Return to the small mountain village in 1983

Chapter 229 Spiritual emptiness
"Mom, have a great New Year."

After a while, Father Lin, Mother Lin and others also came over, smiling and wishing the old lady New Year greetings.

Seeing so many people coming up, the old man was so happy that he couldn't close his mouth and kept talking to several people.

Lin Heng and Xiulan gave up their seats and went to take a look outside.

Except for the inconvenient transportation, everything else about this place is good, with beautiful scenery and beautiful environment. Standing at the courtyard dam, you can see the beautiful scenery below the mountain.

Lin Heng first went to the pen to look at the sheep raised by his third uncle. There were more than a dozen sheep. His third uncle started herding sheep from a single ewe. It took him six or seven years to reach the current scale. My wife is married.

"Look, this is the muntjac we shot. It's a fat yellow muntjac weighing over forty pounds."

Uncle Lin Heng saw him coming and took out the mutton deer meat with a smile.

The skin of this muntjac is peeled off, and the flesh is bright red and very attractive.

Lin Heng gave a thumbs up: "Awesome, where did you fight?"

Lu Honggang grinned: "On the opposite beam, we suddenly heard the barking of a muntjac a few days ago. Later we found out that this guy was stealing wheat seedlings. He squatted there for two days and was shot down with one shot."

After swallowing, he continued: "Let your mother help make it later. Uncle You and I are not good at crafts. You can get some more when you leave."

"That's no need. I've shot so many wild boars this year that I can't finish the meat." Lin Heng said with a smile.

Then he pointed to the Jerusalem artichokes piled up in the room and said, "I'll just get some of this. I like to eat this."

Jerusalem artichoke is also called Jerusalem artichoke and devil's ginger. It looks like ginger and has a very nice crispy and sweet taste. Lin Heng’s family doesn’t grow any, but his third uncle’s family grows a lot.

"You can take as much of this as you want." Lu Honggang said with a smile.

"Okay." Lin Heng nodded.

Lin Heng had eaten Jerusalem artichoke a lot when he was a child, and his favorite was still soaked like bamboo shoots. His family hasn’t grown any crops in recent years, and he still misses it a bit.

Going to sit down in the living room with a carbon fire in front, Lin Heng and his uncle and third uncle started chatting about hunting.

The two of them had expressions of disbelief when they heard about Lin Heng's harvest last time up the mountain. They thought it was simply too fierce.

Lu Honghai looked at Lin Heng while handling the bacon and said: "Lin Heng, you have a car. We have a chance to go to Changping County to look for black bears. I heard people say that there are many black bears in the mountains heading northwest. We can hunt them. You can make a fortune with one head.”

As a hunter, there is no one who does not want to kill bears and tigers, and is full of interest in these large beasts.

Lin Heng agreed without any hesitation: "Let's go over and give it a try when we find a suitable time."

There are only a few kinds of prey in the mountains that he has not yet unlocked, especially after killing so many wild boars, he has a sense of challenge.

Also, it is not illegal to fight these things in this day and age, so naturally you have to get more of them, and you don’t have to worry if they are kept at home even if they are protected by legislation in the future.

The issue is not retroactive, as long as it is not sold in the future, it will be fine.

"I'll ask around when the time comes, and let's go together."

Lu Honghai said with a smile that he had a great time hunting with Lin Heng in Sanchagou last time.

"it is good."

After chatting for a while, Father Lin and Mother Lin also came over from the back room. The children ran out to the courtyard to have a snowball fight and build a snowman, having a great time.

The adults gathered around the stove to warm themselves for a while. Lin Heng's grandmother slowly walked over from the back room, came to Lin Heng's side, grabbed his hand and stuffed something into his hand: "I'll give you a good thing."

"Grandma, keep it for yourself. I have it at home."

Lin Heng knew without looking that these were rock candies given by his grandmother. Every time he came up, the old man would secretly stuff a few rock candies into his hand.

Because his grandfather would scold him openly, saying that his things should be left to his grandson if he did not prepare them for people with his surname.

Lin Heng was also afraid of his grandfather at that time, so he quietly stuffed the candy into his mouth without saying a word. Now that he has grown up, he doesn't eat sweets anymore, and he doesn't care about two rock candies anymore, but his grandmother still retains this habit, as if he is still a child.

"Just take it if I tell you to eat it, and eat it quickly."

Grandma Lin Heng said with a smile.

"Thank you, grandma." Lin Heng had no choice but to accept it, ate one for himself and gave one to Xiulan.

Seeing this scene, the old man smiled and nodded, then turned around and went to the fire house at the back.

Lin Heng stood up and helped her go to the back room, unpacking the milk powder she brought and making a pack for him.

Then he talked with her for a while. The people in the house, whether it was his uncle or his parents, all thought that they could just provide food and drink for the old man, and were too lazy to communicate because the old man could not understand and it was very difficult to communicate with him.

Lin Heng was willing to talk to her, even if communication was difficult. This is because he has experienced old age. Compared with material food and clothing, the old man is actually more spiritually empty.

