Chapter 004: The Assurance of Men
Lü Dong knelt down and bowed his head, his gaze gradually becoming resolute, just like the man in the frame
However, given the era and the broader social environment, even with the economy of Qingzhao County, the paved roads only reach the entrances of each village. In villages where conditions are relatively better, some can subsidize a portion to construct a main road within the village.
After a simple wash, Lü Dong locked the door, left the village to the north, and went up to the riverbank
After cleaning himself thoroughly and putting on a pair of slippers, Lü Dong first went to the east room where he lived to get dressed, still wearing a summer school uniform and coarse cloth shorts.
Sometimes there are power outages, and in the evening, water is not supplied
After leaving the east room, Lü Dong threw the waste paper into the trash can made from an old paint bucket, discarding ignorance as well, and then entered the main room, reaching out to grasp the pull cord to turn on the electric light
The Lu family resides in the west of the village. Most of the older generation, like his uncle, who have supported the village, have built new houses in the south of the village on newly allocated land. The Lu family street mainly consists of old houses
She pushed the plate of golden cicadas towards Lv Dong and said: "Try some, you have liked them since you were young. In the past couple of days, they have been caught in the orchard. As soon as the weather gets warm and the rain increases, the cicadas start crawling everywhere. Last night, it was cool at the door, and one even crawled onto my shoe."
The person in the photograph is wearing a wide-brimmed hat, with a resolute gaze fixed on the distance
I will support this family!" Lü Dongxin thought with unprecedented determination
Arriving at the south side of the old street, Lü Dong easily found his family's old house
Lv Dong did not go, but accompanied Hu Chunlan to bring out the dishes and bowls of rice
"Mother, you should eat too," Lu Dong called to his mother. "In the morning, just make something simple."
I returned to the orchard, no longer at the old house. Lü Dong closed the big door tightly, came to the water pump, poured in water, and pumped vigorously.
The wall directly above the eight immortals table is unlike that of an ordinary household; it does not display a central hanging but rather a black and white framed picture
Lu Dong shook his head; the accumulation of rainwater under the highway bridge has long been a persistent issue troubling normal travel in the rural areas of Qingzhao County
Due to the relationship with his father, Lv Jianjun, the village takes great care of his family, treating it as a place to guard the urns. The village does not provide financial support, but only collects a minimal rental fee for the more than 20 acres of orchard.
Between the branches of the Chinese toon tree and the shadow wall, a wooden stick, about the thickness of a forearm, is tied, from which hangs a homemade sandbag sewn from flour sacks, faintly marked with printing impressions on the surface
The paint on the main door is peeling, there are obvious signs of insect damage, and a clean wooden plaque with a red background and yellow characters hangs on the door beam—"Glorious Family"
Hu Chunlan asked: "What happened?"
I went to the orchard for breakfast, have you eaten?
Li Wenyue's hair fell down as he habitually shook his head, saying helplessly: "I can't lift with my hands, I can't carry with my shoulders. Last night, apart from beating the gong to call people, I did nothing. Given the situation in the village, I must contribute in some way"
Lü Dong walked unevenly on the muddy road, gazing at the blue brick houses on the old street. If the dam were to break at dawn, all of this would be reduced to ruins in the turbulent waves.
For orchards, cicadas are considered pests and were once included on the list for pesticide control
There are three dishes: stir-fried tomatoes and cucumbers with scrambled eggs, pig ears mixed with cucumbers, and deep-fried cicadas, far exceeding the standard of normal home-cooked meals
He suddenly laughed: "One more thing, the mayor of Ningxiu Town came over from the county early this morning, but his car got stuck in the water under the highway bridge, blocking all the cars behind. Uncle Jianshe took some people there."
This is also the official road of Qingzhao County from ancient times
With the development of the times, this official road has long since transformed into a rural path, and the once-thriving Lüjia Market has also been submerged in the changes of the era
Along the riverbank to the orchard, the Qingzhao River's current remains strong. Last night, it was too dark to see clearly, but now, looking out, one can see the yellow torrent continuously carrying large patches of water hyacinth downstream, just a meter away from the top of the embankment, with the roaring flood beast surging beneath our feet
He wants to go to the old house to take a look first
When calligraphy and paintings are hung on the wall for an extended period, the paper and mounting clearly become yellowed
Last night the water was high, worried that the dam would collapse
Speaking of this, Hu Chunlan did not hesitate to say: "There are quite a few skilled people in Lujia Village, and our family can be counted among them. However, during non-festive times, we cannot purchase the brine."
