Chapter 229 Spiritual Emptiness
"Mom, Happy New Year."
After a while, Lin's father, Lin's mother and others came over and greeted the old lady with a smile.
Seeing so many people coming up, the old man was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling, and he kept talking to a few people.
Lin Heng and Xiulan gave up their seats and went outside to take a look.
Except for the inconvenient transportation, everything else about this place is good, with beautiful scenery and beautiful environment. Standing in the courtyard, you can see the beautiful scenery below the mountain.
Lin Heng first went to the pen to take a look at the sheep raised by his third uncle. There were more than a dozen of them. His third uncle started by raising a ewe, and it took him six or seven years to grow to its current size. It was his entire life’s investment.
"Look, this is the muntjac we hunted. It's over 40 kilograms and quite fat."
When Lin Heng's uncle saw him coming, he smiled and took out the deer meat.
After the suede skin is peeled, the meat is bright red and very tempting.
Lin Heng gave a thumbs up: "Great, where did you fight?"
Lu Honggang grinned and said, "On the beam opposite, we suddenly heard a muntjac calling a few days ago. Later we found out that this guy was eating wheat seedlings. We waited for two days and shot him down with one shot."
After swallowing, he continued, "I'll ask your mother to help make it later. Your uncle and I are not very skilled. You can take some when you leave."
"That's not necessary. I've killed a lot of wild boars this year and I can't finish all the meat." Lin Heng said with a smile.
Then he pointed to the Jerusalem artichokes piled up in the room and said, "I'll just take some of this. I like to eat this."
Jerusalem artichokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, look like ginger and have a very good crisp and sweet taste. Lin Heng's family didn't grow them, but his third uncle's family did.
"You can take as much of this as you want." Lu Honggang said with a smile.
"Okay then." Lin Heng nodded.
Lin Heng had eaten a lot of Jerusalem artichokes when he was a child, and his favorite was to soak them like bamboo shoots. His family hasn't planted them in recent years, and he still misses them a little.
Sitting down in the living room with a charcoal fire in front, Lin Heng talked about hunting with his uncles.
When the two heard about Lin Heng’s harvest from his last trip up the mountain, they showed incredible expressions and thought it was simply amazing.
While processing the bacon, Lu Honghai looked at Lin Heng and said, "Lin Heng, you have a car. We can go to Changping County to look for black bears if we have a chance. I heard that there are still many black bears in the mountains to the northwest. If we can kill one, we will make a fortune."
As a hunter, there is no one who doesn't want to hunt bears and tigers. I am very interested in these large beasts.
Lin Heng agreed without hesitation: "Then let's find a suitable time to go over and give it a try."
There are only a few kinds of prey in the mountains that he has not yet unlocked, especially after killing so many wild boars, which makes him feel like challenging.
Also, these days, it's not illegal to make these things, so naturally you want to get more, and keep them at home so you don't have to worry even if legislation protects them in the future.
The issuance does not have retroactive effect, so as long as you don’t sell it in the future, there will be no problem.
"I'll ask around when the time comes, and then we can go together."
Lu Honghai smiled and said that the last time he and Lin Heng went hunting in Sanchagou was quite pleasant.
"good."
After chatting for a while, Lin's father and mother came over from the back room, and the children ran out to the yard to have snowball fights and build snowmen, having a lot of fun.
The adults were warming themselves around the stove. After a while, Lin Heng's grandmother slowly came over from the back room. She came to Lin Heng, grabbed his hand and stuffed something into his hand: "I'll give you something good."
"Grandma, keep it for yourself. I have some at home."
Lin Heng knew without looking that these were the rock candies given by his grandmother. Every time he came up, the old lady would secretly put a few rock candies in his hands.
Because if I give it to him openly, my grandfather will scold me, saying that his things are not intended for outsiders and should be left to his grandson.
Lin Heng was also afraid of his grandpa at that time, so he quietly put the candy into his mouth without saying anything. Now that he has grown up, he doesn't eat candy anymore, and doesn't care about two pieces of rock candy, but his grandma still keeps this habit, as if he is still a child.
"Take it if you're told to eat it, and eat it quickly."
Lin Heng's grandmother said with a smile.
"Thank you, grandma." Lin Heng had no choice but to accept it. He ate one himself and fed one to Xiulan.
Seeing this scene, the old man smiled and nodded, then turned around and went to the fire room at the back.
Lin Heng stood up, helped her to the back room, opened the milk powder he brought and made a packet for him.
Then he talked with her for a while. The people in the room, whether his uncle or his parents, thought that it was enough to prepare food and drink for the old man, and they were too lazy to communicate, because the old man could not understand and it was very difficult to communicate with him.
Lin Heng was willing to talk to her, even though communication was difficult. This was because he had experienced old age, and compared to material food and clothing, the elderly were actually more spiritually empty.
Even their children are bored and don’t want to communicate much. They feel extremely empty inside.
