Chapter 002: The Wine and Meat Fox

A fox is just a fox; how could it possibly understand what Bei Hai is saying? To be honest, if the fox were to say, "If you want to know, just follow me," it would surely scare Bei Hai so much that he would wet his pants

What happened next surprised Bei Hai; the fox immediately stretched its head and began licking the wine stains on the dry branches on the ground. From the looks of it, it seemed to enjoy the taste very much, and Bei Hai could hear the sound of it smacking its lips quite clearly.

Looking at the object in his hand, Bei Hai was momentarily taken aback. Although it was not particularly bright, he still recognized it: a small piece of gold, a gold ingot crafted to the size of a thumb, a perfectly made miniature gold ingot. Moreover, judging by its color, it seemed to have some age to it.

She crouched down, holding the small golden ingot in her hand, with a beaming smile on her face. Her voice was gentle, as if afraid of scaring away the little fox in front of her that was "glistening with golden light".

After the ritual ceremony, the time had already passed twelve o'clock. The little bit of thin porridge eaten in the morning had long been consumed, and my stomach was beginning to show signs of rebellion.

It is likely that this injury prevented the fox from catching its prey, which is why it has become so hungry

I see that you are also hungry

Do not follow me!" Bei Hai said to the fox with a hint of impatience: "Go back, we have dogs in our village. Moreover, even if you follow me, I have no place to keep you, so go back!

Hello!

As soon as the piece of meat appeared before him, the fox took two steps forward and immediately grabbed the meat in his mouth, tilting his head as he devoured it ravenously

Without discussing the appearance of this fox, just looking at its small eyes fixed on the meat on the offering table beside Bei Hai, it is evident that it is in a state of great hunger. If it were a wild fox, it would have certainly turned and run away at the sight of a person.

Recalling the tomb-raiding novels he had read in the past, Bei Hai immediately had a burst of inspiration and began to indulge in wild fantasies. For a country bumpkin and a loser, what could be more alluring than the treasures hidden in ancient tombs

The size is not large, just slightly bigger than a domestic cat, a genuine mountain fox. However, this fox appears to have gone without food for some time; its belly is sunken, and the ribs on its waist are visible. Its reddish fur is not very bright, lacking luster and appearing somewhat dull.

In the beginning, Bei Hai was able to study and play together with Lu Yigen's two children. However, it wasn't long before he was assigned to work in the restaurant for various reasons. As time went on, the hours he worked increased, eventually leading to him washing dishes and cleaning up right after school every day, continuing until the restaurant closed. Over time, this routine made it impossible for Bei Hai to qualify for any university.

Do you think I hate Lu Yigen or not

The Fox's Gratitude! At the sight of this action, memories of countless stories from his childhood sprang to Bei Hai's mind. He had heard such stories many times, and if someone had mentioned that foxes were capable of gratitude, he would have likely laughed it off. However, now that it was happening to him, Bei Hai could not help but believe.

Bei Hai watched the fox indulging in licking the wine, dumbfounded, murmuring: "What a gluttonous fox!"

The fox gazed at Beihai, took two steps toward this direction, then opened its mouth and spat something onto the ground, calling out to Beihai with a series of "ooh ooh" sounds

Beihai, following behind the fox, found his own laughter somewhat lewd.

The remaining meat has all gone into the fox's belly. Bei Hai looked at his fox and said: "Stop looking, there’s nothing left!" After saying this, he waved his hand at the fox: "I’m going back now, you should return from where you came as well"

"Where did you get this from?" Bei Hai shook the small ingot in his hand at the fox, resembling a shameless uncle trying to swindle a lollipop from a little child

As he pondered, Bei Hai became so amused that he completely forgot the profound truth that ancient tombs belong to the state

At the beginning, Lu Yigen still thought about how he grew up eating the meals prepared by the Lao Bei family. However, as time passed, things changed. Even in the face of prolonged illness, there are still no filial children; let alone Bei Hai, the grandson of his adoptive father. Gradually, a sense of estrangement developed in his heart, and the feeling of gratitude was cast far away.

