Mouse

  Actually, when I first thought of marrying Peach Blossom, it was based on the harsh reality that I'm already quite old and her stunning beauty.

  However, after spending these few days with Auntie's family, I can responsibly say that I have deeply fallen in love with her.

  Under her shy appearance, she is lively and lovely. Before long, we became familiar with each other.

  From shy and introverted blind dates to bold and unapologetic true lovers.

  I asked Peach Blossom: "What's your impression of me?"

  Peach blossom's face was calm and collected: "Others are the same."

  I wonder: "What impression do others have?"

  Peach blossom covered her mouth and smiled: "Don't you know yourself? Gluttonous and lazy, dirty, thick-skinned."

  These words coming from a beautiful girl like Peach Blossom made me feel somewhat embarrassed. I blushed and said, "That was in the past, I've long since reformed my old ways."

  Peach blossom sneered: "Spare me the theatrics. Who in the surrounding ten miles doesn't know about Cheng Dalie? A famous dead pig isn't afraid of being scalded by boiling water."

  I exclaimed in surprise: "Have you heard of me before?"

  Peach blossom nodded and smiled, saying: "It's simply like thunder in the ears. Everyone knows you're living a miserable life, so when I heard that my parents wanted me to meet with you for matchmaking, I was unhappy all over my face. At that time, I thought, if I really married you, I would lose face and die of shame. So when my mom asked me to lift the curtain and come out, I refused. I only showed my face, glared at you angrily, and then went back inside to sit down. However, later on, I found that you're actually quite clever, the things you do are interesting, and most importantly, I think you're genuine, not like other boys who always have fake smiles on their faces."

  Peach blossoms, your words have made me feel a bit dizzy. It turns out that my broken pot and reckless behavior is a more genuine expression of myself. It seems that this advantage will continue to be carried forward in the future.

  I said to Peach Blossom, "So you were angry that day. I saw you lift the curtain and glare at me with a gloomy face, scaring me so much that my heart was uneasy for half a day. I thought you were a snake spirit from the well."

  The peach blossom jumped up and shouted: "Good, you dare say I'm a monster." Grabbed me and was about to hit.

  I hastily ran out of the door. Unexpectedly, I bumped into Auntie Ba who was just about to enter the house and knocked her over.

  I'm in trouble now. With Eighth Aunt's fiery temper, I'll be done for!

  I hastily made eyes at Peach Blossom and asked her to put in a good word for me.

  Eighth Aunt has no children of her own, and she loves Peach Blossom the most among all her nieces. Usually, they have a very close relationship, joking around with each other without any reserve. They seem even closer than Peach Blossom and her mother. But now, Peach Blossom is acting as if she hasn't seen me, rolling her eyes and waiting to see my good show.

  I had no choice but to grit my teeth and get through it. I helped Eighth Aunt, who was lying on the ground, to her feet. At first, Eighth Aunt wailed in pain for a while, then pointed at my nose and scolded me: "You little rabbit, huh? You eat my food and drink my wine, huh? Today you're going to take advantage of Eighth Aunt, huh? I'm old, can I withstand your bumping into me like this, huh?" Eighth Aunt originally had a loud voice, and now she was furious, her anger bursting forth in an extraordinary display. My ears felt like they were being bombarded by thunderclaps one after another. After listening for a while, my scalp began to feel numb.

  Suddenly, I remembered something. It vaguely felt related to Auntie Ba, and perhaps it could resolve the situation for me.

  I put on a mysterious look and said to Auntie Ba, "Auntie Ba, don't scold me first. Today I heard something. I heard Old Ma say that when he was young, he went to Qianyanjing for a blind date."

  My aunt was counting my major crimes with her fingers, and when she heard me say that, she suddenly stopped scolding me. Her face was unpredictable. She stared at me for a few seconds, then said angrily: "Whether he is suitable for marriage or not has nothing to do with me. I'm going to cook."

  Then he turned around and went out of the house, without even taking the basket of dishes that had just been put on the table.

  It seems I've won this bet, but it feels like I've been through a great war and I'm completely exhausted. I found a stool to sit down on.

  Peach blossom smiled and walked over, patted my shoulder and said: "I didn't expect you to know about this matter."

  I pretended to be surprised and said, "You know too?"

  Peach Blossom smiled complacently: "As for our family's affairs, I naturally know."

  I said: "Do you really know? I don't believe it, tell me and let me see if it's right or not?"

  Peach blossom naturally knew I was teasing her, so she gave me a white eye and said: "I think you don't know either. But looking at how clever you were just now, I'll tell you, but you can't go out and talk nonsense. Otherwise, Auntie will break your leg and I won't care."

  I hastily made a solemn vow and casually swore a poisonous oath worth several catties of one mao.

  Peach blossom said: "Actually I should call Auntie as Big Aunt. She is my mom's own sister. My mom is the third child. However, a married-out person is called Auntie, this title is casual."

  "That year, my grandmother had three daughters. Each one was clever and capable. The most outstanding one was your eighth aunt."

  "The custom of our family is that the women are in charge at home. So, among this big family, the one who will really take over my grandmother's role must be one of these three sisters. Originally, my grandmother thought that Aunt was more outstanding and intended to pass it on to her."

  But unexpectedly, Aunt was unwilling. Always finding various excuses to decline. Later, after Grandma asked repeatedly, the truth was finally known.

  It turned out that Auntie had fallen in love with a young man from Chengjiazhuang. This young man was the old hemp head of those years. The two were deeply in love, but the old hemp head did not want to join the family and even less wanted to raise snakes. In order to be with him, Auntie decided to give up the family business at Qianyanjing and marry into Chengjiazhuang.

