The night turned windy… the cold wind has come, so many wishes for a cold wind, a sweet cold spell at the beginning of this year has come true, a few days ago I was hanging out on the sidewalk and my friends kept saying the weather is crazy now, who would have thought it was almost the end of the 10th lunar month but there was no cold spell, during the day the sun was blazing like mid-summer
I sat in silence, well, who knows what will happen tomorrow, who could have guessed what the mute girl’s life story would be like in the past, now that cold feeling on the edge of my ears, on my cheeks in the night of 17 degrees Celsius…my soul wanders off to a distant place, the past gently comes back, I close my eyes and then the time of clumsiness appears again
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On January 13th, my village is preparing to celebrate Tet again.
The Saturday morning class still had a languid atmosphere lingering somewhere, in the first day of the year, the echoes of Tet were still running through the children’s heads, it seemed like the teachers felt the same way, not knowing since when the saying “January is the month of partying” was still lingering in everyone’s head, the students during recess were still whispering to each other that today the TN village festival was very big, the teachers didn’t want to be strict, the whole class just passed by while outside the sound of the wrestling drum, the cheers still wafted into the classroom, after 10 o’clock the teacher said, “I’ll stop today’s lesson here, to let the homeroom teacher talk to the students”
The homeroom teacher walked in… tomorrow is Sunday, you have the day off. The day after tomorrow is the custom of celebrating Tet in my hometown. You have a day off to be with your family. You can make up for that day off by studying next Sunday. Do you have any comments?
The whole class cheered..no
Students, the happiest moment in their school life is when the teacher lets them off school, the whole class rushes out the school gate. I slowly cycle to the village entrance, there is Mr. Dam’s house.
Grandpa, are you cooking?
Tu, why are you home so early? The cooking is almost done. Come eat with me.
We were let go home early by our teacher. The day after tomorrow we have an extra day off to celebrate Tet again. We will make up for it next week, sir. Oh sir, why is there a custom of celebrating Tet again?
Mr. Dam just smiled and told me to go wash my face and hands. A moment later, he came back. He must have finished cooking the food. He sat down on a chair next to his house and was silent for a long time before saying,
This custom has been around for hundreds of years, my dear, passed down from our ancestors, I saw it when I grew up, legend has it that the king gave this strip of land a day off to thank the one who founded the land, to preserve this land for the people to have a prosperous life, to thank the parents and the people who helped us become who we are.
Then he said, this year you are a boy, go to your bookshelf and bring home any book you like to read, read books to gain more understanding of all stories, in there are many books that your grandfather used to read, kept, and gave to him before he passed away, then he leisurely set the table, I sat down to eat with him and felt so warm and full.
Seeing some strange dishes on the meal, I asked… sir, did you just make the pickled cabbage? And this dish too.
He smiled and looked, “Damn it, how clever, Mrs. Binh made it and brought it up for me. I don’t know how to make pickles like this. She brought it up for me this morning and just came back at 10 o’clock…” I smiled and looked at him, “So…so…” Mr. Dam laughed loudly and said, “I told you so.” Then she ran off to heaven.
Then he slowly told the story with ups and downs… I told him I was the best… I laughed out loud, she was young for a long time, he said she was in her prime and had to come to him, hehe… I thought, well, old age, he has Mrs. Binh to keep him company.
So is anyone angry with you? I mean about your nieces and nephews. You said… whatever, let them say whatever, you are a free man..
In the afternoon, I went with my mute to the river to brush leaves, swinging my feet to let the evening light up the corner of the kitchen where the pot of banh chung was boiling until after 10 pm, then taken out hot.
On the afternoon of January 14th, my family’s beloved house was very busy, the footsteps of my two uncles walking back and forth in the house with my grandmother preparing the incense offering, outside, Aunt Dieu, Aunt Tham, Aunt Hong and Aunt Mute were still bustling around the yard, I also did not understand why, what my grandmother said that all the families gathered, at nearly 5 pm, there was also Mr. Tuan, Mrs. Binh’s son, it seemed that everyone in the house had been delivered by my grandmother’s hands, and tomorrow those whose umbilical cords had been cut by my grandmother would come to my grandmother with a respectful heart.
