"Tuck, tick, tick, tick—"

The old tractor was driving on the bumpy dirt road. Su Ling, who was sitting in the tractor at the back, was almost vomiting from the bumps. The four suitcases were tilted all over the place, and the surfaces were covered with scratches and dust.

The driver sitting in the front drove the tractor skillfully and turned back to shout loudly: "Young man, Xishi Village is ahead."

Su Ling had difficulty understanding the Mandarin mixed with dialect and the tractor-like voice. He roughly guessed the meaning, stretched his neck, raised his head, and looked forward.

At the end of the bumpy dirt road is an endless mountain, at the foot of which a small village can be vaguely seen.

Is that the Xishi Village where the second grandfather lived his whole life?

Su Ling had thought that the countryside was remote and backward, but he had never imagined it would 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 quick meal at a restaurant in the 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 away 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, hailed a taxi at the door of the restaurant, stuffed the four boxes into it, and reported Liu Houting to the driver.

The taxi driver was full of curiosity about this handsome, fashionably dressed young man from another country. He asked him all kinds of questions and talked nonstop.

Su Ling didn't want to answer. He smiled politely and pretended that he didn't understand his slurred Mandarin. The driver had no choice but to shut up awkwardly.

When they arrived at Liuhouting and got off the taxi, Su Ling was dumbfounded.

What did the restaurant owner say? If we walk a little further from Liuhou Pavilion, we will reach Xishi Village?

Is that a road?

That's clearly a long, long road!

The long road went through endless fields with no end in sight. Perhaps it had rained yesterday, the entire road was muddy and uneven, and he couldn't walk at all while dragging four suitcases.

Just when he was at a loss, a tractor with a tractor passed by and the driver enthusiastically gave him a ride.

The "clacking" noise along the way was so deafening that my ears rang and my butt was numb from the shaking.

Finally - the tractor shut down 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, Lao Liu, took out a candy from his pocket and handed it to him with a smile. "It's the first time you ride a tractor. Come on, eat a candy to relieve your surprise."

Su Ling looked at the rough, dark hand in front of him and weakly took the candy. "Thank you."

I peeled off the sugar coating and put the candy into my mouth. The tip of my tongue tasted the sour and sweet taste. I swallowed my saliva twice, and my stomach was miraculously soothed and the feeling of vomiting gradually disappeared.

After recovering from the shock, he stood on the cracked concrete floor and looked up. The whole view of Xishi Village came into view.

This is an ancient village.

The huge banyan tree was lush and dense, with many fibrous roots hanging down. The exposed roots were like a coiled dragon, crisscrossing vertically and horizontally. There was a large open space around it, where some grains, herbs, dried fruits, quilts, clothes and sheets were dried.

Across the open space, there is a one-meter-wide gravel path. On the left side of the path is the river, and on the right side are houses, new and old, red brick, stone, in a disorderly manner. Some of these houses are close together, some are separated by a large field, some are lonely at the foot of the mountain, and some are built on the mountain and hidden in the forest.

Chickens, ducks and geese can be seen everywhere, local dogs chase each other happily, wild cats bask in the sun lazily, and children squat on the ground in groups of three or five to play marbles. Smoke from cooking rises, green shadows surround, and the fields are full of green rice seedlings. In the distance, a large field of golden rapeseed flowers forms a beautiful natural picture that makes people feel happy.

He never knew there was such a pristine village in the country. If Old Liu hadn't had a cell phone hanging 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, looked at the tall and strong middle-aged man, and said in a gentle and elegant manner: "I will stay here for a while."

Old Liu was surprised and could not help but look him up and down. This young man was fair and pretty, a perfect example of a well-fed city dweller, why would he be so careless as to come to the backward and poor countryside?

The young people in the village, as soon as they graduate from junior high school, wish they could grow a pair of 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 inheritance, so I came to take a look..."

"Ah, inheritance? Your Second Grandfather is..." Old Liu tilted his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Second Grandfather Su, are you a relative of Second Grandfather Su?"

Who is Mr. Su?

Everyone in Xishi Village knows his name.

Second Master Su's real name is Su Lan, a poetic name. He is 75 years old and lives in the old Su family house at the foot of Fenghuang Mountain in the east of Xishi Village. It is said that the old Su family house has a history of 500 years and has been handed down to this day and is well preserved. Sixty years ago, the eldest son of the Su family made a fortune in S City and moved his family to a big city, but Second Master Su was unwilling to leave and stayed in the village to guard the old house. Two months ago, he died of illness and left a legacy, which was entrusted to a law firm in H City.

Mr. Su Erye never married and had no children. His inheritance should have been inherited by Mr. Su Laoda's descendants. Unexpectedly, the stranger who came today was the youngest of Mr. Su Laoda.

Su Ling nodded in agreement.

It was only after he contacted Lawyer Liu today that he learned about the life story of his second grandfather.

The 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 Phoenix Mountain for 70 years. He did not think of living in the city with 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 never married and had no children, and the inheritance he left to Su Ling might have been 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, so he took Su Ling to Xishi Village to visit his second grandfather on a whim.

As he was young at that time, Su Ling had a very vague memory of that period. 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 is only one small road leading there, and the 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 her lips.

If he had known that there wasn't even a decent road in the countryside, he would have tried hard to reduce his luggage and packed it into one box for easy carrying.

Now, how is he going to drag the four large 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 let him 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 a boy 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 his beautiful eyes and stared in amazement at the ox that slowly came to the tractor. Old Liu patted the boy on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Young man, this kid is called 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 Old Liu, four large boxes were tied with hemp ropes and hung on the back of the ox. Li Dahai walked in front, holding the rope, and Su Ling stepped onto the muddy gravel road, following behind the ox's butt, and walked towards the Su family's old house.

