On that winter night in 1996, an 82-year-old man in Zhuangtou Village, Xingtang County, Hebei Province, Fu Sanni, was baking cotton clothes and cotton pants for his grandson Cui Jianqiang, but unfortunately, because of his advanced age, there was an accident during the baking process, which caused a fire.
The fire caused Fu Sanni to suffer severe burns all over her body, coupled with the illness in her early years, the doctor shook her head helplessly after careful examination.
When the bad news came, several children of the Cui family immediately rushed back. According to the doctor's **, the old man may only have a few days to live, so everyone stays by the bedside and keeps an eye on the old man at all times.
However, Fu Sanni, who was seriously ill, could not leave peacefully, she moaned in pain, and looked out of the door from time to time, as if waiting for something. Realizing her expectation, the family tearfully found the stone bricks, polished them into a plaque, and sprinkled a few handfuls of lime into the urn.
The niece came to Fu Sanni with these two items and said softly, "Third aunt, my brother-in-law has found it." You see, this is his spiritual seat and ashes, which we did not dare to tell you before. ”
Hearing these words, Fu Sanni seemed to let go of the worries in her heart, two lines of tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, and then she opened her eyes and looked at the blue cloth burden next to her. It was the dragon and phoenix wedding dress she wore when she got married, and she planned to wear it as a shroud and wear it for burial after she died.
Sixty-four years later, she was finally able to reunite with her lover. Why did Fu Sanni treat her wedding dress as a shroud? Why hasn't her husband been home for 64 years?
In 1914, the old Cui family in Zhuangtou Village welcomed their second grandson, Cui Zhiyao. They are a well-known scholarly family in the area, and the male members have all attended private schools, and even several generations have passed the examination.
However, after the change of dynasty, the family began to decline. Despite this, the grandfather still hopes that his grandson will be able to read and study to glorify his ancestors. Compared with other villages, the Cui family has their own houses, fields, mules and carts, and although they are not wealthy, the family has no worries about food and clothing.
In the same year, the old Fu family in Jia Su Village gave birth to another daughter, Fu Sanni. At that time, many families had more children because of poverty in order to accumulate labor. The Fu family and his wife had eight children together, but they were a little unable to take care of them, so they randomly named their third daughter.
When Cui Zhiyao was studying in the school, Fu Sanni worked hard every day and did not know much. It was impossible for two people with very different family backgrounds to come together, but later the Cui family suffered a blow and had no food and clothing, and the culprit was Cui Zhiyao.
When he was studying in Xingtang High School, he was different from the weak and honest eldest brother, he couldn't get used to the treacherous face of *** knot, organized progressive students to march on the streets, and even called on the onlookers to smash the profiteers' shops.
After the incident became a big one, the local ** arrested the student, and the parents wanted to get the child back, but they had to pay a high bail first. At this time, the Cui family added several grandchildren and granddaughters, and the pressure on life increased.
But Cui Zhiyao is the smartest of the children, and his grandfather loves him the most.
In order to rescue him safely, the Cui family had to sell part of their land and even borrowed usury from the landlord. After some twists and turns, Cui Zhiyao was finally brought home.
In 1927, he lived up to expectations and was admitted to the Second Normal School of Baoding, and his eldest brother was also studying at Zhengding Normal School. The two grandsons of the Cui family are promising, which makes the grandfather see the hope of the prosperity of the family.
However, Cui Zhiyao, who has pursued freedom and light since he was a child, is by no means willing to spend an ordinary life. At school, he came into contact with Marxism and took an active part in revolutionary activities.
Soon after, he officially joined the Chinese Communist Youth League, waving flags and leading his classmates to the forefront of the revolution. By 1931, however, the revolutionary activities of the patriotic students had already violated the interests of the reactionary rulers, and they began to arrest and suppress them on a large scale, and expelled them from school.
Cui Zhiyao was not spared, his school status was cancelled, he couldn't go back to school, his wanted notice was still posted on the street, and he couldn't go back to his hometown.
When the news reached the ears of the family, the whole family was thrown into chaos. Grandpa and Grandma were old and frail, Father was sick and unable to work, and Mother was so frightened that she fell ill and died soon after.
