The pastoral life of the grass tribe chief

Lu Yao is from the first wife's family.

Lu Jiming, Lu Yao's childhood friend, was a member of the Han Palace Bureau and was one year older than Lu Yao.

He went out to make his way in the world after graduating from junior high school, doing whatever he could to earn money.

Real estate speculation, stock speculation, funds, insurance, e-commerce, second-hand related industries...

Money comes quickly and goes quickly; today you may be living the high life, but tomorrow you may have nothing left.

Ups and downs. Fluctuations and repetitions.

After getting married, she became much more mature, no longer acted unilaterally, and learned to know when to advance and retreat.

After his son was born, he opened a small self-service supermarket in Goose City and had his wife manage it.

"Old Yao and Old Chong, they don't drink, they just came over to join in the fun."

Lu Jiming walked over and forcefully pulled the two of them away.

"You can't drink alcohol."

Lu Yao knew that resisting was useless, so he let him pull him away.

Lu Jiming often had to attend social events, which damaged his stomach, and he had to resort to sobering up.

"I can't drink, but there are plenty of people who can."

Lu Jiming ushered his two nephews to another table, then made them sit down at the table, filled their glasses with wine, and raised his own drink to toast them.

"Your wife and kids are back?"

Lu Chong took a sip of wine and asked him.

"I'm back."

Lu Jiming also sat down and offered Lu Chong a cigarette.

"The store is closed?"

Lu Chong tucked the cigarette behind his ear and then toasted with the others.

"close the door."

Lu Jiming said.

"Going out tomorrow?"

"Play for two days before going out."

"That means you'll earn a lot less money."

"You can never earn enough money. Who else loves money as much as you, working so hard to earn money and even giving up their days off to others?"

"No household expenses? No gas money? Taking a day off means losing a day's pay. I'm not as lucky as you. My wife is good at business, thrifty, and listens to you on everything. We live a carefree and independent life, and I can go wherever I want with just a step on the gas."

"I told you to find a wife first, but you won't. Hurry up and change factories, change to factories with more women. Those young girls who have just started working haven't seen much of the world, their thinking is still relatively simple, and they are easier to fool."

"If it were as easy as you say, there wouldn't be any bachelors left in the world. In this day and age, money talks. If you don't have money, you can't even support a wife, and she'll run off with someone else."

"Sigh, you can't reason with someone as stubborn as you. Let's drink."

"Dry!"

"Don't get drunk. This afternoon I'll take you to Wangye Cave in Dushan to burn incense. It's said that the Sannai Temple there is very effective for praying for marriage."

"You're crazy, and so am I! So many people come back to visit the graves, the crowds burning incense and praying there must be as numerous as ants, no wonder there's a traffic jam. I'm not going, it's better to stay home and sleep than to suffer there."

……

"Everyone, please be quiet, please be quiet."

When everyone had almost finished eating, Lu Lunnian stood on the steps of the main hall and spoke.

The old man had a strong voice, which resonated loudly in the hall.

Hearing this, the people eating in the rooms on both sides also came out and stood at the door and on both sides of the courtyard.

The bustling hall suddenly fell silent.

"Yao, how old is your grandfather this year? Ninety?"

Someone asked Lu Yao in a low voice.

"Yes, I'll be ninety-one by the Lunar New Year."

"At such an advanced age, his voice is still so loud and clear, and his face is ruddy. He could easily live another ten or eight years."

"Yesterday I saw the old man driving his old-man's car to the market, and he was faster than a young person."

"At this age, all the bones in your body become brittle. You can't afford to fall; once you fall, no amount of repair will help."

"No matter what my mom says, she won't listen. Last month, she was weeding in the vegetable garden and injured her bone with a little force. It's not fully healed yet."

"Sigh, my old man is the same way, as stubborn as an ox."

"Don't speak. The old man is probably about to announce the reconstruction of the ancestral hall."

……

In the hall, everyone listened attentively.

