"Home"
The howling north wind carries goose feather-like snow flakes flying all over the sky. It was getting dark, and the lights on the roadside were not lit yet. Two pedestrians were struggling to walk on a secluded street in Chengdu - they were Gao Juemin, the second young master, and Gao Juehui, the third young master of Gaofu Dafang. They had just returned home from school rehearsal. As they walked, they talked enthusiastically about the rehearsal. In front of a large mansion with the words "National Grace and Family Celebration, May Life Be Prosperous" hanging on the door, they stopped, wiped their leather shoes on the stone stairs, shook off the snow water on their bodies, and then raised their umbrellas. Strided in.
Qin has been waiting here for a long time. She is the most beautiful and lively girl among the relatives of the Gao family. When she heard that her second cousin Juemin said that the "Foreign College" would recruit girls during the summer vacation, she was very happy. . But when I think about the difficulties and resistance I will encounter when entering a boys' school, I feel heavy. Brother Juemin tried his best to comfort and encourage her. Looking at Qin's cheerful and lively bright face, Jue Hui couldn't help but think of her sweetheart - Ming Feng, a maid who was sold to the Gao Mansion since she was a child. She was smart, gentle, kind and beautiful, and never complained or complained, just like the sea. , it accepted everything and swallowed everything, but it didn't even make a roar. These two faces represent two different lives and indicate two different destinies. Jue Hui understands that Mingfeng's fate has been arranged when she was born. At the same time, she also thinks of the countless sins of this family.
The night is dark, and darkness rules this grand mansion. People have been busy for a day. At this time, they take off their masks during the day and open their hearts, either regretting, crying, being proud, or secretly rejoicing. Only at this time can Mingfeng quietly think about his own destiny and fight for his own destiny. weep with grief.
Qin's mother was surprised that she was going to a boys' school, but she still agreed to find a way for her. Qin is very grateful to her mother.
Juexin is the eldest brother of the Juemin brothers and the eldest grandson of the eldest son of this big family. For this reason, his fate was decided when he was born. He is handsome and smart since he was a child. He was loved by his parents at home, praised by his teachers in private schools, and ranked first in his grades when he graduated from middle school. He had planned to study at a famous university after graduating from high school. He also wanted to study in Germany and marry the girl he loved. At this time, news came that his father was engaged for him, but his character was cowardly. He did not resist and could not think of resisting. He endured it, he obeyed his father's will without complaint. But in his heart, he was crying for himself and the girl he loved. In order for his grandfather to have his great-grandson as soon as possible, and for his father's wishes, he got married and helped with the housework.
Originally, he was deeply in love with Cousin Mei of the Qian family. Although they were childhood sweethearts and sweethearts, he had to succumb to his father's orders, so a father decided by casting lots. Married to a girl he didn't know, Rui Jue. His future was ruined and his beautiful illusions were shattered. Soon, Mei got married, and Juexin was deeply immersed in the tenderness and care of his dignified and beautiful wife Rui Jue.
Soon, his father passed away, and his heart was filled with sorrow, but he never thought that his own situation would become even more tragic. His sorrow soon faded away, and after his father's coffin was buried, he seemed to have completely forgotten about his father. Not only did he forget his father, but he also forgot everything in the past. He even forgot his youth. As the eldest son of the Gao family, he calmly placed the burden of the big family on his young shoulders. The countless invisible arrows shot at him by the conflicts within the family made him see clearly the hatred and struggle hidden under the veil of love and peace in this gentleman's family. Although he has forgotten his youth, the fire of youth is still burning in his heart. He was angry, he struggled, and ultimately his struggle was fruitless. And he was tired, too. He lives only to carry the burden on his shoulders; he lives only to maintain the family left by his father. Soon, his child was born, and he realized his ambition in his son. His son's happiness is his own happiness. Thinking this way, he seemed to get a little comfort.
