Chapter 30 The Visitor
The groom's family is required to send beef, mutton, wine, and meat to the bride's family a day in advance to entertain them.
It is not only a gift for entertaining guests, but also a way to show respect to the woman.
Luo Yin joined the group early on and set off for the town.
It was a big event today; my uncle's family and other relatives and friends all came.
Leading the charge were all strong young men and women from various families.
The women at home took care of things, while uncles and other relatives followed behind the procession in place of the father, escorting the carts loaded with goods.
We strolled along until we reached the town, where there were many pedestrians and it looked lively.
After they found out what was happening, some people spontaneously followed behind.
They were trying to gain some good fortune.
The caravan soon arrived at the elder sister-in-law's house, where a line of horses were parked outside their residential compound.
The door to the room, which had been prepared early and was now open to the joyous occasion, was opened.
Aruna's parents and their family, who were celebrating their wedding, all had smiles on their faces.
Everyone in the family, young and old, was dressed in their finest clothes today, and even the usually sullen father was all smiles.
Upon seeing the commotion outside, he quickly looked out.
"Hahaha, Baoluer, your son-in-law is here! Come out and see!"
The one called Paulul was Aruna's father.
This old man, who was over fifty, suddenly looked much more approachable with his bearded face.
He quickened his pace and went out to meet them.
As soon as I came out, I saw Hada waiting outside with a group of people.
The neighbors all gathered outside, watching the spectacle.
Many eyes were drawn to Hada.
Upon seeing the appearance of their prospective son-in-law, cheers erupted.
Hada immediately rolled off the plane the moment he saw Baoluer.
She quickly stepped forward, bowed, and called out to the person. Baoluer then helped the person up.
Then, after his uncle and the others came forward, Hada introduced them to each other in turn.
The two sides quickly warmed up to each other, and as items were unloaded from one vehicle after another, it was quite an eye-opening experience for everyone present.
Hada followed his father-in-law and greeted the neighbors one by one. Soon someone came to meet the group behind him.
Luo Yin and her two brothers went inside early, leaving an even bigger commotion behind them.
Luo Yin maintained a smile throughout, smiling at everyone she met.
My hands were stuffed with so much food that I couldn't take it out, so I put it in my pocket.
I met many, many people in turn, and watched my older brother and sister-in-law doing this and that in the crowd the whole time.
It was lively and interesting!
After quickly meeting everyone, the man's side completed the introduction of the bride and gave the gifts before leaving.
The actual wedding day will be the second day!
On the wedding day, the family set up a banquet with more than a dozen tables.
She has hardly ever seen so many people since she was born.
Luo Yin felt like her house was almost completely surrounded by people, but looking at the lively and busy crowd, she was in a really good mood.
A relative's child nimbly swung the whip, making a 'bang' sound as it cut through the air.
His sudden action startled the entire wedding procession.
Then a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd, and the procession set off.
Today we're bringing my sister-in-law over, and we also need to prepare some food to send over. With everything prepared yesterday, we successfully said goodbye to the bride's parents and picked up the bride, Aruna.
Aruna, dressed in her finest attire, was helped into the car by her bridesmaids and relatives.
Aruna, dressed in her finest attire, left home with a mix of excitement and complex emotions.
She embarked on her new life!
Melodious and cheerful songs were sung throughout the wedding procession.
Luo Yin hummed along a few times until she arrived at the camp carrying her dowry.
The bride arrived, and relatives and friends from both sides cheered and welcomed her.
After paying respects to Heaven and Earth, one will meet with one's elders.
After exchanging greetings and receiving blessings from the elders, the wedding banquet began.
Luo Yin stayed by her second brother's side the whole time, eating, drinking, and playing around.
I was so happy the whole time that I was completely out of control.
I ate and drank until the afternoon, and then I was so tired that I fell asleep without even realizing it.
When she woke up again in a daze, she found herself back in her yurt.
But at this moment, a lot of people were gathered around her bed.
"Oh, what's wrong?"