Even the children are bored and unwilling to communicate more. They feel extremely empty inside.

This is not the fault of the children, because it is difficult for them to understand this kind of thing if they have never experienced old age. They always think that it is enough to feed them well and clothe them well.

His grandmother drank milk powder and listened to Lin Heng's words, with a smile on her face from time to time.

Everyone else was playing in the front, and there were only my mother-in-law and grandson in the back room. Xiulan discovered that Lin Heng hadn't come back for so long, so she walked to the back room and listened to Lin Heng telling stories and jokes to her grandmother, and she gradually felt moved.

It seems that since he came back in May this year, this man has become so gentle, so patient with an old man, and his whole body reveals a gentle charm.

Sometimes she really felt that he had been taken away from him, but as her pillow partner, she understood that this man just suddenly matured strangely.

After looking at it, Xiulan went back to the front to see Xiaoxia.

Lin Heng chatted with his grandmother for thirty or forty minutes. He didn't get up until his mother came over to bring her food.

When he went to the toilet at the back, Lin Heng saw the corn cobs piled up in the bamboo basket in the toilet, and a feeling of fear came to his heart.

Because his uncle's family used this kind of thing to wipe their butts, which was rougher than sandpaper.

When he was a child, he liked everything when he came to his uncle's house, but when he went to the toilet, he would go to the mountains to find leaves to wipe his butt.

After shaking off after going to the toilet, Lin Heng started walking around the back hill alone. His uncle's house was located on the left bank of the ravine, and Lin Heng walked all the way into the ravine.

It’s no longer snowing, but it’s so quiet in the mountains that you can hear the sound of stepping on the snow. When you look up, you can see the branches bent by the snow, and occasionally there’s the crisp cry of a lark.

Walking in such an environment is like a fantasy dream.

When he came to the ditch, Lin Heng first saw a red squirrel holding an acorn. He quickly climbed up the tree and dropped a few wisps of goose feathers.

Lin Heng was not interested in this squirrel, otherwise it would be easy to catch it.

His eyes were on the camellia trees not far away. These trees were not only green, but also in bloom, and there was a faint fragrance in the air.

Lin Heng is just a layman. He likes to fold beautiful flowers when he sees them, so he reaches out and folds a handful.

Holding the flowers, he leaned against a big tree and took a deep breath. He liked to stay in such a quiet forest after snow, even if he did nothing, it was still a kind of enjoyment.

After staying there for ten minutes and feeling a little cold, he got up and went home, holding camellias behind his hands.

Before returning home, Lin Heng heard familiar voices. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Xiulan and Xiaoxia building a snowman on the platform outside the crystal.

"what!"

Walking quietly over, Lin Heng suddenly stomped his feet and made a sound. His original intention was to scare Xiulan and retaliate against her for freezing him today, but by chance Xiulan was about to get up, bumped into him and fell to the ground.

"Oh, what are you doing!"

Xiulan lay on the ground and looked at Lin Heng with helpless eyes.

"Haha! Let's have a snowball fight!" Xiaoxia hit Xiulan with a snowball, laughing so hard that she didn't know whether to live or die.

"Here, it's for you."

Lin Heng quickly brought the flowers in front of him and said with a smile on his face.

"Pull me up."

Xiulan looked at the flowers, stretched out her hand and said. After getting up, she beat the snow off her body, took the flower, and smelled it happily.

"Pretty good." She smiled.

Lin Heng said: "Why don't you reward me? It's hard to get such beautiful flowers."

Xiulan glanced at him, stood up on tiptoes and pecked him on the face, then turned back to deal with the filial daughter who was still hitting her with snowballs.

After giving Xiaoxia's butt a few hard blows, Xiulan found that she was still smiling, pinched her face and said with a smile: "If you think it won't hurt if you wear thick clothes, then go back and take off your clothes and give her a good spanking."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoxia suddenly panicked, hugged her legs and acted coquettishly: "Mom, I was wrong~"

"It's late, let your dad help you build a snowman, I won't play anymore." Xiulan poked her, turned around and left pretending to be angry.

Xiulan left, Xiaoxia became smiling again, took Lin Heng's hand and said with some inarticulate words: "Dad, I will give you...I will help you beat Mom...you want it tonight...too help me."

"is it okay……"

Seeing that Lin Heng didn't speak, she shook Lin Heng's hand again.

"Okay, I'll help you when the time comes." Lin Heng nodded with a smile, thinking that his precious daughter is so considerate.

Xiulan didn't go far. After hearing this, she came back and gave her two buttocks again. She smiled and said, "So that's it. I'll beat you after the door is closed that night."

Xiaoxia seemed to be hesitating between begging for mercy and hard work, and finally puffed out her chest and said in a milky voice: "Don't be afraid, my dad will help me."

Xiulan also found it funny and was about to continue teasing her when Mother Lin's voice came from behind: "It's time to eat."

"it is good."

Lin Heng nodded, picked up Xiaoxia, and went over to eat.

