Beast

The red sun rises, dispelling the darkness and bringing warmth to the cool morning. The rooster crows, and every household gets up from their warm beds, fetching water to wash their faces, and turning on the stove to cook.

, the men were either chopping wood in the yard, or getting up to feed the animals.

As usual, the Yang family started a busy day, and only the young Yang Song still stayed on the earthen bed and planned to take a nap.

After Yang Qing got up, he didn't even bother to wash his face. He anxiously ran to ask his father, Yang Dazhi, after suffering all night long for the result.

"Dad, what was your discussion with my mother last night? Do you want me to go or not?" Yang Qing asked cautiously. Seeing that his father Yang Dazhi was as usual, he was afraid that he would forget about this matter.

"Your mother is afraid that something will happen to you when you go to town, so she thinks you should just farm at home. We don't have much land, so we won't starve you to death no matter what." Yang Dazhi sighed with a low voice. We discussed it for half a night yesterday, but nothing happened.

He can make up his mind, but he is not a decisive person in the first place. This matter is a big deal for this family, so it is even more graceful to handle it.

"What? Dad, we discussed it for a long time yesterday, but in the end I was still not allowed to go." Yang Qing was stunned, and then said excitedly. After hearing Yang Dazhi's words, his uneasiness suddenly turned into deep disappointment.

Yang Qing's slightly dark face wrinkled up, praying, "Dad, I beg you, please discuss it with your mother again, just let me go, please dad." For some reason, he didn't know whether he should go out or not.

He was going from the village to the town. At this moment, he suddenly became determined. He must go, he must go!

A fourteen-year-old boy has childish impulses and rebelliousness. Just like a stone full of edges and corners, it can only be slowly worn away through bumps.

"Hey, hey!" Yang Dazhi looked at his son who was as tall as the corner of his mouth, with slightly darkened skin and messy hair, but firm eyes, and sighed deeply, as if he had a huge stone on his body.

The pressure was so heavy that he couldn't breathe.

Yang Dazhi knew that his son had been a bit stubborn since he was a child, but he was well-behaved and sensible. He had never caused trouble in the village, but today he was uncharacteristically different.

"Dad, even if you and my mother don't let me go, I will go there secretly, isn't it just a few dozen miles away? I'll crawl there too." Yang Qing turned his head and said angrily. Hearing two sounds

He sighed heavily and felt sour in his heart. He knew that his father was a simple countryman with little ability, so he should not be forced to do so. But he did not want to stay like this for the rest of his life, leading the old scalper to plow the few acres of thin fields.

"Father, my son is not filial. I will be even more filial to you when my son becomes successful." Yang Qing thought firmly in his heart. He turned his head and looked straight in the face without admitting defeat.

"Little bastard, I've rebelled against you. If you dare to sneak away, I won't let you down." Yang Dazhi was shocked when he heard Yang Qing's words, and then became angry and rolled towards Yang Qing's butt.

One kick.

Yang Qing was kicked. He covered his butt with his hands, lowered his head and said nothing. Tears were falling down. It wasn't that his butt hurt, but that he felt panicked in his heart.

"Okay, it's a shame for such a big young man to shed tears. I'll think about it again, little bastard." Yang Dazhi said helplessly. He stopped talking to Yang Qing and started busy in the yard. He was not a straight-backed person in the first place.

, but at this time, he was a little rickety.

The morning that was supposed to be full of vitality seemed very dull at the moment. The smoke was rising, and soon breakfast was ready. The breakfast was porridge, the leftover pancakes from yesterday and a plate of pickles. Yang Song opened his eyes in confusion at this time.

eyes, sitting listlessly at the table.

Before the Yang family started eating, Yang Dazhi spoke.

"I decided to let Yang Qing go to the town to do some work, or learn some crafts." Yang Dazhi sat down on the slightly damaged wooden bench and assumed a eloquent posture.

