Xu Xuzhi

Chapter 23 The Lantern Festival

The concept of the Chinese New Year is from the first day to the fifteenth day of the new year. During this half month, Feng Jiu had a very fulfilling life: In addition to reading, practicing calligraphy, playing the piano, learning English and French as usual, and teaching the five-year-old What's more, I don't work hard to write and play with him; what's more, I talk and laugh with my elder sister-in-law and younger sister Feng Ling with my elderly grandma. These are daily routines at home.

From the beginning of the fifth day of the fifth day, I took the family car to visit Melanie's house and other family friends' homes to pay New Year's greetings, and then went to the respected teacher's house of Tongze Middle School with other classmates who came back from college for the winter vacation.It is impossible to say that Feng Jiu has no idea in his heart after seeing all the middle school students who went to college have different looks.

Of course, eating is also an important part of the Chinese New Year. Naturally, there are all kinds of traditional Chinese New Year dishes in the north - balls with various fillings, twists, Sanzi, etc., plus a variety of colorful dumplings. Feng Jiu, who has eaten all kinds of grief and anger for more than half a year, has also gained a lot of weight, and his double chins are faintly visible.

The days flew by quickly.

The two broke up after the last Xiao Taohong incident. Although Fengjiu promised her father to appease the irritated fiancé, she never actually took action, because she was sure of one thing and just waited for Ning Zheng to make a move. up.

Even in the new era, there are not many opportunities for unmarried men and women to meet before marriage. Every family is afraid that if they meet too many times, some scandals will happen. After all, unmarried couples feel that it is very likely that they will be this person in this life. It is also possible to be suppressed not so seriously, and thus to have other thoughts, and to make some unspeakable things.

For example, there are news that some newlyweds can give birth to a baby only half a year after entering the country. Although the two families strongly emphasize that the baby is a premature baby, just look at this "premature baby" who is even more mature than a full-term baby. Even if he is not tall enough, he knows that the attempt to hide someone is doomed to be futile.

It just adds to the conversation between relatives and friends after dinner.

Not surprisingly, Feng Jiu received a call from Ning Zheng on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, asking her to go to Wanliutang Park to watch lanterns tomorrow night, and she agreed.

Feng Jiu thought about it, then dialed the extension number, and reported to her father that she would go out with Ning Zheng to watch the lanterns tomorrow night. Tang Du heaved a sigh of relief, hoping to take this opportunity to ease the tense relationship between the unmarried couple.

But Fengjiu felt that, for the Chinese New Year, let his father relax a little bit.

Since he failed to find a beauty for him last time, Feng Jiu also gradually forced himself to accept the fact that her marriage with Ning Zheng was probably a certainty. , it will not be of any benefit to the Tang family, or even to Ning Zheng.

Besides, Fengjiu likes to enjoy lanterns very much. Last year he didn’t go there because of a cold, and the year before last he got a sudden illness because he was not suffering. No one in the family was in the mood to enjoy lanterns. After doing this calculation, it’s been two years since I saw them. up.

This year, she wanted to make an appointment with her classmates to see it, but she was afraid that it was still in the year and everyone had arrangements, so she hesitated and didn't call; now that she accepted Ning Zheng's invitation, she would go back to make an appointment with Feng Ling and others. My cousin, she was tactful and didn't want to be disturbed; she was not bitter but she was still young, her body was always a little weak, and she usually wouldn't take her out on winter nights, and Feng Jiu didn't want to take the risk either.

She dressed thickly and went out. Ning Zheng, who was in a black coat, was already waiting outside the door. Smiling, she opened the co-pilot's door to let her get in the car. Fengjiu didn't insist on sitting in the back. The two didn't talk much except for saying hello when they first met, and they didn't mention the embarrassing incident a few days ago, so The atmosphere in the car was fairly calm.When they drove smoothly all the way to the vicinity of Wanliutang Park, it was already crowded with people and it was difficult to move an inch.

Ning Zheng circled the park for more than half a circle, and then parked the car at the south entrance of Dengshi, and the two got out of the car and walked all the way.