The Su family's old house stands alone in Xishi Village. From the entrance of the village, walk eastward along the gravel road, cross the stream, pass through two acres of fields, and arrive at the foot of Phoenix 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 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 allowed us to play in the garden and never scolded us when we broke things."

The two walked along the way and talked a lot. At first, Li Dahai was a little shy, but when he found that Su Ling was different from other people in the city and looked at him with neither disgust nor contempt, he couldn't help but open up the conversation.

The boy was innocent and simple-minded, 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 have not been home for many years. He lives with his grandparents. He has a junior high school diploma and is malnourished. He looks like 13 or 14 years old, but he is actually 15. When asked why he didn't continue to high school, he mumbled that he didn't miss it and just wanted to help his grandparents with farm work as soon as possible.

The boy's eyes were wandering and his face was red. It was obvious that he was not good at lying.

Su Ling had no hobby of prying into other people's privacy. Since the boy didn't want to talk about it, he didn't ask any more questions. The topic turned to the second grandfather. Li Dahai breathed a sigh of relief and answered positively.

Thus, the outline of the second grandfather gradually emerged in Su Ling's mind.

The 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 carried candies in his pocket and distributed them to the children in the village. During the busy farming season, he would wear old clothes, a straw hat, carry a hoe, and go to the fields to work quickly and efficiently.

Arriving at the gate, Li Dahai tied the scalper 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 finally opened the lock.

He pushed open the door curiously, and a green meadow came into view.

Spring is a good season for the growth of plants and trees. Since no one has lived here for two months, the yard is overgrown with weeds and wild flowers, and is 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 to carry the suitcases. Although he looked thin, he was very strong due to frequent 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 view of the house can be seen at a glance.

The courtyard is divided into two parts by a one-meter-wide bluestone path. On the left is grass, trees and viewing rocks, and on the right is a pond full of water lilies, with corridors and waterside 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 low 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 the second master 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 picked up a book at random. It turned out to be a book on vegetable cultivation. He flipped through two pages and put it back. There was a long desk in front of the study window, with pens, ink, paper and inkstone.

After looking at the study, Li Dahai took him to the right side of the main hall. "This is the restaurant, connected to the kitchen."

There is only an octagonal table and four benches in the restaurant. Perhaps due to its 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 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 tabletop, wiping away a pinch of dust.

"It's an antique!" he whispered.

Huanghuali wood, also known as Dalbergia odorifera or Hainan Dalbergia, 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 must have been a wealthy family to 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, so he took out the key and tried five keys on the lock. With a "click", the sixth key successfully opened the lock.

“Aaaaa——”

The door was pushed open, and rows of ancient tablets appeared before his eyes. Su Ling widened his eyes in surprise.

Li Dahai poked his head out to take a look, let out a soft 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 he felt a chill down his spine. He bowed respectfully, walked out silently, 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 won't blame us."

"Hey, is he here?"

Suddenly, a shrill woman's 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, small eyes, a smiling look, and was very amiable.

"Auntie Zhang! You scared me to death!" Li Dahai patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

Aunt Zhang was puzzled: "It's broad daylight, why are you scared?"

Su Ling took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

I had just looked at a row of ancestral tablets and felt a chill in my heart. Suddenly, a voice came out and I was naturally startled.

"You are the grandson of Master Su, right?" Aunt Zhang came over and asked familiarly, "You are 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 Dahai does."

Su Ling 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, and he told me that Master Su's grandson had arrived, so I came to take a look."

Su Ling waited patiently for her to explain her purpose.

"Oh, it's nothing..." Aunt Zhang said shamelessly, "Before Second Master Su passed away, I was helping to clean the house here, earning 600 yuan a month. If Xiao Su doesn't mind, you can continue to employ me, even if you pay me 500 yuan!"

It is hard to find a job in the countryside. Aunt Zhang worked in the old house of the Su family for more than ten years. Her salary increased from 200 yuan per month to 600 yuan. Others were very jealous. But then Second Master Su left without a job. Aunt Zhang was out of work. After two months of waiting, Second Master Su's grandson was born. When she heard the news today, she rushed over in a hurry, fearing that the job would be taken by someone else.

Su Ling frowned 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 yuan."

He was worrying about how to deal with such a big yard and such a big house, and then someone came to help him solve the problem.

"That's great!" Aunt Zhang smiled. She said that Su Erye's grandson was as kind-hearted as him. Her old man advised her not to make trouble for herself. Fortunately, she was 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 leave the weeds in the front and back yards for tomorrow.

Fortunately, although the old house is quaint, it has water and electricity.

They were busy until seven or eight in the evening. After cleaning the main house, Aunt Zhang went home with Li Dahai, leaving Su Ling alone sitting at the eight-immortals table in the restaurant, eating instant noodles with a frown on his face.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock—"

The mobile phone on the table rang. Su Ling saw the WeChat video jumping up and down. With a tap of his finger, Lin Zhou's handsome face instantly occupied the entire screen.

"Hi~~Xiao Ling~" He waved.

Su Ling held a bowl 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 them and swallowed them.

"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've fallen to the point of eating instant noodles???"

Su Ling put the phone away a little and said helplessly: "It's good to be able to find something to eat."

There is only one small shop in the whole Xishi Village, which sells everything. Su Ling spent 100 yuan to buy some daily necessities and instant noodles, which was barely enough to make ends meet.

Lin Zhou felt very sad for him. He didn't want to live in the city but had to go 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 rural village. It doesn’t even have express delivery, let alone take-out?

"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, recovered, and said seriously: "Su Ling, Lu Feng called me."

Su Ling was startled and the plastic fork in his hand fell into the instant noodle bucket.

Author's words: 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, there is~~^ ^