Father's Land Mother's River

Chapter 131 "Flying Sand and Walking Stones" - Shalitun
When Savanli was 19 years old, he didn't understand the things between men and women.He is like a calf enjoying himself in the wilderness, with a heart as empty as a desert, with his own simple happiness.

Every day, I carry a kettle of dry food, a semiconductor radio, and a sharp long-handled sickle pinned to my waist. Like my ancestors, I fold a square black cloth into a triangle and tie it on my head to shield myself from the scorching sun and wind. I wield a cowhide whip , driving the sheep out early and returning late.

After school for more than a year, he took over the sheep-herding whip from his father and traveled to every corner of the wasteland within his feet.Knowing where there is water, where there is relatively lush grassland, and where to avoid the raging sandstorms that cover the sky and the sun, the flock has bred from the initial twenty to forty.

The boundless desert is barren and desolate, majestic and magnanimous.Running day after day in this world bestowed by God, with wind, sand, scorching sun, scorching heat and severe cold, I have no choice but to endure and adapt silently and sincerely.

In order to find lush grassland and make the flocks full of food and drink, Sha Wanli has to drive the flocks a long way every day.Abundant water and lush meadows are possible only in remote places.

In the early morning, he set off with the flock of sheep, and when the sun turned to the west, the flock led him back again.No matter the weather is good or bad, the journey is far or near, whether they are full or not, the flock will always turn around collectively at a certain time, whether in a hurry or slowly.

If he does not intervene artificially, when the west-slanting sun hangs on the highest sand beam, the sun has been scorching for a day, and gently smears the rolling sand dunes with a layer of orange, the sheep will always be on time rushed back to the old Hetao.

He accidentally discovered that the sheep's ability to adapt to nature and perceive nature is not so accurate in calculating the itinerary according to the time reported on the radio. After being amazed, he stopped waving the cowhide whip at the sheep.

Every time I find a grassland, I lie down in the shade of the willow clumps, turn on the radio and listen to Liu Lanfang's commentary "The Legend of Yue Fei", immersing myself in the all-powerful heroic feelings, and let the sheep scatter freely in the sky and the earth.

After walking for most of the day, I ran out of dry food and drank every drop of water.I couldn't see a person or a bird in all directions, only the fireball-like sun hung above my head, and the faint loneliness and anxiety began to permeate my heart.

The flock seems to have guessed his mind, or under the guidance of nature, they embarked on the return journey and arrived at Laohetao before dark, adding a little fun to the boring grazing life.

Laohetao is located one kilometer behind the village and surrounds Shalitun in a semicircle.It is only a few meters wide, and there are sparse clusters of sandy willows with soft branches growing on both sides of the bank, like a green dam stretching between Shalitun and the desert.

To the north of Hetao is a vast and uninhabited desert. Shalitun, with more than [-] families, is like a dilapidated earth castle, isolated in the depths of the wasteland.

The upper and lower reaches of Laohetao have been buried by yellow sand, and it is impossible to tell where the source is and where it flows. Only in Shalitun, which is in the middle of the wasteland basin, is less than a kilometer away, there is still a ditch, and there is plenty of rain in the year. It is full of water, and it dries up after autumn.

When he was young, he and Sha Liu often went to Laohetao to play.Once they caught some black fish and ran home excitedly. The adults said that they were not fish but tadpoles, which would turn into frogs or toads when they grew up. There had never been any fish in the old river.

The two of them didn't believe it, they raised it in the pot, and watched it around the pot every day.I hope those little black creatures can turn into the fish that adults say.

After a few days, those little black things sank to the bottom of the basin and turned into a small ball of mud when I pinched it.It wasn't until after school that the two of them saw the real appearance of fish in their biology textbooks.

Laohetao is the only way to return from grazing every day.Seeing the water source, the flock rushed into Laohetao to drink water and relieve the thirst of the day.

Sha Wanli took off his sweat-soaked black turban, and breathed out the heat. This was the most relaxing and joyful time of his day.

Standing on the sandy hill in the old Hetao, I could see the old walnut tree with luxuriant branches and leaves that looked like an umbrella at the entrance of the village. My mother must have cooked the meal and stood at the entrance of the street waiting for me to go home.After being exposed to the scorching sun for a day, the anxious and flustered heart slowly calmed down.

He squatted by the water, using a black turban to scrub the sweat and dust on his face. The warm water moisturised his dry skin, and he was slowly recovering from his near-limit physical strength.

