Druid's Country Retirement

Chapter 3 Returning to the Village
San Pao led the way and walked into a telecommunications business hall on the side of the street.

Li Hongbing opened his eyes wide.

This is probably the most fully functional business hall he has ever seen.

There are chemical fertilizers at the gate, all kinds of cheap mobile phones on the counter, farm tools on the south wall, labor insurance supplies on the east wall, and eggs and vegetables piled up in the corner.

The equipment belonging to the business hall is only a computer, and behind the computer is a beautiful woman watching a movie.

"I made you a big boss laugh." San Pao scratched his head in embarrassment, and shouted at the woman playing with the computer.

"Daughter-in-law, look who is here."

The woman with a pretty face didn't even raise her head, "What kind of crooked friends are you? My mother said that you are not allowed to bring dubious people into the store."

San Pao waved his hand at Li Hongbing embarrassedly, "What are you friends, let's see who's here."

The woman finally raised her head. At first glance, Li Hongbing looked bewildered, but later she seemed familiar. She thought for a long time before matching the number in memory, and asked uncertainly.

"You are...the Red Soldier...Brother?"

And Li Hongbing had already seen who this woman was, and she also knew a primary school classmate, Wang Chunmiao.

Back then, she was a yellow-haired girl with a runny nose, but now she looks pretty and is married to San Pao.

"Chun Miao, it's me."

The woman stood up abruptly, and stared at Li Hongbing in disbelief, especially at the gray hair.

"Brother Hong Bing, you are really a jerk! At the beginning of the year in the town, I met an old man who came home and burned paper, saying that you have settled down in Mingzhu, and how did you get your hair? It's getting old so fast."

Cough!

San Pao coughed deliberately to remind his silly daughter-in-law that she had just seen Li Hongbing at the market, and was also shocked by his vicissitudes of face and gray temples. It took him a long time to confirm that it was Li Hongbing himself.

It is normal for people to have gray hair.

But it is not normal to have gray hair in your 30s.

Either a serious illness or a catastrophe.

Li Hongbing smiled freely, "I'm retired and I'm going back to Caogou Village."

Retiring in your 30s, what kind of joke are you kidding, there must be other things.

Sanpao was afraid that his silly daughter-in-law would say stupid things again, so he quickly answered, "Come back, the air in the countryside is much better than in the city. In urban dialect, it means oxygen. What is it called a natural oxygen bar?"

After speaking, he yelled at his wife again.

"Why are you still in a daze, go to the market to buy a chicken, and I'll have a drink with Brother Hongbing."

Li Hongbing hurriedly stopped him, "Don't, I'll treat you to a drink another day. I really have something to do today. I'll find a car and go back to Caogou Village."

Rural people are hospitable.

The enthusiasm is irresistible.

But Li Hongbing was in a hurry to go back to the village, and reluctantly rejected Sanpao's invitation after several pushbacks.

I can only make an appointment to meet next time, and I will not return if I am not drunk.

After paying back the money for the dog, he asked if there was any way to go back to Caogou Village.

This is the right person to ask.

Sanpao patted his chest and said that he had a car and was going into the mountains to collect some eggs and mountain goods. If he didn't mind, he would send Li Hongbing back to the village.

A car is indeed a car.

It was just a dilapidated 125 motorcycle, with two large iron cages welded to the rear, filled with sundries.

Sanpao explained while packing the iron cage.

"In addition to looking at the store, I usually go to various villages to collect some eggs and mountain products. The mountain roads are not easy to walk, and it is convenient to ride a motorcycle."

Seeing the embarrassment of his classmates, Li Hongbing quickly praised them.

"Yes, diversification and ideas."

boom!
The motorcycle started, the gas pipe spewed out thick black smoke, and the puppies screamed in terror in the cage.

Li Hongbing quickly comforted the pup, and San Pao, who was riding a motorcycle, beckoned, "Get in the car."

……

The mountain road in the forest area is winding and winding, and the 125 sometimes flies at the foot of the mountain, and sometimes climbs up the steep mountain peak. Seeing such a "wild" road, Li Hongbing, who has not returned to the village for a long time, can't help but gasp.

The cement roads used to be paved in every village in the past, due to years of disrepair, caused the road surface to be potholed, severely damaged, and crazily bumped, making Li Hongbing feel like playing bumper cars in an amusement park.

Another disadvantage is that it is narrow, barely two meters wide, and two carriages can stagger when passing each other. If two cars meet, it will be difficult, and they can only pass by a certain avoidance point.

However, these do not affect the three bubble suicide riding.

Twist the accelerator and don't let go, breaking 125 is just riding the temperament of the Isle of Man TT competition. The exhaust pipe sprays billowing black smoke, and runs at high speed on the winding and circling mountain road. .

The [-]-meter-high cliff, coupled with the extremely dangerous terrain in the mountains in the forest area, is rich in various "sky roads".

