懂！你——呀！多亏了有我那个老嫂子，要不然价把人要难下呢！你个没人疼、没人爱的武大大呀！我走驾！跟你说没意思！蔡老汉的这几句话可把黄老汉给噎住了。他小眼睛上下左右的翻楞翻愣了老半天，也没整出个一点点声来。
30▶▶Before Cai finished,Huang raised his voice:“It is as early as nine o’clock,and he said he was going to pick up his grandson.Who believes it?He must be dating his lover.People,I don’t understand why such an old fool is so popular with women.They are coming to buy his pork so often.He is such an awkward old butcher who has only three tricks:hacking,chopping and piercing.Gosh!Gosh! I can’t understand why those silly women say that his pork is better and better to eat!”“I don’t believe it.”he went on saying,“His pigs are nothing special.How could the pork be more and more delicious?Ridiculous!Why don’t they say Cai’s body is more and more delicious.”Obviously offended by this insult,Cai answered back,but this time in a low voice:“Huang,you Huang.You are even jealous of my having many friends.What a silly comment you are making!We are old and have grandchildren,so I would like to enlighten you on my key to success.Listen,thirty years ago,I could cleave a pig into four pieces in four strikes.You know what’s that?Strength!Speed!Now I am old but still I am able to hack off a pig elbow in a strike and a head in two.And you know what’s it?Power! Prowess!A tiger has the tiger’s dignity even when he is old;and a lion remains fearful even in his declining years. Every woman in our village knows me and admires me.Do you understand?I don’t bother to further explain if you don’t.You are thick-skulled.You are lucky to have married a good woman,because nobody else cares about you.Nobody loves you.You are miserable Wu Dalang[3].But I have to go now.I don’t have time for the empty talk.”Such a fierce assault left Cai speechless,his eyeballs turning and turning in his head for several minutes.He attempted to come up with a few words but in vain.
31◀◀徒弟火得帮忙将蔡老汉的三马子推来了，家什也搬上了车。蔡老汉跨步坐了上去，“轰”的一声把车发动着了，一声走——！话还没说完。只见黄老汉把长围围的左下角斜扎在腰间，右手一柄骨斧，左手一只抓钓，大叉着个小短腿站在了车前，嘴里乱嘟嚷着说：骂完人了你还想走？没门！你等一下！让你走不成了！你胡说了一辈子我都让下了，今天可把你给能得？还骂开人了！有种你就别走！我非和你筑个事不行！蔡老汉哪受过这种阵子，站在车踏板上跺着脚喊了起来：谁骂你了吗？还不是你先挑起的吗？我只说了个武大大你急什么嘛？你自己对号入座赖谁？让离！让离！黄老汉没动静还挡在那儿，嘴里乱说着：不让！不让！不让！你能把我的俅咬去！这下子蔡老汉真恼了，把原本就不小的眼睛睁得个溜圆，大声说了句：不让离？再不让我真想把你给碰俅掉去！一听蔡老汉这样的硬话，黄老汉可又不饶不依了，发疯般地一下子把脑壳壳顶到了三马子的前灯上，两脚乱跺、浑身乱颤、嘴里乱叫：“本事大你把哥碰掉！你把哥碰掉！你把哥碰掉！”撒起死来。
31▶▶Huode,Cai’s apprentice,drove the motor tricycle along for Cai,with all the tools packed in the vehicle.Cai threw himself on the stool,started the engine and howled:“Go!”He was leaving when a voice rose in his ears:“Stop!You cannot leave just like this!”Huang threw himself in Cai’s way.With his apron stuffed into his belt, ax in right hand and hook in left,he prattled desultorily in a trembling voice,“You think you can insult me and then go away?No way!I won’t let you go as long as I have breath.I have long kept silent on your rudeness,but this time you went too far.Don’t go if you are a man;I will give you a lesson.”In a fume,Cai stamped his feet on the pedals,“Who insulted you?It’s you who started it.You don’t have to be upset about being called Wu Dalang.Get away;let me go!”“No,No,No!I won’t,You old bastard!”roared Huang,not moving his step a little.Cai stared at him in anger;“I will knock your balls out if you still stand there!”Huang was not scared off but became more unyielding.He madly pushed his head against the front light of the motor tricycle,his feet stamping on the ground,his limbs trembling and words gurgling from his throat,“Knock me dead! Knock me dead!Be a man!Be a man!”He seemed ready to give up his life.
32◀◀这下子市场里可就乱了，拉架的劝架的、围观的起哄的、挤着看好看的，一下整下了几百人。一看人多了，黄老汉更加是不依不饶了，任凭人们怎么劝都不行，他头顶在三马子的前灯上就是一分不离。蔡老汉生气了，真生气了，就听见他大吼一声：我就不信这个邪！还没人管得了他了！还翻天了！说着话，他从兜兜里掏出那个晶明瓦亮的大铜哨子，先是一声“让！”然后没管三七二十一，对着黄老汉正顶着车灯的脑袋就猛吹了一下，“嘟——！”这哨声太响了，只见把那黄老汉给震得倒退了好几步，一屁股就坐在了地上。再看他脚也不跺了，身子也不抖了，刀、斧也都放下了，一声不吭地坐在那儿了。他嘴里小声地嘟囔着：整仗就整仗呗，让开就让开呗，没必要豁命吧？咱哥俩干啥要豁命呢？干啥要豁命吗？亲亲的兄弟加同志没必要嘛！
32▶▶This gave rise to a disorder in the market.People began to gather around the two old guys,some watching,and some intermediating while others trying to fuel their quarrel. With so many people around,Huang was less willing to make a compromise,his head still butting against the vehicle. Burning in anger,Cai howled all of a sudden,“Unbearable lawlessness!How can I let you have your way?”Then he took out his big bronze whistle from his pocket while balding out:“Away!”Seeing it took no effect,he put the whistle very close to Huang’s ears and gave it a forceful blow. It produced such a loud noise that Huang,who was badly scared,went backward a few steps and sunk onto the ground.He was speechless for a while,his axe and knives dropped onto the ground,his feet not stamping any more, nor his limbs trembling.Finally he whispered a few words out,“Ok,I will let you go.We don’t have to risk our lives for a small thing.We are brothers and comrades as well. There is no need for risking our lives.”
33▶▶Why did Huang,who had been wild like an animal,become weak all of a sudden?It was the whistle.Some people knew Cai has kept such a whistle on him,but seldom saw him blowing it.Huang,however,knew well that once Cai blew it,he meant to risk his life.He remembered clearly Cai had done this at least three times.Many years ago,a gang of thieves stole some lumbers of the village and hurt the forester.When Cai heard about this,he all alone pursued the thieves that were escaping on a truck.When he caught up with their vehicle,he threw himself in front of it. Giving a forceful blow to the whistle,he lifted a heavy rock with his angry eyes staring at the thieves.They were frightened by the desperate Cai and finally surrendered to him. Other villagers came and caught them and the lumbers and truck were confiscated.Later Cai blew his whistle when he tried to save the village.When floods broke the dike and poured into the village.Many residents ran away out of fear. Cai blew his whistle and tossed himself into the gap,trying to stop the water from inundating the village.Encouraged by his courage,other villagers jumped into the water and formed a great wall by joining hands together.All the residents,both old and young,collaborated to fill the gap.The village was safe now,but cai fell gravely ill for six months. The third time Cai blew his whistle was when he was rescuing two migrant farmer workers who were entrapped in a gas accident occurring in a tunnel under construction as a part of a water project.No one dared to enter the tunnel to help the victims.In the niche of time,Cai gave a blow to his whistle and rushed into the tunnel and came back with a worker under his arm and the other dragged in his hand. When he reached the exit,Cai fell down in a faint.He saved two lives.“I will blow the whistle in the niche of time.I blow it as hard as I can.And I will risk my life for the right thing.A man must do something to distinguish himself.”Cai often claims.No wonder that Huang Manfu was extremely scared when he heard the whistle ringing loudly that morning in the market.
33◀◀黄老汉为什么没脾气了？不发蛮了？原因就是他听到蔡老汉对他吹哨哨了，所以他什么都不敢了。因为这哨声黄老汉他可太熟悉了，平常人们只见过蔡老汉时时揣着这么个大哨哨，可从没听他随便吹过。但是，黄老汉他听过他知道，只有到了关键时刻需要拼命的时候，蔡老汉才会吹响它。记得有一年春天，有一伙人盗伐集体林木还打伤了护林员，就在他们开车要跑的紧急关头，只要一声哨响，就见当年的蔡老汉抱着一块三百来斤的大石头，虎目怒睁站在车前挡住了去路，车走不了木头偷不成了，这伙人俯首称降得到了惩处。还有一年的秋天，山洪冲塌了围堤洪水进了村子，很多人害怕了跑开了，就在这时一声哨响，蔡老汉飞身跳进了洪水，在他的带领下人们纷纷跳进洪水筑起了人墙，全村老少齐动手豁口堵住了，村子保住了，可他一场大病躺了半年多。还有一年在水利工程隧道工地上，有害气体打翻了两个民工，没人敢进去抢救，关键时刻，蔡老汉一声哨响快步冲了进去，一手挟了一个又抓着一个人的脚，把两个人都整了出来，刚到洞口他人就晕倒了，但是两个民工救下了。蔡老汉常给人讲，一到关键时刻我就会吹响这哨哨，拼命整、豁命吹，人活着争的就是这口气！蔡老汉今天这哨子冲着黄老汉他吹开了，他不害怕那才叫怪呢。
34▶▶Looking at the scared Huang,Cai burst into laughter.Huang,who looked rather depressed,sat up with the aid of his apprentice.Hearing Cai’s laughter,however, he became audacious again.Making two steps forward, breathing a deep breath and staring at Huang with his arms akimbo,he declared,“Who do you think you are intimidating?I am not afraid of you blowing your whistle and risking your life.Blow to a coward instead of me.You are so good at blowing.Blow,blow,blow.You might as well blow the air.Can you blow the dead pig alive?Can you blow the market into your house?Can you blow the buildings here in town to our village?Can you blow the old houses in our village into new apartments?”Huang was so outraged that he just spit out whatever came to his lips.
34◀◀看到黄老汉的那个熊样子，蔡老汉被逗笑了。黄老汉刚被徒弟们搀起来，原来早已泄了气。可是，一看见蔡老汉在笑他哩，脾气才又敢发出来了。只见他向前稍稍地挪了两步，深深地吸了一口长气后，又叉腰瞪眼打诨地说起来了：吓唬谁呢？我才不怕你吹什么拼命哨哨，对着怕你的人去吹吧！你就会吹！吹！吹！吹！吹香灰啊！你——你再能吹，你能把这市场吹回你家去？你吹的本事再大？能把这城市里修下的这些楼房，吹成咱们村上的？你能把咱村的旧房子都吹没了？吹成新的，你能吹？能把死猪吹活吗？你就吹吧！吹吧！黄老汉被气昏了，气得都想啥说啥见啥说啥了。
35◀◀蔡老汉一看已经把对手给镇住了，都吓唬翻过了，态度也来了个180度的大转弯。他潇洒地从车上走了下来，走过去轻轻地拽住了黄老汉的手，尽管抓得很轻，可是黄老汉甩了几下也没甩脱。他把嘴对着人家黄老汉的耳朵悄悄地说了一句：让咱们全村人都住上楼房的事，我早就想过了，黄支书啊！这事你可又和我想到一哒儿了，想到一个线线上了，就像别人说的那样，咱俩真是一对蚂蚱蚱呀！支书你猜我现在愁得啥吗？猜不着？你再猜猜！还猜不着？真笨！实话告诉你吧！我现在发愁的事就是怎么拆掉那些旧房子和老院廓。话一说完，他转身上车，随着一声：走喽！他开着三马子出了市场，一溜烟地没影了。
35▶▶Cai,who had won a complete victory,was now very generous to the loser.He got down from the motor tricycle and took Huang by the hand.It was a gentle hold,but Huang failed to free himself from it.Cai whispered to his ears,“I have been thinking about building new houses for the villagers.So we have the same plan.As they say,we are hung together,aren’t we?Can you figure out what troubles me?No?Try again.No?You are slow-minded.To tell the truth,pulling down the old shabby houses and walls is a big headache to me.”When he finished,he turned and jumped onto the motor tricycle,shouting,“Go!”,and disappeared like wind.
7
36▶▶It was still early when Cai got back home on May,12,so he went into the kitchen to make some food.He prepared four eggs and some noodles for his grandson,Xiwa.Then he boiled some water.When he finished everything, he sat down to sip some tea from first-class Longjing[4]while listening to the school bells.As Cai drank the tea,he commented repeatedly:“Good tea,good tea.”The tea was produced in Wenxian County,Gansu province as a new breed developed by the science academy where his son worked. Planted in the fertile soil of the mountains where plant diseases and insect pests are seldom seen due to the cold weather,the tea trees are free from fertilizers and pesticides. So the tea is a pure natural produce.The school bell rang for dismissal and the campus was in a hubbub immediately. Cai put down his tea and went into the kitchen to cook the noodles.Since all the others in the family went out to work, nobody cooked for Cai and he had to learn cooking himself. As he was putting the noodles into the boiling water,he picked a marinated pig ear from the pot with chopsticks. While slicing the ear,he said to himself,“Marinated pig ears and eggs and noodles in bittern make such a delicious meal!You can’t even imagine how wonderful it is!”A small thing climbed up onto his back,threw its chubby arms around his neck and covered his eyes with two small hands from behind.Cai knew by intuition that it was his grandson,Xiwa.Without turning back,he said:“Get down, get down.I am cooking noodles for you.”Xiwa got down quickly to the ground and clapped his hands,“I like noodles,I like noodles.I like noodles you cook,grandpa.Make five bowls,grandpa.”“Why five helpings?Can you eat them all?”Before he finished his words,he heard several children greeting him in union,“Good afternoon,Mr.Cai.”Then all of them said at sixes and sevens:“Make more.”“Eight helpings.”“One for each isn’t enough.”“One is OK for me.How about you?”
七
37▶▶Cai turned back and found other four small heads
37◀◀蔡老汉忙回头一看，发现原来身后除去孙子喜娃还增加了四个小脑袋瓜子。喜娃大声地给爷爷介绍：这个个子高的是我的文体委员黄浩，他是你的老搭档黄爷爷的孙子；这个女娃是我的学习委员叫马红，家住对面山上，她学习可好了，全年级第一；这个强强、虎子是常来咱家的你认识，他俩住得离咱家不远。蔡老汉一边听一边连连说：好啊！好啊！快坐快坐！爷爷把这一案子的猫耳朵全下上，娃们管饱吃，多吃上些好长身体。边说边下边把捞好的两碗饭分到五个碗里，浇上汤汁拌上切好的猪耳朵。他在那边忙着，这边的四个小家伙手拿筷子坐在那里，早都耐不住等不及了，筷子剁的桌面啪啪作响。蔡老汉把饭刚端上桌，还没等说一声“吃”字，娃们已经一人一碗的吃声不断了。蔡老汉看着几个小家伙狼吞虎咽的吃相笑了，端起茶碗想喝几口，谁想到茶还没入口就听“咚”的一声，一只碗落桌，先是一个娃娃一声喊：还要吃！话音还没断，咚、咚、咚的搁碗声和还要吃声连成了一片。蔡老汉忙应着：爷爷给你们捞!给你们捞！稍等一下别急别叫行不？他先捞出了几个猫耳朵尝了尝说：面还有些硬，还得煮一会。顺手他又捞出了两个猪耳朵不顾烫手地切了起来。一闻到香味孩子们都围了过来，他们一边看着蔡爷爷切猪耳朵，一边小嘴也就吧嗒开了，一个个的涎水也流了下来，蔡老汉一看这帮的馋相，忙拿了双筷子夹起一大块填进一张小嘴，接着像老燕子喂小燕子那样，又夹起一块填进另一张小嘴，待五张小嘴全喂过，两只猪耳朵还剩下半只了。啧、啧、啧啧、小馋猫……蔡老汉嘴中啧着手里却忙着，又给他们多切了一只猪耳朵，又从卤锅里给每个人捞了两个卤鸡蛋，猫耳朵煮熟了又是一人一碗，浇上卤汤汁再拌上些猪耳朵，五个小家伙这顿好吃，只吃得满嘴流油满脸的高兴。
38▶▶As the locals said,“Children become a chatterapart from his grandson,Xiwa,who delightfully introduced them one by one:“This big fellow is Huang Hao who is our class recreation and sports secretary,grandson of Mr. Huang.This girl is Ma Hong,our study secretary,living on the opposite hill.She is one of the top students in the grade. And these are Qiangqiang and Huzi.They come to us very often and you must know them well.”“Good,Good.Sit down,sit down.”Cai said smiling,“I will cook all the noodles and you can eat as much as you can.”As he said this,he served the noodles in five bowls with the marinated pig ear. The five children waited impatiently,beating their chopsticks upon the table.No sooner did Cai placed the noodles in front of them than they began to eat greedily.Watching the small children gulping like hungry wolves,he smiled in great satisfaction.He was taking up his tea when he heard a bowl dropping onto the table and a voice rising up,“I want more!”Immediately the other four bowls were placed on the table and the children cried like birds,“I want more!”“I want more.”“OK,OK,wait a moment.The noodles are not ready.”He said,taking out two hot pig ears from the pot and sliced them.Attracted by the delicious smell,the small children went up around the old man to watch him slicing the meat,their tongues licking on their lips and their mouths watering.Cai picked up a piece of meat and fed it to each child,like a father swallow fed his babies.When he fed them all,there was only half an ear left.“Well,well.It is great!”Seeing they didn’t have enough,he sliced another ear for them and took two eggs from the pot for each.Now the noodles were ready and Cai served them in another five bowls with marinated ears.The kids ate to their content.box after a good meal.”The kids chatted so loudly for half an hour that the noise almost took down the roof.Cai said to them with much concern,“You have classes this afternoon.Stop talking and get some sleep.”Huang Hao,grandson of Huang,replied:“We don’t have classes this afternoon,Mr.Cai,because our teachers are attending a training program in town.We five are on duty for cleaning the classroom.We don’t have time for a rest since we must leave at one twenty.So,please let us talk for a while,would you?”“OK,ok,I was afraid you would be sleepy in class. If that is true,I will go to the school to help you clean the school.”
39▶▶Children acted as quickly as they thought.At Xiwa’s long-drawn yelling“Let’s go..oo..ooo”,the five kids ran out and made over two hundred meters like a flash.After them,Cai dragged a cart behind him,chasing and pleading:“Slowly,Slowly.Don’t fall down.”He looked exactly like a garbage man serving in the school logistic division.
8
40▶▶The central primary school of Huangjiawan was almost 40 years old.Since its establishment,Cai was in the habit of going to the school every Monday to clean the school yard and see if the school should need any help.On that day,he made efforts to catch up with the small children who ran like wind.When he made to the school eventually,he found they had been working sweating in the classroom.He took a groom from the mail room and began cleaning the school yard.As he was working,he watched the children and found them well-organized.Huzi and Qiangqiang were carrying water and sprinkling the floor,Xiwa and Huang Hao cleaning the floor while the girl wiping the desks and chairs.In a few minutes they finished cleaning one room.Xiwa,who was the monitor,closed the windows and locked the door before assigning the rest work among them.Duties were changed this time:Huang Hao and he were to carry water and sprinkle the floor and Huzi and Qiangqiang to clean the floor.Cai was very happy to see his grandson was such a competent and just monitor.He would live up to the expectations of the family,he thought. Meanwhile,he almost finished cleaning the school campus. There wasn’t too much garbage,so he only had to carry it away in one cart.Now he sat down on the edge of the garden from where he could watch them working in the classroom.He took a look at his watch:14:25.He lit a cigarette and saw the kids busily sprinkling,cleaning and wiping. Suddenly,he felt a shake beneath and the electricity poles could be seen falling down in all directions.Cai shouted,“Earthquake!Run!Run out,kids!”A whistle rang loudly through the air and Cai rushed toward the classroom like mad.After stumbling several times,Cai realized this earthquake was unprecedented in its level.The classroom was only several yards away,but he could not get there anyway.It must be a big earthquake and something bad would happen? He was wondering when he found the classroom was distorted in the violent shake.The roof of the building was collapsing in the eastern and western ends.The door were thrown apart and stuck in the broken frames,with too small a crevice for one person to get through.Cai was heartbroken at hearing the children crying hopelessly inside the room.He made all efforts to rush forward.When he eventually came to the door,he cried out,“Be careful.I am kicking the door open.”Then he crushed the door plank at one kick and rushed into the room.With hands and legs,he cleared the desks and stools in his way to the crying children.He moved away a beam that fell upon the desks and found Xiwa and the little girl crouching in a corner.He yelled to them,“Don’t be afraid.Grandpa is coming to save you.”In the meantime,he quickly cleared the desks and stools upon the two children and dragged them out.“Bring the girl out of here and run!”Cai shouted to Xiwa.Before he finished, the two children slipped from under his arms and went out of the building in safety.From the classroom came the thundering voice of Cai,“Huzi!Qiangqiang!Huang Hao!”In the ongoing tremors,tiles,dirt and wood rained onto the floor.Cai searched in the ruins for the children, crying their names all along.Much to his relief,he finally found them crouching and trembling under the blackboard which reclined on the floor.He congratulated himself for the blackboard,which was solid enough to protect the kids from being hurt.“Get up,get up!”he said to them,“Get up and run out!”But the kids stayed still,either because of fear or numbness.As the quake became more and more violent,the room shook squeaking as if being taken apart. Cai knew well it was an indication that the room was collapsing very soon.If that happened,they would die for sure. He heaved the blackboard upon his shoulder with an“Ahhh!”,and then snatched the two children by the collar in his hands.Then he found he had no spare hand for the third child,who was lying on the floor.He wished he had anther hand so that he could take him away together with the other two.After the earthquake,somebody made fun of him by saying he had a third hand(He was a pickpocket). He would reply,“It’s you who have a third hand.You know,an old man is always wise and resourceful.I could manage it well without any extra hand.”Yes,Cai was resourceful facing the earthquake.That day,he help up Huang Hao and took him in his mouth by the collar,like a father cat did his baby when they were moving to a new home.He found Huang Hao so heavy and couldn’t help complaining about his grandfather Huang Manfu,“Evil old guy,Evil old guy,fattening your grandson so that you can make me suffer like this.”As soon as he got Huang Hao with him,he extended his arms and grasped the other kids firmly in there.Yelling out a long-drawn“Aaa...hhh”,he charged out of the room as quickly as he could,two children in his arms and the other one in his mouth.No sooner did he make to the school yard than the building collapsed in the screams of Xiwa and the small girl.
