Chapter 46 The Incoming Call
Let's go back a month, when Mu Ren had just gotten off the train.
Behind me was a huge crowd of passengers.
Mu Ren could barely see anything, but soon he was slapped on the back.
"What are you doing? Let's get going!"
"Ah, okay!"
The group of people wearing robes quickly gathered together, and then, under the guidance of their leader, went to the carriages to meet their respective companions.
Suddenly, a startling scene unfolded inside the Capital Station.
Seven or eight strong horses suddenly came from a distance.
Passengers passing by stared wide-eyed.
"Wait, there's a horse here!"
"Wow, this horse is something else! Look at its physique, it's awesome!"
Those with discernment would immediately notice the difference, and their gaze would naturally fall on the person behind them, and upon closer inspection, it was indeed the case.
“Hey, look at those people, their clothes and appearance clearly indicate they’re not locals.”
"To me, it looks like it came from the grasslands."
"Tsk tsk, you're right about that, but what are they doing?"
Mu Ren, who was at the center of the conversation, felt for the first time that his hands and feet were not under his control.
Unlike usual, when he was leading Bai Xue, it was as if Bai Xue was leading him.
The team leader gave a shout, signaling them to follow.
The group followed the procession awkwardly and nervously, and finally managed to leave the crowd behind.
After exiting the station, they finally found a staff member and managed to board the vehicle to the competition venue.
Fortunately, most of the negotiations were handled by the Inner Mongolian team leaders.
This avoided many trivial matters that would cause the players worry.
Throughout the entire process, Mu Ren kept his eyes wide open, filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Two hours later, we arrived at the location, followed by a series of pre-match preparations.
As this is the first open tournament in China, thorough preparations were made before the competition.
Therefore, the rooms are designed to be consistent both inside and out.
In other words, besides the players' rest area inside, you can open the outer door directly by pushing open the partition, and inside this door you can keep your good companion, your horse.
Muren was very satisfied with this arrangement.
Upon learning this, he didn't even bother to check his own address before taking care of Bai Xue.
He massaged and brushed its fur, and fed it, even taking out its favorite beans, which he had brought from home.
"Bai Xue, Bai Xue, eat more. You've worked hard these past few days. Once you've eaten and drunk your fill, I'll take you out for some exercise."
A satisfied smile spread across Mu Ren's dark face.
Seeing it well-fed and watered, it seemed even better than itself.
My eyes were fixed on it, and it circled around several times from head to tail.
He nodded, confirming that Bai Xue was indeed the best.
With a few days left before the competition, the team leader notified everyone to gather and explained the upcoming arrangements.
The main thing to pay attention to is the coordination and unity between the people and the horses.
We must not miss opportunities because of factors such as water and soil conditions.
Mu Ren glanced at the competition schedule. The competition would last for three days, with over two hundred participants. Only the top eight would receive awards, and only the top three would receive medals and certificates.
At that moment, Mu Ren wasn't thinking too much; he was only recalling the faces of his family.
He secretly thought he should bring something back with him!
My little sister will definitely be happy and applaud him then.
"Bai Xue, let's cheer each other on!"
"Bang!"
"Old Chang, I really can't do anything about it. Your project is just too big. You know we can't rush things."
Chang Yongshou was dressed in an old-fashioned suit, but his face looked like that of an old farmer from the fields.
He was wearing cloth shoes and was glaring angrily at the person opposite him.
"Old Xia, don't try to fool me. This is a really urgent matter. You know this thing is buried in the water, and the sea environment is dangerous. If we're not careful, we'll lose everything."
Xia Ming rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on.
Looking at the old man who was practically right in his face, he sighed deeply.
"I know, I know everything."
"Then tell me, who can you lend them to right now? You can choose yourself."
Chang Yongshou, taken aback by Xia Ming's words, paused for a rare moment.
He rubbed his hands together. "I'd like to borrow Professor Yang Anguo to come and assist with our work."
"Pfft, cough cough cough, who are you talking about?"
Old Xia choked on the water and began coughing violently, looking at him with a shocked expression.
