Chapter 12 (Double Update)
Luo Yin didn't expect her first customer to say that.
Her smile faltered, and after a moment's thought, she explained, "These are all very nice. If you have any at home, you can buy some to give to others."
The visitor was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to say that.
He glanced at the old man next to him who didn't say anything, and continued, "If you're giving it to someone else, you can just use what you have at home. Why would I need to buy something?"
"Oh, do you have a lot of cordyceps at home?" she asked out of sheer curiosity.
The newcomer was dressed in a smart Mongolian robe, adorned with numerous decorations.
Luo Yin didn't quite understand it, but her gaze was unconsciously drawn to it, and she always felt that it was something like gold.
She subconsciously touched the thing on her neck, then looked at his face.
"No, not really. My family didn't dig much; it was just enough for the family."
He has many livestock, which his wife takes care of. His children are in school, and he has a regular job with a monthly salary, so he doesn't dig up much caterpillar fungus.
"That's it. Yours is just enough for your family. Why don't you buy some to take home and visit relatives during the New Year?"
She knew that during the Lunar New Year, it was customary to visit relatives and give gifts, just like at her uncle's house.
Upon seeing this, the visitor paused for a long while before throwing his head back and bursting into laughter.
"Haha, okay, since you've said so much, I'll buy some."
"However, I didn't bring anything else with me. Can I exchange it for money?"
"Of course, you can!"
Loin smiled so hard her eyes curved into crescents. When she heard him say that, she rushed to Ani's side and asked him for help.
Seeing this, Ani stopped interfering and helped her close the deal.
Luo Yin held a wad of cash in her hand and counted it several times: 2.5 yuan.
Loin was happy for a moment, then stuffed it into the pocket on her breast and then into her robe.
"Ani, I have money! I have money!"
She was overjoyed and turned to share her good mood with Ani.
Ani nodded, indicating that he had seen it.
"Okay! But you have to be careful, so you don't fall, okay?"
Luo Yin said she remembered it, and then settled down at the stall.
Ani had initially thought she would be attracted by other things at the market, but he greatly underestimated the woman's greed.
She stayed with him from the very first order until the very last, even eating lunch at their table. Ani tried to persuade her to go sit somewhere else, but she refused.
In the afternoon, when Ani was packing up to go home, she finally agreed to take a look.
Ani looked at the remaining cordyceps on the ground and felt that she had sold quite well today.
He told her to be careful and not to go too far, otherwise she might not be able to find him later.
Loin agreed and gazed into the distance, right within Ani's line of sight.
At that moment, she was like a bird that had landed near the wetlands, spreading its wings and soaring about. Then she realized that there was already plenty of food right beneath her feet.
The small boat she had been thinking about turned out to be so small.
She stood carefully on the shore and then saw that the boat was very small, only wide enough to accommodate one person.
Moreover, this stream is only slightly wider than the one on the grassland, and it seems to have been specially repaired.
At this moment, Luo Yin was curious, and she memorized everything she saw.
"I'm home, Luo Yin."
Hearing Ani call her, she took a deep breath, clutched her money bag, and turned to run away.
She returned home filled with joy and excitement, and first showed her mother her work.
When her mother saw this, she praised her a few times but didn't pay much attention to it.
When her second brother came home from school, she went to him to show off.
The second brother put down his schoolbag, looked at what she was holding, and almost cried.
He dug up quite a lot this year, but handed them all over to his family, who naturally sold them along with the harvest.
There's only my younger sister in the family, so she can be kept alone.
Dad said this was my little sister's own pocket money.
Mu Ren felt he was too old to be greedy, but seeing her like this now, he didn't know why he was so envious.
"Second brother, let's count how many there are together!"
As she spoke, she turned the pocket inside out and poured it all out onto the ground.
Mu Ren's eyes littered with envy as he looked at the coins scattered on the ground.
Wow, that's a lot of money.
"Right, right!"
Inside the house, the brother and sister cheered louder and louder, and the sound of the wind outside seemed to be clapping along in time with them.
