paddock

Yuan Ning and Fu Aijun bypassed Li Jiaao's pothole and entered Li Jiaao's village.Every household in Lijiaao’s family is named Li, and the houses are all made of mud bricks. Some of them have collapsed because no one has lived in them for too long, exposing the empty frame inside.It was a long way before I saw a child or two.They were very tanned, sitting on the threshold, and some of them had chains on their feet, like pitiful puppies.

Yuan Ning frowned slightly, and glanced at the scattered doors and windows.This is not the first time Yuan Ning sees such a situation, nor will it be the last time, but every time she sees Yuan Ning, she can't help but wonder whether she can do more.

He was very lucky. When he was young, he was protected by Yuan Bo and the others. Later, he was protected by his eldest brother. When he grew up, he met all good teachers and helpful friends.Even if he wants to do something deviant to outsiders, even if he wants to be with his elder brother, no one blames him.

Yuan Ning hopes that this luck can be passed on.

Yuan Ning asked: "Have all the young people here gone to work in the city?"

Fu Aijun said: "Some did, and some simply ran away. Most of the remaining ones were old, weak, sick, and disabled. The old ones couldn't run anymore. The waste mine outside was dangerous, so some old people tied their children up with dog chains. , Don’t let them go outside to play. After a long time, some children become dull and silly, and some are really crazy like dogs.”

Yuan Ning had guessed the general idea a long time ago, but she was still a little sad to hear it.Even though the country is developing so fast now, there are still many places that are unimaginably behind.

Which of these young children love to play and run?Now being tied up at home all day long, it's no wonder he's not crazy or stupid.Yuan Ning said, "Aren't they going to school?"

Fu Aijun said: "No teacher wants to come here. There are also some children in the village who go out to study, and they have to walk for more than four hours every day. An old man in the village bought a tractor that is about to be scrapped, and drove them to school every day. After delivery, set up a stall there to earn some diesel money.” He looked indifferent, as if he didn’t care about the situation of these people at all, “As for the rest, they either couldn’t even get the money for books, or they didn’t have any money. At the school age, most of the older ones don’t want to study anymore. They follow their families to make money. Most of them go to mines to dig coal and get ten yuan a day. These nonsense things happen everywhere, and you can’t control them .”

Yuan Ning fell silent.He also knows that even if compulsory education and medical care are promoted to the countryside, many places still cannot afford to build schools and hire teachers and doctors.

There is no shortage of people anywhere, and there is a shortage of talents everywhere. It takes a long way to turn all people into talents.

Yuan Ning said: "Being able to manage one thing is one thing." He has never been a person with big ambitions, he just wants to do the things in front of him well.

Fu Aijun didn't say any more, and led Yuan Ning to Village Chief Li's house.

Village head Li is younger than the head of Huaishu Village, but one arm is missing, which was lost during mining when he was young.He had a daughter-in-law, who ran away; had a child, and when he was playing in the mine, he encountered a water inrush, and the underground river spewed out, submerging his son, and it took a few days before the body was found in the river outside.

Village head Li cried, complained about himself, and felt that life was meaningless and that he might as well die. Later, he got over it, picked up his mood, and reluctantly took care of the old, weak, sick and disabled in the village.

There was no way, he was already considered strong among the people left behind, all those who could walk were gone, and the rest were unable to walk.Those who are left now, if the children who work outside have the ability, they will inevitably take them away.

This is no longer their home - there are no crops, no grass, no cattle and sheep, no fish, there are potholes everywhere, coal slag everywhere, and when it rains, the muddy water is black.The roads built before are already rotten, but there are no treasures here, and no one is willing to repair them.

Who wouldn't leave this ghostly place if they could?

Knowing that Yuan Ning and Ning had just come from Huaishu Village, Village Chief Li sighed, and said, "We used to laugh at that old boy for being a bastard who didn't make money! Now we have neither money nor land. The mountain has been hollowed out, the ground has collapsed, and life cannot go on. Only now did I realize that the old boy was right."

Yuan Ning said a few words of consolation, and straight to the point told Village Chief Li what he wanted to do.

Knowing that Yuan Ning wanted to buy land, Village Chief Li thought he had heard wrong, and was in a daze for a long time.When he came back to his senses, he said: "Do you really want to buy it? There are no mines here! Everything has been dug up! Planting things can't grow," he sighed, "It's good to have money, but I also I can't cheat you, baby."

Yuan Ning said: "I bought it for use." He told Village Chief Li about his plan.

Village head Li was said to be fooled.

Yuan Ning said: "Don't worry, I can't afford this. Even if it can't be done, I will find a way to fix these potholes."

Seeing that Yuan Ning looked calm, and he didn't seem to be lying, Village Chief Li pondered for a while, nodded, and said, "If you really want to buy this land, I can contact some people for you. I will call you when the negotiation is over." Phone." Even if it has become potholed, these lands are still the public property of the village, and everyone has to vote together to rent them.

Yuan Ning said, "Success, I'll be waiting for your call." He laughed, "Take me to the abandoned mine, and I'll take some photos for my teacher and my juniors and younger sisters to set up a project."

