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墨書 Inktalez
Time passed like this for two or three years, and Fat Ma and I worked diligently on this fertile land.
A year ago, Hills was transferred back to the city due to her excellent performance, and she didn't leave us any contact information.
Sometimes I would space out for no reason, and Fat Ma would always tease me, saying I was thinking about Hilly Big Sister again.
Because of this, every time we had a verbal sparring match, it added some fun to our weary days.
Ever since I saw the scene of the Bronze Coffin in the grave last time, I felt somewhat uneasy. Fat Ma was better than me; as time passed, she had already forgotten many things. However, during this period, we hadn't gone to the fields at all.
Later, I researched a lot about the Ghost Tribe.
The Ghost Tribe was a minority ethnic group that lived in the northwest of our country during the Shang Zhou period. According to the records in Oracle Bone inscriptions, the Ghost Tribe was defeated by Wu Ding. The defeated Ghost Tribe either fled, hid, or migrated; historical texts do not provide clear records, but these are generally the possibilities. What is certain is that by the end of the Shang Dynasty, the Ghost Tribe had already entered the Central Plains.
After the fall of the Shang Dynasty, the originally subordinate Ghost Tribe came under the rule of the Zhou. The people of the Ghost Tribe were continuously relocated to the Central Plains. The first feudal lord of the Jin State, Tang Shuyu, was generally believed by historians to be from the Wei Clan of the Ghost Tribe. By the time of King Ping of Zhou's eastward migration, they were already on par with other feudal lords of the Zhou Dynasty and gradually merged with the Huaxia people.
However, in a historical text, I found that its description of the Ghost Tribe went beyond this. The people of the Ghost Tribe were born brave and good at fighting. It contained a small story.
The Ghost King was skilled in military tactics and could turn grass and trees into soldiers.
It is said that during one great battle with King Wu Ding, he used this technique to achieve victory.
But one thing puzzled me: if he possessed such formidable military tactics, wouldn't everything in the world be his battlefield? Why did he still lose?
I looked up more information about King Wu Ding, but found no special or extraordinary abilities attributed to him.
This indeed raised a question mark, but I could only research up to this point; many things had long vanished with the passage of time.
One day, while Fat Ma and I were working in the fields, someone called our names, saying that the new Production Team Leader wanted to see us.
When we entered his cave dwelling...
Fat Ma quickly handed a cigarette to the Production Team Leader, who accepted it and lit it immediately.
It was because of us that he could become the Production Team Leader, so he usually took good care of me and Fat Ma.
He glanced at us, exhaled a puff of smoke, and then slowly said, "You two are in luck this time!"
I was puzzled, and Fat Ma said, "Come on, don’t keep us in suspense, Leader."
The Production Team Leader replied seriously, "I'm not some fancy leader; I'm just a local."
Fat Ma's horse stomped its hooves, and he looked sorrowful.
After a moment of silence, the Production Team Leader asked, "How long have you two been in our village?"
I replied, "Almost four years."
Four years. The Production Team Leader pondered for a moment before saying, "Time really flies! As I said before: you two are the sun at noon. With the good policies for the people coming now, I just want to..." He paused.
Fat Ma eagerly pressed for more information.
The Production Team Leader took another drag from his cigarette but didn’t exhale this time. He coughed a few times and said, "I've been thinking that you two have performed very well here; that's something everyone can see."
We both stared at him. I had an inkling of what he was about to say. It would be a lie to say I wasn't excited, but I thought Fat Ma and I were ready for this.
At that moment, neither of us interrupted the Production Team Leader. We waited for him to continue.
He said, "There are two spots available. Considering your circumstances and how mature you both are in every aspect, I'm giving you two the spots to return to the city. You can leave tomorrow..."
Fat Ma and I could hardly contain our joy.
Once we stepped outside, we shouted with excitement. Being able to return to the city was what everyone who had been sent down to the countryside longed for, and we were no exception.
Back in the cave dwelling, Fat Ma and I chatted excitedly as if we needed to say everything we had left unsaid. Then came silence. A long silence.
If we hadn't known this news, the two of us could have chatted for a long time every day.
We had lived here for four years, and by now, we were used to tying a white towel on our heads. During our free time, we would even sing a few local folk songs.
In our spare moments, we would cook for ourselves.
Although life here was tough, there were also many joys.
We almost kept our eyes open until dawn. Just as the sky began to lighten, Fat Ma said, "Old Sun, I'm going back to Hunan tomorrow."
I responded with a hum.
I lit a cigarette, and Fat Ma did the same.
After finishing our cigarettes, we both got out of bed and tidied up a bit.
The Production Team Leader sent someone with a horse cart to take us to the town.
Once we arrived in town, Fat Ma first found someone to sell an antique. Then we found a restaurant and had a big feast. Afterward, he gave me some money for my journey.
We exchanged addresses and went our separate ways. Four years is neither too long nor too short; after all, a person's life only spans a few decades.
I headed north while Fat Ma went south.
It took me several days of traveling by horse cart, waterway, and train before I finally returned to my city.
When I got home, only my grandfather was there. My mother had passed away during childbirth, and my father had abandoned me before I was born; he was always elusive, I never knew what he was up to.
All I knew was that every time he came back, my grandfather would scold him.
Now my grandfather was getting old, his hair completely white. He had raised me when I was little, so we had a strong bond.
This time I returned to the city; my grandfather was very happy and kept asking if I had properly received the education from the agricultural school.
I shared many interesting stories with him.
When I showed my grandfather the Bronze Fish Mouth that I received from Fat Ma, the smile on his face immediately froze.
He hurriedly asked where I got it from.
Seeing my grandfather so agitated, I didn’t dare to tell the truth for fear of upsetting him, so I said, "A friend gave it to me."
My grandfather immediately replied, "You are not allowed to associate with this friend anymore."
I didn’t respond, and he repeated his statement seriously. Only then did I nod, as I didn’t want to make him unhappy.
My grandfather used to be a farmer in the countryside before moving to the city, but he couldn’t sit still. So, in the yard, he planted some flowers and trees, watering them whenever he had nothing else to do.
One day, my grandfather told me, "Don’t show that Bronze Fish Mouth to just anyone." Although I didn’t understand why he said that, I was sure there was a reason behind it.
My grandfather had a wealth of experience throughout his life, and from the stories he told me when I was young, I could grasp that.
During my time at home, my grandfather never urged me to find a job.
Then one day, I received a letter from Fat Ma, in which he wrote...
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