It was already very cold, and there were ice flowers on the glass windows of the house where the children lived.
Li Juan made a fist with her right hand, and slowly pressed the palm of her hand on the ice on the glass. The palm of her hand stayed on the ice for a few seconds. When her hand left the glass, the ice on the glass A mark has been left. The ice has been melted away by the warmth of my hands.
Waving her hand, Li Juan stretched out her right index finger and made five dots on the mark. The first dot was larger, and the next four dots were smaller.
After clicking, she looked at it and was very satisfied. Then she pulled Li Qiang over and asked:
"Qiang, what does this look like to you?"
Li Qiang was at the door listening to his uncle in the back room talking about hunting with his grandfather and father. He was a little reluctant to be pulled over by Li Juan, but the pressure from his sister was still quite heavy.
Li Qiang had an unhappy expression on his face. He glanced at the pattern on the glass. He didn’t think about it for a moment and took another look. His eyes widened:
“Huh? This... It looks like a little foot. Sister, please teach me how to draw it.”
“Haha, you guessed it right. Come on, let me teach you!”
Li Juan is not interested in hunting. big. In the past, I wanted to follow Li Long to catch croaking chickens just because I wanted to eat meat. She has eaten a lot of meat in the past two years, and as she grows taller, she doesn't miss meat so much.
Li Qiang, on the other hand, although he was very interested in the little feet drawn by his sister, he still had some thoughts on the hunting that Li Long talked about.
"Normally, there were so many yellow sheep in the first few years." After listening to Li Long's story, Li Jianguo recalled, "We went to the Gobi Desert in the north to dig tamarisk roots and burn them. At that time, we would shout from time to time. A group of yellow sheep came over.
At that time, there were flocks of yellow sheep. There were hundreds of them, and the momentum was huge! At that time, I was not doing public work, and I didn’t bring a gun, so I just watched the yellow sheep run away just ten meters away. At that time, I could hit them with a stone... "
"Then why don't you smash it?" Du Chunfang asked with interest.
“You can’t kill them even if you hit them.” Li Jianguo smiled and said, “Without a gun, I can only stare. Those things are much bigger than domestic sheep. Later, I got a gun and shot several of them. Pulled back and had a few beautiful meals.”
"The meat feels like that." Du Chunfang felt that it was not as delicious as pork and was not easy to chew.
Everyone laughed, and Li Qingxia sighed:
"It’s really unexpected. My hometown all thinks about the bitter cold land in the northwest. There should be Gobi Desert everywhere. The work is hard and nothing can be achieved. , who would have thought that hunting and catching fish are so convenient here... Hey, I’ve come to the right place!”
"Dad, you have to go back and tell them, they don't believe it." Li Long said, "You saw it and caught it, so you believe it. When those people hear what you say, they will think you are bragging."< br>
"Don't care what others think? Let's just live our own lives." Liang Yuemei said while picking up the soles of her shoes.
"Hey, sister-in-law, you are saying this now. Let me tell you, if you want to go back to your hometown and hear others saying that Northern Xinjiang is not good, you must be more anxious than me at that time." Li Long said with a smile.
Hometown, alma mater, and old company, these three places are places where you can complain as much as you want, but rarely allow others to judge at will.
When Li Long went on a trip, it was so old, and some people still misunderstood that northern Xinjiang was full of Gobi Desert, and he didn’t have to fight with others once or twice.
According to Erba Jing's calculations, he cannot be considered a pure Northern Xinjiang person. After all, he was born in his hometown.
But people in Northern Xinjiang don’t think so. If you live in Northern Xinjiang for thirty years and live in Northern Xinjiang for twenty years, then you are a native of Northern Xinjiang.
Of course, if you don’t admit it, that’s fine, it’s up to you.
According to the development situation in the previous life, Li Qingxia and Du Chunfang came to Northern Xinjiang, but they did not stay long each time. Li Jianguo couldn't get away, so Liang Yuemei went back twice.
Then they all came back sick. She was extremely disgusted with her hometown because she received too many negative things there.
Li Jianguo would send money and things to his family every year. Liang Yuemei also brought things back with him, but less than half a month after returning, the family couldn't open the fire.
The feeling of being unable to look back.
But in this life, because of changes in Li Long's side, Li Qingxia brought Du Chunfang over and decided to settle here, so that Li Jianguo and his wife would not have to go back to their hometown or go through those troubles.
