Coming out of the mountains, Li Long felt that it was colder here than in the mountains - the kind of cold wind that could blow through his clothes and freeze his body.
He had the hardest time among these people, so everyone asked him to sit in the carriage, while others walked or led the deer. Li Long sat for a while and then got off the carriage. It was still convenient to walk, at least it was not so difficult to walk. When it's cold, when people move their joints, they get heat.
It was already afternoon when we left the mountain. When we crossed the Qingshui River, we could see smoke from cooking pots and people occasionally appearing on the side of the road. These people looked at them with curiosity. After all, even on the edge of the mountain, You can see yellow sheep, but it is still difficult to see wild horse deer.
The doe followed reluctantly. When it wanted to stop, Li Junfeng would slap it with a piece of paper. The fawn is much better behaved. Although it jumps left and right from time to time, it always follows.
This little red deer is much bigger than the two little deer that Li Long sold in autumn, and it must have been born at the beginning of the year.
When turning from Qingshuihe Township to the county seat, the sun had already set only a pole high. Li Long felt that if he continued like this, it would be almost dark by the time he reached the county. But no matter what, he has already left the mountain. It had been a while since he had lived on the plains. There were no longer rolling hillsides and dark green pine forests in front of him. For a while, Li Long still felt a little fresh and uncomfortable.
On Wuyi Road, a car would come over from time to time, bringing with it a gust of cold wind and snow powder on the road. Li Long smiled and said as he walked:
"This round trip There are a lot more cars than last year, Daqiang and I. When you come here, you will hardly see any cars. In a few years, maybe someone in the team will buy a car. "Is that impossible?" Li Junfeng led the doe forward. Let's go. That doe seems to have accepted her fate and is honest. , Li Junfeng also felt relieved. After listening to Li Long's words, "In my hometown, let alone the team, there is no private car buyer in the entire commune... Can I afford it?"
"There is always one to buy. When you can afford it." Yang Yongqiang probably heard Li Junfeng. He said that his hometown thought he looked down on him, so he replied, "In the past, the Dongfanghong 75 tractor was considered to be the property of the team. Who would have thought that it was finally bought by a private person? If the tractor can do it, so can this car. OK! ”
So the two men started a debate about the difference between a tractor and a car.
Li Long smiled.
I am afraid no one would have thought that in another twenty or thirty years, half of the families in the team will buy a car. In the next ten years, some families will even have more than two cars.
Although it is not a good car, in this day and age, who dares to believe it?
The changes are so great that generation gaps are appearing at any time, and even the time distance between them is constantly shortening.
This is a nation that is good at creating miracles. Throughout history, there have been many vicissitudes of life over the past few decades.
Of course, the price paid is also huge, and ordinary people don’t talk about feelings.
When the carriage arrived at the county, it was already dark.
"Let's go live in the big yard today and return to the team early tomorrow morning." Li Long told the others while leading the carriage.
"Uncle Xiaolong, we are not living anymore. We will move things into your big yard, and we will take back the remaining carriages and deer." Li Junfeng said, " The big yard is not easy to live in. Besides, what time is it? It’s getting dark. What are you guys afraid of? It’s better to go back to the old horse and sleep comfortably!”
"Yes." Li Junshan also nodded.
Tao Daqiang and Yang Yongqiang both echoed.
"Okay. Put your things down later and you go back." Li Long didn't force it. There were many places to live in the big yard, but other houses may not have stoves, and it would be troublesome to set them up again. Just go back, a ten-kilometer journey is nothing to them.
Passing by the big meat restaurant, Li Long pointed inside:
“Go and have a meal?”
"Don't eat, it looks like it's almost closed."
It's late in winter, but it's actually only around seven o'clock now.
"Then I'll buy you twenty buns and bring them with you." Li Long took out ten yuan and a few food stamps from his clothes and handed them to Yang Yongqiang beside him, "Yongqiang, you go buy them, I'll go in They might have to pry me out."
"Okay." Yang Yongqiang simply took the money, went into the big meat restaurant, bought a bag of steamed buns, and stuffed the rest of the money and food stamps into it. Li Long took it into his hands and started handing out steamed buns.
So each of the five people had a bun in their mouths and walked towards the big yard while eating.
