A knock at the door on a rainy night
Liu Lian
I was twenty years old and teaching at a primary school in Northern China.
I live with an old faculty member in a row of bungalows on the west side of the campus. In the evening, the old teacher went to play, a large row of houses, leaving me alone, scared, often closed the door early, while listening to the radio, while reading books or writing articles.
One day at noon, I accidentally stepped on an iron nail, and the wound was so deep that I was limp. In the afternoon, the students returned to school, inquired with concern, and told me various prescriptions. I thought it was no big deal, so I put some kaleidale oil on it. When school was out, Xiaomei told me that my feet were very swollen, and I was a little scared: Would I get tetanus?
At dusk, it began to rain. I miss home, I miss my parents who have been in poor health, and my mood is extremely bleak.
Night came, the rain did not stop, but the electricity stopped. Can't read books, can't listen to programs, very boring. Light a candle and think wildly at your desk. The fine and dense autumn rain fell on the tiles, and the sound of the clumps became more and more contrasted with the loneliness of the night.
Rainy night
"Tuk-Tuk-Tuk-" Who's knocking on the door? A clear tapping sound was heard, and then there was no sound. I thought I had heard it wrong, and the knock on the door rang again, accompanied by the voice of the strange man: "Teacher, are you resting?" I was stunned and asked, "Who are you?" "The man said he was Xiaomei's father, and he heard Xiaomei say that I had injured my foot and sent me medicine.
After hesitating for a moment, I doubtfully opened the door. Outside the door stood a stout middle-aged man, carrying a bag of things in his left hand and a wet black umbrella in his right. When the man saw me, he quickly said: Do you still recognize me? Xiaomei's father. I recognized it and hurriedly invited him into the house. He took a sweet potato and brown sugar from his bag and said that it was enough to mash it and mix it with the medicine powder, which was ancestral. I was half-convinced and brought him a kitchen knife. He quickly mashed the sweet potatoes and brown sugar into a paste, and he took a packet of powder from his arms, poured it in half, and carefully mixed it well.
In the dim candlelight, his focused look dispelled all my doubts. He helped me put the medicine on, smiled and said, tomorrow the swelling will be reduced, and the rest of the medicinal cold boiled water will be mixed and applied, and it will be fine soon. He also said that those sweet potatoes were very sweet and could be eaten in a pot, and if he liked them, he would let Xiaomei bring them. I thanked him again and again, and he kept waving his hand, saying something small, yes, and then bidding farewell to me, I wanted to stand up and send him, and he hurriedly stopped him. The rain suddenly became heavy and crackled on the tiles. I told him to wait for the rain to be light before leaving, he said it was okay, gently helped me to close the door, into the dark rainy night...
When I got up the next day, my feet were swollen. Applied the medicine for two days, all right. I ate those sweet potatoes for several days, and the sweet taste still remains in my heart.
sweet potato