Yang Qing had a sullen face, looking at the hot food with no appetite. His eyes were still slightly red, but his face was filled with excitement from this unexpected surprise. But six-year-old Yang Song was confused and puzzled. He Xiugang took the

After picking up the bowls and chopsticks, after listening to Yang Dazhi's words, he put the bowls and chopsticks on the table with a 'pop' sound.

"Hey, I'm talking about Dazhi. We haven't discussed it yet. Why did you make your own decision?" He Xiu said with a hint of complaint in confusion. He didn't understand why Yang Dazhi suddenly made the decision. He said uneasily, "The child is still too young."

It’s small, it’s not too late to go out when you’re older...”

"You're already fourteen. I'll be engaged to you when I'm sixteen. It's better to settle this matter as soon as possible. I think this kid is too worried now." Before He Xiu could finish speaking, Yang Dazhi

Interrupt her decisively.

"Then what can the child do? He is so old," He Xiu said with a frown on his face, still persuading the child to travel thousands of miles. The mother was worried.

"After dinner later, I'll go to Lao Li's house to have a look. Hongwei should know some people in the town. Let's... let's go ask for help later." Yang Dazhi looked unnatural. He had never asked for help before. For the sake of his son, he didn't.

way.

"Although we are from the same village, we can't go empty-handed to ask for help." He Xiu said worriedly, but in her heart, she thought, "Just go out. It's not like being a soldier or fighting in a war. Just go out for a few dozen miles. If it doesn't work, just go out."

Come back. If you go out and get into trouble, you will feel more at ease when you come back."

After He Xiu made his decision, He Xiu thought about the matter and felt that the matter was not as serious as he thought, so he stopped trying to persuade him.

"I'll catch an old hen later. We also have a small basket of eggs. Bring them all," Yang Dazhi said casually, having thought about it in advance.

"We only have these two chickens in our family, and they are still laying eggs. Okay, take them with you. I hope this can help my son get a better job." He Xiu said with determination. The woman was careful, but she also knew that at this time

When she wasn't being stingy, these eggs were originally reserved for her two sons to replenish their health.

Seeing that his parents had agreed, Yang Qing was very happy and asked if Li Hongwei could help. But he also knew that there was nothing he could give as a gift at home, so he could only give hens and chickens.

Eggs. I have never been willing to eat eggs, but now I have to give them away for him, which makes the joy in my heart fade a lot.

"I must work hard. When I become successful, I will stew chicken for my parents and younger brother to eat every day. I will definitely!" Yang Qing felt unhappy and thought firmly.

Yang Song shook his head from side to side, not understanding what he was listening to. He couldn't interrupt even if he wanted to, so he could only worry on the sidelines.

"That's it, let's just eat and eat and it won't get cold!"

…

After breakfast, the family of four went to Li Hongwei's house with an old hen and a small basket of eggs. The land was almost plowed now, and it didn't take more than an hour or three to catch up with Li Hongwei's family.

They didn't plan to take Yang Song with them, but Yang Song was rolling around on the floor, crying and fussing. The three of them had no choice but to take him with them.

The village is not big, and every house is close to each other. It didn't take much effort to reach Li Hongwei's house, which has the same three small mud houses, low fences, and low wooden doors.

"Brother Li, are you at home?" He Xiu stood on tiptoes and shouted clearly by the wooden door. Li Hongwei's father was about ten years older than Yang Dazhi, so he was of the same generation.

"I'm at home, it's Xiu'er. What's going on? They're all here together." Li Hongwei's mother greeted her warmly. She was clearing away the dishes and had just finished eating.

"Isn't it because of Yang Qing?" He Xiu had no choice but to follow Li Hongwei's mother into the back room.

"Uncle, aunt is here." Li Hongwei, who was wearing a gray cross-collar robe, was chatting with his father. When he saw Yang Dazhi and others entering the room, he stood up and greeted him familiarly.

They all greeted each other, nothing more than "Have you eaten?" "What have you eaten?" Yang Qing and Yang Song, as juniors, greeted Li Hongwei's parents with an obedient expression.