This is not the children's fault, because it is difficult for them to understand this kind of thing without having experienced old age. They always think that all they need to do is to feed their children well and dress them well.
His grandmother drank milk powder and listened to Lin Heng talking, with a smile on her face from time to time.
Everyone else was playing in the front, and there were only the grandmother and grandson in the back room. Xiulan found that Lin Heng had not come back for so long, so she walked to the back room and listened to Lin Heng telling stories and jokes to his grandmother, and gradually she felt moved.
It seems that since he came back in May this year, this man has become so gentle. He is so patient even with an old man, and exudes a gentle charm all over his body.
Sometimes she really felt that he had been possessed by another spirit, but as his partner, she understood that this man had just strangely matured all of a sudden.
After taking a look, Xiulan went back to the front to look at Xiaoxia.
Lin Heng talked with his grandmother for thirty or forty minutes, and only stood up when his mother came over to bring him food.
When he went to the toilet in the back, Lin Heng saw the corn cobs piled up in the bamboo basket of the toilet, and a feeling of fear came over him.
Because his uncle's family uses this thing to wipe their butts, and it's rougher than sandpaper.
When he was a child, he liked everything when he came to his uncle's house, but when he went to the toilet, he had to run to the mountains to find leaves to wipe his butt.
After shaking off his shock after using the toilet, Lin Heng wandered around the back mountain alone. His uncle's house was located on the left bank of the ravine, and Lin Heng walked all the way into the ravine.
It is no longer snowing, but the mountains are so quiet that you can hear the sound of someone stepping on the snow. Looking up, you can see branches bent by the snow, and occasionally you can hear the clear call of a lark.
Walking in such an environment is like a fantasy dream.
When he came to the ditch, Lin Heng first saw a red squirrel holding an acorn. Upon seeing people, the squirrel quickly climbed up a tree, and a few wisps of goose feather snow fell.
Lin Heng was not interested in this squirrel, otherwise it would be very easy to catch it.
His eyes were on the camellia trees not far away. Not only were the trees green, they were also in bloom, and there was a faint fragrance in the air.
Lin Heng is a vulgar person. When he sees beautiful flowers, he likes to pick them. He just reaches out and picks a handful.
Holding the flowers, he leaned against a big tree and took a deep breath. He liked staying in the quiet forest after the snow. Even doing nothing was a kind of enjoyment.
After staying there for ten minutes, he got up and went home because it was a bit cold, holding the camellia behind his back.
Before returning home, Lin Heng heard familiar voices. Upon closer inspection, he found that it was Xiulan and Xiaoxia making a snowman on the platform outside Crystal.
"ha!"
Walking over quietly, Lin Heng stomped his feet suddenly and made a loud noise. His original intention was to scare Xiulan and avenge her for freezing him today, but as luck would have it, Xiulan was about to stand up and bumped into him and fell to the ground.
"Ah, what are you doing!"
Xiulan lay on the ground and looked at Lin Heng with helplessness in her eyes.
"Haha! Let's have a snowball fight!" Xiaoxia took a snowball and threw it at Xiulan, laughing without knowing whether to live or die.
"Here, this is for you."
Lin Heng quickly brought the flowers in front of him and said with a smile on his face.
"Pull me up."
Xiulan looked at the flowers and stretched out her hand.
After getting up, she brushed off the snow on her body, took the flower and smelled it happily.
"Not bad," she smiled.
Lin Heng said: "Why don't you reward me? It's not easy to pick such a beautiful flower."
Xiulan glanced at him, stood on tiptoe and pecked him on the face, then turned back to deal with the filial daughter who was still throwing snowballs at her.
After giving Xiaoxia a few hard spanks, Xiulan noticed that she was still smiling, so she pinched her face and said with a smile, "Do you think it won't hurt if you wear thick clothes? Then go home tonight and take off your clothes and give me a good spanking."
Upon hearing this, Xiaoxia panicked and hugged her legs and acted coquettishly: "Mom, I was wrong~"
"It's late. Let your dad help you build a snowman. I don't want to play anymore." Xiulan poked her, turned around and walked away pretending to be angry.
After Xiulan left, Xiaoxia became smiling again, holding Lin Heng's hand and saying incoherently: "Dad, I will help you...help you beat mom...you have to help me...tonight too."
"Is it okay..."
Seeing that Lin Heng didn't say anything, she shook Lin Heng's hand again.
"Okay, I'll help you then." Lin Heng nodded with a smile, thinking that his precious daughter was really considerate.
Xiulan didn't go far. After hearing this, she came back and slapped her twice on the buttocks. She smiled and said, "So that's how it is. Then we'll beat her after we close the door tonight."
Xiaoxia seemed to hesitate between begging for mercy and being tough. Finally, she puffed out her chest and said in a baby voice, "Don't be afraid. My dad will help me."
Xiulan also found it funny and was about to continue teasing her when she heard Lin's mother shouting from behind: "It's time to eat."
"good."
Lin Heng nodded, picked up Xiaoxia and went over to eat.