"Here is 10 yuan and 56 fen."
"I have 7 yuan and 78 fen here."
Luo Yin held the money and asked him, "Brother, is this enough for my schooling?"
Mu Ren's mind was filled with nothing but money, money, money. When he heard his younger sister ask him that question, he nodded affirmatively.
"That's enough, of course it's enough."
"You have enough money to finish elementary school!"
"Really? That's great!" Luo Yin cheered as she took the money and ran out.
Mu Ren looked at the money he had just received and quickly went to chase after it.
“Mom, this is my school money. It's 18 yuan and 34 fen in total. Please keep it all for me.”
Urina, who was still busy outside, was stunned when she was given money.
After hearing what she said, the shock and surprise on his face were even more difficult to hide.
Then, as if realizing something, she thought, "So much money, all from selling cordyceps?"
Luo Yin thought for a moment and shook her head. "Some of them were traded for goods, and Ani exchanged them for money for me. Some of them couldn't be sold, and the rest are these."
"Mom, Dad said I can go to school next year, right?"
When Urina saw that she was looking at her with bright eyes, her heart skipped a beat.
Then an indescribable emotion welled up inside him, so he opened his arms and hugged the person.
"My dear child, Mommy will send you to school next year. I'll get you a pretty schoolbag then, okay?"
When Muren caught up and heard what his mother said, his lips twitched.
He looked at his younger sister with some envy, but didn't say anything.
Days passed by, and soon the new year arrived.
That New Year, his father couldn't stay home because of work, and Bart took the time to explain to his family. But on New Year's Eve, everyone still missed him.
At the same time, he also gained a clearer understanding of the situation on the grasslands and gradually realized that it seemed to be even more serious than his father had said.
Ani, Mother, eldest brother, second brother, and Luo Yin made a lot of delicious food.
Everyone sat around the table, feeling sorry that their father couldn't eat, but also saying that they could save some food for him when he came back.
As the new year began, Luo Yin also grew a year older.
Her only wish was to go to school when the weather was warm.
The day for this idea to be realized came soon.
In early spring, my father rode home on horseback, looking travel-worn. When he arrived, I almost didn't recognize him.
Dad has really changed a lot; the wind has made his face chapped and his hair a mess.
His Mongolian robe looked like it was covered in thick mud, and as Luo Yin got closer, he could smell a foul odor.
She quickly covered her nose and cautiously looked around at her father.
"Dad, you smell terrible! Did you fall into a pit?"
There are many hidden pits on the grassland, where many things are piled up and fermented, producing a very pungent smell.
Some of it is animal feces, and some is animal carcasses.
Luo Yin asked this question because she had accidentally stepped on it a few times.
That taste was absolutely intoxicating!
Urina hurriedly went to boil water, and Ani called him inside to talk.
"Come in and have something to drink."
"Leave the horse to me, I'll feed it for you." Despite her reluctance, Luo Yin still took the reins and offered to let him rest.
"Okay, then you go feed them."
Seeing the girl, who was almost as tall as a horse's mouth, leading it outside, Bart added, "Oh, and remember to feed it plenty of beans; it's been working so hard lately."
"Okay, I understand!"
Loin, familiar with the place, led it to the stable. Only when he successfully got it inside to feed it did he realize that the horse had indeed suffered.
Compared to Big White and Snow White next door, the horses are fed so much better.
The horse had clear, bright eyes, a glossy mane, and a strong, powerful physique. They groomed it themselves every two days; then look at Dad's horse, its condition was simply the complete control group.
"Horse, horse, you've suffered."
She stroked the horse's head, comforting it as she spoke.
"Eat more and get your body back."
She scooped up several spoonfuls of beans and fed them to it along with hay.
Seeing the horses nearby getting restless, he quietly gave them some beans as well.
By the time she remembered her father, her mother had already sent her off to take a hot bath.
Because my father looked much thinner, we cooked meat for the whole family for a week straight.