A flock of sheep jumped into the river loop from behind Sha Wanli, but when he looked back, he saw no one.It took a while before Sha Fuyuan showed his head on the sandy hill, with a black turban tied around his neck, his head was covered with sweat, and he was panting heavily.

Sha Wanli straightened up and said hello: "Third Uncle, you just came back."

Standing on the sand hill, Sha Fuyuan beat his legs and bent over cursing: "This group of dead sheep, seeing the water, it's like being chased by wolves. I can't keep up."

More than a dozen docile sheep were exhausted like this, and their legs and feet were really bad.Sha Wanli said: "It is really impossible to give the sheep to me, and I will keep them for you for a while."

There are some elderly people in Shalitun who suffer from rheumatic diseases in mild or severe cases.

This kid is honest, a hundred times better than his cunning father.Sha Fuyuan looked curiously at Sha Wanli, who had broad shoulders, thick back, long arms and long legs, approached and said, "You have a lot of sheep, can you take care of them?"

Sha Wanli smiled lightly and said, "That's where it is. I plan to raise a hundred and eighty heads."

Sha Fuyuan shook his head and said, "In the past, not to mention hundreds of sheep, even two or three hundred sheep would not be a problem. This is not the case now. In winter, without enough fodder, the sheep will die in large numbers."

Sha Wanli was not convinced: "Prepare more hay in autumn. As long as the door is not closed by heavy snow in winter, I will insist on going out to herd sheep. It should not be a problem."

Sha Fuyuan sighed: "How can it be so easy? How much effort and hardship do you have to endure?" Suddenly, a curse came out from the depths of his throat: "You're a prodigal."

Sha Wanli knew that the third uncle's first sentence was to worry about himself, but the last sentence was to scold his father, Sha Fujiu.

From as long as he could remember, he knew that his third uncle had a grudge against his father, and that they were at odds.The third uncle easily ignored Dad, and always started the conversation with "You are a prodigal bastard", and the two of them quarreled without saying a word, and sometimes they would fight.

But this did not affect the normal contacts of other people in the two families. He asked Sha Fuyuan carefully: "How could we raise a large number of sheep in the past?"

Sha Fuyuan patted Sha Wanli on the shoulder and said, "Shalitun used to be different from what it is now."

From Sha Fuyuan's mouth, it was the first time for Sha Wanli to know the general outline of Shalitun.

Thirty years ago, Shalitun was a small village with only about 30 households who lived by grazing animals.Laohetao flows water all the year round, besides salix bushes, there are also rows of poplars and willows growing on both sides of the river.To the north of Hetao is a large tract of grassland, and it is very easy to graze without having to travel long distances.

Even in the long winter, when the snow is overwhelming, there is no need to worry about the livestock freezing to death because there is sufficient hay.

But when and how did it become what it is now?Why didn't dad ever tell himself about this?Sha Wanli didn't dare to ask more questions, perhaps this was the root of the conflict between father and third uncle for many years.

The sheep drank enough water and walked back to the village slowly, Sha Wanli and Sha Fuyuan followed behind and chatted.Sha Fuyuan took out the sickle from the back of Sha Wanli's waist, weighed it heavily, tested the blade, and asked with satisfaction, "Bring this for self-defense?"

Sha Wanli said: "It's too far away from home, so I feel at ease with a sickle."

Sha Fuyuan nodded: "It should." Then asked: "Do you know what to do if you encounter a wolf?"

Sha Wanli knew that his third uncle had beaten wolves when he was young, so he asked, "Are there still wolves now?"

Sha Fuyuan gestured with a sickle and said, "During the wolf hunting campaign in the past five years or so, wolves were almost wiped out, and they have reappeared in recent years. I have seen wolf dung, but there are not many of them, so I can't easily come across them. Don't panic, use a sickle to cut the wolf's leg, the wolf's leg is thin, and it will break if you cut it."

Sha Wanli thought about it: "It's like the hook and sickle spear of the Yue family army, which is designed to cut the horse's legs of the golden Wushu iron armored soldiers?"

Sha Fuyuan inserted the sickle back into Sha Wanli's waist: "I'm relieved."

Entering the village entrance, Sha Wanli saw his mother standing under the old walnut tree, and called "Mother" from a distance.Wan Li Niang took a few steps to meet him, and took the cowhide whip from his hand, as if taking a whip would make her son feel at ease.

Sha Fuyuan said to Wan Liniang: "Sister-in-law, he is a young man, what is there to worry about? I have bad legs and feet, and I am planning to let Sha Liu go to herd sheep with him starting tomorrow."

