Firmament

A friend's reproach is fraternity

- Lahu proverb

In the spring of 1930, Ibrahim decided to take a leave of absence to return to Rivers State to visit his family, considering that his parents were old and aging, not only managing the family's fields, but also taking care of his children.

Ibrahim took Han Sophie, Zai Nabai, and Tianshan (Ayyub), who were pregnant, to leave Xihai, which had not long been officially established as a province, and returned to their hometown of Gayindai.

This is the first time Han Sophie and Ibrahim have met their in-laws since they got married. She deliberately restrained her strong and pungent personality, and tried her best to show a low-brow and pleasing appearance, hoping to win the approval of Niu Ersa and Mai Liyan.

Mai Liyan saw that Han Sophie was sharp in her hands and feet, worked hard, and was a good way to live, so she didn't say anything.

Niu Ersa had some complaints about Han Sophie. He took advantage of Han Sophie's time to choose vegetables in the yard, and whispered to his son while gesturing with his hand: "This daughter-in-law's hair is as yellow as ears of wheat, her skin is as black as coal, and her mouth is still so pouting when she speaks, she looks powerful. "

Ibrahim explained with a smile, "Ada, the Salur people, like the Sartas, also migrated from the Western Regions. It's perfectly normal to have a little yellow hair and a little dark skin. "

Niu Ersa said seriously: "There is nothing wrong with having a little yellower hair than the Central Plains. Dark skin is not a characteristic of the people of the Western Regions. How do I think she looks a little like ...... Tibetan?".

Ibrahim said, "Ada, you are right, there are indeed some Tibetans in Jishi. As the saying goes, one side of the water and soil raises the other side. Whoever lives in the stone will have dark skin. If you don't believe it, why don't you move in for a while?"

Nursa looked at Ibrahim in a daze and stopped talking.

Ibrahim carved out a vacant lot next to his old house. With the money he had saved from doing business in the past few years, he went to the city of Hezhou to hire a few construction craftsmen, and brought in green bricks, gray tiles and wood from the city, and built two new houses facing north and south, so that Niu Ersa and Mai Liyan could move in.

Ibrahim arranged for craftsmen to renovate the vacated old house, and he took Han Sophie and a few children to live in it. He planned to wait until Han Sophie gave birth to the child and the child was full moon before returning to Pingxi.

One day, Niu Ersa brought several of his grandsons to the easternmost part of Zhuangzi. He pulls weeds from the fields while telling folk tales to the children.

After a while, Mai Liyan walked out of the courtyard gate with a pot of tea and walked along the narrow ridge to the field. She scrubbed the white porcelain teacup with a blue rag, poured hot tea for Niu Ersa, and beckoned her grandchildren to come and drink water.

Yushan, Zai Naibai, and Tianshan Hula ran over, sat around their grandfather and grandmother, and chattered about who pulled out the most weeds.

Mai Liyan looked at her carefree grandson, let out a long sigh, and said to herself: "The eldest son, Ibrahim, has returned safely with his family. The daughter-in-law is also about to give birth to a baby. I don't have to worry about it at all. The most annoying thing for me is my second, third and Ga son. Zhan Xiang followed Master Ma around all day long, saying that he was now in Jincheng. The daughter-in-law and Ga Wa have a long list, and they don't have to worry about food and clothing......".

Niu Ersa interjected: "You old grandmother, since they don't have to worry about food and clothing, why are you worried about Amen?"

Mai Liyan replied: "My concern is that they don't have a permanent place to live. Today I am in Pingxi, tomorrow I will go to Liangzhou, and the day after tomorrow I will go to Jincheng, and I will wander around all year round. It's not a way to get by, either. "

Niu Isa corrected: "It's not called wandering, it's called the march of the troops, and it can also be said to change the guard." "

Mai Liyan said disapprehantly: "It's not the same thing! Marching and changing guards are just beautiful arguments that lie to people." Zhan Chuan followed Commander Ga to wander around, and his ass was not hot on a stool in one place, and he ran to another place. Alas, he has also reached the age of marrying a daughter-in-law and starting a family. "

Niu Ersa smiled and said, "You can relax." People say, follow Commander Ga, sacks of gold and silver!".

Mai Liyan unconsciously imitated Han Sophie and pouted, and said contemptuously: "Commander Ga, a 19-year-old Gava! The milk marks on the corners of his mouth have not dried yet, what kind of big material can he become? Sacks of gold and silver? are all fooling the common people!"

