The pastoral life of the grass tribe chief

"Yulin, go play with the other kids. Uncle Yao will take you to collect shrimp traps after he finishes his drinks."

Lu Jiming said to his son.

Lu Yulin looked at Lu Yao, and when Lu Yao nodded, he obediently went to play with the other children.

Lu Yao and his group didn't break up until after 3 p.m.

Lu Chong got drunk again and was helped back to bed by his younger brother.

Lu Yulin was eager to catch fish and shrimp, but he wouldn't go to take a nap when Xie Suqin told him to. He also had no interest in playing with the other children. Every few minutes, he would run over to see if Lu Yao was still drinking, or to check if Lu Yao's motorcycle was still there.

Whenever he was home, Lu Yao would take him for a ride on his motorcycle every day, so he knew Lu Yao's motorcycle very well.

He was afraid of making Lu Jiming angry, but he didn't dare to go up and bother Lu Yao. He kept running around, which made Xie Suqin both amused and exasperated.

"Uncle Lu Yao, hurry up."

When Lu Yao and the others finally left, he was so excited that he flew up and rushed to Lu Yao's motorcycle at top speed, climbed on, and kept urging it on.

"Be careful, don't fall."

Lu Yao quickly followed, helped him sit down, then got on himself, started the motorcycle, and headed towards Wumutang.

Lu Yulin sat in front of Lu Yao's motorcycle, his hands gripping the mirror, excitedly shouting all the way.

Lu Jiming drove his Xiaopeng G6, with his wife following behind.

When Lu Yulin arrived at Wumutang, he saw a group of puppies and a group of kittens playing. He excitedly rushed towards them, hugging one and that, but he couldn't hug them all. He wished he had more hands and feet.

When the cats and dogs saw the little kid get out of their owner's car, they knew they couldn't mess with him, so they just looked at their owner with pitiful eyes and let the little kid bully them.

Lu Jiming and Xie Suyan did not stop their son.

They were afraid that other people's cats and dogs would hurt their sons, but they weren't worried at all that Lu Yao's cats and dogs would hurt people.

"Big White, Big White."

Just then, Big White suddenly appeared from some corner. Lu Yulin saw it, dropped the cat and dog he was holding, and happily rushed towards Big White.

I'm not afraid of anything in broad daylight, but I'm terrified of little kids this age; they'll turn tail and run away in fright.

"Uncle Yao, Da Bai is ignoring me."

Lu Yulin looked at Lu Yao pitifully, completely unaware that he was at an age where even dogs would dislike him.

"Let's go collect the shrimp traps."

Lu Yao understood Da Bai and tried to distract him.

"Dad, bring me my little bucket."

Sure enough, Lu Yulin immediately stopped crying and started laughing. He asked Lu Jiming to bring a small bucket and happily went with Lu Yao to collect the shrimp traps.

Xie Suqin went along too.

Lu Jiming didn't go with them; instead, he took out his fishing gear from the car and started fishing.

You won't catch any fish like that.

Lu Lide arrived with Wang Xiurong in his car and saw Lu Jiming squatting under a tree fishing.

A group of fish swam around his feet, but didn't touch the bait.

"I threw the broad beans."

Lu Jiming sat for a while but no fish came to bite the bait. He thought there was something wrong with his bait, so he grabbed a handful of soaked broad beans from the storage room door and threw them in, but the fish still didn't bite.

"The fish will only come to eat if we use the oat grass from here to bait the fishpond."

Lu Lide parked the car and took the cigarette from Lu Jiming.

"Aren't adult fish mainly fed broad beans?"

Lu Jiming then took out a lighter and lit it for Lu Lide.

"I don't understand the intricacies of this. Yao said to mainly feed oat grass, and only a small amount of broad beans and cornmeal as supplementary ingredients."

Lu Lide took a puff of his cigarette, grabbed a sickle, went to the field, cut a large bundle of herbs, and brought it to Lu Jiming.

Lu Jiming threw some oat grass into the water, and the fish immediately swarmed over to snatch it.

He caught a grass carp weighing about four pounds and then packed up his line, chatting and drinking tea with Lu Lide at the door.

He doesn't like eating fish; fishing is purely a hobby.