We tried our best to nourish him every day, and his weight quickly returned to normal.
On the day of school registration, Luo Yin carried the small bag that her mother had specially made for her and went to school with her father and second brother.
She knew all the previous procedures, and it wasn't until she received the books and sat in the classroom that she understood.
Her excitement hadn't subsided yet, and looking at her playmates around her who were in similar situations, she grinned.
Forgot about the missing front tooth; a little girl next to him covered her mouth and chuckled.
Luo Yin turned to look at her, suddenly realized what was happening, and quickly covered her mouth.
"My name is Nahoya, what's yours?"
Upon hearing her introduction, Luo Yin turned her head and looked at it carefully.
She discovered it was a pretty young girl who was squinting at her with a smile.
"My name is Luo Yin, nice to meet you!"
She didn't lower her hand while she was speaking.
"Hello, Luo Yin. Do you live around here? I've never seen you before. And you're very beautiful."
"But you don't need to cover it up. I've lost teeth before, it's okay."
Luo Yin blushed slightly at her praise and comfort.
The unhappiness I felt earlier vanished completely.
"Thank you, you're great too."
As the two little girls chatted, the other children in the classroom also started talking to their classmates.
Everyone was very polite, and some even knew each other. As they talked, they sat down together and introduced themselves to their companions.
A middle-aged man entered through the door with a serious expression.
"Hello, children. My surname is Ming, and you can call me Teacher Ming. I will be leading all the students in Class 103 through the rest of your elementary school years."
As Teacher Ming spoke, he walked around the classroom.
"The teacher has already introduced them, so now it's your turn to introduce yourselves."
"Okay, let's start from the doorway and go one by one!"
The quiet atmosphere in the classroom became somewhat noisy again after the teacher said that.
Perhaps due to his extensive experience, Teacher Ming quickly set the pace and stabilized the atmosphere.
After the first and second students finished their introductions, everyone was able to quickly follow along.
From the first day of school, Luo Yin made several friends, among whom Naheya was naturally her favorite friend.
Not only because they sat close together at the same table, but also because she was the only girl next to him.
She told her second brother about it on the way home from school, and he wasn't surprised at all.
However, after listening to what she said, he thought for a moment and said, "From now on, we'll eat lunch together. If you want to leave school, just wait for me at the gate, and I'll come find you."
"But I want to have dinner with Nahoya."
They were all together today, and it was fun chatting and eating together.
Seeing her reluctance, Mu Ren continued to ask, "Really? Have you finished eating today?"
Luo Yin shook her head. "No, there are still some left, but I brought them all back."
Mu Ren, "He knew it!"
"Then let your mother heat it up when we get home, and you can continue eating."
"ah?"
"You haven't assigned any homework these past two days, right?" Mu Ren said confidently.
Luo Yin didn't know what her second brother was going to do, so she nodded in agreement.
"That's perfect. While I'm doing my homework, you can sit next to me, and I'll teach you how to preview the textbook."
Once Luo Yin officially enrolled in school, she realized that this was what going to school was like.
At the beginning, she couldn't sit still in any class; she always had to move her bottom or legs.
All the newly enrolled first graders in the classroom are the same; they're never this quiet. The teacher on the platform glances at them, and the restless students immediately sit up straight.
This situation lasted for a long time until people gradually got used to it.
The first-grade textbooks are simple, but there is a lot of content to learn.
Although education on the grasslands isn't strictly enforced, they place great importance on the most basic things.
Especially in terms of education and knowledge, cultural learning has become deeply ingrained in every herding family.
If herding was a necessary task in those days, then studying and learning are the focus for everyone now.
Autumn has come again, and early October is approaching.
Last October, thanks to Ani, Loin was able to sell some cordyceps for a sum of money.
My second brother, who had prepared this year's cordyceps long ago, secretly kept some for her.
They planned to give him a share of the money after the sale.
The brother and sister had been planning for a long time, but their father came back early and said he would take them with him this time.