Wan Li's mother beamed and said, "That's a good relationship." The mother had her mother's concerns, so she took the opportunity to tell her son in front of Sha Fuyuan: "You have to take good care of Sha Liu, and you must not make any mistakes."

Sha Fuyuan said to Wan Liniang: "This kid is not bad, I can rest assured that Sha Liu will follow him."

Sha Wanli was secretly happy that herding sheep was no longer lonely when she had company.

In the depths of the wilderness, there is no one to see all day long, and it is empty and boring.When you feel uncomfortable, howl a few times at the boundless wasteland: "Our hometown is on the field of hope" or wave a sickle at the imaginary target indiscriminately to relieve the boredom and aggrievedness in your heart.

With a companion, you don't have to talk to yourself like a fool to the flock, let alone Salix.

Sha Liu is one year older than him, and has been forcing him to call her sister since he was a child.Although it was five clothes earlier, it was right to call out, but he just refused to call out.You have to rely on me to protect you when you go to and from school, why do you call your sister?

When she was in junior high school, Sha Liu's parents had no intention of buying a bicycle for her because they were poor and had an older brother who was a soldier. They had to walk or not.In fact, he also wanted her to leave school early and go to work, Sha Liu secretly wept in embarrassment.

After Sha Wanli found out, he said to Sha Liu unequivocally, "I'll carry you to school, it's no big deal."

For two full years, Sha Liu sat on the back seat of his bicycle, commuting more than 40 kilometers every day, enjoying himself a lot.

Sha Wanli also taught Sha Liu how to ride a bicycle, and let Sha Liu ride when the wind was down. He sat on the back seat, playing with Sha Liu's big black and thick braids, laughing and joking all the way.

When I was about to graduate, one day after school, the tire blew out on the way to the car, and after a short walk, there was a shower, and the two had to huddle together under a plastic sheet to shelter from the rain.

Sha Wanli wiped the rain off his face, glanced at Sha Liu's protruding body and said, "It's all your fault, you're getting fatter and heavier, and you've crushed the tires."

Sha Liu blushed and argued, "It's because the temperature on the road is too high. Can you blame me? Am I fat?"

Sha Wanli said, "You are not fat, what are you?"

Sha Liu was so angry that she really wanted to lift up her skirt to show him, but you are still a little donkey and don't understand anything.She asked angrily, "Did you feel tired after carrying me to school for two years?"

Sha Wanli said: "I did it voluntarily, what is there to regret?"

Sha Liu said, "You just regret it."

Sha Wanli said, "You're being unreasonable. I'll ignore you after I finish my degree and do my own thing."

Sha Liu didn't give in at all: "If you don't talk to me, don't talk to me, who cares."

Talking is a common occurrence, and it seems that there is no fun without making noise.To the outside world, they are fighting against each other. No matter who fights, the two fight together, as if they are brothers and sisters.

After graduating from junior high school, Sha Liu went out with women in the village to find work during the day, and rarely went out at night.Sha Wanli had been herding the sheep for a whole day, and was so tired that he fell asleep after dinner. The two of them really rarely saw each other.

Occasionally seeing her, Sha Wanli had nowhere to put his eyes. He felt that Sha Liu had turned into another person overnight, not at all the crazy girl who dared to fight with male classmates and often gave him headaches.

The body of the big skeleton is round and bulging, the big face is white and rosy and smooth, the clear and bright eyes seem to have two fires, and the tone of the speech has a sweet taste.

There was a mysterious aura exuding from his body, which fascinated him, confused him and made him feel guilty.I can no longer unscrupulously pull other people's big braids, but I miss the days when we went to school together.

The third uncle trusts himself and treats her as a sister when she is herding sheep together.

Driving the sheep back home, Sha Fujiu was feeding the two gray donkeys with fodder.His family has a donkey cart, which is the only means of transportation for the people in the village to go out collectively.

After penning the sheep, the family sat on the steps outside the house to have dinner. Sha Wanli thought about his third uncle's praise in his heart, and asked Sha Fujiu: "Dad, what's the matter between you and third uncle? Why can't you solve it until now?" open?"

Sha Fujiu stared blankly at his job, not understanding why his son suddenly asked this question.Wan Liniang said happily from the side: "The third child asked Sha Liu to herd the sheep with Wan Li."

Sha Fujiu put down his rice bowl heavily, and stared: "What does he mean?"

Wan Li Niang elbowed Sha Fu for a long time, and winked at him: "No matter what it means, anyway, he likes Wan Li more than you."

