Chapter 69: Going Down the Mountain and Going Home
In the Northeast, the winter temperature is minus 30 degrees Celsius, and the weather is so cold that there is nothing you can do except go up the mountain to collect some firewood.
Therefore, most people rest in winter, which is also called cat winter.
The weather was cold, so the aunts and ladies in the village couldn't chat at the entrance of the village, but it didn't stop them from visiting the house and chatting.
In winter, when the sun rises late and there is nothing much to do, most people only have two meals.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, it was time to go home and cook. As soon as we came out, we met Xu Shiyan and his wife.
Immediately, several women's eyes lit up and they came over to chat and inquire.
"Oh, what are you pulling on this sledge? Such an old thing?
Otherwise, San'er must be very capable. He can go to the mountains to see ginseng and hunt. He would bring so much meat to your parents at every turn. It's really greedy."
These people not only talk, but also use their hands to turn over things on the sledge.
Xu Shiyan naturally refused to let them wander around and hurriedly stopped them.
"Auntie, these dogs have bad tempers. Don't stay too close. A bite is not worth it." Xu Shiyan could only talk through the dogs.
Not to mention, those dogs were really showing their teeth.
They live in the mountains all year round and were trained by Old Li Tou not to recognize anyone except their master, but to protect their things.
Some dogs don't care when outsiders come in, but if they leave with something in their hands, they will definitely bite you to death.
A good dog not only protects its owner, but also protects its property.
These dogs were like that. When they saw someone approaching the sledge, they stared fiercely and whined.
The women were so frightened that they quickly retracted their hands and said, "What kind of dog is this? It has such a bad temper."
"The dogs that watch ginseng have fierce tempers, otherwise how could they do it?" Xu Shiyan smiled.
"Auntie, it's late. We just came back. We have to go home and take a look. We can talk when we have time."
After living in the mountains for several months, it was really peaceful. Now that I have returned to the village, I have to deal with these people again.
Xu Shiyan couldn't help but sigh. He didn't know how lively the house would be next.
After saying that, Xu Shiyan ordered the dogs to continue walking forward, heading straight to Old Li's house at the west end of the village.
Although the couple went up the mountain, the furniture and other items were still at Li's house. They had to leave a place to stay so that they could come back and celebrate the New Year.
As soon as I arrived at the gate, before I could go in, I saw old Mrs. Li coming out to hold firewood.
"Oh, it's San'er and his wife who are back? I've been thinking about it these past few days. It's almost the twelfth lunar month, so you two should go down the mountain and come back to celebrate the New Year.
Look, I really can’t help but think about it, aren’t you coming back today?”
Mrs. Li was particularly affectionate when she met Xu Shiyan and his wife.
"Yeah, it's the twelfth lunar month, and I'm going home to celebrate the New Year. Madam, how is my uncle? Is he feeling better?"
Xu Shiyan drove the sledge into the yard, unhooked the dog first, and tied it to the kennel next to it.
These dogs were all raised by Lao Li Tou. Every year during the twelfth lunar month, they were brought back and raised at Li's house. The dogs were no strangers to this place.
"It's okay, half of my body is still not very mobile, and I can't speak clearly.
Well, at least I saved my life, that’s good.”
Old Li Tou stayed in the commune hospital for nearly 20 days. After his condition stabilized, he went home to take care of himself.
He is old and has a cerebral hemorrhage, which will definitely leave sequelae. There is nothing anyone can do about it except taking medicine and acupuncture to support him.
"I've been so busy this autumn that I haven't seen you in person, and I haven't thanked you yet.
The doctor said, luckily you didn't move randomly at that time, and you also bled, so at least the old man's life was saved.
If it weren't for you on the mountain, our old man would probably be dead." Old Mrs. Li said while wiping tears.
It’s not about being suspended, it’s about being certain.
In his previous life, Xu Shiyan went to work in Da'an Coal Mine and did not work in the ginseng field. When he came back during the Chinese New Year, he found out that Lao Li Tou had suddenly fallen ill while watching ginseng on the mountain.
After all, it was a memory from many years ago, and it was not a particularly important thing. Xu Shiyan had never thought of it before.
It was after Lao Litou's accident that he thought about it carefully and finally remembered it.
But he couldn't say this to Mrs. Li. Xu Shiyan could only comfort her, then quickly unload the things from the sledge and send them to the warehouse for storage.
This autumn and winter, Xu Shiyan did a lot of pulling things.
A sack was filled with pine nuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts, and a lot of various meats and skins were saved.
Of course, you have to bring everything back when you go down the mountain to celebrate the New Year. You sell what you should sell and keep the rest for your own consumption.
After everything was moved down and packed up, Xu Shiyan entered the east room carrying a pheasant, a hare, a piece of venison and a piece of pork.
"Uncle, auntie. I just came back from the mountain, and I don't have much good food. It was all prepared on the mountain. Let's keep it to eat."
Mrs. Li was feeding the old man some water. When she saw Xu Shiyan bringing something, she waved her hand quickly.
"Oh, San'er, why do you think you are so polite?
You should give these things to your father and mother. We, the old couple, have nothing to thank you for, so how can we accept your things?"
"Auntie, if you say that, you will be out of touch.
What's the difference between us and a family? I don't have any other abilities. Just don't dislike me.
On my parents' side, and what's more, we have been paddling a lot in the mountains this winter.
It’s thanks to my uncle, my uncle is great and he trains those dogs well.”
Without those dogs, Xu Shiyan could still hunt, but certainly not as much as he does now.
Xu Shiyan admired Old Li Tou from the bottom of his heart. When he was young, this old man was definitely extraordinary.
"San'er, give it, give it, keep it, keep it." Old Li Tou couldn't speak smoothly, and it was a bit difficult.
"Sit, sit." The old man raised his hand with difficulty and asked Xu Shiyan to sit down.
"No, uncle, I just came back and I haven't gone to my dad's place to see him yet.
I'll go over there first, and we'll chat again in the evening."
After living in the mountains for several months, I must go and visit my parents when I come down. This is a rule.
"Hey, hey, let's talk in the evening, in the evening."
At such an old age, Lao Litou still doesn't understand these rules? So he waved his hand towards Xu Shiyan and motioned for him to go see his parents quickly.
Xu Shiyan came out of the east room and went back to the west room to change his clothes. Then he and Su Anying dragged the sledge to Xu's house at the east end of the village.
"Dad, Mom, we're going down the mountain." Xu Shiyan shouted loudly as soon as he entered the gate.
"Laoliu, Jinfeng, Xiaobo, come out quickly and see what delicious food I have brought back?"
After all, they are flesh and blood relatives, and their feelings are still different.
When I first came back from rebirth, I was full of resentment and disliked everyone.
After living in the mountains for so long, Xu Shiyan's thoughts have changed somewhat.
No matter what, you are still your biological father and mother, and you should still be filial to those who should be filial.
Of course, it is an eternal truth that the fragrance is far away and the smell is near.
Just come back and visit occasionally and bring some things to your family, but don't get too close.
Otherwise, Xu Shiyan didn't think he could bear the old man's bad temper.