Two years later, the May 4th Movement happened. The blazing reports in newspapers awakened Jue Xin's forgotten youth. He greedily read articles in "New Youth", "Weekly Review" and other publications. He learned the "docility" from Liu Bannong and the "non-resistance" from Tolstoy. These "isms" combined the theory of "New Youth" with the reality of their big family without any conflict. . It gave him comfort, allowing him to believe in the new theory on the one hand, and to live in compliance with the old environment on the other, without feeling any contradiction. As a result, he became a person with two personalities: in the old family, he was a young master full of youthfulness; when he was with his two brothers, he was a new young man. He not only hates the old forces, but also obeys them in front of them; he sincerely cares about the happiness of his younger brothers and sisters, but is always wary of their words and deeds cheating. Therefore, he was attacked from two aspects: on the one hand, the elders could instigate, tease, and even scold him as they pleased; on the other hand, Juemin and Juehui often showed their dissatisfaction with this eldest brother. Faced with all this, he endured and struggled silently. He continued to read books and newspapers with new ideas and continued to live an old-fashioned life.
Juehui was reprimanded by Mrs. Gao because he and his classmates submitted to the governor, and he was not allowed to go out again. Juehui felt that the person lying in front of him was not his grandfather, but a representative of an entire generation. They talked not like grandfather and grandson, but like two enemies. On this day, he met Mingfeng in the garden. He sincerely told Mingfeng that he would marry her in the future. Mingfeng quickly interrupted Juehui and said sadly that she was afraid that the dream would not last long if it was too good.
That night, the moonlight was bright and clear. After the third watch, Juemin and Juehui were still walking in the courtyard. The plaintive sound of the flute floated in the distance. Mei became a widow less than a year after her marriage. Her husband's family treated her badly and she recently returned to her parents' home in the provincial capital alone. Juexin felt very sad when she found out about it and played such miserable tunes for several nights in a row. Juemin is worried that the tragedy of his eldest brother and Mei will happen again between him and Qin. Juehui comforts his second brother and says, you will never go the same way as your eldest brother, because times have changed.
On the Lunar New Year, Gao Mansion was particularly lively and busy. The main room was brightly lit, and the whole family was seated at two large tables. The people at the upper table were all elders, and the people at the next table were Juexin and his younger brothers and sisters. Mrs. Gao hoped that there would be four generations at the New Year's dinner, so he asked Juexin and his wife to bring their son Haichen to the table. Faced with so many descendants, Mr. Gao understood that his wish of "four generations living under one roof" had been realized, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. Outside the mansion, a begging child cried softly in the cold and hunger. In the building in the garden, Juexin felt sad because Mei deliberately avoided him when she met him in the shopping mall a few days ago. Downstairs, Shuying was playing shuttlecock, and Juexin joined the game. Juehui looked at Juexin's back and thought: People are so forgetful. The same person actually changed two faces in a short period of time. . Later he thought that it was probably because of his forgetfulness that he was able to live in pain. As he thought this way, he had a temporary understanding of the elder brother who had just dug up the grave of the past and immediately forgot everything.
In Zhang Jiaqin’s room, Mei told Juemin, Juehui, and Qin her miserable mood, lamenting that no matter how the times changed, she could only rely on memories to fill her empty heart. Juehui and Juemin hated the old forces even more because of Mei's tragedy.
The Lantern Festival has just passed, and the old and new warlords started a fierce melee. The Gao family in the urban area was inevitably disturbed by the war. Mrs. Zhang, who fled into the city from the east gate, took Qin and Mei, who were playing at Zhang's house, to take refuge in Gao Mansion. Mei felt particularly sad when she saw that the vegetation in the Gao family garden was still the same, but the people had changed. At this time, Ruijue brought Haichen over. After talking, Ruijue suddenly felt that he liked Mei very much.
The next day, Juexin met Mei again in the garden. Mei turned around and walked away silently. Juexin chased after him and begged Mei for forgiveness. Mei couldn't help but cry softly. When Juexin saw Mei so sad, a feeling of regret, sympathy and love suddenly hit his heart, and he couldn't help but wipe her tears with a handkerchief. The two cried at each other and told each other about their lovesickness over the past few years.
