2007年12月27日星期四
Mont Orford 滑雪场
Mont Orford 高山滑雪场比较特别之处，在于它有着三座大山（Mount Orford, Alfred-DesRochers and Giroux）。Mont Orford山高850米，是魁北克第3高峰。滑雪爱好者可由四面登山，滑雪场共7升降机及56滑雪道。这里，即是初学者的学习学校，也是滑雪运动员的集训之地！
麦高格城（City Magog）
2007圣诞，由于我的感冒没有什么计划出行，但还是应朋友之邀来到了蒙城东部一百二十公里的魁北克小镇麦高格城（Magog）。Magog离谢布鲁克 (Sherbrooke)有二十公里的车程。小城由麦菲麦高格湖（Memphremagog Lake）而得名。夏季，是私家游船聚集地，也是游山玩水的好去处，冬季，可去Mont Orford滑雪场去滑雪。下几图为麦菲麦高格湖畔，湖水已结冰，像是一个冰湖，远处山峰为Mont Orford，清晰可见高山上的滑雪道。
平安夜的夜晚对于西人来说，是家人团聚的夜晚，所以麦高格城主商业街道上异常冷清，但街道上的灯饰应该说是全年中最美丽的一夜。
除了街上多彩的街灯和灯饰，还有更美丽的是商店橱窗里的风景！
2007圣诞，由于我的感冒没有什么计划出行，但还是应朋友之邀来到了蒙城东部一百二十公里的魁北克小镇麦高格城（Magog）。Magog离谢布鲁克 (Sherbrooke)有二十公里的车程。小城由麦菲麦高格湖（Memphremagog Lake）而得名。夏季，是私家游船聚集地，也是游山玩水的好去处，冬季，可去Mont Orford滑雪场去滑雪。下几图为麦菲麦高格湖畔，湖水已结冰，像是一个冰湖，远处山峰为Mont Orford，清晰可见高山上的滑雪道。
平安夜的夜晚对于西人来说，是家人团聚的夜晚，所以麦高格城主商业街道上异常冷清，但街道上的灯饰应该说是全年中最美丽的一夜。
除了街上多彩的街灯和灯饰，还有更美丽的是商店橱窗里的风景！
2007年12月24日星期一
2007年12月21日星期五
2007年12月16日星期日
前生后世缘之上海往事
前生后世缘之上海往事
这周，蒙城降暴风雪，风雪弥漫，铺天盖地，让人很难提起心情，郁闷！不过，喜不自禁的是，构思了我的小说《前生后世缘之上海往事》。 故事梗概如下:
我们的今天和过去总是交错纵横着。没有人知道前生的事，但我们总可以把握今生的缘。小说中的何旅西曾为了爱情，旅居加国，然而，却爱情失意下，一场车祸中，她竟误入另一个历史时代，结识了罗家两姐妹，亲身经历了二十世纪四十年代末的上海往事，目睹了罗素文与罗静文的爱情故事与生离死别。旅西是否能重回现实中？
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1 我一直相信，我与大卫，总有一天，会分手。原因，按老妈话说，我与大卫是属象不合，水火不能相容，天长不能地久！我不是一迷信之人，硬是不肯信邪，执意追随大卫，移民加国。果真，老妈的话灵验了不是？
天，灰灰的，几乎没有一丝让人喘息的缝隙，无处不透出无力的惨白。马路两旁的枫树上的枫叶早已被初冬的北风刮得干净，留下光秃秃的树干和树枝在风中摇摇欲坠，飘舞着大粒雪片直向我的脸上刮来，很快，雪花化成了水，和我的泪水一起流淌下来。
当我摔门而出时，只听大卫在那声嘶力竭地喊我：“Lucie, If you leave this house, you won't come back!"
我恶狠狠的瞪了他一眼，甩给他一句话：“David, Please remember what I am saying right now. We are over."
风夹着雪，雪夹着风，向我直冲过来，风雪中，一切都是迷濛，一切周围万物都变得模糊不清，只剩那一片片的白茫茫。我毫无理智而言，我对周围的一切全然不知，尽管忙碌的雪犁车在努力地把道路上厚厚的雪推到马路两旁，尽管那些来来往往的车辆旋转着车轮，在雪路上打滑．．．．．．
我任凭着我的泪水和飘飞的雪花在我的脸上飞过，我任凭着我失落得不能再失落的心情随意挥霍着，我转过街角，横穿过马路，根本没有理会一闪一闪的雪犁车正从我的侧面推来，等我反应过来时，一切已经太迟！
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2 我醒来时，发现自己躺在草丛中，头象裂了开来。迷迷糊糊间，闻到了飘来的阵阵馨香儿。我睁开眼睛，看了看我自己，咦，奇怪呀，我哪儿也没有问题，全身完美无缺。我转头望望四周，我腾的一下子，坐了起来。明明的，刚刚在风雪中转过街角，只听得雪犁车在耳边轰轰作响，怎么我竟然躺在春天的草丛中？我再揉揉眼睛，睁大，仔细环顾一下四周，我一定是误闯入人家的后花园。花园中心处有着一个小型喷泉，喷泉的水在淙淙地流淌着，水池内飘浮着一朵朵白色睡莲。花园的围墙内，种的是十几棵玉兰花，清瘦的玉兰树枝上，绽开着一朵朵一尘不染的白。原来，阵阵清香是从玉兰花那边飘来的。
难道我已经死了吗？这里是天堂，还是在地狱？我用力按了按我的手心，不象！怎么，只是我的手心和手指冰冰的凉。
一个女佣模样的中年妇女，向我跑过来，边跑边喊，“小姐，有人闯入我们的花园里。”她跑近我时，我看得更仔细些，她方方正正的脸，大大的眼睛，有四十岁左右的年纪，身材倒是不胖不瘦，身着着蓝色白花图案的便襟儿的上衣和蓝色的长裤，她的头发盘在脑后。
随着中年妇女的喊声，我不禁向她喊去的方向瞧过去，的确，一个富家小姐模样的年轻女子正坐在青青葡萄藤架下的藤椅上读着书。从远处看，她的身材与我仿佛，但她更文雅脱俗些。长长的卷发刚好过肩，鹅蛋形的脸庞，暗紫色的梅花图案的旗袍衬托出较好的身材。
那中年妇女走进我时，用奇怪的眼光打量着我，楞了一下，我开始不一为然，但突然间，感到全身一阵燥热。敢情，我还穿着自己的白色羽绒服，白色的高领毛衣，和冬季长筒靴，头发一定乱蓬蓬的。我不禁，紧捂了一下我的羽绒服，象被偷看了赤裸裸的身体一样。
那中年妇女象审犯人一样大声地询问我，“你是谁？为什么跑到我们小姐家的后院来？”
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3 她的语气着实令我气恼，我也不客气地说：＂你又是谁？＂
那中年妇女气哼哼咕哝了一句，是一种方言，我听不懂，接着，她看我不懂，一脸无可奈何的样子，就说：＂好吧，你去和我们小姐去说吧．我才没有时间理会你呢。”
我不情愿的跟在她的身后，心里也觉得自己理亏。但还是自己给自己打气。那位小姐倒是和声细语：“宋妈，你快去厨房看看，我们替我妈妈熬的药可能快好了。这由我来处理吧！”
宋妈听了这位小姐的话，从花园的侧门走出去了。
我在这位小姐吩咐宋妈时，定定地看着这位小姐，吓了一跳。我是走入一面镜子中了吗？镜中的我却是另一人。奇怪的是，我们彼此的眉眼，身材，年纪，个头，倒没有一样不相同。所不同的是，我们是不同时代的人，不同的打扮，不同的装束，不同的发形，她的头发是长波浪式，而我的象平板一样直。
那位小姐吩咐完宋妈后，转身看了我，也定住了，我想，她一定和我一样的惶恐！
老妈从前没有提过，我曾有个双胞胎姐妹，即使有，以她的性格，心直口快的，也一定会告诉我。再说，眼前的这位小姐，简直和我是判若两人。
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4 那位小姐开口了，“这位小姐，您贵姓？您是怎么到我们家的后花园的？”她开口说话时，和和气气，竟然没有一丝毫埋怨之意。
我见她倒也和和气气，便也好生回答，“我是何旅西！真见鬼了，我刚刚还在风雪中，我也不知怎么来到这里的。对了，你们是不是在拍电影？”我是个十足的电影迷，每每遇事，总是想象自己身在电影中。我怎么知道自己怎么来到这里？刚刚和大卫一顿恶吵，我摔门而去，狂奔于在风雪中，然后我就来到这儿？鬼才知道怎么回事？“how do I know? ", 我嘟囔着，我想没人能懂！
那小姐看我嘟囔着，迟疑了一下，说，“拍电影？没有啊！这里是我的家，我免贵姓罗，罗素文！”
没有拍电影？那就更奇怪了，要不，我就是在梦中，可是，我每每做梦，从来没有这么清晰的景致，何况，一切都这么真实！
我禁不住又问，“罗，罗素文小姐，那这，到底是哪里？什么地方？”我开始有些语无伦次。
她看了看我，一定觉得这是个很奇怪的问题。她不加思索的说：“上海。”
“什么？上海？”我狂呼出声，罗素文一定会笑我没身份，我不能接受这个事实，我几乎晕了过去。我刚刚在冬天的蒙特利尔，竟然现在出现在春花烂漫的上海？还误入人家的花园。不可能！可能是我这人太戏剧话了，我也太有想象力了？我头摇了又摇？脸色一定难看的要死。我仔细地又打量了周围和罗素文，看了看她家花园里的藤椅和藤木茶几，再扫了一眼藤木茶几上的杂志，怎么杂志的封面全都是黑白色的，而且封面上的美女也都在怪怪的看着我。
我的心中充满了无数的问号，我知道，即使，我问罗素文，她也没法解释为什么。我沮丧极了，比刚刚和大卫吵架时还为沮丧。心里咬着牙，暗骂着大卫，都怪他，真是恨死他了，不然的话，我怎么会在这？
午后的阳光明媚，照得穿棉衣的我喘不过气来。我的头开始冒汗，心内比着火还要急。可是，急又有什么用？
罗素文小姐看出我的心思，也可能是同情我，说：“何小姐，不如你随我到楼上换一下衣服？你穿得太多了！今天太热了！”
我支支吾吾，“那怎么好？”但我有什么办法，只好既来之，又安之了！