Since the Admiral of Fengtian in the Qing Dynasty, this lantern market has been open for at least 30 years. According to the terrain of Wanliutang, it was built from south to north. It lasts for ten days, and the lights bloom at night. It is extremely prosperous and dazzling, reflecting the frozen lake surface of Wanliutang next to it, which is like a fairy cave. I don't know what the eve is today.

Fengtian Province and even several other provinces had good weather and weather throughout last year, and the fighting between the Ning Army and the warlords of various factions also temporarily stopped. There was nothing worth mentioning, and the political atmosphere was very relaxed, so tonight Ning Zheng did not bring any Of the two personal guards, only Zhi Changsheng was far behind, and Feng Jiu didn't even notice it.

People from all walks of life have thoughtfully contributed lanterns of various shapes and exquisite workmanship to the exhibition, especially the major shops and banks, which are like competitions. Looking from afar, the large-scale and complicated shapes are the most economically powerful businesses. made.

Ning Zheng and Feng Jiu slowly admired it as they walked, and Feng Jiu inevitably talked with Ning Zheng from time to time, probably because of the warm and joyful festival atmosphere, the atmosphere between the two was rare and smooth.

Placed at the entrance are two silver-gray fighter jets with a ratio of one to one. They look majestic and aggressive, and there are many people around them. Looking at the small wooden sign on the table below, it turned out that the production unit was the flight department of Ningjun Aviation, so he couldn't help pursing his lips into a smile. Ning Zheng had always been paying attention to her movements, so he could only smile helplessly: "I told them not to let her go." In such a conspicuous position."

The fighter jet was very popular among male guests watching the lanterns, including boys aged four or five.

Going forward, carp jumping over the Dragon Gate, Yebo Qinhuai, Avalokitesvara, Stupa, Jinling Twelve Beauties... One is more beautiful than the other, and the other is more spectacular, and some are exaggerated in scale, almost as high as a hill. .

Feng Jiu said: "I saw in "Tokyo Menghualu" that in that era, during the Lantern Festival, there was a custom of rich people to pile up Mount Ao. Although our Lantern Mountain is not in the shape of a turtle, it is so huge that I am afraid Not much to lose."

Ning Zheng said: "That's true. Besides, we don't want to light Aoshan here. Think about it, it's a waste. Thousands of beautiful lanterns are all lit just to make the host family face. It's a pity."

Feng Jiu nodded, thinking that the people of the Song Dynasty were really impatient, reckless, and used luxury as a capital to show off, no wonder they were all wiped out by the Jin people going south.

Walking halfway, Ning Zheng saw the lantern of Quanye Bank, which was made by Li Guizu, the god of wealth in red who has been popular since the Qing Dynasty. He held a big gold ingot in his left hand, and Ruyi in his right. Flapping two long hat wings, laughing so hard that you can't see your teeth.

There were two boys behind him holding the sun and moon barrier fan, lying on the left and right, the green dragon and white tiger who spit out money and ingots. Feng Jiu took a look, pulled his face, and was speechless; Ning Zheng took a closer look, and laughed in a low voice: "Father-in-law's lamp is really lucky."

Feng Jiu thought that he hadn't gotten married yet, but he just said shyly, "I heard it hasn't been changed in three years." Just such an old fortune lamp is ashamed to use it every year to make up the number, so Second Master Tang He also won a well-known nickname in the Fengtian business circle - "Tang God of Wealth", which sounds frugal, but is actually stingy.

But because of the good meaning and the fact that it has been well preserved in the warehouse without seeing the sun or the ashes, it still looks [-]% new. Although many people watching the lanterns muttered, "I seem to have seen it last year," " Hey, I seem to have seen it the year before last", but he still salutes in a proper manner, which shows that the God of Wealth is welcome everywhere, regardless of the old or the new.

The following lanterns are all children's favorites - three dozen bone spirits, three knots in Taoyuan, a big peach party, Nezha making troubles in the sea, Lu Zhishen punching the town of Guanxi... The whole classic scene is a collection of classic novels, and there are naturally many people gathered here. The parents who came to watch the lanterns with tricks have reached the point where there are crowds of people.

