For thirty years, he has roamed the Northeast, his divine might overwhelming all immortals under hea

New Year's Day is just around the corner, and the weather is getting colder every day.

When I woke up in the morning, the ice in the water tank in the yard was two inches thick, and I had to use an axe to break it open before I could scoop out the water.

The windowpane was covered with a layer of white frost; you had to run your finger across it a couple of times to see what was outside.

My father's daily morning routine consisted of squatting in front of the stove, smoking his pipes one after another.

The embers from his pipe flickered, illuminating his face, which was smoky and yellowed. He didn't say much, just squatted there, watching my mother bustle about inside and out.

My mother is someone who can't sit still.

Ever since her soul returned, she seemed to be holding back a lot of energy.

I get up before dawn to light the fire, cook, feed the chickens and pigs, and sweep the yard.

Thirteen.

She added firewood to the stove while glaring at me.

"New Year's Day is just around the corner, and Xiulian's father has passed away. What are you going to do about this?"

I squatted on the threshold, clutching a piece of sorghum stalk in my hand, idly scratching it on the ground.

I know the truth about Xiulian's situation, but I feel a little embarrassed to say it out loud.

"Mother, you can decide what to do."

"What do you think?"

My mother slammed the fire poker she was holding onto the ground.

"You silly child, such a big matter, you expect me to handle it? How much money should be given as a gift, how much should the banquet be arranged, how many people should be invited—shouldn't you be the one to decide all of these things?"

My dad exhaled a puff of smoke and mumbled something in a low voice.

"What does he know? You just take care of it."

My mother glared at him.

"You're quite the freeloader. Fine, I'll take care of it. Getting married costs money, right? We have some, but don't you have a good idea of ​​how much it will cost?"

After hearing this, my father fell silent, tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe, got up, and went out the door.

As I watched his retreating figure, I felt a pang of unease.

Actually, my marriage to Xiulian wasn't that complicated. Xiulian's father died, and she lived alone at home. After the last incident, she had been living at my house.

I certainly wouldn't mistreat her, nor would I just drift through life aimlessly.

A woman values ​​status and title highly.

I consulted with Xiulian, but she only said to follow my arrangements.

The more she acted like this, the more confused I became, since there were some things I didn't understand either.

As dusk fell, my father carried a thick oak log into the yard. The log was smooth and shiny, clearly the result of a great deal of effort.

He tossed the piece of wood into the yard, wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, and said to me.

"Thirteen, come and lend a hand."

My father took out his pipe from his waist and said as he filled it with cigarettes.

"I'll make you a kang table. Now that you're married, the house can't be without a decent table. It'll be made of oak; it's sturdy and will last for decades."

I was taken aback and stared at the piece of wood.

My father was a man of few words, and he never made a fuss about his work.

He wasn't good with words; he just kept his head down and worked. This kang table was made for me by him using his own strength.

"father……"

"Alright, stop with the useless stuff."

My dad waved his hand.

"Tomorrow I'll go find Old Zhang and borrow his plane. His plane is fast, and it makes the surface smooth."

When my mother came out of the house and saw the piece of wood, a smile appeared on her face.

"That's more like it, he's starting to act like a father."

My dad didn't reply; he just squatted down by the wall and started smoking.

Just at this time.

Xiulian came out of the house, walked up to me, and said softly.

"Thirteenth Brother, let's go for a walk."

I paused for a moment, then glanced at my mother.

My mother was very happy.

"Go on, go on, don't go too far, the food will be ready soon."

I grabbed Xiulian's hand and pulled her outside.

Although I've known Xiulian for many years, we've actually only held hands a handful of times.

Especially after they grew up, they could be counted on one hand.

It was already dark outside, with only a last sliver of red remaining on the horizon, as if someone had smeared a line with a brush.

The poplar trees on both sides of the village road were bare, their branches sticking out towards the sky.

A cold wind blew into my neck, so I pulled my cotton-padded coat collar up a little.

Xiulian walked beside me without saying a word, just walking slowly.

She was wearing a navy blue cotton-padded jacket, which my mother had made for her a few days ago, saying she would wear it for the New Year, but she had put it on ahead of schedule. Her hair was tied up with a rubber band and hung down her back.

Xiulian stopped at the edge of the large threshing ground at the east end of the village.

Several stacks of corn stalks were piled up in the threshing ground, dark and shadowy in the moonlight. In the summer, this place was bustling with activity, children running around and adults enjoying the cool shade. Now it was quiet, with only a few chickens scrambling for food under the stacks of stalks.

"Thirteenth Brother."

Xiulian called my name.

"Um?"

"You...you're not happy about it, are you?"

