When it was around 4 o'clock the next day, the woods next to the hotel were full of birds chirping.
Yu Peng stopped practicing Qi and planned to go out for a walk and breathe some fresh air.
At this point, everyone else was still sleeping, but when we reached the woods, there were already a few cars passing by in the driveway next to us.
Most of them were pickup trucks and vans, probably workers working on the dam.
The rain started yesterday afternoon and has continued till now. Although it started to rain lightly in the second half of the night, the ground was almost soaked.
Yu Peng sensed that the thick clouds surrounding an area of dozens of miles showed no signs of dissipating, and there should still be continuous heavy rain today.
I don’t know if the convoy plans to continue walking or stay in this hotel for a day.
Not caring about this, Yu Peng walked deeper into the forest.
This season, wild vegetables are about to go out of season, but in some places, mushrooms have begun to grow.
Yu Peng doesn't have much need for food. After all, he relies on the absorption and exhalation of spiritual energy. Even if he doesn't eat for a month, Yu Peng won't feel hungry.
But in order to satisfy his appetite, Yu Peng will still try something he has never eaten before.
Especially this time, after Yu Peng tasted all the wild vegetables in the mountains, he couldn't stop talking, always thinking about getting some mountain products to try.
Yesterday at the dinner table, I ate a plate of fried pork with mushrooms. The mushrooms were picked freshly by the locals, which aroused Yu Peng's appetite.
They all say Bashang Grassland
But in fact, the dam is a large area and a very complex comprehensive zone.
There are forest areas, wetlands, shallow swamps, rivers, sandy soil, and black soil.
Covers almost all of the land's features
But there is still a long way to go from the real grassland.
Going north from the paddock, this area is basically pine forest and birch forest, interspersed with some rivers and swamps. Only by continuing north, after reaching the border of Mongolia and Hebei, is the endless grassland.
Moreover, a few decades ago, this area of Bashang was all desert.
Yes, it's a desert
Of course there were trees before, but later they were cut down for various reasons. Coupled with the sandstorms in Inner Mongolia, this area became deserted land.
After that, it took nearly three generations of tree planting to turn this place into a forest park.
It is said that he seems to be the most famous example and example of desert resistance in the world.
A few nights ago, while walking in the forest, I heard some ghosts of the older generation chatting.
I am still lamenting that in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, this place was really a place where birds did not poop. Let alone the woods, it was considered a rarity to have a tree as thick as a bowl.
If you plant some crops, you can get a harvest of 20% to 30%, which is considered a good year.
Not to mention the wind and sand flying all over the sky every day. When you go out, you can get two ounces of sand in your mouth.
The transportation was not convenient back then. The people here did not have enough food and drink. If they got sick or something, they had no chance to get treatment. Many people suffered from it and died.
The old woman who talked the most was one who starved to death. After her children separated, she never came back.
The old woman is alone. She can't take care of the east or the west. She's too old to farm. She wants to work for others to make a living, but she doesn't have much energy.
That year the weather was bad, all the crops died from drought, vegetables could not be grown, and wells could not produce water.
There are more than a dozen people in a village, relying on an old well to get a little water, struggling to survive, hoping that one day it will rain and relieve their breathing.
After the old lady had eaten up the last bit of food left in her tank, she didn’t dare to go to her neighbor’s house to borrow it.
In fact, even if you go, you won’t be able to borrow much
What's the use of eating a few meals?
It's just summer
What to do in autumn?
What to do in winter?
What to do in spring?
All depends on borrowing?
Whose food is life?
The weather was so dry that year that the food harvest was almost impossible. Every family had to worry about their own financial situation.
If there is really no harvest, how will we spend autumn, winter and spring?
And I don’t dare to borrow because I’m afraid I won’t be able to repay it.
The old lady also knows what this is like. Her life is almost over.
I have always told people before that when I die, I will die. I have lived for more than 60 years, which is almost enough.
But when it comes to this juncture, I feel really reluctant to give up.
After my son's family was divided, even though they were all in the same village, he rarely came to visit again.
We can't blame the children for being unfilial. The poor people in rural areas cannot take care of their families. They can't even take care of the young ones. How can they take care of the old ones?
The year before last year, my son found a job as a helper in a town more than ten kilometers away. I heard that he was doing well.
After more than half a year, I took my wife and children over, so I only came back during the Chinese New Year to see my mother.