"Xiaolong, do you think you can hit that yellow sheep again?" Li Qingxia asked, still unwilling to give up.
You can break holes in the ice whenever you want to catch fish, but for hunting, in the past few decades, he really has never thought of hunting like what Li Long said.
"You can fight if you knock him down." Li Long thought for a while and said, "I have a double-barreled sand gun with a small caliber, but I'm afraid it won't work for hunting yellow sheep. You still need a rifle to fight this."
He turned to look at Li Jianguo and asked:
"Brother, you asked the captain to borrow five or six and a half, can you borrow it?"
"I can definitely borrow it. Anyway, it's just one day, just drive the tractor there, it will be freezing." Li Jianguo actually also has Move whatever you want. It's cold and snowy right now, and there really isn't much to do in the team. Feeding and drinking water to the pigs is the biggest activity every day.
Some people in the team have already started playing cards. If the Li family doesn’t play this game, it will really be no fun.
After two snows, you can still go roping rabbits, but the Li family is not short of meat. Rabbit meat is not edible and has many bones, so Li Jianguo doesn’t want to do it.
But when it comes to hunting yellow sheep, he really has ideas.
"Then wait two days." Li Long thought for a while and said, "Wait two days and see if I can borrow a car. Let's take a car there..."
"Take a car? What are you thinking about?" Li Jianguo He knew that his younger brother Li Long was capable, but the car was not a tractor, so how could he borrow it?
And Li Jianguo was thinking about big trucks.
"Who can drive it if I borrow it?" Li Qingxia also had doubts.
"Let's watch it first. Anyway, we hunted yellow sheep yesterday. Those yellow sheep groups may go far away for a while and will not come back for another two days." Li Long did not explain in detail and turned around. And said:
"In two days, they will forget about the danger and return to the roadside. Then they can be beaten."
"Uncle, why do those yellow sheep just run to the roadside?" Li Qiang was at the door. Bian, couldn't help but ask at this time.
"Because there is grass on the roadside. In winter, when vehicles pulling hay pass by there, the grass will fall to the roadside. Yellow sheep eat hay in the fields in winter, and they certainly do not eat the grass pulled by those vehicles. It’s nutritious, and they’re not stupid either.”
When Li Long explained it, Li Qiang understood.
The matter was settled like this. Li Long had lunch at his eldest brother's house at noon. If you come back here and leave without a meal, not to mention Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei, even Li Qingxia and Du Chunfang will be scolded.
Of course, except for emergencies. But there's nothing urgent right now.
After dinner, Li Long drove the tractor back to the county, while Li Jianguo went to Xu Chengjun's house.
Xu Chengjun is planning militia training. Weapons and bullets have been taken out, the gun cabinet is at his home, and the key is hanging on his waist. He doesn't worry about this happening every year.
Xu Chengjun was a little surprised when Li Jianguo came over. He put the roster aside and asked:
"Brother Li, why are you here? What's the matter?"
"I want to go hunting in the mountains in two days. Can you lend me one of your five or six hundred and a half?"
"Then..." Li Jianguo is not considered a basic militiaman, but he has already exceeded it in the team. After all, there are many young guys in the team now, and they have been compiled enough.
Xu Chengjun rolled his eyes and said:
"Let's do it this way. When you use it, let Xiaolong come over and sign it. He is still the core militiaman in the team, although he has taken leave and will not participate in winter training. , but you can still get the gun.”
Li Jianguo doesn’t care what method Xu Chengjun uses, as long as he can borrow the gun.
"The bullets..."
"I can't have too many bullets, so I can only give you a pack of twenty-five rounds." Xu Chengjun said, "I didn't receive many bullets this year, so I have to practice a lot in winter training."
"That's enough." Li Jianguo was very satisfied, "That's okay."
"Then just take the gun away. "Xu Chengjun said, "Just let Xiaolong come over and sign it."
Li Jianguo didn't know if this was Xu Chengjun's simplification, but to be honest, the gun management of the northern Xinjiang militia was still relatively loose at this time. So much so that when it came time for the militiamen to train without guns, the team even lost several rifles.
In the end, no one was dealt with.
Carrying a 56 semi-automatic rifle and carrying bullets out of the captain's house, Li Jianguo wanted to try the gun on the way, but after thinking about it, he decided not to do it.
This is not more than ten years ago. There were not many people in the village at that time, and it was surrounded by deserted beaches. A single shot would frighten a flock of birds or a few wolves at most.
