黄米饭

我的名字叫崔作非，胡作非为的作非。

My name is Cui Zuofei, with "zuo fei" meaning "to do something foolish".

你是不是觉得这个名字有点奇怪，听上去有点像是“崔作废”。

Do you think this name is a bit strange? It sounds like "Cui Zuofei" which could easily be interpreted as "Cui Zuo Fei".

其实我也对这个名字很不满意。

To be honest, I’m not very satisfied with this name either.

但是按照家谱上起名字的排序，我这代正好犯了一个“作”字。

However, according to the order of naming in our family genealogy, my generation just happened to fall on the character "zuo".

而且我的父母又没什么文化，听说给我起这个名字的时候着实让他们头疼了一阵子。

Moreover, my parents didn’t have much education, and I heard that when they were naming me, they indeed had a tough time thinking of a suitable name.

后来还是我父亲灵光闪现拿出了一本字典，说是翻到哪页就用头一个字当我的名字。

Eventually, it was my father who had a moment of inspiration and took out a dictionary, saying that he would take the first character on the page where he opened it as my name.

说来也巧，翻到的那页上的头一个字正好是个废字。

Interestingly, the first character on that page happened to be a character for "feihua".

这时我的母亲不干了，谁希望自己的孩子名字叫“作废”呢？

At that point, my mother objected, as no one wants their child to have a name meaning "to waste".

她充分的体现出了东北女人的彪悍，说什么也不能让自己的孩子就这么作废了。

She exemplified the toughness of women from Northeast China, insisting that her child should not simply be named "feihua".

于是我的父亲妥协了，他指了指同页的一个非字对我母亲讲，那咱大儿子就叫作非吧。

So my father compromised, pointing to another character "fei" on the same page, telling my mother that our eldest son would be named "Zuo Fei".

希望他长大后能有一翻非凡的作为。

He hoped that when he grew up, he would achieve something extraordinary.

我的名字就这样被草率的定了下来。

That’s how my name was hastily decided.

接下来我要给你们讲的事，你们完全可以当成故事来听，不用过于认真。

Next, what I’m about to tell you can be treated as a story, so don’t take it too seriously.

我的家乡叫龙江，属于黑龙江省齐齐哈尔市周边的一个小县城。

My hometown is called Longjiang, a small county town near Qiqihar City in Heilongjiang Province.

听我爷爷讲，龙江县以前叫做朱家坎。

According to my grandfather, Longjiang was once called Zhujiakan.

正所谓庙小妖风大，镇小是非多，就是这样的一个镇子，旁边的林子里居然还住着一伙胡子。

As the saying goes, "a small temple has many gossips", this kind of town, beside which a group of bandits actually lived in the forest.

家住在东北的朋友们都应该知道胡子是什么，就是土匪，具象来说就和林海雪原中的座山雕差不多，现在这边还留有以前炮楼改建的水塔。

Friends living in Northeast China should know what "huzi" means—it refers to bandits, specifically similar to the "mountain eagle" character in the snow-covered forests. There are still remnants of old watchtowers converted into water towers.

往往战乱的时候就是怪事最多的时候。

Strangely enough, it is during times of war that the most peculiar stories often arise.

很多民间传说都是出自那个年代。

Many folk tales originate from that era.

比如这个我爷爷年轻的时候的事情。

For example, there’s a story from when my grandfather was young.

那年我爷爷二十八岁，东北的冬天能冻死人。

Back then, he was twenty-eight years old, and winter in Northeast China could be deadly cold.

现在还好些，可是听爷爷说，以前的冬天要比现在还要冷上个好几倍。

Now it's better, but my grandfather said that winters used to be several times colder than now.

不是有那句俗话么，腊七腊八，冻掉下巴。

Isn’t there a saying that goes, "On the 27th and 28th of the lunar calendar, your jaw might freeze off"?

好像是出门解手都要拿个小棍儿，边尿边敲，要不然就会冻上。

It seems like even stepping outside to relieve oneself would require a small stick to knock, otherwise, one might get frozen.

