You are my proper foothold

Chapter 31

Before Hui Xiaoyou set off, Jiang Xin packed a bunch of medicine for him to take with him, saying that he might need it at that time.

Yan Xiaoyou also had a general understanding of the mountainous area that he was going to go to from the materials, and he could see that the conditions were indeed difficult. Although it was near L City, the actual geographical location was far from the "nearby" and was basically so remote. Go inside the ravine.

Hui Xiaoyou read the materials and said that the township he was going to was located in a remote place, and there was no telephone line, let alone the signal coverage of China Mobile and China Unicom. Once he entered the township, he would be basically isolated from the outside world. .If you want to make a phone call, you have to go to a county town more than ten miles away.

However, there is no road between the county town and the village, and the dirt roads are full of potholes. Cars can't go there at all. You can only take a small three-wheeled motorcycle or a donkey cart driven by a villager. It takes about half an hour to get there, and it takes about half an hour to walk. It will take over an hour.

Hui Xiaoyou was also shocked when he saw these things. When he was packing his luggage at night, he couldn't help complaining to Jiang Xin: "You said such a remote place, how did the center get in touch with them? There is still economic training... Will it really have an effect on the development there? I think it’s better to popularize Mandarin, and teach some basic math knowledge and basic skills. It’s too unreasonable to want to run before learning to walk..."

Jiang Xin checked all the necessary items for him and replied, "Maybe it's a 'face project'. If a new leader comes to power, he definitely hopes to make some achievements for others to see. The country now attaches great importance to the development of mountainous areas. Go in this direction. The above will naturally gain more attention and financial support. However, with the height of the G University and the economic center, it is natural not to send their own professors to teach children in mountainous areas, so they changed their thinking and turned it into intellectuals and rural cadres Doing economic training is not only in line with the center's major, but also has a high-end reputation, so why not do it."

"Aren't you being too blunt?" Hui Xiaoyou sighed, then smiled helplessly, "Knowing that it's a 'face project', there's nothing you can do about it, you have to go anyway. At least there is a little benefit, I think those Local people will definitely not do such a meaningless project with the center for nothing. Since they agree, it means that the center must have given them funding. They can get real benefits, and it is not a bad thing for us to cooperate to give lectures. Better than nothing."

"Well, as long as there are practical benefits." Jiang Xin raised her head to look at Hui Xiaoyou, and said with a sly smile: "Brother, didn't you say that you will not accept the fate of the emperor outside?" Whether it is teaching economics or mathematics, It’s not all up to you.”

Hui Xiaoyou's eyes lit up after hearing this, and he flicked Jiang Xin's forehead lightly with his finger, "You really didn't learn well."

"Yes, brother taught you well, but I didn't learn well." Jiang Xin admitted quickly, and was about to continue speaking when she felt that Hui Xiaoyou's hand didn't move away after playing him, but instead stuck to his forehead , he changed his words and said to him: "I really don't have a fever anymore. Yesterday was the last time I repeated it, and I'm fine today."

"Let's observe again at night." Hui Xiaoyou's eyes showed a faint worry, "After the Dragon Boat Festival, you will definitely start working day and night again, you have to pay attention to your health, eat on time and rest as much as possible. "

"Brother, is this telling others? Why is it not easy to do it when it's my turn." Jiang Xin looked at him helplessly and said with a smile.

Hui Xiaoyou glanced at him, "Okay, I've said too much, whether you like it or not."

"Listen, I'll listen." Jiang Xin tugged Yan Xiaoyou's sleeve, showing a cute and sensible expression, blinking at him and said: "Brother, you can take a day off tomorrow, I'll take you to the airport. "

"No." Hui Xiao rebuffed sharply, "Tomorrow you should rest at home and take care of me."

Jiang Xin sneered, "What are you raising, a baby?"

"...Do you have any?" Hui Xiaoyou stared at him amusedly, "If you have any, you can raise them together, and I'll buy some anti-fetal drugs online and send them over to you. You take them on time and according to the amount, maybe you'll wait for me three months later." When I come back in a month, I will have a little nephew."