As soon as Luo Yin opened her eyes, she saw several pairs of eyes surrounding her.
"Hey, hey, you're awake, Hua Hua!" Her aunt warmly took her hand and said affectionately.
Luo Yin was still in a daze and subconsciously looked around.
My mother, my aunt, my cousin's wife, and a few other people I didn't recognize.
She didn't understand what was going on, but then she heard someone talking.
It was the woman in the crowd whom she didn't recognize, a kind-looking woman.
"Huahua, right? I'm your mother's aunt, so you should call me great-aunt!"
Luo Yin knew her; she had met her before. But she still addressed her politely as "Auntie."
Seeing that she was sensible, her aunt's expression softened considerably. "I heard from Urina that you're still in school, right? You must be a teenager by now?"
Luo Yin didn't understand, but nodded slightly.
"Yes, they're already in the second year of junior high!"
"Well, may I ask what your plans are for the future?"
As she finished speaking, everyone in the yurt seemed to focus their attention on her.
Luo Yin vaguely sensed something was amiss, but Urina remained unmoved.
She considered it for a moment, then said, "I should continue studying."
If nothing unexpected happens, she will continue studying.
"Oh, you're going to study? You want to go on to higher education?" My aunt's voice rose, seemingly quite surprised.
Luo Yin raised an eyebrow and looked at her, puzzled.
"Does Auntie have any plans?"
"Well, I know a good family here. They have a young man who's just at the right age and they're looking for a capable girl. I think you'd be a perfect match, so I came to ask you about it."
The water that Luo Yin had just put into her mouth suddenly sprayed out.
It struck the faces of the people closest to her directly.
"Ouch, ouch."
"Huahua, what are you doing?"
"Cough cough~"
She couldn't stop coughing, trying to cough up the water from her trachea.
Her actions caused quite a commotion around her.
Seeing this, Urina gave her sister-in-law a wink, and then pulled and dragged her aunt and the others out.
"Auntie, you should go outside and clean this up quickly. This girl is so unruly, I'll take care of her."
"Yes, yes, let me help you out to get ready, so the younger generation won't have to watch over you later."
"This girl is indeed a bit unreliable, Urina, you'd better keep a close eye on her." The aunt was furious and her face was very unpleasant; she looked sour even as she left.
Inside the room, only Luo Yin and her cousin-in-law remained on the bed, laughing and rustling.
Luo Yin finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the person had left.
He blinked his big eyes and looked at her.
"Pfft~"
Hahahaha!
"You're really something. This is the first time I've ever seen my aunt treated so unfairly."
Luo Yin looked slightly embarrassed. "Sister-in-law, please don't say anything more. I still don't understand what's going on."
My cousin's wife looked at her with a "don't worry" expression.
"It's alright. She only came because of Hada's wedding. She'll forget about it in a while, so don't worry."
Luo Yin thought about it and realized that it made sense; they had only met a handful of times over the years.
Seeing that the person had left, Luo Yin got up, dressed simply, and went inside to talk to her.
By the afternoon, most people had left, except for a few close relatives and friends who stayed around the campfire.
After the eating and drinking were over, all the yurts except the newlyweds' room were packed with people, but fortunately, spare yurts were also set up.
The wedding night passed just like that.
On the second day, Hada and Aruna prepared to return to their parents' home. On the third day, they went to the ancestral graves of both sides to pay respects to their ancestors and offer incense, thus concluding the ceremony.
Luo Yin had already returned to school on the day of her homecoming.
We really can't afford to delay.
However, since her older brother got married, she noticed that Bart has been smiling much more often than usual.
Not only Dad, but Ani also seemed to be in a much better mood.
Luo Yin watched silently, feeling very happy.
There was joyous news at home, and we received the final payment.
Comrade Xia Mingjiang actually placed another order for 100 yuan more.
When Luo Yin received the news, she was so shocked that she jumped up.
She carefully read the letter, and after confirming that everything was correct, she excitedly rushed to the bookstore.