They inquired about Cui Zhiyao's whereabouts, but to no avail. In a fit of rage, the grandfather thought of his eldest grandson who was studying outside, so he hurriedly wrote to call him back.
It is no longer important whether you are studying and progressing or honoring your ancestors, go home and guard one acre and three points of land, but it is good to lose your life in the past revolution. When the grandfather was dying, he handed over the whole family and the remaining property to his eldest grandson.
But what I didn't expect was that the weak eldest grandson was not up to the burden of being in charge.
Faced with the blow of losing his only mule, he ended his life with hemp rope. The family's reaction was even worse, with my grandmother suffering a stroke and being paralyzed, leaving my father and several younger siblings to rely on each other.
The sister-in-law even left her infant daughter and ran away from home. The family was in trouble, but Cui Zhiyao didn't know it at this time. Although on the way to escape, he still actively propagated the revolution and became the first secretary of the county party committee of the red ** in Xingtang County.
In 1932, when the news of the revocation of the wanted warrant came, he rushed home despite the wind and rain, only to see the scene of his family being ruined. Deeply ashamed of his family, he decided to stay at home to teach and take care of his elders, younger siblings and little niece.
His revolutionary career was not yet over, and he still often held meetings at home to answer the call of the higher organizations. In order to calm him down and concentrate on the revolutionary cause, his grandmother and father decided to help him marry a daughter-in-law as soon as possible.
Although the Cui family had declined at that time, Cui Zhiyao himself was dignified and a respected teacher. Under the persuasion of the matchmaker, they fell in love with a bright girl Fu Sanni for him.
The matchmaker praised the Fu family as a scholar, the family has a house and land, and a teacher, this family business is not simple. The Fu family's parents were very satisfied with this, and felt that they had climbed a high branch for their crops to marry a scholar's family.
Fu Sanni obeyed the orders of her parents and the words of the matchmaker, although she had not met Cui Zhiyao, she already had the illusion of a gentleman in her heart. Both parties were very satisfied with this family affair and prepared a complete dowry.
Fu Sanni was dressed in a dragon and phoenix wedding dress and married Cui Zhiyao in the eighth lunar month of the same year. Husband and wife are of the same heart, even if they are poor, they will not change their original intentions, and they are full of hope for the future. However, when Fu Sanni really stepped into this family, she experienced the huge difference between reality and imagination.
She lifted her red hijab and met Cui Zhiyao for the first time. Fu Sanni, who was dressed in a wedding dress, left a deep impression on Cui Zhiyao. He sincerely praised her for wearing the wedding dress, but said apologetically: "Follow me in the future, you may suffer." ”
Fu Sanni was immersed in happiness, but she didn't notice her husband's hints. It wasn't until the next day that she saw the poor and disabled family with her own eyes. The three brothers-in-law and the two sisters-in-law looked at her in fear, and the babbling little niece didn't know what was going on.
Her father-in-law, who was seriously ill, and her grandmother, who was bedridden, apologized to her, as if they were worried that she would not be able to accept the situation of this large family. However, when Fu Sanni learned about the actual situation at home, she was indeed a little surprised.
The family's livelihood depended on only a few acres of meager fields and her husband's meager salary, and the family's difficulties were obvious. However, she did not get angry or regret it, and almost instantly decided the rest of her life - she was going to support the family with her husband.
Fu Sanni did what she said, she was filial to the two elders, treated her younger siblings as her own, and even raised her little niece as her own when she didn't have children.
Cui Zhiyao and Fu Sanni are a couple who support each other, and although they live in poverty, they always stick to each other. Cui Zhiyao respected and educated Fu Sanni, so that she could not only read and write, but also understand and support his revolutionary aspirations and ideas.
Although Fu Sanni does not fully understand these concepts, she has always trusted and supported Cui Zhiyao unconditionally. Whenever the underground party comrades held a meeting at home, Fu Sanni would take the initiative to take on the responsibility of standing guard.
Cui Zhiyao gave everything for the revolutionary plan and the country's righteousness, while Fu Sanni did her best to take care of the affairs of the family. In the year they got married, Fu Sanni became pregnant, and this upcoming new life made the whole family very happy.
If the days can be spent so plainly, even if they are tired and tired, they will not care. However, Cui Zhiyao's work is destined for his life to be uneventful.