Jiang Xin's expression turned pitiful, "Brother...Even if I can really give birth to you, I have to let me conceive you for ten months, what kind of creature is that when it comes out in three months..."

"Hahahaha..." Hui Xiaoyou couldn't help laughing, seeing the bleeding expression on his junior brother's handsome face, he couldn't help stretching out his hand to squeeze it again and again, but unfortunately he couldn't His wish came true, because his wrist was "cut off" by Jiang Xin in the middle of the journey.

"Brother, don't laugh, let's get down to business first, let me see you off." Jiang Xin said while clutching him.

Hui Xiaoyou forcibly changed the subject, "Hey, tell me honestly who the child's father is?!"

Jiang Xin loosened her hands and smiled badly: "Whoever sleeps with me is the one."

"Hey—" Hearing his hints so clearly, Yue Xiaoyou couldn't even pretend not to understand, he patted his suitcase vigorously and said, "Can we just lie down and sleep together like that?! Why is this so?" It's so weird when you say it..."

"Didn't the two of us mean the same thing? I also meant 'lying down and sleeping together'." Jiang Xin looked at him innocently.

Hui Xiaoyou felt a little tired, feeling like jumping into the Yellow River would not clear it up, "You can say whatever you want..."

"Senior brother, don't be angry." Jiang Xin leaned over to cheer him up, "I'll see you off tomorrow."

"No——" Hui Xiaoyou turned his head abruptly, but just in time to see Jiang Xin looking at him with eyes full of expectation and longing, he immediately lost his temper, and couldn't help laughing: "Mr. Are you sure it will be lethal?"

Jiang Xin squinted her eyes and nodded, "It doesn't matter if it is lethal to others, as long as it is to you."

"..."

Hui Xiaoyou thought silently in his heart, it's true for me.

"How about this," Hui Xiaoyou finally compromised after thinking for a while, and said to Jiang Xin: "Tomorrow I will drive to the airport, you take my car there, and then take a taxi back by yourself."

"Then you're going to put the car in the parking lot for three months?" Jiang Xin's expression clearly disapproved of this suggestion, "Brother, I know you don't want me to be tired from driving, but it's really okay. If you are really worried, just When you go, you drive, and I drive back by myself, it’s always okay to go all the way, right?”

"...That depends on your situation tonight. If you don't have a fever tonight and you're in better shape tomorrow, then follow what you say, otherwise just listen to me." Hui Xiaoyou's tone was already very firm, Jiang Xin had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Hui Xiaoyou patted his head and praised him, "Good boy."

Jiang Xin couldn't help laughing slightly.

At this moment, the two of them had already put all the things at hand into the box, Hui Xiaoyou took a few more professional books from the bookshelf and put them in, stood there after thinking for a while and felt that they were not enough, so he picked three more and put them in.

Jiang Xin looked at it and frowned, "Brother, these books are thick and heavy, are you sure you have to take them with you?"

"Otherwise," Hui Xiaoyou clapped his hands helplessly, "there is no internet over there, and electricity is also a scarce resource, so I definitely don't need to bring a laptop. If I don't bring a few more books, how can I supplement my spiritual food?"

"That's right." Jiang Xin quietly helped him lay the books flat, and asked again: "By the way, brother, there is no phone in the place where you are staying, and you can't use your mobile phone. Remember to call me to report that you are safe before you change cars in the county seat." , don't forget."

"I know." Hui Xiaoyou thought about it and laughed, "If I really forgot to call, I should be counted as a missing person. Are you worried?"

"Yes." Jiang Xin answered very naturally, "If you really forgot to hit me, I will definitely have to find you, and I will be relieved when I find you."

Hui Xiaoyou was taken aback by his firm tone, his nose felt a little sore, he hurriedly turned around and smiled covertly: "It's okay, I'm not kidding, I will definitely remember."

Jiang Xin looked up at him, "Yes, we must."

Speaking of this, people don't know how to continue.

Just like what Yan Xiaoyou said to Wei Zhiyu the day before yesterday, two people in any relationship should have a certain degree of concern for each other, once it exceeds this degree, it will be another relationship.

Hui Xiaoyou and Jiang Xin both stepped on the boundary line and stopped at the same time.

hold on.