My father didn't come home for Chinese New Year this year, and he has only been home a handful of times since then.
Their return was meant to be a surprise, but it was rather frightening for the brother and sister.
However, Loin quickly cheered up again.
She told her father she wanted to ride a horse there, and her father thought about it and agreed.
After finishing up the household chores and mending, Bart took Muren and Luoyin to the depths of the grassland.
This is the season when the grassland climate is most pleasant.
White clouds, blue sky, gentle breeze, and warm sunshine!
The wind felt incredibly refreshing when I was out and about.
One man and one horse rode towards the distant grassland.
The rapid hoofbeats of horses quickly disappeared into the grassland.
On the other side, not far from them, another group of people dressed as locals were heading to the market with large bags and small packages.
There were more than a dozen people in the group, each carrying a heavy bundle.
Some of the items in the bags were even bulging out, and their shapes suggested they were not ordinary things.
"Let's go, sell this thing, and then we'll leave."
"Damn it, these days have been like being a rat being run over by them."
"Can't we just get everyone involved? I feel like the soles of my feet have gotten two or three centimeters thicker from walking all this year."
Several tall, burly men complained to the other party.
Upon seeing this, a middle-aged man inside couldn't help but sneer.
"Alright, all of you behave yourselves. If you alert the others, you won't be leaving."
Some people didn't care about what he said at all, but others did listen.
"Uncle Wu, we know what you're saying, but we've been so frustrated lately. We've put in so much effort, and we've only made so little money."
"Yeah yeah."
"Think back to those days, we brothers carried all those bricks out one by one. After unloading, my shoulders were almost cut by the writing on them. And what did we get in return? They just gave us twenty yuan to get rid of us."
"Uncle Wu, we're risking our lives for this, it's just not worth it."
"Exactly! This is such a bad deal!"
Many people harbored resentment because of this and took this opportunity to complain to him.
The matchmaker, Lao Wu, figured it out: these young men felt they hadn't been paid enough.
In reality, he didn't get much money, and he felt he had lost out on that trip, but that's not how it should be said.
"Alright, all of you shut up."
Uncle Wu's temper does have some power; after all, he played a part in setting up this business.
Even those who did the physical labor didn't dare to really offend him.
"So, what are you planning to do?"
When the crowd heard him say that, they were somewhat taken aback.
Old Wu scanned their expressions, suppressing the displeasure in his eyes. He still needed their help this time, so he decided to make a note of it and settle the score later.
"Hehe, Uncle Wu, we don't have any other requests, we just want to add 10% to the original profit. You see, with so many brothers, 30% is really not much. If new members join in the future, the profit will be even less when divided among everyone."
The one who spoke was one of the most calculating people there.
He kept his eyes glued to Old Wu's expression the entire time he spoke, but the seasoned veteran remained impassive, his face showing no change whatsoever.
Those nearby, upon hearing this, chimed in with agreement.
This indicates that this is indeed just enough to get a score.
Some people in the corners even secretly picked up weapons, looking like they wanted to make a move.
Old Wu, who was lifted up in front of everyone, was no ordinary person.
From the very beginning when they proposed it, we moved away from their positions. By actively moving towards the outer perimeter, we were determined to avoid being surrounded.
He caught a glimpse of the desire on many people's faces out of the corner of his eye, and his heart sank.
Seeing everyone looking at him with eager expressions, he knew that if he didn't agree, it would be quite a hassle.
But right now, the thing he can't afford to waste is time.
"We're all brothers, would I ever treat you unfairly? We're all in this together, I know how tough things are for you. How about this, after we close this deal, I'll give you a 20% cut, okay?"
"Twenty percent?"
"Really?"
"Uncle Wu, you're being too generous!"
Sure enough, these words calmed down the leaders.
He observed carefully and then added fuel to the fire. "Don't worry, everyone. I, Old Wu, am no stranger to this business. After this is over, we'll go back and divide the spoils according to our contributions."
"Good, Uncle Wu is generous!"