当然这都是我所不能了解的。

Of course, this is something I can’t relate to.

我们这边腊八没有喝腊八粥的习惯，说实在的，我长这么大都没有看过腊八粥长啥样。

Here, we don’t have the habit of eating "laba porridge" on Laba Festival. To be honest, I have never seen what "laba porridge" looks like in my life.

我们这边腊八的时候吃的是黄米饭，又叫黏米饭，就是那种黏黏的分不出粒儿的饭。

During Laba Festival, we eat yellow millet rice, also called sticky rice, which is that kind of rice that sticks together and cannot be separated into grains.

沾到下巴上感觉很恐怖。

Getting some on my chin feels terrifying.

如果留胡子的人吃更是没法想象。

If a bearded person were to eat it, it would be unimaginable.

尽管在饥荒的年间，经打会算的东北女人都是会尽量的盘算出宝贵的粮食来保证过节时能有一顿细粮吃。

Even during famines, resourceful Northeast women managed to figure out ways to save precious food to ensure there would be a meal of fine grains for the festival.

我的奶奶就是这样的女人。

My grandmother was one of those women.

以前我家住的是一所厂房的大院子里，一个院子里有五户人家，白天爷爷出去干活，奶奶就在家里拾到家务。

Previously, our family lived in a large courtyard of a factory, which housed five households. While my grandfather was out working during the day, my grandmother would take care of everything at home.

这一天正好就是腊八，奶奶拿出了半年积攒下来的黄米淘了一遍水，这里还有个说法，不同现在，以前的细粮基本上都是不淘的，因为粮食的宝贵，所以能留下来多少就尽量留多少，毕竟家里好几口人。

This particular day happened to be on Laba Festival when my grandmother took out the yellow millet she had saved for half a year and rinsed it. There was a saying that, unlike now, fine grains used to be rarely rinsed back then because food was precious, so they tried to keep as much as possible in the pot for the several mouths to feed.

生活的艰难可想而知。

The hardship of life is hard to imagine.

米下锅，盖上锅盖。

The rice was put on to boil, and the lid placed on the pot.

灶坑里的苞米杆子烧的很旺，没多久锅里便传出了阵阵米香。

The corn stalks in the stove burned brightly, and before long, the pleasant aroma of rice began to waft from the pot.

而这时候大概已经是晚上六点多左右，冬天的天很短，这个时辰已经是漆黑一片了。

By this time, it was probably already around six in the evening. In winter, the days are short, and at this hour, it was already pitch dark outside.

外面的风很大，没有月亮。

The wind was strong, and there was no moon to be seen.

刮起地上的雪打到人的脸上，刀刮一样疼，我奶奶坐在小马扎上，想着爷爷也快回来了，想着想着，竟然迷迷糊糊的睡着了。

Snow swept off the ground and hit people’s faces like a knife, causing pain. My grandmother sat on a small stool, thinking that my grandfather would come back soon, and lost herself in thought, eventually dozing off.

听她讲，她记的很深刻，那时候她梦到了一条类似于黄皮子的东西在她面前晃来晃去，这是我奶奶的原话，怎么赶都赶不走。

She later recounted how deeply that moment left an impression on her; she dreamt of a creature similar to a yellow fox darting in front of her. This was her exact description—no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't scare it away.

正当她生气想捡石头丢它的时候，她被一阵敲门声给吵醒了。

Just as she was getting angry and was about to pick up a stone to throw at it, she was awakened by a loud knock at the door.

听声音是院里对门儿老翟家的媳妇儿，她边拍门边喊：“小崔嫂子，快出来看那，抓着个扒墙洞子的！”

The voice was that of the neighbor’s daughter-in-law from the opposite side, who was knocking and shouting, "Little Cui, come out and see, there's a thief sneaking through the wall!"

所谓的扒墙洞子，是那个时候的一种盗窃手段，那时候的院子里都是土墙，而且挺高，但是不结实。

The so-called "sneaking through the wall" was a method of stealing at that time; the courtyards were made of earth walls, which were high but not sturdy.

