"Da da da, da da da, da da da—"
The old tractor was driving on the bumpy dirt road. Su Ling, who was sitting in the trailer at the back, was almost vomiting from the bumps. The four suitcases were tilted all over the place, and the surface was covered with scratches and dust.
The driver sitting in the front, skillfully steering the tractor, turned around and shouted, "Young man, Xishi Village is just ahead."
The Mandarin was mixed with dialect, and coupled with the tractor's voice, Su Ling had difficulty understanding it. He roughly guessed the meaning, stretched his neck, tilted his head, and looked forward.
At the end of the bumpy dirt road is a continuous mountain, and a small village can be vaguely seen at the foot of the mountain.
Is that the Xishi Village where my second grandfather lived all his life?
Su Ling thought the countryside was remote and backward, but he didn't expect it to be so remote and backward.
After handing over the inheritance-related documents and certificates at the law firm in H City, Lawyer Zhang enthusiastically drove him to Liuxian Town.
Su Ling was very grateful and treated him to a simple meal at a restaurant in town. Afterwards, Lawyer Zhang left early for something, and he had to find a way to get to Xishi Village on his own.
However, Su Ling was a little overwhelmed as he was unfamiliar with the place and had to drag four large suitcases.
Seeing that he was in trouble, the restaurant owner showed him a way.
"Xishi Village is ten kilometers from our town. You can take a bus or taxi to Liuhou Pavilion and then walk a short distance to get there."
Su Ling thanked the boss, stopped a taxi at the restaurant door, stuffed the four boxes in, and introduced Liu Houting to the driver.
The taxi driver was full of curiosity about this handsome and fashionably dressed young man from another place. He asked him all kinds of questions and talked endlessly.
Su Ling didn't want to answer. He smiled politely and pretended that he didn't understand his harsh Mandarin. The driver had no choice but to shut up awkwardly.
When they arrived at Liu Houting and got off the taxi, Su Ling was dumbfounded.
What did the restaurant owner say? It's just a short walk from Liuhou Pavilion to Xishi Village.
Is that a road?
That's clearly a very long road!
A long road stretched through the endless fields, with no end in sight. Perhaps it had rained yesterday, and the entire road was muddy and uneven. He couldn't walk at all while dragging four suitcases.
Just when he was at a loss, a tractor with a trailer passed by and the driver kindly gave him a ride.
The "clacking" noise along the way made my ears tinnitus, and my butt was numb from the shaking.
Finally - the tractor stalled under the big banyan tree at the entrance of the village, and the world became quiet!
"Young man, this is Xishi Village." Old Liu got off the tractor and said in a loud voice.
Su Ling pressed his stomach with one hand and covered his mouth with the other, and climbed down with a pale face.
The driver, Old Liu, pulled a candy from his pocket and handed it to him with a smile. "It's like this for your first time riding a tractor. Here, have a candy to calm your nerves."
Su Ling looked at the rough, dark hand in front of him and weakly took the candy. "Thank you."
I peeled off the candy coating and put the candy into my mouth. The tip of my tongue tasted the sour and sweet taste. I swallowed twice, and my stomach was miraculously soothed and the feeling of vomiting gradually disappeared.
After recovering, he stood on the cracked concrete floor and looked up. The whole picture of Xishi Village came into view.
This is an ancient village.
The giant banyan tree was lush and dense, with many fibrous roots hanging down. The exposed roots were like coiled dragons, crisscrossing each other. Surrounding it was a large open space where some grains, herbs, dried fruits, quilts, clothes and sheets were dried.
Across the clearing, a one-meter-wide gravel path ran. To the left of the path was the river, and to the right were houses, old and new, red brick, stone, scattered in a chaotic pattern. Some of these houses were close together, some separated by large fields, some were isolated at the foot of the mountain, and some were built on the mountain, hidden in the woods.
Chickens, ducks, and geese can be seen everywhere, local dogs chase each other happily, wild cats lazily bask in the sun, and children squat in groups on the ground playing marbles. Smoke curls from cooking fires, surrounded by green shade, and fields filled with lush green rice seedlings. In the distance, a vast expanse of golden rapeseed fields forms a beautiful natural landscape that brings joy to the mind.
He never knew that there was such a pristine village in the country. If Lao Liu hadn't hung a mobile phone on his chest, he would have suspected that there was no WIFI here.
"Young man, are you coming to Xishi Village to visit relatives or to experience farm life?" Old Liu asked curiously.
Su Ling retracted his gaze and looked at the tall and strong middle-aged uncle, and said in a gentle and elegant manner: "I want to stay here for a while."
Old Liu was surprised and couldn't help but look him up and down. This young man was fair and tender, handsome, and looked like a pampered city dweller. Why would he be so careless as to come to the backward and poor countryside?