"Uncle Wu, you really are a senior, taking such good care of the younger generation. Okay, we will definitely listen to you this time and do whatever you ask."
Seeing that the group had stabilized, they continued on their way.
Old Wu, who had regained his central position, revealed a strong killing intent in his eyes.
He smiled at them with a kind and gentle expression, but the murky light in his eyes flickered again and again.
He decided that he would replace them after this was over.
With money in hand, why worry about not being able to build a team?
To dare to ask him for a higher price halfway through the journey is simply a sign that he doesn't know how many eyes the King of Horse has.
Uncle Wu cursed inwardly, but his face remained unchanged.
Several fellow villagers, a few steps behind him, were also discussing him in hushed tones.
The reason I'm bringing him up is because of the several changes that happened before.
Since it was Old Wu who led them into the grassland, everything was normal at first. As required by their employer, they carried food and tools and did as he asked.
The previous two times, despite the long distances and harsh conditions.
But the reward they received was substantial, far exceeding their annual income back home.
That's when everyone realized how much money could be made in the underworld.
But perhaps because they had acquired new tools, their firepower was so intense that it alerted nearby patrol officers.
Ever since that time I captured a bird of prey and left marks with a weapon, I've been constantly disturbed by the sound of horses' hooves.
The patrolmen didn't know what was going on, but they always seemed to run into those people near their activity areas. If they didn't know there were no traitors in the group, they would have suspected that they had been betrayed.
On the grassland, four-legged races and two-legged races can be played.
No matter how hard they ran, they couldn't outrun him. If they hadn't found a place to hide, they probably would have been caught long ago.
Many people are now somewhat afraid of the sound of horses' hooves.
They were so frightened that they would wake up in their dreams just from hearing the sound of horses' hooves.
Nevertheless, the group still took the risk for money.
Upon seeing the familiar place, Luo Yin rushed over first.
He kept calling out for them to come quickly.
The familiar poplar forest is becoming more and more beautiful, and the strange branches reflected in the water look quite bizarre.
For some reason, Loin remembered a story that Ani had once told her.
Legend has it that a special treasure is buried beneath every poplar forest.
Waiting for the right person to arrive.
Does this poplar forest in front of us also have them?
Luo Yin watched curiously for a long time until her father and second brother caught up with her.
"What's wrong? What are you looking at so intently?"
Bart didn't notice anything unusual and followed the line of sight.
"There's nothing here, Huahua, let's go inside first."
"well!"
The brother and sister followed Bart to find a place to tie up their horses, and the horseman gave each of them a tag.
At this moment, this simple stable was filled with many strong and powerful horses.
Many of them are white horses.
At first glance, it's incredibly enviable; anyone who could own these horses would be extremely happy.
Not to mention her, the second brother next to her also had his eyes sparkling.
Bart, the only one who had seen the world, spoke up and pulled the two of them over.
Instead of going in first to find a spot to set up a stall like Ani, Bart led the brother and sister around as they strolled in.
This time, Luo Yin really saw everything inside.
I later discovered that there were so many novel and interesting things in the market!
Strange and unusual stones of varying sizes form a stall; herbs of different sizes and smell of earth fill the air; and patches of fur display vibrant colors and unique patterns.
Luo Yin was surprised by every place they went.
Her second brother, who was standing next to her, had seen more than her, and seeing her curiosity, he introduced her to everything he knew.
However, he only had a vague understanding of many details and was not very clear about them!
She didn't see her father listening beside her, his brows furrowing repeatedly.
"Ahem, come with me, I'll take you to see someone." He immediately interrupted, not wanting this kid to corrupt Luo Yin.
Even when what you say is wrong, you're still so enthusiastic. He's afraid of embarrassing others if they hear it!
Hearing their father's words, the two stopped chirping quietly.
I followed him and walked further in, stopping and starting with the crowd, until we arrived at a stall.
The stall in front of me was a bit strange; there was only one person sitting on it.
The rest of the positions are blank.
"Ouch, I'm exhausted!"