At this time, a wave of people rushed towards them with a loud noise, and the momentum was not small. Seeing that something was wrong, Ning Zheng quickly reached out to grab Feng Jiu, but unfortunately, they were already scattered by the crowd in just a short time. , Ning Zheng hurriedly grabbed it again, but obviously the two hadn't grown the rhino horn called "Lingxi", Feng Jiu didn't even have the intention of reaching out to respond, the distance between the two was helpless As the ground got farther and farther away, Ning Zheng watched Feng Jiu's face as bright as the moon in the sky, just staring at himself calmly, and there was no disturbance in the pair of pupils that became brighter against the light.

Ning Zheng hurriedly turned his head and walked against the flow of people, but no matter how strong he was, he couldn't hold back the strength of a hundred people swarming up, so he could only walk forward by the crowd.

Feng Jiu also glanced at the crowd behind him. However, although Ning Zheng is tall, people in Northeast China are generally tall. In addition, there are many tricks riding on the shoulders of his father or other male relatives tonight, so Feng Jiu Still didn't see him.

Feng Jiu doesn't care, this is her hometown and her territory after all, so she feels safe and relaxed, and is happy to be surrounded by crowds, stopping wherever she goes: enjoy the lanterns, and listen to Fengtian chatting by the way It's also very interesting to lick my chin.

The large-scale lanterns are all in the front, and the scale of the lanterns spread out in the back is small, and the positions are gradually branched, and then there are many lantern riddle stalls for small traders. This time, I went directly to the lantern in the middle of the stall to guess the riddles, because the difficulty of the lantern riddles became more and more difficult from right to left, and the difficulty of the middle ones was moderate.

Feng Jiu guessed many lantern riddles, such as "I don't have money to buy shoes to wear (type an idiom)", which means gold is not enough; Until seven and one people form a pair (playing a city name)", Fengtian.

Of course, she's okay with moderate difficulty, but not with particularly difficult ones.

At this time, she saw a very difficult crossword puzzle, and the boss also picked it on the top of the bamboo pole. Fengjiu was powerless: a riddle is divided into riddles, riddles, and riddles. You need to be familiar with common borrowed pronouns. Fengjiu has never worked hard, so seeing this riddle immediately makes her head feel dizzy.

By the way, I think of the past when I was 12 years old when I went out to watch lanterns and guess lantern riddles with my elder sister and Hutou. Even when I think about it now, I feel extremely happy, covered with a hazy veil It seems so beautiful that people can't forget it for many years.

I still remember that my eldest sister guessed a crossword puzzle that the stall owner had set up for ten years and no one could guess it. It not only shocked the audience, but also shocked an old Hanlin from the Qing Dynasty who passed by. After asking the eldest sister a few questions, she was really convinced on the spot, and wrote a picture of "Fengtian Qiling" in her own handwriting to express her appreciation for her outstanding wisdom.

During this period of time, Feng Jiuyingchuo learned that the elder sister seems to have arrived in Moscow, and she seems to be determined to pursue her ideal; while Hutou should be studying hard for a degree in architecture in the United States at the moment.

Feng Jiu couldn't help feeling sad, the sisters and childhood friends just went their separate ways, this is the inevitable journey of their own lives.

She guessed so many difficult lantern riddles, but she didn't get any prizes. At this moment, Feng Jiu felt her feet were numb from the cold, and she thought it was time to go back. She decided to ask for any prizes, so she went to A few days ago, I told a stall owner whose face was red with cold the answer to a lantern riddle. The stall owner was first shocked by Feng Jiu's beauty, and then hurriedly handed her a bunch of yam balls.

She paid for the three most expensive lanterns from the stall owner. Shi Xiangyun planned to give it to Feng Ling, Sun Wukong gave it to No Bitterness, and the sika deer to herself. Also satisfied, so everyone is happy.

She took the things, stood on the ground, looked up, down, left, and right, and she still recognized east, west, north, south.

She still remembered that the car when she came here was placed at the south entrance, so she had three lights in her left hand and candied haws in her right hand, and with a smile on her face, she started to move forward leisurely.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm heavily.