By 1933, his underground work had become busier, and he rarely relaxed.
Fu Sanni looked at Cui Zhiyao's tightly knit brows, and her heart was extremely anxious. She knew that her husband had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, but she couldn't share it in the slightest. Finally one day, Cui Zhiyao hurried home, and after packing his luggage, he apologized deeply to Sanni: "I'm sorry, I'm leaving soon, this family has to ask you." ”
He also told Fu Sanni that if he didn't come back after three days, he would burn all the books and materials he had hidden in his room. Fu Sanni understood her husband's decision, she nodded tearfully, and said firmly: "Take care of yourself, I'll wait for you to come back." ”
From that day on, Cui Zhiyao's upright figure was engraved in Fu Sanni's heart. Despite the anxiety in her heart, Fu Sanni still burned most of the books and documents according to her husband's instructions.
However, every time she saw a few remaining books, Fu Sanni would think of her husband, and she couldn't help but feel a pain in her heart. She endured the heartache and secretly hid these books in the corner, hoping to preserve some memories of her husband.
As the due date approached, Fu Sanni endured the pain of childbirth alone and gave birth to a lovely daughter with difficulty, and she named her busy girl. She hugged her daughter tightly, convinced in her heart that her husband would return one day.
Although life is hard and tiring, she still has to take care of her children. Slowly, her sons, daughters, and nieces grew up, and they began to share the burden of the family.
The family supports each other, and life is full of laughter. When she was growing up, the first word she learned was "Dad". Although she had never met her father, she learned about his father's past from her mother's mouth.
She often snuggled up in her mother's arms and asked, "Why hasn't Dad come back?" When will he be able to go home with me and my mother? Faced with her daughter's question, Fu Sanni couldn't answer herself, so she could only keep comforting her: "Come on, your father will come back next year." ”
In the next year, she gradually grew to 4 years old. However, hives and malaria followed, and high fever and diarrhea left her in agony. The people of the Cui family anxiously looked for a doctor, determined to save Xinni's life no matter what, because this was Fu Sanni's last hope.
However, due to the limited level of medical care at the time, even if the doctors tried their best, they were helpless. Under the cries of her uncles and aunts, Busy Ni's voice became weaker and weaker, and finally closed her eyes.
Fu Sanni hugged her daughter tightly, her eyes were already swollen from crying, and her voice was hoarse. She told her daughter over and over again, "Your father is coming back soon, open your eyes and see." ”
But Xinni didn't wake up, and from that day on, Fu Sanni lay on the bed and cried silently, without eating or drinking, and mourning for her daughter. After 64 years of hard work, she made a shroud for her daughter with a wedding dress, witnessing the vicissitudes of life.
However, in the end, she still couldn't wait for her husband to come back, and her daughter also left her, which made her lose the courage to live. Hearing the news, her parents' parents hurriedly took her home.
was worried that she wouldn't be able to find a short-term view, and wanted to persuade her to find a new home. However, Fu Sanni insisted, she had said that she would wait for Cui Zhiyao to come back. Although he lost his daughter, there are still big and small things about the Cui family behind him.
After resting at her mother's house for a while, she returned to Cui's house without hesitation. As long as she lives, she will keep waiting. However, 64 years have passed in a hurry, and the end of her life has still not waited for her true destiny.
Under Fu Sanni's management, several brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and nieces have all started families one after another, and grandma and father-in-law have also lived a comfortable life in their old age under her care.
Everyone settled down and had their own children and grandchildren as they grew older. However, compared with these bustles, the lonely Fu Sanni seems even more desolate.
No matter which room it is, the remaining three-room children of the Cui family treat her as their own mother and grandmother, but she has never had her own nominal child.
After careful consideration, the three brothers decided to pass on a child from the family to Fu Sanni. She can choose according to her preferences, so that even after a hundred years, there are relatives who can take care of her.
In the end, Fu Sanni chose Cui Daping, the eldest son of the old fifth family. Cui Daping grew up beside her and even married her sister's daughter, making the relationship between the two families even closer.
Cui Daping and his wife are both Fu Sanni's niece and step-daughter-in-law, and the couple are very filial to the old man. After her grandson Cui Jianqiang was born, Fu Sanni took the child with her to raise her.