Old Qin was tidying up the bookshelves, placing the many newly arrived books in their designated spots. Seeing her arrive, he quickly ushered her in!
Luo Yin's barely suppressed smile betrayed her good mood.
Seeing that he was busy, I quickly went over to lend him a hand.
Old Qin didn't ask her what was wrong, but skillfully directed her to help. The old man and the young girl quickly got busy.
After finishing my work again, it was another half hour later.
Luo Yin wiped the sweat from her forehead, and Lao Qin poured her some warm water.
"Tell me, what good thing happened? You seem so happy."
Upon hearing his question, Luo Yin finished her water in one gulp.
He wiped his face with a flourish, "Hehehe, is it that obvious?"
She subconsciously tried to control her facial expressions, but clearly failed.
When Lao Qin saw her like this, he knew that this girl must have encountered something good.
After considering everything, I realized it was a money-making venture.
Without interfering too much, I just gave her a few words of advice to be careful and then changed the subject.
It just so happens that he also needs to talk to her.
"By the way, is school about to start its holiday?"
"Yes, we'll be on holiday after the final exams! Uncle Qin, what are your plans for the New Year? Are you going back home again?"
Old Qin nodded, his gaze turning south.
He looked dazed for a moment, then quickly regained his composure.
"Yes, we won't need to go back again after this one time."
A deep voice came from his mouth.
Luo Yin didn't hear it clearly, and when she tried to listen again, she couldn't hear it anymore.
Once Lao Qin had recovered, he asked her about something.
"By the way, girl, there's something I'd like to ask you about."
Seeing his serious expression, Luo Yin's expression changed as well.
"Uncle Qin, please speak."
Regardless of their personal relationship, the help Qin Shu has given her on so many occasions is quite remarkable.
If she could, she would repay the favor.
“I heard about this from other people. You know my identity makes it difficult for me to fit in, but it’s different for you. Could you ask your family if they know anything about the Northern Market?”
"Northern Market?"
Luo Yin repeated herself, looking at him with a complicated expression.
Is there anything I can help you with?
Old Qin's eyes lit up, and his heart suddenly raced when he heard her ask that question.
"Do you know?"
Yes, this girl doesn't miss him. She's lived here for over ten years and comes from a herding family, so she definitely has more information than they do.
"Girl, I want to go to the northern market. Could you help me get a chance? I really just need one opportunity. I will definitely reward you handsomely."
Luo Yin's pupils trembled for a moment as news about the northern market surfaced in her mind.
She felt that this matter was not simple.
In her memory, joining the Northern Market didn't seem to be that strict.
"Uncle Qin, you're the one who's going, right? May I ask what's the matter?"
Instead of answering directly, she asked him why he went.
Old Qin's excited expression subsided slightly, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his face.
The gaze directed at her was no longer as warm as before. "Oh, it's me who wants to go. I heard from other people that there's a place called the Northern Market in the northern region. It's said that many things that ordinary people can't see are traded there. I want to go and broaden my horizons."
"That's it?" Luo Yin murmured to herself, feeling that he hadn't finished speaking.
It was clear that after he finished speaking, he fell silent.
She waited a while longer, but remained silent.
Luo Yin understood that he could not say anything more, so she thought for a moment.
The atmosphere remained silent for quite a while before sound resumed.
"Since you've inquired about it, why did you come to me?"
Old Qin's feelings were also complicated at this moment, and a trace of guilt and reluctance flashed in his eyes as he looked at her.
But thinking of that person, she suppressed her emotions and thought for a moment.
“Because those people don’t know how to get there either, and I don’t have that kind of deep relationship with any of the locals I know. Luo Yin, you’re different, you can help me, right?”
Luo Yin sensed the firmness behind his tone when he said those words.
Knowing that he was determined to do it, I put aside all my other thoughts for the time being.
"I can only go back and ask around, I can't guarantee whether it will work out."
Seeing that she had finally relented, Old Qin finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, I'll wait for your message."