Upon hearing this, I panicked and turned around to look at her.

"Who says I'm not happy? Why wouldn't I be happy?"

"I feel incredibly lucky to be able to marry you."

Xiulian lowered her head and rubbed her feet on the ground.

"Then why haven't you spoken to me these past few days? I was thinking you might have regretted it."

I scratched my head, unsure of what to say.

I'm not good with words, and I can't express what's on my mind. These past few days I've been thinking about the wedding. I wanted to talk to Xiulian about it, but then I felt that those things should be arranged by the adults, and why should I tell her these things?

"I...it's not that I'm unwilling. I just..."

I held it in for a long time before finally managing to utter a sentence.

"I'm just afraid of making you feel wronged."

Xiulian looked up and stared at me.

Her eyes shone brightly in the moonlight.

"Your father just passed away, and you don't have many relatives. I'm worried that if I give you too little in terms of dowry or anything else, or if I haven't considered things carefully enough, then I'd be making you feel wronged..."

I can't go on; my throat feels tight.

Xiulian didn't say anything, she just stared at me.

After a while, she reached out and pulled my cotton-padded coat collar up a little more.

I don't care about those things.

"My father is gone, and I'm all alone now. Our two families have been on good terms for so many years. Although there have been unpleasant moments, I know you're proud of me, and your parents have been good to me... That's enough."

"I don't want anything, I just hope we can live a peaceful and happy life together. Tomorrow, I'll give you a big, healthy baby boy..."

I really didn't expect what Xiulian said. It seems that this little girl is more open-minded than I am.

I still wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in my throat.

Over at the threshing ground, someone drove an oxcart past, its wheels clattering on the frozen ground. The old man driving the cart hummed a tune from a folk opera, the lyrics of which were unclear, but the melody was familiar to him.

"Thirteenth Brother."

Xiulian called me again.

"Um?"

"On our wedding day, I want to bring my father's memorial tablet over and set it up so he can see it too."

My heart skipped a beat, and I looked at Xiulian. Her face was expressionless; she just spoke in a very ordinary way.

"OK."

"Of course."

Xiulian nodded and remained silent.

We stood by the threshing ground for a while, and the cold wind made our ears ache.

In the distance, scattered lights had already appeared in the village; a dog barked twice and then fell silent.

"Let's go back."

"Um."

When I got home, my mother had already put the food on the table.

There was a pot of sauerkraut stew with glass noodles, a plate of pickled vegetable dumplings, and a few cornbreads. My father sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), his pipe still clutched in his hand.

My mother glanced at the two of us, didn't ask anything, and just said...

"Hurry up and eat on the kang (heated brick bed), it'll get cold soon."

"Xiulian, are you cold? Come up to the kang (heated brick bed), it's warm there."

Xiulian and I took off our shoes and climbed onto the kang (heated brick bed), sitting at the kang table. It was the same old table, worn white on all four sides. I looked at it, thinking about the new one my father had made. It was made of oak, smooth and glossy, and would last for decades.

During dinner, my mother brought up the topic of marriage again.

"Xiulian, you're all alone now. Do you have any other relatives you can think of? If so, please let us know. After all, marriage is a big and joyous occasion, and we'd like to share in the happiness."

Xiulian shook her head.

"Auntie is gone."

"Xiulian, how about we give 2000 yuan as a bride price? With the remaining money, we can prepare a banquet for the neighbors, about four or five tables."

"As for new clothes and stuff, you don't need to worry about them. Your aunt has taken care of everything for you. You're the daughter-in-law that your uncle and I have chosen. If others have something, we can't be without it."

"How about we do it this way?"

I know that I earned 2000 yuan after I started practicing magic. My mother is very frugal. Apart from what I spend, she saves it all for me so I can get married.

These days, being able to come up with a dowry of 2000 yuan is considered a big deal, especially considering that a monthly salary is only a few dozen yuan.

Xiulian put down her chopsticks and looked at my mother.

"Auntie, you can do whatever you want."

"I don't have any particular thoughts on this. I just want to live a good life with Brother Thirteen."

"I don't care about anything, whether there's a bride price or not."

My mother nodded in satisfaction.

"Xiulian, your uncle and I both know that you are a sensible and good child. Let's not talk about this anymore, let's eat first."

"Thirteen, you need to get ready too. The clothes you wear that day need to be neat and tidy. Later, I'll have your father take you and Xiulian to the commune's supply and marketing cooperative to buy some cloth and find a tailor to make you a new dress."

"You have to look your best for your wedding."

With a piece of biscuit in my mouth, I mumbled a reply.