Xiulan followed behind with flowers in her hand, and a half-finished snowman was left outside the well.
When he entered the house, the table was already set and the dishes were served. His uncle's family had a lot of game, including deer and golden pheasants.
Seeing everyone sitting down, Lu Honghai said with a smile: "Now that everyone is here, let's start eating. Don't worry about the rules. Just eat as much as you want."
Then he raised his glass and invited Lin Heng and others to take a sip first.
"This syrup is good!"
Lin Heng smiled and said that his uncle made syrupy wine, which tasted sweet but was actually quite strong.
"If you like it, I'll give you some when I get home. We've made a lot of syrup this year." Lu Honggang said with a smile.
"It's just strong. I can't drink too much."
Lin Heng said that he didn't want to drink too much.
"Today we also have candied sweet potatoes."
After taking a sip of wine, Lin Heng picked up a piece of candied sweet potato and couldn't help but ask, "The taste is very good, and children love it the most."
"I made it. I learned it from watching others make it and thought that kids would like to eat it." Third uncle Lu Honggang smiled innocently.
This was beyond Lin Heng's expectations that his third uncle had actually learned this, and he couldn't help but give him a thumbs up.
After picking up a piece for Xiaoxia, Lin Hengdui picked up a large piece of deer meat with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. While eating, he curiously asked: "Uncle, have you ever shot a sika deer?"
This thing also exists in Qinling Mountains, but he has never gotten it.
"I've seen others being beaten, but not many. They were all beaten a few years ago," Lu Honghai recalled.
Compared to muntjacs, sika deer are naturally more valuable. There were quite a few of them in the early years, but their numbers have now dropped a lot.
Lu Honggang also said: "People say that there are many places to go west of Mount Taibai, but I only heard about it and I have never been there myself."
Lin Heng nodded. He really wanted to shoot a sika deer. But this kind of thing is a matter of luck. The mountain is too big and there is no way to explore it all.
In addition to the fried deer meat, there is also stewed radish and yam. Lin Heng also ate a lot of it. They have two completely different tastes.
But the most delicious thing is the golden chicken. It is fried a little dry, and you can chew it up and swallow it with the bones. The meat is so chewy.
"Lin Heng, eat meat!"
As soon as Lin Heng stopped eating, her grandmother picked up a big piece of fat meat and gave it to her.
“I’ll eat this.”
Lin Heng took it and put it in the bowl, then quickly picked up a piece of chicken and continued to eat. Elderly people like to pick up food for their juniors.
The older generation thought that fatter meat was better, so Lin Heng couldn't refuse and could only occupy it with his mouth.
He really couldn't eat such big slices of fat meat.
When he had almost finished eating, he hurried to scoop up some rice to avoid his grandmother from being polite and picking up some dishes for him.
Xiulan was caught off guard and had several pieces of fat meat picked up from her. Lin Heng knew that she couldn't eat it, so he took the pieces away and fed them to the dog when he put the bowl away.
After lunch, Lin Heng continued to talk to her grandmother because they had to leave soon and couldn't stay long during the New Year period.
"Hengwawa, please show me the almanac. I can't see clearly. I want to find a day to move the bed."
After sitting for a while, Lin Heng's grandmother took out an almanac.
"good."
Lin Heng opened it and started reading. His grandmother used to be able to read the almanac and tell dates, but unfortunately she can't see clearly now.
Lin Heng read to her for a while. She thought the sixth day of the New Year was a good day and planned to move her bed because the original place was a bit damp.
"Son, I have to go."
Lin Heng looked at the almanac, and Lin's mother and others all came in, obviously to say goodbye to the old man.
Hearing that they were leaving, the old man reluctantly took their hands and asked them to stay and play for a few more days. However, everyone had something to do at home and there was really no time to play, so he could only promise to come back in a few days.
"Wait a moment."
After saying this, the old woman went back to get some rock sugar and gave two pieces to Lin Heng and the others. This was the best thing she could give.
"Thank you, grandma."
Lin Heng didn't need these, his grandmother needed them even more, but this was a token of the old lady's love, and she would feel uncomfortable if she didn't take it. She thought she would get some more milk powder when spring comes.
After saying goodbye to his grandmother, the two uncles tried to persuade him to stay, but finally, knowing that he could not stay, they gave each of the children a red envelope.
"Thank you, uncle."
Xiaoxia said in a baby voice while holding the red envelope.
Lin Heng took some Jerusalem artichokes and ten kilograms of syrup given by his uncle.
"Dad, can you still walk?"
While walking on the road, Lin Heng asked, his father drank a little too much and he was worried that something might happen.
In fact, he wanted to wait until his father sobered up before returning, but he insisted on leaving now.
"It's okay, I'm not drunk."
Father Lin waved his hands to indicate that everything was fine.
Lin Heng looked at it for a while and found that there was indeed no problem. He felt relieved because his mother was watching over him.
But he didn't expect that just after he climbed over a mountain, his father suddenly exclaimed.
(End of this chapter)
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