It's not too late to talk until the two of them have enough time to face this matter.

***

That night, under Jiang Xin's strong request, Hui Xiaoyou made him fried rice with eggs. A good student who is about to start school.

"Then how about I give you some homework?" Hui Yue teased.

"College students don't have homework." Jiang Xin entered the play quite quickly, but he thought for a while and said: "But after the holiday is over, we should start to be busy again, brother, I may not be able to spare time to see you, but I try my best."

"Why are you going to see me? With the conditions in the mountains, you may not have a place to live when you go, so don't bother." Hui Xiaoyou gave him a "warning" look, "Did you hear that? Don't look I, anyway, I'll be back in three months at most."

Jiang Xin nodded noncommittally, "Yes."

Hui Xiaoyou just turned his head away at this moment, didn't see his expression, just assumed that he had already agreed and didn't say anything more.

And Jiang Xin's cold seemed to be getting better. She didn't have a fever at night, but she just coughed a little at night.

Hui Xiaoyou slept with him again tonight because he was worried. When he heard him coughing, he got up to fetch water for him twice. In the middle of the night, Jiang Xin finally stopped coughing, and seemed to have finally fallen asleep soundly.

However Hui Yue was awake almost the whole night.

Knowing that he is lying next to him, breathing is close at hand, how can he still sleep...

※※※

Hui Xiaoyou's destination is Zhaoping Village in the L Mountain area in the south of L City.

He first took a three-hour flight to the urban area of ​​L City, then took an air-conditioned bus and spent another three hours arriving at a county-level city in the southernmost part of L City, where he guided the car and boarded an ordinary long-distance bus. The bus took more than two hours and finally arrived at the last place with signal coverage on this route, which is a small county called Changhe.

Hui Xiaoyou left the door at [-] o'clock in the morning, and it was already past [-] o'clock in the evening.

He wanted to enter the village overnight, and didn't plan to stay in the county for another night, so he first found a place with a slightly stronger signal and called Jiang Xin, telling him that he had arrived and was about to enter the mountain, and reassured him.

Jiang Xin obviously couldn't rest assured.

He persuaded Xiaoyou very seriously on the phone: "Brother, it's so late, it's too unsafe to walk on the mountain road in the dark. You'd better stay in the county town for one night, and then enter the mountain in the morning tomorrow."

Hui Xiaoyou felt right after hearing what he said.Although he didn't think it was a big problem to go into the mountain at night, he was afraid that if he couldn't get in touch with the outside after he went in, it would be bad for Jiang Xin to worry about him and think wildly.

So Hui Xiaoyou agreed to him, and found a nearby small hotel to live in. The conditions were not satisfactory, Hui Xiaoyou didn't ask too much after being tired for a day, there was a bed, a pillow, and a quilt, and he dipped his head in it. fell asleep.

***

Early the next morning, just after six o'clock, Hui Xiaoyou got up from the bed, washed up, checked out of the room, sent Jiang Xin another WeChat message, and then went to find the tricycle to enter the village.

And as soon as his butt was firmly seated on the tricycle, Jiang Xin's call came.

Hui Xiao saw that the time was only 06:30, so he picked it up and asked, "Why did you wake up so early? Did I wake you up?"

"No, I'll wake up naturally." Jiang Xin's voice still had a nasal sound that had just woken up, and it seemed more lazy and magnetic when it came over the phone.

Hui Xiaoyou's throat felt dry when he heard that, he coughed twice before saying: "Go to sleep a little longer, I'm leaving now, I guess there will be no signal later, I'll let you know in advance."

"Well, I see. After you go, you must pay attention to safety. Don't go to unfamiliar places if you have nothing to do. You should pay more attention to all aspects of clothing, food, housing and transportation, and take care of yourself." The words were said again.

Hui Xiao nodded with a smile and agreed: "Understood, don't worry about him, it's fine, I will call you again if I have a chance to come to the county."

"Okay...then you..." Jiang Xin's voice suddenly started to break, and the last few words could not be heard clearly.