Li Hongbing was terribly frightened, braved the howling wind, and shouted loudly to Sanpao to run slowly and pay attention to safety.

Sanpao didn't take it seriously, turned around and showed off without looking at the road, "It's okay, I can ride this road with my eyes closed, and I guarantee that I can reach Caogou Village in two hours."

you are fine.

But I'm afraid.

He also doesn't wear a helmet.

Huan Nima looked back and didn't look at Lu Xuan's car skills.

Hyun Nima Hyun!
Go back to Nima!
In case of a car accident, the fallen leaves will return to their roots.

Li Hongbing closed his mouth wisely, firmly grasped the handrails on both sides, straightened his back, and observed the road conditions with his eyes wide open. If there was any danger, he would jump out of the car immediately.

At least being disabled is better than eating.

Speeding all the way.

Soon, Li Hongbing's line of sight appeared a continuous thousand-year-old cliff, the gray-white cliff with a bare edge as if cut by a knife, standing between the sky and the earth like a city wall.

Looking up, there are strands of white clouds, like veils, lying across the waist of the cliff, and the lush greenery exposed on the top of the wall seems to be a garden in the sky.

This is the only way back to the village, Chaotianyan.

From the eyes of the people in the city, this is a miracle of nature, an astonishing miracle between heaven and earth, but it is a hindrance to Caogou Village. The harsh environment and blocked traffic make the villagers who are not rich even poorer.

Every time Li Hongbing saw Chaotianyan when he was a child, he would be in awe of its magnificence.

A gap seems to be cut by a god with a knife and ax in the middle of the thousand-bladed cliff. A zigzag mountain road is embedded in the gap. It is the only access to Liancaogou Village. There are nineteen bends, also known as the nineteen turns to the sky.

This "Z"-shaped steep slope road was carved out of the rock bit by bit by the villagers of Caogou Village with iron picks and chisels. The average slope reaches 20 degrees, and the steepest part is close to 30 degrees.

Li Hongbing hated Nineteen Turns to the Sky, and he had to climb up and down every time he went to school when he was a child, which was a kind of torture.

And as soon as winter comes, it is forbidden to pass through. I remember that one year when it snowed heavily, a villager left the village in an emergency and flew out directly from the [-]th turn. When he found it, it had turned into a puddle of meat.

Now the gravel road has been replaced by concrete pouring. Although it is more than three meters wide, there are no railings on the side of the road, but the slope is still steep and the road is steep, and there are cliffs outside.

San Pao put away her smile and got out of the car to check the motorcycle, especially the important parts of the engine and brakes.

"Brother, don't move around later. The bastard who built this road will die if he builds a few more bends. He has to make the road so steep."

Average 20 degree steep slope.The maximum slope is 30 degrees, and there are [-] consecutive bends.

Accidentally, the car crashed and people died, and the whole village had a feast.

Check out the motorcycle.

When the accelerator was increased, the motorcycle roared and emitted billowing black smoke, and slowly climbed up, like an old cow, unable to stretch its legs and panting heavily.

Climbing to the steepest slope, the motorcycle simply lay still, the wheels idling sharply, and black smoke billowed from the engine and exhaust pipe.

Sanpao skillfully took out a plastic bottle filled with cold water and sprayed the motorcycle with water to cool down.

Li Hongbing doesn't know if the motorcycle can be watered to cool down when it's overheated, but he knows that this 125 will have a miserable life with Sanpao.

Looking at the highest turning slope in front of him, Li Hongbing knew that the broken 125 had done his best, and the weight of two people made it overwhelmed. He simply picked up the backpack, and carried the four puppies from the iron frame to the ground. Three Pao said.

"I'll go first, you will follow later."

Before San Pao could speak, Li Hongbing began to climb the slope on foot, and whistled halfway. The four puppies, who were still a little motion sick, searched for the sound to find their owner, and chased after them.

Since he left the campus, he has hardly exercised, and coupled with his long-term sub-healthy life, Li Hongbing was already out of breath, red-faced, dizzy, and his legs were weak, as soon as he climbed a turn. The cubs whimpered and ran around.

Hey!
I think back when I was in school, I would climb up and down several times in one breath without panting, but now I am not even as good as a puppy.

Annoyed, Li Hongbing gave up the idea of ​​walking, and sat on the concrete road, slapping his sore legs.

Drip!

A whistle sounded.

Immediately afterwards, the motorcycle appeared from the corner, stopped beside Li Hongbing, and San Pao showed a teasing smile on his big mouth.

"Brother, your body is not good! Practice more, or sister-in-law will be unhappy!"

"You're the one who talks too much nonsense."

Li Hongbing sighed helplessly, got up and patted the dust, whistled, and the four jumping and cheerful puppies ran back to the car quickly.

The motorcycle started again, as usual, like an old cow, walking and resting.