From inside the house, walking out to the corner of the yard, where my uncle had placed two sets of tables and chairs under the shade of the jackfruit tree, the sun was gentle, the air was dim and hazy in the late afternoon, sitting down on the chair next to the table, my grandmother pulled the towel from her shoulder down to wipe her face, her face was gentle and kind. Mixed with a bit of tiredness of old age.
Aunt Tham smiled and asked, “Is the incense almost out yet, Ba?”
Hiii, probably in about 15 minutes we can lower the offering tray
Are you tired, uncle? I’ve boiled a pot of water for you to bathe. After you take a bath and wipe your face, we’ll bring the tray… uncle, try your best. Next year, we’ll just let you sit and play.
Your father, you talk too much, this house has so much work every year, if I don’t do it, who will? You should get married quickly so I can have a feast. My grandmother’s voice dropped, a moment later she said, I don’t know why these days I’ve been thinking about my granddaughter all the time, it feels so strange like something is about to change, this morning, January 14th, the first month of the year, the guest bird kept flying back and forth, landing on the areca tree tops, looking for ants in the young areca bunches, like a sign that our house is about to have guests or a wedding, or maybe hiii how are you and my son Tuan doing?
The day he drank so much with his old friend was so exciting… it’s like the two of you are trying to save your niece’s affection, hurry up or you’ll be single forever.
Aunt’s eyes were sparkling, her cheeks were rosy like the skin of a jujube fruit under the cold winter afternoon sky of early spring, her laughter was crisp. I don’t dare, your grandchild, today’s Aunt is different, uncle. She suddenly hugged my grandmother, buried her head in my grandmother’s silver hair, feeling like she was smiling and joking.
well then.. just say it like that, the pink lady’s voice is also unknown to her.. girls are like falling raindrops, clear or turbid, who knows, maybe one day she will get a handsome, heroic and generous guy.
Well, she hoped so too. Mr. Tuan, Mrs. Binh’s son, leisurely walked onto the yard. He had just bought a brand new bicycle before Tet, the result of a successful ham and sausage making season, and had money.
Miss Hong said…there, there I just said it, but it’s so sacred, the guy is so handsome
I looked, tall, handsome, face full of determination… the descendant of Mr. Duong is present today.
Aunt Tham smiled broadly, who let you come here?
The handsome voice said, “Let’s go over there and see if any of the guys from the past are coming back…hiiii”
The sound of happy laughter blended in the sweet space, I was floating in the strange emotions of the beginning of the year, looking at the pink girl, looking at the mute girl, looking at the swaying eyes of my aunt, smiling endlessly, I kept wishing that this dear space, these dear, simple people would last forever.
On the morning of the 15th day of Tet, the same people who left their handprints on my grandmother’s birth, every year returned to this house, to meet and greet my grandmother, they only had a sincere heart to show their gratitude to the person who helped them become human. Some people brought kohlrabi, the biggest cabbage, the most delicious bunch of bananas to give to my grandmother, the footprints came and went, they came to greet my grandmother and then returned to the house that gave birth to them, to show their sincerity. Outside the temple, incense smoke billowed, where there was a woman worshiping the village’s tutelary god.
after 1 pm, the sun was shining on the yard, a bit of midday sun was like a lamp shining on the yard, for the past few days a few drops of spring rain were falling on the damp yard
Aunt Tham and the mute girl were still sitting at the table in the corner of the yard with my uncle. My grandmother was lying down on the bed. The peaceful and quiet space suddenly echoed with the sound of someone’s motorbike entering the alley. The sound of the motorbike’s muffler seemed to be torn, creating a loud, splattering, hissing sound. Oh, uncle Tien.
Uncle Tien, Uncle Tien is now a high-ranking official in the commune. His car was bought by his older brother. He has been using it for several years now and now he gave it back to his younger brother to use as a vehicle to get around the village. The motorcycle runs through the village, leaving a faint trail of smoke because it hasn’t been repaired for a long time, but it makes him look impressive every time he goes to meetings. The sound of the exhaust puffing out smoke when it goes up the slope of the yard… his voice is loud.
Aunt Nhan…uncle said hello to uncle, are you home, Aunt Nhan? Outside, dozens of children were following three or four people, slowly walking along the row of trees to the gate.
I entered the house and shook my grandmother’s shoulder. She sat up, brushed her hair around her gentle face, and whispered, “There’s a story, auntie.”
Ma’am, we have guests. The uncle from the commune is leading us down to the gate.
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