After dinner, I helped Xiulian clear the table. She put the dishes in a basin, added hot water, and started washing them.

I squatted down next to her and wiped the table with a rag.

"Why."

"Xiulian, when you're getting things for the wedding, don't be stingy with the money. Your thirteenth brother can make money now, and I'm a shaman, so I have plenty of opportunities to make money."

"What others have, I can't let you have less; I must have more than others."

Xiulian paused her movements, turned her head to look at me, and smiled.

"I know you're capable. But don't spend recklessly. Save some money; you'll need it for many things in the future."

Hearing this made me incredibly happy.

The next morning, my father actually went to borrow a plane from Old Zhang, and when he came back, he set up his work in the yard and started working hard on the kang table.

Wood shavings rolled out of the plane blade and fell to the ground, carrying a woody scent.

I squatted down and watched for a while, wanting to lend a hand, but my dad wouldn't let me, saying I was too clumsy and might damage the wood.

My mother came out of the house, clutching a handkerchief bundle in her hand. She unwrapped it layer by layer, revealing a stack of money inside, ten-yuan and five-yuan notes, neatly piled up. She counted them once, then again, muttering to herself.

"A sewing machine costs over a hundred, a bicycle is almost two hundred, a radio is cheaper... all these together, this amount of money should be enough."

When I heard that, my heart tightened.

"Mom, how about... we forget about the radio, as long as it makes some noise, the sewing machine and bicycle are for serious use."

My mother glared at me.

"What do you know? Xiulian doesn't want anything from us, but we can't just give her nothing. The sewing machine will make it easier for her to make clothes in the future; the bicycle will be useful for her to take to the commune market; and the radio will keep the house quiet so she won't feel lonely when she's home alone."

"We must get these three things."

When my mother said this, she was so firm and unyielding that I couldn't argue back.

Two days later, it was a bright and sunny day.

My father borrowed the production team's old oxcart, laid a thick layer of corn stalks on it, and pulled Xiulian and me to the commune's supply and marketing cooperative.

The oxcart moved slowly and swayed, its wheels bouncing back and forth on the frozen ruts.

Xiulian sat on the corn stalks, wrapped in the new cotton-padded coat my mother had made for her, her face flushed red from the cold. I took off my scarf and put it on her.

"I'm not cold."

"Wear it up, the wind is strong."

My stubbornness is unfounded.

The supply and marketing cooperative was located in the middle of Gongshe Street. It was a red brick building with a faded sign hanging at the entrance.

As soon as we entered, a strong smell of kerosene and soap hit us. Behind the counter stood a saleswoman in a blue jacket, with curly hair, eating sunflower seeds. When she saw us come in, she raised her eyelids slightly.

My dad walked around inside with his hands behind his back, then stopped in front of those sewing machines.

"Comrade, how much is this sewing machine?"

"The price for the Flying Man is 178, and you'll need to pay."

My father pulled a small notebook from his pocket, opened it, and found several receipts tucked inside. He had used several connections to exchange the family's eggs and pork for these receipts. He counted them out one by one for the sales clerk.

The sales clerk then looked at us properly, put the sunflower seeds on the counter, and came over.

Which one do you want?

My father turned around and looked at me and Xiulian.

"Xiulian, you choose."

Xiulian was a little hesitant. She walked forward, touched this one, then that one, and finally pointed to a black one.

"This one, please."

The salesperson carried the sewing machine out from behind the counter. It was heavy, with a shiny wooden surface and the words "Flying Man" printed on the machine head.

My father paid the money and the ticket, then carefully placed the sewing machine, holding it in his arms like a child, onto the oxcart at the door.

Next up were bicycles.

There were only two bicycles in the supply and marketing cooperative: a large, old-fashioned Flying Pigeon model and a smaller, Forever model. I preferred the large one; it was sturdy and could carry a lot of things. But Xiulian said it was too big and she was afraid I'd have trouble riding it.

"Just a 28-inch steel bar."

"I can carry you and carry grain, whatever you need."

My dad didn't say anything, counted the money for the sales clerk, and it was another 160 yuan.

Finally, there was the radio. It was simpler, a small square box from the Haitang brand, costing seventy-eight yuan. The salesperson showed it to us, turning on the switch. After a few buzzing sounds, the sound of opera singing came from inside—the part about Grandma Li from "The Red Lantern." Xiulian's eyes lit up as she listened.

On the way back, the oxcart was packed full. The sewing machine and bicycle were tied tightly with hemp rope, and the radio was placed in Xiulian's arms, which she held the whole way, afraid that it would be jostled.

As my father drove the oxcart, the wrinkles on his face seemed to have smoothed out a bit.