In the end, Loin practically ran out of the bookstore.
As soon as she left, Luo Yin rushed home.
At that moment, she was unaware that good news had already arrived at her home.
As the only able-bodied person in the family, Mu Ren has taken on most of the physical labor.
With the help of his mother and mother, Bart has practiced taking on household chores over the past few years.
They no longer need Luo Yin's help; with the rest of the family there, they can even handle the order-related matters.
And this revenue from the order is what Bart and his colleagues saw as a gain.
They also became more driven in their future lives.
And today, someone from the village happened to come and give us the news.
The athletes who made it to the final horse race should hurry up and prepare for the final race.
Mu Ren and Luo Yin were two of the contestants.
When I got home, I heard the news, and then I realized it was the day I was supposed to receive my results.
Luo Yin decided to go early, otherwise she would miss the exam.
No matter how she thought about it, it would cause delays, so she could only tell her family with a frustrated look on her face.
So it was forced to stop, and we could only pin our hopes on my second brother.
So while she was preparing for her exams, her second brother took her luggage and happily rode off on horseback.
Watching her second brother's dashing figure, Luo Yin bit her pen with envy.
"Waaaaah, I want to go too!"
For the first time, she felt envious of her second brother.
I don't know how many little circles were drawn behind my back, but my second brother's figure still disappeared very quickly.
Until you can't see it anymore.
The last thing that happened the year before last, besides her second brother going to participate in a competition, was her final grades.
The day after Luo Yin finished the competition, she told Lao Qin the news she had received from her father.
Old Qin then realized that he hadn't actually asked the wrong person for this matter.
After all, very few ordinary people would know about this.
The market was quite a distance away from them.
This wasn't exactly common knowledge; if my father hadn't been fortunate enough to visit it years ago, most people probably wouldn't know.
Luo Yin was unaware of the inside information; she simply stated what she knew.
Seeing that Uncle Qin, who was usually calm and composed, had become very emotional.
She didn't know what to say, so she silently reminded him of his departure time and then left.
When they got home, they asked their father and mother again.
We received some other information.
It turned out that this northern market was even more magical than she had imagined.
It's incomparable to any of the markets she's attended so far.
Luo Yin listened quietly as her father recounted, "I still remember the day I went there with the group. The first thing that caught my eye was the deep red color. The narrow passage was filled with all kinds of stalls, selling everything imaginable: gems, pearls, agate, grains, cattle and sheep, weapons, and I even saw blond-haired, blue-eyed people."
Luo Yin's eyes widened as she looked at her father, seemingly lost in memories.
"Huahua, do you know, I remember when I was only as old as your second brother. I only had a coarse flour bun, but when I saw those people herding sheep by the flock, just to exchange for gold and grain, I felt envious for the first time."
Who are those people?
Luo Yin asked curiously.
"I don't know!" Bart thought for a moment, as if recalling something.
His eyes were filled with confusion and uncertainty.
"I was naive back then, and when I asked the people in the group, they wouldn't tell me. All I knew was that it was a magical place where you could trade freely and there were all sorts of strange things that seemed to be out of control."
The rest were his deductions after he got older.
After all, as one gains experience and age, one can naturally deduce certain things.
"If your comrade wants to go, it's best if he doesn't go alone. If he goes alone, he probably won't come back."
Luo Yin repeated his words, her curiosity about that place growing even stronger.
She suddenly wanted to go and see it too.
But she knew it was impossible!
"Father, was that Abaga who came before also for this reason?"
Recalling his previous visit, Luo Yin asked directly.
Bart snapped out of his reverie, noticed the curiosity in her eyes, thought for a moment, and nodded.
"That's right, but don't overthink it. If that person wants to go, let him go, but you absolutely cannot go."
Seeing his serious expression, Luo Yin knew that her father was determined, so she could only promise not to go.
She kept it buried in her heart, only occasionally taking it out to think about it in the quiet of the night.
My second brother came back excitedly before the New Year, carrying his medals.