Sha Wanli also persuaded: "Father, I think the third uncle is quite a good man, and he taught me how to deal with wolves today. How much enmity is there between you two?"

Sha Fujiu looked at his childish son, suppressed his anger and said: "The affairs between adults have nothing to do with you, you should not participate in it, and do what you should do."

The conflict between Sha Fujiu and Sha Fuyuan has a long history. Sha Fujiu does not want to leave the conflict to the next generation, let alone let his son share the pain and pressure in his heart.

More than 20 years ago, Sha Fuyuan was the production team leader of Shalitun. Sha Fujiu joined the party in the army.

Later, the superiors called for land reclamation and farming with grain as the key link, and the Dacaodianzi north of Laohetao was included in the plan, and the contradiction between the two began to emerge gradually.

Sha Fuyuan believed that Shalitun was only suitable for the development of animal husbandry, and did not approve of opening up wasteland for farming.Sha Fujiu believes that it is correct to take grain as the key link, and must open up wasteland to expand the planting area.

At this time, the population of Shalitun has increased rapidly, and it has become a large village with more than 50 households.The poplars and willows on both sides of the Old Hetao were completely cut down, and houses were built to make door and window frames.The shortage of food is even more serious, relying on state relief every year, and now the country is also short of food, what should I do if I don't produce to save myself.

The two disagreed, and the instructions of the superiors had not been implemented for a long time. For this reason, a working group was sent to supervise the reclamation of wasteland and the cultivation of grain.

Sha Fuyuan is straightforward and can't turn his head. He was worried that the cattle and sheep in the team would have no forage in winter, so he slapped the table with the working group: "The big meadow was left by the ancestors. The old people said it was Shalitun. Please don’t move it. If you move Dacaodianzi, Shalitun will be destroyed.”

What kind of reason is this? It's ridiculous.The working group believed that Sha Fuyuan not only refused to implement the orders of his superiors, but also propagated feudal superstition, suspended his post for self-reflection, and asked Sha Fujiu to carry out land reclamation and farming.

Sha Fujiu led people to set a big fire in the big meadow, burning the big meadow left by the ancestors into scorched earth.

When Sha Fuyuan found out, it was too late to stop, and the big meadow, which was smoking and steaming, had already been turned upside down by the iron plow.

Anxious, Sha Fuyuan yelled at Sha Fujiu, thinking that Sha Fujiu had broken the rules left by his ancestors and destroyed the big meadow on which his ancestors lived for generations, and knocked Sha Fujiu to the ground with one punch.

Sha Fujiu was also young and energetic and refused to show weakness, so he got up and wrestled with Sha Fuyuan.

The working group found out about this, and labeled Sha Fuyuan as a bad person who sabotaged grain production, and stayed in Shalitun to undergo labor reform.

Sha Fuyuan believes that this is Sha Fujiu's behind-the-scenes trickery, and takes the opportunity to overthrow his own power.

Sha Fujiu and Sha Fufang had been dating for more than two years. This year, they were planning to hold a wedding event, but Sha Fuyuan messed it up to the death. Sha Fufang finally left with a foreigner.

Sha Fujiu insisted that he was aboveboard and did nothing wrong.The newly reclaimed land has indeed produced good food for several years, solving the food ration crisis.

Unexpectedly, the phenomenon of desertification gradually appeared later, and it was completely worthless for cultivation after more than ten years.The northern desert also began to approach Shalitun step by step, and Shalitun fell into a difficult situation with no land for farming and no pasture for grazing.

People in Tunli began to seek relatives and friends and moved out one after another.The houses in Shalitun could not be sold no matter how good they were, and timber was in short supply. The people who moved out took away the beams, purlins, door and window frames, leaving Shalitun with ruins everywhere.

Those who are desperate can only stay in Shalitun, resigned to their fate and live tenaciously.

Only then did Sha Fujiu realize that he had become Shalitun's sinner invisibly.The land contract system was implemented the year before last, and Sha Fujiu felt that he had committed a serious crime.

With pitifully little land and desertified pastures, what can we contract for everyone?

Sha Fuyuan then had a reason to call him "a prodigal bastard" without hesitation.He bears the heavy burden and self-blame silently, with only one bit of brooding in his heart: he should never have done it, Sha Fuyuan should not have separated him and Sha Fufang.

Last spring, a geological scientific research team came to Laohetao for investigation and came to the conclusion that Laohetao is connected with an underground river. Tuen brought a glimmer of life.

