He Xinping walked to the entrance of the village and saw his second aunt standing at the intersection, looking anxiously at the road.
"Second aunt, what are you doing here?" He Xinping asked strangely.
"Waiting for your second uncle, are you leaving now?" Seeing He Xinping's cleanliness, the second aunt nodded in satisfaction.
"Yes, I'll go there first, and I'll be back soon." He Xinping said.
"Try to come back as soon as possible, and I will make your favorite pickled fish in the evening." The second aunt exclaimed.
He Xinping responded, and then walked out of the village.
The afternoon sun was very strong, and the leaves on both sides of the road were hanging softly and drooping.
Zhi Lei on the tree also screamed weakly.
But also because of their shelter, pedestrians are still more comfortable walking in the mottled shade.
The rice fields on both sides of the road were already covered with golden ears of grain, and there was a rustle as the gust of wind passed.
The melon seedlings in the watermelon field were drooping, and some ripe watermelons even split automatically.
This is summer!
This reminded him of when he was in high school, their high school was far away from home.
Several villages share the same high school, so many students have to get up and go to school every day before dawn. After school, the moon is already high when they come home. When the night is long, they need to bring flashlights to school.
He thought of Xia Caixia, who was at the same table. He often went to other people's fields to steal melons and fruits for her on the way after school.
Although Xia Caixia is not in the same village as him, they are all in the same school and the same class from elementary school to high school.
He liked Xia Caixia very much, and Xia Caixia also liked him very much. The two even planned to go to the same university, but an earthquake ruined everything.
In that earthquake, Xia Caixia gave him a push, so he is 25 this year, and she is still 16, stopping at the most beautiful age.
During the earthquake, Xia Caixia's father also followed her. Her mother broke a leg. Although the government helped to look after her, she was also lame. The only sister who was still in junior high school supported the whole family.
Fortunately, with the help of the government, I barely dropped out of school. After He Xinping went to university, he sent them the money he earned from part-time work every month, and the days were barely passable.
"Brother Xinping, you are here." As soon as He Xinping arrived at the door of Xia's house, he was seen by Xia Meijun sitting at the door.
Seeing Xia Meijun standing up with a smile, He Xinping was in a daze. Although the two sisters are not completely similar in length, they are identical in temperament.
Xia Meijun's mother heard voices in the house and limped out.
"Aunt Fan." He Xinping greeted.
Aunt Fan is less than fifty years old, but she has gray hair and looks extremely old.
"Xinping is coming, come in and sit down." Aunt Fan greeted.
"Oh, all right." He Xinping was not here for the first time, and walked into the house familiarly and sat down.
Xia Meijun also followed in.
"Mei Jun will graduate in one year, right?" He Xinping asked.
"Yeah, after graduation in one year, you can come out to find a job." Xia Meijun was happy but worried.
I am happy that I can finally work to earn money to support my family.
The worry is that if I work, I don’t have time to come back and stay with my mother.
When she was in college, she reported to the local school so that it was convenient to come back to visit her mother every week.
After talking to Xia Mu and Xia Meijun, He Xinping stood up and prepared to leave.
"Xinping, you can stay and have dinner before leaving." Mother Xia said.
"No, my second aunt told me to go back soon." He Xinping refused.
Then he took out a bank card from his pocket and put it on the table, saying, "There is some money in this card, and the code is Caixia's birthday. I'm going out in a few days. I'm afraid I won't have time to visit you in the future."
"Xinping, you have helped us too much. You don't owe our family or Caixia. You can keep the money for yourself." Mom Xia said, thinking of her dead daughter, tears streaming down her eyes.
"It's the last time, it won't happen in the future, Aunt Fan, don't be sad, I want to go to Caixia's grave before I leave." He Xinping said.
"Let Meijun accompany you!" Mama Xia did not refuse after hearing this, because this was not the first time, so she didn't think much about it.
Xia Caixia's tomb is on the mountain behind the village, where the ancestral tombs of Xiacun people are located.
However, Xia Caixia's tomb is a bit biased, because according to the customs of rural people, unmarried daughters cannot enter the ancestral grave.
Therefore, her tomb is far away from the tomb of Xia Family Ancestor, just opposite to her father's tomb.
Xia Caixia's tomb is very simple, a soil bun, small and thin, covered with weeds.
Maybe in a few years, there will be no such little bag.
"Mei Jun, go aside, I want to talk to your sister." He Xinping said.
"Oh." The sad Xia Meijun walked towards his father's grave upon hearing this.
It has been so long, she is no longer sad, but whenever she thinks of her sister, there is always a sense of unreality in her heart.
"Caixia, you used to tell me that you like the sea the most...I'm going to go to the place you want to go the most, and I won't be back again..." He Xinping murmured.
Looking at the tomb before him, he remembered many things in the past.
Thinking of her running after him with her horns braids, she was furious!
Thinking of her scores higher than him every time, she looked triumphant!
Thinking of her leaving his breakfast to him every day, pretending not to be hungry!
Thinking of going to the watermelon field to steal the watermelon, she looked scared and nervous!
...
But now everything is gone, the only thing left is a pile of loess in front of me.
He Xinping couldn't help it anymore, sitting in front of the grave and weeping.
Xia Meijun was squatting in front of his father’s grave. Hearing the cry of crying, she stood up and prepared to go, but after thinking about it, she squatted down again and said to the father in the grave: “Even though my sister is dead, I can meet brother Xinping. People, she should be very happy, right?"
*
"I'm sorry Meijun, I really didn't control it, let you watch a joke." On the way back, He Xinping, who had already controlled his emotions.
"No, this is how Xinping Brother Xinping is in my mind." Xia Meijun shook her head.
"Mei Jun, if I don't have time to come in the future, you often take the time to visit your sister. She must be very lonely to stay there alone."
Xia Meijun nodded when she heard the words, and she became sad because of He Xinping's emotions.
"The money in the card I gave you will be enough for you to spend in the next few years, so even if you graduate to find a job, don't work hard. Find someone with a more relaxed time and spend more time with Aunt Fan..." He Xinping explained carefully on the road.
Xia Meijun listened with a somewhat ominous premonition, "Is Brother Xinping ready to let go completely? Yes, our family has dragged him down a lot in recent years."
For a time, his mind was mixed, and even if he was reluctant, he couldn't find a reason for him to stay.
Down the mountain, came to a fork in the road.
"I won't go to your house, you can go home!" He Xinping said to Xia Meijun.
Xia Meijun nodded in despair, He Xinping was depressed and didn't care.
After walking some distance, I turned around and saw Xia Meijun still standing there looking at him, so she raised her arm and shook it.
Xia Meijun mechanically raised his arm in response.
He Xinping looked up and saw a girl in a blue and white school uniform standing on the mountain behind her beckoning to him.
"Goodbye!"