又是一年端陽。
也數不清這是變成人以後第多少個端午節了。
無論過了多少次，伊墨依舊討厭這個節日。
他甚是不情願的把自己關在屋子裡不肯出門，屋外任柳延如何叩門都不想理他，悶悶地坐在窗戶旁透過縫隙望著院子裡那顆綴滿火紅的石榴樹。
九年前他們來到這個小鎮，小鎮沿著南海，沒有冬秋，四季溫暖如春。
路過這裡時柳延說不用再走了，他們已經到了玩不動的年紀，是該找個舒適地方頤養天年。這裡人情淳樸，陽光明媚，又因氣候的緣故，家家鮮花滿園。
實在是不錯的地方。
於是他們買下這座小院，入住那天他們親手植下一株石榴樹。只因柳延迷上了釀石榴酒。
當年那株小石榴已長成粗壯的一顆石榴樹，柳延照顧的好，每年都要結許多果子。
伊墨想起去年卻連一壇酒都沒釀夠，哪個討厭鬼昧了他家的石榴？
他細細回想，隔壁張家娶媳婦，柳延摘了一籃子送了；鎮子裡的學堂開門授課那天，柳延也送了一筐子；還有經常來串門的頑童，每次走的時候都要抓幾個他的大紅石榴……漫漫碩果的一顆石榴樹，就這麼被柳延送的精光，都不記得留下一點給他釀石榴酒喝。真是討厭透了。
昧了他的石榴，還要拉他出去過節，哪有這樣不講理的人。
伊墨愈想愈發不開心，哼了一聲把窗櫺的那點縫隙都給閉了。
“真不理我了？”門外的聲音是習慣的無可奈何，只是這麼一問，也沒有要等他回應的意思。依然在門外踱來踱去，還是在等著他心回意轉。腳步聲比記憶裡緩慢了許多，帶著年老的拖遝遲緩，卻還是不徐不疾的步調。
等了一會腳步聲變輕了，緩慢慢的越來越輕，越來越遠。
居然就這麼走了。
伊墨氣不過，走過去剛把門拉開，懸在門楣上的一大束艾草便狂野的從天而降，撒了個遍地開花。他一下子皺起眉，滿身都是難聞的味道，熏得他頭暈起來。此時後屋傳來動靜，他連忙跑過去看，剛被他閉緊的窗戶已然大開，一個滿頭白髮的小老頭兒以不符合他身手的俐落跨了進來。
仲夏的正午陽光正好，他的白髮一根根如蠶絲般剔透光潔，閃爍微光。他就站在那裡，拍著衣袖上的灰塵，笑的像個頑童，突然眉頭一皺：“我擰著腰了。”
他可真會折騰。
伊墨瞪起眼，“有門不走偏要爬窗，你什麼時候成宵小了？”
“也不知哪個使性子把我關在外面不肯應門。”老頭兒回嘴，一邊揉著自己的老腰一邊走過去扯了扯他的衣袖：“我都進來了，滿屋子都是艾草味兒，你又不喜，不如我們出門頑？”
他可越老越壞了，這麼詐的招都使了出來。伊墨思量著自己要是再不出門，怕是一會雄黃粉都要滿屋子飛起來了。
只好滿不情願的同意了，又問：“腰不疼了？”
“不疼不疼。”
“不要雄黃酒。”
“不要不要。”
“不吃粽子。”
“一顆？”
“不成，就你那不成器的胃。”
“一人一半？”
“你吃一口。”
“…兩口？”
他們慢悠悠的討價還價，一邊翻尋出遊的衣裳。
“束髮。”柳延說。
銅鏡前伊墨正經坐著，讓老頭兒站在身後，用犀角梳替自己打理滿頭散亂的長髮，他的長髮也陸續白了，一縷縷的夾雜在黑色裡，鬢角灰了許多。乾枯的手靈巧地將那些灰白挽起來，打成髮髻。這是他多少年的手藝了，就算閉上眼也不會扯疼他。他可依然小心，仔細地調理髮絲，最後拿起輕巧的白玉發冠，替他束好。
他們戴的是一模一樣的白玉冠，雕著繁花似錦，卻輕巧玲瓏，一點也不沉重。
這樣的材質也不知沈玨從哪裡找來的，他近些年回家，掏出來的東西件件成雙。
柳延瞧著銅鏡裡打理妥當的人，即使有了人間煙火氣，也不曾折了他絲毫風度，依然風華內斂，舉世無雙。他直直盯了半晌，還是那樣一句話。
