TO LIVE, Chapter II (4)

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TO LIVE Chapter II (4)
Less than two days later Long Er came. His appearance had completely changed. Opening his mouth wide to let out a sinister laugh, he revealed two new gold teeth. He had bought our house and land at a low mortgage rate and had come to check out his new property. Long Er kicked the foot of the wall, then pushed his ear up against the wall and patted it with his hand, saying, "Sturdy. Sturdy."
Long Er then went outside to take a walk around the property. When he came back he bowed to my father with his hands folded in front, saying, "Looking at these bright green fields, I can rest at ease."
As soon as Long Er came we had to move out of the family house, which had been passed down for generations, and into a small thatched hut. The day we moved, my father strolled in and out of the different rooms with his hands clasped behind his back. Finally, he said to my mother, "And I thought I would die in this house."
My dad brushed the dust off his silk clothes and, extending his neck, crossed the threshold. Just like before, Dad clasped his hands behind his back and leisurely made his way to the manure vat. The sky was just beginning to grow dark, and only a few farmers were still working in the field. They all knew my father was no longer the owner, yet they held on to their hoes, calling out, "Master."
My dad smiled slightly and, waving his hand, said, "No need to call me that."
The land my father now strolled on was no longer his. His legs trembled as he walked to the edge of the property. He stopped in front of the manure vat and looked around in all directions. Then he undid his pants and squatted down.
That day as dusk settled, my dad didn't make a sound while he took his shit. His squinting eyes stared far off, and gradually the narrow trail leading to town became blurry. A worker standing beside him was bending over to reap some vegetables. By the time the farmer stood back up, my father could no longer see that small trail.
Dad fell from atop the manure vat. The worker, hearing a noise, quickly turned around to see my father lying on the ground. His head didn't move as it rested against the manure vat. Holding a sickle, the worker rushed over to my father, asking him, "Master, are you okay?"
My dad's eyelids fluttered. Staring at the worker, he asked in a raspy voice, "Who are you?"
The worker bent over and said, "Master, it's me, Wang Xi."
After thinking for a while, Dad said, "Oh, Wang Xi. Wang Xi, there's a stone beneath me that's hurting my back."
Wang Xi turned my father over to find a rock the size of a man's fist. He tossed it aside. Lying there, my dad quietly uttered, "That's much better."
"Should I help you up?" Wang Xi asked.
Dad shook his head. Sighing, he replied, "No need."
And then my father asked him, "Have you ever seen me fall before?"
Wang Xi shook his head. "No, master."
My dad seemed a bit happy, and he asked again, "So, it's the first time?"
"Yes, master," said Wang Xi.
My dad chuckled for a moment before closing his eyes. His neck went crooked as his head slid from against the manure vat onto the ground.
That day we had just moved into our thatched hut. My mother and I were inside cleaning. Fengxia happily helped us straighten up. She still didn't know that from now on we were going to suffer. Jiazhen was walking from the pond with a bundle of clothes in both arms when Wang Xi ran up to her, saying, "Madame, the master's had an accident. I'm afraid he's not going to make it."
From the hut we heard Jiazhen screaming, "Mom! Fugui, Mom . . ."
Before she could say any more, Jiazhen began to cry. I immediately figured that something must have happened to Dad. I ran out of the hut to see Jiazhen standing there with the whole bucket-load of clothes on the ground before her.
When Jiazhen saw me she called out, "Fugui, your father . . ."
My head began to buzz and, as fast as I could, I ran to the other side of the family plot. When I got to the manure vat, Dad had already stopped breathing. I pushed him and yelled, but he didn't respond. I didn't know what to do. I stood up and turned around to see Mom running toward me on her bound little feet, crying and screaming. Jiazhen was right behind with Fengxia in her arms.
　　没出两天，龙二来了。龙二的模样变了，他嘴里镶了两颗金牙，咧着大嘴巴嘻嘻笑着。他买去了我们抵押出去的房产和地产，他是来看看自己的财产。龙二用脚踢踢墙基，又将耳朵贴在墙上，伸出巴掌拍拍，连声说：
　　“结实，结实。”
　　龙二又到田里去转了一圈，回来后向我和爹作揖说道：
　　“看着那绿油油的地，心里就是踏实。”
　　龙二一到，我们就要从几代居住的屋子里搬出去，搬到茅屋里去住。搬走那天，我爹双手背在身后，在几个房间踱来踱去，末了对我娘说：
　　“我还以为会死在这屋子里。”
　　说完，我爹拍拍绸衣上的尘土，伸了伸脖子跨出门槛。我爹像往常那样，双手背在身后慢悠悠地向村口的粪缸走去。那时候天正在黑下来，有几个佃户还在地里干着活，他们都知道我爹不是主人了，还是握住锄头叫了一声：
　　“老爷。”
　　我爹轻轻一笑，向他们摆摆手说：
　　“不要这样叫。”
　　我爹已不是走在自己的地产上了，两条腿哆嗦着走到村口，在粪缸前站住脚，四下里望了望，然后解开裤带，蹲了上去。
　　那天傍晚我爹拉屎时不再叫唤，他眯缝着眼睛往远处看，看着那条向城里去的小路慢慢变得不清楚。一个佃户在近旁俯身割菜，他直起腰后，我爹就看不到那条小路了。
　　我爹从粪缸上摔了下来，那佃户听到声音急忙转过身来，看到我爹斜躺在地上，脑袋靠着粪缸一动不动。佃户提着镰刀跑到我爹跟前，问他：
　　“老爷你没事吧？”
　　我爹动了动眼皮，看着佃户嘶哑地问：
　　“你是谁家的？”
　　佃户俯下身去说：
　　“老爷，我是王喜。”
　　我爹想了想后说：
　　“噢，是王喜。王喜，下面有块石头，硌得我难受。”
　　王喜将我爹的身体翻了翻，摸出一块拳头大的石头扔到一旁，我爹重又斜躺在那里，轻声说：
　　“这下舒服了。”
　　王喜问：“我扶你起来？”
　　我爹摇摇头，喘息着说：
　　“不用了。”
　　随后我爹问他：
　　“你先前看到过我掉下来没有？”
　　王喜摇摇头说：
　　“没有，老爷。”
　　我爹像是有些高兴，又问：
　　“第一次掉下来？”
　　王喜说：“是的，老爷。”
　　我爹嘿嘿笑了几下，笑完后闭上了眼睛，脖子一歪，脑袋顺着粪缸滑到了地上。
　　那天我们刚搬到了茅屋里，我和娘在屋里收拾着，凤霞高高兴兴地也跟着收拾东西，她不知道从此以后就要受苦了。
　　家珍端着一大盆衣服从池塘边走上来，遇到了跑来的王喜，王喜说：
　　“少奶奶，老爷像是熟了。”
　　我们在屋里听到家珍在外面使劲喊：“娘，福贵，娘……”
　　没喊几声，家珍就在那里呜呜地哭上了。那时我就想着是爹出事了，我跑出屋看到家珍站在那里，一大盆衣服全掉在地上。家珍看到我叫着：
　　“福贵，是爹……”
　　我脑袋嗡的一下，拼命往村口跑，跑到粪缸前时我爹已经断气了，我又推又喊，我爹就是不理我，我不知道该怎么办，站起来往回看，看到我娘扭着小脚又哭又喊地跑来，家珍抱着凤霞跟在后面。