38◀◀当地有句常言道：娃娃肚肚饱下嘞，小嘴嘴话就多下嘞。吃饱了肚子的五个小家伙你一句他三句的，把个房子都快吵翻了，吵闹了半个多小时也没有停下的迹象。蔡老汉关心地说：娃娃们快上床躺上一会儿，下午还要上课呢！你们歇一会儿行不行？黄家孙子浩浩搭话说：爷爷、爷爷我们喜娃班长说了，下午全体教师去县里培训学习不上课，今天轮上我们五个打扫全年级的卫生，一点二十我们就走，时候马上就到了，所以没时间休息了，爷爷、爷爷我们马上就走，你别嫌我们烦噢，行不？蔡老汉笑眯眯地说：爷不嫌你们，不嫌你们，只怕你们休息不好，下午上课没精神。一会儿你们搞卫生爷爷也跟你们去，去装垃圾。五个小家伙七嘴八舌应着没事，您别去了，垃圾我们自己能抬走，不累没关系的。
39◀◀小孩子们可是说走就走，喜娃一声拖长的吆喊：冲呀——！五个娃眨眼间已跑出了两三百米远。紧随其后，蔡老汉推了个架子车也追出了门，一边追还一边喊：娃们慢些跑！别跌着了！后勤保障的垃圾运输大队长跟着上来了！
八
40◀◀黄家湾中心小学建校快四十年了，每个周一，蔡老汉都有去学校扫扫操场、倒倒垃圾，顺便问问学校有什么需要村里帮忙的习惯，他的做法一直坚持了快四十年。蔡老汉紧赶慢赶进了校门，发现孩子们早已在教室里面干得爆土扬场了，他从收发室拽出一个长柄扫帚就扫起了校园。他一边扫一边观察着喜娃们，发现这几个孩子活干得是有板有眼，虎子和强强两个男生抬水洒地，喜娃和黄浩扫教室，一个女生擦桌凳，不一会儿就把一间教室的卫生打扫完了。班长喜娃把教室所有的窗户一关门一锁，又开始打扫下一个教室的卫生，他们分工也换了一下，黄浩和喜娃抬水洒地，虎子和强强改成扫教室，蔡老汉看在眼里喜在心里暗暗地念道：喜娃这小兔崽子干事还挺公平，真是他妈的蔡家的根苗。再一看校园也快扫完了，扫下几处的垃圾也不多，一架子车就能拉走了。于是，蔡老汉就在孩子们搞卫生的教室对面花坛的矮墙上坐了下来。他看了看表，下午两点二十五分，掏火机点着了一支黑兰州烟抽了起来。透过打开的教室门和窗户，能看到孩子们洒水的洒水、扫地的扫地、擦黑板的擦黑板，擦桌凳的擦桌凳的忙碌身形。就在这时，蔡老汉突然感到屁股底下的矮墙在跳动，再看周围，远处的电杆已经东倒西歪，蔡老汉忙大喊一声：不好！地震了！孩子们快往外跑！随着喊声只听一声哨响，蔡老汉发疯般地向教室冲去。几个趔趄之后，蔡老汉感到这次地震可不像以往。离教室只有十来米，摔了两跤咋就跑不到呢？地震太大？这回真要坏事吗？就在这时，他看到教室在剧烈的震动中发生了扭曲，面前这一排教室的东西房山头已经倒塌，对面教室的门扇已被震得脱落，斜顶在已变形的门框中，由于缝隙太小外面的人进不去，里面的人出不来。但是，孩子们的哭声揪着蔡老汉的心，促使他不停地往前跑往前冲。刚一到门前，就听蔡老汉大喊一声：娃们把门让远些，爷要踏门了！说话间，只见他飞起一腿就把斜挡的门扇踏得粉碎，人也随着冲进了教室，顺着哭声他把挡路的桌凳一手一个，一腿两张地整开，当他用力搬开一根斜落下的房梁后，他看到喜娃和那个小女生被挤压在桌缝中。他大声喊叫着：娃，别怕！爷爷来救你们了！同时，迅速地把挤在孩子们身上的桌凳拉开，一把将俩孩子拽了出来。蔡老汉冲着他俩喊了一声：喜娃带上女娃快往外跑！快跑！喊声中，喜娃和小女娃从蔡老汉的腋下跑出了教室。教室里又传出蔡老汉雷鸣般的喊叫声：虎娃！强娃！黄浩孙子！在一次次的震动中，瓦片、泥土、檩子雨点般地落了下来，蔡老汉一边喊一边不顾一切地向前找，找呀找，终于在斜躺着的黑板下找到了三个小家伙。当他抬起黑板看到吓得哆嗦成一团的三个孩子时，他笑了高兴地说：幸亏那年我做的这黑板结实，娃们快起来走！起来走！快走！不知是吓得，还是被黑板压的时间长了，不管蔡老汉怎么喊，三个孩子趴在地上就是一动没动，震动还在加剧，教室摆摇着像是要被扯裂般吱、吱、呀、呀的乱叫，蔡老汉知道教室很快就会彻底地倒塌，到那时后果不可想象。情急之中，他大叫一声：起！双手把黑板高高抬起用肩顶住，腾出手来救娃，他一手一个抓着娃的脖领把娃提起，可是剩下一个娃还在地上躺着哩，看到这里心急的人一定会说，咋办？再长一只手就好了！事后有人这么损他，蔡老汉总是会回一句：你才三只手呢！我老汉的办法多得很！真的，姜还是老的辣，只看那蔡老汉一把将黄家孙子提高，他头一低一嘴咬住了娃的脖领，像老猫叼小猫搬家一样，把娃叼了起来，只听他鼻子里嘟囔了一句：黄老邪呀，黄老邪！你个老东西把好吃的都喂了你孙子了，把个小小的娃养成这么个大个子，你真想要索去我的老命啊！说着他一弯腰又把最后一个娃提了起来，随着长长地一声：哼——！蔡老汉一手一个、两手一双、嘴里还叼了一个孩子向外冲了出去。原先顶在肩上的黑板顺着蔡老汉的肩膀、脊梁重重地滑了下去，黑板的钉茬上挂着扯碎的衣片和血肉。
41▶▶Cai,overtired,fell onto the ground heavily.His watch said 14:35.He lay there unconscious for a long time until he faintly heard the voices of the kids trying to wake him up.He struggled to sit up but he could not.He was still shaking,and he thought the earthquake was shaking him,or the children were shaking his body to wake him up.At that moment,he felt something throbbing warmly in his body,like his heart beating without an end.He recalled the youthful moments when he gave his whistle a forceful blow to get ready for heroic deeds.Coming back to himself,he sighed,“I am old,very old.I must accept this as a fact.If I were not,I would not be so tired like dirt after carrying three children out.When I was young,I could carry two sacks of grain as heavy as 200 kg together under my arms.I could work that way for six houses without rest.Look at what I am now.My! I am old.I must accept this.I Must.”Then something struck him and he decided to be courageous,“No!Huang must look down upon me if he sees me like this.I must get up,get up.”then he actually got up his feet.Children were recovered as quickly as they went dumb.The three kids,who hadn’t been able to move a little in the classroom,now sat around Cai trying to awaken him.When Cai came back from the trance,they all cheered up:“You are OK,you OK! Thank God.”Hand in hand,the old man and the kids went out of the ruins where had stood the school.
9
42▶▶On the same day,Huang sold out his pork around one o’clock in the afternoon.He put away his tools and made a call to his wife,who was selling marinated foods, telling her that he was going back home.His senior apprentice,Duode brought him a bowl of marinated noodles and tingling spicy hot-pot.There were all kinds of vegetable in the pot,such as potato,edible fungus,mushroom and cauliflowers.If Cai had been there,Huang would have said to him while eating his lunch:“Cauliflowers are my favorite food in searing hot-pot,so tender and juicy.It is most delicious when half cooked.”But Cai would have retorted,“Cauliflower is most disgusting food.The fucking vegetable is not good for chewing.Besides,if it gets stuck in your fucking throat,it is disgusting like phlegm.Pooh...Pooh,”he would have spit forcefully toward Cai with such accuracy that the filth almost landed on Huang.Mr.Huang would find no excuse for being unhappy about this rudeness because it was him who invited it.Rather,he would smile,“Savage,Savage!Bad manners!You are really my curse,never giving me peace even when I am eating.You are hopeless,really hopeless!”On May,12,however,he ate his lunch quietly since Cai was not there.However,he fidgeted more and more after the meal,sitting up and down for several times.Looking at the empty chair of Cai,he felt rather disappointed and lost.The vacancy of his expression suggested that he missed something today.Everybody knew it was his rival,Cai,whose absence had left him empty and lonely.Nobody quarreled with him,nobody argued with him.What a miserable time!Now he was to arrange with his apprentices about the work of the evening and the next day.On this point he was a failure compared with Cai,who had long before entrusted the routine work to his senior apprentice.He thought he must wait another two years before he could allow his apprentices to take charge of the business.
41◀◀伴着喜娃和小女孩的喊叫和教室的轰塌声，蔡老汉也重重地倒在教室外，他腕上手表的指针指的是十四点三十五分。就这样重重地爬倒在地上，过了许久许久，蔡老汉隐约听到孩子们在呼唤他，他努力地想爬起来，可是无论怎样挣扎着也起不来，也不知道是孩子们在摇他还是震动仍在继续，他的身子不由自主地跳动着，让他奇怪的是这种跳动和心跳是那般的相像，一次又一次、一分又一分地跳着。此时此刻，他的脑海里又一次浮现出自己年轻时吹响哨哨冲出去的一幕幕画面，联想现在，他不由得叹了口气说：老了，真个老了，不服都不行，一手提了一个小娃都累成这个熊样子了。想当年，我装粮车的时候，一边夹一个200斤的大麻袋，合起来就是四百斤了，我一干就是半天，唉！不服老不行啊！不行！但是，我再不行，我也不能让那个老黄头看我的笑话，不能趴下！不能趴下！起来！起来！起来声中他终于站了起来。俗话说小娃娃们的病是歇里病好得快，那三个刚才还走不动起不来的小家伙早就好了，都围坐在他身边喊着盼着他醒过来呢，在“爷爷站起来了！”的欢叫声中，蔡老汉手牵着五个娃娃走出了已变为一片废墟的校园。
43▶▶His thoughts were wandering when the big earthquake aroused him from his reverie.The market was immediately thrown into a stampede of fear.Cai stood up and commanded the butchers from Huangjiawan,“Don’t panic! Listen to me.Five men will look after the stalls,two go and help the girls and another two help the women selling marinated foods over there.Go!Go!Go!And the others go back to the village with me!”
44▶▶They started their motor tricycles and hurried towards the village.Let’s set aside for a while the landslides,collapsing roads and seismic tremors.Now Huang and his apprentices braved all kinds of dangers until they arrived at the village.Upon the land where over 70 households had lived happily,most houses were seriously damaged,some fell in ruins,and all walls were completely wiped out.Elderly people and children gathered on the village square,sighing and sobbing.Cai cried from a height to his fellow villagers while blowing his whistle,“People,to the village square,to the village square.We will rescue your belongings shortly afterwards.Leave where you are for your life.Leave there!To the village square...”Huang’s apprentices were moved to tears at old Cai’s heartbreaking cries but Old Huang gnarled,“What fuck are you crying about?What men are you?Things are not so bad because nobody was dead in such a big earthquake.It is not time for crying now.The most important thing is to take care of the old people and children.Now males in the Cai and Huang households should work in four groups.One group from the Huangs will excavate the plastic from the village warehouse. We will make some tents with that.The other group is to excavate the gas cans from the ruins lest they should explode.One group in the Cai households will help the females with their business and the other group look after the elders and children.”When he finished assigning duties, Huang ran towards Cai shouting,“Old fool,stop blowing your fucking whistle and come down from there.Old fool,I have come back with my apprentices to help you.Old fool, come down from there.Come down!”But these words were like water off the duck’s back.Cai remained there, whistling and crying bitterly to the villagers until Huang went up to him,grabbed the whistle from his mouth and took him down from the height.Huang blew the whistle again and again in Cai’s instead,who seemed to be brought back from a dream and stopped his consistent cries.He said in a hoarse voice,“Hear you are,Old evil guy?Old geezer,you have rushed home.It’s great!”As he spoke,tears ran through his cheeks.Huang was overwhelmed with delight,“Damn old geezer,thanks to your early arrival,we avoided some losses and no one was wounded.Now don’t worry！I have brought the young men back and arranged everything. So don’t worry.”Cai immediately stood at attention like a soldier,“Secvetary Huang,Cai Danian reporting to you.I have brought the 183 villagers of Huangjiawang to the village square in safety.Over!”When he finished,Cai collapsed like dirty and fell into Huang’s arms.At that moment,Huang felt somewhat sympathetic with the big man.He,in tears,carried the latter on his back toward the village square.
九
42◀◀黄老汉下午一点多也把肉给卖完了，收拾停当后，他掏出手机给卖卤货的老伴打了个电话，告诉了一声我走价。这时，大徒弟多得给他端来了一个大碗卤面和一碗麻辣烫，烫菜里有洋芋片、木耳、蘑菇，当然菜花从来不能少。平常和蔡老汉面对面吃饭时，他总是一边吃一边冲着对面说：烫菜里面，菜花最好吃，烫个半生不熟嫩着哩，吃到嘴里块是块、沫是沫的，美死了。对面听了总要也对付几句：蔬菜里面我最不爱吃的就是黄花菜，吃起来一点硬性也都没有，一不留神卡在嗓子里，就像是卡了口痰，又恶心又难受！啊——呸呀！蔡老汉一口痰就吐向对面，说实话，吐得真远真准，如果再使点劲就该吐到黄老汉身上了。对此，黄老汉从不生气，生啥气嘛，是他自己先挑下事的吗，所以他总是笑了笑说：老粗！老粗！遇上这么个冤家！一点文明也不讲，吃饭都让人不高兴，没办法呀！没办法呀！今天，蔡老汉不在对面，黄老汉一声没吭地把饭吃完了。他吃完饭站了起来，又坐了下去又站了起来，这样反复几次后又朝着对面看了看，才无奈地把头转了过去。从他的表情上看，总像是缺了点什么？大伙儿都知道，今天蔡老汉先走了，没有对手了，架也没吵成，他俩不吵真不舒服啊！接下来，他该和徒弟们商量安排晚上的屠宰和明天的工作了。这活人家蔡老汉早就放给大徒弟做去了。看人家蔡老汉多洒脱，可黄老汉说：我这哒哒还得等等，再培养两年吧！只见他问了一个又一个……
43◀◀就在这时，大地震开始了，人们惊慌地四处乱窜，只听黄老汉大喊一声：黄家湾村两伙卖肉的！都听我统一指挥别乱！一边留下五个看堆！一边再派上两个人去帮一下女娃们，再去上两个人帮一下卖卤货的婆娘们，快！快去！其余的人全都跟我回村！三马子的轰鸣声中，黄老汉带着男人们回村了。
44◀◀在这里就不讲什么山体滑坡、什么道路塌陷、什么余震不断了。单说黄老汉带领着几十辆三马子历尽艰险回到了村口，只见，黄家湾村七十多户人家，80%以上的房子趴下了，成了重危房，20%的房子倒塌了，100%的院墙塌毁了。老人和孩子们聚在场院上，人群中充满了哭声和叹息声。远远地，只有蔡老汉一个人站在村子的二台上，面对着村子吹着凄凉的哨哨，一遍遍吹着一遍遍喊着：乡亲们！都到场院上去！乡亲们！家里埋下的东西，过后村里会组织人挨家去挖的！快离开！注意安全！乡亲们……看着此情此景，几十个汉子流下了泪水，只听黄老汉骂了一声：哭什么？没一点男子汉的劲！这么大地震没有死伤就是万幸了。目前，当务之急就是要把老人和孩子们的生活照顾好！我现在把村里的青壮男人分成四组，黄家班的分成两组，一组去村委会塌下的仓库，把那没用过的大棚地膜给我挖回来搭遮阳篷；另一组多带上些人去村里，从废墟中把煤气罐、天然气瓶给我挖出来，以免后患！快去！蔡家班也分成两组，一组去帮助女人、婆娘们继续打理生意，另一组去照顾场院上的老人和娃娃们。人员的分工安排完了，黄老汉不顾一次次的余震朝着蔡老汉跑去，一边跑一边喊：老东西下来吧！别吹了！我带着人回来了！老东西、老东西，你快下来吧！但是，任凭他怎么喊，蔡老汉硬是一动不动地站在那儿，只管一个劲地吹、一个劲地喊。直到黄老汉跑到了他的身旁，狠狠地拉了一下他的手，将他手里的铜哨哨也夺了过来，替他一次次吹响时，他恍惚从梦中归来，才停下了那无数遍的呼喊。蔡老汉沙哑地问了一声：是你？黄老邪吗？你个老东西！你们赶回来了吗？这下可好了！说着两行泪水从他那古铜色的面颊上淌了下来。黄老汉也激动地说：你个死不了的老东西！多亏了你先回来了，村里少受了多少损失，人也没伤下一个！现在你就放心吧！我带着村里的男人们回来了，一切我都做了安排，你就放心吧！听完此话，就看蔡老汉一个立正说：黄支书，村长蔡大年向你汇报，蔡家沟村现有老的小的共183人，我已领到场院183人，一个没伤一个没少！报告完毕！说罢，蔡老汉腿一软脚一歪便一头栽倒在黄老汉怀里。黄老汉这次再没骂人家块大块小、重了轻了的了，他含着泪水把蔡老汉背在身上，重重地一步一步地向场院走去。
45▶▶Cai came back to himself on the afternoon of May 15.During the three days,Huang took care of him 24 hours a day.His heart ached when he saw Cai bleeding and in fever.He was delighted and cheered when Cai opened his eyes.Huang kept quiet all those days until Cai was himself again.He then scolded Cai,“Did you mean to take my life, old geezer?You have been in fever and talking delirium all the time.Really dangerous!Well,you must give me an explanation.Why did you insult me when talking in delirium?I really don’t understand.To tell you the truth,I wanted to leave you when you swore at me.“When I was leaving yesterday,my apprentice asked me why.I told him that I was unhappy because you insulted me.Can you guess what he said?He said,‘Don’t find faults with Mr.Cai,please. He is that way just because he is ill.And you don’t know one thing.When you take a nap,you also use bad words against Mr.Cai.If he knew that,he would fight with you.’When I heard that,I forgave you.Let’s forget about it,shall we?”
46▶▶Cai listened to Huang very attentively.When he finished,Cai took a deep breath and yawned.As Cai was on the point of saying something,Huang’s wife brought some porridge,which she then fed to him.Instead of raising his voice,Cai ate the porridge,which gave Huang the chance to talk more.Huang talked on and on so that even his wife felt embarrassed and said,“Stop.Stop.Mr.Cai has just come back to himself and needs a good rest without being disturbed.Don’t you feel ashamed for bullying a patient?Stop it,stop it!”What she said at once silenced the henpecked man,who sat for a while and then found an excuse to leave the tent.
47▶▶During the following days,they could be seen together visiting the sick old people and the workers who were setting up anti-seismic tents.They brought hands to the school to build some provisional classrooms.In addition, they went together to see the pigs and chickens on the farm. In a word,they didn’t quarrel with each other any more since Cai came to his senses.
10
48▶▶Everything needed to be reconstructed after the calamity.Cai and Huang,therefore,became the center of attention of the whole village.Now they stopped arguing with each other but appeared everywhere side by side.The villagers,who had seen them quarrelling for years,were actually unaccustomed.The complete change was later known by the leaders of all levels of goverments who had known them well. As a result,everybody was talking about them:“Were the two old guys scared by the earthquake?Are they tired after years of quarrelling?Should they be replaced?”...
45◀◀蔡老汉醒过来的时候，已经是五月十五日下午了。整整三天，黄老汉寸步不离地看护在他的身边，一直坐在他的身旁。真可以称作蔡老汉流血他心痛，蔡老汉发烧他嘴起泡，蔡老汉醒来他高兴，蔡老汉睁眼他胡叫。经过是这样的，一见蔡老汉醒了过来，几天无言的黄老汉的嘴就又说开了：你想吓死我呀！你个老东西！发了几天烧天天说胡话，真吓死个人！对了，我要问问你？说胡话就说胡话嘛，干吗说胡话时也在骂我呢？我真是想不通，一听说胡话你都在骂我，真都不想再看护你了。昨天要走开时，我徒弟问我为啥走？我说你蔡叔叔说胡话时也在骂我，所以我不高兴了要走。你猜我徒弟咋说下的，他说：您就别挑人家蔡叔叔的毛病了，人家是病重了说胡话时一不留神才说了您几句，您自己还不知道呢，就这几天您坐着坐着就睡着了，一睡着您自己的梦话就特别多，就像咱们村里的三马子一辆接一辆往出开，并且十句梦话里有九句梦话是骂人家蔡叔叔的，幸亏人家昏睡不醒，要不非和您拼命不行。听他这么一说我也就不找你的麻烦了，洗相洗相！成吧？
49▶▶However,most people had positive views about their change.Among them was Mr.Qiang，the county head, who remarked,“The two stubborn guys have been rivals for all their lives.They stop arguing because they are seeking to carve a new way.Their quarrels will never stop unless the Bailong River reversed its flow.No one knows what they will do.Let’s go and see!”
50▶▶During the following thirty days,Cai and Huang still got on like peas and carrots.They had more telephone calls,however,with the traffic and power coming back to be normal.Quarreling gave way to communications and consultations.Post-disaster construction,business volume of the slaughterhouse,resumption of the primary school,the harvest of the summer crops as well as the levelling of homesteads——they had a train of topics to talk about.In effect their families were very happy to see them become intimate and associated with each other more than before. Both families would share good foods they gained.More interestingly,their sons who both worked in the city would visit the old rivals of their own fathers first when they went back home.Huang’s son,Huang Jiancheng,an engineer of the City Construction Bureau would chat with Cai for half a day and wouldn’t go home without the family’s urge.Cai’s son was Cai Xingwang,an agricultural technician of the Municipal Agriculture Bureau.Unexpectedly,Xingwang once stayed with Huang in hiding.On the midday of the preceding Saturday,he came back to the village,and didn’t go home for lunch but disappeared with Huang in the afternoon.They even didn’t go home at night without communication with each family.Consequently both families were so worried that they searched around almost all the night but couldn’t find them.Not until 13 p.m.of the next day did they return to the village.When both families asked them where they had been,they both kept silent as if they had agreed in advance.Consequently,both families were extremely annoyed but had no way out.
46◀◀黄老汉自顾自地说着，醒过来的蔡老汉可全听着呢，他深深地吸了一口气后，又长长地伸了下懒腰，刚准备要说话。老伴把黄米红薯粥给端来了，一勺粥就把蔡老汉的嘴堵住了，这正好又给了黄老汉些机会，让他一个人又多说了几句。黄老汉说得太多了，最后，就连他老伴都看不过去了，冲着他就嚷开了：人家村长才醒过来，十分需要安静休息，你可好，没完没了地说个不停，你就不怕人家说你欺负病人，占人家便宜，别说了！再别说了！她只几句话，就把个怕老婆的黄老汉给说蔫了，他没趣地又坐一会，找了个借口就出了遮阳篷。
47◀◀以后的几天，常能看到他俩一块去探望患病老人；一块去看搭建抗震篷的工人；一块领人去帮小学搭活动板房教室；一块去看鸡舍猪圈；反正俩人从蔡老汉醒过来的那天起再没争没吵了。
十
48◀◀大灾过后百废待兴，全黄家湾的老的小的男的女的都看着他俩呢。可他俩一改从前没争没吵，相扶而出携手而进的，倒叫所有的人不习惯了，倒叫人不知所从了，倒叫人不知所为了。俩犟老汉的变化也传到了乡里、县里、市里，熟悉他们的领导更是议论纷纷。这俩老汉怕是被地震吓倒了吧？他俩到底是斗了大半辈子斗劲差不多快用完了吧？黄家湾村该换班子了吧？……
51▶▶On the early morning of one month and eight days after the earthquake,the army sent one excavator,two loaders and eight dump trucks and began their busy reconstruction of the primary school:digging,leveling and shoveling.There came the villagers,the old and the young,men and women.Till noon the kids finished their morning classes,running out of the temporary classrooms to watch the soldiers working.Touched,some kids sang a song called My Pal taught by the aid teachers(They were the teachers in advanced urban areas who were sent to teach the students in backward rural areas)from the capital of Gansu province:
52▶▶Pal,Pal,my Pal.Quake Relief hero Many times I have met you.
53▶▶A red flag,and green uniform,how beautiful!
54▶▶Met you,with you,how could I forget you?
55▶▶Pal,Pal,my Pal.Salute and thank you!
56▶▶When singing salute,all the kids present saluted to the soldiers.The soldiers were so joyful that they were in high spirit for the reconstruction work.However,suddenly Cai together with scores of senior villagers rushed into the construction site to stop the construction machinery in groups.“Stop,Stop!The PLA comrades,let’s go back.If you are blamed,I will be responsible for it.After all,thework is the business of our village.We can’t bother you, the engineering army comrades,to do it.We really can’t! The day before yesterday,a leader of the town called me that our village primary school would be reconstructed soon with the totally-funded aid of Shenzhen.He also asked me if I agreed that engineering corps in Longnan leveled up the school construction site with machinery.I agreed right away, for I thought it was a good thing that no one could gain. Meanwhile I also had a deal that you would work for us but we would provide your meals.That’s the settled.But now you don’t follow our deal,asserting that you only eat the compacted dry food that you brought in order not to lighten our load.Lieutenant Wang,let me tell you,we can provide you meals for a couple of days in spite of the earthquake.Now it is up to you,if you agree,stay with us.If you disagree,you can leave.Although you work one day by the machine,we have to work at least ten days by our hand.We are not frightened by the big earthquake,needless to say,the reconstruction work.Besides,we were all born laborers,not afraid of any labor.Leave here if you don’t accept our meals.”
49◀◀但是，更多的是对他俩的肯定，县里的强县长就是这么说他俩的：那俩犟老汉斗了一辈子，目的就是寻思发展，他俩的争斗如果能停下来，除非这白龙江水能倒着淌！那俩老汉不知又在准备什么花样呢？咱们就伸脖子等着瞧好吧！
50◀◀一个月过去了，两个老汉照旧是天天手挽手的出入，相互关心相安无事。只是随着道路的畅通和电力通讯的恢复，两个人的手机可比以往忙多了，不争不吵就意味着更多的交谈和商量，什么随着震后生活的恢复，屠宰量逐步恢复到震前了，什么小学复课了，什么夏粮收割了，什么宅基地成块平整了等等，都是他俩唠起来没完没了的话题。俩老汉的修好也让他们的家人由衷的欣慰，两家走动得更近了。不管谁家做什么好吃的，都要给对方送去一份。更有趣的是在市里工作的两家人的儿子，回村时都不先回自己家而是去看他父亲的老对手，黄老汉那个在市建设局当工程师的儿子黄建成，每次回来都和蔡老汉唠个半天，不催都不回家。蔡老汉那个在市农林局当农业技师的儿子蔡兴旺，竟和黄老汉一起玩起了失踪。上个星期六中午回村后，下午就和黄老汉一块消失了，饭也没回家吃，电话也打不通，就连晚上也没回家，把两家人急得四处去找，找了大半夜也没有找到。直到第二天中午一点多，一身土苍的两个人才回了村。家里人问去了哪儿，俩人都不吭声，像是约好了似的，可把家里人给气坏了。气坏就气坏呗，谁能把他俩筑下个啥？
57▶▶Holding Cai’s hand,lieutenant Wang of the engineering corps said,“Mr village head,we haven’t finished the task but now you make us retreat,besides…”At that time,Xiwa headed a group of kids to draw around,begging one after another,“grandpa,grandpa,don’t drive the PLA soldiers away！please don’t!We all hope to accomplish the new school earlier,and we can move into the new classroom earlier!”Cai was touched with tears,but he insisted, shouting to lieutenant Wang,“Eat or leave?Just tell me in one word！”At the sight of the kids’expecting eyes, lieutenant Wang lowered his voice,“Nothing but a meal!It’s trifle.Why do you drive us away?”No sooner had the lieutenant finished his words than Cai pressed again:“To eat or to leave?”Quietly,the lieutenant disciplined his army,performed three parade steps and saluted to all the villagers,the young and the old,declaring,“Eat!Let’s go dining!Thanks,my parent-like local folks!”The tough guy’s face was covered with tears.“Great!”yelled Cai. With the cheers and applauses,the soldiers of the engineering army were fenced by the local villagers and marched into the village.