The higher authorities called for the conversion of farmland to grassland, just like they called for the call for barren land in the past.How can there be farming to retreat?There is only a little arable land, and even rations cannot be solved.

There is no money, no soil, no saplings and grass seeds, and people's hearts are scattered like sand that cannot be clenched. How can it be solved with a call?

Fortunately, he saw Sha Fuyuan's strong opposition back then, and he had heard about what the elders said. Although he couldn't make any sense, he secretly kept his mind on it.On the pretext of lack of labor, the grasslands and salix groves on both sides of the old Hetao were preserved, which brought a glimmer of hope and vitality to Shalitun surrounded by deserts.

Thinking of this, Sha Fujiu said to Sha Wanli: "You make your own way out, don't count on me, your mother and I won't leave you anything."

Sha Wanli smiled at his parents and continued to eat.

He didn't understand why Dad suddenly spoke to him in such a serious and heavy tone.Father gave him [-] sheep, and in more than a year, he had turned into more than [-] sheep, and the number will continue to increase in the future. He believes that he will find a way out regardless of the sky or the earth.

The mother protected her son: "You can't speak well? My son has been away for a day, and I have to see you with a tiger face when I come home, really."

Sha Fujiu softened his tone and said to Sha Wanli: "You are not too young anymore, besides herding sheep, you also have to think about what to do in the future."

He is worried about the current situation of Shalitun and his son's future.Shalitun was originally a poor village. Grandma didn’t love her uncle or loved her. They said they would return the farmland to grassland, but they didn’t allocate a penny. Isn’t this letting Shalitun live on its own?
He discussed with the villagers and concluded a villagers' pact: grazing is not allowed on both sides of the old river, and every household will get a volunteer to look after the old river, and the hay harvested after autumn will be evenly distributed.

Everyone agrees.He also proposed to raise funds to buy saplings and grass seeds, so as to gradually expand the green area on both sides of the old Loop.

When it came to money, no one said a word.No wonder everyone, every family has little money, there are more than a dozen bachelors in their early thirties in more than [-] households, young and middle-aged people are all out to find a way to survive, who is willing to pay out of their own pockets for things that have no hope?
Now that he has done it alone, he, the village head and party secretary, is not as vocal as before. He can only do a lot of things by himself, but it hurts his son.

His son shouldered the heavy burden of family labor, and he was ashamed of his son and unable to point out a clear path for his son, nor could he predict the future of Shalitun, so he could only resign himself to fate.

He left his job and walked out of the house. Before dark, he had to go to Laohetao to inspect it.

At the entrance of the village, Sha Fujiu first checked the well next to the old walnut tree.The ancient well was more than ten feet deep, with a small mouth and a big belly. The stones that built the walls of the well were already black in color, and thick moss grew in the crevices of the stones.

The well water is clear and the water source is stable. It is the only life spring for the whole village.In order to prevent the ancient well from being buried by wind and sand, he led the villagers to build a tight small room for the ancient well, installed iron gates and locked it, and provided water for each household by head every morning.

Water source is the most precious wealth in Shalitun. Everyone consciously protects the ancient well and abides by the water supply system.

The big lock on the iron door of the well room was intact, and Sha Fujiu walked around the ancient well and walked towards Laohetao.Night had fallen, and only the distant sky was still bright. He was patrolling aimlessly along the old river.

According to the legend from generation to generation, the aborigines in Shalitun are the descendants of the soldiers who colonized and defended the frontier in ancient times, and the heroic blood of their ancestors flows in their bodies.

Serving in the army is the most enthusiastic career for young people in Shalitun. Seven out of ten will take the road of joining the army, but how many of them can really find a way out?In the end, I had to go back to Shalitun, biting the bullet and confronting God.

Sha Fujiu saw the figure of another person on the sand hill in Laohetao. He knew who it was, but he didn't want to approach him.That person also saw him, and both of them stood still, only looking at the vast wilderness, as if they could see the glory of their ancestors through thousands of years.

The grandparents handed over a lush meadow to them, what will they leave for their children and grandchildren?
Prodigal stuff!As if hearing the silent scolding of his ancestors, Sha Fujiu couldn't help shivering.

How many ancestors' bones are buried under the wasteland, how can he bear the punishment of his ancestors?The stars were dim, and the endless night shrouded the lonely figures of the two people.

Sha Wanli didn't take his father's words too seriously, he never walked out of the desert, the outside world was as illusory as a mirage, and he never had unrealistic imaginations.He washed his body with a basin of cold water and lay down early.

Summer nights in Saliton are tough, especially in this sweltering heat with no wind.