When I came back last year, I brought myself a lot of delicious food and left some money.
In the village, this is a great example of filial piety.
No matter who comes to visit and mentions that his son buys things and keeps money, he will praise him for a long time, and then talk about how unfilial his son is and how bad he is.
The old woman asked someone to bring a message to her son, saying that she wanted the family to come back and visit.
But I didn’t dare to mention that I had no food.
I don’t know if I can take the message with me. If other people in the village find out, they will definitely help me in some way.
But
I really don’t dare to ask them to help.
I helped today, I will help tomorrow, do you want to help the day after tomorrow?
Can we still continue to help?
It's so inappropriate to have to deal with this old fate of mine, and to drag others down with it.
I can't afford to repay this favor...
That summer, it was hot during the day and steamy at night
Except for special events, everyone doesn’t go out very often.
so
The old lady was like this, hungry for a whole week before taking her last breath
Dying
I didn’t even see my son’s family that I miss so much.
Dying
I didn't hear the rain outside either
God is always ruthless
He would not die like this because of drought, hunger, or thirst because of an old woman.
Just show mercy and make some rain
The drought continues
Day 8
Another old lady next door was really depressed.
I want to find someone to talk to.
I just found out that this old lady has passed away
How did these seven days come to pass? The old lady has been dead for decades and turned into a ghost. She has never said anything.
But other ghosts know it too
It must be difficult
Because this is how everyone got through it
That year, the old lady was not the only one who died of starvation and illness.
Some people are even worse than grandma
Then while chatting, we talked about the generation of young people who planted trees.
I watched those young people endure all the hardships, many of them died, and they abandoned their families and careers. It took them more than ten years to finally plant trees out of the sand.
I watched the pine trees survive little by little and turned into a forest.
After three generations of persistence, this piece of land was finally turned into a huge forest.
A group of ghosts sit together every day and talk about this matter again
Repeated for so many years
There are several descendants of ghosts among them who are part of the tree planting and reforestation community. In this circle of ghosts, they all appear to be superior to others.
Although Yu Peng was still young and had no memory of what happened at that time, he was walking in the forest, stepping on the green grass under his feet, feeling the moisture in the air. In some places, below 50 centimeters, there was still fine sand.
Yu Peng can also vaguely feel how difficult this matter is.
Great?
Yu Peng doesn’t know if this is considered great.
But there is admiration from the bottom of my heart
There is also gratitude
Yu Peng went out at around 4 o'clock, walked for more than two hours in the drizzle, and returned to the hotel at around 6 o'clock.
Unfortunately, although I also encountered mushrooms, there were only a few of them, so Yu Peng didn’t pick them up.
This should be the mushroom nest that the locals picked up. Anyway, Yu Peng had already tasted it yesterday. There will be plenty of time and opportunities in the future, so he is not in a hurry.
Just arrived at the hotel lobby
In the rest area next to it, there was a girl waving to Yu Peng and saying hello.
"Yu Peng, Yu Peng!"
Yu Peng's voice sounded like Li Xiaoyu's. He turned his head and saw that it was really her.
She was still wearing the same leather windbreaker and trousers as yesterday, and leather boots. She was playing with her mobile phone with her legs crossed, and she was waving her hands vigorously.
Yu Peng walked two steps to sit next to Li Xiaoyu and said hello.
"Are you awake?"
Li Xiaoyu saw that Yu Peng had come back from outside, and there were still some raindrops on his clothes.
While helping Yu Peng pat his clothes, he responded
"Isn't it still raining? Xiaohui woke me up and said to gather everyone quickly and leave while the rain is not heavy. Don't delay the rest of the trip."
Then Li Xiaoyu glanced out the window and continued:
"Looking at the weather forecast, the hotel owner also said that there will be heavy rain today. It rained all night yesterday and the ground will definitely be slippery. It will be more dangerous to ride a bicycle in heavy rain."
"Oh, that's right. How about I go up and tidy the bed? I went out for a walk this morning and haven't tidied up the house yet."
"Do you still have something to take?"
"No, I didn't bring anything with me. I came out empty-handed."
"Then why are you going back? Just ask the waiter to clean up the bed. We paid for it."
After that, the two of them chatted together, one without the other.
At around 7 o'clock, Li Xiaoyu met with the team leader and several teammates in the lobby, and took Yu Peng to the restaurant for breakfast.