51◀◀就在地震过后一个月零八天的一大早，部队给村里调来了一台挖掘机、两台装载机和八台翻斗车，开始平整小学的重建场地，又是挖又是压，又是铲又是拉，可忙活了。村里的男女老少都来了，快到中午时，下了课的孩子们也都跑出了活动板房的教室，围着看起了热闹。一些孩子边看还边唱起了省城来支教的老师刚刚教会他们的儿歌《好朋友》：
52◀◀好呀、好呀、好朋友，抗震救灾见过你。
53◀◀好朋友，举红旗，身上穿着迷彩衣。
54◀◀见过你呀！记住你！一辈子都不忘记！
55◀◀好朋友呀、好朋友，敬个礼呀，谢谢你……
56◀◀儿歌唱到敬个礼的时候，现场所有的小孩子们都会举手向战士们敬队礼。战士们听到孩子们的儿歌和看到孩子们的敬礼，高兴得不得了，那活干得别提有多欢了。可是就在这时，突然蔡老汉领着二三十个老头、老太太冲进了施工的场地，几个人拦一辆、十个人围一台，让所有的施工机械全停了下来。只见蔡老汉当着全体在场人的面大声地喊着说：停下！停下！解放军同志你们都回去吧！别人问开了，你们就说是我蔡老汉让回的，这活是我们村里自家的活，麻烦不起工程营的同志们，麻烦不起嘛！前天区里来电话说，深圳市全额援建咱们村的小学，马上要开工了。为了不延误工期，驻陇工程营派机械把施工现场平出来，问我同意不同意？我想这么价的好事上哪达达找嘛？我立马就同意了！但是村里也提了一个条件，就是活你们干，饭我们管！事情就这么定下了。谁想到今天一来你们就把话变下了，说什么为了不再给灾区人民增添麻烦和困难，全体施工战士只吃自己带的压缩食品。王连长告诉你吧！我们黄家湾无论受多大的灾，部队同志的几顿饭我们还是管得起的！还由下你了？说吃就吃，说不吃就不吃，不成！你们走吧！大不了你们的机械干一天，我们干上十来天，这么大的灾情我们都没怕下，再说我们天生就是干活的人，还怕干什么活吗？你们走吧！不吃饭，就不留你们了！
58▶▶This was the first village banquet after the earthquake.In the anti-earthquake tent of the village committees laid rows of various tables and benches with plates,bowls and basins of different colors and sizes from different families.However,the containers held the same delicate food of Huangjiawang,the eminent dainty snacks in Longnan city：noodles served with thick gravy as well as marinated pork, chicken and eggs.Cai set the dining standard in person that each soldier had to eat up:two liangs of noodles served with thick gravy,four liangs of marinated pork,one marinated pig’s trotter,one marinated chicken’s leg,two marinated eggs,one liang of pig’head meat，one marinated pig’s ear, one liang of pig’s liver and one liang of pig's large intestines(used as food).In addition,the soldiers could be free to share the marinated chicken wings,claws,gizzard and large intestine as well as one large basins of patatos, fresh corns and ripen pumpkins.Seeing the abundant food, lieutenant Wang repeated,“Too much,too much,we can’t have so much.”Unexpectedly,Cai said,“Youth is the time of physical growth.Just eat more,you know that when I was a engineering soldier like you all,I could have eight or nine steamed bread along with plenty of vegetables and thanks to the strong body that I built in the army,I can keep fit now. Our offers are really nothing.So eat.Eat!Eat your fill! We have nothing but these food in the village.”
57◀◀带队施工的王连长拉着蔡老汉的手说：村长大叔，没完成任务就走，这不是让我们临阵脱逃嘛，再说……就在这时，喜娃领着一帮孩子围了过来，七嘴八舌的向蔡老汉求情说：爷爷、爷爷，别赶解放军叔叔走，别赶解放军叔叔走嘛！我们盼着新学校早一点建好，早点搬进新教室上课！听着孩子们的求情，蔡老汉泪水在眼眶中转动，但嘴里还只是冒硬话，只听他对着王连长大喊一声：吃？还是走？一个字——说！看着孩子们期盼的眼神，只听王连长先小声说了一句：不就是吃个饭嘛！多大个事，干吗要赶我们走吗？他的话还没有说完，就听到那蔡老汉又逼问了一句：吃？还是走？这次王连长没有吭声，只见他整了整风纪后，拔了三个正步，然后面对全村的老老少少一个敬礼，大声说：吃！我们吃！谢谢黄家湾的父老乡亲们！这个刚硬汉子的话还没说完泪水已流下了面颊。在蔡老汉一声“好！”的喊叫中，在乡亲们的掌声中，施工的每个解放军战士都被乡亲们、孩子们簇拥着向村里走去。
59▶▶The dinner of that afternoon was the same standard as well and then they worked to 2 o’clock in the next morning.At the daybreak,they began to draw off all the engineering machines.Before parting,Cai held lieutenant Wang’s hands and claimed,“Don’t hold the grudge of me. Will you come back？”“Sure,you can count on us!”responded the lieutenant with great excitement.That night,no one left for sleep.In the moonlight,all the villagers watched and commented around the construction site.The kids played around,fighting,chasing and running,with the nursery rhyme My Pal:
60▶▶Pal,pal,my pal,building our home,loving the people.
61▶▶On your army cap,a star does sparkle.Many times I have met you.
62▶▶Met you,with you,how could I forget you?
63▶▶Pal,pal,my paloodod,good friends,we saw you Forever,my pal!
64▶▶The kids sang the song with one section after another,again and again.They saluted to the soldiers time and again until they all left the construction site.
11
65▶▶This was a sunny morning again.Huangjiawang village was just quiet after the disturbance of the prior night. Just now,a rapid and piercing whistle broke the newly-recovered quietness of the village.As for the boisterous villagers,some were going to bed,some were washing their faces and feet,ready to sleep and some were just falling asleep but awakened by the whistle,getting up after a short idling rest regardless of their reluctance.All the villagers knew that Cai’s whistle was seldom heard,otherwise in the emergency.After the whistle,it must be his thunder–like shouts,about which people knew well and went out of the anti-earthquake tents.With the bang,bang footsteps,definitely Cai yelled door to door,“Villagers,the county head is coming to our village to rebuild our primary school.Go and welcome them,villagers...”After times of shouts,all the villagers came to the construction site of the rebuilt primary school.
58◀◀这是灾后的第一次黄家湾村的村饭宴请，村委会的抗震篷中间，摆下一溜溜各式各样来自各家的桌子、凳子，来自各家的各样各色的大大小小的盆盆、碗碗。这盆盆碗碗里面盛的可是同一样的美味佳肴，陇南名吃黄家湾的好吃货：卤面、卤肉、卤鸡、卤蛋。蔡老汉亲自定下的用餐标准，每位战士必须完成的是：卤面二两、卤肉四两、卤猪蹄一只、卤鸡腿一只、卤蛋两个、卤猪头肉一两、卤猪耳朵一只、卤猪肝一两、卤肥肠一两、其他卤凤翅、凤爪、卤鸡胗、卤大肠等外加一大盆煮土豆、青包米、老南瓜随便吃。面对如此丰富的饭菜，王连长不停地说：太多了、太多了，受用不了啊！猜猜蔡老汉是咋说的？年轻人正是长身体的时候，就得多吃一点，记得我当工程兵的时候，每顿饭不算菜，光二两的馒头都得吃上八九个，今天我还有这样的好身板，多亏了当年部队打了个好底子，这点吃的不算啥，吃！吃！往饱里吃！我们这达达就这多！
66▶▶On the construction site,the villagers saw lieutenant Wang commanding the soldiers who were installing the dense security nets and the scaffolds.As a matter of fact,when lieutenant Wang had scarcely headed the machine corps back to the army,he together with his engineering corps returned to the village with the another order. Longnan city council decided that the engineering corps should stay and render the assistance of the village primary school reconstruction funded by Shenzhen city government. Accordingly,the lieutenant returned here without any napping and drinking.Seeing the lieutenant’return,the villagers were no less than amiable beyond words.Some elder men and women shouted toward lieutenant Wang in a long distance,“Lieutenant Wang，thank you for the sacrifices. You haven’t slept all the night but returned here with your troops,so come to my home for your sleeping after your assignment.”“Sleep？But they haven’t eaten anything!”interrupted one aged lady and she continued to yell,“Lieutenant Wang,come to my home for your diet first after your assignment.”Moreover,Mrs.Li,a“five guarantees”family(the five households including the aged,the infirm,old widows and orphans can enjoy the five guarantees:food,clothing,medical care,housing and burial expenses by the people’s communes in the five ways)took a basin of warm water with a new towel to the lieutenant,imposing him on washing face.In effect,lieutenant Wang was engaged in conducting the soldiers to work with no time for it.Therefore,showing his thanks,he had to wave his hand in a long distance and saluted to her.It was really a disturbance. When all other villagers focus their eyesight on the primary school’s construction,Huang accompanied Qiang to the ruined Huangjiawang village.Huang introduced the county head the situations one by one from the east to the west of the village,This is the house of the village head,Cai Danian——a severely dilapidated house;this is the house of the village accountant,Liu Jiahe——a severely dilapidated house;this is my nephew,Huang Duode’s house...Listening to Huang,the county head said,“Don’t let it be!Don’t you leave it for someone to watch it？Why not organize people to take apart the dangerous houses and rebuild them. Huang,you are actually the village secretary of the Chinese communist party.Hasn’t the local communist organization collapsed with the earthquake?This is not good.Home Reconstruction is in emergence!By the spring festival,all the fellow villagers must move into the new houses！Now the appropriation from the central government are available. Each family whose house has collapsed or can’t belived in will beoffered 25,000 yuan and you can send some one to fetch it in the county government.Besides,each family can loan 20,000 yuan with the interest paid by the government. With the government’s spectacular policy,right now whether the reconstruction is slow or fast count on you,the leaders of the village!”Huang reported to the county head,“Cai Danian and I have conceived a program of Huangjiawang’s second taking-off,but we don’t take the liberty of implementing it just because we are waiting for the national policy.In addition,we are just lacking in an arena.”“Well, today I have offered you the arena and your play should be performed well.”claimed Qiang and walked to the village school construction site.With a red silk ribbon and two strings of firecrackers,the simple ribbon-cutting was done. Then Qiang made a speech,“Today I come here not only for the ribbon-cutting of the primary school,but also for the ribbon-cutting of Huangjiawang housing reconstruction.In order to move the kids to sit in the new classroom,the troops have made a guarantee that the new teaching building will have been accomplished by october 1（National Day）and kids can move out of the prefab houses.”
59◀◀那天的下午饭还是这个标准，学校的那些活一直干到了后半夜的两点多。天快亮时，所有的施工机械才开始撤走。临别时，蔡老汉拉着王连长的手说：你别记恨我，你们还来我们这达达吗？来！我们一定还来！王连长激动地回答。那天夜里，全村没有一个人睡觉，夜光下人们围在工地旁看着、议论着，娃们在灯光下嬉耍着、打闹着、追逐着。同时，也唱着那首儿歌《好朋友》：
60◀◀好呀、好呀、好朋友，重建家园见过你。
61◀◀好朋友、爱人民、红星闪闪映八一。
62◀◀见过你呀！记住你！一辈子都不忘记！
63◀◀好呀、好呀、好朋友，我们永远是朋友。
64◀◀娃们一段段、一遍遍地唱着儿歌，一回回一次次地敬着礼，直到战士们全部离开工地。
十一
65◀◀又是一个阳光明媚的早晨，闹腾了一宿的黄家湾村稍稍平静了一些，就在这时，一阵急促而尖锐的哨声，打破了刚刚寂静片刻的黄家湾，昨晚看了一宿热闹的村民，有的刚刚睡下，有的还在洗脚、洗脸正准备睡下的，有的刚刚入睡就被哨声吵醒了但不想起来的，可稍懒了一小会还是起来了。因为全村人都知道这蔡老汉的哨声是不常吹的，哨声吹过接着就是他那打雷般的喊声，熟悉这点的人们纷纷走出抗震篷，随着蔡老汉噔噔的脚步，他果然挨家挨户地喊了起来：乡亲们！县长提前带着人来重建咱村的小学了，快出村欢迎去！乡亲们！……在他一遍遍的喊叫声中，全村人一个不剩地拥到了村小学重建的工地旁。
66◀◀工地上王连长指挥着战士，拉着密目安全网和绑捆着脚手架，原来他把机械连带回去后，接到新命令马上又带着工程连返了回来。深圳市援建的黄家湾村小学项目，市里决定也由工程营帮着施工建设，所以他们眼没眨、水没喝地就又重返黄家湾的小学工地。看到王连长带着战士们又回来了，乡亲们那个亲切啊！简直无法言表。几个村里的老头、老太太远远地冲着王连长喊：王连长辛苦了，一宿都没睡就又带着部队回来了，安排完工作先到我家去睡会！老头的喊话被一位老太太打断了，睡啥睡？还没吃东西呢！她接着喊了：王连长！安排完活到我家来先吃两口饭噢！还有五保户李老太太就更忙活了，从家里端了一洗脸盆热水，水里还放了一条新毛巾，非让人家擦把脸，王连长这时正指挥战士们忙活着呢，哪顾得上这些，只是远远地又是挥手示谢，又是立正敬礼的，那个添乱哪。当大家的目光都在注意小学施工时，黄老汉引着强县长又一次去了已变成废墟的黄家湾村。从东头到西头，黄老汉一个个地向县长介绍着：这是村长蔡大年家的房子——重危房，这是村会计刘合家——重危房，这是我侄子黄多得家……强县长边听边说：这么放着可不行，放在那儿给谁看？为什么不组织人力拆去危房重建家园？黄支书啊！难道这次地震真把你们的村党组织也震垮了吗？这样不行啊！重建家园必须要抓紧！要让乡亲们在春节前都住进新房！国家给房子塌下的、住不成的每户两万五千元的重建款已经到了，你们现在就派人去县里领！另外，政府贴息每户两万元的信贷指标也下来了，有了这么好的政策，重建速度快和慢就看你们干部怎么带头了！黄老汉向县长汇报说：我和蔡大年同志已经勾画了一个黄家湾村二次腾飞的方案，只是前一段时间大政策还没下来我们没敢动，再说也缺少一个平台嘛。好！今天我就把这平台给你们搭下，戏你们可要唱好啊！强县长说着走着就到了小学工地。两串鞭炮、一条红绸，简简单单地剪彩之后，强县长就开始讲话了：我今天不单单是只给小学重建剪彩来了，也是给黄家湾村的家园重建剪彩来了，为了能让孩子们入冬前坐进新教室，部队的同志给市里立下了军令状，保证十一前新教学楼竣工让孩子搬出板房。
67▶▶“The village home reconstruction involves the common people,the civil affairs.I don’t want the village leaders to make a military guarantee.But I require the village leaders to set an example!The other days,an ill rumor spread,‘Cai and Huang were shook to be out of mind and would never have emulation.Besides they have lost their strengths like jelly fish.I don’t believe the rumor. Definitely,what I have seen in the village today gives a strong evidence for my correct judgment.The two old buddies have sketched a second taking-off blueprint for your village.Now you can avail the government’s reconstruction allocation and discount government loans.Actually I know that you have gathered the money.The defference in each family simply involves the amount of money and sizes of house to be rebuild.Therefore I don’t want to interfere in this and My fellow villagers,can you guess what I want to see most as your county head?Let me tell you what I want to see most is to rebuild,rebuild,rebuild houses so that you can leave the ant-seismic tents or prefab houses as soon as possible and move into your new house.”Qiang’s speech was interrupted by the audiences’applauses.After a while, Qiang claimed,“Engineer Huang,please introduce the design scheme to all the people.”At once,the son of Old Huang,Huang Jiangcheng working in the City Construction Bureau proceeded to give the design scheme to the head. With loud voice,Qiang began to introduce the design,“There are two kinds of house design drawings in twostorey and three–storey according to the number of family. Jiangcheng has won a prize for because of the rational,elegant and practical design.Come on,Mr.Huang,which one do you choose?”Huang took the design drawing and looked it through,murmuring,“Terrific,really terrific!”Qiang asked him,“What on earth do you choose？”Huang continued to focus his eyesight on the two-storey house design drawing.Then Qiang turned to Cai，“What design do you choose?Come on,buddy.”Cai responded,“The design drawing,I already have.I have chosen the three-storey! Old Huang,you are simply old nuisance.Don’t blame me for my lecture to you again.Given that your grandson will get married in years and you,the old couple will not die right away,where will your grandson couple live?Alive ancestor,please,please leave a good remainder to your descendant!From another perspective,your house site is in the middle range of the village.Now you build a fucking lower house like your height.When one comes into our village,your house will be seen.You don’t feel ashamed,but I’am afraid you make the villagers ashamed.”Cai was interrupted by Huang.In face of the villagers,Huang claimed,“The county head just comes here to talk about the big thing,our home reconstruction.But you see,Cai talked about something like the marriage of grandsons,the living and the dead,and even attacks me physically.Alas,nonsense,really nonsense!People present as witness,I am firmly committed toward our county head:Our village will win the first place in the home reconstruction game;equally,we will support each family to rebuild home with our village’s accumulated money,coupled with the reconstruction allocation and discount government loans.Meanwhile,the village’s accumulated money will mainly be used for the reconstruction of the“five guarantees”family and the disabled family.We guarantee that everyone has a house to live in.Besides,for Cai alone,listen!Don’t talk about the stature,tall or short.Yes,I am short,but it’s decided by parents.However,I promise that my rebuilt house will never be shorter than yours.Cai,be all your ears!Whatever house you can build,I can do the same!Huang was interrupted by the applauses of the villagers.At the time, Huang’s son rushed to him with great excitement,crying,“Daddy,take the design drawing!”Standing by the father and son,“wow,wow,wow”uttered Cai with a smile,“See, Huang doesn’t allow me to talk about sons or grandsons.Without them,how can we rebuild our home?Do you agree with me,my fellow villagers?”“yeah,yeah,yeah”people responded with applauses and Cai continued,“Think about it！What about the action of the father and son？Really outdated!Take the drawing?It is utterly like the scene that Erman[5]is granted a gun in the movie Land Mine War.”His speech sparkled laughter once again.To cease the laugher,Huang cried out,“Everyone,don’t follow the old geezer to kick up a row.We talk serious business but he makes bullshit,really poor tasty,really...”“Well,well,buddy,you two give me a break.”right away Qiang made an accommodation,seeing them arguing again,and toward the villager folks,he continued,“Look,they can’t stop their arguing as I said before,but arguing doesn’t make sense. Therefore,in order to test their faculties and distinguish between them,there should be an open challenge between them now.My fellow villagers,what do you think about it?”No sooner had he asked so than the voices were heard,“Superb!Alright!It can’t too be!”In a chaos,Huang whispered to the head,“What’s the game？For whatever wrestling,I have no such barbarous force.”Cai cut in,“Wrestling?Barbarous force？To tell you the truth,whatever game I will win！”and then laughed and laughed.In the laughter,Qiang asked,“Are you done with your laughing?”Cai nodded with kind of embarrassment and kept silent.“Well,from now on,you have a competition of house reconstruction.Anyone can join one of both parties that Cai and Old Huang lead respectively.The rules are as follows:First,both parties have the same design drawing.Second, both parties also have the same construction bid and money injection.Third,eight persons are only employed on each construction site.One who moves into the new house first in a sign of letting off firecrackers will win the game.The award stays to be settled by the county committee.The loser will entertain us with a meal of pork braised in brown sauce.What?How much？In total,there are 300 kg by 1 kg for one person.Ok,that’s settled:300 kg prime meat for the meal.Deal,you two?”The two old responded one after another,“Deal!”The head uttered,“Louder,louder please!Let all the villagers hear it!”The two old responded together once again,“Deal!”Then as the county head said,“Wine,please.”the attendant brought three full cups of renowned wine,Century Jinhui to the head,Huang, Cai.With cheers,they bottomed up.At the time,the head threw the cup with force and it was smashed into pieces. Then he said to Cai and Huang,“This is our convention:so people-talking must has voice,as cup-throwing must has a pit.My two buddies,I will inspect whether you finish rebuilding your new house.”The two men threw their cups into pieces as well with nothing to say.With the crash of cups,smiling,head Qiang claimed,“My fellow villagers of Huangjiawang,your home reconstruction campaign has been launched today!Before my departure,I’d like to give you a requirement.I require you not to submit before the severe earthquake!Only if we all are of one mind and unite as one,can the eight-scale earthquake be nothing.The houses have collapsed,but we still live here now.So I wish you all to sell your meat,braise your meat,build your house,sow your autumn seeds and make your money as before.Furthermore,I wish you all rebuilt your houses,better and more beautiful.My fellow villagers,let’s go rebuilding the houses, your new houses!With the villagers’endless cheers,“Rebuild the houses,rebuild the houses,and rebuild the houses!”and with the deafening applauses,head Qiang left from Huangjiawang.
