Liu Ting walked into the pavilion with a smile. She was still wearing the same clothes as when she was at Li Sanjiang's house. They were simple and loose and easy to work with. For those who didn't know, she thought she was a cook who wandered out of the back kitchen of the club and didn't understand the rules.

"I heard someone said that Xiaoyuan is here?"

Liu Yumei raised her head slightly towards the southwest corner, and Liu Ting looked along. On the stone bench, a boy and a girl were sitting next to each other. In that position, there was a lotus pond on the left and the mountain city on the right, which was an excellent place to enjoy the scenery.

at.

The boy was talking very engrossedly.

The girl leaned sideways, holding her chin with both hands, looking at him with bright eyes, and listened carefully.

Whenever the boy laughs, the girl's mouth corners will also rise. When the boy talks about something exciting and opens his hands unconsciously, the girl will also shake her head slightly to cooperate.

In the past daily life, the boy gave Liu Ting the impression that he was cute and lively on the outside, but in his bones he had a maturity and calmness that was inconsistent with his age. He would play with his peers, but people with a discerning eye could still see a sense of alienation.

, is a kind of top-down tolerance.

Now, like a little boy in the village, he sat down on the haystack and told enthusiastically: "I will tell you a secret, but you must not tell others. I told you yesterday.

As for her Ali, she is nothing like the past. No, the fact is that before the boy came here, she was still cold and cold, but when the boy came here, she was like a normal little sister who was inexperienced in the world. She told her brother in the courtyard

The stories are always so curious and admiring.

Liu Ting said with emotion: "We, Ali and Xiaoyuan, are really able to play together unexpectedly." "Oh, children are like this."

Liu Ting just covered her mouth and chuckled, not daring to deliberately ask: Which child can be like these two children?

She knew how stubborn the old lady was, but that didn't stop her from having some fun watching how long the old lady could hold on.

"When I came here earlier, I saw a woman making a fuss in the front hall. She is the youngest son of Ding's second family. She has just left the main room and is trying to support her pregnant wife. Today, she has officially entered the house to meet someone."

Liu Yumei asked: "Ding Laoer is also willing to meet him?"

"I didn't want to do it at first, but I couldn't help my younger son's sorrow and couldn't resist, so I nodded."

"Then the Ding family may not be in good times for many years. When Boss Ding was here, they could still manage to behave themselves. Now that Boss Ding is gone, I'm afraid this big arrogance is not far away. Alas,

What a joke, even the matter of doting on concubines and destroying wives can be openly put on the table.

"Look at what you said, times have changed after all."

"Yes, times have changed, but some truths remain unchanged. You cannot enjoy the benefits of the old school while clamoring for the freedom of the new school. People, long legs and short legs are not a big problem, but if you want to have two legs

If we go separately, we will definitely run into trouble."

"Ding Laoer has spoken to me. I hope you can treat me to a bowl of tea that the juniors worship." "Tea?"

Liu Yumei smiled and pointed to the boy and girl over there who had finished chatting and started playing chess in the distance: "Call the two children over, it's time to have dinner."

Liu Ting turned around, stood on the edge of the pavilion and shouted to the other side: "It's time for dinner!"

Li Zhuiyuan simply surrendered and stood up holding the girl's hand.

After being away from home for many days, the boy seemed to hear homesickness in Aunt Liu's call.

Pass through the lotus pond, and then walk along the winding path into an open-air stone gate. Inside, there are various potted plants placed on stone platforms. They are all trimmed and designed to be exquisite and elegant. They should be taken care of regularly by dedicated personnel.

Along the way, Aunt Liu took the initiative to give Li Zhuiyuan introductions, like visiting scenic spots.

When I walked to the end, I saw two steps, one going up and one going down. Ding Laoer, leading a group of sons, was walking down the stairs quickly.

His eldest brother originally had a son and a daughter, but they both passed away earlier than the old man, so the Ding family had a second wife very early.

Ding Laoer has five sons, born to three mothers respectively. The age gap between the wives is very large, which leads to an even greater gap between the sons. Ding Laoer's eldest grandson is two years older than his youngest son.

age.

The closer he got to Liu Yumei, the brighter the smile on Ding Laoer's face became, almost flattering, and the lower he bowed. "Young Mistress."

This title was indeed not very suitable for Liu Yumei's age. But Li Zhuiyuan heard that the Ding family should be from the former Qin family.

It's like going to a couple's home. If you're having sex with the man, you'll call the woman's sister-in-law. If you're having sex with the woman, you'll call the man's brother-in-law.

"My young lady has been away from home for a long time, and it is rare to show her face. I will lead the young people in the family to meet my young lady. Please go up to the room and take a seat, and let the young people serve tea to my young lady." All the second-generation men followed.

They stood in a row in front of them, with flattering smiles on their faces.