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5 我跟随着罗素文小姐走出花园的側门。接着，走进了一个古老的二层小楼，深红的大木门，高高的木门槛，推开门，我只是觉得，我一定是走错了历史时代。屋子内所有的家具，布置都象回到了解放前在电影中的样子。橝香木的镂花屏风，搪瓷的古花瓶，清玉的小装饰，挥洒的字画，都不象我出国前的样子。
难道？我不敢继续多想。
我和罗小姐走在楼梯上，整个房子大而空旷，安静得很，只听见我们两人踩在木质楼梯上的吱吱声。楼上有四间很大的房间，两个房间的门半敞开着，两个房间的门紧闭着。罗小姐指着两扇关着门说，“那两间房是我爸妈的房间和书房，家母，最近身体不好，她正在她房间休息，这边两间房是我和静文的。静文是我的妹妹。”说着，她压低了她的声音。“这几天，她的男友文钦正好从部队回来，静文和他去南京路了！过几天，他们就要结婚了！”
罗小姐的房间和楼下同样古朴雅致，唯一让我出了一口气是，我看见一个比较现代式的金色相框，黑白照片中的罗小姐在微笑着，她身旁站着一个穿军服的英俊男子，他们两个很般配。
罗小姐注意到我的眼神落在了黑白照片上，解释道：“那是我的丈夫廖文剀，他去了前线打仗，母亲有病，我就搬回了家。那是我和文剀民国三十五年照的照片，两年了！”
什么？“民国三十五年？民国三十五年是那一年？”我禁不住追问。
我想，我已经让罗素文头疼了，我象一个外星人走进地球人的世界，不停在问这问那。罗小姐真是个好脾气，她告诉我：“现在是一九四八年。”
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6 看来，眼前的一切的一切证实了我的猜疑，我的的确确走进了历史的错层，都怪大卫，要不是他，我不会愤怒之下出走，我就不会走进一九四八年！那怎么办才能回去？
有时，人是个很奇怪的动物，在彼处时，想着此处，而在此处时，却思着彼处，尽管在彼处时，她并不很开心，尽管彼处的人曾在她的身心上刻划了痛苦的印痕！
换衣服是，我心里还是想着怎么才能回去？
换好衣服时，着实又让罗素文惊诧，她的带有玉兰花图案的浅紫色旗袍简直象似给我定做的一样。我摇身一变，变成了一个克隆人。
我们走下楼时，楼道里静悄悄的。可能素文的母亲还在睡着。宋妈看见我和素文一深一浅色旗袍，一梅花一玉兰花的旗袍上图案，一长发一卷发的两个人走下楼来，手中的药碗差点掉在地上。她口张的象吃包子一样。也难怪她“小姐！．．．．．＂其实，我心里的惊诧并不亚于她的。
素文对宋妈说：“宋妈，我妈好象还在睡着。你先把药碗放在一旁，去帮我们沏一壶上好的茶。”
宋妈很和气的应着，说着，就走到厨房去了。
素文引我走近客厅中的木沙发，我们还没有坐下，只听见院落内的有汽车的轰响，引擎闭火，有人关车门。
素文说：“可能是我妹静文和文钦回来了。”
门打开是，随之而入的先是午后的阳光。
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7 阳光之后，身着白色连衣裙的静文走了进来，后面跟随带有书生气的文钦，手中提着大包小包。
如果说，素文雍容华贵，温柔典雅，那静文则如同一束阳光，她走入屋内，把屋子照亮。
静文的灿烂笑容在看到我和素文后，一闪即逝。毫无例外的，文钦也楞了一下。
我真的很感激素文的善解人意，她马上对静文和文钦解释到：“这位是何旅西小姐！来，大家认识一下！”
静文和文钦两个人一起伸出手来，“罗静文！”“纪文钦！”“何小姐好！”
我迟疑一下，这两个人的名字如果放在一起时，就让我想起了一些事。出国前，爷爷曾说：“旅西，如果有一天，你去旧金山时，别忘了，去看我的老朋友纪文钦和他的妻子罗静文！”爷爷文革其间，被判入狱二十年。纪文钦曾是爷爷的狱友。
我还是尽量控制着我的情绪，“你们好！”接着，我禁不住了，“请问，纪先生可是清华毕业生？”
纪文钦的眼睛一亮，“对呀！”
我转身看了素文，又看了静文，问他们俩个，“那，罗先生，你们的父亲，可是在上海同济医院就职？”
素文和静文互相看了一下，一定在想，嘿，她怎么知道？
素文回答，“家父和我都在同济医院工作，但家父是医院的院长。我是医生。”
我已经猜对了答案的前一部分，世界上没有比这再巧的事情。所有的线索都连在一起了，只是，有一件事令我百思不得其解，为什么，我和素文竟然如此相象！
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8 我无法面对此时此刻，因为我来自未来。我无法对他们解释我的来历，因为那会吓着他们，我又如何对罗静文和纪文钦，这对即将结婚的热恋中的情人，象一个巫师一样，告诉他们，若干年后，你们将个分东西，若干年后，你们会在你们晚年时得以相聚。况且，从来没有听爷爷说过素文的事，也许，文钦从来没有对爷爷讲过，也许，素文她......
我想也不敢继续想，我的表情时而开心，时而惆怅，他们三人只好用好奇的目光看着我！
静文打破了僵局，“姐，看文钦为你买了什么？对了，文钦，请把那个白色的袋子递给我”总算有人把我从困境中解脱出来。
应着，“好吧！那袋子在这，静文，快找出来，拿给素文姐看！”文钦递给静文一个白色的袋子，她打开了一个袋子。
静文打开礼物时，我竟又差点晕了过去，首饰盒内放着一个带有着一朵紫色玫瑰的钻石胸针，我也有着同样的一枚。我出国前，老妈送給我时，只是轻描淡写的说了句，“旅西，你一定好好保存它！”
看素文的表情，我就知道，她有多喜欢那枚钻石胸针，象我当年一样，我越来越惊诧，我与素文之间有太多相似之处，无法解释。
罗先生回来时已是黄昏十分，罗太太也刚好下楼来。他们两人仔细看了又看，但也没有发现我和素文之间的不同。罗太太突然间，想起了一件事，她问：“何小姐，你可不可以让我看看你的右手腕儿？”我说：“好哇，没有问题。”
当她把我和素文的右手腕儿放在她的眼前一起时，屋内的人全都惊叫起来。素文和我一样，我们右手腕儿中间处都有一个青痣儿。
天已将晚，我起身告别，我身无分文，哪里是我的去处，即使在２００７年蒙特利尔时，在莫大的上海，我并不认识任何人，更何况是回到六十前。我尽量掩饰着我的黯然神伤，但还是被素文看透。
素文对我和她的父母说，就让何小姐和我住在一起多住我们几天吧！
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9 如果不是素文留我，我真的不知道怎样才能在这里生存下去。素文就是我的救命草，我匆忙之间抓住它。
晚上，和素文躺在一张大床上。说起文剀时，黑暗中，她很沉静，但我可以听出她言语之间的忧伤“我真的希望战争很快能够结束，这样一来，文剀就可以回家来。文剀和我同在上海医大读书，毕业后，我们就结了婚。可是，他却成了军医，随着部队转战各地。先是打日本，然后，又是国民党和共产党之间的内战，也不知什么时候是个头。虽然，上海暂时很平静，但谁知道呢？我每天在医院里看着那么多从前线下来的伤员，最恐惧的一件事，就是如果，我在伤员中看到文剀。。。”
我问她：“那你知道文剀他现在在哪？”
她停顿了一下，“我也不知道，只知道前几个月文剀他在徐州，已经好几个月没有她的消息了！所以我拼命地去拯救每一个伤员，我只是希望，如果文剀受伤，被送到另一个医院，别的医生也会象我对所有伤员一样待他！”她叹息。
我不知道用什么话安慰她，因为，对她来说，文剀吉凶未补。尽管我知道战争很快就要结束了，但以六十后的一个非常自我的何旅西，又怎样能够体会素文此时此刻的心情呢？
我也同样的思索着，床那边的素文说：“何小姐，睡吧！明天我还要去上班。”
不久，床那边的素文传来了均匀的呼吸声，我想，她已经进入了梦乡中，或许，她可以梦见文剀。而我，还在咬牙切齿的恨大卫，如果不是他气我失去理智，我也不会来到六十年前的上海。
黑暗里面的我，突然间灵机一动，对了，明天也可以随素文去她的医院，或许，我也可以帮上她一点忙。
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10 第二天，随素文来到医院后，我马上就后悔了。到处是横躺竖八的伤员，喊叫声，呻吟声，哭泣声，争吵着，此起彼伏，让我无法想象，素文这个富家小姐怎么才能承受这种折磨？素文说：“何小姐，你去找一下那边的护士，就和她们说，你是我的朋友，你也想帮忙。看她们需要帮忙，如果你能帮上忙，你就帮她们一点忙。”
我站在医院的走廊中，独自一人。看旧电影时，不曾想过此时此刻的情景，真的身入其镜时，的确是不知所措。一种悲凉无助之感涌入心头。
突然，有人拍了一下我的肩膀，“嘿，素文，在想什么呢？”
我回头一看，一个高个子的男医生站我的面前，微笑的看着我。
(接下来，事态怎样发展，还没有完全想好，不过结尾已经想好了）
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大结局
我再度醒来时，听见得自己肚子咕咕作响，睁开眼睛一看，我是躺在一个病床上，床前的柜子上摆放着一个玻璃花瓶，花瓶上满满的插着一大束红色的玫瑰，我正惊诧着，大卫走了进来，看我醒着，大踏步的来到我的床前，一把抓住我的手，急切的说：
"Lucie, See, you finally wake up. I wouldn't let you go another time. Don't leave me again. I followed you and you don't know how lucky you are. Please don't do it again. I love you, sweetie. Let's get married. Do you want to marry me?"