67◀◀村里的重建家园项目是百姓项目、民事，我就不要村干部立什么军令状了。但是，我要求他们必须起到模范带头作用！前段日子，一些人恶传着说：你们村的蔡老汉和黄老汉被震坏了脑子，再也不争不比了，还说现在那两个老汉再没有以往那样猛整的风采了，就像两个软蛋。这些闲话我就不信，今天我在黄家湾村所见的一切，果然证实了我的判断是正确的，两位老哥又为村里的二次腾飞勾画出了宏伟的蓝图，现在国家的重建款和政府的贴息贷款也到位了，当然了我知道在你们村盖房钱谁家都整下了，只是谁多谁少的区别，盖大盖小的事情，我就不掺和了。乡亲们你们大伙都猜猜，我这个县长最想看到的是什么？告诉大家吧，现在最想看到的就是建房！建房！建房！就是想让乡亲们早些搬出抗震篷、活动板房，住进建好的新家去！强县长的讲话被热烈的掌声打断了。掌声稍停，强县长又讲开了：黄工程师把方案图纸给大家介绍一下！话音中，只见黄老汉的那位在市建设局工作的儿子黄建成，走上前去把图纸拿给了县长。强县长大声地介绍开图纸了：这是根据人多人少设计成的二层、三层的两种设计方案，因为设计合理、美观适用是刚获下奖的好方案，黄老兄你来，你来看看选哪种方案？黄老汉接过了图纸认真地看了起来，边看边念叨着：不错，真不错！强县长在一旁问：那你选建哪一种？黄老汉拿着二层方案一直在看。强县长又问：选建哪种方案？蔡老兄你也选一下嘛。只听蔡老汉说：图纸我早就有了，我选下的是三层那种！黄老头你个老东西，不是我又要说你了，你的孙娃子过几年就要娶媳妇了，你们俩老东西又马上死不下，让人家孙娃子们住到哪哒去？活先人啊！拜托了，你就给后人们留下个好念性吧！反过来再说，你家的位置正好又在村腰腰上，盖个像你那个个子的矮巴子楼，谁一进村就看见这，你不怕丢人我还嫌给村上丢人呢？黄老汉没让蔡老汉继续把话说下去，对着乡亲们就说开了：县长这次来给咱们村讲的是重建家园的大事，可大家听听蔡老汉一会儿孙子要娶媳妇，一会儿活了死了的，还对我进行人身攻击，唉！没水平呀，没水平！今天大伙都在这，我向县长保证：重建家园我们村争取在全县拿个第一；除了重建款、贴息贷款，我们还会一视同仁用好村积累，支持每家每户盖房。同时，村积累重点要支助村里的那两户五保户和伤残户盖房，保证不让一个乡亲没新房住！再个嘛，就是对你蔡老汉说的了，别再说什么你高他低的那些话，我的个子矮是爹娘定下的！但是，这一回楼修的不会比你修得低，这是我定下的！蔡老汉你给我支下耳刮子听好了，重建家园你盖几层我黄老汉就盖几层！黄老汉的发言被乡亲们的掌声打断了，黄老汉的儿子激动地跑过来，大声地说：老爸！接图！就听站在一旁的蔡老汉一阵“啧、啧、啧”之后，笑着说开了：大伙都看见了，还不让人家说儿子、孙子的，没些这咱们还重建什么家园？乡亲们你们说对不对？在一片“对”和掌声中，蔡老汉就又说上了：大伙儿再想想，刚才他们爷俩的动作可不怎么样，太老套了，接图？整个就是电影《地雷战》中的二嫚接枪的场面嘛！蔡老汉的话又引来一片笑声。黄老汉大喊着把笑声都打断了：大伙儿别跟上那个老东西瞎起哄，谈正事时也乱岔，没水平！没水……好了！好了！二位老哥哥就歇歇吧！强县长看着他俩又吵上了，忙打圆场，县长接着对乡亲们说：看着了吧，我早就说过他俩停不下来的，可是光嘴上说说斗斗也不是什么真本事，为了检验他俩的能耐，分出他俩的高低，我想今天我就摆下一个擂台，让他俩比上一比，乡亲们！你们说好不好！县长话声刚出口，就听那：好！要得！能行！喝声一片。闹声中只听到黄老汉小声跟县长说：比什么？可别比摔跤什么的，我可没那个有蛮劲。蔡老汉一旁插话过来：啥摔跤？蛮劲？告诉你比啥都行，咋比都成！蔡老汉“哈！哈！哈”地一阵大笑。笑声中强县长问了一句，笑完了吗？蔡老汉不好意思地点了点头，没再吱声。好！今天我就在黄家湾村设下擂台，搞一次建房比赛，甲乙双方除了蔡老汉、黄老汉，其他人谁愿意参加都行，比赛规则是：一、使用统一的图纸；二、统一建筑预标价和投资；三、每个工地只能雇请八人。先举家搬进新房放响鞭炮者为胜，奖励办法县上再另做研究，败方煮一锅红烧肉请全村老小吃一顿！什么？煮多少？照一人一斤算得三百斤吧？就这么定下，煮三百斤好肉！你们二位还有什么意见没有？俩老汉一前一后回答：没有！县长大声说：不行！大点声回答！要让全村人都听见！两个老汉再次齐声回答：没有意见！县长一声：拿酒来！工作人员早把准备好的陇上名酒世纪金徽倒了个满满的三杯，端到县长、蔡老汉、黄老汉面前，酒杯一碰一干而尽。这时就看县长挥臂用力一摔，把酒杯摔了个粉碎。然后，对着二位说：这是咱们这达达的风俗：说话留声、摔杯留坑，二位老哥，“十一”之前我要来验你们的新房噢！蔡老汉、黄老汉二话没说，照样把酒杯摔得粉碎。杯碎声中，就听到了强县长大声地笑着说：黄家湾的父老乡亲们，你们村重建家园项目今天就算正式启动了！临行前，我还有一点小小的要求要讲给大家，就是请乡亲们大震面前别低头！只要咱们万众一心，团结一致，八级地震在咱们黄家湾村的乡亲们面前算什么呀？不就是塌了几间房吗？我们现在还不是在照样生活吗！为此，我再一次祝大家肉照卖！卤照煮！房照盖！秋照种！财照发！并且祝大家的房子越盖越好！越盖越美！乡亲们盖房子吧！盖起咱们的新房子吧！在乡亲们的无数次“盖房！盖房！盖房！”的欢呼声中，在震耳欲聋的掌声中，强县长一行离开了黄家湾村。
12
68▶▶Mr.Qiang and his attendant left for another village to make an inspection.Their engine sound didn’t fade away but here in the village,Cai and Huang set fire again.“Old evil guy，old evil guy,how amazing you are!Before the leaders or outsiders,you talk big and make a high profile.Excellent!You can not only downgrade others but also highlight major business.In fact,we all know you well.The bullshit and horseshit are all that you talk about before. Now the leader has left and this is all that we both should deal with.Since everyone is here,it is time for you to talk about how to rebuild the houses.Tell us your exact plan: how to win the first prize of the county,how to utilize the village’s accumulated money and how to guarantee the‘five guarantees’family and the disabled family.Speak out!”“Aren’t we——aren’t we going to hold our villager meeting？Just now the county head asked about it and I simply told him it in advance.”responded Huang.“Well, since every one is here,let’s hold a meeting to make a decision.As old saying goes,strike the iron when it is hot.So do it now!”said Cai with his sign demonstration and all proceeded to surround them.
69▶▶With Cai’s whistle,the meeting began and the questions were discussed from the big to the small as usual. First,how many households were built every time？Will all the new houses be built for once or for twice?Through the consult back and forth,no one will agree to build his house at the second time.Finally all decided that all 73 households will be built at the same time.Second,now that there are over 2,980,000 yuan in the village committee through 30 years of money accumulation,each household will share all its 40,000 yuan or just 30,000 yuan.After full discussion,the decision is that each household share 30,000 yuan. Besides the“five guarantees”family and the disabled family will be given another 150,000 yuan respectively and if the money for them is still not sufficient,free labor assistance will be offered in order to ensure them to move into new houses.Second,keep the principle of line management and section building.Cai’s team has 36 households and Old Huang’s team has 35.In addition,respectively each team will spare 8 tough men and 8 motor-tricycles that establish a free material provider team led by Huode and Duode,the first apprentice of Cai and Huang respectively. The material provider team will provide each family the sand,stone and building materials in time.Meanwhile,the quality and security guarantee contest will be carried out among all the family.Strive to move into new houses before November.Fourth,the building iron materials will be entrusted village accountant Liu to place an order together in construction market and the materials must be ensured to be good but cheap.Fifth,now that water pipes were destroyed entirely,the village authority will finance the project to reconnect each family.Sixth,the village circuits were also severely destroyed by the earthquake and hereof needs maintenance or transformation.Now the village will manage to apply for the countryside electric circuit transformation project financed by the county authority.Seventh,the new village council building will be considered later and its office will be in the anti-seismic board house.Eighth,the work of disease precaution will be in the charge of some one solely appointed by the village committee.Ninth,see to it that autumn crops are planted and one inch of farmland isn’t discarded,otherwise one will reward severe punishment.Tenth,the rebuilt houses must confine to the original homestead,and the controversial areas will be measured again.Eleventh,the former Intellectual Youths(During Chinese Revolutionary Culture,1966-1976,numerous school teenager students were sent to work in countryside and later the majority returned to the city)of our village donated 30,000.How do we use the money?It is used according to them.The money is donated from the old gentlemen and ladies,whatever advanced engineers and whatever professors who used to be Intellectual Youths here.Cai introduced with a loud voice,“Twelfth...”When talking about it,Cai raised his voice more abruptly,“One fellow villager reported that the local cadre of whatever Dapu town abused the money of home reconstruction from the state illegally. Fuck,son of bitch!The evil guys must lose their clear conscience.How dare they ignore the law and God?Today I make a rule:whoever dare steal the reliefs,chop his fingers!I am supervised too.You can count on me as your villager head for the past decades.Only if I steal whatever money,arrest me and chop my fingers without any consideration.”Cai’s speech won people’s applauses.
十二
68◀◀县长他们又到别的村去检查工作了，县长一行的车马达声还能听见，再回过头看村上这边，蔡老汉和黄老汉已经又整上了。黄老邪呀！黄老邪呀！还真没看出来啊，你个老东西！来个领导什么、外人什么的面前你满牙花子的大道理、高调子，行啊！不但能编排人还会唱主旋律呢！其实谁不知道你呀，平常整日里满嘴的狗蛋、猫水嘛！现在领导走了，剩下的都就是咱俩的事了，乘着现在人都到齐了，你就和大伙说说这房子怎么个盖法？说出个子丑寅卯来！这全县第一怎么个争法？那村积累怎么个用法？还有五保户、伤残户怎么个保法？说！不是——不是正要开村民大会商量嘛？县长问上了，就把意图先给县长说了说嘛，黄老汉应着话。也好！乘大伙都在，就此把会开了，把事定下了吧！趁热打铁现在就开！蔡老汉边说边示意开会，大家伙儿也向前凑了凑。
69◀◀蔡老汉的哨声一响，全体村民大会就开上了，按老规矩，讨论的事情由大到小。首先：一次开工多少户，全村的新房是一次建成还是分两批盖完，讨论来商量去，谁也不愿意排在第二批，最后一致决定：全村七十三户新房一次开工建设。第二项，经过三十多年的积累，村委会共有二百九十八万多元的积蓄，这次建房是每户补四万元一次分光，还是每户补三万元？经过充分的讨论，最后一致同意每户补三万元的方案，并在三万元的基础上再给那两户五保户、伤残户各补十五万元的建房款，不足部分用帮工补，直到五保户、伤残户住进新房。第三项，继续维系条条管理、分片建设的原则，蔡老汉带领他的团队建三十六户，黄老汉领好他自己的人盖三十五家，两队各抽出八个壮劳力和八辆三马子，由蔡老汉的大徒弟火得和黄老汉的大弟子多得亲自领导，组成砂料免费供应队，专给每家每户供砂石、运建材，保证材料及时供应，同时，在户与户、家与家之间开展保证质量、保证安全的竞赛活动，力争十一月底全部住进新房。第四项，建筑用的钢材让村上的刘会计去市上建材市场统一订货，前提是质量好、价格低。第五项，村里的自来水管线都损坏了，由村里出钱重铺接到各户。第六项，村里原有的供电线路被震毁严重也需要维修改造，村里想办法申请县农电改造项目。第七项，新的村委会建设以后再议，近两年继续在抗震板房里办公。第八项，疾防工作由村委会指派专人负责。第九项，每家每户必须保证秋粮种植，不准弃荒一寸土地，弃荒土地弃一罚十。第十项，不准超出原定宅基地范围，争议部分重新勘定。第十一项，原来咱村知青点的全体知青捐款三万元，怎么用？按捐赠者的意见用！钱就是去年来的那几个老头、老太太，什么高工、教授们捐下的，他们以前都在我们这当过下乡知识青年，蔡老汉大声地向人们一一介绍着。第十二项……说到这时，蔡老汉声音突然提高了几倍说：有个乡亲刚刚反映说，那个什么达铺镇的乡村干部把国家补助给重建户的钱都昧下了！我日了他先人了，这伙丧尽天良的家伙，他们太无法无天了！今天，我这里立下个规矩，谁敢黑下救灾款就剁谁手指头！大伙儿都把我也监督下，当了这几十年的村长哪一天都算数，只要我黑了哪笔款大伙儿就把我抓去只管剁！蔡老汉的发言换来了一片掌声。
70▶▶The meeting was conducted for really a long time.It didn’t come to an end until 13 o’clock p.m.After the meeting,Cai told Huode,his nephew and Huang Duode to stay and said to them seriously，“For years,you two are most outstanding youth that Huang and I watch growing up. Now you are in charge of the sand and sticks providing for our home construction.This is the credit from all the villagers.However,for this,you two can’t go to your business of meat sales to earn your money.Money is good thing,isn’t it?You two have been following Manfu and me for so many years that you have learned to be very smart and made so much money.Now you have to stop your business,which is at a great substantial loss:tens of thousand yuan！Alas,not only you lose the money but also you sacrifice your tyres, shed your skins,exhaust your sweats and yet your sacrifices gain the grudges,misunderstandings,gossips and insults. Therefore,why you two are told to remain here is that I’d like to tell you will sacrifice a lot for the mission.But listen,you two,if your assignment is done well,you will gain the gratitude of all the villagers and be honored by your descendants for your great deed against 2008 great disaster. Do you understand，sons?“Don’t worry,master.Your words will sure be clear in our heads,keep it and do it well!”declared both Huode and Duode.In the mean time,an old lady was running up toward them and cried,“Village head, village head.”It was Mrs Li,a“five guarantees”family member.Cai hurried to carry her,saying,“What’s the matter，Mrs.Li？Don’t hurry.Take time!Take time!”Running too fast,Mrs.Li gasped out,“Danian,look,both my partner and I are 71.As the old saying goes,the soil has buried us up to the nose——we are dying.Now I am looking for you just in order to tell you that my house needn’t to be rebuilt as two-storey style like the Old Fans, the disabled family who have sons and daughters after all.”Not allowing Mrs.Li continue,Cai interrupted her and pretended to be irritated,“Oh,what are you talking about？Whatever death？No,don’t talk about that!Nowadays your living condition is so good that you can have a long time to live.Go and tell Mr.Li that Manfu and I have already been committed to build your new house this year even if the others will not.Even if you have only a last breath,we will move you into new house even by carrying you on the back.”Mrs.Li was excited with tears and chocked,“Buddy, my buddy——Thank you...”Just then there came Xiuxiu’s cry,“Mrs.Li,Mrs.Li...”She was looking for Mrs.Li and came up to them.Seeing Cai together with Huode and Duode,Xiuxiu greeted,“Hello,father.Hello,Huode and Duode.”Then Huode asked,“My sister-in-law,what would you like Mrs.Li to do?Could you please tell us?”Xiuxiu smiled,“Sure,It isn’t private affair.You know that Caixia declared his challenge in pubic just now,saying the women should have a contest in the home reconstruction.In what field do we contend?I thought it over and I found that each family would have his own family members to rebuild houses except for the Lis and the Fans.Thus I am looking for Mrs.Li to get her agreement.If she agrees,I will take on the reconstruction of her house and have a contest against Caixia.”Hastily,Huode cut her speech,stammering,“Women——women group also intended to participate in the construction contest?Women can build the houses, which I have never heard.Now Duode and I simply manage the material provisions.How can you and Caixia head the workers to build houses?As the old saying goes,despite a mouse has a big mouth,he can’t eat a string of sausage at one setting;despite a woman has a big belly,she can’tconceive a pony.”“As you say,only your wife conceives pony,mule or whatever.”replied Xiuxiu irately and then continued,“In the past years,we have actually built a lot such as chicken house,pig house,and something like that. Isn’t it digging,mixing and pasting?It’s the same old game.Even if we have difficulties,we can turn to Caixia’s husband,engineer Huang working for the city construction bureau.Do you agree with me,Mrs.Li?”Listening to Xiuxiu,aunt Li are extremely delighted.When she was asked, she was glad to respond,“Ok,ok,ok.”and turned to Huode,“Don’t look down upon women.Let’s contrast you with Xiuxiu:she has advantage over you in terms of education background——she graduated from a normal college but your education stopped in the primary school.In building field,you still can’t do what she does.”,hastily Huode cut in,“In the old days,I couldn’t afford...”“You couldn’t,you couldn’t work hard.”Mrs.Li stopped him.She proceeded,“Xiuxiu and Caixia are leaders of the girls,newlymarried women who are hard to cope with but they can manage well and you are only the senior apprentice of Cai Danian.I believe them,so my house construction is given to them now.”With their claps,Xiuxiu cried,“I will go to Caixia”and then ran away.
70◀◀全体村民大会开得个长啊，一直开到了中午一点才完。散会时，蔡老汉叫住了本家侄子火得和黄多得，十分认真地对他俩交代：多少年了，你俩是我和黄支书看着长大的好后生，重建家园由你俩负责砂石料供应，这是全村父老乡亲对你们的信任。但是干这活嘛，这几个月你俩的肉是卖不成了，肉卖不成就是钱攒不成了。钱可是好东西啊！你俩跟着我和满福闯了这么多年，卖肉的活是学精了，钱也攒下了不少，几个月上不了市场，这个损失可不少啊！几万块呀！唉！不但钱攒不到，还要准备搭上几副轮胎、脱上两层皮、流上上百身的汗，说不定还会吃力不讨好，被人误会、被人说三道四、被乡亲们骂呢。为此，我把你俩留下，就是想对你们说：派你俩干这活会让二位失去很多很多。但是，二位！你们给我听好，如果这活干好了得到的将会是全村人的心！也会让你们的后人记住在2008年那场大灾难中，他们的父辈为全村的老百姓干了件好事！师傅说这话的意思你俩明白了吗？师傅您就放心吧，您说的话我俩一定会听清了、记下了、干好了！火得、多得齐声回答。正说话间，五保户李老太太嘴里喊着：村长！村长！找了过来。蔡老汉忙上前两步，用手搀住李老太太的手说：老姐姐有啥事？慢慢地说，别急、别急。由于跑得太急，李老太太喘了好几口气后，才说了起来：大年兄弟啊！我急着找你就想说一句，我和老头子今年都快71了，照老话说土都掩到鼻子底下了，没两年的活头了，我俩住的那间房子就别盖两层了，就别照着人家伤残户老范家一样了，人家还有儿有女的……没等李老太太把话说完，蔡老汉就把她的话打断了，故作生气地说：老姐姐你说什么哪你？什么老得快死了，死不了！现在生活这么好，医疗条件这么好，政策又这么好，活个八十、九十岁不稀罕！好日子还长着呢！老姐姐回去告诉你家老李，我早和满福商量好了，不管别人的房子盖得好还是盖不好，你家的房子今年一定要盖好，只要你们老两口还有一口气，我和满福就是背也要把你俩背进你们自己的新家！李老太激动得含泪哽噎着说不出话来：大兄弟，大——谢了……这时就听秀秀喊着：李大妈！李大妈！也找到了这里，一见蔡老汉和火得、多得也在，她忙打招呼：爹、火得哥、多得哥你们也在。火得问了一句：弟妹，你找李大妈有啥事？能不能讲给我们听听？秀秀笑着说：能讲，又不是什么见不得人的事。是这样，刚才彩霞姐在大庭广众面前又叫开板了，说这次重建家园女子队也要搞次比赛，比出个输赢、争出个高低，在哪儿搭台？想来想去谁家的房子都有自家人盖，唯有李大妈家和范大爹家缺人手，于是我就找李大妈来了，只要她同意，这活我包了！就和彩霞姐比上个一场。还没等她把话说完，火得就把她的话打断了，情急之中他话也说得不太连贯了：女——女子队也要建房比赛？哪儿有女人盖房子，从没听说过。这一回，我和你多得哥才混了个备料的活，你和彩霞也要领工带人盖楼房？这才是老鼠嘴长一口吃不下一根香肠，女人肚子再大装不下一个马娃。你老婆才能生马了生驴了的！秀秀气呼呼地回了一句。接着她又说：这几年，村里的鸡舍、猪圈什么的我们也没少盖，不就是个挖沟放线、扎筋搅拌、砌石抹面吗？有啥新鲜东西吗？就算遇上难题，彩霞姐后面还有个市建设局的黄工撑着呢，李大妈您说对不？听完秀秀的一番话，李大妈脸上都乐开了花，一听问她了，马上高兴地连说了三个：对！对！对！然后对着火得说：你可别瞧不起我们妇女，就拿你和秀秀比吧，她就比你强，人家是师范学历，你才是个小学文化程度！人家盖的你盖不的！火得急地插话：那年头不是没钱……不是什么？还不是你自己不努力，李大妈没让火得把话插成。她接着说：秀秀和彩霞领下的是全村的大姑娘、小媳妇，这些人难领着呢，她们都领住了，你再能还是个蔡大年的大徒弟嘛！我看行，我家的房就让秀秀她们盖了！只听“啪”的一声击掌，秀秀喊着：我找彩霞姐去了！一溜烟地跑走了。
13
71▶▶The next day,Huangjiawang became a large construction site.Trucks went in and out with the irons and cements and motor-motor tricycles ran from east to west with bricks and sands.Every family erected the banner or red flag.Firecrackers were heard,“Crash,crash,and crash”without end for the groundbreaking.Seeing that,Cai and Huang couldn’t slacken themselves and they ran door to door to make a careful investigation with the design drawing and documents.After all,Cai used to be a engineering soldier.Now he inspected all the constructions,uttering his points and assignments all the day.Then knowing some problems from the investigation,he made a brief report to all the family at night to instruct the construction.People digging pits,breaking grounds,and laying cornerstones,the construction went on smoothly as planned.One week later, Huang found that Cai’s construction was conducted with clear assignment,orderly organization and faster speed. Moreover,he also found Cai was surreptitious:his office was always veiled by curtains with people in and out and the lights went on deep in the night.Huang conjectured，“This is not good.I had to spy it.As the military tactics says,try to know your opponent other than yourself and you will never be defeated in hundreds of wars.So in that night, Huang followed Cai wherever his opponent went.Huang just kept watching in a distance and at 10 o’clock in the afternoon,he saw Cai coming from the construction site of the“five guarantees”family,followed by Xiuxiu and three engineering workers.They went toward the village office,talking about the construction without noticing him.In order to hear about what they were talking about clearly,he trotted to approach them and he vaguely caught something——tomorrow,two beams,poles——electric pressure weld...”As he kept listening,shortly they came before the village office.The door was opened,and through the light of the room Huang recognized the white and fat,about 50-yearold talkative man was the brother of Xiuxiu’s mother,a project manager of Qin’an Construction Corporation who once had a drink with Huang and the thin and tall man was the captain of the concrete team,a relative on Xiuxiu’s parents’side who had built the bridge over Bailong River two years before.But who was the rest of three men?Huang gathered his old memory but still had no ideas.Huang insulted inwardly,“You,crafty old egg.On the surface,tell the public that we stand on the same starting line but now you turn to so many building specialists.Alright,let me visit your office tonight to see the cat of your bag.So Huang speeded up his steps,came to the office door shortly and opened the door without any knocking or greeting.In fact, previously Huang just intended to probe into the situation but when he entered the room,he converted his firm conviction.Huang was gapped,seeing that the office has became an ocean of drawings:on the desks,on the benches and on the walls,there are effective drawings,engineering drawings,single building drawings,group building drawings as well as the drawings of the present and prospect situations. More exaggeratedly,behind Cai,an enormous bird’s-eye view picture of Huangjiawang was put up on the wall and there was a huge red headline with color print:Home Reconstruction battle picture between the red and yellow army in Huangjiawang.Precisely,the picture was noted the daily construction progress of each army,the targets that each family has completed,bimonthly and monthly construction quotas as well as the gap between two armies.What made Huang annoyed most was the slogan:Overall Attack,Focal Breakthrough——Try to Overwhelm Huang Army by 20 Days Ahead.
十三
71◀◀第二天的黄家湾就变成了一个巨大的工地，运钢材、水泥的卡车一辆接一辆地进进出出，拉料石、洗砂的三马子东跑西窜，家家立吊杆、户户竖红旗，奠基炮、放线鞭，呯！呯！啪！啪！地响个不停。看到这般场景，蔡、黄二位老汉不敢一丝懈慢，两个人拿上图纸和资料挨家挨户地跑了一遍，认认真真地做了一番调查和了解。蔡老汉到底是工程兵出身，边检查、边指指点点、边调兵遣将，整整一整天，才跑完全村的工程。紧接着，根据调查了解发现的一些问题和经验，连夜又出了一份简报发到各户，指导他们的工作。做井庄、打地梁、砌石基整个工程按计划正常有序地进行着。一周过后，黄老汉渐渐发现蔡老汉那边的工程分工明确、安排有序，进度鲜明地比自己这边的快。同时，还发现蔡老汉的行动也变得有些诡秘了，他那个村长办公室的窗户常用帘拉上了，到了半夜还灯火通明，常有人出出进进的。黄老汉心想：不行，我得去看看，了解一下敌情，兵法上说：知己知彼才百战不殆嘛！当天晚上，他就悄悄地跟上了蔡老汉，蔡老汉走那儿他去那儿，他只是躲得远远地盯着。晚上十点多钟，蔡老汉才从五保户工地出来，后面跟着秀秀和三个施工队的人，他们几个边走边说着工程上的事，一点也没防备地向村委会走去。为了能听上点他们的说话内容，黄老汉忙小跑几步拉近了距离，隐约中他只能断断续续听到什么——明天扎二层梁、柱——电渣压力焊……那边说着，这边听着，很快就到了村委会。借着开门时的灯光，黄老汉一眼就认出了那个一直说话的五十岁左右白白胖胖的男人，是秀秀的舅舅，听说是秀秀老家秦安某建筑公司的项目经理，自己和老蔡一块与他还喝过好几次酒呢。再一位瘦高个，像是前两年在白龙江上修下大桥的那个混凝土班的班长，听说也是秀秀娘家人。另外那位？黄老汉怎么想也没什么印象。黄老汉心里暗暗地骂道：你个老东西心眼可真多啊！表面上到处说在一个起跑线上，暗地里整下这么多大匠人，不行！今天我一定要夜闯你的办公室，看看你到底能整下个多大的鬼！黄老汉脚下加快，几步就到了办公室门前，一声也没哼也没敲门便推门而入。如果说进门前黄老汉只想探个虚实，那么进门后他整个思路都发生了根本的转变。黄老汉被眼前的一切惊呆了，蔡老汉的办公室已变成了图的海洋，效果图、施工图、单栋图、群楼图，还有现状和远景图贴满了墙壁，摆满了桌案。更夸张的是蔡老汉的身后墙上，挂着一张大幅的黄家湾鸟瞰图，上面彩印着大红色标题：重建家园黄家湾村战区红黄两军作战示意图。图标上明确注明了每天各队的施工进度，每家每户完成指标的情况，半月和月季施工定额以及蔡黄两队的差距。更让黄老汉气愤的就是图上写的那句“全面进攻，重点突破，力争完胜黄军二十天！”的口号。
72▶▶Cai just came to the office and sat down when Xiuxiu were prepared to make tea for them.Seeing Huang rushed into the room,Xiuxiu greeted,“Hello,Mr.Huang,it’s too late tonight and here you come for what?”Cai also greeted,“please sit down,pal.Let me introduce you.”“Sit? Why sit?Sit for what?Cai Danain,an old egg,has given me a trap.How dare I sit with you?Sit shit!”said Huang angrily. Then with a“bang”,Huang bolted out of the door.Cai together with Xiuxiu rushed out at once,uttering,“Wait a minute,let me explain it.”But regardless of this,Huang didn’t turn his head back and went away.
