在外公茅草屋前面的不远处,有一条弯弯曲曲的运河和一个小镇。几十年前过年时,河上有许多小船就泊在小镇边上。那些小船二三米长,水面上只要一有点动静,就会跟着晃晃悠悠起来。那些小船上人说话的口音,和我们家乡话完全不一样,他们都是从很远很远的地方沿着运河,到小镇上来做小买卖的。每年过年时,母亲手里才会有钱,但不会超过两毛。这点钱,在母亲的眼睛里已经很多,每次在手掌心里都被她攥出了汗。 Not far from the thatched cottages, there is a winding canal and a small town. When the New Year was decades ago, there were many boats on the river on the edge of the town. Those boats two or three meters long, as long as a little movement on the water, it will follow the dangling up. The accent of those people talking on the boat, and our dialect is completely different, they are far from the place along the canal, to the town to do a small sale. Every New Year, the mother will have money in his hand, but no more than two hairs. This money, in the eyes of the mother has a lot, every time in the palm of her hand were clutched with sweat.