As soon as the young people in the village graduate from junior high school, they wish they could grow wings and fly to the city and never come back. But this young man did the opposite and came to the countryside alone. Is there something wrong with his brain?
Receiving Old Liu's strange look, Su Ling's face flushed slightly as he explained, "My second grandfather is from Xishi Village. I inherited his estate, so I came here to take a look..."
"Ah, inheritance? Your second grandfather is..." Old Liu tilted his head and thought, then suddenly realized, "Second Master Su, are you a relative of Second Master Su?"
Who is Mr. Su?
Everyone in Xishi Village knows his name.
Second Master Su, whose real name was Su Lan, a rather poetic name, died at the age of seventy-five. He lived in the old Su family mansion at the foot of Phoenix Mountain, east of Xishi Village. The mansion is said to be five hundred years old and has survived to this day, perfectly preserved. Sixty years ago, the eldest son of the Su family made a fortune in City S and moved his family to the big city, but Second Master Su refused to leave, remaining in the village to guard the old mansion. Two months ago, he passed away from illness, leaving behind a legacy entrusted to a law firm in City H.
Mr. Su Erye never married and had no children. His estate should have been inherited by the descendants of Mr. Su Lao Da. Unexpectedly, the stranger who came today was the younger generation of Mr. Su Lao Da.
Su Ling nodded in agreement.
It was only after contacting Lawyer Liu today that he learned about his second grandfather's life story.
My second grandfather lived in Xishi Village all his life and made a living by farming. At the age of 55, he used his life savings to contract Fenghuang Mountain for 70 years. He didn't think of going to the city to enjoy the money he earned, but instead renovated and expanded the Su family's old house. Two months ago, he suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. Before he fell into a coma, he called Lawyer Liu, made a will, and arranged his funeral affairs. He finally passed away peacefully.
He was not married and had no children. The inheritance he left to Su Ling might be related to the fact that he had been here as a child.
That year, Su Ling was six years old. When he was passing through H City with his father, his father remembered that he had a relative in the countryside, and on a whim, he took Su Ling to Xishi Village to visit his second grandfather.
Su Ling was young at the time and his memory of that period was very vague. Not only did he forget what his second grandfather looked like, he also forgot the location of the old house.
He asked Old Liu, who pointed to the east and said, "The Su family's old house is at the east end of the village. There's only a small road leading there, and a tractor can't drive in. Young man, you have to go there by yourself."
Su Ling looked at the four heavy suitcases, then at the narrow gravel path, and couldn't help but pursed his lips.
If he had known that there wasn't even a decent road in the countryside, he would have tried to reduce his luggage and packed it into one box for easy carrying.
Now, how is he supposed to drag the four big boxes to the ancestral home?
Seeing that he was in trouble, Old Liu enthusiastically thought of a solution for him.
"Wait a minute, I'll find you a kid and ask him to help you."
"Then... thank you for your help." Su Ling said gratefully.
Old Liu walked towards the group of curious children not far away and said a few words to one of them, who was about thirteen or fourteen years old. The boy nodded and ran away. After a while, the boy came back.
"Moo—"
A strong yellow ox came over, driven by the young man.
Su Ling slightly widened her beautiful eyes, staring in surprise at the ox slowly approaching the tractor. Old Liu patted the boy's shoulder and said with a smile, "Young man, this kid is Li Dahai. His ox can help you carry the box over. Just follow him."
Su Ling looked at Li Dahai, and Li Dahai also looked at Su Ling. The two of them stared at each other, looking at each other curiously.
With the help of Lao Liu, four large boxes were tied with hemp ropes and hung on the back of the yellow ox. Li Dahai walked in front holding the ropes, and Su Ling stepped onto the muddy gravel road and followed the ox's buttocks towards the Su family's old house.
The Su family's old house exists independently in Xishi Village. From the entrance of the village, walk east along the gravel road, cross the stream, pass through two acres of fields, and reach the foot of Fenghuang Mountain, where you will see a row of green tiles and white walls.
Little Li Dahai pointed at the white wall and said, "That's Grandpa Su's house."
Su Ling looked in the direction he pointed and found that it was the wall of a classical garden. It might have been repaired. The wall was painted snow-white and the glazed green tiles sparkled in the sunlight.
Is it actually a Jiangnan-style garden?
"Have you been here before?" he asked Li Dahai.
"I've been here!" Li Dahai said. "Grandpa Su is a very nice person. He allows us to play in the garden and never scolds us when we break things."
The two of them walked along and chatted a lot. Li Dahai was a little shy at first, but when he found that Su Ling was different from other city people and looked at him with neither disgust nor contempt, he couldn't help but open up.
The boy was innocent and simple, and Su Ling found out about his family situation in just a few words.
