The old lady sighed deeply, patted her thigh with her right hand and continued:
"Old Third, you said that the 800-li Taihang Mountains are right there, and no one stopped them from going up the mountain to hunt.
Why don't they go by themselves? Why do they have to go with us? Third brother, you should know the reason. Can you explain it to everyone? "
The old lady looked at the captain and asked.
The captain lowered his head and paused for a moment before saying softly:
"Sister-in-law, we were wrong. We shouldn't have plotted against Dongzi.
We also saw their pitiful appearances and couldn't bear it anymore. So we came here... Alas, we are not human beings! "
"Old Third, I am not blind. I know you are not bad people by nature. You just want to help your relatives and neighbors.
But have you ever thought about why the cadres in their village don’t dare to organize people to go up the mountain on their own?
They are afraid that if someone gets hurt or damaged in the mountains, they won't be able to report it to the other person's family, and they are afraid of taking responsibility.
But will following Dongzi guarantee safety? If someone gets disabled or dies, who will be held responsible? Will Dongzi bear the responsibility?
You think that this time when we went hunting with Dongzi, everyone came back safe and sound, and it will be the same next time, right?
Dongzi, tell me if there is any danger in the mountains. Can you take care of a few people and bring them back safely?"
When the old lady said this, she turned around and asked Zhang Xudong.
Zhang Xudong quickly said, "Grandma, I saw leopards, poisonous snakes, golden eagles, lynxes, wolves, and a large group of wild boars in the mountains today.
These are all things that can kill people. As for how many other things that can kill people there are that we have not seen before, there are too many.
You asked me how many people I could guarantee safety in the mountains? To be honest, I have no idea.
When I'm in trouble, I can't even guarantee my own safety, let alone help others.
Don't disbelieve me, if I'm fighting a leopard and I don't care about my own life, and someone is being carried away by a wolf, can I still save him?"
Zhang Xudong closed his mouth again after he finished speaking, knowing that this was his grandmother reminding and admonishing him.
The old lady took over and said, “So, no one can guarantee that we will be so lucky every time and no one will be killed or injured in the mountains.
If someone were to die in the mountains, I wouldn’t want his family to come to my house crying and making a fuss, demanding an explanation and compensation.
My grandson does not have the ability or obligation to shoulder this responsibility.
If Dongzi goes up the mountain to hunt again in the future, I can't stop him.
But it must be made clear in advance that once you enter the mountain, life and death are left to fate.
If someone dies or becomes disabled, how you collectively compensate and deal with the situation is your collective business. No one should try to cause trouble for our family.
Without this clause, I would break my grandson's legs and would not allow him to go up the mountain with you.
Third brother, it's not that I'm hard-hearted. It's that people are treacherous. My grandson is still young, and I don't want him to be entangled by those shameless and heartless people.
Third brother, let me remind you again, this time you agreed to go hunting together with these villages.
What if other villages want to join next time? What if more people get jealous and want to join in next time?
Can you manage them well? Can you ensure that when you divide the prey, they are all satisfied?
Can you guarantee that if you make a big noise, the commune and county will stop intervening? Will you be able to withstand it then, or will those involved share the consequences with you?
"Old Three, you're all just bored, you're all floating around, you're all confused!"
The old lady thought for a moment and then said, "As for the mountain products this time, they have all been brought to light.
Sister-in-law, I advise you to follow the policy. What should be divided should be divided, and what should be sold to the state should be sold to the state. As for the rest, don't think too much.
Our family doesn't want anything this time. We just consider Dongzi as making a contribution to the collective.
As for the custodian job, if the brigade really needs a custodian, I'll do it.
But if you dare to use this custodial job to plot against my grandson, you should think carefully before doing so.
Since I, an old woman, was able to survive that war-torn era single-handedly with a baby, it shows that I am not just here to eat and do nothing.
For the sake of my grandchildren growing up safely, and for my brother Hui and Youlin to have descendants, I, an old lady, still have some tricks I can use.
You all should go back and stop thinking about those unnecessary things."
The old lady waved her hand and drove everyone away without giving them a chance to speak or apologize.
Zhang Xudong quickly brought a glass of water and handed it to his grandmother. How could she not be thirsty after talking so much in one breath?
"Grandma, you're so domineering! This is the first time I see you look so heroic." After the old lady drank a few sips of water, Zhang Xudong began to flatter her.
"Okay, stop playing those little tricks. This time, grandma is warning those people not to be greedy.
It's also a reminder to take care of yourself before helping others, so that others don't take advantage of you and end up in trouble."
"Grandma, don't worry. Even if you didn't scold them today, I would have done so. They're all so silly. Don't they know that keeping a low profile is the key to longevity?"
"So, your grandma won't let you speak. My age and seniority are here, even if I scold them, they can only listen.
You can't do that. To put it mildly, they will take advantage of their age and not listen to you. To put it harshly, they will say you don't understand the difference between young and old.
Besides, once you open your stinky mouth, you never know what unpleasant words will come out.
They are already quite old, don't let you make them suffer in our house. So, you should just stay aside." Grandma said proudly.
"Grandma, how about we all move to the county town? We can buy a small yard there, far away from here, out of sight and out of mind."
Zhang Xudong thought for a moment and said, "Life is already so chaotic right now, why would I care about what will happen in a few years? Isn't that too far-fetched?"
"Dongzi, don't you still want to move your and your sister's household registration to the village?
Why do you want to live in the county town again? You are really good at talking but not at doing things!"
Zhang Xudong looked at his grandmother and thought: Grandma! I can say that six years later, the craze of the Red Army soldiers filled every nook and cranny of cities, big and small.
By then, the county town would not be spared either. That frenzied torrent would destroy everything they believed shouldn't exist.
As a newcomer to this era, am I thinking of retreating to the countryside because I’m afraid that I won’t be able to protect you in that torrent by then?
But I can’t tell you any of this! What truth should I make up for you to believe?
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