The price of Guoguang is not high, and the winter contract is also about to expire. A meeting is being held in the town, urging each village's collective orchards to switch to growing Hongfushi apples. All these old trees will have to be cut down. We cannot wait for the new trees to bear fruit under these conditions. Once this season is over, we will not renew the contract and will seek other livelihoods.
Before Lv Dong could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Hu Chunlan: "You are only saying inauspicious things." She pointed to a small table in the shade of the trees: "Let's go over there, I will bring you some food."
This household does not possess any genuine antiques; perhaps there were some in the past, but they were all destroyed and burned during the campaign against the Four Olds.
The orchard is planted with Guoguang apples, but in recent years, Hongfushi apples have become increasingly popular, causing Guoguang apples to sell at a lower price
The interior is simply arranged, featuring a single bed supported by two long benches and three wooden boards, a brown-painted table and stools, as well as a large cabinet purchased by the parents at the time of their marriage
Once he realized that this was also a form of happiness, he could no longer hear it again
Lu Dong rolled his eyes and said, "I can be reliable sometimes, you know!" He quickly changed the subject, asking, "Is there any good news?"
Lu Dong swung his fist and struck the sandbag, causing it to sway
The village features typical cement roads. Recently, it rained, and in some areas, stepping down would submerge the ankle in mud.
A person in their forties, due to years of hard work, has rough, reddish-black skin and hair interspersed with a few silver strands
However, the socio-economic environment is present, and more relies on oneself
Arriving at the place where he fought last night, Li Wenyue sat on a sandbag, intently gazing at the riverbank.
In recent years, there has been no shortage of causing trouble and creating disturbances
Upon entering, the old shadow wall with cracks is bound in several places with thick iron wire, which is pulled taut against the sturdy Chinese toon tree behind it
More than twenty acres of orchard, with just the public grain being a significant cost
As dawn broke brightly, most people temporarily returned home to rest, leaving only a few on duty. Lü Dong did not go to the orchard but entered Lüjia Village along the riverside path
Lüjiacun has a long history, and the family genealogy of the Lü family can be traced back to the early Ming Dynasty, having migrated from the Hongtong Great Locust Tree.
Lü Dong walked down to the riverbank and headed towards the orchard. From a distance, he could see the familiar green brick and tile buildings in the orchard. The houses were not only tall, but also featured an unknown mythical beast perched on the roof ridge.
Even the university town that Tai Dong Province and Quan Nan City are striving to build is located within the boundaries of Qing Zhao County
On the walls on both sides, several calligraphic paintings are hung. On the tall and low cabinets, there are green porcelain round jars and white porcelain teacups. Behind the glass sliding door, there is also a stack of green porcelain plates, exuding an antique charm.
This is the columbarium of Lujia Village, and the much lower houses beside it are the residences of the orchard.
As he turned to leave, he noticed the poster of the gangsters on the wall. Without hesitation, Lu Dong tore it down completely, but he found it difficult to bring himself to remove the two animated posters.
In this day and age, farmers earn very little from farming, and the same applies to orchards. The village contracts the land to you at a low price, and it is impossible to cover the agricultural tax on your behalf.
On the opposite bank, there are also personnel stationed in Majia Village, and the pressure they are facing is equally significant
Similar to most houses in the old street, the old house is built on a foundation of stone slabs, with walls made of blue bricks and a roof covered with blue tiles, marked by the scars of time, lacking in antiquity, and only showing signs of decay
Weeds grow on the roof, swaying with the wind
The main road in Lujia Village has been paved, extending from the southern entrance of the village to the new bridge gate at Qingzhao River in the north, and beyond the bridge lies Majiacun.
The divine beast stared coldly at the ground, exuding an inexplicable eeriness
That is the red robot filled with righteousness and the white robot imbued with evil
Concerned about the water situation in my heart, this sleep did not last long. After Lü Dong got up, the sun was still hanging in the due east.
Hu Chunlan then said: "I saw your uncle, and he invited us to dinner the night after tomorrow when your elder brother returns. Lv Chugang has been transferred to the police station in the university town, and it's rare for him to have a day off mhetushu .com com..."