Hui Xiaoyou fed a few times, making sure that he really couldn't hear, then he raised the volume and said to the receiver: "The signal is almost gone, so let's not talk about it! Remember to take your medicine and make sure it's all gone! Then I'll hang up first, see you later!"

The other end of Jiang Xin had already turned into piercing noises, and he couldn't distinguish human voices at all, Hui Xiaoyou sighed and hung up the phone, and looked at the phone for a long time before putting it away.

Then I really can't contact you.he thought silently.

It took almost an hour to enter the village, because the road in the mountains was really difficult to walk, and Hui Xiaoyou couldn't find a motorcycle. The speed of the tricycle was basically the same as walking.

Hui Xiaoyou got out of the car after arriving at the place, and the tricycle driver said that he still had to go around the village to ask if there was anyone going to the county town so that he could do business along the way.

Hui Xiaoyou was afraid that he would not be able to find business, so he paid him double the money, and told him to pay attention to safety on the way back. The master gratefully thanked him more than ten times before pedaling away.

Hui Xiaoyou dragged the box, and looked at the map while looking at the village people's surprised or novel eyes, and walked towards the "school" arranged for them by the village.

It is said to be a "school", but it is actually a small one-story house of more than 30 square meters, with a yard of more than ten square meters outside.

Because Hui had read the materials beforehand, Hui Xiaoyou was not surprised by what he saw after arriving here, but he was still surprised from time to time.

Due to its location in the south and close to the Yangtze River Basin, the climate here is relatively humid, and the high altitude makes it a bit colder.

The buildings in the village are mainly brick houses with wooden beams and tile roofs scattered on both sides of the street, but they all look dilapidated, and large pieces of the mud wall have fallen off, which looks very mottled.

The street is not actually the kind in the normative sense.The pavement paved with stone slabs is not smooth, there are missing pieces, and the edges are full of green moss. The soles of the shoes are a little slippery when they rub against it. You need to be very careful, otherwise you may slip into a small pit after taking two steps and splash. Get up a foot of mud.

Poverty in the village is everywhere.

Besides these houses and streets, there are people.

Whether it's a man, a woman, an old man or a child, Hui Xiaoyou walked all the way, and everyone he saw didn't have a complete piece of clothing on them, let alone new or old.

The patches on those clothes almost make up a world map, but they don't have the bright colors on the world map, they are all old-fashioned blue, brown, gray and black, and even the little girl is wearing such cold and dark clothes. The color tone, the bold red, yellow, pink and green is almost invisible, even if there are one or two occasionally, they are colorful as if cut from the surface of the newlywed quilt, and there is no pattern on the usual clothes.

The more Hui Xiaoyou looked at it, the more depressed he felt in his heart.Even though he has always known that many people in this world are living extremely difficult lives, but simply knowing and seeing with his own eyes are completely two different feelings.

All the descriptions of impoverished villages in mountainous areas before were nothing more than a few lines of dry words on paper or on the screen or a few generalized videos for him, but now, he experienced them vividly.

The steps are getting slower and slower, and the more difficult it is to walk.

Hui Xiaoyou felt the eyes of the people in the village on him, and felt that he was a strange person walking on the road in this clean and tidy casual clothes with no patches on it.

Afterwards, he stopped looking up, stopped looking around, and just walked forward in front of the map, and didn't stop until he reached the "office building" of the village cadres next to the school.

The so-called "office building" is a courtyard surrounded by a circle of bungalows. There is a mottled and simple signboard on the gate of the courtyard, which says "Zhaoping Village Office" in six characters.

Hui Xiaoyou stood at the door for a while, then picked up the box and walked in.

"anyone there?"

It was very quiet in the office, Hui Xiaoyou shouted three times before he saw a man in his 50s coming out of a room, this was also the first time Hui Xiaoyou saw that his clothes were not patched. The face is also very clean, and the hair is neatly combed back. It should look a bit dignified.

"Hello, may I ask-"

Hui Xiaoyou just opened his mouth tentatively, when he saw that the man greeted him warmly with a face suddenly enlightened, he held his hand that was not carrying the suitcase and said, "You are the professor from University of G! Nice to meet you!" !"