Li Dahai is a left-behind child. His parents work away from home and haven't been home for years, so he lives with his grandparents. He has only a junior high school diploma and is malnourished. He looks like 13 or 14, but he's actually 15. When asked why he doesn't continue to high school, he mumbles that he doesn't miss school and just wants to help his grandparents with farm work as soon as possible.
The boy's eyes were wandering and his face was flushed. It was obvious that he was not good at lying.
Su Ling had no interest in prying into other people's privacy. Since the boy was unwilling to talk, he didn't ask any more questions. The topic turned to his second grandfather. Li Dahai breathed a sigh of relief and answered actively.
Thus, the outline of Second Grandfather gradually emerged in Su Ling's mind.
My second grandfather liked to wear kung fu clothes and practice Tai Chi under the banyan tree at the entrance of the village every morning. He often had candies in his pockets and shared them with the children in the village. During the busy farming season, he would wear old clothes, wear a straw hat, carry a hoe, and go to the fields to work quickly and efficiently.
When they arrived at the gate, Li Dahai tied the ox to the wooden stake next to it, and the two of them took down the suitcase and put it on the ground. Su Ling took out a bunch of keys given to him by the lawyer from his small bag, tried a few, and opened the lock.
He pushed open the door curiously, and a lush green meadow came into view.
Spring is a good season for the growth of plants. After two months of no one living here, the yard is overgrown with weeds and wild flowers, full of the breath of nature.
"Let's go in and take a look together?" Su Ling turned around and asked Li Dahai.
Li Dahai hesitated: "Is it okay?"
Su Ling smiled and said, "Of course. This will be my home from now on. You are welcome to come and play anytime."
"Yes!" Li Dahai nodded happily and helped carry the suitcases. Although he looked thin, he was very strong due to his constant work. He easily lifted the two large suitcases and walked in excitedly.
Su Ling struggled to carry the other two boxes and stepped over the high threshold with difficulty.
After entering the door, the whole house can be seen at a glance.
The courtyard is divided into two parts by a one-meter-wide bluestone path. On the left are grass, trees and ornamental stones, and on the right is a pond full of water lilies, with corridors and pavilions beside the pond. At the end of the bluestone path is an antique two-story building with brightly painted pillars, new glazed tiles and white walls.
Compared with the short and old houses in Xishi Village, the old house of the Su family is simply a villa-level mansion. The entire courtyard is full of the elegance of Jiangnan gardens and is a favorite place for literati and poets.
It seems that my second grandfather is not a pure farmer, but a hermit living in the countryside.
Since Li Dahai was a frequent visitor, Su Ling asked him to take him to familiarize himself with the environment.
"The main hall is right after you enter the house. Grandpa Su likes to sit here and drink tea." Li Dahai explained as he walked. "This is the study. Grandpa Su often writes and paints here."
Su Ling saw the bookshelf and pulled out a book at random. It turned out to be a book on vegetable cultivation. He flipped through two pages and put it back in its place. In front of the window of the study was a long desk with writing brushes, inkstones, and paper.
After looking at the study, Li Dahai led him to the right side of the main hall. "This is the dining room, connected to the kitchen."
There is only an octagonal table and four long benches in the restaurant. Perhaps due to age, the edges and corners are a little worn.
"Grandpa Su said that this set of tables and chairs was passed down from our ancestors, and the material is yellow flower... yellow flower..." What was yellow flower? Li Dahai couldn't remember it for a moment and slapped his forehead in frustration.
"Huanghuali wood." Su Ling said.
"Yes! Huanghuali wood!" Li Dahai clapped his hands.
Su Ling stretched out his slender fingers and lightly stroked the table, wiping away a bit of dust.
"It's an antique!" he whispered.
Huanghuali wood, also known as Dalbergia odorifera or Hainan Dalbergia odorifera, has a yellowish color and fine texture. It is often used in hardwood furniture and was loved by craftsmen in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The Su family’s ancestors must have been a wealthy family, as they would have passed down such a set of antique tables and chairs.
There was nothing new in the kitchen, just a typical rural earthen stove and a vertical cabinet against the wall, with various farm tools and bamboo baskets neatly stacked in the corner.
The back door of the kitchen leads to the backyard, where there is a well, a vegetable patch invaded by weeds, and a separate cottage.
"What's in that room?" Su Ling asked.
Li Dahai shook his head: "I don't know."
Su Ling was very curious. He took out the key and tried it on the lock five times. With a "click", the sixth key successfully opened the lock.
“Aa ...
The door was pushed open, and rows of ancient tablets appeared before his eyes. Su Ling opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Li Dahai took a look, let out a light cry, and quickly stepped back.
These are the tablets and incense burners of the Su family’s ancestors!
Su Ling's throat tightened. It was the first time he saw so many tablets, and his back felt cold. He bowed respectfully, quietly left, quickly closed the door, and locked it.
Li Dahai looked up at him with a frightened face. Su Ling touched his head and comforted him: "It's okay, the ancestors of the Su family will not blame us."