“你真好看。”
這麼多年過去，這句話可一點兒也沒聽厭。伊墨挽起唇角笑起來，心情好的也不跟他計較去年被昧掉的石榴了，拉著他的手踏出房門，一起去過這個端陽節。
雖然並沒有什麼好過的，即使他已經是人，也不喜歡這個節日，雄黃酒、艾草和菖蒲，都是他所不喜。然而身邊有個他喜悅的人，便抵消了所有不喜。
“龍舟！”柳延抬手指著江上幾艘格外顯眼的鮮豔木船，又指著江邊浩蕩蕩的人流：“我老骨頭才不要去擠，你帶我去個高地看。”
“我倒是想帶你飛起來看。”伊墨低頭看看自己的手：“可我也是一把老骨頭了。”
他說著自己又不高興起來，臉色鬱鬱的瞅著自己花斑的手，伊墨也知道這不對，奈何年紀越大怪癖越多，脾性也不太受自己管控，原來人老了就是這樣。
“那就去擠擠。”柳延一把抓住他的胳膊，也不待他反應，拖上手就走。
良辰美景如此短暫，哪裡允許他悲春傷秋。兩個老頭這麼一個拖著一個往人群裡一沖，倒是把旁人都唬住了，當了近十年鄉親，哪個不認識他們。開了玉器鋪子卻迷上釀酒的柳老，和養了許多奇珍異草，卻拿來炒出一手好花茶的伊老，十分有名的兩位善人。
深怕把兩人衝撞個好歹，頓時避都避不及，互相踩著推著，狼狽地給兩人讓出一條道來。
“柳老您慢點！”年青的小夥子被推搡的受不了，喊了一嗓子，“高臺上給您二位留了位置，甭在這擠了成不成？”
“噯？”柳延愣了一下，停住腳問伊墨：“你收了帖子？”
伊墨想了半天，才記起隱約有這麼件事，遂點點頭道：“也許。”
“那我們去高臺上？”
“不。”伊墨四處看看，突然改了決定：“就擠！”
他都這麼說了，柳延自然照辦，於是兩個衣冠楚楚的老頭，一個緊緊拉著一個，硬是衝開一片人海，將周邊人群殺的哀叫連天，一口氣沖到了江邊最前方。龍舟上幾個水手一看這境況好笑，吆喝道：“您二老索性上船來給我們做個彩好不好？”
柳延又回頭看伊墨，伊墨也不答，拉著他就淌水往舟上爬，兩人爬上去了坐在最中央。見他們肯賞臉，旁邊一溜兒精壯青年高興極了，摩拳擦掌的做起了準備。
“好好劃，”伊墨說：“贏了請你們吃酒，我家玉器鋪子裡的玉器你們一人挑一件。”
年青人看著他又看柳延，見柳老先生點頭了，頓時吆喝起來。果然賽令一響，劃的比哪條舟都要勇猛，所向披靡的沖了出去。
柳延坐在船中央，抓著伊墨的手，一路沖著水手鼓勁喊加油，喊的可有力，一點也不像個老頭兒。
毫無懸念的拿了第一。
兩個老人被掛上了紅綢大花，讓一群水手駕著抬了回去。都說因為有兩位老人做彩，他們才能贏的這麼痛快。
滿鎮的人都歡喜連天，尤其是那群掙了頭籌的水手，被兩個老人命令著去了玉器鋪子，一人挑了一件喜歡的玉飾。他們都沒拿頂好的玩意兒，不過是中等的玉器，選了個模樣漂亮而已。
晚間宴席上，伊墨甚至飲了三杯雄黃酒，還格外開恩允許柳延食了一整個大粽子。
“二老明年再來坐我的船。”年青人拍著胸保證：“明年再給你們掙個第一。”
“好。”
柳延應下來，扭頭看伊墨，也是眉眼笑盈盈的歡喜。
第二年他們沒等來兩個老人再次登上他們的龍舟。
龍舟賽開始前，他們的獨子便關閉了玉器鋪，告訴他們，那兩個老人已經不在了。
倒是給他們一人留下了一艘玉雕的小龍舟。
據說是二人親手雕琢的禮物。
————————————————
It’s the Dragon Boat Festival again.