他一口气地把他的话说完，然后从他的衣袋里，拿出一个首饰盒。我的心都要跳了出来，首饰盒是一枚戒指。我其实等这一天等的很久了。只是大卫不肯说，我便和他吵，那天吵很了，我便摔门而去。
幸好，大卫跟随着我，我被及时送入医院，捡回了一条性命。
我默默地点点头，大卫发疯地用他的宽大的臂膀拥着我，在他的怀里，我可以听见他的心跳。我的泪划过我的脸，掉进我的口中，咸咸的。
我在泪光中，看见素文，她对着我微笑，她笑得象天使一样，给我带来了光亮。
2013年
六年后，我与大卫牵着手，走在旧金山的海滩上，身后，我们的一对儿女跟在我们的身后，他们在海边追逐着时而涌进时而退回的浪花，像是一对快乐的小鸟。
这是我们搬到旧金山的第二个夏天，我曾试图在电话号码薄上寻找过文钦和静文，但都没有如愿。只是一次偶然中，走入一家公墓，公墓中许多墓前，摆放着各色的鲜花。我偶然抬头间，竟冥冥之中，发现自己的眼前的一个花岗石墓碑上刻着一排中文小字，我立即蹲下身，阅读着: "文钦，我的至爱，爱妻静文 2011。"
文钦的墓碑的左侧，有着一块同样的墓碑，难道是静文，那个阳光女孩? 定神看去，碑文上写着："罗静文，一个为爱而生存的女人（1925-2012）"
我的眼前一片朦胧，我知道，这是静文一生的真实描述。
这周，蒙城降暴风雪，风雪弥漫，铺天盖地，让人很难提起心情，郁闷！不过，喜不自禁的是，构思了我的小说《前生后世缘之上海往事》。 故事梗概如下:
我们的今天和过去总是交错纵横着。没有人知道前生的事，但我们总可以把握今生的缘。小说中的何旅西曾为了爱情，旅居加国，然而，却爱情失意下，一场车祸中，她竟误入另一个历史时代，结识了罗家两姐妹，亲身经历了二十世纪四十年代末的上海往事，目睹了罗素文与罗静文的爱情故事与生离死别。旅西是否能重回现实中？
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1 我一直相信，我与大卫，总有一天，会分手。原因，按老妈话说，我与大卫是属象不合，水火不能相容，天长不能地久！我不是一迷信之人，硬是不肯信邪，执意追随大卫，移民加国。果真，老妈的话灵验了不是？
天，灰灰的，几乎没有一丝让人喘息的缝隙，无处不透出无力的惨白。马路两旁的枫树上的枫叶早已被初冬的北风刮得干净，留下光秃秃的树干和树枝在风中摇摇欲坠，飘舞着大粒雪片直向我的脸上刮来，很快，雪花化成了水，和我的泪水一起流淌下来。
当我摔门而出时，只听大卫在那声嘶力竭地喊我：“Lucie, If you leave this house, you won't come back!"
我恶狠狠的瞪了他一眼，甩给他一句话：“David, Please remember what I am saying right now. We are over."
风夹着雪，雪夹着风，向我直冲过来，风雪中，一切都是迷濛，一切周围万物都变得模糊不清，只剩那一片片的白茫茫。我毫无理智而言，我对周围的一切全然不知，尽管忙碌的雪犁车在努力地把道路上厚厚的雪推到马路两旁，尽管那些来来往往的车辆旋转着车轮，在雪路上打滑．．．．．．
我任凭着我的泪水和飘飞的雪花在我的脸上飞过，我任凭着我失落得不能再失落的心情随意挥霍着，我转过街角，横穿过马路，根本没有理会一闪一闪的雪犁车正从我的侧面推来，等我反应过来时，一切已经太迟！
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2 我醒来时，发现自己躺在草丛中，头象裂了开来。迷迷糊糊间，闻到了飘来的阵阵馨香儿。我睁开眼睛，看了看我自己，咦，奇怪呀，我哪儿也没有问题，全身完美无缺。我转头望望四周，我腾的一下子，坐了起来。明明的，刚刚在风雪中转过街角，只听得雪犁车在耳边轰轰作响，怎么我竟然躺在春天的草丛中？我再揉揉眼睛，睁大，仔细环顾一下四周，我一定是误闯入人家的后花园。花园中心处有着一个小型喷泉，喷泉的水在淙淙地流淌着，水池内飘浮着一朵朵白色睡莲。花园的围墙内，种的是十几棵玉兰花，清瘦的玉兰树枝上，绽开着一朵朵一尘不染的白。原来，阵阵清香是从玉兰花那边飘来的。
难道我已经死了吗？这里是天堂，还是在地狱？我用力按了按我的手心，不象！怎么，只是我的手心和手指冰冰的凉。
一个女佣模样的中年妇女，向我跑过来，边跑边喊，“小姐，有人闯入我们的花园里。”她跑近我时，我看得更仔细些，她方方正正的脸，大大的眼睛，有四十岁左右的年纪，身材倒是不胖不瘦，身着着蓝色白花图案的便襟儿的上衣和蓝色的长裤，她的头发盘在脑后。
随着中年妇女的喊声，我不禁向她喊去的方向瞧过去，的确，一个富家小姐模样的年轻女子正坐在青青葡萄藤架下的藤椅上读着书。从远处看，她的身材与我仿佛，但她更文雅脱俗些。长长的卷发刚好过肩，鹅蛋形的脸庞，暗紫色的梅花图案的旗袍衬托出较好的身材。
那中年妇女走进我时，用奇怪的眼光打量着我，楞了一下，我开始不一为然，但突然间，感到全身一阵燥热。敢情，我还穿着自己的白色羽绒服，白色的高领毛衣，和冬季长筒靴，头发一定乱蓬蓬的。我不禁，紧捂了一下我的羽绒服，象被偷看了赤裸裸的身体一样。
那中年妇女象审犯人一样大声地询问我，“你是谁？为什么跑到我们小姐家的后院来？”
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3 她的语气着实令我气恼，我也不客气地说：＂你又是谁？＂
那中年妇女气哼哼咕哝了一句，是一种方言，我听不懂，接着，她看我不懂，一脸无可奈何的样子，就说：＂好吧，你去和我们小姐去说吧．我才没有时间理会你呢。”
我不情愿的跟在她的身后，心里也觉得自己理亏。但还是自己给自己打气。那位小姐倒是和声细语：“宋妈，你快去厨房看看，我们替我妈妈熬的药可能快好了。这由我来处理吧！”
宋妈听了这位小姐的话，从花园的侧门走出去了。
我在这位小姐吩咐宋妈时，定定地看着这位小姐，吓了一跳。我是走入一面镜子中了吗？镜中的我却是另一人。奇怪的是，我们彼此的眉眼，身材，年纪，个头，倒没有一样不相同。所不同的是，我们是不同时代的人，不同的打扮，不同的装束，不同的发形，她的头发是长波浪式，而我的象平板一样直。
那位小姐吩咐完宋妈后，转身看了我，也定住了，我想，她一定和我一样的惶恐！
老妈从前没有提过，我曾有个双胞胎姐妹，即使有，以她的性格，心直口快的，也一定会告诉我。再说，眼前的这位小姐，简直和我是判若两人。
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4 那位小姐开口了，“这位小姐，您贵姓？您是怎么到我们家的后花园的？”她开口说话时，和和气气，竟然没有一丝毫埋怨之意。
我见她倒也和和气气，便也好生回答，“我是何旅西！真见鬼了，我刚刚还在风雪中，我也不知怎么来到这里的。对了，你们是不是在拍电影？”我是个十足的电影迷，每每遇事，总是想象自己身在电影中。我怎么知道自己怎么来到这里？刚刚和大卫一顿恶吵，我摔门而去，狂奔于在风雪中，然后我就来到这儿？鬼才知道怎么回事？“how do I know? ", 我嘟囔着，我想没人能懂！
那小姐看我嘟囔着，迟疑了一下，说，“拍电影？没有啊！这里是我的家，我免贵姓罗，罗素文！”
没有拍电影？那就更奇怪了，要不，我就是在梦中，可是，我每每做梦，从来没有这么清晰的景致，何况，一切都这么真实！
我禁不住又问，“罗，罗素文小姐，那这，到底是哪里？什么地方？”我开始有些语无伦次。
她看了看我，一定觉得这是个很奇怪的问题。她不加思索的说：“上海。”
“什么？上海？”我狂呼出声，罗素文一定会笑我没身份，我不能接受这个事实，我几乎晕了过去。我刚刚在冬天的蒙特利尔，竟然现在出现在春花烂漫的上海？还误入人家的花园。不可能！可能是我这人太戏剧话了，我也太有想象力了？我头摇了又摇？脸色一定难看的要死。我仔细地又打量了周围和罗素文，看了看她家花园里的藤椅和藤木茶几，再扫了一眼藤木茶几上的杂志，怎么杂志的封面全都是黑白色的，而且封面上的美女也都在怪怪的看着我。
我的心中充满了无数的问号，我知道，即使，我问罗素文，她也没法解释为什么。我沮丧极了，比刚刚和大卫吵架时还为沮丧。心里咬着牙，暗骂着大卫，都怪他，真是恨死他了，不然的话，我怎么会在这？
午后的阳光明媚，照得穿棉衣的我喘不过气来。我的头开始冒汗，心内比着火还要急。可是，急又有什么用？
罗素文小姐看出我的心思，也可能是同情我，说：“何小姐，不如你随我到楼上换一下衣服？你穿得太多了！今天太热了！”
我支支吾吾，“那怎么好？”但我有什么办法，只好既来之，又安之了！
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5 我跟随着罗素文小姐走出花园的側门。接着，走进了一个古老的二层小楼，深红的大木门，高高的木门槛，推开门，我只是觉得，我一定是走错了历史时代。屋子内所有的家具，布置都象回到了解放前在电影中的样子。橝香木的镂花屏风，搪瓷的古花瓶，清玉的小装饰，挥洒的字画，都不象我出国前的样子。
难道？我不敢继续多想。
