Cold Beauty Fell in Love with Me - C106 horse-climbing plough
Qiu Tong and I looked at each other, our hearts filled with emotion. Sister-in-law said it was the Tongliao, then Sister-in-law asked us where we were going.
I told her the address of Yuan Duo’s home. Sister-in-law told me that she knew of it, and we got off from Tongliao and got on a bus to the same place as her. Her home was at the village by the road, and then we got off the road to Yuan Duo’s house. However, her elder sister-in-law said that such a heavy snowstorm would definitely seal off the dirt road and prevent it from being seen. She said that they would have to wait for the clear sky to freeze before they could cross.
When I heard this, I got anxious. This sunny day is easy to say, but when will it freeze? Such cold weather, even before the Spring Festival was bad enough!
I looked at Qiu Tong, and her face revealed an anxious and worried expression.
“Sis, we have to visit a friend’s family there. We can’t afford to delay any longer. You are a local, can you help us?” Qiu Tong said.
Hearing Qiu Tong’s words, Sister-in-law thought for a long time and said: “There is one way, it is to find a local guide who is familiar with the terrain to bring you guys there. The carriage will definitely not pass, we can either ride horses or climb ploughs.”
“Is it easy to find a guide?” I asked my sister-in-law with hope in my heart.
After you get off the car, come with me to my house. I will ask my father-in-law, he is a veteran of grazing in the prairie, and he is familiar with the terrain of the surrounding hundred kilometers. I’ll have him send you over. ”
“Ah — that’s wonderful!” Qiu Tong shouted happily, “Sister-in-law, I will be troubling you and your father-in-law then. It’s just that, with this kind of weather, this old man’s body.”
“No problem, my father-in-law has a sturdy body. Although he is 60 years old, he can ride a horse and graze the grass and transport the materials to clean the livestock pen. He is as good as a young man!” The eldest sister-in-law’s face was filled with pride again. “Sister, don’t trouble yourself. It’s a good thing I met good people like you on the way home. Otherwise, the child would really be frozen. I was thinking about how to repay you.” This is a good opportunity. ”
I said, “Eldest Sister-in-law, you’re welcome. Even though you said that, I will still pay your father-in-law. I can’t let the old man’s hard work be in vain.”
The sister-in-law looked hurt and unhappily said, “Big brother, why do you only look at the money? We don’t have much money, but we can’t accept your compensation either. Fortunately, he still told me that if my father-in-law heard, he would definitely be furious and would definitely not take you with him. The biggest characteristic of us prairie people is that we are hospitable and straightforward. ”
Sister-in-law’s words made me a little ashamed, my face was burning, and I was a little touched at the same time. I couldn’t help but think of the kind, simple and honest Yuan Duo family.
Qiu Tong looked at my embarrassed state and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
When Big Sis brought the child to the bathroom, Qiu Tong happily followed me and said, “Yi Ke, we agreed to that ancient saying, good people get what they deserve.”
I nodded. “Yeah!”
“Well — I’ve never been on a horse- drawn plow before. It must feel great to ride on a plow across the endless snowy plains!” Qiu Tong said with an excited expression filled with longing.
Qiu Tong’s words made me feel quite excited.
Around 10 am, we arrived at the Tongliao, then took the bus through the snow for two hours, arriving at Sister-in-law’s house.
At her house, we were warmly received by her father-in-law and mother-in-law. Her father-in-law was Mongolian, a tall, sturdy man with a long beard on his chin and a bronze face that was weathered from age. He must have been a valiant Mongolian man when he was young. Although his elder sister-in-law’s Mandarin was harsh, it did not hinder communication.
Sitting on the hot brick bed in Sister-in-law’s house, Qiu Tong and I drank a sweet horse’s milk, drank a plain cheese, and ate a delicious meal of lamb with our hands.
Qiu Tong and I called Eldest Sister-in-law’s father-in-law as our Big Uncle.
While Qiu Tong and I were eating, Big Uncle had already put on his climbing plow on the outside and was ready to set off.
Before leaving, Qiu Tong felt a little guilty. She took out two bottles of Red Star Erguotou and gave it to Big Uncle, who happily accepted it.
Then, Big Uncle told Qiu Tong and I to sit on the climbing plow. After sitting down, he took out two thick blankets for us to wrap ourselves in to protect ourselves from the cold.
“This is wolf fur felt, made from wolf fur that I beat up myself in my early years.” Eldest Uncle said to Qiu Tong and me in stiff Chinese.
I could not help but feel a sense of respect for my uncle. I thought of my young uncle riding his horse and hunting wolves on the prairie.
Look at Qiu Tong, she is also looking at Big Uncle with the same expression as me, full of respect.
“Well, girl, young man, sit still, we’re going to go —” Uncle sat in front of us and waved his whip. “Pah!” A crisp sound exploded in the air, and the two horses scrambled forward, and our plow began to glide rapidly through the snow, heading for the vast expanse of the snowy plain.
There was no sign of a path in the snowy prairie, and the snow covered all traces of the grassland, except for the white, or the white, or the dark sky, or the endless silver-white world. There were no buildings or trees around us, only our plows moving in the snow.
The wilderness was very quiet. Aside from the whistling of the wind, there was the rhythmic sound of hooves.