Feng Jiu was startled, and looked back in a daze, Ning Zheng, whom she had forgotten for a long time, was standing behind her with a gloomy face, forming a strong contrast with Feng Jiu's still frozen smile.

The heartless Fengjiu remembered who she came with.

Although it was the fifteenth day, the weather in Fengtian was still very cold, especially tonight, but Ning Zheng was sweating profusely, and the neckline was torn open, revealing the white shirt collar and the capital blue sweetheart neck sweater underneath. It is still moving, it seems that it must have been in a hurry just now.

He frowned, and when he was about to speak, Feng Jiu shook him off: "Be careful, my lantern!"

Ning Zheng looked at Feng Jiu and hurriedly lowered her head to look at her lanterns, for fear of being damaged by his excessive movements just now—the outer fabric of the lanterns is made of crepe paper, which is very delicate and will break if you don’t pay attention It's a hole, but Feng Jiu still wants to take it back and give them treasures.

Ning Zheng suffocated for breath, gritted his teeth suddenly, and hugged her into his arms without hesitation, holding her tightly.

He hung his head heavily on Feng Jiu's shoulders, Feng Jiu seemed to hear the sound of "creaking" teeth grinding, and his heavy breathing stimulated her fragile eardrum again.

Being witty has always been one of Feng Jiu's strengths, so she kept silent, even though the lanterns and candied haws that were so precious just now had dropped all over the floor.

This place is close to an exit of the Lantern City, there are no lamp stands, the street lights are dim, and there are trees covering it, and there are few pedestrians, so although Ning Zheng's actions are urgent and rude, they did not cause any movement.

Ning Zheng felt Fengjiu's soft body in his arms, and his beating heart slowly calmed down. He vaguely remembered that just now he and Zhi Changsheng were divided into two groups, and they ran here and there in a hurry, looking for him. When Wu Guo was in despair, he turned around suddenly, and saw the elegant woman holding a lantern under the dim light, smiling happily, just as the Sanskrit sound came to her ears, enlightening her: So this is called, "Suddenly looking back, that person is , dimly lit place"...

Feng Jiu was hugged obediently for a long time, and then he moved his body, and the two bodies that were tightly pressed together separated. Feng Jiu watched Ning Zheng's face return to normal.

Feng Jiu said "Yeah" and remembered the lantern on the ground, so she quickly picked it up. Ning Zheng also bent down to help her pick it up. Fortunately, the paper of the lantern is very strong, and the handle on the outside and the place where the candle is tied inside are not damaged. However, the candied haws rolled all over the soil and could not be eaten.

Feng Jiu raised his head and stared at Ning Zheng accusingly.

Ning Zheng sighed secretly, nodded with a wry smile, "It's my fault, should I pay you?"

"But I can't remember where I got the candied haws. I didn't buy them, but I got them by guessing lantern riddles." Feng Jiu got angry after thinking about it.

Thinking back to just now, Ning Zheng was really surprised. In this crowded place, he still worried that he would be abducted by human traffickers?As for making such a fuss, are you in such a hurry?
Even the hard-working Xiangling in "A Dream of Red Mansions" was abducted at the Lantern Festival because of her young age, wasn't she?How old are you and still so worried?Anyway, he is also a householder in Fengtian.

Ning Zheng knew what Feng Jiu meant, and he was also a little surprised by his reaction just now, which was a bit too much - the two are engaged and will get married in June, everything has been finalized and there is no possibility of further changes.If there is another change due to the Tang family, the consequences are definitely not something they can afford.

But the sense of insecurity that Feng Jiu was out of his control grew day by day.

Feng Jiu stared straight at Ning Zheng with a pair of clear water and ink pupils. She was tall, but she still had to tilt her head slightly to see Ning Zheng. The round nostrils seemed to express protest on behalf of the owner, just like that time on the special train, very cute and funny.

Ning Zheng smiled, "How about I push your skating cart?"