"Yang Anguo?" "Ah, yes!"
"You should get out now and close the door behind you."
It took Lao Chang a few seconds to realize what he meant.
"No, Lao Xia, don't rush me. I haven't even got my manpower yet. You said I can choose, but I think Comrade Yang Anguo is quite good. He has extensive diving experience and has assisted in underwater archaeological work in Southeast Asia and Western countries. Now is the perfect opportunity, with the discovery of a shipwreck at Blackwater Pool. It's a perfect storm of favorable conditions!"
Old Xia forgot all about coughing because of what he said, and thought about it for a while, following his train of thought.
He quickly came to his senses and said, "No, but this is against the rules. What about your investigation and inspection procedures? Besides, Comrade Yang has other duties to perform."
Xia Ming's face was tense, and there were some deeper things he didn't say.
She looked at him with concern.
Old Chang seemed to have expected this and took over the conversation.
"I know that the country is facing difficulties now, and my plan will definitely face considerable obstacles. But I have been deeply involved in the field for many years, especially in the southeast, where my footprints are almost everywhere. Previous underwater discoveries were shelved and failed due to various issues, but I think this time there is definitely a chance of success."
"We have experience and diving techniques learned from overseas studies, so I believe that underwater archaeology can go even further."
"Alas, I'm old, really old."
Xia Ming spoke casually, taking a piece of paper out of the drawer.
He quickly finished writing, then took out his stamp, affixed it, and handed it to him.
"Here you go, I hope you succeed."
"Okay!"
From the moment Lao Chang received the official seal, he began to be stationed in the capital.
It took several months to complete this task, and all the arrangements were well-coordinated. Even Comrade Yang Anguo personally visited and invited him to help.
Fortunately, everyone here is a group of passionate young people who support their motherland.
Despite the harsh conditions, they still possessed an indomitable will.
So, from the moment they entered the water, they underwent diving training from beginning to end, which only stopped on the eve of the training, but it only lasted for a little over a month in total.
This is because the sea surface in the three northern provinces is currently in the period of melting ice.
At this moment, they were heading towards the Blackwater Pool, the first sea area they would encounter after crossing the Shanhaiguan Pass.
An unnamed archipelago has appeared in an area more than 50 kilometers outward from the Blackwater Pool.
These islands are often small in size, appearing almost like scattered dots on a map.
But after several years of investigation and exploration, Lao Chang and his group discovered that this place was unusual.
Every field archaeological expedition involves a huge expenditure of human, material, and financial resources.
Chang Yongshou paid for almost everything involved in organizing this trip.
The group of 12 people rented a large local boat and followed the records to the discovery site.
But they found the water surface was shimmering and they couldn't see anything.
Even though the locals knew the purpose of their visit, seeing it with their own eyes still made them privately underestimate whether they were alright.
"Who knows what they're looking for in this vast ocean!"
"It's all so dark, you can't catch anything."
"Captain Chang, this is the area shown in the file, and the latitude and longitude are correct."
"Bring out the equipment and start scanning and exploring this area." Soon, a staff member brought out a sonar torpedo.
As soon as these devices came out, two researchers stood nearby with paper and pens.
Only then did the fishermen and captain on the boat feel somewhat embarrassed.
I do have some faith in them; they must be doing something big.
After ten or twenty minutes, the sound gradually came from the machine.
"Beep beep beep~"
"So, do you have it? Do you have it?"
"Slap! Slap!"
The whip cracked in the air, signaling the start of the first day of the equestrian open.
The competition that day was a show jumping demonstration, a traditional eight-minute event; the competition not only tested the tacit understanding between horse and rider, but also their speed and coordination.
As a result, many people found it laughable from the very beginning of the competition.
Exclamations and sobs followed.
Mu Ren had no time to spare; he could only hold the reins and accurately complete the task while relaying Bai Xue's instructions. Fortunately, the distance wasn't too far.
The first day of the competition went smoothly without any major incidents. After several rounds of competition, rankings were determined based on factors such as time, completion rate, and accuracy.