As for the female relatives, they all stayed on the steps and stood in a row. The rest were all well-dressed and had their hands clasped in front of them. The one at the end, with wavy hair and thick makeup, was holding a bag in her left hand and hanging it in her right hand.

A beaded chain.

She "stands out from the crowd", but these decent chickens are not a good thing in Liu Yumei's eyes. She can teach but doesn't teach, and can give advice but remains silent. It is obvious that she wants to make her look embarrassed when meeting foreign guests.

No matter how much fighting happens in a private house, it's normal. If you expose the bad things inside for publicity, it can only be said that the rules in this family are rotten. "No need, it's all crooked and cracked, there's nothing good to see about it."

.”

These words really did not give any face. The expressions of many people present changed.

Ding Laoer and his eldest son both showed fear.

The other sons looked dissatisfied, especially the youngest one, who opened his mouth as if he wanted to yell, but was pulled back by the elder brother beside him.

The women standing above also had their chests heaving. Taking advantage of the distance, they began to whisper in their mouths. Nizuma thought he had found a good opportunity to blend in with his sisters-in-law, and immediately raised his voice:

"Hey, whose aunt do I think I am? You are so grand. You come here, eat other people's food, live in other people's food, and even slap your nose on your face!" "Plop!"

Ding Laoer was so frightened that he knelt down.

The eldest son also knelt down, but he was a little slower. After all, he was not as skilled in kneeling as his father.

When the remaining sons saw this, they were stunned for a moment, and then they followed suit. Even the youngest son who had been the most unhappy before finally came to his senses and knelt down together.

The wave curls that had just made a sound behind her opened her mouth, but could not make any sound. She realized that she had made a big mistake.

Ding Laoer immediately said bitterly to his younger son: "Tell that bitch that she will never enter my Ding family in her whole life, and the child in her belly will never be named Ding!" The younger son heard this.

, dare not refute any more.

Ding Laoer raised his head again and looked up: "Young lady, I..." "I'm not interested in your family's troubles. I'd better go and pay homage to your brother."

Liu Yumei walked around the people kneeling in front of her and walked down the steps. From beginning to end, she didn't even glance at the waves. The cicadas in summer are indeed annoying, but who has the time to really pay attention to them?

Which cicada is calling?

There is a relatively wide platform below, and there are several round tables in the front hall. A group of old people are sitting there, and there is one standing behind each old man.

The closer you are to the old man at the main seat, the younger the people behind him are. They are obviously grandchildren. There are two people sitting in the empty seats. The ones standing behind them are actually grandchildren, who are about the same age as Ali.

The older the people sitting down and carrying their luggage behind them tend to be older, some of them are obviously sons, with gray hair already appearing on their heads.

The ancestral home of the Qin and Liu families is on the river, but if you really want to take a closer look, Shancheng is one of their hometowns, and the people here now are all "relatives and friends" of the two families in Shancheng.

As soon as Liu Yumei came over, everyone stood up, dropped their crutches, and pushed away the support of the young people behind them.

Some of them leaned forward with their right arms to salute, some raised their thumbs to salute, and some just knelt down like Ding Laoer just now. All kinds of etiquette represent their different identities and positions in the past.

.

Even the title is divided into two types:

"I've met the young lady."

"I've met the eldest lady."

Liu Yumei stood still and accepted their courtesy.

Then he waved his hand and said with a smile on his face: "What age are we? This old-school thing is okay, but it is no longer fashionable. It has been out of fashion a long time ago."

Everyone talked among themselves, smiling in unison on their faces.

Some old people even deliberately looked back at the juniors they brought with them, giving them a childlike feeling of showing off.

They had long since stopped using this old etiquette. Firstly, it was indeed unfashionable, and secondly, they were at home each other on weekdays and there really was no one they could salute to.

But after bowing down, I really felt like reminiscing about the past, as if I and others were suddenly dozens of years younger.

The two old men who brought their grandchildren spoke one after another: "Miss, my old bones are only of use when I am giving you gifts.

"Young lady, when it comes to flattery, I have to obey this old dog."

"Ha ha ha ha."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Liu Yumei put her left hand on Ah Li's shoulder, but leaned towards Li Zhuiyuan, pointed at the two old men, and introduced:

"This one's name is Zhen Mubai, and that one's name is Su Wenluo."

Liu Yumei only introduced these two. Obviously, she was not qualified to introduce the names of the others individually.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled and bowed slightly: "Hello, Grandpa Zhen." He bowed slightly again and said, "Hello, Grandpa Su." Finally, he bowed deeply to all the old people and said, "Hello, grandpas."

The old people responded enthusiastically, and while various compliments were heard, they each murmured in their hearts, who is this boy?