The door to the courtyard was not locked. Li Long pushed it and the door was locked from the inside. He patted the door and shouted:
"Xiaoxia, I'm back."
Shouted Two times, Gu Xiaoxia's voice came from the yard:
"Wait a minute, I will come and open the door." Then there were the sounds of rapid footsteps.
When the door opened, Gu Xiaoxia looked at Li Long with joy, then she was a little surprised and shy. She opened the whole door and said with a smile:
"Have you just come down from the mountain? Come in quickly, it's cold outside."
When Li Long and the others came in, Gu Xiaoxia asked again:
"You haven't eaten yet? I'll cook. . Please go inside and warm yourself up.”
"Auntie, no need." Li Junfeng said hurriedly, "Let's unload the things and leave. We have to rush back to the team."
"Go back to the team now? It's already dark. ." Gu Xiaoxia was a little surprised and her expression was a little disappointed.
"They come back, but I won't come back." Li Long said with a smile, "During this period, I hunted in the mountains and got some meat. I put a bag here and we will eat it slowly. There are also some skins, which will be sold for purchase later. Stand and put it down, and then they went back."
"Okay, you unload it first, and I'll get you some water." Gu Xiaoxia turned around and went to the kitchen. At this time, Li Long also noticed that she was not wearing a coat, but a tight sweater that outlined her beautiful figure - she was probably reading or writing in the bedroom, hearing the movement outside and her own voice. , and hurried out.
Li Long's group unloaded a bag of meat and all the skins and put them into the side room without a stove. After drinking the tea poured by Gu Xiaoxia, Li Junfeng and the others drove the carriage. He led the deer and left.
Li Long locked the door of the yard, turned around and looked at Gu Xiaoxia with a gun on his back, and said with a smile:
"Come in, it's cold outside." "Well, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I Get you some..."
"No, no, no, I just ate a few steamed buns and I'm full." Li Long said, "No need to bother, it's already so late."
The two of them entered the living room side by side, Gu Xiaoxia Walking in front of the master bedroom, he said as he walked:
"During this period, I It’s hard in the mountains, isn’t it?”
“Well,” Li Long thought for a while and said, “It’s hard to hunt. You have to go all over the mountain to find the prey, and you have to drag it after you catch it. Come back, skin and disembowel yourself. Let me tell you, this time I encountered a pack of wolves..."
Li Long put the gun away, sat on the chair and began to talk about his hunting of wolves. His eloquence was average, but he had read too many online jokes in his previous life and knew how to start, change, and combine. Although his rank was not high, he could still set off the atmosphere and set off the climax. Hearing this story made Gu Xiaoxia feel nervous and excited at the same time.
The only uncomfortable thing is that the mahogany chair is so hard that it burns my buttocks when I sit on it.
"Put this cushion on the chair." Gu Xiaoxia could see Li Long's discomfort. She stood up with a smile and took a cloth cushion from the bedside and handed it to Li Long, "I'll learn from the elder sister in our office. "
Li Long took the mat and looked at it. It is a round mat with sharp corners extending outward. Each sharp corner is a different piece of cloth. You can also feel that the fabric quality is different. He smiled and said:
"It is made of Made from old clothes and scraps of cloth? You’re pretty handy.”
"Hee hee." Gu Xiaoxia was very happy to be praised, "I have been so busy during this period that I don't have to work overtime. We have some free time. There are a few elder sisters in the office and some sweaters, so I will follow them and learn from them occasionally."< br>
“Have you been eating at Sister Yang’s place every day lately? ?" Li Long asked, "How is her business?"
"There are more stalls in the market now." Gu Xiaoxia turned her chair around as she faced Li Long. Sitting opposite Li Long, he said:
“It turns out that those who don’t Most of the people who wanted to pay the stall fee came back. It's cold in winter, so there are many people who want to eat hot rice. The soup rice sold by Sister Yang is very popular. Sometimes I can sell three pots a day - usually two pots. Basically, I just eat along with her. She will cook specially for me, including rice and strips. Recently, she even learned how to cook. Make pilaf... I'm embarrassed to eat better than what Han Fang eats."
"Then bring her some meat over there tomorrow," Li Long said, "Tell her. The game meat from the mountains can be mashed when cooking.”
Gu Xiaoxia nodded.
"Have you gone home recently?" Li Long asked again.