"Hey, is anyone here?"
Suddenly, a shrill female voice sounded behind them, frightening Su Ling and Li Dahai.
"Huh? What's wrong with you?" A middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties poked her head out of the kitchen. She had a round face, thin eyes, a smiling face, and was very amiable.
"Aunt Zhang! You scared me to death!" Li Dahai patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
Aunt Zhang was puzzled: "Why are you so scared in broad daylight?"
Su Ling took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
I just looked at a row of ancestral tablets and felt a chill in my heart. Suddenly, a voice came out, and I was naturally scared.
"You're Mr. Su's grandson, right?" Aunt Zhang approached familiarly and asked, "You're so handsome!"
Su Ling said politely: "Hello, I am Su Ling."
Aunt Zhang nodded repeatedly: "Hello! Hello! My last name is Zhang. You can just call me Aunt Zhang like the sea."
Lidya Su readily agreed. "Okay, Aunt Zhang."
Aunt Zhang had never seen such a handsome and polite city dweller, and the smile on her face became even brighter.
"Um...Xiao Su, can I call you Xiao Su?" Seeing Su Ling nod, Aunt Zhang continued, "I just ran into Old Liu in the village. He heard him say that Master Su's grandson had arrived, so I came over to see him."
Su Ling waited patiently for her to explain her purpose.
"Oh, it's nothing..." Aunt Zhang said shamelessly, "Before Mr. Su passed away, I was helping clean the house here, earning 600 yuan a month. If Xiao Su doesn't mind, you can continue to employ me, even 500 yuan is fine!"
Jobs are hard to find in rural areas. Aunt Zhang had worked at the Su family's old house for over a decade, and her salary had risen from 200 yuan to 600 yuan per month, much to the envy of others. Then, Second Master Su left without a word, leaving Aunt Zhang without a job. After two months of waiting for Second Master Su's grandson to arrive, she rushed over today upon hearing the news, fearing her job would be snatched away by someone else.
Su Ling frowned slightly and looked at Li Dahai, who blinked smartly.
After receiving Li Dahai's affirmation, Su Ling smiled and said to Aunt Zhang: "Then I'll trouble you, Aunt Zhang. The salary is the same as before, 600."
He was worrying about how to clean up such a big yard and such a big house, and then someone came to help him solve the problem.
"That's great!" Aunt Zhang beamed. She had said that Mr. Su's grandson was just as kindhearted as he was. Her old man had advised her not to embarrass herself, but luckily she had been thick-skinned enough to ask for the job.
Aunt Zhang is a hardworking person. She rolled up her sleeves and started working.
Seeing that it was getting late, Su Ling asked Aunt Zhang to clean the main house first and deal with the weeds in the front and back yards tomorrow.
Fortunately, although the old house is quaint, it has water and electricity.
Aunt Zhang was busy until seven or eight in the evening. After cleaning the main house, she went home with Li Dahai, leaving Su Ling sitting alone at the eight-immortal table in the restaurant, eating instant noodles with a frown on his face.
"Tick-tock, tick-tock—"
The phone on the table rang. Su Ling saw the jumping WeChat video and pointed with his finger. In an instant, Lin Zhou's handsome face occupied the entire screen.
"Hi~~Xiao Ling~" he waved.
Su Ling held a piece of instant noodles in his mouth and pointed his phone at himself.
"...What are you eating?" Lin Zhou widened his eyes.
Su Ling sucked the instant noodles into his mouth, chewed and swallowed.
"Instant noodles," he said.
"Instant noodles? Instant noodles! Instant noodles—" Lin Zhou screamed in horror, "You, Master Su, have been in the countryside for less than a day and you're reduced to eating instant noodles???"
Su Ling moved the phone away a little and said helplessly: "It's good enough that we can find something to eat."
There was only one small shop in the entire Xishi Village, which sold everything. Su Ling spent a hundred yuan to buy some daily necessities and instant noodles, which was barely enough to get by.
Lin Zhou felt sad for him. He didn't live in the city but went to the countryside, only to have a bowl of instant noodles for dinner!
"Can't we order takeout?" he asked.
Su Ling: "Takeout? No!"
Xishi Village is just a small, backward and isolated village. There is no express delivery, let alone takeout?
"This is so pitiful! So pitiful!" Lin Zhou pulled out a tissue and wiped the invisible tears from the corners of his eyes.
Su Ling laughed unhappily: "That's enough."
Lin Zhou coughed twice, regained his composure, and said seriously, "Su Ling, Lin Feng called me."
Su Ling was startled, and the plastic fork in his hand fell into the instant noodle bucket.
The author has something to say: PS: This is a fictional world. Don’t ask me if there is such a village in reality. I don’t know either. In the novel, if I say there is, then there is~~^ ^
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