On the lake next to the Lantern City, there are also recreational items such as ice carts and dog-pull sledges. Because visitors are afraid of accidents during the Lantern Festival, the ice rink’s changing strategy is not open to skaters. Only some milder and safer ones are open. Ice amusement project, it stands to reason that this should have been a paradise for children.

Feng Jiu twitched a bit, she always liked to play on the ice cart, but——"I'm afraid it's all for the little ones to play with?"

At any rate, Feng Jiu knew how old he was.

"It's okay, it's dark, so I can't see clearly." Ning Zheng explained her little thoughts in one word.

Feng Jiu smiled and nodded in agreement.

Although the willows by the lake are bare, they can still serve as a starting point, covering a piece of ice that is specially surrounded as an ice rink, which is a bit dark and chapped. The sky is dark and the wind is high, just to go to the ice car that I haven’t played for several years Bar.

This time, she obediently let Ning Zheng hold her hand, and the two walked together to the ice car rental place, where an administrator was drowsy in a thick cotton robe.

They rented a small ice trolley that could only seat one person. There was only a simple back seat on the top, and two long skates were placed underneath. Her face was covered layer by layer, and then she pushed the wooden handrail of the ice cart behind her, slowly making a circle.

It was different from what Fengjiu imagined, because it was Heitian, and no children came to play their favorite game. There were not many people playing ice carts, and there were a few couples, all of whom were men pushing women: originally , in Chinese history, watching lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is a very important festival for young men and women to look at each other openly, so this can also be said to be China's "Valentine's Day", right?
The moonlight on the fifteenth day, even in winter, is still melting and bright, white and bright like snow, Ning Zheng just pushed Feng Jiu like this, walking round and round, both of them were silent, did not say anything, Feng Jiu raised his head Ears, listening to the bursts of laughter from the crowd visiting the lantern market in the distance, clearly felt a kind of extraordinary peace.

Ning Zheng pushed for a while, seeing that Feng Jiu was just staring at the white ice in the distance, and asked softly, "Are you tired? Do you want to go back?"

Feng Jiu said yes.

Ning Zheng gently hugged Feng Jiu's waist, and they walked through the Lantern Market again, and now there were a lot fewer people, and the little tricks all went home sleepy, and it was time to go to bed.

They walked to the place where the car was parked smoothly. During the period, Feng Jiu found the lamp stand that gave her yam beans. Ning Zheng went to guess a riddle, got a bunch of yam beans, and bought a few lanterns. Feng Jiu smiled. ate up.

The branch leader who had already found them followed behind tactfully in the distance.

They walked and ate all the way, and when they arrived at the south gate, there was still half of the yam beans left. It was outside, and it was still so cold, which greatly affected Feng Jiu's combat effectiveness.

Ning Zheng asked: "Is it too late?"

Fengjiu held up the yam beans embarrassingly: "Well, it's okay, I'll take it home and eat it tomorrow morning."

Feng Jiu is a good boy who never wastes food for fear of being punished by God.

Ning Zheng reached out to take it: "Give it to me." He opened his mouth and bit off the remaining dozen sugar-coated yam beans, and ate them heartily.

Feng Jiu was dumbfounded, and it took him a while to react, and he flew into a rage: "Annoying! How can you eat what I left..."

She was really embarrassed to go on, and at this time Ning Zheng also swallowed very quickly, threw away the bamboo stick, looked at the embarrassed Feng Jiu, and smiled wickedly: "What's the matter, I don't even know you... "

He spoke in a loud voice, and immediately passers-by looked at him curiously, Feng Jiu rushed forward and covered his mouth: "Don't you dare to say a single word of nonsense!"

Feng Jiu thought, how could it be possible for him to be honest, as expected, the previous warm relationship on the ice rink was an illusion.

Ning Zheng didn't speak, but looked at Feng Jiu gently with deep eyes, Feng Jiu could feel the corners of his lips rising in the palm of Feng Jiu's palm, and suddenly her soft palm was pecked lightly, then again.

Feng Jiu immediately felt numb and itchy all over, and let go of his hands as if being burned by fire. He didn't forget to rub his hand on Ning Zheng's coat, with a disgusted expression on his face.