"I came back last week. Nothing happened on the team. My dad is fine. I'll go to my eldest brother's house and everything will be fine there." Gu Xiaoxia blushed and lowered her head slightly.
The atmosphere became ambiguous.
"I'm going to take a bath." Li Long stood up and said, "Boil some water. I'm living like a savage in the mountains these days. These clothes need to be washed too..."
"Take off your clothes and I'll wash them for you." Gu Xiaoxia followed Li Long to the kitchen, "It's such a dark day, how are you taking a bath?"
"Boil some water, and I'll help in the kitchen. Wash up first." Facing Gu Xiaoxia, who has become more beautiful and mature, it is impossible to say that Li Long has no ideas. But now I am so sloppy, I don't know how much dust has accumulated on my body, my hair and beard are all messy, I don't even have to look at it to know how bad my image is now.
Li Long knew Gu Xiaoxia's affection for him. She didn't mind, but he did.
"Then I will find you a change of clothes." Seeing that Li Long insisted on washing, Gu Xiaoxia went to the house where Li Long usually slept, turned on the light and found two sets of clothes for washing, and endured Ashamed, I found my tank top and panties.
Bringing the clothes to the kitchen, Li Long was boiling water. The fire in the kitchen has not gone out, but there are not many red coals left burning. Just now, Gu Xiaoxia poured water for several people using water from the thermos.
Li Long opened the stove door, used a fire hook to see through the ashes inside, then added some coal, and then filled the pot with water.
Turn around and see Gu Xiaoxia looking at him, Li Long smiled and said:
"Come, give me the clothes, and bring me a towel."
Li Long's words of not being an outsider made Gu Xiaoxia feel a little sweet, and she turned around He took two towels and said to Li Long: "These two are issued by our bureau. You can wipe your head and face with this one, and wipe your... body with this one."
"There are still some in your bureau. "Welfare?" Li Long smiled, "Do you have any news about the job transfer?"
"Yes. We have summarized it at the end of this year. When the summary meeting is held next month, it will be almost done." When she said this, Gu Xiaoxia was full of confidence, "Deputy Director Wang said that the leadership meeting was basically passed. Wait for a while.”
"That's good." Li Long took the towel and looked at it. At this time, the towels were relatively simple in color, but the materials were really solid and very thick. "From now on, I will be a member of the bureau, and all your former school leaders will have to Flatter you.”
“ What are you talking about?" Gu Xiaoxia rolled her eyes at Li Long, "I'm not that kind of person - the school has reserved a dormitory for me now."
"Just kidding, okay, you're busy. Go ahead. I'll wait here for the water to heat up. When it does, I'll Scrub it."
"Well, what do you want me to do..." Gu Xiaoxia was still a little reluctant, but she also knew that it was not convenient to talk like this at this time, so she said, "I have another one. Go and revise the manuscript.”
After Gu Xiaoxia left, Li Long closed the kitchen door and sat on the edge of the stove waiting for the water to boil.
The kitchen is very clean. There are no odds and ends on the stove. Things are arranged neatly on the large chopping board. Steamers, pans, etc. are all clean. A bowl of spicy food is placed on the stove. At the window sill, Li Long stood up and went over to smell it. It smelled very good. The door to the storage room in the back was closed to prevent the heat from getting in.
The ashes on the floor are also swept cleanly, and the coal is placed in a coal ring made of bricks beside the stove. Half of it is large coal, and the other half is small pieces of coal and foam coal that have been knocked. .
Hot steam came out from the gap in the pot lid. Li Long knew that the water was about to boil. He stood up to carry the bucket, opened the lid of the pot, scooped a small half bucket of water into the bucket with a horse spoon, and then poured more than half a bucket of cold water. Feeling that the temperature was getting better, I carried water and clothes to the guest room.
The stove in the guest room was already lit. Li Long put down the bucket of clothes, went to get a basin and towel, and started scrubbing in the guest room.
The bucket of water was almost not enough. Li Long felt very refreshed after washing, but he was also quite tired. On this day, I not only walked dozens of miles of mountain roads, but also did other things. After taking a shower, I was really sleepy. After pouring out the water, I saw that Gu Xiaoxia had not turned off the lights over there, so she said through the door, "I will go first." Went to sleep. (End of this chapter)