They all know that the girl next to them is the only remaining bloodline of the Qin and Liu families. Is this boy the young mistress (the eldest lady) specially brought with her to train her? However, all the old people present can compete with the bastards in the river.

Despite his age, it is natural to see that this child has a temperament that is neither humble nor arrogant.

It's easy to change your clothes, but it's hard to change your temperament.

What can be taught, what is true inner calmness, cannot be hidden from their eyes.

In fact, even Liu Yumei was quite surprised by the boy's reaction.

The reason why she asked the boy to call someone was because Ali couldn't speak yet.

Liu Ting, who was standing behind her, watched this scene silently. She wanted to know how long her respected mistress could be so stubborn.

This kind of meeting occasion is the handover of connections and the transfer of favors.

How is this the kind of treatment that registered disciples will enjoy in the future?

"I'm going to pay homage to the old man named Ding."

Liu Yumei walked through the front hall and walked to the back hall, followed by the elderly people.

There was a mourning hall in the back hall, which had been specially maintained and cleaned because of Liu Yumei's arrival. He had obviously been gone for more than a month, but it looked like he had just left yesterday and was attending a funeral.

At this time, Ding Laoer and his eldest son ran quickly from the side corridor.

Ding Laoer knelt on the futon and prepared to return the gift. His eldest son personally took the incense and handed it to him.

Based on the reactions of the elderly people during the previous salute, Li Zhuiyuan guessed that the Ding family should have belonged to the servant family of the Qin family in the early years. When Liu Yumei stayed at the Ding family, she was entering a servant's house. As a servant, she naturally had to kneel to her master.

Although it is an old habit, there are still old people who still recognize it.

Of course, the reason why they believe this is definitely not because they respect "traditional customs".

Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but wonder. Nowadays, the Qinliu family has withered so many people. What else can make these old people willing to lower their heads and pick up the old habits? Liu Yumei lit the incense and inserted it into the incense burner.

Take two steps back and look at the futon in front of you

Ding Laoer immediately kowtowed and said, "Young lady, no, my brother can't bear your courtesy." Many old people behind him also tried to persuade him that this was against the rules.

Liu Yumei did not insist on saluting, but looked at Li Zhuiyuan: "Xiaoyuan, it was Ali who should have replaced me, so please work hard and replace Ali. Boss Ding was also a man back then, and even grandma and I also

You have to take a high look at him."

"Um."

Li Zhuiyuan stepped forward and began to worship.

To be honest, this process, even for an old guy like Li Sanjiang, is far less professional than the boy.

There is no way, one is a local traditionalist and the other is an advanced scholar. The boy has not read so many books in vain.

After the worship, Ding Laoer began to return the salute. His left thumb was raised, his right hand was clenched, rising up, then crossed in front of him, and finally his arms were lowered. This is the door ceremony.

Liu Yumei was about to speak, saying that Xiaoyuan didn't understand this.

But I saw the boy's little finger on his right hand pointing down, holding it with his left hand, diving down, then bending his arms in front of his chest, and nodding three times to receive the gift. All the old people around him showed appreciation and reminiscing.

Liu Yumei immediately looked confused. Who taught him?

In fact, it is recorded at the beginning of "Qin's Jiao Observation Method" that this set of actions is an internal ritual of the Qin family, but it originated from the earliest actions of observing Feng Shui weather. In other industries, there are similar actions without borrowing equipment and only using hand gestures.

Cooperate with the operation of line of sight ranging and azimuth measurement.

Ding Laoer bowed and the python walked around; Li Zhuiyuan bowed and the dragon guarded the door.

The boy naturally knew that after he did it, Liu Yumei would suspect him. He did it on purpose. He had been admitted to Haihe University in advance, and Ali was recovering better and better. Sooner or later, some things would show off.

The advanced understanding and cognitive methods of "Qin's Jiao Observation Technique" and "Liu's Qi Observation Technique". He will definitely tell Liu Yumei in the future that Ding Laoer's face is filled with tears. At least at this moment, he is not pretending, it is indeed true.

reveal.

Because this scene reminded him of the time when he followed his eldest brother to pay tribute to the masters of the Qin family. At that time, he was still young and his eldest brother was also young.

The head of the family who is not good at running the family and is easily influenced by his younger son's affection for his family is a bit confused, and such a person is mostly emotional and sensitive at heart. At this time, Zhen Mubai and Su Wenluo, who were standing behind them, looked at the other person at the same time.

An old man, his surname is Sheng, was sitting at the end. He was originally a servant of the Liu family.

Old Man Sheng unconsciously wiped the sweat from his forehead, then turned to look at his son beside him and pointed at him: "Go." His son's hair was half white. He walked out of the crowd and faced Li Zhuiyuan.

Begin the ceremony of the Liu family

Li Zhuiyuan noticed that Liu Yumei's eyes had narrowed slightly. It was obvious that the old man was angry.