In order to resist the severe cold and wind and sand in the long winter, all the houses in Shalitun are built in a pattern: flat roofs, low doors and small windows, and the inside of the house is more than a foot lower than the yard. When people enter the house, it is like falling into a pit.

The winter is relatively warm, and the summer is exposed to the sun for a day, and the heat cannot be released. The house is like a small stove.Therefore, as soon as the day was released, the lights of the Hei family were all dark, and they went out to find a cool place.

There are no entertainment activities, and most of them gather under the old walnut tree at the entrance of the village, telling nonsense and living in vain.

Sha Wanli seldom took part in it. The high temperature and long journey resulted in severe physical exhaustion. He was so tired that he fell asleep in a hot sweat.In his dream, if there is a lush grassland and a big tree that shades the scorching sun, he will also smile crookedly.

In the early morning of the next day, Sha Wanli and Sha Liu drove the sheep out of the village.The sun is rising, jumping like an egg yolk among the undulating sand beams, and the monotonous and lonely desert is gentle and calm.

Sha Liu wore a blue checkered pink towel, her waist-length braid dangled behind her, and walked beside Sha Wanli with ease.

Last night her father told her that her legs hurt so badly that she couldn't walk long distances, and the sheep couldn't eat good grass and lost weight day by day, so she asked her to herd the sheep with Sha Wanli for a few days.

She deliberately said to her father with a straight face: "If you want me to herd sheep for a long time, just say so. You didn't treat me like a girl anyway."

Lying on the kang, she was secretly happy, listening to the crickets chirping one after another in the cracks in the wall-she knew that they were chirping to attract the opposite sex-the shadow of Sha Wanli stood in front of her eyes.

In the past two years after school, Sha Wanli has grown taller and stronger.A beard protruded from his mouth, his long face was polished by the wind and sand, and it became angular, his waist was tall and straight, and he walked with wind, and his body already had a manly taste.

The strange thing is, why is his courage getting smaller and smaller, seeing himself as if seeing a stranger, and seeing nothing but the eyes of the flock?

When she went out to work with the women in the village, the aunts and sisters-in-law would not shy away from joking and making troubles about the things on the kang, which made her understand many things that were difficult for young and old.

When I can't sleep at night, my heart is on fire, longing for a gust of wind and a soaking rain.

Naturally, when someone came to the house to talk about matchmaking, she ignored it.My brother had already told her in the letter not to rush to find her husband's family, but to wait until he was discharged from the army.

My elder brother served as a soldier in Heilongjiang, and he praised it as a paradise: the black land can't be seen at a glance, and what can be planted grows, and every household's grain is piled up like a hill.In winter, they hunted and fished, and sat on the hot kang, eating meat and drinking in big bowls.

My brother fell in love with that place, and he didn't want to go back to Shalitun after he got out of the army. Once he got a firm foothold, he would take over the whole family.If there is such a day, should I go by myself or not?

Sha Liu glanced at the silent Sha Wanli and said, "Did the sheep become dumb?"

Sha Wanli immediately replied: "Speak less and save energy."

Sha Liu asked with a smile: "Do you not want to take me to herd the sheep, because you are afraid that you will be tired?"

Sha Wanli glanced at Sha Liu: "Are you going to herd sheep? You don't even take a whip."

Sha Liu laughed loudly: "Don't sister trust you?"

Sha Wanli stared at Sha Liu: "Don't use your sister to oppress others, is there a sister like you?"

Sha Liu asked, "Then what do you want from me?"

"I don't know." Sha Wanli ran forward a few steps in anger, and lashed a stray sheep with a whip.

Sha Liu, who became an adult, made him feel uncomfortable everywhere, thinking about why he was also confused when he was close and far away.

It took more than two hours to reach the destination.Already in the depths of the desert, a few bare and low stone mountains surround a depression, where various weeds are fairly luxuriant, and there is a small clear puddle in the middle, surrounded by reeds that crawl close to the ground.

This is a hidden place that Sha Wanli only found at the beginning of spring this year.Originally planned to wait until autumn to harvest hay, but worried that Salix would not be able to keep up with herding sheep the first day, so she was brought here.

The flock scattered, and Sha Wanli handed over the dry food kettle radio to Sha Liu, let her sit in the shade at the root of the mountain to rest, and ran to take care of the flock by herself.

At noon, Sha Wanli drove the half-fed sheep to the shade of the ravine to escape the scorching heat.The flock lay down and chewed, and he also sat down to drink water and eat dry food.After eating and drinking enough, I found a bluestone slab and lay down flat, closed my eyes and meditated.