72◀◀蔡老汉他们也是刚进门才坐下，秀秀正准备给他们泡茶，一见黄老汉闯进来，秀秀忙向他打招呼；黄老爹你来了，这么晚了还没有休息？蔡老汉也忙说：请坐，请坐下！我给你介绍一下。坐？坐什么坐？坐下干什么？蔡老头啊！蔡老头！你个老东西给我挖下了个那么大的坑等着我去跳呢！我还敢和你坐一块吗？坐个屁！黄老汉愤愤地说。然后，“呯”的一声摔门而去。蔡老汉、秀秀忙追出去，呼喊着：等一下！让我给你把话说清楚！可是，任凭他们怎么喊，黄老汉硬是连头都没有回一下地走了。
14
73▶▶That night,Huang together with Caixia,his daughter-in-law,drove his motor-motor tricycle to his son, Huang Jiancheng in the city.Until the next evening,they were back to the village.But from then on,Huang made some amendment on the construction approach.The advanced technologies like electrical pressure weld were added so that the construction progress was speeded up apparently and gradually Huang shortened the gap.Two month later,there was only ten days of construction progress behind Cai.After the house roofs had been built,each team began to paste.Because of Huang’s using the mass pasting technology,Huang cut six days once again.Consequently, the contest situation drove Xiuxiu crazy and then at times she visited Caixia on the construction site of the disabled family to detect the secret.When seeing the anxious opponent,Caixia said to Xiuxiu in earnest,“We have no secret at all but were forced to catch up.We just learned from you.”What Caixia said only made Xiuxiu feel blind.Actually what made Cai team fear did come true.Finally the two drew before all the construction accomplishment because Huang cut 4 days again by installing aluminum alloy windows instead of wood ones.
十四
73◀◀那天黄老汉和儿媳彩霞连夜开上三马子就进城找儿子建成去了。直到第二天晚上，他们才从城里回来。但从那天起，黄老汉对所属的施工方法进行了调整，也增添了电渣压力焊等先进的施工技术，施工进度明显提高，超过的工期被逐渐地扳了回来。开工两个月时，被超过的工期扳回的只剩下十天了。当工程封顶后，开始抹灰时，黄队由于使用了大抹板技术，黄家班落后的工期又被追了上六天。这下可把秀秀给急坏了，有事没事她就到伤残户工地去找彩霞姐，顺便想看个究竟，好品出点其中的奥妙。每当看到秀秀那种急喉喉的样子，彩霞总是诚恳地对她说；我们什么秘密都谈不上，一切的一切都是知不足而后追的结果，都是向你们学习来的。彩霞姐越是这么说，秀秀心里越是没了底，让蔡老汉团队担心的事终于还是发生了。由于黄老汉将木窗户改成了铝合金窗户缩短了工期，在竣工前又将工期扳回了四天，蔡、黄双方打成了平手。
74▶▶On the day of the draw,Huang had a full lunch and then sat idle but found it boring.Hence going out of his home,he paced around in the village.Unnoticing,he came to Cai’s office.He looked at the office which wasn’t changed at all.So he was not interested in the old stuff any more.At that time,Cai sat leisurely by the tea table,enjoying his tea.When seeing Huang,Cai got his feet to welcome him,“Huang,pal.Please sit down to have a cup of tea.”Swiftly,Cai made tea with a skill-based teacup and served to Huang who barely sat before the opposite tea table.Cai said,“I know that you like it,buddy.The tea is just watered the second time,the prime time.See,you happen to come here.Would you please taste it?”Huang took a shallow sip of tea,saying,“Spectacular,spectacular.This is,as Bailong River races a tiger,Minling Tea[6]excels a kingtea.”Cai said,“Amazing words,amazing words.“Race”and“excel”are used fantastically alive.Really,you have made an amazing couplet.”Taking the teacup,Huang glimpsed Cai and found his opponent not to be kind of unhappy.So the satirical words ran out of his lip,“Don’t talk about whatever amazing?I’d like to thank him if one doesn’t regard it as bullshit.“Race”,yes,I do.But who excel?I don’t want to say.I just don’t want to be like someone who made such a big conduct center for the battle to make some tricks to crash others.Surpass——surpass me 20 days,20 days.You are daydreaming.At 6 o’clock this afternoon, Nanhua Furniture factory will transport the doors to us and tonight once I install...”
75▶▶Huang was so thrilled that he was talkative with quite a lot of gesture,however,Cai interrupted him in a very moderate voice,“In fact,since the very beginning of our contest,I never underestimated you because I know you had your secret weapon——your son,Huang Precious who graduated from the engineering and technology university in the capital of the province.Oh no,actually I should call Huang Jiancheng,jian means achievement;Cheng means success.”“You forget you give him the name,Precious.”added Huang.Cai didn’t give his opponent a damn,continuing,“Whatever name,anyhow,it is your son,not mine.My son graduated from agriculture,majoring in economic forest. Now our contest is to build houses rather than plant trees.I know I will not get better of it.Supposing I have a son like Precious,you just wait to be defeated this time.”Hearing this,Huang snapped,“You really have a good dream.You want to have all the good things even including my son,old egg…”Facing Huang’s offence,Cai raised his voice,“Alas,stop it.Don’t talk rubbish.Listen to me,seriously I will tell you the truth.When I entrusted you son,Huang Jiancheng to make the design drawing,I had made a detailed plan for the contest.First,I invited uncle-in-law to make an economical assignment.Second,I also invited Wang Hong,the captain of the concrete team and also my friend,to be our head workers.Third,the man that you saw from Wenxian county…”Cai stop to say,“To my surprise, you belittle me.After your ten days of old silly work,you began to thinking about knowing about me.At that time,we computed that if you continued your old traditional way for one another month,you would fail definitely.I bet I will surpass you 20 days at least.Anyway,your son is incredible,really incredible...”Hearing this,Huang was stimulated again and crowed,“To be frank,when I saw your formation:electrical pressure welding,assembly line as well as planned target etc.I was shocked.When I went home and your situation,Caixia was frightened to cry.She said,“Father,if we are surpassed over 20 days,how can we be subjected to the shame?That night,Caixia together with me rode the motor tricycle to the city to turn to my son who lectured me for one night.You know that my cud sang highly of you and called your style was scientific management or assembly line.He told me you were progressing with time while I still went the old rustic way that used to build pig’s or chicken’s houses.He even said that it was really a shame on me.On that occasion,he didn’t care about my face.Son-in-law,Caixia couldn’t even stop his serious fucking criticism.But you,old geezer,don’t crow. To tell you the truth,although he criticized me,as my son after all he made a counter-strategy according to my report, declaring that if I carried it out,I could bounce back.In addition to the plan,from his city construction corporation, he recruited a project manager,a construction master and an eminent pasting expert.Look,we had caught up with you.It is draw now,isn’t it?”“No,the key point is that your son borrowed you electric hoists which lifted materials far much faster than men so that you could improve the working efficiency.In fact,I once thought about buying several ones,but one electric hoist would cost us thousands of yuan.Considering that we can save the money and more importantly,this is a friendship contest,I didn’t allow my team to buy the stuff.”said Cai confidently.Huang was astounded and asked,“Unexpectedly,you have known it. Then——then why not strive for it?Why not struggle to hold your advantage?”“Alas——!”sighed Cai and spoke out,“To hold the advantage?With what?With money.You know,how can I use money for it?Oh Money,money,money,we do need in every fields after the heavy earthquake. Yes,money is good stuff,so we should try to save it,even a penny.Use it to the key point.Besides the contest,there are so many other ones between you and me:pork production expansion,autumn crop planting,the second taking-off scheme etc.We will use...oh,no.This contest doesn’t end. Don’t use any excuse to escape.As the old saying goes,to reap and then store the wheat is two things one by one. Don’t get mixed up.Otherwise,you can beat the drum and gong to surrender toward all the villagers.”Huang was overwhelmed to rant and rave...At the time,the blowing horns were heard,and after a while there is coming Caixia’s voice,“Father,Nanhua Furniture factory has transported the doors,15 of ours,15 of Uncle Cai’s.”During the voice,Cai took the teacup to have a deep drink and then shouted to Huang,“Now stop drinking and don’t nagging.Let’s go back to install the doors.This is defining moment.Oh,I’d like to tell one thing before I left.Do you remember the man that I was intending to introduce to you but you rejected and went away?Alright,again I will tell you that he is a carpenter of Wenxian county,who is called Master Mao. Here,we have a saying on building houses.I wander if you know about a popular phrase.Listen,“Carpenters in Wenxian,plasterers in Dangchang and builder in Chengxian”Huang threw a cold smile,“Everyone knows it;it isn’trare.”Seeing Huang’s looks,Cai turned to sneer,“To tell you the truth,Master Mao is unremarkable,second to none in Longnan city through his decades of capability.You know his work is perfect：The door frameworks are stable, the plumb lines are precise and it is not out of shape at all from laying the door bricks to installing the door frameworks and doors.The day before yesterday,the window installation has proven him.But——”Cai prolonged his voice deliberately,“Your team all use the aluminum alloy windows while the doors are wood...”Cai didn’t finish his words when Huang snapped,“You are old foxy geezer!”Shortly,Huang opened the door and bolted out of the office.Shedding the sweater on his face with his sleeve and running along,he cried,“Caixia,phone Jiancheng right now...ask him what about the technology of installing door framework.Phone Jiancheng right now...”Soon Caixia responded from a far distance,“Father,Jiancheng said you should tell him about the door framework earlier because if carpenters aren’t well qualified,the door frameworks will be out of shape and if so,the doors can’t be installed and even probably will smash the frameworks to reinstall.”Hearing this,Huang halted his steps and turned to Cai to point to him fiercely, but didn’t say anything.After a while,he made a deep sigh,“Alas——”,patted his thigh heavily and turned to shuffle into the village.Seeing this,Cai sneered and locked his office,crossed his hands in the back and walked home confidently.
74◀◀打成平手的那天，黄老汉饱饱地吃了顿中午饭，闲坐了一会儿觉得没意思，背着手就出了家门村里村外的转溜了一圈，不知为什么，一不留神就又转到了蔡老汉的办公室。再看这办公室里的一切都没有变，可是对黄老汉已没有什么新鲜感了。蔡老汉正坐在茶几旁悠闲地品着龙井，他看到黄老汉来了，立刻站起来迎了上去，热情地说：黄老兄，请坐！请坐下喝口茶。蔡老汉动作麻利地将一个功夫茶盅用开水冲烫了一番，倒满了茶水递给刚在茶几对面坐下的黄老汉，说：知道老兄爱这口，刚喝第二壶，真巧你就来了，碰上了品味一下？黄老汉浅浅地呷了一口茶后，连声说：好茶！好茶啊！这正是：白龙江水竞虎跑，岷岭碧叶胜南茶。蔡老汉接话：好句子！好句子！那个“竞”和“胜”用得非常好！好句子！你这两句写得还真不错哩！黄老汉端着个茶碗偷眼看了一看蔡老汉，见他这会儿没有一点儿的不高兴，怪话接茬也就出来了，我能写个啥嘛？不让人说满嘴喷粪就不错了，竞嘛我是竞了，但是，胜谁嘛我可不敢说，不像有的人搞了这么大个作战指挥中心，就整天价想着法儿把别人打败整输，还——还要完胜什么二十天呢！想超过我二十天？做你的春秋大梦去吧！今天下午六点钟，南华家具厂就把定下的门给你我先送来了，今晚一安上……
75◀◀蔡老汉打断了黄老汉得意得已经手舞足蹈的唠叨，音气极其温和地说：其实县长定下打擂台那天，我就没有敢低估你，我知道你有秘密武器——就是省城理工大学学下土木工程的宝贝儿子黄宝宝。不对！叫黄建成！建功立业的建！马到成功的成！宝宝这个小名是你起下的！忘了吗？黄老汉纠正着蔡老汉的话。蔡老汉没理他那些，不停口地接着说：怎么叫？叫什么？都是你的宝贝儿子，又不是我那个在农大学种经济林的儿子嘛！这次比的是建房又不是比种树，我知道我是占不上什么便宜的，我要再有个宝宝那样的儿子，这回你就等着爬下吧！听到这，黄老汉一旁又乱说开了：你还想得美，什么好事你都想要，连人家的儿子你也想抢，你个老东西真……蔡老汉一看黄老汉又犯混了，话语马上高了八度，嘟！打住吧！别犯混了！听我继续说点正事吧。当我委托你家黄建成设计图纸时，我对这次比赛就做了周密的安排。首先，我请来了亲家舅舅做好统筹分工；第二，又将以前交下的朋友混凝土班长王宏请了来领工；第三，就是那天你见下的那位文县的……蔡老汉话题一转说：谁能想到你就那么轻视我，傻干了十天才想到要了解一下对手，当时我们分析过了，如果你还沿用以前的土办法再干上一个月，你黄老汉立马死定了！超你个二十天那是少的！不过嘛，你儿子太厉害了，太厉害了……听到这，黄老汉又牛起来了，得意忘形地说：告诉你吧，那天一看你们这阵势，又是电渣压力焊，又是流水作业，又是计划指标的把我吓坏了。回家一说你这儿的情况，把彩霞都给吓哭了。她说：爹呀，如果让人家超上二十多天那可丢人死了，这人咱们丢不起！当晚，彩霞开上三马子拉上我就进城找儿子求情去了。那天夜里，儿子在办公室给我上了整整一夜的课，你猜猜那小东西是咋表扬你的，什么人家蔡叔叔搞的那才叫科学管理，那才叫流水作业，那才叫与时俱进，哪像你用的是从前盖平房、盖猪舍鸡舍那套老办法，真丢死人了！那天，儿子一点面子都没给我留，那顿批啊！媳妇在一旁都没拉住，把老子给整日它了。你个老东西得意什么，给你明说，批评归批评，儿子嘛终究是我的儿子，根据我汇报下的情况，他连夜拉了个对策，并且说按他这个计划走，误下的时间都能扳回来。有了个计划也不算啥，关键是他还从市建设总公司也给我找了个项目部经理，又找了一个轧钢筋、打混凝土都行的匠人，还给找了一个有名的抹灰高手，这不？把误下的时间都给扳回来了，打成平手了吧？不对！关键的还有你儿子又给你们借回来几台电葫芦，那东西吊起料来可比人拉快多了，大大地提高了你们的工作效率！这个吊葫芦嘛我也想买过，可是要花好几千元一台，我们为了省钱，更关键的这是一场友谊比赛，我就没让再花钱去买！蔡老汉如数家珍般地说着。黄老汉惊奇地问道：原来你全知道啊！那——那你为什么不针对性地加把劲？为什么不拼命把赢局保住呢？唉——！一声长叹后，蔡老汉又说开了，保住赢局？用什么保？要用钱来保！你知道吗？要用钱保！钱！钱！钱啊！大地震过后这方方面面都需要钱啊！钱可是个好东西，能省一块就省一块吧！留到要紧处去用吧。咱俩的事还多着呢！什么扩大猪肉生产了，什么秋粮种植了，什么二次腾飞都要用……不行！这次比武打擂还没有分出个高低！不许依其他借口玩懒！割麦子打场，一回是一回，别搅和在一块，要不你鸣锣示众向全村人服个输也行！黄老汉把话全都给听拧了，大声地嚷嚷着……就在这时，传来几声汽车喇叭声，不小会远处便传来彩霞的喊叫声：爹！南华家具厂把咱家的十五个门扇和蔡叔叔家的十五个门扇都运过来了！在彩霞的喊声中，蔡老汉端起茶盅又深喝了一口，冲着黄老汉说：快别喝了，也别唠叨了，咱们回去安门吧，最后的决战时刻算是来到了。对、对，出门前我再告诉你个事，记得那天在办公室我正要给你介绍，你没听就走了，记得那个人吗？再告诉你一次，他是文县的一个木匠，大伙都叫他毛师傅。咱们这达达有个专门说盖房子事的顺口溜，不知你知道不？你听好：文县的木匠、宕昌的瓦工、盖房还那成县人行。黄老汉轻蔑地一笑：这种老话谁个不知道，有啥稀奇？蔡老汉一看黄老汉的那表情，他脸上也没正相了，斜着个眼歪着个嘴说：告诉你吧！这个毛师傅可不一般，凭着几十年练下的一身好本领，打遍陇南无敌手，看看人家干的那个活，真没挑的！砌墙时门框支的那个稳吊线的那个准，从支完活到安装门扇，门框一点也不走样。前两天，上窗扇时已验证了人家的本事了，噢——蔡老汉故意拖了个长声，你们黄家团队全用的是铝合金窗户嘛，只有门是木头的……蔡老汉的话还没有说完，只听黄老汉狠狠地骂了一声：你个歪到顶的老东西！随着话音再看黄老汉，他人已拉开了门蹶哒蹶哒地跑到了屋外，只见他用衣襟擦了擦脸上的汗，边跑边大声地喊了起来：彩霞！快给建成打电话……问他安门框的技术重要不重要？彩霞！快给建成打电话……远处很快传来了彩霞的回话：爹！建成回话了，安门框的事你为啥不早说，木工技术如果不过关，门框就会变形，门扇就会安不上，搞不好还得把门框砸下来重装呢！听到这里，黄老汉停下了脚步转过身来，用手狠狠地指了指蔡老汉，但是他这回连一声都没哼出来。稍过了片刻，他一声长长地“唉——”之后，用手狠狠地拍了一下大腿，转身向村里高一脚低一脚地跑去了。看到这个情景，蔡老汉只是轻轻地抿嘴一笑，出门落锁两手往后一背，胸有成竹地往家里走去。
15
76▶▶That night Huang was inflicted by the job of installing the doors.How much infliction he endured was a long story.Here is a brief.As soon as Huang returned home with Caixia,he asked the carpenters to measure the installed door frameworks again.After the measure,he was jumped at the result:the installed door frameworks were almost out of shape or misplaced.Stupidly,he carried the doors upstairs and downstairs,trying on and on but only 3 of 15 doors can be installed and the rest of door frameworks must be amended or taken apart to be reinstalled.Huang was so frustrated that he couldn’t help walking to Cai’s home to find the answer.However,when he hadn’t arrived at Cai’s new houses he felt intimidated and couldn’t go forward to find it.His purpose was to probe the cause and then argue with his opponent.Right now,he was intimidated but totally decline to be submitted.Complicatedly and paradoxically,Huang felt at a loss,standing like an idiot in the dark for a long time.A weak voice and flashing light from Cai’s house hit his visual and audio nerves.At last,he couldn’t refrain him from going to Cai’s house.Covering his eyes with his hands,he advanced,halted,advanced, halted and advanced...
77▶▶“Father——”Caixia’s voice echoed in the village and then Caixia et al carried Huang home.On the way, Huang repeated,“They have installed 5 doors,they have installed 5 doors,they have installed 5 doors...”Caixia carried him to the step,but he couldn’t hold on and flung himself onto the step.He was collapsed with his glasses down to the nose tip and head down to his stomach.He couldn’t lift his head and sat like a statue,motionless for a whole night.
78▶▶Nearly by 10 o’clock that night,12 doors hadbeen installed in Cai’s house.Xiuxiu made tea,opened a package of cigarette and laid out some benches for the workers.Cai’s wife said toward them,“Please have a break. Take a cup of tea or a cigarette.I will have completed it by 12 o’clock like this.At 12,I will cook noodle for you all. Ok?”“Ok!”replied all the workers.“Don’t shout about it.Xiuxiu,I haven’t seen Xiwa for half a day.Where does he go?”said Cai.Xiuxiu replied,“Father,Xiwa went to the school to clean the new classrooms this afternoon.I hear that all kids can leave the movable board rooms into the new classrooms early tomorrow morning.”When Cai knew the good news,he said excitedly,“Kids will move to new classrooms.That’s fantastic,really fantastic.How fast Lieutenant Wang and his men do it！Tomorrow we,all the villagers ought to show our gratitude to the soldiers.Kids will listen to their teachers in the new classroom.Teachers will have their classes in the new classrooms...”When all the people were listening to Cai,no one noticed Xiwa had come home.The boy stood there with tear,also listening to his grandfather.As he listened,suddenly he cried in a loud voice.The abrupt cry frightened all.People gathered him and asked him one by another.However,whatever people asked,he still didn’t answer and kept crying.Consequently, Cai was irritated and snapped,“Little cud,why do you show your shit tears?You really have no guts,not like the member of the Cais.Don’t cry！What fuck do you cry for?Who made you cry?Just tell me,ok？”Hearing this,Xiwa wept,“You see,tomorrow we can’t have our classes in new classrooms.”“Why?”asked Cai anxiously.Xiwa responded,“The soldiers have been installing the doors in the new buildings this afternoon and when they were going to finished it,they found we were short of 10 doors.Accordingly, 5 classrooms will have no doors and 5 classes will not move to the new classrooms and will cause the delay of our move.”“So you cry for it?Really good for nothing!Don’t cry.I will offer my money and send to drive to buy the doors.”Hearing this,Xiwa began to cry louder and said,“Lieutenant Wang has called the manufacturer but he was told that the doors were out of stock and next doors would be transported here in almost two weeks because doors were badly needed for home reconstruction in the whole earthquake-stricken area and now the door materials were used up.”Xiuxiu was then losing her equanimity.She tightly took Xiwa into her breast,comforting him,her hands held his head,“Silly!Please give it over!It’s been a whole night,and you are crying your heart out!”“What’s wrong? My classmates on duty and teachers cried a lot too,and even the young soldiers there!I cry my heart out as I wish!Anyway,whenever disasters happen we children would suffer most.”Xiwa sobbed,burst into a room and slammed the door fiercely behind him,turning a deaf ear to their vexed calling outside.While people were at a loss what to do,Xiwa abruptly,opened the door and smiled through tears,yelling out,“Grandpa!Grandpa!”Cai was quite astonished to the prompt change and an ominous feeling arised from him.Instantly,he ran to Xiwa,asking,“What’s happening?What’s happening?”“Here!Grandpa!The door!It’s much like that in our school!Maybe we…,”eagerly,Xiwa said.“Do not even think about it,”Cai broke in,“You boy sees it well that your grandpa is dueling that old geezer in rebuilding.And my victory is certain tonight.It’s my day!...Boy！”continued Cai awkwardly,trying to keep his tone light,“Winning is a must do for me!If I lose,I can no longer lift my head before the fellow villagers.Huang is inclining to argue a point to death,you know it.If I lose to him,he would jeer at me to death!”Cai was not yet finished when interrupted by the louder sobs from Xiwa.“Grandpa,that’s mean!Mean enough!My dad was right!Your minds turned narrow in your declining years as did your eye socket.”Xiwa said, choking with sobs.
十五
76◀◀那天晚上，安装门扇的活儿可把黄老汉给折腾苦了。咋折腾呢？一时半会儿也说不完，单说那黄老汉和彩霞一回到家，连忙叫上木工把安装好的门框重新量了一遍，不量不知道，一量吓一跳，发现原先安装好的门框多的发生了变形、错位。听到这个结果，黄老汉当时就傻下了，亲自抱了个门扇楼上楼下跑了个遍，对来对去试了个够，十五个门只有三个门扇勉强能安上，其他的都要修正或拆下门框重新安装。黄老汉心里那个不舒服，不舒服腿就不由自主地就往蔡老汉家走去，要去蔡老汉家看个究竟。不知为什么还没到蔡老汉家的新楼跟前，他自己倒先害怕了，他不敢走了，不敢再走到跟前去看了。来的目的是先探究竟再找人家去算账的，自己倒胆小了，可是他又不甘心从心里朝外的不服。在这样既复杂又矛盾的心理驱使下，黄老汉不知所措地在黑暗中站了好半天，傻傻地站了好半天。蔡老汉家隐约传来的说话声和透过的闪动的光亮，一次次强烈地冲击着他的视觉和听觉神经。最后，这一次次强烈地冲击竟鬼使神差地让黄老汉用手捂住自己的双眼向蔡家走了过去。走啊走——走啊——走。
77◀◀爹！彩霞的这一声呼喊能让全村人都听得见，呼喊中，彩霞带人把黄老汉扶了回来。一路上黄老汉嘴里不停地念叨着：他们已安了五个门扇了，他们已安了五个门扇了，他们已……秀秀将他扶到了台阶旁，黄老汉再也坚持不住了，一屁股就坐在台阶上，他彻底地蔫下了，眼镜也掉到鼻尖尖上了，头耷拉得像后脖子比前脖子长了许多，怎么抬也抬不起来，雕塑般地坐在那儿一动不动，一夜再也没有起来。
79▶▶“Bullshit!”Cai snarled,pouring his anger out on his son,“That bastard cared nothing but his trees,spending the better part of a year working in the deep contracting woods,totally regardless of our folks’livelihood.But for your grandpa,grandma and your ill-fated mom,we would be still stuck in the earthquake-resistant tent.”Facing the harsh words,Xiwa showed not a bit of eeriness and retorted agitatedly,“Grandpa,you often tell me to aim high and consider the general situation.And I regard you as my role model.But now you care only for yourself,unable to make out what matters more.As the saying goes,“Strong youths mean a powerful nation.”Also,my sage once followed,“The tree thrives only when the woods get flourishing.”Education should be put before domestic things!Everybody knows it,you don’t!What an old fool you are now!”Xiuxiu,hearing the aggressive words,jumped to seal off Xiwa’s mouth and scolded,“You fool boy must stop!Stop your nonsense!”Yet,Xiwa was reinforced by his grandma.“Let go of him,let him denounce the Old Fool”shouted her at Xiuxi.Cai followed his wife,his heart aching for Xiwa,“Move your hand off his mouth!Let him speak!”Xiwa was then uncovered of his mouth,twittered again,“Grandpa!You have won for nearly your life,as you said.But what have the victories brought to you?Why daren’t you afford a single lose?Just let Huang take it!Ok?Fellow villagers will not laugh at you for your doing good!At worst,you can treat them all the braised pork and then stay far from them.It’s no big deal...”“You got it right!Boy! Carpenter Mao!Take your tools and let’s go to fit doors!”Cai cut in out loud.