Feng Jiu's smile is extremely beautiful, like a giant river thawing in spring, but who knows, what he likes Ning Zheng more, seems to be her angry look?
When she gets angry, her cheeks are flushed, her eyes are as bright as fire, and her whole life is full of vitality, as if she is the embodiment of life and youth. People can't wait to hold her in their arms immediately, cherish her well, and never let others have a chance to see her again. She looks like this.

Ning Zheng thought so, and he did the same thing. He still stretched out his hand that had been longing for the whole night. Although he hugged her when the two were separated and reunited just now, that hug was regained because of the loss, and had nothing to do with her. Lust; and now, on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, facing Feng Jiu, he was very inappropriate and full of lust.

Holding a few lanterns in one hand, he pushed Feng Jiu's body with the other, forcing her to walk backwards into the small alley next to the park gate. He was so bold that he dared to act recklessly.

Ning Zheng pushed Feng Jiu to the wall, forcefully removed her hand that was tightly covering her mouth, leaned over and kissed her deeply.

When was the last time he kissed her?It's as blurry as it was in the previous life, and as clear as it was yesterday.

As usual, Feng Jiu couldn't resist the lustful Ning Zheng, she could only hear his hoarse voice whispering: "Come back to Yingying Alley with me tonight, okay?"

Heying Alley is a small mansion newly bought by Ning Zheng. He plans to find a place to change when Feng Jiu gets tired of living in the Marshal's Mansion.

Feng Jiu couldn't believe his ears when he heard it. Is this plausible?This is a decent person, no, a normal person, can he say anything, this guy is probably crazy, right?
She mustered all her energy and stomped on Ning Zheng's instep hard. Ning Zheng was caught off guard for a moment, and let go of Feng Jiu in pain.

Feng Jiu calmly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand: "Whatever I said, I said that we are not suitable. Don't you just want to find someone to sleep with you? You go, you can find anyone, you can find anyone, Just don't provoke me! I won't accompany you!"

Feng Jiu's words were like pouring a basin of cold water on his head, quickly calming down Ning Zheng - the revolution has not yet succeeded.

"Don't be angry, it's my fault. I'm just..." Ning Zheng murmured, the redness in her eyes faded, and gradually became clear. Feng Jiu didn't like this, she stared at Ning coldly Zheng, there was undisguised contempt in his eyes.

Ning Zheng covered Feng Jiu's clear and cold eyes like stars in the night sky: "Don't look at me like that, you don't know, you heartless..."

Feng Jiu shook off Ning Zheng's hand, "I want to go home, and I don't want to go back in the same car with you. I'm going to make a phone call and ask my family to pick me up."

"...It's so late, and the family sent a car to pick you up, what would they think?"

Feng Jiu didn't really want to do this at first, it was just a roundabout way to force Ning Zheng to be honest and stop playing tricks to send him home.

Ning Zheng also understood Feng Jiu's small thoughts, and smiled bitterly, "Okay, I'll send you back right now, and promise not to touch a single hair of yours, okay? I swear." He held up three fingers on his right hand .

Feng Jiu, "...Are you a Christian, and you swear by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?" After glaring at him, he walked towards the car first. Ning Zheng sighed and followed closely.

All the way speechless, Feng Jiu refused Ning Zheng's request and sat in the back seat of the car.Ning Zheng also acted as a good driver obediently, and didn't make any wrong decisions along the way.

Zhi Changsheng, who was also driving a car behind, watched Miss Tang Liu's high-spirited figure and got out of the car neatly. He ignored Ning Zheng who had just opened the car door and turned to see her off, and strode forward to guard the west corner door. The servants of the Tang family immediately came out to welcome Miss Six, who came back late, Ning Zheng could only stop.

And Miss Tang Six didn't even give her owner a wink, she flicked the hem of her thick woolen clothes, and she disappeared through the door.

Ning Zheng was not in a hurry to leave. He sat back in the car, lit a cigarette, and smoked quietly for a while. The scarlet cigarette butt flickered brightly or darkly in the darkness. Finally, he threw the cigarette butt out of the window and started the car. , drove away like an arrow from the string.

(End of this chapter)