  "Grandma was an open-minded person. Seeing that she still had two daughters, although not as outstanding as the eldest daughter, they were also one in a hundred. Moreover, although the ancestors stipulated that the head of the household must be a woman, there was no prohibition against the other sisters getting married. Seeing that the two had deep feelings for each other, she agreed to this marriage."

  The two saw grandma agree. Both were delighted. Stuck together all day, inseparable. As a result, the young couple's passion was intense, and they soon had a secret pregnancy. The aunt became pregnant with the old man's child.

  "Grandma was angry when she found out, but thinking that Aunt would eventually become a part of the Lao Ma family anyway, she decided to pick a date and get her married off early."

  The two families agreed on a wedding date and exchanged betrothal documents, waiting for a good day to bring the aunt over.

  As a result, the old man suddenly disappeared three days before the wedding. My aunt cried all day and my grandmother was furious, but no matter what, they couldn't find him anywhere.

  "As Aunt's belly grew bigger by the day, but there was still no news from the old man. Aunt gritted her teeth and married another young man."

  "This young man came from a poor family, with eight younger brothers. He was the eighth in line. So you can call him Eighth Uncle. In his youth, he had a crush on Aunt for many years. Now that Aunt has agreed to marry him, he is overjoyed. Although he knew this child was not his own, he still treated Aunt very well. After the child was born, he raised it as if it were his own."

  "Auntie was extremely resentful of Old Ma in her heart. But after marriage, life was happy and fulfilling. Gradually, there were also smiles on her face."

  "Who knew that good people don't live long, this young man suddenly contracted a serious illness and soon passed away. The aunt sat beside the young man's coffin for three days and three nights, not eating or moving, no one could persuade her otherwise. When it was time to bury him, the aunt followed the funeral procession like a walking corpse. Until the coffin was lowered into the grave and they were about to cover it with soil, the aunt suddenly rushed over, hugging the coffin tightly, refusing to let go no matter who tried to pull her away."

  The young man was buried in the end. His aunt, still young and newly widowed, stayed with her son, crying all day long. She spoke less and less, and later couldn't say a few words for an entire month.

  Those years were indeed a series of disasters. One day, my aunt fell ill. Her son went out to play by himself and somehow ended up at the riverbank in the south. Then he lost his footing and fell into the river. He was swept away by the turbulent waters.

  Aunt went along the river and searched repeatedly, shouting all the way. Her shoes were worn out and her throat was hoarse, but she still couldn't find even the child's body.

  Auntie was so angry that she jumped into the river and wanted to die. At this time, a person happened to be walking by the riverbank, jumped in and pulled Auntie out of the water. This person was none other than Old Ma's head, who had been missing for over three years.

  "After waking up, Auntie was both crying and laughing. Every day she sat on the main street, pointing at Lao Ma's house and scolding her. Lao Ma didn't argue back, every day she closed her door and wouldn't come out."

  "Some people asked where Lao Ma Tou went. Lao Ma Tou refused to say."

  "Auntie scolded Lao Ma Tou for over a month. Her loud voice was trained during that time. Later, Auntie suddenly stopped scolding. It seemed like she even forgot about the loss of her husband and child. She became very carefree, just like anyone else."

  "After a few more years, no one mentioned this matter again. I also knew it when I was young and heard my father and mother chatting."

  When I was young, I vaguely remembered that my aunt would often scold the old woman on the street. At that time, I only knew that they didn't get along with each other and thought it was just some trivial matter. It turned out to be such a heart-wrenching incident.

  But in my opinion, Lao Ma Tou must still be thinking about Ba Shu in his heart. Otherwise, why would he still be single at the age of 50 or 60? I made up my mind secretly and decided to find an opportunity to make peace between them.

  In case they get together. Firstly, I and Taohua's affair will have two accomplices. Secondly, in the future, getting a haircut won't cost money anymore.

  I was chatting with Peach Blossom when we heard Eighth Aunt shouting from outside the door: "You lazy wolves, come out and eat!"

  I went out and took a look, today's meal is really sumptuous. There are dishes with meat and vegetables, soup and everything. The table is full.

  Auntie asked me: "Dali, how am I to you?"

  I don't know what Auntie Wang is getting at, so I just swallowed my saliva and said, "Good, very good."

  "There's an old saying, 'A thousand miles to set up a cool shed, no banquet will last forever.' Today's gathering is specially prepared for you. You've been staying with me for quite some time now. I see that your injuries are almost healed. Why don't you head back home early?"

  As soon as I heard this, I thought Eighth Aunt was going to drive me away. If I left, wouldn't I not be able to see the peach blossoms? So I quickly said: "No way, those mice in my house are too fierce. What if I go back and they bite me again?"

  Eighth Aunt ate her vegetables, her face calm: "I and Peach Blossom Mother have seen it before. As long as you don't provoke them, I guarantee nothing will happen to you. Besides, you've been staying with me for so many days, the snake smell on your body has already been driven out."

  Nothing to say. Had to resort to being unreasonable: "I don't want to leave Auntie Ba, I just won't go."

  "Fine. Then you can just stay here. Anyway, I'm always lonely every day too."

  I was overjoyed and thanked him hastily.

  Unexpectedly, Eighth Aunt turned her head and said to Peach Blossom: "Peach Blossom, your mother said that you must go home tomorrow."

  What? This statement is like a thunderclap on a clear day. I no longer have an appetite for food.