Nursa said, "Let no man be a man, and no sea shall be measured." "

Mai Liyan pouted again and said, "Alas, what annoys me the most is my Gawa Zhanhai. One moment said that he followed Brigade Commander Ma to Ganzhou, and another said that he was in Pingxi. He is 20 years old this year, and it is time for him to marry his daughter-in-law and start a family. "

Niu Isa was about to answer, when he suddenly heard a woman's cry in the distance: "Aunt Mai Liyan, your eldest daughter-in-law is about to give birth to Gawa." "

When they looked back, they saw Li Lanying, the daughter-in-law of neighbor He Xitang, standing on the hill, waving her hands anxiously to this side.

Mai Liyan quickly stood up and beckoned Niu Ersa and her grandson: "Quickly pack up your things and go home quickly." The new grandma is going to give birth to a brother for you. "

The grandchildren clapped their hands and shouted, "We have a brother Ga!"

Niu Ersa and Mai Liyan took their grandson by the hand and hurried to Gayindai. The distance from Ditou to Zhuangzi is not very far. In a hurry, Niu Ersa, Mai Liyan and a few children came home panting and sweating.

Ibrahim boiled a pot of hot water in the kitchen, poured it into a clean basin, and passed it into the house through the cotton curtains.

In the house, with the help of the midwife's daughter-in-law, Han Sophie had already given birth to a baby boy on the white soil. Galinzi's daughter-in-law used a cloth towel dipped in hot water to scrub the baby's body. Li Lanying made a move next to her.

When Ibrahim saw his parents returning, he said happily, "Ada, Grandma, congratulations to the second elder! "

Niu Isa asked eagerly, "Your daughter-in-law has yellow hair and black skin, and the Gawa she gave birth to is Amen?"

Ibrahim asked through the curtain, "Sister-in-law Galinzi, is Gawa's hair yellow?"

Li Lanying hurriedly replied: "Not yellow." "

Niu Ersa didn't care about his identity, and hurriedly picked up the conversation and asked, "Lan Ying, is Gawa's skin black?"

Mai Liyan tugged at her husband's sleeve and scolded in a low voice: "A father-in-law, shouting nonsense at Amen with a loud voice, is not afraid of other people's jokes!".

Li Lanying replied in the house: "Abba, 'Ibrahim, is a little darker than Brother Ibrahim's. "

Ibrahim listened to Li Lanying's words, made a grimace at his parents, pretended to be helpless, and said with a smile: "Ga Wa, it's not Ga girl, it doesn't matter if your skin is dark." Ada, do you want to give him a name?".

Niu Ersa replied, "You are highly educated and knowledgeable, so look at it yourself and choose an official name." After two days, I gave him a scripture name. "

As a result, Ibrahim named the baby boy Niu Wanshan.

Two days later, Niu Isa gave his grandson a scripture name that was exactly the same as his own.

Han Sophie saw that her son's name was the same as her father-in-law's name, how could she dare to open her mouth and call it! She privately nicknamed her son Sani.

One afternoon, two months after Sani was born, Han Sophie came to the gate with Sani in her arms, basking in the sun while chatting with her mother-in-law Mai Liyan, who was sewing clothes.

A ragged beggar approached. He saw Mai Liyan's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatting, stretching out a dirty hand to beg for food.

Han Sophie turned away in disgust.

Mai Liyan looked at the beggar with a pitiful look, so she put down the needlework in her hand, stood up and said, "You wait a minute." I'll go get you some potatoes to eat. "

While waiting for Mai Liyan, the beggar glanced at the child in Han Sophie's arms twice, and accosted: "This Gava belongs to a horse, and she will go far away when she grows up." "

Han Sophie thought that the beggar had nothing to say, so she retorted: "This year is the Year of the Horse. Of course, Gava is a horse. Besides, there are so many people under the horse in the world, do they all have to go far away? "

Mai Liyan came out of the house and heard the conversation between the beggar and Han Sophie. As she handed the potatoes to the beggar, she said, "There are only a few ripe potatoes at home." You can take it and eat it. We are Sarthas and do not pay attention to physiognomy and feng shui. "

The beggar took the artichoke and said stubbornly: "Thank you! Thank you! The old grandmother is the reincarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and she will live a long life! Your grandson will definitely go far away in the future, and he will go half a mile to the west." "

Han Sophie sneered unhappily: "You can't even eat your own stomach, so you ran here to woo wow." Nau, you better do the math for yourself. "

Mai Liyan sighed and said with a wry smile: "As the saying goes, the collapsed house where the carpenter lives, the slag that the plasterer sits on pulls the wall, and the ancestors of Yin and Yang are buried in a daze." "

Han Sophie asked curiously, "Grandma, what do you mean by Amen?"