我和罗小姐走在楼梯上，整个房子大而空旷，安静得很，只听见我们两人踩在木质楼梯上的吱吱声。楼上有四间很大的房间，两个房间的门半敞开着，两个房间的门紧闭着。罗小姐指着两扇关着门说，“那两间房是我爸妈的房间和书房，家母，最近身体不好，她正在她房间休息，这边两间房是我和静文的。静文是我的妹妹。”说着，她压低了她的声音。“这几天，她的男友文钦正好从部队回来，静文和他去南京路了！过几天，他们就要结婚了！”
罗小姐的房间和楼下同样古朴雅致，唯一让我出了一口气是，我看见一个比较现代式的金色相框，黑白照片中的罗小姐在微笑着，她身旁站着一个穿军服的英俊男子，他们两个很般配。
罗小姐注意到我的眼神落在了黑白照片上，解释道：“那是我的丈夫廖文剀，他去了前线打仗，母亲有病，我就搬回了家。那是我和文剀民国三十五年照的照片，两年了！”
什么？“民国三十五年？民国三十五年是那一年？”我禁不住追问。
我想，我已经让罗素文头疼了，我象一个外星人走进地球人的世界，不停在问这问那。罗小姐真是个好脾气，她告诉我：“现在是一九四八年。”
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6 看来，眼前的一切的一切证实了我的猜疑，我的的确确走进了历史的错层，都怪大卫，要不是他，我不会愤怒之下出走，我就不会走进一九四八年！那怎么办才能回去？
有时，人是个很奇怪的动物，在彼处时，想着此处，而在此处时，却思着彼处，尽管在彼处时，她并不很开心，尽管彼处的人曾在她的身心上刻划了痛苦的印痕！
换衣服是，我心里还是想着怎么才能回去？
换好衣服时，着实又让罗素文惊诧，她的带有玉兰花图案的浅紫色旗袍简直象似给我定做的一样。我摇身一变，变成了一个克隆人。
我们走下楼时，楼道里静悄悄的。可能素文的母亲还在睡着。宋妈看见我和素文一深一浅色旗袍，一梅花一玉兰花的旗袍上图案，一长发一卷发的两个人走下楼来，手中的药碗差点掉在地上。她口张的象吃包子一样。也难怪她“小姐！．．．．．＂其实，我心里的惊诧并不亚于她的。
素文对宋妈说：“宋妈，我妈好象还在睡着。你先把药碗放在一旁，去帮我们沏一壶上好的茶。”
宋妈很和气的应着，说着，就走到厨房去了。
素文引我走近客厅中的木沙发，我们还没有坐下，只听见院落内的有汽车的轰响，引擎闭火，有人关车门。
素文说：“可能是我妹静文和文钦回来了。”
门打开是，随之而入的先是午后的阳光。
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7 阳光之后，身着白色连衣裙的静文走了进来，后面跟随带有书生气的文钦，手中提着大包小包。
如果说，素文雍容华贵，温柔典雅，那静文则如同一束阳光，她走入屋内，把屋子照亮。
静文的灿烂笑容在看到我和素文后，一闪即逝。毫无例外的，文钦也楞了一下。
我真的很感激素文的善解人意，她马上对静文和文钦解释到：“这位是何旅西小姐！来，大家认识一下！”
静文和文钦两个人一起伸出手来，“罗静文！”“纪文钦！”“何小姐好！”
我迟疑一下，这两个人的名字如果放在一起时，就让我想起了一些事。出国前，爷爷曾说：“旅西，如果有一天，你去旧金山时，别忘了，去看我的老朋友纪文钦和他的妻子罗静文！”爷爷文革其间，被判入狱二十年。纪文钦曾是爷爷的狱友。
我还是尽量控制着我的情绪，“你们好！”接着，我禁不住了，“请问，纪先生可是清华毕业生？”
纪文钦的眼睛一亮，“对呀！”
我转身看了素文，又看了静文，问他们俩个，“那，罗先生，你们的父亲，可是在上海同济医院就职？”
素文和静文互相看了一下，一定在想，嘿，她怎么知道？
素文回答，“家父和我都在同济医院工作，但家父是医院的院长。我是医生。”
我已经猜对了答案的前一部分，世界上没有比这再巧的事情。所有的线索都连在一起了，只是，有一件事令我百思不得其解，为什么，我和素文竟然如此相象！
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8 我无法面对此时此刻，因为我来自未来。我无法对他们解释我的来历，因为那会吓着他们，我又如何对罗静文和纪文钦，这对即将结婚的热恋中的情人，象一个巫师一样，告诉他们，若干年后，你们将个分东西，若干年后，你们会在你们晚年时得以相聚。况且，从来没有听爷爷说过素文的事，也许，文钦从来没有对爷爷讲过，也许，素文她......
我想也不敢继续想，我的表情时而开心，时而惆怅，他们三人只好用好奇的目光看着我！
静文打破了僵局，“姐，看文钦为你买了什么？对了，文钦，请把那个白色的袋子递给我”总算有人把我从困境中解脱出来。
应着，“好吧！那袋子在这，静文，快找出来，拿给素文姐看！”文钦递给静文一个白色的袋子，她打开了一个袋子。
静文打开礼物时，我竟又差点晕了过去，首饰盒内放着一个带有着一朵紫色玫瑰的钻石胸针，我也有着同样的一枚。我出国前，老妈送給我时，只是轻描淡写的说了句，“旅西，你一定好好保存它！”
看素文的表情，我就知道，她有多喜欢那枚钻石胸针，象我当年一样，我越来越惊诧，我与素文之间有太多相似之处，无法解释。
罗先生回来时已是黄昏十分，罗太太也刚好下楼来。他们两人仔细看了又看，但也没有发现我和素文之间的不同。罗太太突然间，想起了一件事，她问：“何小姐，你可不可以让我看看你的右手腕儿？”我说：“好哇，没有问题。”
当她把我和素文的右手腕儿放在她的眼前一起时，屋内的人全都惊叫起来。素文和我一样，我们右手腕儿中间处都有一个青痣儿。
天已将晚，我起身告别，我身无分文，哪里是我的去处，即使在２００７年蒙特利尔时，在莫大的上海，我并不认识任何人，更何况是回到六十前。我尽量掩饰着我的黯然神伤，但还是被素文看透。
素文对我和她的父母说，就让何小姐和我住在一起多住我们几天吧！
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9 如果不是素文留我，我真的不知道怎样才能在这里生存下去。素文就是我的救命草，我匆忙之间抓住它。
晚上，和素文躺在一张大床上。说起文剀时，黑暗中，她很沉静，但我可以听出她言语之间的忧伤“我真的希望战争很快能够结束，这样一来，文剀就可以回家来。文剀和我同在上海医大读书，毕业后，我们就结了婚。可是，他却成了军医，随着部队转战各地。先是打日本，然后，又是国民党和共产党之间的内战，也不知什么时候是个头。虽然，上海暂时很平静，但谁知道呢？我每天在医院里看着那么多从前线下来的伤员，最恐惧的一件事，就是如果，我在伤员中看到文剀。。。”
我问她：“那你知道文剀他现在在哪？”
她停顿了一下，“我也不知道，只知道前几个月文剀他在徐州，已经好几个月没有她的消息了！所以我拼命地去拯救每一个伤员，我只是希望，如果文剀受伤，被送到另一个医院，别的医生也会象我对所有伤员一样待他！”她叹息。
我不知道用什么话安慰她，因为，对她来说，文剀吉凶未补。尽管我知道战争很快就要结束了，但以六十后的一个非常自我的何旅西，又怎样能够体会素文此时此刻的心情呢？
我也同样的思索着，床那边的素文说：“何小姐，睡吧！明天我还要去上班。”
不久，床那边的素文传来了均匀的呼吸声，我想，她已经进入了梦乡中，或许，她可以梦见文剀。而我，还在咬牙切齿的恨大卫，如果不是他气我失去理智，我也不会来到六十年前的上海。
黑暗里面的我，突然间灵机一动，对了，明天也可以随素文去她的医院，或许，我也可以帮上她一点忙。
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10 第二天，随素文来到医院后，我马上就后悔了。到处是横躺竖八的伤员，喊叫声，呻吟声，哭泣声，争吵着，此起彼伏，让我无法想象，素文这个富家小姐怎么才能承受这种折磨？素文说：“何小姐，你去找一下那边的护士，就和她们说，你是我的朋友，你也想帮忙。看她们需要帮忙，如果你能帮上忙，你就帮她们一点忙。”
我站在医院的走廊中，独自一人。看旧电影时，不曾想过此时此刻的情景，真的身入其镜时，的确是不知所措。一种悲凉无助之感涌入心头。
突然，有人拍了一下我的肩膀，“嘿，素文，在想什么呢？”
我回头一看，一个高个子的男医生站我的面前，微笑的看着我。
(接下来，事态怎样发展，还没有完全想好，不过结尾已经想好了）
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大结局
我再度醒来时，听见得自己肚子咕咕作响，睁开眼睛一看，我是躺在一个病床上，床前的柜子上摆放着一个玻璃花瓶，花瓶上满满的插着一大束红色的玫瑰，我正惊诧着，大卫走了进来，看我醒着，大踏步的来到我的床前，一把抓住我的手，急切的说：
"Lucie, See, you finally wake up. I wouldn't let you go another time. Don't leave me again. I followed you and you don't know how lucky you are. Please don't do it again. I love you, sweetie. Let's get married. Do you want to marry me?"