如果小偷翻墙而入还会有把墙扑倒的危险，于是有的毛贼便想出了扒墙洞的伎俩。

If a thief climbed over the wall, there was also a risk of knocking it down. Some thieves thus devised the trick of sneaking through the wall.

由于当时家家养笨狗的，但是基本上都是放狗出去自己寻食儿的，因为人都没有吃的。而有的狗有时一走就是一小天，大门锁上了就进不了院子，所以一般人家的土墙上都会给狗留一个狗洞。

At that time, every household had clumsy dogs but generally let them out to find food themselves because people had nothing to eat. Sometimes, a dog might be gone for a day; if the gate was locked, it couldn't enter the courtyard, so generally, the earth walls would have a hole left for the dogs.

这些毛贼便利用起这些狗洞来做文章。

These thieves would then utilize these dog holes to break in.

晚上利用铲子扩大狗洞钻进院子里来偷粮食，或者下药把院子里的狗药翻后拎回家吃肉。

They would expand the dog hole with a shovel at night to sneak into the courtyard and steal grain or drug the dogs to return home with meat.

而这个贼也实在是够蠢的，这才是什么时候就敢钻墙洞，结果被院子里的老翟头抓了个正着，估计也可能真的是实在饿的不行了吧。

This particular thief, however, was quite foolish. At that time, how could anyone dare to sneak through a wall? He was caught red-handed by the old man Zhai from the courtyard, who probably was genuinely starving.

我奶奶出门看去，只见住在院子里的每家的人都已经出来看热闹了，墙边的老翟头正在用脚把那个贼死死的踩在地上，那贼抬着头望着周围的人，眼中充满了恐惧。

My grandmother went out to look and saw that everyone in the courtyard had come out to watch the excitement. Old Zhai was stepping heavily on the thief, pinning him to the ground. The thief looked up at the people around him, filled with fear.

据我奶奶的回忆，那个贼不是本村的人，因为大家都不认识。

According to my grandmother's memory, the thief was not from their village, as no one recognized him.

他看上去大概40岁左右，脸尖的出奇。

He appeared to be about 40 years old, with an exceptionally pointed face.

留在像耗子一样的小胡子，一件破破烂烂的棉袄裹在身上。

He sported a pair of small whiskers like a rat, dressed in a tattered cotton jacket.

贼溜溜的小眼睛四处打探着。

The thief’s small eyes were darting around.

这时，我爷爷回来了，望着被踩在地上的毛贼，叹了口气。

At this moment, my grandfather returned, glancing at the thief pinned down on the ground, and sighed.

心道在个世道活着真是不易，但是猫有猫道，鼠有鼠道。

He thought to himself that it was not easy to survive in this world, but there were ways for cats and mice—now that you had fallen into our hands, you would need to take responsibility.

如今你落到我们手里就得认栽。

Reality was cruel, especially in a time when human lives were as cheap as grass.

现实是残酷的，尤其是在那个人命贱如草芥的年月。

Everyone in the village was suffering from hunger, and if they let this unknown thief go, they would have no peace for the days to come.

本村的人都在忍饥受饿，如果放过你这个不知道从哪儿来的毛贼，那么以后就更没有太平的日子过了。

At this point, it’s important to note that those people were not truly cruel; it was merely a matter of survival. If they didn’t kill him, he would surely continue to create havoc in this area.

说到这里带出一笔，不是说那个时候的人残忍，而确实是生活所迫，如果不杀他他以后一定会继续祸害这一带。

This is something that people living in our times cannot understand.

这是生活在我们这个年代的人所不能理解的。

My grandfather looked at the thief on the ground and called my grandmother to bring out a bowl of yellow millet rice and a ladle of cold water.

我爷爷望着地上的毛贼，便叫我奶奶到锅里盛了一碗黄米饭，再打一瓢凉水。

My grandmother complied, and the freshly cooked yellow millet rice wafted an enticing aroma, which made the thief perk up.