Then I waited until after 8 o'clock, and it started to rain heavily outside.
People are never gathered together
Absent were the deputy team leader, a couple, and a young man
After Li Xiaoyu talked with Xiaohui, the tour leader, he took Yu Cheng to the front desk to renew his room without waiting for the tour leader to discuss it with others.
Fortunately, the hotel itself is located in a relatively remote location. There have not been a large number of people booking and checking in these days, so the procedures are quite convenient.
Li Xiaoyu took Yu Peng upstairs. Instead of letting Yu Peng go back to his room, he pulled him into his room.
Yu Peng was a little confused and embarrassed.
Fortunately, Yu Peng is only 13 years old, and Li Xiaoyu is already 18 years old. Moreover, Li Xiaoyu himself has a carefree character, so there is no possibility of any bloody plot happening.
Yu Peng sat on the chair next to the bed slightly awkwardly, while Li Xiaoyu lay on the bed casually, holding a pillow under his head, preparing to catch up on his sleep.
"Let me tell you what's going on."
Li Xiaoyu said, but his voice and tone were a little unpleasant.
"Tsk, our group is quite complicated. Xiaohui is a friend I have known for many years. His family is from a listed company and he is quite active in the circle. This ride was planned by him."
"The eldest brother driving the car, I know his surname is Chen, but I haven't asked him what his name is. He is the bodyguard arranged by Xiaohui's family, but our relationship doesn't count. Xiaohui also regards him as half a friend."
"I won't introduce the other people one by one. More or less, their families all have some money or officials."
"There are a few people who are late today. The deputy team member is called Cai Jun. He is a third-generation red man. The status of the elders in the family is quite high in Beijing."
"Then that couple is not actually a couple. The man also has some assets in his family. I remember his name is Zhixuan. They have three listed companies alone. The woman is just a little lover. , anyway, he has no shortage of girlfriends. He changes to another one every once in a while. Maybe he got this one from somewhere."
"There is also that man, I really don't know him, but Xiaohui said that he really has a cold, and he is still running a fever. He is probably not used to the weather here, and he was frozen yesterday."
"Zhixuan and that woman worked too hard last night and didn't get up today. The deputy team called home in the middle of the night yesterday. I heard they went to bed after 3 o'clock and didn't get up today."
"Originally, today's itinerary was supposed to be along the Yudaokou Scenic Area and visit Ulan Butong for a day, but looking at the situation, even if it doesn't rain heavily, we probably won't be able to make it."
"oh"
Yu Peng responded quietly.
Seeing Yu Peng's indifferent expression, Li Xiaoyu suddenly became interested.
He took off his shoes, stood up and sat on the bed, hugging the pillow and looking at Yu Peng with a preaching expression.
"Yu Peng, you are still young. Let me tell you, this society is actually very dangerous. Under all the light you see, there is more darkness and evil."
"Do you know why you say that? Do you know how complicated our team is?"
"Despite what everyone says, I just go out to enjoy the scenery and relax. But, no purpose is pure."
"The reason why Xiaohui organized this ride was because his main targets were Cai Jun and that Zhixuan."
"Xiaohui's family has taken a fancy to a relatively promising project, but he can't afford it, and he can't make a big deal about looking for others to cooperate, because this project has not been released yet, and it is internal news."
"Their family has been researching for almost a month, and finally decided that Xiaohui would come forward to organize a cycling event for young people. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we can see if we can recruit the right person to serve as the leader. Pass it on to the corresponding family and help them work together on this project."
"Those other people actually don't matter. They are just a cover. As long as Xiaohui takes care of Zhixuan and Cai Jun, the purpose of this ride will be achieved."
"Originally, Xiaohui also made appointments with several other people, all with different backgrounds, but none of them came."
"oh"
"Want to know why only these two people came?"
"oh"
"It's not because of me! Hey, let me say that when it comes to beauty, it's just like that. When it comes to temperament, it's not much better. It's careless, but that Zhixuan and that Cai Jun are both a bit interesting to me."
"So, Xiaohui took care of food and housing, and lent me the motorcycle, just to use me as a bait. Anyway, I happened to be fine recently, and the school was on holiday, so I accompanied them out. "Walking around"
"oh"
"You guy, you are so boring when talking, even worse than yesterday, oh oh oh, you think you are a repeater!!!"