他一口气地把他的话说完，然后从他的衣袋里，拿出一个首饰盒。我的心都要跳了出来，首饰盒是一枚戒指。我其实等这一天等的很久了。只是大卫不肯说，我便和他吵，那天吵很了，我便摔门而去。
幸好，大卫跟随着我，我被及时送入医院，捡回了一条性命。
我默默地点点头，大卫发疯地用他的宽大的臂膀拥着我，在他的怀里，我可以听见他的心跳。我的泪划过我的脸，掉进我的口中，咸咸的。
我在泪光中，看见素文，她对着我微笑，她笑得象天使一样，给我带来了光亮。
2013年
六年后，我与大卫牵着手，走在旧金山的海滩上，身后，我们的一对儿女跟在我们的身后，他们在海边追逐着时而涌进时而退回的浪花，像是一对快乐的小鸟。
这是我们搬到旧金山的第二个夏天，我曾试图在电话号码薄上寻找过文钦和静文，但都没有如愿。只是一次偶然中，走入一家公墓，公墓中许多墓前，摆放着各色的鲜花。我偶然抬头间，竟冥冥之中，发现自己的眼前的一个花岗石墓碑上刻着一排中文小字，我立即蹲下身，阅读着: "文钦，我的至爱，爱妻静文 2011。"
文钦的墓碑的左侧，有着一块同样的墓碑，难道是静文，那个阳光女孩? 定神看去，碑文上写着："罗静文，一个为爱而生存的女人（1925-2012）"
我的眼前一片朦胧，我知道，这是静文一生的真实描述。
2007年12月4日星期二
2007年12月3日星期一
小小说-选择
早上醒来,大卫问:"琳琳,到你六十岁的时候,你最想做什么?"
我在迷迷糊糊之间回答: "有太多的事情要做，比如说，如果可以，学大师林语堂一样，把中国的好的东西传播出去，把国外的好的东西带回中国！如果不能马上做好,我可以去学,然后,去做!
大卫接着问:"你怎么知道你所做的事情是对还是错?"
我渐渐有些头脑清醒，看来，这不是一场普通而轻松的谈话。
我把一只手拿出被子，另一只手压在了枕头底下，回答说：“我也不知道，但我想要去做！而且，至于对错，无人知晓。生活中，人们有着太多的选择，他们可以选择看好的一面，也可以选择看坏的一面。我无法控制他人的思想。就象李安的电影，有的人看到的是色与欲，而有的人看待的是警醒！
再比如，林语堂的《吾国与吾民》中有那么些中国人的博大精深，可我们的一位老外朋友却偏偏看到了一小段落关于中国人的劣性的一面，还以此小段落引经据典。
再比如，象美国明州的大雪说：‘小时候就喜欢做一个写者，大了就总是说：老了再写就有时间了。有时间了就该把记忆中的那些捡起来，给自己，也给那些和我一样喜欢生活的人。’他才五十二岁，现在还在与肝癌做抗争。有时，生命给予我们的就是那么多年，我为什么不可以去做自己想做的事呢？”
之后，大卫沉默不语，终于，他继续说：“也许，我这一生可能做了一件错事！”
我问：“什么错误选择，选择了我吗？”我断了断，“如果说，你认为你错误的的选择了我，那你可以选择离开。”
大卫说：“我会离开的！”
说完，大卫穿上衣服，走了出去。
我本来想要去上课，看来已无意义！索性，紧捂住大而厚的被子，继续睡觉，但我毫无睡意。闹钟叮叮地想了起来。但我还是躺在床上沉思默想。被子的燥热，让我出了一身汗。
我在想着，生活中，有那么些我们不能控制的事，就象我们无法控制他人的思想，他人的选择，那就让他们自己做出他们自己的明智决择吧！但我们可以控制我们自己，决定自己想做的事，去做自己想做的事！
我在迷迷糊糊之间回答: "有太多的事情要做，比如说，如果可以，学大师林语堂一样，把中国的好的东西传播出去，把国外的好的东西带回中国！如果不能马上做好,我可以去学,然后,去做!
大卫接着问:"你怎么知道你所做的事情是对还是错?"
我渐渐有些头脑清醒，看来，这不是一场普通而轻松的谈话。
我把一只手拿出被子，另一只手压在了枕头底下，回答说：“我也不知道，但我想要去做！而且，至于对错，无人知晓。生活中，人们有着太多的选择，他们可以选择看好的一面，也可以选择看坏的一面。我无法控制他人的思想。就象李安的电影，有的人看到的是色与欲，而有的人看待的是警醒！
再比如，林语堂的《吾国与吾民》中有那么些中国人的博大精深，可我们的一位老外朋友却偏偏看到了一小段落关于中国人的劣性的一面，还以此小段落引经据典。
再比如，象美国明州的大雪说：‘小时候就喜欢做一个写者，大了就总是说：老了再写就有时间了。有时间了就该把记忆中的那些捡起来，给自己，也给那些和我一样喜欢生活的人。’他才五十二岁，现在还在与肝癌做抗争。有时，生命给予我们的就是那么多年，我为什么不可以去做自己想做的事呢？”
之后，大卫沉默不语，终于，他继续说：“也许，我这一生可能做了一件错事！”
我问：“什么错误选择，选择了我吗？”我断了断，“如果说，你认为你错误的的选择了我，那你可以选择离开。”
大卫说：“我会离开的！”
说完，大卫穿上衣服，走了出去。
我本来想要去上课，看来已无意义！索性，紧捂住大而厚的被子，继续睡觉，但我毫无睡意。闹钟叮叮地想了起来。但我还是躺在床上沉思默想。被子的燥热，让我出了一身汗。
我在想着，生活中，有那么些我们不能控制的事，就象我们无法控制他人的思想，他人的选择，那就让他们自己做出他们自己的明智决择吧！但我们可以控制我们自己，决定自己想做的事，去做自己想做的事！
2007年12月1日星期六
A Century of Dreams (1916-2016)
A Century of Dreams (1916-2016)
This book is dedicated to all women, especially my mom, whom I failed to show any understanding and sympathy. I want to shout my apology out loud, “Mom, I am so sorry! I wish I could have understood you earlier!”
This book is also inspired by my grandma, who experienced so many ups and downs in the past century but is still alive today in China. To me, she is a woman full of mysteries; a living witness of the dramatic changes undergone over the past hundred years.
The stories in this book are the stories of ordinary Chinese people, for I have always believed that ordinary people can do the extraordinary things.
“Ｗatch the winds and the clouds coming,
Ｃhat and smile in the storm,
Pursue the dreams in a century, and
Fulfill them over several generations. ”
坐看风云起，
笑谈风雨中。
百年追寻梦，
几代寻梦人。
Main Characters of Centurial Dreams:
喦 Yan was born in a rich landlord family in northeast in 1916. She had a high education at that time. She worked in a bank in Manchuria in her early twenties, subsequently she was married to a general of the Nationalist Army.
小玉 Xiaoyu, Yan’s daughter, was born in Beijing in 1946.
依凡 Yifan, Xiaoyu’s second daughter and Yan’s granddaughter, was born in a valley in Heilongjiang Province in 1969．
雨晴 Yuqing, Xiaoyu’s first daughter and Yifan's half-sister, was born in 1966 in another small village closed to where Yifan lived. After Yuqing was born, Yuqing’s father left Xiaoyu and Yuqing, and he never came back. Xiaoyu was forced to give Yuqing to a neighbour.
Prologue
If we look at the people around us, it is not hard to see that each of us has her own stories to tell. Ordinary person like you and me, believe it or not, can sometimes even make the headlines with our stories with all our different views and values. Each one of us is playing the leading role in our own lives. In an ideal society, people are supposed to have the rights to do certain things within the legal framework and according to the rules of ethics. People can choose where and how to live their lives. They can marry whomever they love, and pursue happiness in the way they see fit. However, does reality always work like this?
The answer is “No, Reality doesn't alway work that way!"