In her spare time, she also tells her grandson about the past. Although Cui Jianqiang is still young, in order to make his grandmother happy, he swore to his grandmother: "Grandma, don't worry, when I grow up, I will definitely get my grandfather back." ”
It's a pity that Fu Sanni didn't wait for this day, her whole life has been spent in deep thoughts about her husband and daughter, from a young bride to an old woman in her last years.
She had long left a last wish, hoping to be buried in a wedding dress in a hundred years. Because she thinks that only in this way will her husband Cui Zhiyao remember her most beautiful appearance when she was young.
Although Fu Sanni knew that after her death, her husband Cui Zhiyao could not really feel her existence, this wish became her last sustenance. After Fu Sanni was declared dead, her family began to prepare for the future, but Fu Sanni was never able to look at ease with peace of mind.
The only thing she wants to know is whether her husband, Cui Zhiyao, is dead or alive. In order to let her leave with peace of mind, Cui Daping and Cui Jianqiang decided to lie to her together. They used a temporary stone brick to engrave the words "Cui Zhiyao's Spiritual Seat", and then put a few handfuls of lime in the urn into the coffin.
Although none of this is true, they all hope that this can bring Fu Sanni some comfort.
The people of the Cui family fell into a heavy atmosphere after his grandmother's funeral, especially Cui Jianqiang, because he was full of guilt in his heart. All of them had deceived their grandmother, and none of them knew about their grandfather's identity and whereabouts.
Recalling his childhood promise, he once said that he would help his grandmother find his grandfather, but in the end it was not fulfilled. In order to make up for this regret, Cui Jianqiang took his grandmother's ** to find his relatives after receiving the support of his family.
In his exploration, he got the help of the staff of the Party History Office of Xingtang County, and found a letter written by his grandfather in 1938 to the introducer of joining the party, and the address of the letter was Gao'an, Jiangxi.
But to find grandpa, clues are extremely limited. He came to Gao'an in 2011, but the city's vast area and incomplete party history materials made him feel lost.
Although Cui Jianqiang has traveled to many places in Gao'an, there has been no progress. During a small talk, he overheard the "Tuanshan Temple Da**" and learned about many heroic deeds of the underground party who sacrificed their lives to protect the people.
A chance conversation made Cui Jianqiang have a strong desire to find his grandfather in his heart. He immediately rushed to the ruins of Tuanshan Temple, where he found two surviving old men.
* At the time of the incident, Deng Mangying and Min Cui'e were still young children. They recalled that in those days there were many underground party comrades who taught in schools and spread revolutionary ideas to the people.
In August 1939, the Japanese invaded, and they died heroically in order to protect the villagers. The survivors buried the martyrs on the spot and paid their respects every year. Coincidentally, the Mr. Cui mentioned by the two old men is very similar to the grandfather described by the grandmother.
Cui Jianqiang was so excited, he finally found his grandfather's whereabouts! In front of that simple tomb, he took out his grandmother's ** and sadly told his experience over the years.
He informed his family of the exciting news and contacted the relevant authorities to carry out the excavation. After 78 years of waiting, he returned to his hometown with his grandfather's remains.
In June 2011, he and Fu Sanni were buried together. They were together for only one year, one died heroically in 1939, and the other waited in ignorance for 64 years.
And it wasn't until 15 years after Fu Sanni's death that the couple "reunited" again. This is the fulfillment of Fu Sanni's last wish, but for Cui Zhiyao, it is a return to the roots.
In the story of this young couple, they have experienced the process from strange to familiar, from nothing to something, and achieved the purest and most sincere love. Cui Zhiyao pretended to be "everyone" in his heart, so he chose to abandon the "small family".
In the name of teaching, he carried out revolutionary deeds and did not leave his name until his death. Although his life was short, he left a deep impression on his family, the survivors who were rescued, and the descendants of his descendants.
In the long years, Fu Sanni picked up the burden of the family with her weak arms and spent her life fulfilling her commitment to her family. She, like thousands of working women, silently supports her loved ones behind the scenes.
Although there are more separations than companionship in this relationship, and there are more regrets than consummation, you will not regret it if you pay, and you will not ask for anything in return if you choose. These unknown people, with their tenacity, have exchanged for the prosperity of today's China.