In the past few days, Ruijue has fully understood the past relationship between Juexin and Meihua and the reason why Juexin likes Meihua so much. She took the initiative to talk to Mei and expressed her understanding of their original relationship. Mei was moved by her generosity and kindness, and frankly confided her experiences and inner pain to her. Mei's tragic words weigh heavily on the heart of Rui Jue, a gentle and sensitive woman. Sincere sympathy and mutual understanding of fate turned the two women into sisters as close as brothers.
After the war, Juehui joined the work of "Dawn Weekly" without telling her family, writing articles to introduce the New Culture Movement and attack the old system and old ideas. He worked in full swing, gradually entering new fields, and at the same time he became farther and farther away from his family. Although he knew that there was someone in this family who loved him selflessly, every time he saw those eyes burning with pure love, he felt a desire growing in his heart. However, entering a new environment and contacting new friends, his horizons broadened. He feels that there is a vast world ahead of him, where the passion of his youth can find a place to vent, and where there is work worthy of his devotion. He understood better that the meaning of life was not that simple. Compared with the vast world, that girl's eyes were too small. He couldn't give up everything just for those eyes.
Qin imagines her classmate Qianru learning to cut her hair, to the firm opposition of her mother. The family's strong feudal ideology made Qin's eyes immediately seem to see a long road built thousands of years ago, with the bodies of young women lying on it. However, she was determined to follow a new path.
Feng Leshan, a prominent figure in the Confucian Church, who was in his 60s, saw how beautiful the girls of the Gao family were and asked Mr. Gao for one to be his concubine. Mrs. Gao decided to let 17-year-old Mingfeng marry him. Mingfeng deeply loves Juehui. Although she knows that the poor girl with a low status will never become the young mistress of the Gao family, she hopes to stay with Juehui and serve him all her life. Her future is still filled with dense darkness, and the glimmer of light brought by pure love has been destroyed by others. Mingfeng begged his wife not to marry her off, but no one dared to object to Mrs. Gao's decision. Hopeless, Mingfeng had no choice but to ask Juehui for help. Juehui is rushing to write articles for publications. Seeing Juehui who was busy writing an article, Mingfeng couldn't bear to disturb him. Juehui didn't know anything about Mingfeng's marriage.
The night before her wedding, Mingfeng went to Juehui with her last hope. For Juehui, that day was just the last day of a month, but for Mingfeng, it was the last day of her life. . Because Juehui was in a hurry to write a manuscript, he sent Mingfeng away without hearing her heartfelt confession. Mingfeng left Juehui's residence in tears. As soon as Mingfeng left, Juemin came and told the truth. Juehui was so anxious that he almost went crazy. He looked for Mingfeng everywhere, but it was too late. With despair and deep love for the third young master Juehui, Mingfeng threw herself into the crystal lake.
After Mingfeng committed suicide by drowning, the cruel old man Gao forced his maid Waner to become Feng Leshan's concubine. Mingfeng's tragedy made Juehui infinitely sad and deeply self-blame. At the same time, it also deepened his incomparable hatred for the old forces represented by his grandfather. Now, he has a clearer understanding of the true face of the family and society where he lives.
Mr. Gao’s 66th birthday has arrived. The Gao family held a banquet and performed operas to celebrate. Mei fell ill when she returned home after attending a birthday ceremony. Juexin felt extremely painful that he could not visit her. Feng Leshan proposed marriage to the Gao family at the birthday banquet - he wanted to betroth his grandniece to Juemin, and Mrs. Gao agreed. Juemin, who was in love with Qin, immediately objected. The eldest brother Juexin felt in a dilemma, and the third brother Juehui supported the second brother Juemin in resisting. Juexin explained Juemin's opinion to his grandfather, and his grandfather immediately refuted angrily: "I said it was right, who dares to say it is wrong? I will do whatever I want!" At the critical moment, Juehui helped Juemin escaped from marriage.