My second brother won first place in the youth group, finishing more than ten minutes faster than the second-place finisher. In addition to the medal, he also took out 30 yuan in cash from his pocket.
When he slammed the money on the table, it caused a gasp from everyone present.
"Wow, Second Brother, you're amazing!"
Luo Yin was the most enthusiastic, clapping her hands and praising loudly.
Ani, his father, and his mother finally came to their senses and looked at him with excitement.
"Hehe, it's alright, a little worse than before. The competition field is covered in snow, but the others are still not as good as me."
Although he spoke in a calm tone, his words were filled with a strong sense of pride and satisfaction.
"Of course, it doesn't matter whose second brother he is."
"Little sister, it's a pity you didn't go, otherwise you would definitely have achieved the same result."
Luo Yin waved her hand, "Hey, I got first place in the class and first place in the grade in the final exams."
When Mu Ren heard that she had done so well on the exam, he didn't say anything more.
He just gave her two thumbs up and said, "Amazing! Amazing!"
With Aruna joining us, the New Year's Eve dinner was more lively than in previous years, with more people present.
With one more person at the dinner table this year, everyone was more enthusiastic in preparing the meal.
With joyful preparations, everyone spent a happy reunion night chatting and laughing.
Not only were the elders happy, watching the family gathered together and hoping for a new addition to the family next year; the younger generation also rarely got together, chatting and laughing as they shared their good news.
Luo Yin loved listening to her sister-in-law share gossip, especially about things happening on their side.
This time, she heard some of the things her older brother told her.
It came from the forest farm.
"Your older brother told me about this. He said that before the Lunar New Year, there was a warehouse in the forest farm that was used to store timber year-round. When the inspection was conducted at the end of this year, it was discovered that several tons of timber stored inside had mysteriously disappeared."
"What? Who took it?"
“That’s right, those aren’t just a few pieces, those are tons of timber.” Aruna said, her facial expression quite animated.
"It is said that the person in charge of the forest farm summoned all the workers responsible for that area that day and checked them one by one according to their working hours. They were determined to find the person."
"Did you find it?"
Luo Yin stared wide-eyed, eagerly awaiting what would happen next.
"Of course not. It's said that the investigation revealed that the timber had been tampered with for the past two years."
"Oh no, how could this happen?"
Aruna gave her a look that said, "Let me tell you, there's more to this story."
Luo Yin listened to her story for over an hour before finally understanding what had happened.
It turns out that as early as two years ago, a buyer from out of town came to Lingchuan and approached the forestry farm manager.
I'd like to discuss a timber deal.
However, the forestry manager at the time refused outright, saying that their timber had already been ordered and that he should look for other factories.
But the buyer insisted that they had the redwood he needed.
Redwood is the most suitable material for furniture and utensils, and according to his words at the time, he wanted a batch of old redwood as raw material.
However, his visits were rejected by the factory manager at the time.
As a factory director of a state-owned enterprise, I usually deal with cadres at the state-owned enterprise level.
After being rejected several times, he simply stopped paying attention to it.
But who would have thought that this very person would incite several leaders in the western part of the forest farm to secretly replace several tons of timber over a period of two years?
"What if we can't find this thing? We'll have to give up all our savings!"
Luo Yin couldn't imagine how much this would cost!
Aruna nodded with a look of lingering fear.
"That's right. Your older brother's factory laid off a lot of people from top to bottom, and they're all in jail right now, around the Lunar New Year."
He's obviously been arrested!
Luo Yin was deeply impressed by the bizarre and outrageous nature of this fact.
I really don't know how those people managed to steal it.
Could it be that no one saw them being shipped out truckload by truck each time?
Luo Yin frowned, realizing there must be many things left unsaid.
But the sister-in-law changed her mood again, hiding a smile on her face.
"But because of this, your older brother was promoted to team leader and his salary increased by a few dollars."
"Really? That's amazing! Big brother is truly incredible!"
Upon seeing this, Luo Yin quickly began showering him with compliments.