我奶奶照着做了，刚出锅的黄米饭散发出一股诱人的米香，地上的毛贼闻到香味也来了精神。

He didn’t speak, but kept sniffing with his nose.

也不说话，只是不住的用鼻子闻着。

His little eyes blinked continuously.

两只小眼睛不住的眨呀眨的。

Everyone in the courtyard quickly came together and easily bound the thief. My grandfather, holding the rice, told him, "It’s not that we won’t let you live. It’s just that we can't survive either.

院子里的大伙一起动手把这个毛贼三下五除二的绑了起来，端着饭的爷爷对他讲，不是我们不给你活路，只是我们也是实在活不下去了。

We all have a tough time; you eat your fill and then move on!

咱们都不易，你吃饱了饭就上路吧！

May you reincarnate into a good family in your next life."

下辈子托生个好人家。

After saying this, he scooped a large piece of yellow millet rice, dipped it in some cold water, and brought it close to the thief's mouth.

说完后用筷子掘了一大块儿黄米饭，粘了些凉水就放到那个毛贼嘴边。

The thief, too hungry to care about anything else, quickly swallowed the rice in one bite, and grinned at my grandfather.

那毛贼饿急了，那顾的上许多，他飞快的把饭一口吞下了肚，还对着我爷爷嘿嘿的笑着。

Totally unaware that a great disaster was looming.

完全不知道已经大祸临头。

Now, some might wonder why they would feed this thief.

这里各位看官要问了，为何要喂吃的给这个毛贼？

Anyone who has eaten yellow millet rice knows that when it is freshly cooked, it's incredibly hot, nearly reaching boiling point.

吃过黄米饭的人都清楚，黄米饭刚出锅的时候温度想当的高，基本能达到水的沸点的温度。

This was truly the thief’s last supper.

而这确实是给这个毛贼的最后晚餐。

As yellow millet rice is very sticky, it can only be picked up in lumps.

因为黄米饭粘性很大，夹起来一块儿一块儿的。

Since the rice was dipped in cold water, the temperature difference between the outer layer and the inner part was significant.

又粘了凉水，所以表层的温度和里层的温度相差很大。

It would be warm in the mouth, but once it reached the stomach, it would burn him inside.

吃到嘴里温温的，但是吞到肚子里以后就会把胃烫个半生不熟。

As he was about to finish the bowl of yellow millet rice, the women in the courtyard returned inside, not wanting to witness the terrifying scene that would unfold.

等到一碗黄米饭快要下肚的时候，院子里的女人们都回了屋，因为不想看到下面可怕的一幕。

My grandmother also went back into the house, and as soon as she sat down on the kang, she heard a mournful scream that rang out, one after another.

我奶奶也进了屋，当她刚坐在炕上时。

After a long while, the sounds finally ceased.

就听到了凄惨的叫声，不绝于耳。

My timid grandmother's heart was racing as she imagined how the thief must have died, with his mouth wide open, as if he were a kettle with steam desperately escaping from his stomach through his throat and finally out of his mouth.

折腾了良久，声音也就停息了。

About an hour later, my grandfather returned. He came in, first brushing off the snow from his clothes.

胆小的奶奶心里扑通通的跳着，想象着那毛贼死亡的样子，大嘴拼命的张着，就像是一个水壶，水蒸气拼命的从胃里经过食道最后通过嘴巴喷出。

Then he set the table for dinner and called my grandmother to start the meal.

大概一个小时以后，我爷爷回来了，他进门先是拍了拍身上的雪。

Hearing this, my grandmother got up to fetch bowls and plates, setting out pickled vegetables on the table and topping up the kerosene lamp.

然后把吃饭的桌子一放，招呼我奶奶开饭。

The liquor had already been warmed. My grandfather began sipping it along with the pickled vegetables.

我奶奶听到后起身拿出碗碟，小咸菜摆在桌子上，给煤油灯添了添油。

My grandmother lifted the pot lid and served two bowls of rice on the table.