When a lion is tempted, no matter how the lion reacts, in the eyes of outsiders, the lion is already weak.

This is the world, where big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimps. Even if they are respectful on the surface, there are still undercurrents in private. The two old people just wanted to test what position Liu Yumei had arranged for the boy.

Force the Sheng family to come forward.

Liu Yumei turned her anger into a smile: "Xiaoyuan, what are you doing in a daze? Return the gift."

Although she didn't know where the boy learned the etiquette of the Qin family, Liu Yumei believed that since he knew the Qin family, there was no reason why he couldn't learn the Liu family. Seeing Grandma Liu speak, Li Zhuiyuan also gave the white-haired man the upper hand ceremony.

At the moment the ceremony was over, Zhen Mubai and Su Wenluo both straightened their backs subconsciously, and the other old people behind them also silently concentrated on the boy and re-examined the boy. That's right, the young lady can perform the Qin and Liu family's family ceremony in public. (The eldest lady), she wanted him to inherit the lintel of the Qin and Liu families in the future.

At this time, Ding Laoer leaned over and asked in a low voice: "Young Madam, can you sit down at the table?" Liu Yumei nodded.

When everyone was seated, Liu Yumei naturally took the empty seat at the head table. The older generation sat at two tables, and the younger generation sat at the other two tables.

Li Zhuiyuan originally wanted to accompany Ah Li to eat alone, but Aunt Liu came over and motioned for him to join the table, and she took Ah Li away.

For Ali's sake, Li Zhuiyuan had no choice but to sit on his behalf. He was also the main seat, flanked by peers named Zhen and Su, and the rest were much older than the three of them. The banquet was very lively. The tables are very close to each other, talking to each other and listening to each other.

The older generation at the table really talked about art, while the younger generation here were imitating art.

Li Zhuiyuan heard it. They were deliberately trying to trick him into trying to get more information about him. The man and woman beside him all called "Brother Zhuiyuan" affectionately, one by one, "Brother Zhuiyuan". But it's the most meticulous.

The two of them were precocious and thought they had a handle on this boy of the same age. After they came up with the words, they unconsciously raised the corners of their mouths and tried not to show a smug look. They asked about trivial matters in life. Li Zhuiyuan openly told the details of his past life.

As he was talking, the old guys at the next table were all listening with their ears pricked up. But the more they listened, the more frightened they became, and their nerves began to jump.

Tongyanwuji, how can the details of life mentioned by the boy be accessible to ordinary children in Beijing?

Everyone couldn't help but speculate, and they made eye contact to confirm what others were thinking. Could it be that the young mistress (the eldest lady) really asked for a big shot marriage for her granddaughter?

Liu Yumei was actually listening to the words at the next table. It was the first time for her to hear so many details, but she knew how smart the boy's brain was. Maybe the boy was playing tricks on them on purpose, which was interesting.

After drinking three glasses of wine slowly, Liu Yumei tipped the glass upside down to accompany her, which was a great honor.

The meaning of tipping the cup upside down is very clear: the wine has been drunk and the words have been spoken.

This made everyone here look at each other in confusion. Before they came, they had actually prepared "gift lists", which were divided into their own properties. If Liu Yumei wanted to stand up as the lintel of the Qin and Liu families and come out again, they would have to cut their flesh.

But Liu Yumei's attitude clearly meant that she didn't want to talk about business, that is, she didn't want to accept the gift at all. There was no need to cut the flesh, but all the old people present felt frightened by this.

They didn't believe that Liu Yumei came here specifically to pay homage to Boss Ding. After all, Boss Ding had been buried for more than a month. But she didn't come here to set up another memorial... It was impossible to find a reason to come to the mountain city, right? Liu Yumei got up.

, shouted: "Xiaoyuan."

"Here we come, grandma." Li Zhuiyuan also got up and followed.

As soon as an old man and a young man left the table, the old people saluted again. Zhen Mubai and Su Wenluo simply knelt down this time. We are just doing things the old way. Even if you are angry, don't lift the table directly.

"Young mistress..." "Miss..."

Liu Yumei's cold eyes swept away and immediately stopped all of them talking.

Then, she pointed to the wine glass on the table that was upside down.

Then, she took the boy's hand and walked out.

The remaining old people all had frightened expressions, some were regretful, some had low beaks, some pointed at Ding Lao Er and scolded him for poor hospitality, and some even made insinuations about Zhen Mubai and Su Wenluo.

The lucky ones could only stand around and watch. It was the first time for most of them to see their master in such a miserable state, as if offending that woman was like breaking a hole in the sky above his head.

Li Zhuiyuan was walking with Liu Yumei, who seemed not to want to go straight back to the house, but to relax outside along the wooden railing on the edge of the cliff.