Mai Liyan explained: "The carpenter builds houses for others every day, but he lives in a collapsed house, the plasterer builds mud walls all day long, but the skin of his own house is tattered, and Mr. Yin and Yang, who specializes in showing feng shui to others, buries his ancestors on the dry beach. "

When Niusa and Ibrahim returned from working in the fields, they happened to hear a conversation between their mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Niu Ersa picked up Mai Liyan's words and asked, "You old grandmother, are you muttering something about Amen here again? Rice, is it ready? Tea, is it brewed?"

Mai Liyan replied with a smile: "Oh, the great hero of our family has returned. Rice, ready. Cover the bowl of tea, and it is also brewed. Father and son, now take your seat. "

Ibrahim and Han Sophie stood aside, pursed their lips and secretly happy.

In mid-August, in the small orchard of the Niu family, heavy pears hung all over the branches.

Ibrahim intended to cut off redundant branches that did not bear fruit in order to provide sufficient nourishment for the fruit-bearing branches. As soon as he walked to the gate of the orchard, he received a letter from Pingxi from Niu Zhanxiang.

Yi Bulahim hurriedly opened the letter, only to see that it read: "Master Ma is now promoted to a provincial official. He hopes that the eldest brother will return to Pingxi as soon as possible and continue to take care of his business. "

Ibrahim immediately turned around and returned home, discussed with Niu Ersa, Mai Liyan and Han Sophie, and decided to take his daughter-in-law and children to Pingxi three days later.

Ibrahim's family soon returned to Pingxi, the capital of Sai Hai province.

Ma Daren met with Ibrahim in his busy schedule, and after a few words of greeting, he entrusted him to continue to manage the Ma family's business.

Ibrahim was very excited when he saw Master Ma. He never dreamed that the friend he made by chance would actually become a big official. The key is that he still misses the old love very much, has never forgotten himself, and values himself as always.

Unfortunately, Master Ma was too busy to have time to make small talk with him like he used to.

Ibrahim rented a large mansion in Pingxi Dongguan.

Han Sophie takes care of the four children of Yushan, Zai Naibai, Tianshan and Wanshan at home, and is responsible for the family's diet and daily life.

Ibrahim did not dare to neglect the Ma family's business in the slightest. It took him a few days to sort out the detailed accounts of more than half a year, and found that there were many losses. He adjusted some of his business according to the market conditions.

In less than three months, Ibrahim not only made up for the losses in the first half of the year, but also added two surpluses to the books of the Ma people.

Master Ma was very happy when he found out, grinning and laughing, and praised Yi Bulaxin again and again as a rare business talent.

In addition to taking care of the business of the Ma family, Ibrahim also took care of his own leather and silk business. As Ma Jiajun's specialized supplier, he does not have to worry about the sales of goods, and every time he buys and ships quickly according to demand. Although the profit is not much, the income is quite stable.

Ibrahim was a devout believer from childhood. No matter how busy he is, he will not miss the daily service. Every Friday, on the main day of the party, he always went to the Dongguan Great Worship Temple on time to attend the gathering.

At this time, several of the other sons of Niursa were running from place to place.

The second son, Niu Zhanxiang, has an introverted personality, is loyal and honest, and has followed Ma Daren's side for many years, traveling in Hezhou, Jincheng, Liangzhou and Pingxi, and has always been a very obedient orderly.

The third son, Niu Zhanchuan, followed Commander Ga to run around the dangerous Hexi Corridor. They fought to the death with Commander Ga's warlord relatives. As their strength weakened, they fought and retreated, all the way to the west.

Although the fourth son Niu Zhanhai is young, he has a lively personality, a clever mind, is good at observing words and feelings, and can speak well, and he is better than several elder brothers in the army. He was stationed in Yushu in the southern part of the West China Sea and guarded the vast Amdo Tibetan region. After several fierce battles, he showed his extraordinary talent, and was appreciated and promoted by Brigade Commander Ma to become a junior officer.