"Where is that..." Hui Xiaoyou was a little overwhelmed by the sudden enthusiasm, he shook his hand a few times and then withdrew his hand and asked, "Is the village chief here? I'm here to find him—"

"Oh, I'm just me!" The man pulled his hand back again, shaking it up and down, "I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself just now, I'm the village head, Liang Fugui! What's your name?"

Hui Xiao didn't expect that he would run into the right owner as soon as he came here. Seeing Liang Fugui seemed quite funny, he couldn't help laughing and said, "Hello Village Chief Liang, my name is Yan Xiaoyou. , you can call me Xiaoyan."

"Hey! That's not going to happen, that's not going to work!" Liang Fugui waved his hands quickly, "You are a professor! Professor Yan has worked hard, are you tired from traveling all the way here? I'll take you to where you live."

"Thank you very much." Hui Xiaoyou followed him, and found that Liang Fugui hadn't left the courtyard, so he led him directly to a room at the east end of the courtyard, and said to him, "Professor Yan, please come in! This is the right place." !"

Hui Xiaoyou was still very strange, and asked: "Village Chief, do I just live in the village office? Will it be inconvenient for you to work?"

"No, no!" Liang Fugui shook his head, pointed him outside and said, "We also arranged for the professor from your school to be here before, and the office is basically vacant now, and there is nothing to do. I sent everyone home to rest, and left me alone to be on duty here, and also responsible for communicating with the professor, if you need anything, just come to me."

"So that's how it is." Hui Yue smiled gratefully, "I made you worry."

"Where is there! It is our honor to serve you as a high-level intellectual! Everyone in the village is counting on learning advanced knowledge from you!" Liang Fugui's smile was filled with envy and admiration, which Yue Xiaoyou could see Can't help but slightly stunned.

At this time, Liang Fugui took the box from Hui Xiaoyou's hand and walked into the room, "Professor Yan, come and see if you are not satisfied with the current arrangement? You can tell me what is missing, and I will find someone soon." I'll set it up for you."

"Village Chief, you don't have to be so polite." Hui Xiaoyou looked around the room as he said, he could see that it was already far above the average standard in the village.

The room is about [-] square meters. There is a bed slightly wider than a standard single bed against the wall. A half-person-high wooden table and a few chairs are placed on the other side of the wall. There is also an obvious A simple handmade bookcase stands in the corner, and daily necessities such as pots, pans, chopsticks and tea cups are placed on a low-leg coffee table near the door.

The whole room was cleaned very cleanly. Although the bedding and pillows on the bed were not necessarily new, it could be seen that they had been carefully washed and spread out. There was not even a speck of dust on the window sill.

Liang Fugui led Yan Xiaoyou to a small door inside the house, opened it and said to him, "Professor Yan, this room is the only one in the office with an indoor toilet. It's convenient for you to use alone, otherwise we won't be able to use it alone." I'm afraid you won't be used to these rough people together. People in the city are particular, but we are used to rough people."

Hui Xiaoyou felt a little embarrassed, "Village chief, what do you say, I'm going to do as the Romans do, I can do whatever I want, you don't have to take special care of me."

"It should be." Liang Fugui rubbed his hands and smiled, "Why don't you clean up first and take a rest? The village also arranges three meals a day for you, and you can tell me when you are hungry!"

"Okay... I see." Hui Xiao had a feeling of being confessed by someone as a leader. Although he was very touched, he was still very uncomfortable, but he couldn't say anything right now, so he just said casually: "Then I'll pack it up first, pack it up and go find you."

Liang Fugui nodded: "Okay, okay, no hurry! Take your time! I won't disturb your rest. Let me know when you have a rest. I'll be here anytime!"

"Well, thank you, village chief." Hui Xiaoyou sent Liang Fugui to the door, and at his insistence closed his own door before hearing his footsteps walking away.

What a passionate person...

Hui Yue sighed silently in his heart.Just through the contact just now, he can feel the joy and welcome of the people in the village, represented by Liang Fugui, to the outsiders entering the village. It should be from the heart, not just for the purpose of seeking funding.

They really want someone to come in.

Or, what they really hope is that someone can bring the outside world into the village.

This makes people feel sad just thinking about it.