Village head Li led Yuan Ning out excitedly. Along the way, some old people looked at them curiously, but they didn't come forward to speak. Their wrinkled faces were frosted and numb.

Yuan Ning took a camera to take a batch of photos of those deep or shallow potholes, and walked with Village Chief Li for a section of the roadway that was still in good condition.

Village head Li introduced: "When those mining businessmen retreated, they took away all the good wood, and they dug without planning. It's collapsed. Those are black-hearted people with no conscience!"

Yuan Ning walked for a while, took enough photos, and turned back with Village Chief Li.The alley was narrow and dark, and even the air was oppressive. Yuan Ning felt as if he had crossed two worlds when he saw the sun again.

For many villagers in Lijiaao, they lived in such underground tunnels for 40 to [-] years. Their spines, lungs, and eyes all suffered from problems one after another. When the mineral deposits were exhausted, their bodies also collapsed. up.But they have only learned such a skill for decades, so they teach this skill to their children and let them make a living by it.

When Yuan Ning came back from the abandoned mine, Fu Aijun called a tractor from nowhere, sat behind the tractor and smoked, or the old cigarette he liked, rolled the shredded tobacco with white paper, lit it, and could smell the choking smell from a distance. Human spiciness.

Yuan Ning was slightly surprised: "Where did this tractor come from?"

Fu Aijun said: "There is an acquaintance in the next village. I called him to drive. Now he is going to drain the water. When he comes back, ask him to take us back to the county."

Yuan Ning nodded.After all, he is still a teenager at heart, sitting in front of the tractor, touching here and there, wanting to see how it drives.As soon as Fu Aijun's acquaintance came back, he immediately asked him for advice.

The other party was not stingy, and generously taught Yuan Ning how to drive.

So after Yuan Ning said goodbye to Village Chief Li, he drove the tractor back to the county along the old potholed road.The bumps along the way were severe, and Fu Aijun, who was sitting in the back, couldn't even smoke peacefully, so he held on to the iron railing to stand firm so as not to be thrown out.

When the tractor returned to the county seat, Fu Aijun was thrown into a coma, but Yuan Ning was still in high spirits and didn't feel the road was difficult at all.

After entering the county seat, his speed slowed down.

Others were curious when they saw a young man with a fresh face driving the car, so they couldn't help but take a few more glances.After seeing it, they couldn't move their eyes even more. They felt that this young man was really handsome, even more handsome than any young children they had ever seen. If they had a daughter, they would definitely want to marry their daughter to him.

Can drive a tractor!

With a skill, you won't have a bad life anywhere!

Yuan Ning turned around and asked, "Brother Fu, where do you live? Shall I take you back?"

Fu Aijun's face turned pale, a little suspicious that Yuan Ning's road was deliberately driven like that, to torment him deliberately!

Fu Aijun said: "Okay, there's no need to open it, let's play here, and Lao Zhang can turn around."

Yuan Ning said: "Okay!" He parked the tractor on the side of the road steadily, and thanked the friend Fu Aijun had found.

Fu Aijun's friend smiled heartily, drove the tractor around a corner, and chug away.

Fu Aijun said: "It's getting late, the sun is going to set, and there must be no one in the unit. It seems that you can't meet other people today-do you want me to call them out to clean up the dust for you?"

Yuan Ning shook his head with a smile and said, "I don't like this."

Fu Aijun said: "It can be seen." If you really like this set, it is absolutely impossible to get rid of the most difficult thorns right away, and go to Lijia'ao to see the potholes.Fu Aijun asked another question, "The dormitory can only be moved in after you have gone through the entry procedures. Do you want to book a room for you in the guest house tonight?"

Yuan Ning said, "No, I have a place to live." He looked at the watch on his wrist, and the smile on his face deepened, "It's getting late, I'll go and see where I live first."

Fu Aijun was slightly surprised.

Yuan Ning and Fu Aijun waved goodbye.It was the first time for him to come to this small county, but he had already obtained a detailed map of the county before coming here, and he knew the simple blocks here already by heart.He walked around a wide alley and walked forward for a while. From a distance, he saw a familiar figure asking the price of the old man who set up a stall.What the old man sells are dried vegetables and dried flowers that he has sun-dried himself, all of which can clear the throat and moisten the lungs. The quality looks very good, and their faint fragrance can be smelled from a distance.

Yuan Ning paused, looked at the familiar figure and smiled: "Brother."

In the afterglow, Zhang Xiuyan turned around, and a smile appeared on his usually serious face: "Are you done? Come and pick some, I'm afraid I won't pick the right one."

Yuan Ning said "hmm", walked over, and chatted with the old man while picking.After buying, he turned around generously and pulled Zhang Xiuyan, and walked towards the house that he had chosen in advance.The house is detached, with a small yard. There are flowers and grass in the yard, and there are hens who can only lay eggs, clucking and walking around in the yard, as if they are patrolling. own territory.

This is where they will live for the next few years—at least two or three years.