My wife loves to eat fish, and one fish is enough for the whole family.

"Are you coming back for a few days?"

Lu Lide asked.

"Two or three days, we'll see then."

Lu Jiming said.

"My dad's beard and hair have grown long too. I'll take you to the barbershop tomorrow."

"My mom is going to buy something for my sister tomorrow, and Aunt De is going too, so she can keep my mom company."

Lu Jiming noticed that Lu Lide's beard and hair were a bit long, and then said...

"I'll tell my wife later."

Lu Lide stroked his beard; it was indeed quite long.

He knew Lu Jiming's temper; he would get angry if he didn't agree.

Lu Jiming seemed to remember something, so he got up, took a pack of cigarettes from the trunk, and handed it to Lu Lide.

Lu Lide took it naturally and put it in the motorcycle's trunk.

Every time he and Lu Yao come back, they buy cigarettes, alcohol, and local specialties for each other's parents, and they also give each other red envelopes during the Chinese New Year.

The elders of both families never treated the two children as outsiders, and would call on them whenever they needed anything.

"Dad, Grandpa De, there are so many fish and shrimp!"

Lu Yao carried Lu Yulin over.

Lu Yulin held several fish and shrimp in his hands, his face flushed with excitement, and his sleeves and trouser legs were a little wet. If Xie Suqin hadn't been watching him, he would have been soaked to the bone.

Xie Suqin followed behind, carrying a small bucket full of fish and shrimp.

"Lin Zai is amazing."

Lu Lide praised him.

"Of course."

Lu Yulin nodded emphatically, which amused everyone.

"Let's eat here tonight."

After picking vegetables, Wang Xiurong washed her hands and hugged Lu Yulin, her eyes full of doting affection.

If this were Lu Yao's son, she would have already given him a good smack on his rosy cheeks.

Lu Yulin let Wang Xiurong hug him and shared his "glorious deeds" of catching fish with her.

Wang Xiurong listened attentively, and could listen for a whole day and night without getting tired of it. She would occasionally praise him, not to mention how arrogant Lu Yulin was.

"We're having dinner at my second brother's house tonight."

"It's getting late, we should head back."

Xie Suqin said.

"Take these fish and shrimp back to your dad and brother as snacks with their drinks."

Wang Xiurong put Lu Yulin down.

Lu Yao packed the fish and shrimp into a bag and handed it to Xie Suqin.

"Everyone must be tired today. Get some rest tonight, and we'll have tea together again tomorrow."

"Linzi, say goodbye to Grandpa De and Grandma De."

Xie Suqin said to her son.

"Goodbye, Grandpa De and Grandma De."

Lu Yulin waved and obediently got into the car.

"I'm gone."

Lu Jiming started the car and drove out of Wumutang.

Lu Lide and Wang Xiurong watched Lu Jiming and his family of three leave, then looked at their youngest son.

Lu Yao pretended not to see his parents' looks and picked up the vegetables to wash.

In the evening, Lu Yao had tea at Lu Jiming's house.

Lu Jiming has four older brothers and one older sister, all of whom are doing business outside.

His father couldn't get used to living in the city; it felt like being in prison. So he stayed home, raising fish and growing vegetables.

His mother was an easygoing person, provided she lived with her sons. Except for the beginning and end of the year when she was busier, she spent the rest of the year rotating between her five sons' homes.

The five brothers bought a piece of land in Goose City and built a five-story building, one floor for each of them.

They are away from home most of the year, and only the eldest and second eldest brothers each built a three-story house. When everyone comes back for holidays, they eat and stay together.

Lu Jiming lives with his parents at his eldest brother's place.

His parents and older brother went to his uncle's house for tea and a chat.

My nieces and nephews have their own playmates and activities.

My son was tired from playing today, and my wife was tired from hiking, so they went upstairs to sleep early. Only the two of them were drinking tea in the living room.

"Is Lao Chong still drunk?"

Lu Jiming was replying to messages while holding two mobile phones and a tablet.

He conducts many of his business transactions on his mobile phone, and he has endless messages to reply to and phone calls to make every day.

"I just asked his brother, and he's still not awake."

"He has to go to work tomorrow, so let's ignore him."

Lu Yao was also bragging in the village's second group chat.