Just recently, a recurring scene almost like a short movie has been playing out in my mind. At dawn in early spring in northeast, my mom is busy preparing several barrels of zhushi (pig feed) for the pigs in the shed. She has to carry two barrels, a fairly heavy load for a 12-year-old girl, on each trip she makes from the barn. The pig shed is about a thousand meters away from the barn. Thus shouldering her heavy burden, she slowly makes her way against the cold wind of the Northeast Prairie. Not far from the pigs’ shed is Bawuqi Prison, situated in Heilongjian Province, near the Chinese-Russia border. There, my grandpa spent 17 years, imprisoned for the so-called "political reason". The surroundings are quiet, and most of the people in the small town have no doubt still lying comfortably in their beds, busy dreaming. From outside the prison, you can hear the sounds of prisoners’ running and guards’ shouting. My Mom has had to drop out of school in order to earn enough money to support her family and her older brother's study. Her happiest moments at the time, she recalled fifty years later, come when she could distinguish her father’s voices from those of the other prisoners. As you shall see in this novel, My Mom is someone who, for reasons relating to family, was not able to control her own destiny in a very special time in China's history. In the worst case, she could not choose whom she married.
A Century of Dreams is a novel -part fiction, part fact- based on the true story of three-generations of women living in an ordinary family as they play out in those special years of China's history. It relates to the stories of their loves, their marriages, the misunderstandings they encountered as well as their dreams, struggles, and moments of happiness. It is not only a novel, but also is a hundred year history of the people of Northeast China, our values, our way of thought, and our anxieties. What is important is not merely the individual stories of these people,but indomitable spirit that drives them on to realize thier dreams and pursue their happiness.
Chapter 1
Yan's Home, 63 Taishan Road, Shenyang, 2016
Yan sat quietly next to the window; looking out at the grapevines she had planted over these many years. In the summer, those grapevines were her companions, and they covered half of the big window with strings of medium-sized green grapes. Yan looked up at the sky,now almost dark with clouds, and sensed the oncoming storm. She was waiting anxiously for the telephone to ring. Yan murmured to herself, "Has the doctor finished Xiaoyu's operation? Where is Yiying? Why hasn't Yiling called me to let me know what is happened to Xiaoyu?"
She stood up and looked around her room, which was about 10 square meters. Either it was because the house had not been painted for so many years or just due to the cloud-covered sky outside the window, her room looked a little gloomy and the furniture and furnishings old-fashioned. It was now already a decade since Yunli, Yan's husband(Yan always called him Laotou), had passed away! A decade had flown by in a flash.
In that time, Yan had pretended not to hear anything she hadn't wanted to listen to. She knew very well what her children and her grandchildren were saying behind her back. She just pretented to be a deaf. Sometimes, she wondered what they quarrelled about.
China had undergone so many changes since Laotou had gone. She could see this from watching TV. Occasionally, Xiaoyinzi, Yan's second son, forced her to go outside. Whenever the car drove down Chongshan Street or Qishan Street, Yan was so amazed by those skyscrapers and the many cars that crowed the streets. She couldn't count how many new high-rise buildings had been built in her neighbourhood over the past decade. She just thought to herself, "Hopefully, they won't come to my Taishan Street before I die!"
After Laotou passed away, Xiaowei, Yan’s third son, had repeatedly asked to have Yan's room renovated. Yan, however, refused to do so. She always told them, "I might die tomorrow. Why don't you wait until I die?"
In fact, Yan's children didn't know what she was thinking and why she would get so upset whenever they suggested making changes to her room. All she wanted was to keep it just as it had been when Laotou was still alive. Because, in this room in its every corner, she could feel his presence. He never left her. was always there by her side during those lonely days. Again and Again, she seemed to see Laotou sitting there on that old sofa, reading his "Chuang Tzu" with his right handas he stroked his long white beard with his right, his face expressing a deep satisfaction.
Yan walked slowly to the door. To the right of the dark brown door was an old-fashioned calendar hanging on the wall. Yan liked to use this old calendar. When her children came to visit her and complained, "Ma, why don't you get a new calendar?", she would sigh,
"I've gotten used to this old one."
Yan looked at the calendar, whispering, "Today is the fourteenth day of the lunar year in June. In a few more days, it will be my 100th birthday." As she reflected on this, she slowly made her way back to the window and looked up the dark sky. Outside, A brisk wind started to blow.
Then, she sat back on her bed next to the window. “Xiaoyinzi, XiaoWei, and Xiaoyu have been discussing my birthday, and they told me, all the relatives and all my grandchildren would be here to celerate no matter how far away they were. Yifan called me from Canada last night and spoke so loudly that she would be on her way today. I am sure she thought I couldn't hear anything, but I could. Unfortunately, Laotou and Xiaozheng no longer with me. And, Xiaoyu is in the hospital."
Once Again, Yan went back to her boundless meditation.
Chapter 2
Montreal Pierre Trudeau Airport, Montreal, Canada 2016
Yifan rushes into the Montreal Pierre Trudeau Airport. On her face is full of anxieties. She looks like about 40 years old, wearing a dark purple T-shirt and a pair of long black pants. Perhaps she is distracted; she spends about 10 minutes to check in on the aero-check machine. At last, she has her boarding ticket and luggage labels printed.
For a long time, Yifan hasn't travelled on her own. She hardly remembered when the last travel was. But she can feel that the great tension of being traveling alone and her worries about her mom. She can not squeeze them off.
"Have the doctors finished Mom’s operation? Is Mom fine?" The more questions she asks herself, the more nervous she is.
Before she packed her belongings last night, she had spoken with her Laolao (Grandma). She could repeat every word Laolao said last night. Laolao’s voice was trembling, “Yifan, come back quickly, and I have something to tell you.
Yifan have been planning this trip for several years. Inside her heart, she hopes its coming soon, but she tried to put it off for some reasons.
The reason Yifan kept on postponing this trip is that she doesn't know how to deal with it. It likes that you are watching the sky falling down to the ground but you don't know how to avoid it. She could not anticipate what will happen.
Besides visiting her mom and her grandma, Yifan has been always thinking to look for Yuqing, Yifan's half sister, whom Yifan's mom was forced to give to mom’s neighbour in another small valley in 1966.
While standing on the airport escalator, Yifan looks around and spots a duty-free store on the right of the escalator. On the shelves must be the nineth book of Harry Potter, she thinks, despite of looking at it from a long distance.
In the year 2007, J.K. Rowling published her seventh book, Harry Potter and Deathly Hollow. J.K. had decided to stop writing, and J.K. told the readers that she wouldn’t continue on it. Many Harry Potter readers and movie fans were so disappointed. However, five years later, J.K. returned on the stage.
“Did I buy Harry Potter 7 on the way to Toronto in the Montreal Airport?.” She is muttering, " I did!"
Perhaps either she came from the different cultural background or Yifan was too in that time, she read only the dedication on the first page. Then, the book of Harry Potter became a decoration of her bookshelf. Before the seventh book of Harry Potter published, a lot of the readers guessed Harry Potter would have been died in the battle with the black evil. But as the book came out, Harry defeated the Black evil and survived. The book ended with a happy note.
Surprisingly, AL grew up so quickly and started to read the books of Harry Potter . Harry Potter 7, in the end, is worth what Yifan paid for.
Thinking about AL, Yifan just remembered that AL had asked Yifan a few days ago, “Mom, a lot of my friend is reading Harry Potter 9. Could you get a copy for me?”
“I will, but you have to wait until I am free!” For the past ten years, Yifan always responded so.
Yifan feels that she owns a lot to AL. She always has her own excuses.
This is no wonder why AL has complained, “Mom, when do you think you will have time?”
As she passed the book store on the escalator and walked toward the book store.
Chapter 3
Shengyan Sujiantu Hospital, Shenyang, 2016
Yiling stood by the big white hospital bed, where her mom Xiaoyu was sleeping right now. Yiling looked very tired and anxious. Mom just had the operations done and seemed fine at this moment. Yiying was watching the big monitor beside mom's bed and listening to the sounds beeping. Sometimes she could get very nervous when the monitor had some irregular sounds. She thought she would be crashed if Dajie Yifan and Erjie Yijie could not come back from abroad
as soon as possible.
A thought came across Yiling mind. She just suddenly realized that she forgot to call her Laolao and let her know that mom's operation. She walked out of the room and turned on her cell phone.
Chapter 4
Shenyang Sujiatun Hospital, Shenyang, 2016
Xiao couldn’t open her eyes because there are some white lights in front of her. She soon found out that actually what made her suddenly sightless were sunlights. It was a sunny outside, but she felt rather chilly.
Trees were covered with snow, so was the ground. In the end of a long and quiet alley stood a ramshackle, thatched cottage. Following along the footprints on the ground and across the train tracks, Xiaoyu walked slowly toward the cottage.
“Have I been here before? I must have been here before, but how come I could not recall?”She asked herself.
As Xiaoyu got closer to the cottage, she could overhear someone inside the house talking since the door was left ajar.
“Niang (mom), some classmates are joking with me that I am not your real daughter. They said you found me in the garbage bin. Is it true? ” A 12 year-old girl wept and asked her mother.
The mother inside the house did not immediately answer her daughter; she saved her breath, then she cleared her throat, "Yuqing, who said that? Don’t listen to the gossip and nonsense! Who said that?”
Looking at her mom, Yuqing lowered her voice, “ Xiaoping and Wenwen told me that.”
Even the little girl haven’t finished her talking, the mother had walked out of the house!
Seeing a vague outline of the little girl from a distance, Xiaoyu was really curious to get closer to that girl. Nevertheless, Xiaoyu could not move her numb legs.