After speaking, Bei Hai stood up from the ground, brushed off the dirt from his pants, and then picked up the remaining half bottle of Sea Blue, preparing to turn back home

Ancient tomb? ! Bei Hai, holding a small gold ingot, immediately speculated whether this fox had dug its way into an ancient tomb while burrowing? Who dares to say that there aren't one or two ancient tombs hidden within these sprawling mountains?

No wonder the book states that three bowls do not cross the ridge; it turns out there is indeed a reason behind it

Logically speaking, having eaten a few pieces of your inferior meat, the small golden ingots given by Brother Fox are already quite generous. Even Bei Hai, who has worked as a server in American restaurants for seven or eight years, has to admit that Brother Fox's tips are indeed extravagant; this is what it means to be wealthy and indulgent.

Upon hearing Bei Hai speak, the fox jumped and joyfully called out twice. Then, every time Bei Hai spoke, the fox would repeat this action. Thus, the person and the fox engaged in a rather nonsensical "conversation" for over half an hour.

He directly sat down beside the stone altar in front of his grandfather's grave, wiped his hands on his pants, and reached out to take the paper plate containing chunks of beef that was offered on the altar, pinching a piece of beef and putting it directly into his mouth

Bei Hai, with a beaming smile, followed the swaying fox while holding a bottle of wine, seizing the opportunity to see where the fox lived and what the house number was. This would make it more convenient for everyone to visit next time

Bei Hai had already exchanged it for a plate of white cut chicken, and was holding a chicken leg to his mouth: "I used to really hate him, but now that I think about it, it’s just like that. I can’t guarantee that I will definitely get into a prestigious university in the country, so rather than worrying about this, it’s better to live a little happier. Life is only a few decades long, so why let unrelated people ruin my mood? Don’t you agree, you two?"

Look at this poor fox, Bei Hai picked up a piece of not-so-good chicken breast from the paper plate and threw it over

After watching for a while, Bei Hai had an idea. As long as one knows about a hobby, it can lead to trouble. The corruption cases reported in the news are not just one or two; every time, it is always the originally innocent minor officials who are lured by unscrupulous individuals and ultimately become corrupted. How could a mere fox possibly escape!

Bei Hai looked at his fox, who was occasionally lifting its head while devouring its food, and said with a smile: "You silly creature, how do you know I am not luring you over to prepare your skin for a scarf? For a bit of food, you would risk your life."

Bei Hai has indeed become an American, but he has also become a semi-illiterate in America. With only a high school diploma, what can he do in American society? He can only engage in jobs that require little technical skill. However, just a month ago, Bei Hai found a decent job. It is precisely because he is transitioning to a new position that he has the time to return to his home country for a family visit in July

Upon seeing the names of his ancestors inscribed on the tombstone, Bei Hai finally confirmed that he had not made a mistake. If he had spent all that time paying respects only to misidentify his ancestors, it would have been a tremendous embarrassment.

The chicken thrown by Bei Hai quickly disappeared into the belly; after finishing, the fox licked its lips with its tongue and called out to Bei Hai again

As the fox took a step, Bei Hai noticed that the fox's right hind leg seemed a bit unsteady, as if it had sustained a minor injury. Such an injury might not be significant for a human, as it could heal in ten to fifteen days. However, for wild animals, even a small injury could be life-threatening.

Raising his head, Bei Hai followed the sound and, upon focusing his gaze, saw a fiery red figure appearing about five or six meters away from him

Grandfather, Grandmother, may you bless me so that this job change goes smoothly. Once I have a stable job, I will find a granddaughter-in-law for you, and then we can have a great-grandson. To the few beside you, please lend a hand and bless me a bit more. If I don't have a proper job and a stable life, none of you will have descendants to carry on your legacy decades from now. While eating shellfish, I murmured to myself, speaking to my grandparents. As the old saying goes, descendants must continue for the family line to thrive; this is not a threat to them.