I can’t count how many Dragon Boat Festival this is since I became a human being.
No matter how many times it has passed, Yi Mo still hates this festival.
He was very reluctant to lock himself in the room and refused to go out. No matter how Liu Yan knocked on the door, he didn’t want to pay attention to him. He sat dejectedly by the window, looking through the gap at the pomegranate tree in the yard that was covered with fiery red fruits.
They came to this small town nine years ago. The town is located along the South China Sea. There is no winter or autumn, and the four seasons are warm like spring.
When passing by here, Liu Yan said that they didn’t need to go any further, as they were too old to play anymore and it was time to find a comfortable place to spend their retirement years. The people here were simple and honest, the sun was shining, and because of the climate, every family had a garden full of flowers.
It’s really a nice place.
So they bought this small courtyard and planted a pomegranate tree on the day they moved in. It was because Liu Yan was fascinated by making pomegranate wine.
The small pomegranate back then has grown into a sturdy pomegranate tree. Liu Yan takes good care of it, and it bears many fruits every year.
Yi Mo recalled that he couldn’t even make enough wine for a jar last year. Which nasty guy stole the pomegranates from his house?
He thought back carefully. When the Zhang family next door got married, Liu Yan picked a basket of pomegranates for them. When the school in the town opened, Liu Yan also sent a basket. And the naughty kids who often came to visit would grab a few of his big red pomegranates every time they left. A pomegranate tree full of fruits was given away by Liu Yan, who didn’t even remember to leave any for him to make pomegranate wine. It was really annoying.
Not only did he steal his pomegranates, but he also dragged him out to celebrate the festival. How could such an unreasonable person exist?
The more Yi Mo thought about it, the more unhappy he became. He snorted and closed the tiny gap in the window frame.
“Are you really ignoring me?" The voice outside the door was helpless and used to asking, and she didn’t intend to wait for his response. She was still pacing outside the door , still waiting for him to change his mind. The footsteps were much slower than in my memory, with the sluggishness of old age, but still a steady pace .
After waiting for a while, the footsteps became lighter, slowly becoming lighter and farther away.
He just left like that.
Yi Mo was so angry that he just opened the door when a bunch of wormwood hanging on the lintel fell wildly from the sky and scattered all over the ground. He frowned all of a sudden, and the unpleasant smell filled his body, making him dizzy. At this time, there was a noise in the back room, and he hurried over to see that the window he had just closed was already wide open, and a little old man with white hair stepped in with a neatness that was not in line with his skills.
The midsummer noon sun was shining brightly, and his white hair was as smooth and transparent as silk, gleaming with light. He stood there, brushing the dust off his sleeves, smiling like a naughty boy, and suddenly frowned: “I sprained my waist."
He really knows how to make trouble.
Yi Mo glared, “You climbed through the window instead of going through the door. When did you become a scoundrel?"
“I don’t know who got angry and locked me out and refused to answer the door." The old man retorted, rubbing his old waist while walking over and pulling his sleeve: “I’m already in, and the whole room is filled with the smell of wormwood. You don’t like it, why don’t we go out and play?"
He is getting worse as he gets older, and he even resorted to such tricks. Yi Mo thought that if he didn’t go out, the realgar powder would fly all over the room.
I had to agree reluctantly and asked again: “Does your waist hurt anymore?"
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“No realgar wine.”
“No, no.”
“I don’t eat zongzi.”
“One?"
“No, it’s just your useless stomach."
“Half for each?"
“Take a bite."
“…Two bites?”
They bargained leisurely while searching for clothes for their trip.
“Tie your hair." Liu Yan said.
Yi Mo sat in front of the bronze mirror and let the old man stand behind him, combing his messy long hair with a rhinoceros horn comb . His long hair gradually turned white, with strands of hair mixed in with the black, and the temples were much grayer. His dry hands deftly rolled up the gray hair and tied it into a bun. This was a skill he had mastered for many years, and it would not hurt him even if he closed his eyes. He was still careful and carefully adjusted his hair, and finally picked up the light white jade hair crown and tied it for him.
They wore identical white jade crowns, carved with intricate flowers, yet light and delicate, not heavy at all.
I don’t know where Shen Jue found this kind of material. Every time he went home in recent years, he took out two items.