Sha Liu came over and sat next to his head playing with the radio. The faint body fragrance emanating from his body made him a little dizzy and drowsy, but there was a mysterious force rushing around in his body, sometimes comfortable and sometimes It hurts like hell.

The sun hangs alone overhead, pouring heat waves into the desert, which is silent and windy.

Silently enduring the burning torment from the outside to the inside, Sha Wanli's muscles tensed, and beads of sweat rolled down his face.Her nerves seemed to be broken soon, she didn't dare to look at Sha Liu more and didn't want to move her place.

Fortunately, Sha Liu stood up in time, looked at the puddle in the middle of the depression and asked him, "Is the water in the puddle deep?"

Sha Wanli relaxed a little and said, "It's okay, it can cover the calf."

Sha Liu said, "I'm going to take a bath, you are not allowed to peek."

Sha Wanli still closed his eyes and said, "What's so interesting about you."

Sha Liu kicked Sha Wanli lightly.She walked to the puddle, took off her scarf, took off her coat, and walked into the water wearing a short-sleeved vest with white and blue floral patterns and large floral pants made by herself.

The warm water was up to the knees, and the bottom was clear, with a layer of fresh sheep dung floating on the water.She gently mixed the water, drove the sheep dung to the puddle, untied her braid and half-lyed down to soak in the water, her black hair was like a ball of ink floating on the water.

A few thick white clouds slowly moved over from the sky, blocking the dazzling sun and casting huge cool shadows.She scrubbed her body, glanced at Sha Wanli, and felt relieved when she saw only one leg raised up.

Take off the vest and underpants, wash and cool to the grass by the water, lie down in the water and close your eyes, and melt yourself into the endless world.

After a long time, she was about to fall asleep when she suddenly heard the sound of animals running back and forth by the puddle.When he opened his eyes, he saw two gray wild dogs circling around the puddle.

She sat up, touched a stone from the bottom of the water and threw it at the wild dog.

Not only was the wild dog not scared away, but it bared its fangs at her, arched its body and raised the long hair on its neck, let out a low and hoarse roar from its throat, fixed its fierce eyes on her, with a look Ready to pounce forward to eat people.

Sha Liu was frightened and shouted loudly: "Wanli, there are two wild dogs here."

Hearing Sha Liu's cry, Sha Wanli didn't take it seriously at first, turned his head to look at the situation by the puddle, and suddenly a thought flashed in his mind: This place is far away from human habitation, where are the wild dogs?

Shockingly shivering, his scalp was numb and swollen, and he was sweating hot and cold. He couldn't bear to pick up a cowhide whip and rush down the hillside, shouting as he ran, "Squat in the water and don't come out."

Two wild dogs stood side by side when they heard the human voice, wrinkled their noses and stuck out their long tongues, confronting Sha Wanli who ran up to him.

Sha Wanli remembered what Sha Fuyuan had said to him, so he raised his cowhide whip high and slammed it into the air. There was a bang, and the two wild dogs trembled;

Sha Wanli suddenly became courageous, drew out the long-handled sickle on the back of his waist, pointed the sharp blade at the two wild dogs, and approached them step by step.When they were five or six steps away, the two wild dogs became timid, turned around and trotted away from the puddle.

Sha Wanli chased after him wielding a cowhide whip and long-handled sickle. He wanted to drive the two wild dogs away.

Sha Liu stood up from the puddle and shouted: "Don't chase after it in hot weather."

Sha Wanli turned around and glanced at Sha Liu.Sha Liu was presented in front of him at a glance, and he froze there immediately, trembling like those two wild dogs.The clouds parted, and the sun remained the same, but with a different shape and temperature.

Sha Liu was also overly nervous, completely unaware that she was standing naked, and kept saying, "I was scared to death."

Sha Wanli was stunned for a moment and turned around to chase the wild dogs. The two wild dogs had already run across a sand beam and disappeared.

After Sha Liu got dressed, she asked Sha Wanli, who was sweating profusely and walked back slowly with his head down: "Why are there wild dogs here?"

As if to verify her words, before Sha Wanli could reply, several wolf howls of "嗤嗤" came from the distant desert, desolate and long.

"My god, it's a wolf." Sha Liu's legs softened and her buttocks sat on the ground.

The whole afternoon, with the scorching sun on Sha Wanli's head, he stayed as far away from Sha Liu as possible.A daughter took his soul away and made him see another, more magical world.