79◀◀你大他知道个屁胡子！整天价就知道他的树、树、树，有事没事一进林子一蹲就是大半年，家里什么都不顾什么也不管，如果不是爷爷、奶奶，还有你那个苦命的妈，咱们还不知道哪天才能搬出抗震篷呢！蔡老汉气急了胡说开了，胡骂开儿子了。面对爷爷的威严喜娃一点都没怕，反倒跳着喊叫地说开了：你打小教我要做大事，要讲大义，爷爷在我心里一直就是榜样。可是你听听你现在讲的都什么呀？都是你、你、你，咱、咱、咱的，连什么事大什么事小都分不清了！先人云：少年强则国强！我先人亦云：林子大了树才能粗！学校事大咱家事小，连这点爷爷都分不清楚了，你就是老糊涂！秀秀忙用手捂住了喜娃的小嘴，连说：不能这样说爷爷，不能这样说爷爷！奶奶在一旁帮开倒腔：让娃说！说！让娃说他这个老糊涂。蔡老汉怕把孙子给捂坏了，也连忙说：秀秀别捂他，让他说！让他接着说！捂嘴的手一取，喜娃的话就又冒了出来：黄爷爷这次赢下就让他赢下嘛，爷爷老说你都赢下人家快一辈子了，人家也没说你个什么，再说，你这次是因为做好事输下的，谁会再说你什么吗？大不了惹不起还躲得起，输了请全村人吃红烧肉也是好……不等喜娃说完，蔡老汉大声说了一句：娃说得对！在理！毛师傅带上工具，咱们一块到学校去安门！
80▶▶In the lamp light of the newly-built campus, Lieutenant Wang was still seen to be tamping and bricking over the ground with the soldiers till late at night.Deeply moved by the scenario,Cai uttered his gratitude incessantly to the painstaking soldiers,sobs choked him.“Grandpa! Grandpa!Mao Da Da[7]said the doors take the same brand and same size!...”Xiwa ran yelling out excitedly afar all the way to Cai,“They are exactly alike!Exactly!”Listening to the shouts,feverishly,Cai took his cell phone out from his pocket and got it through to Xiuxiu,“Be quick to send for Huode and Duode before they are off work.I just saw some other motor-tricycles carrying sands.Take on more to transport the doors,one by one and carefully to the school,in case the paint is crashed off.Also,you should send for more craftsmen to dismantle and install the doors respectively.And the classroom doors must be in good place right before the day break.”“Dad,bear a light mind!After knowing of your intention,Huode and Duode have been waiting here for your assignment.I will set to have the door dismantled and transported right now!”replied Xiuxiu. Less than a quarter following the call it was that the corps led by Huode and Duode were seen carrying the doors into the school but on their backs instead of on motor-tricycles. Duode explained,“Motor-tricycles will most probably have the paint rubbed up and cause damages to the doors during transportation.Considering safety and convenience,we’ve thus decided to carry the doors on our backs,one for each.”Looking at the hard-working and heavily-sweating Duode, Cai thought to himself,“How could the geezer Huang in any way foster such a good guy?He’s really done a good job!”With the concerted efforts,the classroom doors were fitted properly on the midnight that day.Xiwa dashed here and there feverishly at the campus yelling out to anybody he came across,“Tomorrow we will be studying in the new classrooms!”
80◀◀新校园的灯光下，王连长带领着战士们在夯打着地平，铺着花砖。看到深更半夜战士们还在挥汗如雨的辛苦情景，蔡老汉的老眼里呛满了泪水，哽噎的谢声不断。爷爷！爷爷！毛大大说了，这儿的门和咱家的是一个品牌、尺寸一样大小！喜娃从老远就喊开了，一直跑到蔡老汉的身边，喜娃还在一直喊着：爷爷！学校这儿的门和咱家的门是一个品牌……蔡老汉听着喜娃这激动的喊声，高兴地从衣兜里拿出手机拨通了秀秀的电话：派人去叫一下火得和多得，他们没有睡觉，刚才我还看到拉砂的三马子了，再多叫几个三马子，把门一扇一扇地往学校运，免得碰掉漆了。再多叫几个帮手，家里拆学校安，务必天亮前把教室门装好！爹！您就放心在学校等着吧！火得哥和多得哥已经进门了，听说您去了学校他俩没走，就在家等着呢！我马上安排拆门和送门！电话打过没一刻钟，就见火得和多得带着他们的运砂队送门扇来了。但是，不是用三马子运的，他们是一人一扇地把门扇背来了，多得说：三马子运容易擦破漆碰掉茬，这门就用不成了，那就耽误事了，还是一人一扇背过来又省事又安全。蔡老汉看着满头大汗的黄多得嘴上没说啥，可是心里却在暗想，那老东西也能带出来这么个的人？真不错，真是好样的！那晚，就这样拆的拆、运的运、装的装，十二点刚过那么一点，教室的门就装好了。喜娃高兴地在校园里跑来跑去，见谁都说：明天我们就能到新教室里上课了。
81▶▶Once again,Cai held tightly the hands of Lieutenant Wang,his voice quivering with excitement,“But for your great help,our primary school could not have been put to use so soon.Many thanks!And my old partner has cooked for you a midnight meal!Do come in for it,comrades！”“Thank you,Mr.Cai,thanks for your hospitality!”instead of brewing a story,Wang,who’d dealt with Cai,was calling a spade a spade,“The last thing we soldiers want is causing troubles to the villagers.We were to stay here till dawn,but just a moment ago,you know,we had an emergency call from the principal of our military area,informing us that there happened a mountain landslide,in the direction of Jialingjiang River,causing great hazards to the Bao(Baoji)-Cheng(Chengdu)railway.We are ordered to rush to remove the danger without delay.So,we must leave now! Before our departure,I have a request for your consideration!”said Wang.“Whatever you may ask will be satisfied!”put Cai seriously.“No offense,but no whistles this time,ok?”joked Lieutenant Wang with his hands resting respectfully in the air.During their talks,soldiers had had their backpacks carried on their backs and got on in order. Seeing this,Xiwa,a happily bouncing boy just now,was quick to take hold of Wang’s garment,the hanging part,unwilling to let go of it and again sobbed,“We classmates have rehearsed some programs and songs for you.We will show you and with you take a group photo tomorrow when moving to the new school.So,please don’t go!Don’t go, not until tomorrow!We will be very upset.Please put off your departure to some time later!Please!”Huode hurried to draw the boy back but failed.At the moment,the power of the small hands with all heart did surmount the strong.“Xiwa,you are a good boy and you must leave go of his hand,because he is now dispatched to deal with emergency with his people.It’s much the same as going to war at front.And you are making Wang a deserter if you keep him here still.”reasoned Old Cai.Finally,Xiwa took Cai’s persuasion and released his hands.The soldiers stepped off in good spirits.With the aged hands full of calluses,Cai took Xiwa by his fleshy and tender hands and saw the soldiers off so far the way,along with the fellow villagers,following the military vehicle,memorizing the name of each soldier,and blessing for their safety...
82▶▶On the way back,when passing through the boardroom the soldiers lay,at it Cai stopped casting a deep sight and snarled abruptly，“The Huangjiawan militia company!”“Here!”the two masculine guys——Huang Duode,the first platoon commander and Cai Huode,the second platoon commander——snapped to attention.“As mycapacity of the militia lieutenant,I am now ordering two tasks that you two must carry out to the letter.First,you guys in the corps must keep the installing thing to yourself!Do not leak it to anybody,even your folks,or you will be subject to disciplinary punishment!Am I clear?”“Clear!We pledge to have the thing rotten in the stomach.”replied Huang Duode quickly.“Good!The second task is after the opening ceremony for the new teaching building,you must escort with‘armed forces’the supervisor back to the station the engineer camp is located，hiring a decent microbus,got it?”Cai went on mysteriously.“Got it!We guarantee to fulfill our mission!”answered the two guys in unison.Later,we learnt that the supervisor,after attending the cutting ribbons ceremony,intended to stay to settle the small debts the army owed to the villagers when living there.But the instant the ceremony was completed, he was escorted back to the station for whatever reasons.In order to pay the debts,the administrator did afterwards manage to come over to Huangjiawan but was every time escorted back by reasons.And the debts remained unsettled even after his being transferred to civilian work.Not until over a year later did Cai,in a meeting intended for servicemen,put an end to this matter.“There is no need to press on the settlement of the debts,and sooner or later it will be done,”Cai chuckled to the leader of forces,“As they say, Barracks seldom change,but soldiers come and go;while time changes,however,our friendship never dies.If we must calculate,it is us villagers who owe more to you than you to us.So please don’t talk about who owes whom any more.”
81◀◀蔡老汉再一次拉住王连长的手激动地说：多亏了部队上的帮助，黄家湾小学才能这么快就建成上课了，真不知道怎么表示我们的谢意了！老太婆把夜餐都做好了，请同志们务必去吃一点！谢谢蔡大爷！谢谢了！王连长已经尝过蔡老汉的厉害，一点假话都不敢说了，张口实话就说开了：我们怕给乡亲们添麻烦，本来准备天不亮就离开的，你也听到了，刚才军区首长亲自打来电话说嘉陵江方向山体滑坡已影响到了宝成线，命令附近驻地部队火速前去增援，部队现在就要离开这了！走之前，我只有一点请求。什么请求？您尽管放开说！蔡老汉认真地问了一句。就是请您别吹哨哨了呗！王连长边恭手边开玩笑说。他俩说话间，战士们已背好背包有秩序地上了车。喜娃见此情景，刚刚还又蹦又跳的他一下子又哭了起来，拉住王连长的手不让走。边哭还边说：同学们都商量好了，明天搬新楼的时候，要为叔叔们演节目，要为叔叔们唱歌，还要和叔叔们一块合影，明天同学们见不到你们都会难过的，王叔叔你们别走！别走！明天看我们搬进新教室后再走嘛！火得见状忙上去试图把喜娃拉开，可是不知怎么地，一个力壮如牛的大男人怎么拉，也没忍心拉开他死死揪住王叔叔衣襟的那只小手。喜娃，好孙子，松手！王叔叔接到上级的命令要带人去抢险，抢险就和上前线去打仗一样，你不放手想让他当逃兵不成？松手！在蔡老汉的劝说下，喜娃松开了揪住衣襟的小手，王连长上车带领着战士们走了。蔡老汉那双满是老茧的手牵着喜娃那胖胖的红嫩的小手，和在场的乡亲们一道跟在军车后边走着、喊着、呼唤着一个个战士的名字，一直送了很远很远。
82◀◀回来的路上，蔡老汉半道收住了脚，向战士们住过的板房深深地挖视了两眼，突然他大声呵道：黄家湾民兵连一排长黄多得、二排长蔡火得！一声：“到！”两个汉子已齐齐地站在了在蔡老汉的面前。今天我以民兵连长的身份向你俩下两道死命令：一、今晚给小学安门的事你俩，还有运砂队的其他人只能自己知道，谁也不许告诉别人，就是你们的亲娘老子也不能说！否则纪律处分，我的话你俩听清了吗？蔡老汉一脸严肃地说着。听清楚了！我俩保证让这事烂在肚子里！黄多得抢先回着话。蔡老汉接着一脸诡秘地说：二、给你俩再下个任务，新教学楼剪彩后，你俩找个好点的面包车，把部队留下的那个管理员给我“武装押送”回工程营驻地，听清楚了没有？火得和多得俩人齐声回答：听清了，保证完成任务！后来听说，那位原打算留下来结清部队在村里用下的少量费用的管理员，刚刚参加完新教学楼的剪彩仪式，便被几个壮汉很友好地请上了车，“特殊护送”回了驻地。后来，他为此来过无数次黄家湾村，每次都被村里以各种理由“护送”回驻地了，这个账算了很久也拖了很久，直到他光荣的转业，这笔账也没能算清。蔡老汉在一年多后的一次拥军会上妥善地处理完了这件事，他笑呵呵地对着部队领导说：一位管理员没算清楚不要紧，换上新的还可以继续算嘛，常言道：铁打的营房流水的兵，变换的岁月铁铸的村，谁让咱们两家都有个铁字，真是铁到一块儿了，要算我们也是欠解放军的多，现在算清了，这个账打今儿起两清了。
16
83▶▶No sooner had Cai arrived home with Xiwa at the family door than his old partner asked,“Did you see Wang safely off,and his people?”“Yep!”answered Cai.“How’s the work in school?”“It’s all done,grandma!Our new school is gorgeous.You are bound to see it tomorrow...en... not tomorrow but this early morning.”Xiwa rushed to answer.“Oh,that’s good,that’s very good!I must go to see it soon.Now,go to wash your hands.I’ve made noodles.You shall eat some with your grandpa.Then,you two must take a nap to make up for your lost bedtime after working a whole night.”nagged grandma.“It’s now daybreak!There’s no time left to sleep!I must arrive at school at 7:30.am.”corrected Xiwa,gobbling up the noodles,with sweat oozing from his forehead being spattered now and then.“That’s right!Forget your sleep,or you can’t make it to your class punctually.I will accompany you the night and to the school later at 7:00,since the county leader Mr.Qiang will be coming over to our village this morning to present over the new school completion celebration,and I will also be attending it.So,we start out together.Isn’t it great?”said Cai adorably,which naturally led to a smiling face of the old grandma and grandson alike.In the twinkling of an eye, Xiwa put down his bowl,his face turning cloudy,his mouth uttering a long sigh,“The county leader decided that whoever moves into the new house beyond another wins.But I have had grandpa lost the contest.It’s my fault.Grandpa, please forgive me!”said Xiwa in guilty.“You cub still bear that thing in your mind,Hum?Would your grandpa get angry at you for what you’ve done right?Of course not,instead,you have my credit!”Old Cai said tittering and continued,“Just as what your father said,I am now but an old fool.Alas!”Xiwa quickly took the words before grandpa sighed out,“You are not old at all,nor an old fool!You made a good job of the post-earthquake relief and reconstruction.I have seen that happen.Grandpa,I take you my idol in my whole life!”“Crap!You such an innocent boy is in no way having any idea about idol.”Old Cai pretended to be in solemnity.He was right.But quite naturally,with the compliments from Xiwa,Cai was then feeling quite well and sweet enough as if being dipped in the crude honey in the back mountains,which was so easy and so comfortable a feeling!Xiwa wouldn’t forget the contest,let alone Cai. Still,Very heavy was the contest in Cai’s mind.As he determined to have his new doors dismantled for the new classroom,he knew exactly he was bound to lose and what’s done could not be undone.It was for the children to study in the new school as early as possible that he lost the contest,however,the whole story could hardly be spoken up. The suppressed emotion was hard to bear.And the emulative spirits were again stirring his blood,given that he had never been defeated by Huang before.“There is no way you old geezer can win the contest so comfortably.I am feeling bad and you are not to be feeling well.It is time I play some tricks on you.”he thought to himself.Thereupon,Cai jumped to his feet saying,“Xiwa!Let’s go to shoot off firecrackers!”Feverishly,by stepping on a chair,Xiwa was impatient to fetch the crackers hanging long on the tree, and held it outdoors with a bamboo pole.Then,very soon, there were heard a thunder of cracks.Before leaving for school,Cai exhorted his partner,“Cook enough meat!We’re gonna feast all fellow villagers!”With that,Cai and Xiwa were hand in hand heading for the new school in the rising sun.
十六
83◀◀蔡老汉领着孙子刚到家，还没进门就听到老伴问上了，王连长他们都送走了？都送走了！随着应声，蔡老汉进了院门。学校的活全干完了？我们学校修得可好了！奶奶！奶奶！明天……不对，今天一早您也去看看，问到学校的事，喜娃不等蔡老汉开口就把要说的全都接上说了。活干完了，那就好，那就好，奶奶一定也去看看！奶奶把面给下好了，洗洗手和你爷爷一人吃上一碗，忙了一个晚上了，把肚子垫给一下，然后你们爷俩好睡一会，奶奶对着孙子不停地叨叨着。喜娃唏溜、唏溜地吃着面，吃到高兴处还抖了抖头上的汗，让汗珠溅得四下都是。奶奶！天都亮了，七点半我就要到校了，还睡什么睡呀？对、对，别睡了，一睡下可就起不来了，爷爷陪着你熬这一夜，七点半，爷爷和你一块去学校。今天上午，强县长要来咱村主持新学校的建成剪彩，爷爷也要去学校开这个会，你也去学校新楼上课，咱爷俩都去新学校多高兴多好啊？说到这儿，爷爷和孙子都笑了。瞬间，喜娃的小脸上却又晴转多云，长长一声“唉——！”他搁下了饭碗说：全怪喜娃不好，让爷爷输了县长定下的谁先搬进新楼的比赛，爷爷您可别生我的气啊！吭、吭几下鼻声后，蔡老汉笑了，你个小兔崽子还记着那事呢？爷爷怎么能怨你呢？爷爷还要谢你呢，爷爷真像你爸说的老了、糊涂了、眼窝子浅了。唉——！蔡老汉的叹气还没完，喜娃就接上了：爷爷不老！不糊涂！从地震那天到现在，你干的每件事都干得太漂亮了！太爽了！这可都是我看下的了！爷爷，您真是我一生的偶像！你个小不了叽的娃，还知道什么偶像不偶像的？蔡老汉脸上装着生气，嘴里却笑着问着。话是这么说的，可是蔡老汉听了孙子这样夸他，这个心里美啊，就像是被后山里的野蜂蜜浸泡过一般，甜滋滋的别提多舒坦了。说实在的，喜娃都忘不了比赛的事，蔡老汉能忘吗？更是时时挂在心上。同时，他心里非常的明白，当决定将门扇拆下来安到学校教室去的时候，这场比赛自己就已经输定了。为了孩子们能够早一天搬进新教学楼，做下好事才输给对方，输的原因又不能也不好讲出来，这心里实在是憋得慌。孙子再一次提起这事，让蔡老汉从未输给过黄老汉的那种不服输的精神，再一次在胸中躁动起来。他在心里暗暗地想着：怎么也不能让你黄老汉就这样舒舒坦坦地白得下个胜利，没门！我心里难受你也舒坦不成！我就把你黄老邪给骚一下！想到这，蔡老汉腾地一下站了起来，对孙子说：喜娃咱爷俩放炮去，放完炮一搭到学校去！听爷爷说要让放炮了，可把喜娃高兴坏了，他搬了张椅子踏了上去，把早就搭在树上的那挂千响麻雷子取了下来，用一根竹竿子挑起来举到了门外，呯、呯，啪、啪地就放脱了。出门前蔡老汉交代了一句：老太婆炖锅好肉！准备请全村的乡亲们吃！炮声中，蔡老汉牵着孙子的手迎着朝辉向新建的学校走去。
84▶▶The firecrackers cracked like thunders that those having unprotected sleep with their children and wives in the seismic-resistance tent were awakened surprisingly. Some of them crawled out the tent looking and then went back to sleep.Some others cursed the big noise on their beds,made a turn and fell asleep quickly.Dogs barked a lot.The point was the cracks did bring a bundle of nerves and fidgets to Huang who’d been waiting inanely on the earth table.Unable to keep calm any longer,Huang rose to his feet and approached instantly to the middle area of the courtyard,his ears kept opening to the outside.Bang! Bang!Bang!Surrounded by the cracks,Caixia cried out upstairs,“Dad,here comes the installment of the last door! You’d better off resting for a while and check the work later in good spirits.”“Rest?Rest my ass!Can’t you hear the celebration cracks fired by the geezer Cai for his moving to new house?I can but sit still as a dead man!That was the first time that Cai,with the contest and the cracks heavy in his mind,had uttered dirty words to his daughterin-law.Caixia could hardly withstand it,tears trickling down her cheeks,since she had been hard at it all the night but got an unreasonable reprimand in return.So ungrateful and tactless was Cai in the eyes of old lady Huang，who could not help speaking up,“You old mean!How could you be so rude and unaffectionate to our child?Do you want to ruin the good days?We would have been arranged to move into the city for quiet comfort long before.But you refused,nagging that there would be no friends and no human relations in big city,and it would be like living in the prison,a confused chaos!We so stayed.”Mrs.Cai continued,“Caixia but chose to stay with us caring for our livelihood in this developing countryside.Since then,especially the quake,she’s been working around the clock for the family rebuilding.And again,she made a whole night of it without rest.But you!You fool just sat there like a clay figure doing nothing.And the instant you opened your eyes, you cursed.What’s wrong?If you keep going that way,we are all moving to the town early this morning and in this new house you old fart will be living all by yourself,isn’t it great?Still,you’ve been contending with Cai all the way throughout your life,and you lost to him the whole life.So do you mind at all falling another time?Compared with Cai, you always come short of reckoning.”Haohao,then,was woken up by the shouts and screamed louder back,“Grandma,would you please save your squabbling and wrangling?I will be staying with grandpa and going nowhere.”Cai jumped at the chance to gave himself an out,“It’s no big deal.What’s the worst would be treat all the villagers braised pork.Besides,I want to eat some.It’s been a long time since I last ate it.Haohao,poached eggs are good for you.Take some more cooked especially by your mother.Then,I will accompany you to class.”