After a long time, Liu Yumei stopped and looked at the lights of thousands of houses in the mountain city below.

"You brat, you performed well today. You are a good person who can put on a good show of dignity."

"Because Grandma Liu is here to support me."

In fact, although the mother-in-law relationship between Grandma Bei and Li Lan was not good when they were in Beijing, Grandma Bei really liked her and would take her out to meet her old comrades whenever she had the chance.

"Oh, how can I help you with your waist? Grandma, my own waist is already dead."

"But they are really afraid of you.

"They're not afraid of me.

"Then they are afraid of the Qin family and the Liu family?"

"Have you not seen those memorial tablets in the east room? Everyone is almost dead, and I am the only orphan and widower left. Where is the Qin family and the Liu family?"

This is what Li Zhuiyuan is confused about. After learning "Qin's Jiao Observation Technique" and "Liu's Qi Observation Technique", Li Zhuiyuan has no doubt that the Qin and Liu families once had a transcendent status on the river.

But now that my family is gone, how could it be possible that as soon as you, an old lady who took your granddaughter to treat her illness and escape from the world, came out of the mountain, all your former servants and subordinates would bow to you again in a polite manner?

This is simply unreasonable.

The reality is not a martial arts novel. The reason why kindness and loyalty are highly sought after and praised in the world is also because this thing is really rare in the world. If you don’t take advantage of your illness to kill you, or if you don’t swarm up to eat up the poor, you will be wiped out.

Can be called "unparalleled in benevolence and righteousness"

But unfortunately, those people were really scared, and Grandma Liu was quite confident.

Liu Yumei reached out and stroked the boy's head, and said calmly:

"Half of the memorial tablets in the east room were erected when I followed the Fourth Master to fight the Japanese; the other half were erected when I crossed the river."

After having supper with Ah Li, Li Zhuiyuan was arranged to get on the bus back to the hotel.

The car was driving along the river, and the boy looked through the car window at the river at night. It was very soft now.

I got off the car at the hotel lobby door and was about to walk in when I saw Xue Liangliang sitting by the flower bed.

"Xiaoyuan, you are back."

"Brother Liangliang, what are you..."

"Runsheng and Binbin haven't come back since they went out in the afternoon. I couldn't get away, because I was afraid that no one would be there when you came back. It's okay now. Let's go out and look for them."

"Um."

After all, there are two big living people, and Runsheng is still here, so there is no need to worry about any accidents happening to them.

We say we are searching, but it is actually equivalent to taking a walk.

Xue Liangliang introduced his new job. He could stay in the mountain city for two more days, and then he would go to Wanzhou below.

There was a project there that was in the exploration and site selection stage, and he was going to join in the study. At the same time, Luo Tingrui also asked him to take his junior brother with him.

When he first heard the title "Junior Brother", Li Zhuiyuan was a little uncomfortable with it, especially since Xue Liangliang also described him as Luo Gong's "closed disciple". The boy knew that this was a choice between two, and if he couldn't get used to having one,

"Master", then you have to get used to the boring college life. Xue Liangliang also ridiculed in an exaggerated way: Look at you, you can't fall in love in college.

Li Zhuiyuan also asked: Did your love affair happen in college?

Just walking and chatting like this, without deliberately running to look for them, they happened to bump into Tan Wenbin and Runsheng who were returning together. They were both very excited and happy.

Xue Liangliang found a barbecue stall on the side of the road, ordered three bottles of beer and one soy milk, and the four of them chatted while eating. During this period, they learned what Tan Wenbin and Runsheng had done in the afternoon.

After the two left the hotel in the afternoon, they wandered around Guanyin Bridge. Although Nantong also has an urban area, its population is far inferior to that of the mountain city, and it is far less lively than here. When the two were tired of shopping, it was getting dark, and the roadside

I ate something at the stall to cushion my stomach, and asked the stall owner about interesting places nearby.

Then the two of them followed the stall owner's suggestion and came to a building. They heard the sound of billiards hitting each other in the distance, and Tan Wenbin suggested teaching Runsheng how to play billiards. After entering the building, they saw the sign of the billiard room——

Midnight impact.

The two opened the table and were playing, when they saw people entering the billiard hall and going up to the second floor. Moreover, while playing, they could hear singing coming from the stairs on the second floor. Driven by curiosity,

The two of them went up to watch. There was a ticket seller at the door, which was not expensive. After buying two tickets and going in, there were so many people inside.

A large group of men and women were dancing on the dance floor. They did not spread out. Instead, everyone hugged their partners and kept pushing into the crowd.

At the end of a song, the lights will light up for a moment, and someone will stop dancing. Then the man will pay the woman, and the woman will stand in the outer circle, while the man will wander around to find and choose his favorite dance partner.