"I guess we've arrived at our destination."
"Of course! Look at all these people here. It's like the entire grassland has come!" someone asked, voicing a profound question.
After all, they weren't exactly strangers, but I've never encountered so many people on this grassland before.
However, what followed was a sense of unease.
They looked at each other and all felt that the person opposite them was timid and hesitant.
Then look around and you'll see some shifty-eyed guys who are up to no good!
Uncle Wu straightened his clothes and pulled down the brim of his hat before looking at the crowd.
"Everyone be careful when you go in. We're on a delivery trip, so don't cause any trouble."
"Don't worry, Uncle Wu, we brothers will definitely keep our mouths shut when we go in."
"Yes, we'll stay right beside you and won't say a word."
"Alright, everyone grab your things, get yourself together and come with me."
"Walk!"
Instead of going in through the entrance, the group was led by Lao Wu to circle around the hillside behind them.
Deep within the high-lying area lies a grove of old, abandoned poplar trees. In the middle of this grove, there are a few inconspicuous wooden huts.
The wooden house is surrounded by poplar trees, and there are also lush green trees next to them.
It concealed it like a natural barrier.
Herdsmen who come and go rarely notice this place, and usually rarely even go to the innermost part.
After all, they already have what they need on both the outer and inner sides.
Who would bother to go through the trouble of going inside?
Old Wu and his group, however, risked entering right under everyone's noses.
At 10 a.m., the market is at its busiest.
The occasional shouts of price calls and constant hawking kept Lao Wu and his group on edge as they approached.
I walked with sweat pouring down my back and my legs feeling weak.
"Come, come, this is my good brother, Burigude. You can call him Abaga!"
“Burigude, these are my two children, my second son Muren and my youngest daughter Luoyin.”
"Hello, Abaga."
"Hello, Abaga!"
Burigude first hugged Bat before turning his gaze to the two of them.
"Hey everyone!"
"Not bad, your name is Mu Ren, right? You really do look like your father."
Luo Yin, who was waiting to be praised, blinked quickly when she saw his face.
"Hey, this little girl is quite nice too, though she doesn't look like you, Bart. Oh, why do you look so familiar?" He paused abruptly, squinting as he looked closely.
“Burigude Abaga, my name is Luoyin, I am the child adopted by my father.”
Burigude was initially surprised by her words, but then his eyes were drawn to her big smile.
Burigude looked at his friend and suddenly realized, "Sorry, I just remembered. But we have indeed met once, Luo Yin!"
He chuckled as he spoke, then casually pulled something out of the bag next to him for her to play with.
Before Luo Yin could react, something was shoved into her hand.
She looked down and saw that it was another stone the size of an egg.
As soon as she touched it, it became slightly warm, and her eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh, I see. Could it be that I saw him here last year?" Bart thought for a moment and then confirmed.
Bu Rigude, who hadn't managed to keep him in suspense, looked at him with a smile.
Then they started chatting. Mu Ren noticed that the little sister was looking at the thing, so he went over to her too.
They were somewhat surprised when they discovered that the stone was hot.
"Little sister, let me see."
"Second brother, look how amazing this is!"
Mu Ren rubbed it in his hand and found that only a few fragments came off. But the surface of the stone was still dusty.
Normally they wouldn't even glance at it, but holding it in their hands makes it seem extraordinary.
He thought for a moment, then leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Keep it safe for now, and ask Ani when we get back!"
"Yes, that's what I think too, Ani definitely knows."
"By the way, do you know this Abaga, Second Brother?"
What she really wanted to ask was, "This Abaga seems really powerful."
Mu Ren was taken aback by the question, and then answered.
"I've heard my father say that he can get a lot of treasures in exchange!"
"Really? That's amazing!"
Luo Yin's eyes lit up instantly, and she looked at him beside her.
Mu Ren thought for a moment, "I remember my father saying that he once gave the family a gold brick!"
A note from the author:
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If there are bugs, catch them tomorrow.
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