Mr. Gao was furious after hearing the news. No matter how his third uncle Keming and Juexin persuaded him, Juehui firmly said that he would never reveal Juemin's address unless the Feng family's marriage was cancelled. Seeing that Juexin had adopted non-resistance in this matter, Juehui couldn't help but call Juexin a coward. Juemin wrote to Juexin, saying that he would never let Qin play the role of the second Mei. Juexin was constantly condemned by his conscience and felt that he should help Juemin no matter what, otherwise it would cause a lifelong grudge. He boldly went to his grandfather to intercede for Juemin, but was furiously rebuked by his grandfather. Grandfather finally said that the Feng family's marriage must not be cancelled. If Juemin didn't come home at the end of the month, Juehui would be asked to take his place. Juexin had no choice but to turn around and ask the third brother to persuade the second brother to surrender. Juehui was very angry and thought: "If sacrifice is necessary, I will never be the victim."
At this time, news of Mei's death came. Juexin was greatly stimulated by the news, and he took care of Mei's funeral with great sadness. When bidding farewell to the coffin, Juehui did not cry or feel sad. He was full of anger. His words were spoken in a voice mixed with love and hate: "Some cries, some words, some tears buried this lovely young life. Cousin Mei, I wish I could pull you out of the coffin. Come out and let you open your eyes and see clearly: how you were killed!"
Jue Xin's fourth uncle Ke'an and fifth uncle Keding secretly rented a small mansion outside without telling Mr. Gao. , prostituted women, borrowed money everywhere under the name of Mrs. Gao, and lived a shameless life. Soon, the scandal was exposed, and after Mrs. Gao punished them, he felt extremely disappointed and could not afford to be ill ever since. Aunt Chen first invited Taoist priests to perform the ritual, and then asked Duan Gong to catch ghosts, which made the house restless. Keming, who had studied abroad, and Juexin, who had read progressive books and newspapers, did not dare to speak out against it. Only Juehui stood up and scolded Aunt Chen and everyone else. Before his death, Mrs. Gao promised to terminate the engagement with the Feng family. He wanted to see Juemin before he died, and Juemin's anti-marriage action was successful.
The day when Rui Jue gives birth is getting closer. The entire generation of Gao's parents believed that if Mr. Gao's coffin was parked at home, there would be a bloody disaster if someone gave birth to a child at home. They asked Rui Jue to give birth outside the city. They say that my grandfather's interests outweigh everything else. Juexin accepted it peacefully without saying a word of resistance. He never said a word of resistance to anyone in his life. No matter how unfairly he was treated, he would rather cry, be angry, or suffer in his heart, and he would never resist in front of others. He endures everything without even considering whether such endurance will harm the happiness of others. In this way, Juexin once again accepted this absurd proposition without any resistance. Ruijue didn't say a word of complaint, she just cried. Her cries were an expression of her resistance. But it was useless, because she had no power to protect herself, and Juexin had no power to protect her.
Rui Jue died of dystocia. This made Juexin suddenly understand that what really took away his wife was something else, the entire system, the entire ethics, and the entire superstition. All of this was placed on his shoulders, weighing him down for so many years, taking away his youth, his happiness, his future, and the two women he loved most. He now began to feel that this burden was too heavy and he wanted to throw it away. He was struggling. However, at the same time, he understood that he was unable to resist all this. He was a weak and cowardly person. He was so desperate that he suddenly knelt down in front of the door and cried sadly. At this time, he was not crying for Ruijue, he was crying for himself.
The third brother Juehui felt that he could no longer live in this cannibal family. He wanted to be a rebel in this feudal family and was determined to fly away. Juexin felt infinitely sad, but he knew that he could not keep Juehui by force. After much hesitation, he finally agreed to secretly support his brother's actions. He thought: "Our family needs a traitor. I must help my third brother succeed. He can also breathe a sigh of relief for me." He couldn't help but said to himself: "Just watch.
Not all people in my family are obedient like me! "And he himself will stay at home and live a more bleak and lonely life...
At dawn, Juehui said goodbye to her eldest brother Juexin, second brother Juemin and "Lingming" without telling the rest of the Gao family. Friends from the Weekly News Agency left home by boat and went to Shanghai.