Xiulan followed behind with flowers, leaving half an unfinished snowman outside the well.

When we entered the room, the table had been set and the dishes had been served. His uncle’s family had a lot of game, including muntjac and golden pheasants.

Seeing everyone sitting together, Lu Honghai said with a smile: "Let's start eating when everyone is here. Don't talk about any rules and eat openly."

Then he picked up the wine glass and invited Lin Heng and others to take a sip first.

"This sugary wine is good!"

Lin Heng said with a smile that his uncle made sugary wine, which tasted sweet but was actually quite strong.

"If you like, drink it back and give it to you. We made a lot of syrup this year." Lu Honggang said with a smile.

"It's just very strong, but I can't drink too much."

Lin Heng said that he didn't want to drink too much.

"There are also shredded sweet potatoes today."

After taking a sip of wine, Lin Heng picked up a shredded sweet potato and couldn't help but ask. The taste is very good, and the children like it the most.

"I made it after watching other people make it. I thought children would like to eat it." Third uncle Lu Honggang smiled honestly.

This was beyond Lin Heng's expectation. His third uncle actually learned this and couldn't help but give him a thumbs up.

After picking up a piece for Xiaoxia, Lin Heng picked up a large piece of muntjac meat with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. While eating, he asked curiously: "Uncle and third uncle, have you ever shot a sika deer?"

This thing also exists in the Qinling Mountains, but he has never hit it.

"I saw others beating me, but not many. I was beaten all the time in the early years." Lu Honghai recalled.

Compared with muntjacs, sika deer are naturally more valuable. In the early years, there were still a lot of them, but now the number has dropped a lot.

Lu Honggang also said: "People say that there are many places to go to the west of Taibai Mountain, but I only heard about it and I have never been there myself."

Lin Heng nodded. He still wanted to shoot a sika deer. But this kind of thing is all a matter of chance. The mountain is too big to be fully explored.

In addition to the mutton meat, there is also the stewed radish and yam. Lin Heng also ate a lot of it. They are two completely different tastes.

But the most delicious thing is the golden chicken. The fried chicken is a bit dry, and the bones can be chewed together and swallowed. The meat is so chewy.

"Lin Heng, eat meat!"

As soon as Lin Heng stopped talking, her grandmother gave her a big fat piece.

"I'll eat this."

Lin Heng took it and put it in a bowl, then quickly picked up a piece of chicken and continued eating. Old people like to pick up vegetables for their juniors.

The older generation believed that fat meat was better, so Lin Heng could not refuse, so he could only keep his mouth occupied.

He really couldn't eat this big fat piece of meat.

When he was almost done eating, he hurriedly scooped up the rice to prevent his grandma from being too polite to serve him food.

Xiulan was caught off guard by several pieces of fat meat. Lin Heng knew that she couldn't eat it, so he took the initiative to take it and fed the dog while putting the bowl away.

After lunch, Lin Heng chatted with her grandmother again, because she would be leaving soon and could not stay long during the Chinese New Year.

"Hengwawa, please show me the almanac. I can't see clearly. I want to find a day to move the bed."

After sitting for a while, Lin Heng's grandma took out another almanac.

"it is good."

Lin Heng opened it and started reading. His grandmother used to be able to read the almanac and see the dates, but unfortunately she couldn't see clearly now.

Lin Heng read to her for a while. She felt that the sixth day of the Lunar New Year was a good day, and she planned to move the bed when the time came. The original place was a bit damp.

"Son, I have to leave."

Lin Heng and Huang Li looked at it, and Lin's mother and others all came in, obviously coming to say goodbye to the old man.

When he heard that they were leaving, the old man reluctantly held the hands of several people and asked them to play for a few more days. However, everyone had things to do and there was really no time to play more, so he could only promise to come back in a few days.

"Just wait a moment."

After saying this, the old man went back to get some rock candy and gave two to each of Lin Heng and others. This was the best thing she could get her hands on.

"Thank you grandma."

Lin Heng doesn't lack these, and his grandmother lacks them even more, but this is the old man's wish, and she would feel uncomfortable if he didn't take it. I thought I would get some milk powder for her when spring comes.

After bidding farewell to his grandmother, the two uncles tried to persuade her to stay. Finally, they realized that she could not stay and gave each child a red envelope.

"Thank you, uncle."

Xiaoxia said in a sweet voice while holding the red envelope.

Lin Heng took some Jerusalem artichokes and ten pounds of sugary wine from his uncle.

"Dad, can you still leave?"

Walking on the road, Lin Heng asked, his father drank a little too much, and he was worried about something happening.

In fact, he wanted to wait until his father sobered up before returning, but he insisted on leaving now.

"It's okay, I'm not drunk."

Father Lin waved his hand and said it was okay.

Lin Heng looked at it for a while and found that there was nothing wrong with it. He was relieved when his mother looked at it.

But he didn't expect that just after climbing over a mountain, his dad suddenly let out an exclamation.

(End of this chapter)