Mu Ren narrowly ranked seventh, just one point behind eighth place.
The 10-kilometer trail running race on the second day looked simple and easy, but it was not. Mu Ren had already discovered this the day before when he was familiarizing himself with the course.
Unlike the open tracks on the grasslands, Muren and many other competitors need to maintain a balance between speed and safety in a limited space.
The requirements here are even more stringent, but despite this, many athletes still manage to pass.
Mu Ren was on high alert, but managed to pass through without any major incidents.
The results for the day came out quickly, and he ranked third.
After the first two matches, Mu Ren knew that this time it probably wouldn't be so easy for him, but thinking that there was still one more match, he gritted his teeth and persevered.
Sure enough, after the third day of competition ended, the venue staff took stock.
The final results came out very quickly!
When Luo Yin received the long-distance call, she was stunned for a moment.
But she quickly reacted, "Hey, is that you, Second Brother?"
"Hello, is this Comrade Luo Yin from Wenrao Town, Huaizhou County, Xilingol League? This is Liang Ying, the director of Xilingol Ping'an Nursery. I don't know if you remember me."
Ping An Infant Care Center?
Liang Ying?
Luo Yin's heart skipped a beat; she vaguely recalled the scene in her mind.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
The woman on the other end of the microphone paused, seemingly sensing her nervousness, and her tone softened further.
"That's right. According to the records, your name should be Loin now, right? You were adopted by a herdsman named Bart."
"Yes, please tell me what you need to say." Her heart was pounding, but she still gripped the microphone cord tightly.
Someone nearby saw her expression and was immediately startled.
"Actually, not long ago, we received a call from the Shanghai Infant Care Center, requesting to find your existence. After investigation, we found that it was probably a request from your biological parents. After several twists and turns, we still managed to inform you of the news."
"Heh~"
"Dean Mama, is this why you came? I'm doing very well now, with a loving and happy family."
She seemed to take a few deep breaths into the microphone. "Yes, I understand, child. Don't worry, I'm just calling to let you know in advance." She lowered her voice a little. "I heard they're in a hurry over there, trying to find you. But you're not an adult yet, so it's fine until you get here. Don't worry."
"Okay, thank you, I understand."
When the call ended, Luo Yin was unusually surprised.
He returned to the classroom in a daze, and ran out as soon as get out of class ended that day, clearly out of sorts.
She didn't even eat lunch and went straight to the teacher to ask for leave.
Chen Lan looked at her and asked, "Why do you need to take leave? What happened?"
"Yes, teacher, my family called and I need to go back home."
"Hey, watch your condition, and come back quickly!"
After agreeing, Luo Yin rushed headlong towards the grassland, galloping wildly into the distance.
"Aa ...
She vented her emotions towards the blue sky and white clouds, roaring for a long time.
Once I had cleared my mind and felt at peace again, the sun was already setting.
"Giddy up! Giddy up!"
She changed direction and headed home along the mainland.
We should ask around about this and prepare in advance.
Luo Yin didn't believe that the family would contact her without a reason, and that they must have something to gain by being so confident.
When Luo Yin arrived home, her family was very surprised.
"Huahua, you're not on holiday? Why are you back?"
"Ahem, I came back early because I had some things to take care of."
Urina went to call Bart and urged him to come out and take a look. The two whispered for a while, and Bart came out quickly.
"Huahua, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Luo Yin sat down on the ground with a thud, looking dejected, and nodded.
He shook his head again and said, "I'm much better now, Dad!"
“Keep things to yourself,” Bart said suddenly after looking at it carefully.
"Yes, something disgusting suddenly happened to me, and I don't know what to do. It would be disgusting to tell you, but it would make me feel disgusted myself if I didn't." She summarized the situation simply, as if she were being childish.
Bart clearly hadn't expected to hear such a thing.
My mind, which had been wandering with wild thoughts in private, suddenly relaxed!
"Then it's alright. Now that you're back, get some rest and don't overthink it. Your uncle just happened to bring over a lot of mutton. I remember we still have some seasonings at home. Go and cut some red willow branches so we can roast mutton tonight."