There are villages all around now. Although the distance is different, no one can guarantee where the stray bullet will hit.
Let’s wait until no man’s land.
Li Long drove his tractor back to the county. When he arrived at the compound, he was surprised to find a jeep parked at the door of his compound.
I didn’t go in. I drove closer and saw that there were people in the cab.
Hearing the sound of the tractor, the people in the cab got out of the car. Li Long took a look, isn't this Xiao Si? Xiao Si was almost frozen, but after seeing Li Long, he still pulled the corners of his mouth into a smile.
Li Long hurriedly stopped the tractor and asked:
"Why don't you go in? No one is inside?"
"There were people there when I came, but when I knew they were all women, I didn't go in." Xiao Si rubbed his face and said, "The leader said , I will deliver the car to you today, and by the way, there is also this.”
Xiao Si handed Li Long a small bag.
Li Long took the small bag and didn’t open it, but asked Xiao Si:
“Let’s go, come in. You’ve been out for a long time, haven’t you? You’re freezing. Are you ready? Come on, go inside and warm yourself up, it’s so cold..."
"No, I'll go back after the things are delivered. The director said that you can use this car as long as the formalities are hung up in the state club, and he will keep it for you. By the way, thank you, otherwise the yellow sheep yesterday I "I can't get it yet."
Xiao Si's attitude was very firm, and Li Long had no choice. He originally wanted to take him to the bus station, but Xiao Si refused and strode southward alone in a cotton coat. .
Everyone who has served in the military must have their own persistence. Li Long admires that.
It can’t be done, it can’t be done even if it can be done, it’s a matter of principle.
When Sister Yang opened the door, Xiao Si had already left.
"His uncle, someone knocked on the door just now and said he would bring you a car. I was shocked. When I saw it was a small car, I asked him to come in and wait. But when he asked that there were only three of us in the yard, he refused to come in..."
What Sister Yang said corresponds to Xiao Si, it is indeed similar.
Gu Xiaoxia was also in the yard. She was a little afraid of the cold recently. Seeing that Li Long was there, she said hello and hurried into the house. However, Han Fang was very energetic and helped her mother with her work.
Li Long drove the tractor into the yard first, and then drove the jeep in.
The keys to the jeep are in the car, everything inside is complete, and it is also very clean.
Li Long took out the key, then drained the tractor's water tank, and then entered the house.
Sister Yang also finished cooking, so she and Han Fang went to the market to sell rice. Li Long helped push the car out, returned, locked the door, and entered the house.
On the weekend, Gu Xiaoxia had a rest and didn’t want to go anywhere. There was only two hours of TV during the day, but now that it was gone, she listened to the radio and read.
Li Long asked her as usual if she felt uncomfortable. Gu Xiaoxia leaned against Li Long and shook her head and asked:
"How is the situation at home?"
"Everyone is fine. Listen to me, we are hunting yellow sheep. Big brother and dad want to go."
"This jeep is the one that the leader said to replace it with tiger skin?"
"Yes. ." Li Long then remembered the handbag and hurried over to get it.
After opening it, Li Long found three things in the handbag.
On a piece of paper was written the number of the jeep and the certificate of ownership of the unit, stamped with the red seal of the state company, which stated that the car was owned by Li Long. With this thing in hand, Li Long was really relieved.
The second one is a work permit, also for Li Long. It says that Li Long is an employee of Zhoushe.
There is a note in the work permit. It is a message from Director Qian. It has no beginning and no end, but Li Long can understand it: this is to tell Li Long that this work permit is just a cover for driving out, and it does not mean that he will not say anything. He is a real employee of the supply and marketing cooperative.
Director Qian believes that Li Long will not do anything wrong with this work permit, and of course Li Long himself will not really do anything.
The third thing is much thicker. It is a stack of gas tickets.
Li Long's tractor uses diesel. He bought two large barrels of oil, one barrel on the team and one in the yard.
During the wheat harvesting period, a lot of diesel fuel alone was used. Fortunately, diesel was cheap at this time, costing less than a dollar per liter, and it was considered durable.
He hasn't used the car much yet. The jeep burns gasoline. He originally planned to pull a bucket and put it back after the car arrived. But then he thought about it and realized that this thing is not like diesel. , it burns too easily, and even if you think about it, it’s impossible for someone to just sell him a barrel.
It shouldn’t be packed in a big barrel, right?
