Shao Xi and others filled their water bags, handed over the camels and horses to the caravan, and drove them to the back of the inn that Sun Lichang mentioned and tied them up, while he walked straight towards the rare wild inn in the desert.
This inn looks like a two-story earthen house. The adobe used to build the house must have been excavated from this oasis. It doesn't look big, but it can withstand the cold and windy sand at night.
After passing through two somewhat drafty wooden doors, the interior of the inn seemed a bit shabby. The downstairs floor was a temporary place to rest and eat.
Dim oil lamps hung on the walls, and there were a few old wooden tables and benches in the room. There was a kitchen separated by a curtain.
It seemed that there was not much business in this inn before the caravan arrived. At this time, dozens of people from the caravan had packed all the tables in the house.
Only the farthest table was reserved by Sun Lichang for Shao Xi and others.
Before they could sit down, the porters and guards in the caravan were already shouting at the innkeeper to give them some food.
After all these days, everyone has been struggling a lot. Now that they finally have such a place where they can eat hot meals, everyone is naturally impatient, which is understandable.
The shopkeeper of this inn is not actually a shopkeeper. He and the waiter are actually a father and son.
The shopkeeper is about fifty years old, with a medium build, a bit thin, with obvious wrinkles on his face, a little haggard, and he looks a bit submissive. He is an honest and kind person, both a cook and a waiter.
The other boy was a child of about ten years old, wearing shabby clothes with many patches, and his hair was tied back with a straw rope.
Although the small face looks a little dirty, it can't hide the delicate and cute face. The big eyes are smart and lively, and it can be seen that he is a smart and cute boy.
The little guy wiped the broken wooden table boards with the rag in his hand while he warmly greeted everyone in the caravan.
In fact, there is nothing to eat in this inn, just some warm stewed mutton, noodles and some coarse grain wine, but this is considered a delicacy for people on the journey.
Not to mention the hot mutton stew, this coarse grain wine is also extremely precious. It can not only drive away the cold night in the desert, but also relieve the fatigue on the road.
Naturally, everyone ordered whatever they had, keeping the father and son very busy.
The shopkeeper was busy serving mutton stew in the stove, while the boy was running back and forth, serving wine to each dish on the table, with a cute smile always on his little face.
It can be seen that their inn has not had guests for some days, and now a caravan of dozens of people is already a big business for them.
When the child brought the mutton stew to the table of Shao Xi and others, he did not forget to say politely, "This place is remote and there is nothing good to entertain our guests. At least it is a warm meal. Although our coarse grain wine tastes bad, I drank a little, but I can sleep well at night after drinking it. Please use it slowly, guests."
Shao Xi looked at the clever little guy in front of him and thought that if he hadn't been born in this vast desert, he would probably have entered a school.
Now, for the sake of the livelihood of father and son, it seems to be a twist of fate that he would help his father to take care of this outdoor shop in the oasis so early.
But looking at the innocent smile on his face, it seems that he has no complaints about his fate. Maybe the arrival of his group today is his greatest happiness!
"What's your name? How old are you this year? Are you and your son the only ones in this inn?"
In fact, the inn was so big that only the father and son could tell at a glance as soon as they called in. But Shao Xi just wanted to chat with the kid, so he asked an unnecessary question.
"My name is Lu Yunxiang. I am ten years old this year. There are only two of us, father and son, in this inn. My father's name is Lu Hu."
The child's answers were all normal, except for his father's name at the end. After hearing this, Shao Xi dropped the chopsticks in his hand on the table.
What? Land Rover? Is it an Evoque or a Range Rover?
Lao Wu and Fu Biao, including Sun Lichang, who were sitting at the same table with Shao Xi, were also stunned when they saw Shao Xi like this.
I don’t understand why he reacted like this when he heard the shopkeeper’s name? Does he know the owner of this inn?
Especially Lao Wu, he said to himself that he and Shao Xi had never heard of him knowing a person named Lu Rover in all the years he and Shao Xi had been together. Why was there such a big reaction today?
Shao Xi was stunned for a while before he realized that he had lost his composure and quickly picked up the chopsticks on the table.
I secretly cursed myself for being so rare and strange. What happened to being called Land Rover? Who stipulates that only cars can do this? I really overreacted.
Seeing the strange looks from the people nearby, Shao Xi coughed twice, pretending to be calm.