Lu Yigen is from Wujiajiji at the foot of the mountain. When he was six years old, his father passed away, and his mother remarried, abandoning him as she considered him a burden. Beihai's grandfather, seeing his plight, took him in, and he became somewhat of an adopted son. As time went on and society became more progressive, Lu Yigen became one of the first individuals to venture out of the mountains. Somehow, he ended up in the United States and became an American. By the time this American returned, Beihai's grandfather had already passed away.

At the beginning, Lu Yigen intended to repay the kindness of raising him by taking the only heir of the Bei family, Bei Hai, to study in the United States, ensuring that Bei Hai's father would only need to prepare half of the tuition for college. This was originally a good deed; studying abroad in the United States is something that many people aspire to but cannot achieve. Naturally, Bei Hai followed Lu Yigen to the United States.

First, arrange the offerings for the ancestors, both the grandfather and grandmother, followed by the great-grandparents, and then the grandparents. It is not only the offerings that are placed, but also the burning of paper and the bowing, all of which must not be neglected. The kneeling is done with precision and respect, and the bowing resonates clearly. If the ancestors were aware from the netherworld, they would surely feel great comfort.

In less than ten minutes, the little fox in front of me had already drunk three small bowls and began to sway even while standing. Next, it wobbled and turned to walk back the way it came.

After speaking, he continued to stretch out his hand towards the fox, playfully saying: "Go! Go! Go home. It is fate that we have eaten and drunk to our fill together, but there is no banquet that does not end in this world. Now, let's each return to our own homes and find our own mothers!"

Not even a quarter of an hour had passed when Bei Hai heard a howling sound coming from behind. Turning around, he saw that the fox from earlier had somehow followed him.

This is the custom of Beihai hometown. Once a set process is completed, it signifies that the ancestors have already "enjoyed https://m.hetushucom.com" it. Since the ancestors have used it, the "remaining" is naturally reserved for the filial sons and grandsons. Outsiders are not allowed to partake, but for Beihai, it is only natural to do so.

While eating by the beach, conversing with the ancestors, half of the meat offerings were consumed, and Beihai's stomach was completely full. Looking at the untouched portion in front of the ancestors, he truly could not eat any more

As soon as the fox's call faded, Bei Hai smiled and tossed over a piece. From then on, every time the fox called, Bei Hai would throw a piece. Eventually, he placed the paper plate two meters away from himself, and the fox seemed no longer afraid of Bei Hai, burying its head and starting to eat heartily.

Beihai had no idea that this fox, due to a leg injury, had not eaten anything substantial for nearly two weeks. This time, it was likely that the fox had already made up its mind to die, but it would rather die with a full stomach. That was why it had followed the scent of meat. As the saying goes, in this vast world, eating is the most important; a well-fed fox is certainly better than a starving one. Thus, it mustered the courage to ask Beihai for food.

A red fox

Damn! I can't take it anymore. Bei Hai really has no way to deal with the fox. After talking for a long time, I felt a bit thirsty and instinctively twisted open the bottle cap and took a sip. It was only after the liquid entered my mouth that I remembered I was carrying a bottle of Ocean Blue. At that moment, the alcohol immediately sprayed out of my mouth, creating a wet stain on the ground in front of Bei Hai.

The curious fox brought something to itself, took two steps towards it, and bent down to touch it with its hand. Gently, it brushed away the surface soil, revealing what was inside.

As I reached out to grab the last piece of fruit after the meal, the orange was in my hand but not yet peeled. In my ears, I heard a faint rustling sound, accompanied by a series of "oh woo oh woo" calls

When Bei Hai turned eighteen, he left Lu Yigen's home and ventured into society with friends to make a living

Since there was a preference, Bei Hai immediately catered to it. He directly opened the bottle, took out a small wine bowl, and poured half a bowl onto the ground. At this moment, the fox immediately caught the scent of the wine and approached, stretching its neck without any hesitation to start licking the wine in the bowl.