Liu Yan looked at the well-groomed man in the bronze mirror. Even with the worldly air, he did not lose any of his demeanor. He was still elegant and restrained , unparalleled in the world. He stared at him for a long while, and said the same thing.
“You’re so pretty.”
After so many years, I still haven’t gotten tired of hearing this sentence. Yi Mo smiled , and in a good mood, he didn’t bother to argue with him about the pomegranates that were stolen last year. He took his hand and walked out of the room to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival together.
Although there was nothing good about it, even though he was already a human, he did not like this festival. He disliked realgar wine, mugwort and calamus. However, there was someone he liked around him, which offset all his dislikes.
“Dragon boats!" Liu Yan raised his hand and pointed at a few particularly eye-catching brightly colored wooden boats on the river, and then pointed at the huge crowds of people on the riverside: “I don’t want to squeeze in with my old bones, take me to a high ground to watch."
“I would like to take you flying and see." Yi Mo looked down at his hands: “But I am also an old man."
As he spoke, he became unhappy again and looked at his spotted hands with a gloomy face. Yi Mo knew that this was not right, but the older he got, the more quirks he had and the harder it was to control his temper. It turned out that this was what happened when people got old.
“Then go and squeeze in." Liu Yan grabbed his arm and without waiting for his reaction, dragged him by the hand and walked away.
The beautiful scenery was so short, how could he allow himself to be sad and depressed . The two old men dragged each other into the crowd, which frightened everyone around. After being villagers for nearly ten years, who didn’t know them? Old Liu, who opened a jade shop but became addicted to brewing wine, and Old Yi, who raised many rare and precious herbs but used them to make delicious scented tea, were two very famous good people.
Fearing that they might bump into the two men, they tried to avoid them in time , stepping on and pushing each other, and awkwardly made way for the two men.
“Mr. Liu, please slow down!" The young man couldn’t stand being pushed and shoved, and shouted, “There are seats reserved for you two on the podium, so please don’t squeeze in here, okay?"
“Huh?" Liu Yan was stunned for a moment, then stopped and asked Yi Mo : “Did you receive the post?"
Yi Mo thought for a long time before he vaguely remembered this incident, so he nodded and said, “Maybe."
“Then shall we go to the platform?"
“No." Yi Mo looked around and suddenly changed his mind: “Just squeeze in!"
Since he said so, Liu Yan naturally did as he was told. So the two well-dressed old men, one holding the other tightly, forced their way through the crowd, killing the people around them and making them scream, and rushed to the front of the river in one breath. The sailors on the dragon boat found the situation funny and shouted, “Why don’t you two come on board and play for us?"
Liu Yan looked back at Yi Mo again, but Yi Mo didn’t answer him. He pulled him up and waded into the boat. The two climbed up and sat in the middle . Seeing that they were willing to do him a favor, the strong young men around them were very happy and started to prepare.
“Draw well," Yi Mo said, “If you win, I’ll treat you to a drink, and each of you can pick a piece of jade from my jade shop ."
The young man looked at him and then at Liu Yan, and when he saw Mr. Liu nodded, he immediately started to shout. As expected, when the race started , the rowers rowed more vigorously than any other boat and rushed out invincible.
Liu Yan sat in the middle of the boat, holding Yi Mo’s hand, and cheering on the sailors all the way. His shouts were so powerful that he didn’t sound like an old man at all.
Won first place without any suspense.
The two old men were hung with big red silk flowers and carried back by a group of sailors. They said that they could win so happily because of the two old men who helped them win.
The whole town was filled with joy, especially the group of sailors who won the first prize. They were ordered by the two old men to go to the jade shop and each of them picked out a piece of jade ornament they liked. They didn’t pick the best ones, but just medium-quality jade ornaments that looked pretty.
At the evening banquet, Yi Mo even drank three cups of realgar wine, and was particularly kind enough to allow Liu Yan to eat a whole large rice dumpling.
“Come and ride my boat again next year." The young man patted his chest and promised, “I will win first place for you next year."
“good."
Liu Yan agreed and turned to look at Yi Mo, his eyes also full of joy and smile.
The next year they did not wait for the two old men to board their dragon boat again.
Before the dragon boat race started, their only son closed the jade shop and told them that the two old men were gone.
Instead, he left each of them a small jade dragon boat.
It is said that this is a gift carved by the two of them themselves.
痕書站 