I also have an impression of porcelain. When I was around ten years old, Cheng Lifeng's cousin brought in some foreign trade ceramics that were inexpensive, exquisite, and durable. Many people from nearby villages bought them, but they were soon labeled as speculative trading. That person later went to the south, and I never saw him again.
Many people in rural areas do this mainly because the poor have nothing to steal
Li Wenyue waved his hand and said, "I have already eaten"
Grandfather San just came by and said that they called from above, and the reservoir will not be drained any further. Li Wenyue spoke in a low voice: "We will maintain the current flow for the time being"
Looking back on the foolish things I have done, I feel quite embarrassed
This is not an old item; the calligraphy and paintings were created by Lü Dong's grandfather in the late 1980s. He was a middle school teacher in his early years
Tai Dong Province is a populous province, with its total economic output consistently ranking among the top in the country. Quan Nan is the provincial capital, which was promoted to a sub-provincial city last year. Adjacent to the eastern side of the Quan Nan mountainous area is Qing Zhao County, which has always ranked first among all counties in Quan Nan and has been listed in several national top 100 counties lists, often hovering around the 80th position.
A stream of yellow mud flows along the laid blue bricks
Lu Dong took off his dirty clothes and threw them into a large aluminum basin, then picked up a ladle to scoop water and wash his body
The water level surged dramatically, and without much effort, the metal barrel was already full
The hall fell into silence, the simple furniture underscoring a man's promise
According to normal development, in a few years, Qingzhao County will be changed to Qingzhao District
Lu Dong retracted his hand, crumpling the poster of the gangsters into waste paper, leaving only the pillar and Brother Tian
Lü Dong had a thousand words to say, but in the end, they all converged into one word: "Mom"
After silently observing for a while, Lu Dong's gaze fell upon the large lock securing the door. With a slight recollection, he chipped out a small piece of broken brick from the left wall, took out a key, and opened the door to his home
Due to the presence of the columbarium, very few people come here to catch them. The orchard has been here for over ten years, with many trees, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe this situation as rampant.
The injury on my hand no longer hurts; for a child raised in a rural farming family, it is not a big deal
Lu Dong ate a piece of pig's ear, the crispy bones crunching loudly: "I think, after all, your boiled pig offal is the most delicious."
The double-door wardrobe, with a half-length mirror in the middle, reflected Lü Dong as he dressed. The young man was tall and strong, not bad-looking, but his middle parting made him appear rather rustic and foolish, resembling Liu Kuisheng.
She urged Lu Dong: "You should try it quickly, the pig ears were bought by me from Licheng Lifeng Meat Shop, they were freshly marinated last night, and their offal has always been good."
The dim yellow light fills the entire room, and the living room is equally simple in its arrangement. Between two large chairs stands a black eight-immortals table, beneath which is a round table used for dining. Old stools are piled up against the wall.
It seems that there is also a nickname for the champion at school
When Lu Chun, a veteran, transferred to the police station, he had taught military boxing a few times. Influenced by movies and television, a certain adolescent practiced recklessly with a sandbag, but in reality, he knew nothing. In fights, he relied solely on crude punches, brute strength, and a willingness to strike.
Listening to her mother's nagging and enjoying the home-cooked meals, Lu Dong felt a profound sense of happiness in her heart
"Aren't you asleep?" Lu Dong paused to ask
The two of them played together in the nude from childhood, being classmates from the kindergarten class all the way to the third year of high school. He said openly, "You have changed your nature."
The village has had running water for some time, but it is only available in the morning and evening
There are many who cannot afford to pay taxes despite having planted fruit trees
Hu Chunlan picked up her chopsticks and said, "You worked hard last night, eat more. Ah, this is good, the village has always treated us well, and when there are matters, you must step up."
Lu Dong turned off the lights and left the main room, returning to the east room where he fell asleep immediately. The fatigue from a night of strenuous labor quickly led him into a deep slumber
"Dongzi, come and eat!" Hu Chunlan saw her son
Lü Dong followed the outer wall made of sour jujube branches to the entrance of the orchard, and upon entering, he saw his mother, Hu Chunlan
Lv Dong could see that there were many holes on the ground, about the thickness of a finger, most of which were left by cicadas emerging from the ground