Shaliu's pair of snow-white little rabbits kept dancing majestically before his eyes, like the scorching sun above his head scorching his eyes.He no longer only saw the desert and the flock of sheep, a big boy who didn't understand, stepped into the ranks of men in one step.

Salix was very calm.If you have the guts to drive two hungry wolves away, who will you show if you don't show it to such a man?The more he avoided himself, the more she wanted to stand by his side.

Back in Laohetao in the evening, Sha Liu took off Sha Wanli's black scarf, washed it, wrung it dry, and wrapped it around his neck.

Sha Wanli took advantage of the opportunity to hold Sha Liu in his arms, and stroked the big braid on the back of Sha Liu's head. For a moment, he felt that he had grown up all of a sudden, so big that he could not be afraid of any hardships.

Sha Liu quietly buried her head on Sha Wanli's broad and thick chest, and said a little shyly: "If you really like me, I will marry you."

The setting sun smeared the last ray of light on her face, and her face was bright red.

In the autumn of this year, Salix will go on a long trip.My aunt's cousin got married on National Day, and my aunt sent her a letter asking her to see her off.She had never traveled far, and asked Sha Wanli to take her to the county seat.

When Sha Wanli went home and told his parents, his father took one look at him and remained silent, and his mother gave him 300 yuan with a meaningful smile.

On the day of departure, Sha Fujiu drove a donkey cart, and took Sha Wanli and Sha Liu to the bus station more than [-] miles away before dawn.After a few instructions, I went to the village to ask for saplings, grass seeds, and funds.

Sit in a crowded and dilapidated bus, bumped on the uneven gravel road for more than two hours and arrived at the county seat. After buying a train ticket, I carefully inquired about everything I could think of. Only then did the two sit comfortably in the waiting room Look at the scene.

The small county town is dilapidated, there are not many trees, people come and cars are flying in the sand, and there is only a two-story shopping mall that looks decent.The houses were low and messy, with black soot coming from the chimneys, and the layout was not much different from the houses in Shalitun.

The shops along the street are uneven and different in size, and the owners of the shops are all looking around and hawking at the top of their voices, and the voices are getting higher and higher.

Seeing that there was still time, Sha Wanli went out to buy some food, and handed over 300 yuan to Sha Liu.Sha Liu refused to ask: "Auntie sent me money."

Sha Wanli said: "A poor family has a rich road, this is given by my mother."

Only then did Sha Liu accept it with a smile.Sha Wanli whispered, "Hide the money well, I heard that there are thieves on the train."

Sha Liu whispered to Sha Wanli, "I sewed a pocket in my pants."

He turned around and went to the toilet, hiding the money in his pants.When she came back, Sha Liu suddenly remembered something: "If my aunt wants to stay with me for a longer period of time, you can keep the walnuts for me. If you don't have any left, see how I will deal with you when I come back."

Every year in late autumn, Sha Wanli would climb to the old walnut tree at the entrance of the village to pick walnuts, and Salix would pick them up underneath, and then each family would share some.

Shalitun people are reluctant to hit walnuts with wooden poles, for fear of hurting the branches of old walnut trees.

The old walnut tree is two arms thick, and the stretched crown is like a big umbrella propped up.No one can tell which generation planted it, only know that it has been a few years.

The Shalitun people also tried to plant walnut trees, but they didn't succeed.The old walnut tree became the only tree in the village that could bear fruit.

Sha Wanli said: "Look at your prospects, a few walnuts are still worth your consideration. You should take a good look at your cousin's wedding and tell me how people in the mainland live, so that I can make a plan for the future." Intend."

When it comes to the future, he really doesn't know what the future will be like, he is as dazed as sand dust in the desert, and he can't tell the difference between south, east and north.

Sha Liu whispered, "You learn from them first."

He motioned for Sha Wanli to look at a corner of the waiting room.There was a pair of young people there, the woman was holding the man's waist, and the man was holding the woman's head, hugging and gnawing each other as if no one else was around.

Sha Wanli took a look, then turned around and asked Sha Liu, "What's it like to kiss?"

Without waiting for Sha Liu's answer, she hugged Sha Liu's head and was about to kiss her.

Sha Liu pushed him away: "Don't be ashamed, wait until I come back."

The train came into the station, and Sha Wanli sent Sha Liu to the train. Still thinking about that matter, he said solemnly to Sha Liu who leaned out of the car window: "When you come back, you have to let me kiss you."

Sha Liu intentionally angered him: "Maybe I won't come back yet."

(End of this chapter)