“Wu……”
Suddenly, a train has run like split with a long and depressed whistling from a distance, Xiaoyu was horrified.
When Xiaoyu woke up, she found himself lying on the hospital beds. Outside the room, she could hear some people talking.
Chapter 5
Legends of Phoenix
“One day in the beginning times, the sun looked down and saw a large bird with shimmering feathers. They were red and gold--bright and dazzling like the sun itself. The sun called out, "Glorious Phoenix, you shall be my bird and live forever!" Live forever!”(The quote is borrowed from the story of Phoenix). In China, Phoenix is a symbol of pursuit of happiness and desire for a better and harmony lives. It was said that phoenix can builds its own funeral pyre and throws itself into the flames. After it dies, it can be reborn again.
Yan was still sitting there by the window and immersed herself deeply in her memory...
The year (1946) when Xiaoyu was born was the year after that Japanese was defeated in war. It was a mild winter. In the New Year Eve, red couplets and red lanterns were displayed on the doorframes of almost everyone's houses lighting up the atmosphere. The air is filled with strong and happy emotions. People were happy because Japanese finally gone back to Japan although there was still a civil war going on between Nationalist and Communist.
In the afternoon of Sanshier, one day before Chinese New Year, Wu Ma, Yan’s servant, was busy cooking in the kitchen to prepare a lot of food for the night of Chuxi, New Year Eve. Wu Ma just had given Yan’s home a through cleaning. Yan stayed in the living room to prepare the baby clothes. Because the baby was in her tummy, Yan felt difficult to breath. Yan knows that she could not stop her preparation before the baby was born.
Wu Ma rushed into the living room and spoke to her in a hurry, “ Taitai, Laoye(the master) comes back, and he is at the entrance of our house. Pu Shu (Wu Ma’s husband) is helping Laoye to move Laoye luggage.”
In Yan’s heart, she could not describe how excited she was. But Yan is a person who used to hide all her feeling all the times. She felt something coming out from her eyes, hot and salty, but she quickly took out her plum blossom silk handkerchief to wipe it off.
Yan opened the door. Just in front of her stood Yuli who are smiling at her. Yun Li tried to hold Yan, but he could not get closer to her because of her big tummy. He smiled, "Yan, I won’t leave you and our children again"
Yunli’s army moved back from Zhangjiakou to Beijing. This time, he could stay at home for the Chinese New Year.
Three-year-old Xiaozheng run from the outside into the living room. He looked up the man wearing the uniform holding mom. Yan bent her body, patted Zhenger’s back, and hold his warm and soft hand saying: "Zhenger, Call you daddy. Your daddy just returned home. He will be with us for the new year."
Xiaoyu was born on the seventh day of the first moon of Chinese lunar year of 1946. In Chinese old sayings, the seventh day of the first month is traditionally known as renri 人日, the common man's birthday, the day when everyone grows one year older. This saying is kind of similar as said in Genesis of the Bible. Bible says that God created men and women. However, Chinese said, the first few days of the first month of lunar year are the birthdays of the animals, and the seventh day is the day for human beings. Usually, families in the north prepare noodles to eat in that day.
Because of the Chinese New Year, there were incenses burning in the room where Yan stayed. At the moment that Yan tried to push her baby out, everyone in the room sensed that the smells of incenses are more fragrant than ever before. As the Jieshengpo, the old lady who helped to deliver the baby, said to Yan, “Congratulation, Taitai, you are having a guinu (a girl) this time. See how lucky you are! Now you have a boy and a girl. Taitai, Did you smell the incenses in this room very special? This girl must become a phoenix in the future!” Yan sighed.
Yunli hold his tiny and crying daughter and told Yan, “Let’s call her Xiaoyu!, what do you think?”
(Continued)[/b]
_________________
坐看风云起，
笑谈风雨中。
百年追寻梦，
几代寻梦人。
This book is dedicated to all women, especially my mom, whom I failed to show any understanding and sympathy. I want to shout my apology out loud, “Mom, I am so sorry! I wish I could have understood you earlier!”
This book is also inspired by my grandma, who experienced so many ups and downs in the past century but is still alive today in China. To me, she is a woman full of mysteries; a living witness of the dramatic changes undergone over the past hundred years.
The stories in this book are the stories of ordinary Chinese people, for I have always believed that ordinary people can do the extraordinary things.
“Ｗatch the winds and the clouds coming,
Ｃhat and smile in the storm,
Pursue the dreams in a century, and
Fulfill them over several generations. ”
坐看风云起，
笑谈风雨中。
百年追寻梦，
几代寻梦人。
Main Characters of Centurial Dreams:
喦 Yan was born in a rich landlord family in northeast in 1916. She had a high education at that time. She worked in a bank in Manchuria in her early twenties, subsequently she was married to a general of the Nationalist Army.
小玉 Xiaoyu, Yan’s daughter, was born in Beijing in 1946.
依凡 Yifan, Xiaoyu’s second daughter and Yan’s granddaughter, was born in a valley in Heilongjiang Province in 1969．
雨晴 Yuqing, Xiaoyu’s first daughter and Yifan's half-sister, was born in 1966 in another small village closed to where Yifan lived. After Yuqing was born, Yuqing’s father left Xiaoyu and Yuqing, and he never came back. Xiaoyu was forced to give Yuqing to a neighbour.
Prologue
If we look at the people around us, it is not hard to see that each of us has her own stories to tell. Ordinary person like you and me, believe it or not, can sometimes even make the headlines with our stories with all our different views and values. Each one of us is playing the leading role in our own lives. In an ideal society, people are supposed to have the rights to do certain things within the legal framework and according to the rules of ethics. People can choose where and how to live their lives. They can marry whomever they love, and pursue happiness in the way they see fit. However, does reality always work like this?
The answer is “No, Reality doesn't alway work that way!"
Just recently, a recurring scene almost like a short movie has been playing out in my mind. At dawn in early spring in northeast, my mom is busy preparing several barrels of zhushi (pig feed) for the pigs in the shed. She has to carry two barrels, a fairly heavy load for a 12-year-old girl, on each trip she makes from the barn. The pig shed is about a thousand meters away from the barn. Thus shouldering her heavy burden, she slowly makes her way against the cold wind of the Northeast Prairie. Not far from the pigs’ shed is Bawuqi Prison, situated in Heilongjian Province, near the Chinese-Russia border. There, my grandpa spent 17 years, imprisoned for the so-called "political reason". The surroundings are quiet, and most of the people in the small town have no doubt still lying comfortably in their beds, busy dreaming. From outside the prison, you can hear the sounds of prisoners’ running and guards’ shouting. My Mom has had to drop out of school in order to earn enough money to support her family and her older brother's study. Her happiest moments at the time, she recalled fifty years later, come when she could distinguish her father’s voices from those of the other prisoners. As you shall see in this novel, My Mom is someone who, for reasons relating to family, was not able to control her own destiny in a very special time in China's history. In the worst case, she could not choose whom she married.
A Century of Dreams is a novel -part fiction, part fact- based on the true story of three-generations of women living in an ordinary family as they play out in those special years of China's history. It relates to the stories of their loves, their marriages, the misunderstandings they encountered as well as their dreams, struggles, and moments of happiness. It is not only a novel, but also is a hundred year history of the people of Northeast China, our values, our way of thought, and our anxieties. What is important is not merely the individual stories of these people,but indomitable spirit that drives them on to realize thier dreams and pursue their happiness.
Chapter 1
Yan's Home, 63 Taishan Road, Shenyang, 2016
Yan sat quietly next to the window; looking out at the grapevines she had planted over these many years. In the summer, those grapevines were her companions, and they covered half of the big window with strings of medium-sized green grapes. Yan looked up at the sky,now almost dark with clouds, and sensed the oncoming storm. She was waiting anxiously for the telephone to ring. Yan murmured to herself, "Has the doctor finished Xiaoyu's operation? Where is Yiying? Why hasn't Yiling called me to let me know what is happened to Xiaoyu?"
She stood up and looked around her room, which was about 10 square meters. Either it was because the house had not been painted for so many years or just due to the cloud-covered sky outside the window, her room looked a little gloomy and the furniture and furnishings old-fashioned. It was now already a decade since Yunli, Yan's husband(Yan always called him Laotou), had passed away! A decade had flown by in a flash.
In that time, Yan had pretended not to hear anything she hadn't wanted to listen to. She knew very well what her children and her grandchildren were saying behind her back. She just pretented to be a deaf. Sometimes, she wondered what they quarrelled about.
China had undergone so many changes since Laotou had gone. She could see this from watching TV. Occasionally, Xiaoyinzi, Yan's second son, forced her to go outside. Whenever the car drove down Chongshan Street or Qishan Street, Yan was so amazed by those skyscrapers and the many cars that crowed the streets. She couldn't count how many new high-rise buildings had been built in her neighbourhood over the past decade. She just thought to herself, "Hopefully, they won't come to my Taishan Street before I die!"
After Laotou passed away, Xiaowei, Yan’s third son, had repeatedly asked to have Yan's room renovated. Yan, however, refused to do so. She always told them, "I might die tomorrow. Why don't you wait until I die?"
In fact, Yan's children didn't know what she was thinking and why she would get so upset whenever they suggested making changes to her room. All she wanted was to keep it just as it had been when Laotou was still alive. Because, in this room in its every corner, she could feel his presence. He never left her. was always there by her side during those lonely days. Again and Again, she seemed to see Laotou sitting there on that old sofa, reading his "Chuang Tzu" with his right handas he stroked his long white beard with his right, his face expressing a deep satisfaction.