When the next song started, the lights went dark again.

Xue Liangliang asked them if they had jumped in, and both of them shook their heads.

They were both thin-skinned and embarrassed, so the whole audience sat on the chairs by the wall and watched. During this period, the only consumption besides the ticket money was to order two cups of tea and refill two bottles of boiled water from the bar.

After hearing this, Xue Liangliang bent over with laughter.

After chatting, everyone went back to the hotel to rest. In the next two days, Xue Liangliang took them to visit many scenic spots in the mountain city, where they ate hot pot, rabbit meat, and even took a ride on the Yangtze River Cableway.

When the river surged under his feet, Li Zhuiyuan felt a sense of mystery and shock.

However, the most enjoyable thing for the four of them in these two nights was that every night after the work unit got off work, Xue Liangliang would go to the office building of the unit and ask someone to lend him a car to take everyone for a ride in Shancheng City.

Xue Liangliang stretched his hand out of the window while driving. When he went to a place, he pointed out a future plan, saying what new bridge would be built here in the future, what kind of development would be carried out here in the future, and how prosperous the mountain city would become in the future.

He should have read the government planning materials, but many of what he said were his own "imaginations". He really regarded himself as the designer of the city's future. He shared his inner blueprint with his friends.

.

At this time, Xue Liangliang seems to have a very special charm, and everyone will easily be immersed in his "perspective". The still life in front of them is moving very fast, bridges are being erected, and roads are being rolled out.

Buildings are rising one after another, and the entire city is "changing with each passing day" at a speed visible to the naked eye.

After driving around, Xue Liangliang always fills up the gas when returning the car to her work unit.

Before leaving the mountain city, the four of them went to Jiefangbei and had another hotpot meal nearby.

Li Zhuiyuan originally thought that he didn't like spicy food, including Tan Wenbin, but after eating it a few times, he felt addicted. It seemed that the spiciness was just the appearance of Shancheng hot pot, and its core was fragrant.

The car to Wanzhou was also sent by the employer, and Xue Liangliang was still the driver. The difference was that this time the gas fee for the journey was reimbursed.

After leaving the urban area of ​​Shancheng City, the scenery along the way was extremely beautiful, but the road was a bit difficult to drive, and the destination was not in Wanzhou City, but below Wanzhou. The last section of the road had rained last night, so the wheels got stuck in the mud.

With Runsheng there, push the car out directly and continue driving.

It was already late at night when we arrived at the work place. Although the conditions of the town guest house were relatively simple, the rooms were very spacious.

Li Zhuiyuan opened the window, and there was a river vertically below. Even those in Nantong like to build houses along the river, but they are all gentle rivers, but not so fast. Those who like fishing can sit in the house and throw a pole.

, and then drink tea and listen to the radio while waiting for the fish to bite.

Xue Liangliang came back up after going down and said that the meeting was still open and he wanted to go and listen together. Of course Li Zhuiyuan agreed and went to the conference hall on the first floor of the guest house with Xue Liangliang.

Here, the table and the walls are covered with drawings. A group of people are divided into two groups, and they are arguing. Everyone is red-faced. The table has been photographed several times. The already mottled tabletop is now unknown.

How much more red paint fell off.

Halfway through, the leaders of both parties stopped with a tacit understanding. One drank water and the other ate. But it seemed that it was not over yet. They had to argue again before they could go back to the room to sleep. Otherwise, they would not feel comfortable anymore.

I feel regretful when I go to sleep.

Xue Liangliang did not participate in the debate, but just sat aside and listened carefully. Li Zhuiyuan was curious about these drawings and kept observing them.

The two sides finally had enough of the quarrel and decided to come up with a plan each and then leave it to their superiors to make a final decision.

Early the next morning, a whistle sounded, followed by a knock on the door, calling everyone to get up and continue going to the field.

Xue Liangliang has an identity, and Li Zhuiyuan has half an identity even though he has not yet entered school. As for Runsheng and Tan Wenbin, the team also expressed their welcome. After all, who doesn't like to have two more strong workers.

When we set out this time, in addition to equipment, we also brought tents and food.

The road was being built in the direction we were going. When we reached the area where we could no longer move forward by car, we all started to carry our things on foot. It was not too far, but it was not too close either. The main reason was that the road was not easy to walk, and we had to cross streams and ditches.

Climb several hills.

This made Li Zhuiyuan sigh with emotion. Langshan Mountain, which is regarded as a treasure in Nantong, is not a real mountainous area, that is, a small highland marked with a series of numbers on the drawing. When we arrived at the ground, we set up camp first, set up a fire and cooked some.

Boil water, and then everyone eats biscuits and canned food.

Then they started working. Li Zhuiyuan and the others followed Xue Liangliang to a slope and started measuring.

