The military green brick truck can carry more people.
There are quite a few brick-making trucks parked in the brickyard, but most of them are not privately owned; they are rented from the brick factory owners.
Li Hongying and Xiao Guofu weren't influential enough, so the brick factory owner wouldn't rent brick trucks to them. In previous years, they would rent hand-cranked tractors from other wealthy families to transport people.
The tractor was not as tall, large, or wide as the brick-making truck, and it didn't have a partition to block the wind.
Not only does it carry few passengers, but it is also particularly bumpy on uneven roads. On rainy days, it is often slippery on muddy roads, requiring everyone to get off and help push the vehicle while being exposed to the cold wind.
Each time, the clansmen complained, blaming them for not being thorough enough and always wasting everyone's time.
If this is all the village chief is capable of, he might as well step down.
No matter how heartbroken and aggrieved Li Hongying and Xiao Guofu felt, they could only endure it, since they couldn't afford to rent a large brick truck.
Bai Lu nodded after hearing this: "Okay, I'll tell Xiao Cheng when he gets off work. Before you go home, please count the total number of people and come back again so we can confirm how many people will be taking the bus and borrow a few buses from the brick factory owner."
Li Hongying said repeatedly, "No trouble at all. We'll come over and let you know as soon as we've counted the number of people."
The important task was accomplished.
The heavy weight on Li Hongying's heart finally lifted, and she no longer had to be scolded for being incompetent this year.
In previous years, Xiao Cheng wasn't notified, so we assumed he wouldn't go, nor would he let his family agree to go.
Unexpectedly, his wife can also make decisions at home. It seems that the recent rumors are probably true.
During lunch, Xiao Cheng noticed that Bai Lu would glance at him every now and then, as if she had something to say.
Sure enough, as soon as he finished eating and put down his chopsticks, she pulled him back to his room, reminding him to help wash the dishes before leaving.
This is clearly a serious matter.
"Shall we go back to our hometown tomorrow to pay respects to our ancestors of the Xiao family?" Bai Lu looked at Xiao Cheng with bright, expectant eyes.
"Us?" Xiao Cheng was slightly surprised.
It was unexpected that the Xiao family would notify him this year; even more unexpectedly, the word "we" clearly meant more than just him.
"Yes, us."
Bai Lu nodded seriously: "You, Xiao Wei, and I will go back to our hometown to pay respects to our ancestors together."
According to local customs, one must first pay respects at the ancestral tombs of the clan before visiting private tombs.
In previous years, if the clansmen did not inform Xiao Cheng, he would not go to worship the ancestors of the Xiao clan, but would directly worship at the private tomb.
Xiao Cheng knew without even thinking that the announcement this year would most likely be related to the White Dew solar term.
However, one should not go during the White Dew season.
"Xiao Wei and I will go."
Bai Lu didn't understand, disagreed, let go of his hand, then grabbed it back and shook it: "I want to go too."
Xiao Cheng's arm was almost shaken off, but he remained expressionless, staring at her stomach, and said in a low voice, "You're pregnant. The mountain road is difficult to walk on, and it will be slippery when it rains."
Bai Lu held up three fingers and promised, "I will wear non-slip rubber boots and bring an umbrella. I will go wherever you go and I will definitely not wander around, okay?"
Xiao Cheng knew what she wanted to do.
Over in the old village, chestnut trees cover the hillsides. The elderly people who have stayed in their ancestral land have experienced the hardships of hunger in their early years and cherish every grain of food. They usually store chestnuts at home, and there are quite a lot of them.
Bai Lu wanted to go to the old village, mainly to buy chestnuts.
Xiao Cheng pursed his lips and said calmly, "I'll handle the chestnut acquisition."
"No, I want to talk to them myself."
Bai Lu didn't believe him. He was impulsive and reckless, with only violence in his mind. He would fight anyone who disagreed with him and would resort to violence at the slightest provocation.
Does she even want to continue her business?!
Stared at with distrustful eyes, Xiao Cheng knew what Bai Lu was worried about. He touched his nose and coughed awkwardly, "I can control it."
Bai Lu clearly didn't believe it and was determined to go.
Xiao Cheng simply disagreed.
He wouldn't agree to anything Bai Lu said, even when Bai Lu shook his arm and pleaded with him.
Just as things were at a stalemate, Li Hongying and Xiao Guofu finished counting the number of people and came over to knock on the door to report their numbers.
Then, by sheer bad luck, she was met with Xiao Cheng's cold stare, cold face, and a curt "hmm."
The couple immediately became nervous again.
I wanted to ask a few more questions to confirm, but I didn't dare, because Bailu (White Dew) was inside and wouldn't come out.
Neither Li Hongying nor Xiao Guofu dared to ask Xiao Cheng.
After waiting for a long time without seeing the sun rise, they dared not linger any longer and left with great anxiety.
"What do we do now? If Xiao Cheng doesn't help us borrow a brick truck, how will the 143 clansmen in the town get back? There are men, women, and children, and they definitely can't walk."
Xiao Guofu frowned: "Let's contact the tractor owners first and rent some. If Xiao Cheng is willing to help rent a large brick truck tomorrow, we can return the tractor. If Xiao Cheng is unwilling to help, there's nothing we can do but let everyone continue to take the tractor back to the countryside."
"Wouldn't we be cursed to death by the clansmen again, losing all face!" Li Hongying said angrily and anxiously, "It's all your fault, why didn't you inform Xiao Cheng in previous years!"
Xiao Guofu didn't think he had done anything wrong: "In previous years, with Xiao Cheng's reputation, who would dare to inform him? Even if I agreed, the elders in the clan wouldn't agree."
Li Hongying sneered, "Now look what's happened, you've agreed, but they don't care anymore."
Xiao Guofu said firmly, "Who told him to disgrace our ancestors..."
"What a disgrace! What utter nonsense!"
When Li Hongying gets angry, she speaks with sharp words: "What business is it of yours what other people do? You're always meddling in other people's business! Our ancestors are doing well in heaven, they don't have time to care what you do. Just burn more paper money, candles and incense for the Qingming Festival, and offer them good food and drink, that's all. Who cares what you do!"
"Say less. Gods above and ancestors above can hear you." Xiao Guofu tried to cover her mouth.
Li Hongying slapped his hand away: "You'll know it's a spirit if you can't borrow a car tomorrow!"
"You'll be saved when your clansmen scold you for being incompetent and say you're unfit to be the village chief!"
"Who told Xiao Cheng to stray from the right path and disgrace our ancestors?" Xiao Guofu remained steadfast in his own theory.
Li Hongying was so angry that she scolded him for being an old stubborn man: "Everyone else who doesn't follow the right path has moved to the town, while we are still stuck in the old rural mountain ravine. When the wind blows and it rains, the tiled house is patched and then leaks, and then patched again. We don't even see a speck of meat all year round. Tell me, who do you think is more shameful?"
“There are wild boars to hunt on the mountain, so who says there’s no meat to eat?” Xiao Guofu argued.
Li Hongying was so angry she laughed: "Why didn't you hunt any wild boars last year? You went back and forth in and out of the mountains so many times throughout the year, and all you brought back were a few piglets. It was our son who was clever and set a trap to catch them."
Xiao Guofu was embarrassed and explained with a stiff neck, "Now that hunting rifles are banned, it's naturally harder to hunt prey."
Li Hongying simply stopped talking.
I strode towards the end of the alley. There was a small tricycle going back to the countryside. I finally got a ride, and I couldn't miss it. If I missed it, I would have to walk for several hours and I would be exhausted.
Let that cow be stubborn!
...
On the other side.
"Acheng...please take me with you..."
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