Yang Dazhi and his wife laughed happily and found a stool to sit down on. The room was not big and there were no extra stools. Yang Qing and Yang Song were standing beside them.

Yang Qing used to play with Li Hongwei often and they had a good relationship. However, in recent years, Li Hongwei has become a soldier in the town. It has been different from before. Over the past few years, they are not as familiar as before. This time, they still have requests for help.

Man, Yang Qing seemed a little restrained at this time.

"Hweiwei is doing well in town recently, right?" Yang Dazhi laughed dryly. It was the first time he asked someone for help and he didn't know how to ask.

"That's it. Uncle's land has been plowed and it's time to plant it. If you want to say who is the most diligent in our village, it has to be you, uncle. Your family has the best harvest in the village every year." Li Hongwei was in his twenties.

He is of medium height, with fair skin and quite handsome appearance. He wears clean robes and his mannerisms are not like someone who grew up in this remote country.

He Xiu and Li Hongwei, his mother's family, were chatting with each other, praising Li Hongwei for this and that from time to time. Li Hongwei's mother couldn't close her mouth with laughter. Yang Song squatted listlessly and teased an old hen with wings tied to it.

Qing stood aside and laughed silly.

"It's coming, it's coming." Yang Dazhi didn't know how to say it for a moment. He looked to the side and poked his rough hands.

"Hey, Yang Qing, this kid, also wants to go to the town to see the world. My eldest nephew, you know a lot of people in the town. Let's see if you can help find some work. It's best if you can learn some crafts. Uncle.

I have no choice but to risk my old face." Yang Dazhi finished speaking in one breath, and then his old face couldn't help but blush.

"Hongwei, please see if you can find some work for Yang Xiao. It's hard for your uncle to open his mouth once, so he has to understand everything." Li Hongwei's father urged him with a look of sudden realization.

"Uncle, there's actually nothing good in the town. It's not as easy as in the countryside. It's not easy to do anything." Li Hongwei sighed with emotion.

"Brother Hongwei, please help me." Yang Qing couldn't hold his breath, with a look of anxiety on his face.

At this time, He Xiu and Yang Dazhi were also talking, with a somewhat low-spirited tone.

"Uncle and aunt, don't worry, let me think about it." Li Hongwei pinched his brows, lowered his head and thought for a while, "There is a blacksmith shop in the town. The weapons of our soldiers are all made by that blacksmith shop. The blacksmith's skills are very good.

It’s very famous in the town.”

"His blacksmith shop should need young apprentices, who usually help with odd jobs. Yang Qing can learn some skills by working hard for a few years, and then he can make farm tools or something like that. Let me talk to the blacksmith.

There should be no problem." Li Hongwei paused and then said, "They can provide you with food and accommodation, but they don't have wages."

"Learn blacksmithing. It's very good. It's good if you can learn the craft for free. What kind of wages do you need?" Yang Dazhi said with satisfaction, and a stone fell in his heart.

Yang Dazhi actually didn't expect Yang Qing to really learn any craft and learn the best. Even if he didn't learn it, Yang Qing would have to give up and work at home.

Yang Qing was excited when he heard that he could learn to blacksmith.

Later, Li Hongwei very knowledgeablely helped him plan his future path, which made the Yang family feel relieved a lot.

The Yang family was extremely grateful and had a lot of kind words.

Li Hongwei will return to town tomorrow. After discussing it, Yang Qing will follow Li Hongwei to town tomorrow without waiting for the farm work to be finished.

After several pushes and shoves between the two families, the Li family left the hens and eggs, and Yang Dazhi took the whole family and left.

This matter was settled as usual. Both Yang Dazhi and He Xiu were satisfied. They had learned the craft of blacksmithing. Even if they failed to learn it, there would be no big loss. Yang Qing was only fourteen years old this year. He wasted a few years on it.

It’s time to go see the world and fulfill one of your son’s wishes.;