"Really, the mutton is the best. My uncle is so kind. I'm going right now."
Luo Yin's favorite food is mutton, but it's often difficult to get.
Seeing her rushing out the door, Bart quickened his pace.
Luo Yin successfully cut a lot of branches from the woods to the east, and then wandered around the area a few times.
Swinging around and around, looking at the boundless grassland, one feels joyful for a long time.
On the way, they ran into Ani herding some lambs. "Ani, I'm back!"
Ani nodded and gestured to her.
The two men drove the livestock back to their pen as they walked.
We ate out that night, grilling meat skewers over an open-air bonfire.
Meat bone broth and flatbread had been simmering nearby for a long time.
Ani sipped his wine, watching Luo Yin skillfully flip the skewers and sprinkle seasonings on them from time to time.
"Yes, these are all edible. Annie, Dad, Mom, you should try them."
"Mmm, it really tastes like this, it smells amazing!"
"Huahua, your cooking skills are really good."
"Hehe, I think so too."
The group shared their meat skewers, chatting about recent events and changes around them. Luo Yin occasionally shared some gossip from school.
By the end of the meal, Luo Yin was already leaning against a small stool.
Every now and then, they would tend the fire and turn the food over to roast.
"Father, Mother, I, Muren, am back!!!"
Just then, another figure suddenly appeared from a distance.
"Hey, it's Second Brother!"
Luo Yin was the first to jump up, pointing at the huge, noisy black shadow in the distance.
Urina was equally excited and grabbed her, trying to run forward.
They stopped again quickly. "Huahua, bring the torch over here."
Luo Yin obediently ran back to get the torch, her figure growing closer.
"Swish~" When the fire was lit, it only provided some light to the surrounding area.
Mu Ren jumped off his horse and ran towards them.
Exhausted, Bai Xue stuck out her tongue and went to drink water.
"Ani, Dad and Mom, I'm finally back."
"Waaaaah, I'm finally back."
With tears welling up in his eyes, Muren hugged his father and started crying, wiping his face with tears and snot.
This left them all stunned, not reacting immediately.
"Cough cough cough, second brother, what's wrong?"
Luo Yin quickly shone a torch over his head, fearing that something might happen to him.
"Muren, stop crying. Tell me what happened."
Mu Ren raised his head, and his face was finally revealed to everyone.
She looked haggard and thin, with much less flesh on her cheeks.
"You've lost so much weight, my son! Sit down quickly, haven't you eaten anything? There's still some meat and bone broth in the pot."
Mu Ren wiped his face, looking at the concerned gazes of his family.
"I was starving. I didn't eat anything good on the way back. The journey was just too long."
He touched his stomach, looking quite aggrieved.
This made the group very distressed. Luo Yin followed her mother around, busying herself getting him food; even Ani gave up her seat for him, and Bart patted his shoulder with heartache.
The different ways people show their care and concern are reflected in this.
"Slurp, slurp!" The sounds of eating and drinking rang out.
Mu Ren quickly finished his two bowls of food, finally filling his stomach.
Then he began to recount what had happened, taking out a package from his back and handing over the shiny certificates and medals.
"Ahem, this is my third reward, along with some bonus certificates."
Wow, that's amazing!
"How much money is this?"
Mu Ren's dark face was burning, but he still pretended to be calm.
"Not much. That was third place in a single event. The other results weren't so good, and I only ranked fifth overall. All in all, it's less than five hundred yuan."
Wow, five hundred yuan? Isn't that a lot?
Loin's eyes sparkled; it truly lived up to its reputation as an aristocratic sport.
I never imagined the prize money for the competition would be so much.
The other three elders also didn't expect that they would actually make money from going out.
"Mom, take this. Dad, this is for you. Ani, take this." Mu Ren began to distribute small gifts one by one, all of which he had brought from the capital.
"Little sister, this is for you, the latest Hero brand fountain pen."
Looking at the elegant red design, Luo Yin's smile deepened.
"Thank you, Second Brother."
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