After the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the eldest brother took his wife to visit her parents' home, and then stayed there until the tenth day before leaving again.
They said they still had to go to work, and the family had prepared a lot of things for the two of them.
Watching the young couple leave with their bags and packages.
The lively atmosphere subsided for a moment before being replaced by other things.
Luo Yin grew another year older and reached a height of 1.6 meters.
For some reason, even though she drank milk like water from a young age, it couldn't save her from being short.
However, Loin was still very happy, even though her clothes were so short that they exposed her wrists.
Her family was very happy, and her mother kept saying that she had grown up.
The father nodded happily, saying that the clothes made in the future could be a few inches larger.
Ani watched with a smile.
Luo Yin chased after her second brother and saw this scene.
My eyes are burning, and my heart is warm!
Her family loves her, and she wants to repay them.
So, keep striving!
With the start of the new school term approaching, Luo Yin had already prepared her luggage with practiced ease.
Unlike at home, she packed her bags and left. Luo Yin bid farewell to her family, unaware that something else would happen at home after she left.
Something unexpected happened on the Qomolangma grassland.
It was early spring, after lunch.
A small team of more than ten people appeared out of nowhere and arrived in front of the yurt where the herders were stationed.
The livestock in the shed became restless upon hearing the clatter of hooves.
Some looked around in a panic, while others paced back and forth.
Soon, people who noticed something amiss came out of the yurt to look around.
Dust could be seen spreading from afar.
It seems to be heading in their direction!
The middle-aged man whispered a few words in Mongolian and told the teenager to go back inside.
Soon he was all alone around the yurt.
Apart from the restless horses and livestock, he seemed to be the only living creature left.
A few minutes later, a group of people arrived.
The one leading the charge was a man wearing a military overcoat.
Wearing military caps and carrying weapons on their backs, a group of more than a dozen people, all dressed similarly, looked at him.
Who are you looking for?
The herdsman spoke Mandarin haltingly.
If he hadn't been worldly-wise, he would have doubted these people.
Nevertheless, a hint of nervousness still crept into his voice.
The leading man dismounted nimbly, his military boots hitting the ground as he took a few steps forward.
With a gentle demeanor and swift movements, he said, "Hello comrade, I'd like to ask you about someone?"
"who?"
Two men, both physically strong and capable, spoke cautiously and warily to each other.
For just one person!
The dozen or so comrades behind him laughed inwardly several times at the sight of their captain's appearance.
If it weren't for the strictness of his orders and the fear of being punished, I would definitely have laughed out loud in front of him.
However, some couldn't help themselves and had already turned their backs to him, secretly laughing to themselves.
"Cough cough, be careful!"
"Don't let the captain find out."
The others who heard the commotion were obviously alerting their teammates.
Despite his deliberately lowered voice and lip movements, the captain, with his sharp ears and eyes and excellent skills, still noticed.
Then the captain's left ear twitched inexplicably, and he seemed to pause for a moment during the conversation.
After receiving some information, they quickly resumed the conversation.
But after they left, they drove in the other direction.
He named all those who had previously made fun of the captain.
These team members then realized that their captain's reputation was well-deserved.
"No way, this guy has super hearing!"
"Of course! Be careful!"
As usual, Bart got up early, ate breakfast, and then busied himself in the tent.
Today, he and Urina are processing fodder.
The family has raised quite a few lambs.
The lambs were placed in another location and carefully cared for.
I had just finished preparing the fodder for the past few days when I heard a loud commotion in the distance.
Bart followed the gaze and his brows suddenly furrowed.
A sense of unease crept into my mind!
"Bart, a large force is coming!"
"Yes, judging from the direction they're coming, they're heading straight for us."
The couple were left alone at home, both looking warily and cautiously into the distance.
He quickly made a decision and swiftly returned to the yurt to retrieve his weapons.
Although Bart couldn't ride a horse, his hand skills were just as good.
When the group arrived, they found the camp, full of life, but the people had vanished!
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