Eldest Uncle was very familiar with the situation of the roads as he rode the plow towards the vast horizon.
I looked at Qiu Tong. She was looking around at her surroundings with a look of joy and novelty.
“Hey, hey, hey! Yo!” Following the crisp sound of the horsewhip, Eldest Uncle’s rough and ancient voice suddenly rang out in the midst of the wind and snow. “Yo! Yo! Yo! Yo!”
Qiu Tong and I were attracted by our uncle’s voice and looked forward to listen to his high-pitched singing.
“Horses on the prairie gallop, I ride the plow to be at ease; eagles in the sky fly at full speed, I follow closely on the prairie; happy flowers are blooming in anger, the people on my mind are waiting for me to return; beautiful lady, don’t worry, your family is returning home …” Eldest Uncle’s loud voice echoed through the wilderness.
Eldest Uncle’s Chinese was not very fluent, but when he started to sing in Chinese, the pronunciation was exceptionally clear and smooth.
Qiu Tong and I listened intently. In this scene, this song sounded extremely touching, even a little desolate and sad.
Qiu Tong listened intently, her face revealing a moved expression, and the corners of her eyes even revealed a crystal clear thing.
At this moment, I deeply understand, there are countless moved in life, but, there is a kind of moved called vicissitudes, and a kind of moved called kindness.
When the sky was about to turn dark, we finally arrived at Yuan Duo’s house. At this moment, this herdsman lived in the new village peacefully, without a trace of human life. From the small lights shining from the windows, we could see that the herdsmen were all at home.
The smoke from the chimney on the roof told us that we were all cooking dinner.
The snowstorm was still raging, and the cold wind was howling through the gaps between the houses.
In front of Yuan Duo’s home, Eldest Uncle reined his horse’s reins and “Shh — —” as he climbed up the plough and stopped in front of Yuan Duo’s house.
Yuan Duo’s house was lit, the chimney on the roof smoking.
“Here we are,” Eldest Uncle said as he jumped off the plow and turned to us, slapping the snow off his body.
Qiu Tong and I started to climb down the plow and take off our luggage.
The First Uncle took big strides and walked to Yuan Duo’s door first, calling out loudly as he walked: “Old Brother, there’s a guest at home, an important guest is here —”
At my uncle’s call, the door opened and Yuan Duo’s parents appeared in the doorway. When they saw us, they were stunned for a moment before becoming surprised and hurriedly invited us in.
As soon as I entered the room, I could feel the warmth of the fire burning in the middle of the room.
“Ahh — autumnum, minor also, why did you guys suddenly come here? “Look at the snow.” Yuan Duomama happily said as she invited us to sit and pour some hot milk tea.
“Aunt, we went through Tongliao on a business trip and happened to drop by to see you two elders!” Qiu Tong laughed as she said this to Yuan Duomama, then pointed to his uncle. “It’s snowing heavily, we can’t find the way, it’s all thanks to uncle bringing us here.”
“Come, old brother — smoke a cigarette — you’ve worked hard on this snowy day!” Yuan Duo’s father affectionately handed him a cigarette.
“Heh, no, I’m not used to that, it’s peaceful and peaceful, I still like to smoke this —” Uncle laughed heartily, took out a pipe from his bosom, put a pot of dry smoke in his pocket, lit it by the fire, and began to smoke it with relish. “These two children are good people from the city,” he said, “and on the train, my daughter-in-law and her granddaughter didn’t get a seat, and they provided a soft bed for them.”
Qiu Tong and I laughed. Qiu Tong said, “Uncle, don’t be so polite, we should have.
“These days, there aren’t many good people like you!” Eldest Uncle said happily, “When my daughter-in-law says that you guys want to come here, of course I won’t hesitate to say anything!”
Yuan Duo’s parents nodded, and Yuan Duomama continued to ask us: “autumnum, it’s almost the new year, is it going to be the new year soon? All year round, her father and I are at home hoping to reunite with each other in the next few days. Her brother, the Bart, is probably on vacation as well and will probably be home in the next two days. ”
Qiu Tong and I looked at each other, then Qiu Tong laughed, looked at Yuan Duo’s parents and said, “Uncle, Aunt, Yuan Duo won’t be back for the new year!”
“Ah — what is it?” Yuan Duo’s parents looked at Qiu Tong in surprise.
“Mm, it’s like this.” Qiu Tong thought for a bit, and mustered up her courage to say, “During the company’s Spring Festival, there will be people working overtime. As for Yuan Duo, she is in charge of the company’s middle management now, she needs someone to be on duty for the part she is in charge of.”
Yuan Duo’s father seemed to understand what she meant and regretfully said: “So it’s like that!”
“The Spring Festival is on duty.” Yuan Duomama’s face revealed an extremely disappointed expression, and said, “How could it be like this, tell me this girl, why didn’t she tell her family earlier, it’s been a long time since she called her family.”
At this time, Yuan Duo’s father said, “Old woman, stop nagging, what the children are doing outside is a huge matter. Besides, the phone lines in this village have been blown apart by the wind since the first snowfall of winter. How can the child call back before it’s fixed? Even if you want to make a phone call, you have to wait until the phone line is fixed. ”
Hearing that, I broke out in cold sweat, looked at Qiu Tong, and revealed an expression filled with lingering fear.