84◀◀千个麻雷子太响了，把村里的狗都惊惹得“汪汪汪”地叫个不停；把抗震篷里正搂着娃娃、婆娘睡回笼觉的汉子们给吵下了，有的跶拉个鞋出了抗震篷，探了个究竟就又回篷了，有的躺着骂了一句：吵个啥？翻了个身就又睡着了。更关键的是这鞭炮的响声，把呆呆地在台台上坐了一夜的黄老汉给骚了起来，他再也坐不住了，拍了拍屁股上的土站到了院中间，支棱着个耳刮子认真地听着动静。“呯！呯！”声中，楼上的彩霞喊叫着：爹！最后一扇门马上装好了，您再坐下休息一会儿，养好精神验收工程。坐？坐个屁呀！你听那老东西的鞭炮声都响了，谁还能坐得住？除非是个死人！这约定、这炮声，让黄老汉头一次对儿媳妇都动了粗话。好心落顿骂，忙了一宿累了个半死还没捞着好，让彩霞的泪水一下就下来了。黄老太太在一旁看到老头子如此的不近人情，忍不住地也说开了：老鬼头，好日子你是不想过了，你怎么能这么没情没意没轻没重地说孩子？儿子建成单位早就分了房子了，要接咱们全家搬进城去住，享上几天清福，不是你嚷嚷什么上楼下楼的住不惯了，什么没熟人没人情了，什么见不到天日像住监狱了，我们才不进城的吗？人家彩霞怕我们老两口老了没人照顾，才和浩浩也没走，陪咱俩继续住在农村的。村里重建家园彩霞也是没日没夜地辛苦，为了这个家这不又干了一宿没休息，你可好，像个泥胎傻乎乎地坐了一宿，一睁眼你就骂开人了啊？再这样，今上午我们娘仨就搬城里去，留你一个老鬼独自住这新楼，那该多美呀！反过来再说，你和蔡老头又不是只比了这一次，都比了一辈子输了一辈子了，还怕再输这一回吗？和人家蔡老头相比你呀就是少算计！奶奶说话的声音把孙子浩浩吵醒了，孙子的说话的声音比起她可就更大多了：奶奶你天天就是吵、吵、吵！我哪也不去，我就和爷爷住一块！听孙子这么一说：黄老汉忙给自己找个台阶下，输了就输了呗，大不了就是炖锅红烧肉请大伙吃嘛，好长日子都没吃了我也馋了。浩浩，你妈给你煮下的荷包蛋你多吃两个，吃完了爷爷送你去学校。
85▶▶Actually,instead of purporting to send Haohao to school,Huang did intend to check out the situation of his opponent Cai.Haohao was smart a boy,and quickly,he finished his meal and left for school with schoolbag on his back,his hand taking Huang’s.A few minutes later,they came to the upper land in the village’s middle ridge from which Cai’s new house can be seen clearly.Then,Huangfelt for an excuse,“Boy!In my shoes is a grain of sand.I’m gonna shake it off.You go first and I will be coming to you later.”Eyeing Haohao walk away,Huang fumbled out a glasses-cleaning cloth form his jacket pocket and wiped the pair of eyeglasses very carefully.Then,he wore the glasses on his nose bridge and focalized a bit by keeping on adjusting the eyeglasses frame,in an attempt to take a closer look at the new house of Cai.Everything was ready and Huang was observing the house——it’s a three-storey white building,with high bounding walls and a grand gate in bright red,the same and as adorable as that of his own.The shining windows and the new doors of the five rooms on the third story did catch the eyes.“The contest is over.He won.”Old Huang said to himself inwardly.At this point,his heart gave a physical lurch，his hand trembling in despair, which had his glasses fell off to the ground.And he tried twice to catch the falling glasses but failed.Things seemed to go from bad to worse,for his glasses just hit upon a tiny block in a soybean’s size on the ground and cracked on the spot.As one of the transparent glasses broke perfectly,the shameful and depressed feeling amounted to an emotional slump to its extreme in Huang’s heart.“What the rough luck!”sighed Huang deeply with a saddened look in his face.After picking up the broken glasses,quite trembling, Huang fished out the cell phone from his trousers pocket and dialed his family.“Take the caldron out to cook braised pork!”said Huang heavily to the other end of the call when it got through.On the way to school,Huang looked up to heaven sighing heavily,when one of his prentices named Wu Wang Sun(moniker,see below its meaning)ran to him breathlessly,yelling out,“Mr.Huang!Mr.Huang!Cai just cheated in the contest and their firing firecrackers meant nothing!”Huang recognized the fellow instantly who was the senior prentice of Duode but may be his disciple's disciple in terms of the seniority in the clan.The guy was flying right without fear of hardships.After a couple of years of diligent study and strenuous training,he had finally made himself in the Huang family crew the number one of the five working procedures in butchering:slaughter,scalding,dehairing,splitting and picking.It’s no easy a job to acquire all the five firsts simultaneously,and the gainer was so called Wu Wang Sun[8]by the coteries.It is worth mentioning here his master slaughter skill,as the first procedure in a whole butcher,among other things.Generally,Pigslaughtering could be classified into two:amateurish slaughter and master slaughter.Usually,the pig-slaughtering spectacle depicted in films and teleplays or literary pieces would be that several strong hands cooperate to slaughter the pig,with one to bundle it with ropes,one to hold it tightly with hands,one to suppress it with sticks,and the pig finally squeaked to death.This is recognized as slaughter carried out by persons or amateurish slaughter.Still, there is another way but more difficult:Nobody else will help out when the butcher alone is dealing with a pig weighing three to four hundred jin released from piggery but confined in a courtyard,which is recognized as master slaughter.In Huangjiawan in the past,only Cai Danian could make it.But another guy rose to his fame recently in this trade,known as Wu Wang Sun,bearing also the top master skill.In the spring festival that year，the Wang family living in the middle ridge were killing a pig raised for two and a half years，and in an unguarded moment had it run out of piggery.The huge monster weighing five to six hundred jin went on the rampage around the courtyard with its bucktooth holding up awfully，which stumped quite a few master butchers.Worse still,it happened that Cai was staying out,and“Wu Wang Sun”was so sent for.With a dagger in the sleeves,“Wu Wang Sun”walked into the courtyard in gentle steps.And in the place two meters from the wall roots,he stood still facing the wall,uttering out a touch of nothing.Because it’s known to all that pigs in courtyard were apt to stampede in rings quite close the wall roots.The moment the monster passed by,“Wu Wang Sun”rushed fiercely at it,catching tightly its left rear foot with his left hand,hauling it backward within seconds.Losing the balance,the pig stumbled down the ground when Wu pounced on it and held onto its right ear swiftly with his free left hand and simultaneously raised his dagger fully to make a killing.This is known as the legendary killing.The unique feat,coupled with quite a few other good skills had made“Wu Wang Sun”the leading person among the grandsons of Huang family.
85◀◀说句真心话，黄老汉要送孙子到校是假，实质是想去看看真实的结果。浩浩是个干散娃，说几口吃完就几口吃完，说走书包一背，拉起爷爷的手就走了。爷孙俩刚出了家门没用几步就到了村腰坎的二台子上。从这里，能看到蔡老汉盖下的那栋新楼。黄老汉给孙子使了个托说：爷爷鞋里进了个沙子，你先走我磕磕鞋随后追你。望着孙子远去的背影，黄老汉从上衣口袋里摸出了一片擦镜布，取下眼镜把一对镜片认真地擦了擦，然后把眼镜挎在鼻梁上并用手抓着镜腿调了调焦距，调的目的是把那蔡老汉盖下的新楼看得更清楚些。一切都准备好了，这黄老汉才认真地看开了。三层白楼、高围墙、大红门和自己家盖的一模一样，咋看咋美。看到那第三层的五间房子窗明门亮，尽管一二层被院墙挡着没看着呢。唉——还有啥说的呢？黄老汉心里暗暗地念叨着：人家赢了，比赛结束了。想到这他心里一颤手一抖，眼镜便从手上脱落了下去，黄老汉连接了两接也没能接住。眼镜落在地上时，单单又落在一粒黄豆大小的石块上，“啪”的一声，一个镜片立刻由透澈变成了霜花，镜片的破碎再一次将黄老汉原本愧萎的情绪推向了低迷的极致。倒霉啊！唉——一声长叹，黄老汉在捡起眼镜戴上的同时，哆哆嗦嗦地从裤兜里掏出手机拨通了家里的电话，只听他对着手机沉沉地说了句：把大锅支起来，整红烧肉！就在黄老汉仰天长叹着向学校走去的时候，多得的一个徒弟外号叫“五王孙”的气喘吁吁地跑了过来，还没到近前，就大声地叫着：黄爷爷！黄爷爷！蔡爷爷比赛作弊！他们的炮放得不算数！这个“五王孙”黄老汉认下着，是多得的大徒弟，从辈分上讲该成徒孙了，这娃为人正直又能吃苦，经过几年的勤学苦练，终于成了黄家团队中的五项第一获得者，这个五项嘛，是根据猪的屠宰分为：杀、烫、刨、劈、剔五道工序而定的。五个第一很难都拿上，获得者就会被同行们称之为五王，因为辈分是孙子辈，所以被人叫做“五王孙”。其他几个第一就不提了，咱们只讲讲他第一道工序——杀猪的超人本领。杀猪宰畜又分为群杀和独杀两种。通常在影视剧和文学作品中描写的杀猪场面，大多都是几个壮汉一起绳捆人抓杠压，把个猪杀得嗷嗷乱叫，那就是乱杀，也叫群杀。真正的屠户是不用人帮忙的，多是在圈内一下把猪扑到，在抓耳摁头的瞬间，手起刀落杀完了，这叫独杀也叫专业杀猪。如果把个三四百斤的猪在院廓中放开，独抓独杀，那难度就更大了。在黄家湾村原来只有蔡大年能办得到，这两年又出了另一个新人，这个人嘛就是“五王孙”了。有一年春节，村腰坎的王家把猪养个了两年半，杀的时候一不留神让它跑出了猪圈，五六百斤的个庞然大物，翘着獠牙满院廓的横冲直撞。这时，一般的独杀师傅也拿它没治了，碰巧蔡老汉不在家只好请来了“五王孙”。“五王孙”袖藏九寸轻轻地走进院廓，距墙根两米处面壁而立不动不喊也不叫。人们都知道猪在院子里跑的时候，多是贴着墙根绕圈跑，当这个大物从“五王孙”面前跑过时，只见他突然发力扑了过去，用左手狠狠地抓住了猪的左后腿，用力往右一拽给猪打了个绊子，就在猪滚倒在地上的瞬间，他一个扑虎扑了上去，同时飞快地腾出了左手抓住了猪的右耳朵，借一摁之力手起刀落完活，这个杀法就是传说中的绝杀了。因为有几手好本领，又有一项绝活，“五王孙”成了黄家团队中孙子辈的领军人物。
86▶▶So outstanding was“Wu Wang Sun”,Huang believed in his every word.Still,he asked for certainty,“Are you serious?Did you see that happen with your own eyes?”“With my own eyes!Upon hearing the cracks for celebration in Cai’s house,I dressed quickly and rushed to see what it was all about.When I got there,used firecrackers were seen littering along the doorway of his new house,the entrance door closed,and things inside kept invisible.So I climbed up the big locust tree outside the bounding wall to look inside.Do you know what I came in sight of?”Huang shook his heads,saying nothing.All the same,form behind his glass in good order,his eyes glared all of a sudden.“I found the rooms on the first and second floor were all running without doors.What’s more interesting,the seismicresistance tent placed originally amidst the courtyard was moved into the central room(of a one-storey Chinese traditional house consisting of several rooms in a row),leaving the courtyard neat and emptiness except some odd things.”Wu Wang Sun continued.Here,Old Huang came to himself swiftly.He did at first roll up the pair of sleeves of his yellow fabric blouse,and upheld by his fingertips the pair of spectacles perching near the end of his nose to the right place.Then,with all his strength,he dragged down a bit the hanging part of his garment and fumbled his cell phone out form the trouser pocket with a trembling hand.After quite a few times of dialing,he finally got through to his folks,crying out feverishly,“Stop cooking!...”With that he uttered no more words.“What?Stop what...”There on the other end of the call came the anxious words from Caixia.After pondering for a while,Huang had the cell phone snapped shut and spoke up to Wu Wang Sun,“You now show me the way to Cai family.”“Ok,mind your steps!”replied Wu Wang Sun thoughtfully.Old Huang was thus marching on to Cai family,his hands rested on the back.
86◀◀这么价的好后生说下的话，黄老汉绝对信了，但是他还是问了一句，是真的？是你亲眼看见的吗？就是的！我听到蔡爷爷家放响了麻雷子，忙穿好了衣服便跑了去看个究竟，大门关着门前到处是炮仗纸，门缝合得挺严的看不到里边，我就爬上他家围墙外边的那棵大槐树往里瞧。黄爷爷你猜我看到了什么？黄老汉没吱声摇了摇头，但是，从那片没打破的镜片后面能够看到他的眼睛珠子突然亮了。猜不着吧？“五王孙”接着说：我看到蔡爷爷家的新楼一二层没有安门，更有趣的是他把原来支在院子中间的防震篷整个啷地搬进了一楼的堂屋，现在院子里可干净了啥都没了，能搬的他全搬到屋里去了。听到这里，黄老汉可来了精神了，先是把黄布衫的袖子向上绾了绾，把昨夜一直到现在都吊在鼻尖上的眼镜用食指和中指的指头尖向上托了托归了位。接着，又用手使劲往下拽了拽衣襟，激动地哆嗦着伸手从裤兜里把手机掏了出来，翻开盖拨了半天才拨通了家里的电话，兴奋地大声说了句：撤锅！……他就又没声了。电话里传来彩霞急切的问话声：撤啥锅？撤啥锅？……黄老汉听着问话没有哼声，稍想了片刻他“啪”的一声合上了手机盖，说了一声：“五王孙”你把我领上到蔡老汉家去看给一下！在“黄爷爷您跟好”的关心声中，黄老汉也倒背着手，迈着四方步去了蔡家。
87▶▶“Bang!Bang!Bang!”Soon,they came to the Cai family,beating at the door.Mrs.Cai answered and opened the door seeing Huang,“Come in please,walk up!”said she hotly.Without murmuring a word,Huang strode over the threshold quickly for he couldn’t wait to make it clear with his own eyes.When again catching Huang at Cai’s courtyard,“Wu Wang Sun”found that,except for the eye blocked totally from vision by the damaged glass，his other eye expression appeared to be changing in complexity: Now in joy,now in anguish,now wild with excitement,now showing uncertainty,now naked of all pretenses,and now expressing a touch of cunning.The sinister and transient expression in his eyes even puzzled“Wu Wang Sun”,who followed him closely all the day.Recalling the benign and kindly expression possessed formally by Huang,“Wu Wang Sun”was terrified to close his eyes in spite of himself and gave severely a sneeze to the sky.When he opened his eyes again,Huang,however,had already left for the assembly room.
87◀◀呯！呯！呯的敲门声中，蔡老汉的老伴答应着：来了！来了！打开了门。一看黄老汉站在门外，忙热情地招呼：是他黄大哥来了，请进！请进！黄老汉一声没有大步就跨过了门槛，进门一看啥都明白了。再看黄老汉的表情就不对下了，除去那破镜片挡住的一只眼睛看不到任何变化外，好镜片后面那只能看到的眼睛变化可就复杂了，一会儿高兴一会儿痛苦，一会儿兴奋一会儿疑惑，一会儿清清澈澈，一会儿又丝丝诡诈。黄老汉的这种眼神让天天跟随其左右的“五王孙”都感到了惊诧，回想以往那慈祥的举动，再看看此刻的这阴险的表情，“五王孙”吓得不由自主地闭起了眼睛，仰头冲着天狠狠地打了一个喷嚏。“五王孙”打完了喷嚏，再睁眼看那黄老汉早就出了大门向会场走过去。
18
88▶▶At the moment,the playground in the new teaching building was filled with people.Surrounded by the ruba-dub,rub-a-dub of bugles and drumbeats,under the banner of the completion celebration for the new teaching building in Huangjiawan village,the County head,Mr. Qiang was giving an ardent speech,“Elders and folks of Huangjiawan village，today I will be here introducing two distinguished guests to you.This is the PLA comrade,the soldier representative of those constructing our school,who has made your acquaintance quite well.And this is Mr.Ou, a town head in Shenzhen city.He’s helped us a lot by financing the new primary school on behalf of Shenzheners. Thanks for the selflessness and generous assistance of the people’s soldiers and Shenzheners alike!The great damages brought by the 5·12 Wenchuan Earthquake are very much in the mind of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.Also,the earthquake pulls all Chinese people's heart strings.Far and near,offers of help were coming in the quake-stricken area thick and fast.So again,on behalf of the people suffered heavily in the earthquake,I am here only too thankful for your kindness and generosity.People in the quake-hit area will forever and ever have you in mind!Forever and ever...”Amid the deafening applause and hurrah,Huang stole up on Cai and stealthily and firmly,dragged him a hint.Cai thus followed Huang tandem out of the crowd.Huang headed for the village with non-stopping steps.Cai followed and thought:“You the cunning old man!Nothing seems to be kept back from you.Maybe you’re gonna vent your pent-up anger out on me this time. But who cares?If you flare up,I don’t give it a damn.I couldn’t afford to offend you,still I can at least ward you off.”murmured Cai at this point.”“What are you murmuring and dillydallying for?You lousy old fart!Bearing your big ideas,you must have had a bad conscience.”said Huang without turning around.Eyeing the overbearing and domineering manners of Huang,Cai bristled with anger instantly，“The son of bitch is really tough,I shouldn’t have had him won the contest.Xiwa,I told you that Huang is a feisty old guy,yet you don’t believe it,and now misfortune will be befalling me!Jesus Christ!I am about to make an asshole of myself.”Soon after,they got to the new house of Cai and the entrance door remained open,from which the fragrance of well-cooked braised pork could be smelled lingering in the courtyard.The instant the two guys went into the courtyard,Huang did start in on Cai unsparingly,“How could you fire the firecrackers betokening the victory before the completion of your work?Is that the way you fool?You are not scared of people censuring you behind your back, aren’t you?And you don’t give a damn to your lifetime reputation,do you?”Being put down incessantly,Cai uttered not a single word.He took a wooden stool and poured out a cup of tea,saying friendly,“Huang,take it easy!Enjoy a sip of tea and keep cool,all right?”“Well,you tough guy will be in any way yielding to others?Why not voice out your reasons like before?Come on,fight against me! Why you keep num?I’ve been trapped by you bastard almost half my life.With that cheat concealing from me,you got each time the best of me.Now I happen to know your tricks,and you can’t get away,cause I got you with the irrefutable evidence！”replied Huang in a cynical tone.The pretty loud voice drew Mrs.Cai,who was then busy in the kitchen,out to the courtyard that instant.At the same time, Huode,Duode,and Wang Wu Sun who had followed Huang and Cai all the way and waited outside watching rushed into the courtyard in an attempt to mediate.
十八
89▶▶Huang was born to carry such a hobby that more people around would only make him more hyperactive.And so he did at the time.After his concession tactics failed, Cai just as well sat down on a side step,pondering,“I am gonna watch your long performance，who cares?”He meant what he thought and thereupon,simply ignored Huang.The ignorant expression of Cai almost drove Huang mad.“The shameful act is nothing short of a dead mouse feeling no cold.”Held Huang angrily.Thus,he quarreled violently all the more.Huode,Duode and“Wang Wu Sun”tried to hold Huang back,in case he by any chance suffered losses in the possible sudden attack from Cai.Huang,however,showed no fear and kept on crying out the stuff,such as“Humiliation,shamefulness,disgrace to your ancestors,you fucking bastard etc..”If in the past,Cai would have fought back at once.This time,however,he was just seated motionlessly on the foot step,quite regardless of the big movements produced by his opponent.On the other hand,Huang was seen nearly crazy with sweats dripping from his face. Mrs.Cai,therefore,hurried to Huang with a cup of cool tea out of kindness.Unfortunately,it happened that Huang was at the moment tossing Duode’s hands off but failed,instead, his arms hit Mrs.Cai perfectly totally off her guard.Mrs. Cai fell down,the teapot broken.A wild fury took possession of Cai and he screamed out,“Don’t you know enough is enough?Asshole!I have been tolerating of your craps without answering back!What more do you want with me?You even had the gall to attack my folks and smash my properties,uh-hum?Get out!Get far out of my house!Now!”“No way!Who do you think you are?You did that hanky panky,still you are afraid of losing your face?”Huang tried to dominate the situation.“Cut that shit out now!You old evil!It’s not that I fear the loss.Not that you will be the winner but that you asshole are not qualified to be the winner!Get out!Get out of here!”Old Cai rebuked,forcing Huang out of the yard.Being showed the door by the one in the wrong,Huang was hard all the more.Squaring his shoulders,he provoked Cai much more,“Fuck you!I am going nowhere!What can you do about it?...”Cai was then already seen lowering his head and moving around the courtyard in search of something.Within seconds,from the wall corner,Cai snatched up a four-meter long purlin in a bowl’s thickness and pounced upon Huang quickly.Within seconds,Cai was on the point of striking Huang’s head right a tremendous blow.Facing the coming club(purlin), Huang was stricken dumb and stood there still like a blockhead.The situation was pressing and harsh，Huode and Duode hurried to Huang and drew him away from the club. Just before the club hit on the ground missing the target,Cai turned it to a by-blow and had it charged at Huang by the waist immediately.Those knowing the business recognized at the first sight the strike with a resounding name——Monkey King defeats the Gods while Thunder fools the spirits——Intended to drive away people in the guise of pretended attack.Huang,however,could in no way to figure it out.He reckoned Cai meant it seriously,and quite naturally he was scared nearly out of his wits.“Help！Help！Cai is killing!...”hysterically,Huang yelled and flied out of the courtyard with his head covered,waist bent and ass raised.In the twinkling of an eye,Cai had already stood in the doorway holding a club.“Asshole！for a mess once more in my house,I would have your legginess broken！”,Yelled Cai at Huang,who was still shouting hysterically.“I dare you do it!Loser!You were just revenging for your failure.You cheeky geezer!”, replied Huang out loud,far from Cai’s house.
19
90▶▶The celebration campaign for the new teaching building completion was still on the way，and the due representatives were already in their places ready to cut the ribbon.Huang and Cai,the village heads,however,were out of sight.Mr.Qiang looked about them eagerly,holding that the ribbon cutting ceremony couldn’t run without them.As he was about to yell their name,he overheard someone shouting,“Cai is attacking!”.Following the shout，on the second upland in the middle ridge of the village,Mr.Qiang found the two guys were running in rings around an old locust tree.Actually,Cai was chasing Huang with a club lifted up in his hand，and Huang was fleeing ahead with his head covered by his hands and the words uttered out from his mouth,“Cai is attacking!Cai is attacking!”Qiang had his heart missed a beat，“What’s wrong?What the heck are these two guys up to with weapons for just a trivial quarrel?”Qiang was puzzled a lot but announced aloud quickly on the second thought,“The ribbon cutting ceremony will now take place！”,with the beating of gongs and drums,the ribbons were cut simultaneously,and people at present flooded on to the new teaching building.Mr.Qiang,however,was leading some work staffs right to Huangjiawan village where the buildings and houses were springing up like mushrooms.
十九
90◀◀中心小学新楼落成庆典活动还在继续，方方面面的代表已站到彩绸前准备剪彩。强县长四下看着找着黄老汉和蔡老汉，心想黄家湾小学新楼落成剪彩不能没有主人啊！刚想大声喊他俩，他隐约听到有人在喊“打人了！”顺着喊声望去，只见村腰坎二台上的那棵老槐树下，那两个人正绕着树转圈跑着呢，蔡大年举着个大棒在后边追，黄老汉捂着个头在前边跑，边跑还边喊叫着：打人了！打人了！强县长心里咯噔一下，不该吧？争就争吵就吵没必要动家伙吧！强县长心里想着，嘴里就大声宣布：剪彩仪式现在开始！剪声嚓嚓，绸花落盘，鼓号声中，人们向新教学楼涌去，趁此机会，强县长也领着几个工作人员，朝着一栋栋新楼矗起的黄家湾村里走去。
91◀◀村腰坎二台上，俩老汉还绕着那棵老槐树追逐着，只见黄老汉低着个头气喘吁吁地在前面边跑边喊：快逃啊！打来了！蔡老汉挺胸抬头脸憋得铁青，喘着大气在后面追着赶着，绕着大树追着跑圈圈，让原本身材高大的他能量消耗去得更多，但他仍握着大棒不停地跑，不停地轻轻地敲打着粗壮的树身，边敲打边念叨：快跑啊！快跑啊！看到树枝上拴满的红条条、红绳绳，看到站在一旁数着跑下圈数的多得、火得和“五王孙”，强县长这时看明白了，两个老汉根本就没吵架没打仗，他们以另外一种形式另外一种场合，用当地一种流传久远的习俗“打灾鬼”庆贺着新教学楼的入驻，祈安康求风调雨顺，驱鬼邪逐灾祸病痛。
91▶▶On the upper land in the middle ridge,Cai was still chasing after Huang,who was then lowering his head panting and keeping shouting out,“Run for it!He’s coming!”Cai,on the other hand,bearing a black face,kept his head held high and ran after Huang almost out of his breath.He was a big guy with strong body,but the circling around did drain his strength much more.Still and all,upholding the club,he kept running and beating gently the sturdy tree trunk with the words coming out repeatedly of his mouth,“Run for it!”“Run for it!”When spotting the red ropes and strips attached fully to the tree and founding that Duode,Huode,“Wu Wang Sun”stood by the side counting carefully the number of turns Cai and Huang had made,Qiang did eventually figure it out:The two old guys were not at all quarreling or fighting at the moment，instead, they were,on another occasion and in another form,celebrating the completion of the new teaching building with a best-known local convention——“Da Zai Gui[9]”,in an attempt to pray for good health and favorable weather,and fight off the evil spirits and ailments.
92◀◀看到强县长一行，蔡老汉马上停了下来，撂下手中的大棒呼呼地喘着粗气说：老了跑不动了，跑不动了，真老了，不服不行啊！别说退四十年了，就是退回去十年，“打灾鬼”跑上个百十圈算啥个事嘛！话刚说了半句，便被还在低头绕圈傻跑的黄老汉从背后给撞了个趔趄，差点儿摔了个狗爬子。强县长忙上前几步把蔡老汉和黄老汉都扶住了，拉着二位老汉的手说：二位老哥你们辛苦了。我代表全县人民向二位老哥表示慰问，正是你们二位的这种辛苦，让黄家湾村重建家园的建设演绎得如此辉煌，也正是在二位老兄的带领下，短短的两个多月的时间，你们已经取得了重建家园的初战告捷，让我再一次代表全县人民向你们表示祝贺和致谢！听到县长的这番话，蔡老汉和黄老汉被感动得热泪盈眶，哽咽得说不出话来。强县长见此忙打圆场笑着问：今天我吃谁家的红烧肉啊？这么问的意思就是你俩的比武打擂谁赢了谁输了？听到强县长问话，蔡老汉抢先大声回答道：反正我没输！黄老汉不等蔡老汉把话说完，大声地对强县长说：强县长这次重建家园打擂我赢了！蔡村长他输了！他家的工程还没干完他就放开炮了，蔡村长既输了又违规！“反正我没输！”蔡老汉大声地申辩着。黄老汉一把拉住了强县长的手，又一把拽住了蔡老汉的手，激动地说：口说无据，眼见为实，强县长咱们一块去蔡村长家看上一回，再到我家去看过一下，啥是啥都就明白了！
92▶▶Upon seeing Qiang and his colleagues,Cai stopped instantly.He put down the club,gasping raggedly,“I’m old and declined,and I can run no further.What a pity!I have to give in to old age！Actually,I would be able to run a hundred circles without stopping if I were in ten years ago,let along forty years.”As soon as the remark popped out,Cai was bumped right into from his back by Huang who was still running around the tree blindly，and was thus nearly falling flop on his face.Still in the same moment,Mr.Qiang hastened to advance a few paces to have both Cai and Huang supported.Clasping the hands of the two guys,he enthused gratefully,“You have had a hectic day!On behalf of the whole county,I express my sincere solicitude to you.Since it is under your leadership and with the painstaking work you’ve done,that the rebuilding work here is going on in full swing,and our first victory in rebuilding homestead has been achieved within only two months.So again,let me take this opportunity to express our congratulations on and heartfelt thanks for your work!”Upon hearing these,Cai and Huang were both moved into tears and choking with sobs.Quite embarrassing,Qiang asked with a smile,“Who’s going to treat me braised pork? I mean what’s your contest turned out to be?”Cai led off by answering up,“I didn’t lose anyway！”“I has won undoubtedly this time in the rebuilding contest,for Cai fired the firecrackers betokening victory before he had finished his work.He not only lost the game,but violated the rule as well！”interrupted Huang hastily.“I didn’t lose anyway！”argued Cai loudly.Huang took hold of Qiang’s arm with one hand,and with another,grabbed hold of Cai’s arm,and said excitedly,“Seeing is believing！Verbal statements are no guarantee!County head,let’s go to check his house out and then my house,so everything will be clear!”