"Our village ancestral hall has been built for more than 200 years. People used to live there and made repairs, but there were no major problems."

"With no one living here for many years, cracks have appeared in many places, and there is a risk of collapse during flood years."

"After discussion between the two families, they decided to choose an auspicious day to rebuild the ancestral hall."

"The date has been chosen, it will be the 23rd of the lunar calendar, and construction will officially begin next spring."

"People from other houses will also donate money, and how much they donate depends entirely on their own wishes."

"The ancestral hall is mainly used by our village now, and our village is also the main contributor to the donations."

"On this solemn day, with everyone gathered here, I will announce this decision."

"Donations are made according to population size, regardless of gender. Each person donates two thousand. In addition, those who donate voluntarily, regardless of the amount, will have a monument erected to commemorate them."

"From today onwards, the management of weddings and funerals in the village will be handled by Ji Wang and Ji En, with Li De and Li Quan assisting them."

Lu Lunnian continued.

No one had any objections after hearing it.

That's life; one generation grows old, and another takes over.

I'm afraid the tradition will be lost.

The tradition has been broken with you. Outsiders cannot understand the despair of feeling ashamed before our ancestors, the regret of dying with our eyes open.

After Lu Lunnian finished speaking, everyone gradually left their seats, some gathering together to drink tea.

Lu Yao and his group were still drinking at their table.

"As the big boss, you should donate at least 100,000 or 200,000."

"What kind of big boss am I? People would laugh their heads off if they knew."

"People like your older brother, who usually keep quiet, are the ones who quietly make a fortune."

"Uncle Yao, are you full? Let's go for a drive."

Lu Yao and his friends were drinking and chatting when a clear, childlike voice rang out.

He had just turned around when a three-year-old boy wearing jeans and a white cotton shirt with an Ultraman pattern ran over, followed by a beautiful young woman with a slightly plump figure.

It was Lu Jiming's wife and son.

"Linzi, you've grown taller again."

Lu Yao sat with Lu Yulin on his lap.

"I listened to you and ate well. I just measured myself when I got home, and I've grown three centimeters taller."

Lu Yulin sought favor and credit from Lu Yao.

"Good job, Lin! Uncle Yao will take you to collect shrimp traps later. There will be lots and lots of small fish and shrimp."

Lu Yao praised him.

"Are there that many?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yulin's eyes lit up, and he gestured with his hands to indicate the name.

"have."

Lu Yao nodded.

"Dad, did you bring my little bucket back?"

Lu Yulin then asked Lu Jiming.

"I brought it back."

Lu Jiming said.

"Mommy, I don't want to take a nap. I want to go catch fish and shrimp with Uncle Yao, okay?"

Lu Yulin then looked at his mother, Xie Suqin.

"Okay, you'll go fish-feeding with Uncle Yao for the next two days, and you'll sleep with Uncle Yao at night too."

Xie Suqin smiled.

"Very good."

Lu Yulin clapped his hands excitedly.

"Aren't you going back to Goose City with your parents?"

Lu Jiming's older brother asked with a smile.

"No, I'm going to feed the fish with Uncle Yao."

Lu Yulin made a gesture of tossing feed, which made everyone laugh.

"I'll buy you a cow to herd, and you can feed the fish while you herd the cow, okay?"

Lu Chong teased him.

"Okay, but I'm still too young, so I can only herd calves."

Lu Yulin nodded repeatedly.

Do you know anything about cows?

"Moo moo".

Lu Yulin imitated two cow moos.

Everyone was amused by his innocence.

Seeing everyone laughing happily, Lu Yulin chuckled along with them.

Do you drink alcohol?

Lu Chong teased him again.

Good children don't drink alcohol.

"Lin is a good boy."

Lu Yulin shook his head.

"Your Uncle Yao drinks; he's not a good kid."

"Uncle Yao is an adult, he can drink. Uncle Yao and my dad are very, very good brothers. Are you and my dad also very, very good brothers?"

"Your father and I are best brothers."

"You're lying, I don't even know your name."

……