The boy learned things very quickly, while Tan Wenbin had a little difficulty, but he was still very positive. After all, he was determined to be in this major in the future. After dark, the team returned to camp, and the deputy team leader Ma Yiming organized a data collection

and temporary discussion meetings.

The next day was a repeat of yesterday. The four-person team was still sent to measure data. At noon, the four people stopped temporarily and sat on a big rock to eat and rest.

Xue Liangliang smiled and told Tan Wenbin that it was still too late to change his mind. Tan Wenbin immediately shook his head and reiterated his determination.

"Our work is like this. Whether it is the exploration and design stage or the construction stage, it is boring and repetitive day after day. Only when the project is actually completed can we feel the romance that is unique to us, just like waking up from a dream."

In the afternoon, after two and a half days of exploration and study, Li Zhuiyuan performed another kind of romance for Xue Liangliang.

He integrated the Feng Shui observation method into the measurement. After Xue Liangliang continued to set up the equipment to measure, he found that the error was within the allowable range. For a while, even he himself was somewhat unable to judge which set of data was more accurate.

However, Xue Liangliang still felt uneasy just relying on Feng Shui method to record data. But leaving this method alone made him look a bit stupid. In the end, Xue Liangliang found a good way, first get Xiaoyuan's data, and then compare it.

Perform calculation and proofreading, which not only ensures data accuracy but also saves a lot of work.

Unfortunately, this method is destined to be unable to be promoted. It can only make it easier for his own team to be lazy. Other teams are in other positions and cannot help. So at dusk, Xue Liangliang took three people down to the stream to catch fish.

The rest of the people were cheerleaders, and it was up to Runsheng to dive into the deep area with a fierce thrust, and then throw the fish up one by one. The four of them processed the fish by the stream, returned to the camp before dark, set up the pot, and cooked it

Had fish soup.

Teams are coming back one after another, and everyone is smiling and gathering here. Although the weather is not too cold now, it is definitely a pleasure to come back after a hard day and have a delicious and hot meal.

The soup was stewed until it was milky white. Three large ladles were hung there for everyone to help themselves.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up his bowl, added a little extra pepper and a little vinegar, and then drank from the iron box in small sips.

Time passed by little by little, and it was almost time for everyone to go back to the tent to sleep, but the atmosphere in the camp became anxious because there was a small team that had not returned yet.

Ma Yiming had already searched for it personally, but could not find it. Logically speaking, the location where the team dispersed was not far from the camp, and it was equipped with lighting equipment. Even if there was an accident, just turn on the light and face it to the sky.

Can see the light beam

There was no other way, Ma Yiming could only mobilize everyone to look for it together.

After crossing two streams, crossing a ditch, and climbing up, you will find the team’s survey mission point.

At this time, up and down the slopes, flashlights and shouts were everywhere, but this team of three could not only find no one, but they could not even find equipment.

Ma Yiming cursed: "Damn it, I've seen a ghost!"

If an accident occurs in a dangerous environment, it will happen. At least everyone can have a foreshadowing and construction in mind. But in this place, the biggest risk factor is just breaking your foot while climbing uphill and crossing a stream.

How could these three living people disappear just because they said they were not there?

Next, the survey team was divided into two groups, one group searched upstream along the slope, and the other group searched downstream.

Xue Liangliang's team was assigned to the upper reaches. After searching upstream for a certain distance with several other teams, they separated in a tacit understanding and communicated by light. "Xiaoyuan, let me carry you." Runsheng said.

"No need, Brother Runsheng."

"Where did this person go?" Tan Wenbin was very puzzled. "Their survey area is not as good as ours. We have deep water areas there, but their streams are just enough to reach the ankles, and it is impossible to be washed away by the water.

Walk."

Runsheng asked: "Are there any wild animals here?"

Xue Liangliang shook his head: "Team leader Ma specifically asked the locals beforehand and found that there were no wild beasts nearby. Besides, even a wild beast cannot take away three adult men at once. Even if it chooses to eat them on the spot, it will

Leaves a lot of traces.”

At this time, the sound of lights came from the distance.

Xue Liangliang waved and said: "Let's go over there and have a look." The nearby teams also gathered at the lantern language place.

After arriving at the place, everyone found a hat and a hiking stick broken in two under a big rock, which were confirmed to be the belongings of the missing team members. Xue Liangliang looked carefully with a flashlight, and then he lay on his side.

In the big stone, he put his hiking pole down and got stuck on the ground and the edge of the stone. He immediately shouted: "See if there are any traces over there, look carefully."

"Yes, I found it. There is a white scratch."

After checking and confirming, Xue Liangliang squatted down again, shone the flashlight on the small stones on the ground, and picked up several pieces to look at the front and back. "Look further forward to see if the small and medium stones on the ground have been turned over.