烧酒早已温好。我爷爷便就着咸菜喝了起来。

Yet her heart remained unsettled because of the earlier thief incident.

奶奶把锅盖拿起，盛了两碗饭放在桌子上。

Seeing my grandmother’s expression, my grandfather put down his chopsticks and said, "Look at you, what a fuss over nothing. Scared of a stinky vagrant."

但是心里还是因为刚才的那个毛贼而不安。

My grandmother sighed, gazing at the falling snow outside.

我爷爷看我奶奶的样子，也就放下筷子，对着她讲：“瞅你这出儿，完蛋玩意儿。一个臭盲流子都能给你吓够呛。”

She said to my grandfather, "No matter what, we shouldn’t have killed him; he was still a human life."

我奶奶叹了口气，望着外面的雪。

My grandfather raised his small wine cup and drank it in one swallow, then said, "Do you think I wanted to? That vagrant was probably sent by the bandits to spy on us.

对我爷爷讲：“咋说也不应该整死他啊，咋说也是一条人命。”

Just think about it, he’s not from our town, and all the people from the nearest town have already left. Suddenly, here’s this living person.

我爷爷端起小酒盅一口喝下，然后说道：“你以为我想啊，这个盲流子多半是胡子放下来盯梢的。

What else could he be other than a bandit? If we didn’t eliminate him, and he went back to tell the bandits that we still had yellow millet rice to eat, they would come down to plunder us. How would we survive this year?"

你想啊，他不是咱镇子里的，离这儿最近的镇子上的人都走光了，忽然之间就冒出个大活人。

Upon hearing "bandits," my grandmother suddenly felt frightened.

这不是胡子是什么？现在不整死他，要是他回山上告诉胡子咱们院儿还有黄米饭吃，他们下来抢，咱这一年可咋过啊？”

As previously mentioned, before liberation, the bandits in Northeast China were practically local tyrants. Typically, they would raid landlords or wealthy households, but in times like these...

我奶奶一听胡子，冷不丁的害怕了。

When people were starving, it didn’t matter whether one was rich or poor; they would search every household, take what they found, grabbing rice and livestock indiscriminately.

前文提过，没解放时东北的胡子那可算是地方一霸，一般只到地主或者有钱人家打劫，但是这是什么年月。

This led to the local populace feeling outraged but powerless.

饿疯了的时候也不管你家有没有钱底子，只要是户人家就来搜刮，见米抢米，见牲口拖牲口。

Fortunately, most of them were also the poor suffering from hardships and thus wouldn’t completely wipe out their target.

弄的当地的百姓敢怒不敢言。

They would always leave a little food for the families they robbed.

好在他们落草之前也大多是穷苦人家，事情基本不会做绝。

But what was left was often pitifully little.

总会留口吃的给被抢的人家。

With the New Year approaching.

但是留下的粮食一般都少的可怜。

After the New Year, it would be the lean months of February and March. How could this little bit of food sustain them?

这眼看过年了。

So historically, many who fled from landlords or rich families were forced to leave their homes and wander due to the actions of these bandits.

过完年就是青黄不接的二三月。这点粮食又怎么能够支撑呢？

Generally, before descending the mountains, these bandits would send a couple of "lookouts" ahead to scout which household had good food and resources.

所以以前逃地主老财很多都是被胡子害的背井离乡而逃荒。

They would then report back, and later, their crew would come down to rob those households with resources.

这些胡子一般下山之前都会派一两个“哨子”先下山打探，看哪家吃的好，有“底子”。

If you complied and let them search, it was somewhat better.

然后回去报告，之后他们再下来一伙人对这些有“底子”的家抢劫。

But if you resisted even a bit, it was as easy for these guys to kill someone as it was to play.

如果你老老实实的让他搜还好一些。

After killing you, they would toss you into the mountains for wolves to devour, and the family wouldn’t even be able to recover an intact corpse.

但是如果你稍微反抗，这帮家伙杀个人跟玩儿似的。

弄死你后就丢到大山里让狼啃鼠咬，家里人连个全尸都捞不到。