Liu Weimin and Liu Aiguo really didn't know what to say at this moment.
If we're talking about bad luck, the snake wasn't poisonous.
If you're talking about luck, I actually got bitten.
However, this kind of thing cannot be supported. We still need to give them a warning, in case someone gets envious and follows suit. This time it might be a fluke, but who can guarantee that they will be lucky again next time and encounter a non-venomous snake?
"Nonsense! Outrageous! Is that piece of meat more important, or your life?"
Chen Hongli looked up at Liu Weimin's face, but didn't dare to speak. Wang Hongmei pursed her lips to the side.
"Exactly! I was chasing after him perfectly fine, and then he had to come and snatch it away! Humph, this is karma!"
"And you too!"
Liu Weimin was furious, and saying anything now would be like walking into a trap.
"What's wrong with people these days? They don't know what they can and can't say anymore?"
"What about your awareness? Would you like me to take you to study some more?"
Wang Hongmei was only trying to be the fastest, and she was already terrified by the snake. After being scolded by Liu Weimin, her face turned pale and she swayed unsteadily.
Seeing this, Liu Weimin sighed and scanned the crowd.
"Everyone wants to eat meat, but shouldn't they first see if they have the ability to do so?"
So tell me, if you risk your life for a stutter, putting everything else aside, don't you feel aggrieved?
Will I die if I lose just one bite of meat?
You are all educated people, can't you tell which is more important?
Chen Hongli now felt a lingering fear; what if it was a poisonous snake?
Liu Weimin's voice continued to ring in my ears.
"I'm not trying to scare you, but our mountains have been here for generations. The border is right there. Nobody knows how many poisonous things are on these mountains. A few years ago, someone went up the mountain and got bitten by a snake. Forget about going to the hospital, he died as soon as he got down the mountain."
The older generation all know this. If you don't believe me, you can go to the village and ask around. Why do you think that, despite being surrounded by such a big mountain, everyone would rather go hungry than go into it?
Last year, last spring, Dazhuzi from the village, who is the son of my second aunt who lives not far from my house, was also forced to go into the deep mountains. To this day, he has been nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead.
Think about it yourselves.
Since we're on the topic, and there's a group of educated youth gathered around, after thinking for a moment, he continued,
“I know some of you are probably thinking, why can others go up the mountain so easily, but we can't? Is this discrimination against us educated youth?”
I'm not afraid to tell you, there are these little trinkets on the mountain, and quite a lot of them. There are definitely many good things in the mountains.
However, even with the drought last year, no one thought of going into the mountains. There was still hope at the foot of the mountain, but going into the mountains would be a desperate gamble. No one would take that step unless it was the last resort and there was absolutely no hope left.
Think about it, why?
To put it another way, we know this land and these mountains far better than you do. We guard such a treasure trove, yet we'd rather starve than venture in; we only dare to stay on the outskirts. Why? There must be a reason, right?
Silence fell.
The villagers thought about Dazhuzi, the drought of last year, the hardships they had endured, and their loved ones who had almost starved to death. In a short while, most of them had tears in their eyes.
It's only been a year, but the memory is still fresh.
The few people outside didn't try to squeeze in; they just listened quietly.
Jian Dan was also reflecting on her behavior during this period, wondering if she had gone too far or been too unrestrained. After all, the persona she wanted to create was that of a lazy, low-key person who was strong but still growing.
The villagers must remember her kindness over the years, but it will only fade over time. Fortunately, thanks to the kindness she received last year, she has managed to establish herself here. In the future, she just needs to work hard in the direction she has set for herself and create the perfect persona in her mind.
Liu Weimin knew he was making a fuss over nothing today, but it wasn't just the educated youth, but also the villagers. In the few days since the mountain was closed, it was obvious that he had become a bit arrogant. After only a few days of peace, he thought the whole mountain had become his own backyard.
Seeing everyone's expressions, he finally felt relieved of the frustration in his chest.
Seeing this, Liu Aiguo knew he had finished speaking. He waited a few more minutes before stepping forward and speaking slowly.
"Don't think this is just scaremongering. Let me be frank with you: if something happens to you in the mountains, no one in the village has the ability to rescue you, especially in the deep mountains."
Of course, if something really happens, it's impossible not to help, but it doesn't stop him from using it to intimidate those who are eager to go up the mountain. He just doesn't understand. The situation outside is so severe. People who go to the countryside naturally have their own reasons and difficulties, but since they've already come, why are you still making trouble? Do you have to give people something to hold against you?
If you have the ability, like Xiao Jian, who dares to go up the mountain and can guarantee her safety, then go ahead and wander all over the mountain without anyone stopping you.
But you say you don't have the ability, yet you're still envious. You even managed to scare a snake away while catching a pheasant, almost scaring yourself to death. Frankly, what can you possibly do? Going up the mountain like that is just like delivering vegetables to someone else.
Seeing that everyone was no longer as nonchalant as before, Liu Aiguo softened his tone.
"It's getting late, let's pack up and get ready to go down the mountain. The harvest this year has been good. We discussed it and decided to go back and rest for a bit before distributing the grain. Everyone can start preparing for winter."
After a year of hard work, it's time for a rest.
For farmers, the best news is nothing more than grain. Although they know that the grain will eventually be distributed to them, they are still extremely excited when they hear the news, and their sadness just now is swept away.
"The grain is going to be distributed? That's great! That's great!"
With this excitement keeping me going, I wasn't tired at all on the way back.
A few simple people would come up with the main group every day, but they would slip away halfway and quietly sweep up everything around them. Chestnuts, hazelnuts, and walnuts were the main mountain products. Needless to say, they also collected a lot of pine nuts and even a small amount of melon seeds, all of which were wild and growing. It would be a waste not to collect them.
They took the opportunity to collect the wild grapes, small apples, and plums they had found earlier. The two boys were also very helpful, making several trips up and down the mountain almost every day. In the end, they even went to the secret base and caught several big fish before finally going down the mountain with the rest of the group.
It's not that they're detached from the community or don't fit in; it's just that there are only so many trees in the village, and so many people. Even picking up things is a race against time, so how could they possibly get anything?
So the group reached a consensus and decided to take a deceptive approach, bypassing them and collecting their belongings first. They could come back to retrieve them another day when they had the chance. They were quite adept at navigating the mountains now, and as long as they didn't encounter any large wild animals, they could overcome any safety concerns.
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