Li Long roughly calculated this stack of fuel coupons and found that it contained six to eight hundred liters, which was enough for a long time. This is not the kind of ticket that requires money to buy a car, but a serious gas ticket that can be used to fill up the tank.
Although Director Qian didn’t give him another penny, what he gave was much more important than money.
Gu Xiaoxia took the work permit, looked at it, and said with a smile:
"Oh, my wife is now a member of the state supply and marketing cooperative. Look, this level has been upgraded several levels..."
"This thing is just for coaxing a layman." Li Long smiled, put the things in his bag, thought for a while, and took out the work permit. When he wants to drive a jeep, it is better to hold this permit. .
After thinking about it, he suddenly asked:
"Eldest brother and dad said they wanted to go hunting for yellow sheep in a few days. Do you want to go with us? Although that place It’s an uninhabited land, but if you’re lucky, the yellow sheep you encounter are in groups...”
"If you don't go, you'll freeze to death." Gu Xiaoxia is just afraid of the cold right now. Except for necessary work, she doesn't want to go anywhere in winter.
Even the winter pig killing, which she usually wanted to participate in, she didn’t want to go.
Just because I was greedy for the pig-killing dish, I told Li Long in advance and asked him to bring one back when he came back.
"Bring one? My sister-in-law knows that she has to bring it to you, so why shouldn't she make another pot of stew for you?"
There are several dishes of butcher's dish, but everyone actually knows that this What people call a piece of pork-killing vegetable is actually stewed pork with sour cabbage.
Because the pigs slaughtered on the same day are fresh, and the stewed pork (neck meat) is live meat, which is delicious in itself, and the stewing time is also long. It takes at least more than an hour to stew in a large pot, and the fat meat The fat on the slices has been stewed, and it basically melts in your mouth.
So everyone likes to eat, and those who come to help have a meal, and the woman who helps in the kitchen can take a portion back because she doesn't eat in time.
Of course, most of them are leftovers.
But if Gu Xiaoxia wants to eat, her sister-in-law Liang Yuemei will definitely scoop out what she wants and freeze it outside before eating, and then cut it into pieces after freezing, so that it can be taken back and eaten hot.
It’s so clean, and it won’t matter if you leave it for a while in the winter.
Since Gu Xiaoxia wasn't going, Li Long figured that there would definitely be enough room for himself, his father, and his eldest brother in the car. My sister-in-law doesn’t know whether to go, and I definitely won’t go.
By the way, you can also ask your father-in-law Gu Boyuan. If you want to go, bring him with you.
At this time, the regulations for carrying people in cars were not so strict. If you were crowded, you would be crowded. Li Long remembered that in the next ten years, Daihatsu vans were popular in pulling people, and there were no taxis at that time. At that time, a big car could squeeze twelve people into it!
This is what he saw with his own eyes. It is said that there are more fierce ones from the mainland. There are many more. It is impossible to say.
Canned human flesh.
Since we still have to hunt, we need to pack our guns.
After Li Long put the bag away and Gu Xiaoxia read a book, he listened to the radio and started cleaning the gun.
Pack away your three guns. It's easy to say 50% to 60%, the stability of the rifle is good. The small caliber is not bad. The shotgun was snatched from the robber's hand, but I don't know what happened to it.
Clean all three guns and Li Long put them away. All three guns have holsters, which Sister Yang sewed when she was free. There was a lot of cloth at home. When Li Long and the others moved here after getting married, they bought a sewing machine, but they didn't use it a few times.
It really came into play when Sister Yang came over.
Gu Boyuan usually eats breakfast in his yard. The road was slippery in winter and he didn't want to run. Even dinner is not eaten here sometimes. Whether you want to eat or not will be discussed during lunch, and everyone will understand if you don’t come then.
After breakfast the next day, Li Long walked to the agricultural supplies store.
What surprised Li Long was that in the winter, there are still many people buying agricultural supplies, seeds and fertilizers.
After finally waiting for Gu Boyuan to send this group of customers away, Li Long said with a smile:
“It’s winter and we don’t farm, so why are there so many people buying things?”< br>
"Hey, some people heard that the price of fertilizer seeds will increase next spring, so they thought of buying some in advance to stock up." Gu Boyuan said.
"Uncle Gu, in two days I want to take my dad and my eldest brother to the no-man's land east of Kuitun to hunt yellow sheep. Will you go?"
He actually I want Gu Boy to go away. (End of this chapter)