Yan walked slowly to the door. To the right of the dark brown door was an old-fashioned calendar hanging on the wall. Yan liked to use this old calendar. When her children came to visit her and complained, "Ma, why don't you get a new calendar?", she would sigh,
"I've gotten used to this old one."
Yan looked at the calendar, whispering, "Today is the fourteenth day of the lunar year in June. In a few more days, it will be my 100th birthday." As she reflected on this, she slowly made her way back to the window and looked up the dark sky. Outside, A brisk wind started to blow.
Then, she sat back on her bed next to the window. “Xiaoyinzi, XiaoWei, and Xiaoyu have been discussing my birthday, and they told me, all the relatives and all my grandchildren would be here to celerate no matter how far away they were. Yifan called me from Canada last night and spoke so loudly that she would be on her way today. I am sure she thought I couldn't hear anything, but I could. Unfortunately, Laotou and Xiaozheng no longer with me. And, Xiaoyu is in the hospital."
Once Again, Yan went back to her boundless meditation.
Chapter 2
Montreal Pierre Trudeau Airport, Montreal, Canada 2016
Yifan rushes into the Montreal Pierre Trudeau Airport. On her face is full of anxieties. She looks like about 40 years old, wearing a dark purple T-shirt and a pair of long black pants. Perhaps she is distracted; she spends about 10 minutes to check in on the aero-check machine. At last, she has her boarding ticket and luggage labels printed.
For a long time, Yifan hasn't travelled on her own. She hardly remembered when the last travel was. But she can feel that the great tension of being traveling alone and her worries about her mom. She can not squeeze them off.
"Have the doctors finished Mom’s operation? Is Mom fine?" The more questions she asks herself, the more nervous she is.
Before she packed her belongings last night, she had spoken with her Laolao (Grandma). She could repeat every word Laolao said last night. Laolao’s voice was trembling, “Yifan, come back quickly, and I have something to tell you.
Yifan have been planning this trip for several years. Inside her heart, she hopes its coming soon, but she tried to put it off for some reasons.
The reason Yifan kept on postponing this trip is that she doesn't know how to deal with it. It likes that you are watching the sky falling down to the ground but you don't know how to avoid it. She could not anticipate what will happen.
Besides visiting her mom and her grandma, Yifan has been always thinking to look for Yuqing, Yifan's half sister, whom Yifan's mom was forced to give to mom’s neighbour in another small valley in 1966.
While standing on the airport escalator, Yifan looks around and spots a duty-free store on the right of the escalator. On the shelves must be the nineth book of Harry Potter, she thinks, despite of looking at it from a long distance.
In the year 2007, J.K. Rowling published her seventh book, Harry Potter and Deathly Hollow. J.K. had decided to stop writing, and J.K. told the readers that she wouldn’t continue on it. Many Harry Potter readers and movie fans were so disappointed. However, five years later, J.K. returned on the stage.
“Did I buy Harry Potter 7 on the way to Toronto in the Montreal Airport?.” She is muttering, " I did!"
Perhaps either she came from the different cultural background or Yifan was too in that time, she read only the dedication on the first page. Then, the book of Harry Potter became a decoration of her bookshelf. Before the seventh book of Harry Potter published, a lot of the readers guessed Harry Potter would have been died in the battle with the black evil. But as the book came out, Harry defeated the Black evil and survived. The book ended with a happy note.
Surprisingly, AL grew up so quickly and started to read the books of Harry Potter . Harry Potter 7, in the end, is worth what Yifan paid for.
Thinking about AL, Yifan just remembered that AL had asked Yifan a few days ago, “Mom, a lot of my friend is reading Harry Potter 9. Could you get a copy for me?”
“I will, but you have to wait until I am free!” For the past ten years, Yifan always responded so.
Yifan feels that she owns a lot to AL. She always has her own excuses.
This is no wonder why AL has complained, “Mom, when do you think you will have time?”
As she passed the book store on the escalator and walked toward the book store.
Chapter 3
Shengyan Sujiantu Hospital, Shenyang, 2016
Yiling stood by the big white hospital bed, where her mom Xiaoyu was sleeping right now. Yiling looked very tired and anxious. Mom just had the operations done and seemed fine at this moment. Yiying was watching the big monitor beside mom's bed and listening to the sounds beeping. Sometimes she could get very nervous when the monitor had some irregular sounds. She thought she would be crashed if Dajie Yifan and Erjie Yijie could not come back from abroad
as soon as possible.
A thought came across Yiling mind. She just suddenly realized that she forgot to call her Laolao and let her know that mom's operation. She walked out of the room and turned on her cell phone.
Chapter 4
Shenyang Sujiatun Hospital, Shenyang, 2016
Xiao couldn’t open her eyes because there are some white lights in front of her. She soon found out that actually what made her suddenly sightless were sunlights. It was a sunny outside, but she felt rather chilly.
Trees were covered with snow, so was the ground. In the end of a long and quiet alley stood a ramshackle, thatched cottage. Following along the footprints on the ground and across the train tracks, Xiaoyu walked slowly toward the cottage.
“Have I been here before? I must have been here before, but how come I could not recall?”She asked herself.
As Xiaoyu got closer to the cottage, she could overhear someone inside the house talking since the door was left ajar.
“Niang (mom), some classmates are joking with me that I am not your real daughter. They said you found me in the garbage bin. Is it true? ” A 12 year-old girl wept and asked her mother.
The mother inside the house did not immediately answer her daughter; she saved her breath, then she cleared her throat, "Yuqing, who said that? Don’t listen to the gossip and nonsense! Who said that?”
Looking at her mom, Yuqing lowered her voice, “ Xiaoping and Wenwen told me that.”
Even the little girl haven’t finished her talking, the mother had walked out of the house!
Seeing a vague outline of the little girl from a distance, Xiaoyu was really curious to get closer to that girl. Nevertheless, Xiaoyu could not move her numb legs.
“Wu……”
Suddenly, a train has run like split with a long and depressed whistling from a distance, Xiaoyu was horrified.
When Xiaoyu woke up, she found himself lying on the hospital beds. Outside the room, she could hear some people talking.
Chapter 5
Legends of Phoenix
“One day in the beginning times, the sun looked down and saw a large bird with shimmering feathers. They were red and gold--bright and dazzling like the sun itself. The sun called out, "Glorious Phoenix, you shall be my bird and live forever!" Live forever!”(The quote is borrowed from the story of Phoenix). In China, Phoenix is a symbol of pursuit of happiness and desire for a better and harmony lives. It was said that phoenix can builds its own funeral pyre and throws itself into the flames. After it dies, it can be reborn again.
Yan was still sitting there by the window and immersed herself deeply in her memory...
The year (1946) when Xiaoyu was born was the year after that Japanese was defeated in war. It was a mild winter. In the New Year Eve, red couplets and red lanterns were displayed on the doorframes of almost everyone's houses lighting up the atmosphere. The air is filled with strong and happy emotions. People were happy because Japanese finally gone back to Japan although there was still a civil war going on between Nationalist and Communist.
In the afternoon of Sanshier, one day before Chinese New Year, Wu Ma, Yan’s servant, was busy cooking in the kitchen to prepare a lot of food for the night of Chuxi, New Year Eve. Wu Ma just had given Yan’s home a through cleaning. Yan stayed in the living room to prepare the baby clothes. Because the baby was in her tummy, Yan felt difficult to breath. Yan knows that she could not stop her preparation before the baby was born.
Wu Ma rushed into the living room and spoke to her in a hurry, “ Taitai, Laoye(the master) comes back, and he is at the entrance of our house. Pu Shu (Wu Ma’s husband) is helping Laoye to move Laoye luggage.”
In Yan’s heart, she could not describe how excited she was. But Yan is a person who used to hide all her feeling all the times. She felt something coming out from her eyes, hot and salty, but she quickly took out her plum blossom silk handkerchief to wipe it off.
Yan opened the door. Just in front of her stood Yuli who are smiling at her. Yun Li tried to hold Yan, but he could not get closer to her because of her big tummy. He smiled, "Yan, I won’t leave you and our children again"
Yunli’s army moved back from Zhangjiakou to Beijing. This time, he could stay at home for the Chinese New Year.
Three-year-old Xiaozheng run from the outside into the living room. He looked up the man wearing the uniform holding mom. Yan bent her body, patted Zhenger’s back, and hold his warm and soft hand saying: "Zhenger, Call you daddy. Your daddy just returned home. He will be with us for the new year."
Xiaoyu was born on the seventh day of the first moon of Chinese lunar year of 1946. In Chinese old sayings, the seventh day of the first month is traditionally known as renri 人日, the common man's birthday, the day when everyone grows one year older. This saying is kind of similar as said in Genesis of the Bible. Bible says that God created men and women. However, Chinese said, the first few days of the first month of lunar year are the birthdays of the animals, and the seventh day is the day for human beings. Usually, families in the north prepare noodles to eat in that day.
Because of the Chinese New Year, there were incenses burning in the room where Yan stayed. At the moment that Yan tried to push her baby out, everyone in the room sensed that the smells of incenses are more fragrant than ever before. As the Jieshengpo, the old lady who helped to deliver the baby, said to Yan, “Congratulation, Taitai, you are having a guinu (a girl) this time. See how lucky you are! Now you have a boy and a girl. Taitai, Did you smell the incenses in this room very special? This girl must become a phoenix in the future!” Yan sighed.
Yunli hold his tiny and crying daughter and told Yan, “Let’s call her Xiaoyu!, what do you think?”
(Continued)[/b]
_________________
坐看风云起，
笑谈风雨中。
百年追寻梦，
几代寻梦人。
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