Nineteen turns towards the sky, the temperature dropped four times in the middle, and it was enough to reach the top of the rock.

The vast blue sky above the head, the mountains in front are overlapping, like the sea, majestic and majestic, and the dark green vast land under the thousands of cliffs behind.

gorgeous!

Such a shocking and magnificent scenery dispelled Li Hongbing's aches and pains all over his body.

The motorcycle left Nineteen Turns and continued to go deeper into the mountain for more than ten miles. A mountain peak shaped like an ingot appeared in sight.

When you see Yuanbao Mountain, go to Caogou Village!
Li Hongbing couldn't hide his excitement

Drive into Yuanbao Mountain and surround the valley. From the whole valley, it looks like a big-bellied gourd. The village is built on a gentle hillside on the top of Hulutou Mountain.

And inside the big belly of the gourd is an endless meadow.

Tell the truth.

Li Hongbing left Caogou Village when he was 12 years old, and he seldom came back. As his studies got heavier, he came back even less often. Since his grandfather and grandmother left, he was bound by family and work, and never came back. However, counting with your fingers, it has been 20 years.

When I saw Yuanbao Mountain again.

The memories hidden in my mind were picked up again. Every spring, the meadow will be full of colorful flowers, which are extremely beautiful, just like a fairyland.

There are also wild vegetables everywhere, including wild onions, wild leeks, wild garlic sprouts, dragon head vegetables, shepherd's purse, and purslane.
Stir-fried eggs, wild pork, pat some garlic cloves and mix it with cold dishes, the taste is delicious.

The distance to Caogou Village is getting closer and closer, and the old persimmon tree at the entrance of the village is in sight.

At this time.

Li Hongbing patted San Pao on the shoulder, signaling to stop.

"Brother Hongbing, what's the matter?" San Pao stopped the motorcycle in confusion, and turned around with a dazed expression.

"I won't go into the village, go back to the old house first, you can go up by yourself!"

Li Hongbing got off the motorcycle, patted San Pao on the shoulder again, turned around and took out four puppies and a backpack from the iron frame.

Ow!Ow!
The pups wobbled and spun around after landing, and one gray-haired pup lay on the side of the road and vomited.

Three bubbles hey hey steal fun.

Li Hongbing glared at him, it was not a good thing you did.

Putting on his backpack, he leaned over to pick up the four motion sick puppies and walked towards another mountain road.

This mountain road is paved with blue stones, I don't know how many years old it is, and luxuriant goosegrass grows between the stone cracks.

The terraced fields on the hillside seem to have been cultivated by no one, and the fields are overgrown with weeds.

Go around a bend.

The eyes suddenly widened.

Surrounded by Yuanbao Mountain is an endless meadow. In the early spring of April, colorful flowers have bloomed and dotted the meadow, just like a beautiful picture scroll.

There is a meandering river in the middle of the meadow, the river is crystal clear, and fish jump out of the water from time to time.

Li Hongbing looked at the natural beauty in front of him infatuatedly.

Exactly the same as in the dream.

Ow!Ow!
When the puppies saw the meadow, they seemed to be revived with full blood. They struggled from Li Hongbing's arms and fell to the ground. They chased each other into the grass and disappeared without a trace.

Look at the happy appearance of the puppies.

Li Hongbing's childishness hidden in his heart was seduced, he shouted, and rushed towards the meadow.

……

Ahh!

Ahh!

Li Hongbing, who hadn't had such a relaxing time for a long time, seemed to have regained his childhood memories, lying in the grass in a mess, with four puppies crawling around on him covered in grass leaves, having a great time playing.

After sneezing a few times, bursts of coldness invaded the body through the thin coat.

Only then did Li Hongbing remember that the temperature in the forest area was still very low in April, around 10 degrees during the day, and he felt a little cold after sweating and being blown by the cold wind.

He picked up the happy puppies lying on his chest and put them aside, got up and slapped off the blades of grass, and put his backpack back on his back.

"Let's go, stop playing, we have to hurry."

Ow!Ow!
The puppies followed obediently.

The meadow is very soft, stepping on it is like stepping on a thick blanket, breathing the grass-scented air, coupled with the indulgence just now, makes Li Hongbing's tired body feel refreshed and relaxed.

Walk for about half an hour.

A towering tree stands above the meadow, with a huge canopy guarding the house below.

Li Hongbing's eyes immediately became moist.

Uncle Guo, a famous comic artist, said that the older a person is, the shallower his eyes are, and the easier it is to be moved.

This is the home of dreams.

After 24 years away, I went around and went around, but I still returned to the starting point.

Li Hongbing rolled and crawled towards the house, even if he slipped and fell, he would get up and continue running.

Ow!Ow!
The puppies thought that their master was competing with them, so they pulled their short legs and chased after them.

A figure and four small figures ran across the endless meadow, leaving behind several shadows.

……

(End of this chapter)