Traces, look at the depth of color and the concentration of fishy odor.”

Everyone immediately followed suit.

Soon, many people reported that they had it.

At this moment, everyone understood the meaning and imagined a similar scene in their minds, that is, something was dragging a team member on the ground. When passing by, the team member tried to use a trekking pole to jam the big rock and the ground, but

That thing was so strong that Jing tore the trekking pole in half.

One person immediately asked: "Who did this?"

Xue Liangliang shook his head: "You are not a human being. If you are a human being, there is no need to use brute force."

"What is this?" Another person made a new discovery nearby. He picked up a smooth object half a palm in size on the ground. When the flashlight was shined on it, it could shine through. It looked like glass, but the texture was different.

.

Everyone passed it around one after another without recognizing what it was. When it was passed to Li Zhuiyuan, the boy put it under his nose and sniffed it, then handed it to Runsheng. Runsheng understood and lowered his head to smell it.

smell.

"Xiaoyuan, there's an earthy smell."

"Earthy smell?" Xue Liangliang frowned and looked at Li Zhuiyuan, "Xiaoyuan, can you guess what this is?" Li Zhuiyuan replied: "Could it be snake scales?"

This guess is a bit scary. If such a large piece is a snake scale, then how long and big must the snake's body be?

Several people around him sneered, thinking that although this kid had a good brain and could get into college early, his imagination was still too rich.

Someone suggested that since they had found the forgotten things, they should continue to look for them. This suggestion was quickly approved by most people, and everyone continued to move upstream along the slope.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and pulled Xue Liangliang's sleeve: "Brother Liangliang, I don't think we should continue going forward. If we want to leave, we have to wait until dawn."

Xue Liangliang sighed helplessly: "If no one is found before dawn, we will have to suspend operations and call the police, and ask the police and the local government to mobilize nearby villagers to help search. Moreover, the three people have just disappeared, even if something happened

, this is also the golden search and rescue time period.

The most important thing is, Xiaoyuan, here are all veterans, my words are useless.

Let's do this, Runsheng, Binbin, you and Xiaoyuan stay here or go back to the camp first, you are not considered a formal member of the camp."

The implication is that Xue Liangliang has to continue searching, and there is nothing he can do about it. His colleague is missing, and he has no reason not to rescue him, even if he knows that there may be danger ahead.

"Hey, let's go together and let everyone use flashlights to shine on the ground to see if they can see reflections and find these scales." "Yeah, okay."

Everyone began to search forward again. The higher they went up, the steeper the slope on the left and the deeper the water on the right. Everyone could only travel on the flat part of the river beach in the middle. However, although similar scales could not be found again,

, but in a small pit, a shoe was found with traces of blood around the shoe.

This was the first time it was confirmed that someone among the missing team members was injured. Someone at the front shouted: "There is a hole here."

Everyone ran over one after another, and sure enough, on the left slope, there was a hole two people high. When the flashlight shined in, it quickly illuminated the stone wall.

At first I thought the cave was very shallow, but when someone shined a flashlight downward, they discovered that there was a large, dark hole in the middle of the cave.

There seemed to be something hanging on the sharp stone thorns at the edge of the black hole. However, facing this unknown cave, everyone was still muttering in their hearts. No one dared to be the first to go in and check.

Xue Liangliang squeezed the people in front of him and entered the cave first. He carefully came to the edge of the cave and reached for the thing. It was a strip of cloth on his clothes, which should be on the chest. There was still a name left on the work clothes.

It was written by "Feng Zhigao", who was one of the missing persons.

When Xue Liangliang brought this thing out, everyone gathered together to check it out. "So, where is the person down there?"

"Why did you go there?" "What did you do?"

Li Zhuiyuan did not go forward to look at the cloth, but stood by the entrance of the cave, his ears trembling slightly. He heard the "whirring" sound of wind coming from the cave. It was obvious that the cave was very deep and there was wind howling inside.

Huh? No, there were other sounds, what kind of friction? Li Zhuiyuan lay down and put his ears to the ground.

Seeing Xiao Yuan's move, Runsheng, Tan Wenbin and Xue Liangliang also quietly came over. They all knew that the boy had good hearing. At this time, everyone's positions were: the entrance of the cave - the four Li Zhuiyuan - the detectors - the river

.

The friction sound became clearer and louder. Li Zhuiyuan looked up at the cave in front of him while listening, as if something was going to come out at the next moment. When he was about to call everyone around him to run away from the cave,

But he immediately discovered that something was wrong. The sound did not come from the cave, but from the other side. In the river, something was crawling towards here from the river. It was coming!

Li Zhuiyuan immediately straightened up and looked at the group of detectors who were still gathering at the river beach to check their clothes and discuss the situation. Above all of their heads...

Suddenly two big red lanterns lit up!
Chapter completed!