93◀◀蔡老汉碍着强县长的面子没敢动粗，只是嘴上不停地说着：有话好好说别动手动脚的，没必要嘛！他嘴上说着可脚底下就是一步不挪。蔡老汉越是这样，黄老汉越是不依不饶，黄老汉越是这样蔡老汉越是一步不动。强县长已看出些蹊跷，有意刺激蔡老汉说：黄支书这么个态度，难道你还真怕他不成？输也无妨赢也无妨，都是抬头不见低头见的乡里乡亲嘛，实地看看有什么大不了的事。一看强县长这个态度，蔡老汉也没法子了，只有应诺着跟上强县长往家里走。蔡老汉边走边向强县长介绍着：这是五保户李老汉家，工程已完成95%左右，预计10天内可以入住。那边与这栋一模一样的二层小楼是伤残农民工范斌家，工程完成量也是95%左右，入住时间不分上下。强县长说：听说这儿也有一场比赛？蔡老汉笑着回答：那是娘子军的事。他接着说：这两家的新楼都是村上全额投资修下的，保证入冬前让他们住进去。蔡老汉说说、走走、停停，可把一心要拉县长去看究竟的黄老汉急坏了，他哪有心思听蔡老汉的情况介绍，又是挤眉又是弄眼，催着蔡老汉他快走。可是蔡老汉就当没看着，仍然走走停停、指指点点、比比划划地向强县长一行讲述着介绍着。这下子黄老汉更气坏了，乘强县长他们全神贯注听介绍时，从背后把蔡老汉一把推了个老远。强县长发现了这些动作，打着圆场说：先去蔡大年的新家看看，然后再听他们二位的汇报介绍。听了强县长的这番话可把黄老汉给乐懵了，啥也都不顾了，嘴里念叨着快走快走，自个儿在前面蹶哒蹶哒地先走了。
93▶▶For County head’s sake,Cai tried hard to behave,and said incessantly,“Easy,man!Easy!And please you keep your hands to yourself.Ok?”Unwilling to move, Cai was frozen in his steps.The more Cai was unwilling to move,the more unforgiving Huang was，and vice versa. Making out something queer，Mr.Qiang provoked Cai on purpose,“Village head!Wouldn’t his idea be all right with you?What on earth worries you so much?It doesn’t matter who win or who lose,and either it’s not too big a thing to visit the new houses since you fellows are already so acquainted with each other.”Realizing that there was no way out,Cai did nothing but followed Qiang and Huang way home reluctantly.On the way back,Cai briefed Qiang whenever they passed by a new building,“This is the building of the‘five-guarantees’family,and the construction work is drawing to an end.It is to be completed within 10 days.The two-storey building over there belonging to disabled migrant worker Fan Bin is exactly the same as this one not only in the structure but the construction schedule as well.”“Another contest is said to be taking place here?”asked Qiang.“That’s a woman’s deal,let’s just leave it!”answered Cai with a smile,“Both these two buildings are financed fully by the village and the owners are guaranteed to move into the new buildings before winter comes.”Huang just couldn’t wait to accompany Huang to see the new house of Cai.Cai,however,took his time perfectly and went on by fits and starts.In impotent fury,Huang kept winking at Cai to speed up.But Cai pretended not to get the hint,and still he briefed Qiang and his colleagues slowly and patiently, sometimes with gestures.Huang was furious all the more and took the chance to give Cai a violent shove when Qiang and his people were hanging on Cai’s commentary.In fact,these actions didn’t escape Qiang who then said tactfully,“Let’s now make for the new house of Cai Danian and conduct the brief later.”The words were really a shot in the arm to Huang,and triumphantly,he led the way ahead,his mouth uttered,“Hurry up!Hurry up!...”
94◀◀转过小山湾已能看到蔡老汉家的新楼了，远远望去三层白色红边小楼，上中下每层各有五间的住房，白围墙红瓦挑檐双扇的大红门，古香古色典雅又透着洋气。强县长“啊！啊！”两声后，脱口而出：重建家园此景好，白墙红瓦高檐挑，富民政策哪去寻，黄家湾来瞧一瞧。接下来就是七嘴八舌的说好声，强县长谦虚地连说：作的不怎么样，不怎么样。别人也就不要妄加评论了。唯有蔡老汉小声念叨了两遍后，大声地说：县长这首诗作得好！我请求县长把这首诗送给我们村，过些日子，我们正要在村前立个黄家湾村重建纪念碑，把重建黄家湾村期间发生的一个个大大小小的事儿都刻进去，把这首诗也刻在正面，让我们的子子孙孙都永远地记下！本来我们要请黄支书他老人家整几句，可是他写了几个月，也没有写出来，他为难我犯愁着呢，这下子好了强县长为我们村写下哩！谢谢了，谢谢县长了！强县长开了句玩笑：这次你和黄支书的比武打擂谁输谁赢刻不刻到碑上？刻上！一定会刻上！到时一定请县长来揭碑!我一定来！一定来！强县长连声应者，大家说着笑着就到了门口。快来！快来吃红烧肉！只见黄老汉双手端着一大碗红烧肉从大门里跑了出来，嘴里大声地说：蔡大妹子真够意思！整个了满满地一大锅红烧肉，全村每个人都能吃得上，真够意思窝爷得很嘛！吃！吃！一看大伙都没人动没人理他，便自己用两个手指拈了一大块放到嘴里吃了起来，吃得个满嘴流油，边吃边说：好吃，好吃！蔡家做下的认输肉真是太好吃了。“反正我没输！”蔡老汉倔倔地又回了一句。这一句可把黄老汉气疯了，他双手端碗小短腿一蹦，先跳过了门槛在里面站下了，等着强县长一跨过门槛，他右手把肉碗往胸口处一端，左手往楼的一、二层一指就喊了起来：县长你看事实证据都在这里，一、二层十间房都没有安门！强县长呀，我家的门可一扇不少地安了，建筑质量嘛一点也不比他家差！……黄老汉不知道烦人地叨叨着。强县长捅了一下蔡老汉“怎么搞的？”蔡老汉眼睛睁得更大了声音更高了：反正我没输！没输你也说个理由嘛？你空喊什么？县长也在这儿，难道我还怕你再来打我不成？说完黄老汉把肉碗放到了窗台上，双手叉着腰站在院儿正当间，正儿八经地数叨着蔡老汉。说了半天没见蔡老汉有什么动静，他眼珠一翻话音就一转，黄老汉又细声细语软软地劝开了：反正你家的红烧肉也炖熟了，输了就认下吧，成哩不？我叫人把锣都从村委会里拿来了。说着，黄老汉从“五王孙”手里把他自己用了一辈子的大铜锣拿了过来，使劲往蔡老汉手里塞，黄多得在一旁实在看不下去了，走上前去刚想说话，蔡火得一把把他拉了回来，狠狠地瞪了他一眼，多得一下子把要讲的话就咽了回去。只见黄老汉塞蔡老汉推，你推我搡，我塞你挡，一不留神那个没人要的大铜锣就“咣”一声掉在了地上，“咣”声中，蔡老汉也仰天一声长嚎：我——没——输！听到老头子都冒怪音了，老伴忙从厨房走出来，一边扶着蔡老汉一边为他抚摸着胸口说：生这么大气干什么嘛！别气坏了身子，不值得！黄老兄他从来都心眼小，你也跟他学！你学得了吗？你说谁心眼小？你说谁呢？你说谁？黄老汉转过头又跟蔡老汉的老伴吵上了。说你！说你！就是说你小心眼！还能说谁？今天你要是把我家老汉气出个病，我就和你没完！蔡老汉的老伴吵架的声音比她老汉的声音还高哩，这么价看来蔡老汉的这个老婆也不是个等闲之辈。
94▶▶Soon after,they have passed Xiaoshanwan,from which the new building of Cai was caught right in the eye from afar——it’s a three-storey white building with red edge.And there was in every floor five rooms.The set of cornice double doors in bright red,with red tiles covered atop, surrounded perfectly by a white bounding wall,was standing erect breathing antique beauty and somewhat prosperity.Out of sheer admiration,Mr.County head improvised a poem:
We have built our home warm and beautiful,
Marble walls,vermilion tiles and vaulting eave.
Bidding farewell to the poverty for a happy life.
Why not come and see,and you will believe?
People at present all spoke highly of the poem.“Well, not too bad,thanks!”said Qiang in modesty.Cai whispered the poem repeatedly and then spoke up to Qiang,“Would you please have the poem composed for our village?Some other days,we villagers intended to set up a monument memorizing the after-quake rebuilding in order for all the things happened during the phase of rebuilding our homestead be kept well to educate our children and grandchildren,with an encouraging poem being carved from above. We had entrusted Huang with the poem,but he made out nothing after quite a few months.He’s stuck and I’m worried.Now it’s all settled!Thanks!Thank you,Mr.County head!”“Will you engrave in the monument the result of your contest?”joked the County head.“We certainly will! And we will by then have the honor of inviting you to present the completion of the monument!”put the two old guys.“No problem.Upon my words!”replied Qiang affirmatively.In a while,they came to the doorway,talking and laughing.“Come on!Take some braised pork!”said Huang holding a big bowl of braised pork out form the courtyard.“Mrs.Cai was only too generous to cook a large pot of braised pork,enough to feast all the villagers,she’s great!Come on!Take some!”when seeing nobody acts, he simply picked up a large cube of braised pork into his mouth and chewed with the pork oil overflowing,saying sarcastically,“Delicious!What delicious food!The pork admitting failure eats so well!”“I didn’t lose anyway.”said Cai again restively.The words surely drove Huang mad. With the bowl in hands,he leapt on his short leg over the doorsill and stood right there waiting for Mr.Qiang.Just as Qiang strode over the doorsill,Huang pointed his left hand to the first and second floors crying out,“Look!County head!The doors of all the ten rooms remain uninstalled. That’s the irrefutable evidence!But I have had all the doors fitted in my new house,and the construction quality is in no way inferior to his!...”nagged Huang unforgivingly. Mr.Qiang gave Cai a nudge,asking,“How did you come by that?”“I didn’t lose anyway.”argued Cai louder with wider eyes.“Do you have any evidence?If not,what’s the mere exclamation for?County head is right here,and I dare you to beat me up!”Thereupon,after putting the bowl on the windowsill,Huang stood amidst the courtyard,arms akimbo, ranting seriously at Cai for his wrongdoings.But there was no reaction on the part of Cai after a lengthy lecturing.With his eyes rolling,Huang then hit upon an idea and started to lecture Cai gently in a relatively small voice,“Anyway,you have already cooked the braised pork perfectly,why still you refuse to admit the accomplished fact?I’ve sent for the gong from villagers committee.”Thereupon，from“Wang Wu Sun”,Huang grabbed the gong he had used nearly his lifetime and thrust it hard into Cai’s hands.Unbearable to look at it,Huang duo de walked up.As he was just about to speak, Cai huode pulled him back by giving him a tug and looked daggers at him as a hint not to interfere.The words,therefore, stopped at Duode’s lips unsounded.At that time,Huang and Cai kept pushing against one another,one to thrust the gong, one to keep it off.Accidentally,the big gong dropped on the ground with a bang.Cai wailed bitterly,“I—didn’t—lose!”Upon hearing the hysteric sound of her old man,Mrs.Cai jogged out of the kitchen hastily.After having Cai supported well,she stroked him on the chest and said soothingly,“Why take on so?It’s senseless to be furious at the cost of your health.Huang’s been all the way narrow-minded.You want to follow him?You are not innate for it!”“Who’s narrow-minded?To make it clear!Who?Huang turned around and got into it with Cai’s partner.“You!Nobody else but you!”replied Mrs.Cai angrily in a louder voice,“If my old man is today enraged to be ill,you won’t get off so easily.”Obviously,Mrs.Cai was not at all a pushover.
95▶▶Mr.Qiang sniffed angrily at the sight,moved both his hands forward,and pressed with the palm facing down meaning to stop.“Cut it out！Cut it out！There is no need to quarrel,if your thing can’t be settled for now,it can be settled some other days.I wonder if it is so hard to figure out an obvious fact?”said him sullenly.“I admit myself beaten in the rebuilding contest!Huode,you enkindle Huang’s gong with the club ahead，and I declared my losing and feast on your back.Let’s go!”Cai followed instantly.Quite unexpectedly,however,Huode didn’t follow the words of his master Cai.He quickly picked the gong up from the ground, saying,“Fuck the gong off!Master,you didn’t lose!”and threw the gong out of the entrance door.The gong moved upside-down a few distance on the ground and then stood erect rolling down the slope.“My gong!”yelled Huang and made a dart for the gong.Interestingly,Huang was then acting like an impatient and anxious monkey,which made everyone laughed.Abruptly,in the far distance came the continuous bang of beating gongs and drums.And the sound was approaching.People in the courtyard all felt puzzled about the drums beating,since what was thrown away afar just now was simply a single gong!Just then，Xiwa and Huang Hao ran into the courtyard screaming and shouting，“Grandpa! Grandpa!Our schoolmaster et al are coming to deliver you a plaque for your good deeds,let’s go to meet them!”at the moment,the drum corps had already arrived right out of the entrance door beating gongs and drums.The schoolmaster and the dean of teaching affairs were jointly uplifting a long plaque into courtyard when they spotted Mr.Qiang. And the headmaster hastened to greet him warmly,“Mr. County head,I thought you’ve gone!”“I will go nowhere before I take the braised pork.”answered Qiang smilingly. With that,ceremoniously,Cai and Xiwa wearing small red flowers on his chest took over the plaque with seven golden characters in it“Ten small doors benefit but many generations.”With his lovely chins lifting,his teasing eyes winking,Xiwa grinned,“Grandpa!Look at me!Young as I am,I can tell major issues form minor ones.Are you proud of me?”Cai smiled to his extreme and said with blush,“My good boy!You do set a clear example for me to follow!”When being made clear about the whole thing,Mr.Qiang was moved deeply.He walked up to have Xiwa clutched tightly to his arms and said to Cai,“You have so good a grandson!How I envy you!And all the more,I’m grateful for everything you have done in the earthquake relief efforts!Villagers of Huangjiawan will never forget your kindness!”“Mr.County head,thank you for saying so,but some of the credit shall go to Mr.Huang.Actually,his bemisted mind is just confined to the contest,over the big things,however,he is quite rational.”replied Cai quickly.“Huang! Huang!”yelled out Cai.“Senior Huang is not here,but junior Huang here.My grandpa is now sending for people and I’m here to apologize on his behalf.”Huang hao walked up and spoke sonorously.With that,Huang hao made Cai a low bow，and then a salute to Xiwa,saying,“Follow your example!”.The two buddies then clung tightly together.
96◀◀从远处传来“咣、咣”的锣声和黄老汉的呼喊声：乡亲们，这次重建家园比武擂我输了！我已在场院上摆好桌椅，我请大家吃红烧肉！咣！咣！我请大家吃红烧肉！……
97◀◀原来黄老汉出门追锣时碰上了孙子黄浩，当得知黄老汉带上县长去蔡家找蔡爷爷家理论时，孙子把黄老汉批评坏了：我奶奶说你缺心眼一点都没错，爷你看嘛，人家蔡爷爷筑下的这事，让喜娃一次就得下了十朵小红花，校长还号召全校师生向他学习呢！你可好，明明知道昨天下午，一车送来三十个门扇，每家十五个，人家少安了十个是为什么？安到哪儿了？你什么都不搞清楚就和人家蔡爷爷吵，没一点理由地吵，真把人给羞死了！爷你咋这个像嘛？黄浩大声地批评着他爷。孙子把黄老汉批评急了，想发火可凭啥发嘛！谁让自己把错事做下了呢？到后来被批评得实在受不了时，黄老汉说了声：好孙子，爷爷错了！爷爷糊涂了，爷爷也给你道个歉，爷爷现在要去敲锣认输，请人家吃红烧肉了！说罢他一边敲着锣，一边喊叫着：乡亲们听好了，这次重建家园比武打擂我输了，请乡亲们都到场院上去，我请大家吃红烧肉！黄老汉一遍一遍又一遍不停地喊着。
96▶▶Again,in the far distance came the continuous beatinggongsanddrumsandHuang’sexclamation:“Folks!I lost in the rebuilding contest.For now,I have had everything prepared for well in the backyard!And I treat you folks to dinner,to braised pork...!”Bang!Bang!!
二十
98◀◀看到事情有了这么一个结局，强县长望了望大伙，互相点了点头，然后，他对着院内院外的人们喊起来：乡亲们咱们到场院上去吃红烧肉去！走啊！吃红烧肉去了！在县长的动员下，院里院外的人们向场院走去。人们从四面八方涌上了场院，场院上彩琴正带着十几个帮手忙活着摆桌凳、碗筷，但是，明显地感到有些势单力薄。就在这时，蔡老汉领着老伴、秀秀、喜娃、火得，还有一大帮数不清认不下的徒子、徒孙们，抬着桌凳、抱着碗筷、拉着肉锅、还有几坛子酒，也来到了场院上，摆桌凳放碗筷帮忙来了。蔡老汉跑到强县长的身边，激动地说：其实这场比赛我才是真正的输家，比赛中我绞尽脑汁、想尽办法、用尽了心眼、使尽了绊子，想把黄老汉比下去想赢人家，我使的手段之险恶、方法之卑劣，现在回想起来真是不耻出口。多亏了小孙子喜娃帮助了我，让我走出了错误的泥潭，并做了一点点有益于社会的好事，可是乡亲们又给了我这么大的荣誉，真让我羞愧难言。为了表达歉意，天不亮我就让家里也做下了一大锅红烧肉，想请乡亲们都尝尝，儿媳秀秀又把家里多年酿制的米酒也拉来了五大坛三百来斤，说是请大家评评她的手艺。同时，也算表白表白我们全家人的心意嘛。
97▶▶It turned out that while going for the gong,Huang bumped into his grandson.When learning from Huang what’s going on a moment ago in Cai’s house,Huang hao felt mad instantly at his grandpa,“Grandpa,my grandma was right!You simply come short of reckoning.Just for what Cai had done for the school,Xiwa was awarded up to ten small red flowers!And our headmaster even advocated us to follow his example!But,look at you!You knew well that 30 doors were already delivered right here yesterday afternoon,with 15 doors for each.Still,you flied at Cai without in advance figuring out the whereabouts of those ten missing doors.What a shame!Everyone knows what will come of it!How could you do it that way?”scolded Huang Hao sharply in an agitated tone.Listening to these harsh words,Huang got heated up and was on the verge of explosion.Yet he had to restrain his anger,knowing well that he deserved it.Not until when the words bugged him to death did he finally open his mouth,“Good boy,you are right! It’s all my faults!I was so muddle-headed as to have done such a stupid thing,pardon me please!Now I am going to beat the gong admitting failure and treat all the folks over to braised pork.”Thereupon,he beat the gong crying out repeatedly,“Attention!Attention please!I am Huang Manfu,I lost the rebuilding contest,and I treat you fellows to dinner,to braised pork in the backyard...!
20
98▶▶When seeing the whole thing turned out to be a happy ending,Mr.Huang nodded in satisfaction and yelled out,“Folks,let’s go to the backyard and take braised pork, let’s go!”Under the mobilization of Mr.County head, people,outside and in,all headed for Huang’s backyard. Soon afterwards,people flocked in from all quarters.In the backyard,however,Caiqin was still up to her neck in setting tables,bowls and chopsticks for dinner along with a dozen helpers who were obviously running short of hands. Just then,a large number of people including Mrs.Cai,xiuxiu,Xiwa,huode and many other disciples and followers, led by Cai,appeared in the backyard carrying tables,bowls and chopsticks,cooking pots,and several jars of wine.They simply came here to help out.Cai ran to Qiang and said passionately,“Mr.County head,it’s me who actually lost the competition.Frankly,in order to win the contest,I racked my brains to come up with wicked ideas and evil tricks tripping Huang up by all means.Now,in reminiscence,my mean behaviors are really unmentionable.But for the enlightenment of Xiwa walking me out of the misbehaviors,I wouldn’t have produced the idea of doing good deed. Thus,I don’t think I deserve such a great honour.It just makes me feel ashamed of myself all the more.”Cai continued,“To make up for my faults,I’ve cooked a big pot of braised pork early this morning waiting for the village folks. Also,my daughter-in-law xiuxiu has prepared 5 jars of rice wine,up to 300 jin,brewed of her own to treat people,which is for one hand exchanging brewing skills,and expressing my family’s gratitude for another.”
99◀◀说话间，所有来宾和乡亲们都落座了。每位面前都摆了两大碗红烧肉，一碗是蔡老汉家做的，一碗是黄老汉家烧的，还有一大碗米酒和一盘蒸馍。坐在强县长身旁的深圳市的欧区长，悄悄地对强县长说了句：这么说来，蔡、黄两家做红烧肉水平高低的大赛又开始了？听罢此话，强县长笑了，这回笑得是那样的真诚，哈！哈！哈！的大笑声中，强县长端起了酒碗高兴地举过了头顶，大声宣布：这次重建家园“谁先住进去”的比赛，蔡老汉、黄老汉同是胜利者，都是第一名！下面请来宾们，乡亲们大碗喝酒大口吃肉！鼓掌声中、喊好声中，碰杯声、喝酒声、吃肉声、嚼馍声响成一片，乡亲们一个个吃得别提多高兴了。
99▶▶While talking,all the guests and folks were put before them a big bowl of rice wine,a dish of steamed breads and two bowls of braised pork.One was made by Cai family,one made by Huang family,The town head Mr.Ou of Shenzhen sat,saying to Qiang in a low voice,“Are the two families holding a contest on their braised pork?”Ah, ah,ah…!Mr.Qiang burst into sincere laughter and took the drinking bowl up over his head,announcing loudly,“Old Cai and Old Huang have tried to get ahead of each other in the rebuilding project.And they both win for their good work.Now!Eat your fill,fellows and guests,and to be belly-happy!”
100◀◀就在这时，忽听黄老汉又冒怪声，一没留神他已经站在饭桌上了，只见他把个袖子绾得老高老高的，挥动着双臂跺着双脚大声地喊着：我——不——服！我——还——要——比！听着黄老汉的喊叫，强县长笑了，蔡老汉笑了，客人们笑了，所有的乡亲们也都笑了！
2009年8月3日写于金城獒寮
100▶▶Amidst applauses and cheers,people sat with pleasure guzzling and chucking,making it a bustling and lively gathering,when again,Huang grumbled a few words that no one else could understand.All of a sudden he climbed onto a table,rolled up his sleeves,shook his arms and stamped his feet,roaring,“It’snotover!Iaskforanothercontest!”People present——Mr.Qiang, Cai and all other guests and folks——turned to him and bellowed out laughs!
Written in 2009,Lanzhou.
【注释】
[1]Liang is Chinese unit of weight.One liang=50 g
[2]Northeast Errenzhuan is a form of duet,also known as Bengbeng.It originated in Northeast China's Liaoning,Jilin and Heilongiiang provinces.It is a form of Quyi that involves storytelling,singing and dancing,between two performers.Bengbeng has a history of 200 years and its script is written in popular language that is easy to understand,humorous,and rich in local life style and flavor.The vocal music is based on that of the northeastern folk songs.The singing is high-spirited and of an explosive type,sincere and moving.The dancing is derived from farmers'dances done to celebrate sowing and planting.It also features the folk dance technique of waving fans or silk handkerchiefs.
[3]Wu Dalang is a character in Shi Nai’an’s novel The Outlaws in the Marsh,one of the four Chinese literary classics.Dalang is an ugly dwawf who has married a beautiful wife,Pan Jinlian.Jinlian then commits adultery and kills her husband in comspiration with her adulterer.The story is household knowledge in China.
[4]A best tea brand in China.
[5]Erman is a open-minded,brave heroine of Anti-Japanese War of World War II in the movie Land Mine War.
[6]Minling Tea is the local tea in Mingling,a place of Longnan.
[7]language of Hui nationality,meaning the elder brother of one’s father.
[8]Wu Wang here means the title of butcher expert in five working procedures; and Sun means grandson,in terms of his seniority in the clan.
[9]A rite,which is to avoid evil spirits.
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