Some who had nothing to say asked Lu Yunxiang: "This place is so remote, why did you and your son open an inn here? Besides, how do you get your daily needs?"
Lu Yunxiang grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, and replied to Shao Xi with a smile: "Young master, please don't underestimate me and my son. I have managed this inn with my father since I was a child.
"My father is familiar with this desert better than anyone else. Every few months, my father will ride the only camel in the family to Yulongguan to buy live sheep and coarse grain wine. After bringing the live sheep back, he will raise them in this oasis. .
"My father's skill in killing sheep is beyond words. His swordsmanship is absolutely top-notch, and it only takes more than half a month to get there. Guests, it should take almost half a month just to get here from Yulong Pass, right?"
This little guy is quite clever. He can tell at a glance that Shao Xi and others are coming from Yulong Pass. However, he can guess that there are no other towns nearby, so they can only come from Yulong Pass.
But from what he said, it only took more than half a month for the Land Rover to go to Yulong Pass. This speed was really astonishing.
You have to know that if you are driving sheep and pulling goods, if you are not extremely familiar with this desert, those sheep may have died on the road before you return to the inn.
It seemed that the Land Rover knew all the oases along the way. He must have lived in this desert for many years, otherwise he would never be able to do this.
"If it's as you said, since your father is so familiar with this desert and is so good at killing sheep, why don't you and your son live in Yulong Pass and open such an inn here? Isn't it better to live in Yulong Pass? Do you want to be strong here?"
Lu Yunxiang drooped his little head and seemed to be sighing secretly, muttering, "My father said that where there are many people, there will be more right and wrong. We, father and son, live here and only receive caravans and travelers. This is good!"
"Everyone is just a passer-by, eating, staying in a hotel, paying money and leaving. There is no right or wrong or grudges. This is peaceful and comfortable.
"He also said that when he named me Yunxiang, he hoped that I could fly into the clouds like the goshawk in the sky and soar freely in this desert without being bound by this world. Although I can't understand what my father said , but I know he must be for my own good.
"But I don't want to stay with him and open an inn here for the rest of my life. When I grow up, I will definitely go outside and have a look. I will learn the skills to come back and protect my own inn. I won't be as timid as my father! "
Shao Xi could understand what Lu Yunxiang said. Lu Hu must have seen through the warmth and coldness of the world, and did not want his son to experience the dangers of the world.
That's why I left such a home for my son in this paradise, hoping that he could live a carefree life.
But Shao Xi couldn't understand Lu Yunxiang's last words. Why should he learn his skills and come back to protect his inn? Why did he say that his father was timid? Have they ever encountered anything?
"Little guy, I hear that you admire your father very much, but why do you say that your father is timid? Your father can come and go freely in this desert, and he can lead you to open this inn here as a means of communication. The business trip provides a place to stay, and I think your father is amazing!"
Lu Yunxiang sighed in a mature manner, and was about to say something else when he saw Lu Hu opening the door curtain of the kitchen and inviting Lu Yunxiang to serve mutton stew to the guests at other tables.
Lu Yunxiang turned around and responded, bowing slightly to apologize to Shao Xi and others, then turned and ran to the kitchen.
Shao Xi looked at Lu Yunxiang leaving and felt quite emotional in his heart. This child was actually lucky. Although he was born in this remote place and grew up in this desert, he could always get along with his father day and night and run this inn together. .
Maybe he is missing a lot of things in his life, but at least he is always beside his relatives and the person who cares about him the most.
No matter what kind of person he thinks his father is at this moment, for him Land Rover is the most precious treasure in his life.
Many people in this world grew up around their loved ones, so they take it for granted that their loved ones love them.
It wasn't until one day that the person who had been with him day and night that he was so familiar and so accustomed to him left him that he realized how precious the things he had taken for granted were and how irreproducible they were.
This child is growing up slowly and yearning for the outside world, but when he really goes out, he will realize that everything in this world does not belong to him.
What really belongs to him is this small inn left to him by his father, and at that time his father may no longer be with him.
Maybe at that time, he will truly understand that everything he yearns for is actually not worth mentioning. Only his father and what his father left him are the most precious in the world.
When he understands these principles, he may regret and regret his thoughts today, but these principles are of little significance relying on other people's reminders and persuasion.
Only when he experiences it one day will he truly understand.
Although it may be too late by then, isn’t this what everyone must experience in life?
