"Alu, Alu, where did this dead kid go?"
The woman, who had been exposed to wind, frost and sun for many years, carried a wooden bucket full of water. She turned her head to look for her naughty son but did not see him. She was not in a hurry, but she could not help complaining.
"Maybe he went out to have some fun somewhere?"
The woman traveling with her responded with a smile.
She also carried a wooden barrel on her shoulder.
"Oh, he's just like his dead father..." Arun's mother raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She originally wanted this kid to come over and help her share some of the burden, but who knew that he would be just like his father, only caring about her and making her worry.
"You'll change once you get a wife."
"that is."
The comfort from others made Arunniang feel comfortable.
A faint smile reappeared on her face.
"Well, I hope so."
Another person asked, "When will your daughter-in-law come?"
Arun Niang smiled and said, "There are still thirty-one days left."
This was a very important event in the family, and she remembered it clearly! She counted the days on her fingers.
When others heard this, they were all envious.
They all praised Arun's good luck.
Aruniang was wearing an old, badly worn animal-skin hat on her head. She had a square mouth and a wide nose, thick and bold eyebrows, and dark and rosy skin. She was not tall, but had broad shoulders and strong arms. At first glance, she looked like a stocky and short man.
I heard that she was not from the Shiwu tribe, but from another tribe, and was sold to the Shiwu tribe by her cruel father.
Perhaps it was her destiny to be depressed, as Arun's mother had lost four men in a row, and now she only has one son, Arun, who is 13 years old this year. Arun's mother has been worried about her son's marriage for the past two years and has worked hard to save money for several years.
But this little money is not enough to marry ten black girls.
Business has been good in the past two years, and the price of women in Longwu has dropped drastically, and the supply of goods has increased. She contacted the dealers she knew through her connections, paid a deposit, and was not picky about the people. It was said that the goods could be delivered on time within three months at the latest.
The dealer patted his chest and made a promise.
Arun's mother has been very happy these days.
I work more and more vigorously.
He tells everyone he is about to have a wedding.
There are not many women as capable as Aruniang.
Many men in the tribe privately complained that their women were not as hard-working as Arunniang and could not find a wife for their sons.
This caused the other women to roll their eyes.
Arun's mother is so strong because her husband died and she refused to marry again. If she doesn't work hard, what will happen to her and her mother? They are different. Their husbands are still alive.
If their men also died, they would definitely fight to the death.
This one sentence left the man speechless.
"Thirty-one days? That's fast."
"Don't forget to treat me to a drink then."
Arun Niang smiled faintly and said, "Of course, of course. We have prepared two lambs at home."
Although Aruniang seems to be a winner in life, she also has an unknown pain in her heart, and that is her son.
Her son Alu had no idea of being a groom or an adult. He played like a child king, hanging out with those naughty kids of seven or eight years old, playing childish games like generals and soldiers attacking a city.
Aruniang was very dissatisfied with this.
Repeated caning.
But the other men in the tribe think that Aru has the potential to be a warrior. In a year or two, he will be able to go out to fight with other men in the tribe. By then, what kind of gold, silver, treasures and food can a woman not choose? This kid will have a bright future!
Arun Niang doesn't have such big ambitions.
She had suffered so much in the first half of her life, raising Alu with all her might. She only hoped that her son could stay by her side in peace, learn a decent skill, marry a wife and have many grandchildren, and be filial to her when she is old.
The tribal men scoffed at her idea.
I look down on Arun's mother behind her back.
She doesn't even allow her own children to have much contact with her.
But the women in the tribe don't have so many thoughts. They admire Arun Niang very much because she can do the work of two grown men. The latter will occasionally help them with the heavy work enthusiastically, which is better than the men in the family who just talk.
Seven or eight women were coming back from fetching water, talking and laughing on the way, not worrying about the children who had run out to play.
The conditions are much better now than before. Their tribe is a well-known large tribe nearby, and there are garrisons patrolling nearby to prevent wild animals from entering the territory. This kind of thing happened more than once or twice, and they would come back when it gets dark.
If you're any later you'll get a good beating.
The tribe is composed of many tents of different sizes.
Smoke was already rising from many tents.
The tribal men gathered in groups of three or four to chat, and the naughty children gathered together to play, watching the peaceful times.
Aruniang returned to her tent.
But I saw a familiar-looking man standing outside the tent.
Arunniang knew him. He was the brother of her fourth husband. They had gone out "hunting" together. Of the more than 300 young men who went, only half returned. The remaining men, including Arunniang's husband, were caught up and shot by patrol soldiers at the border of Yonggu Pass in Longwu County. Fortunately, they had a rich harvest that trip, and Arunniang, as a widow, also got a small fortune...
"Come in and sit down."
The man followed him in.
"Sister-in-law, please help me."
"That's what you said. How can a brother not agree?" Arun's mother has been taken care of by the other party over the years. When food was most scarce in the tribe, there was no adult man in her family who could go out hunting, and the food they received was very little. She and Aru almost starved to death in that cold winter, and they only survived by relying on the dried bacon given by the other party. Arun's mother is very grateful.
"After the spring begins, the tribe will organize people to go hunting in the spring."
A'lu's mother's heart skipped a beat: "Should we let A'lu go?"
This is her life.
She can support the mother and daughter by working alone.
Why does Aru need to fight so hard
The man waved his hands and explained: "No, no, I just wanted to borrow the armor and bow and arrows left by my eldest brother... I will have to go through a customs check this spring, and it may be a little dangerous, so I wanted to wear more things. Hunting can make money now, and I want to go hunting again while I can still move, and find a woman for my son at home..." Who wouldn't be jealous of Arun's mother spending money to get a daughter-in-law from a trafficker
When Aruniang heard the request, she immediately agreed.
Because there are few decent craftsmen in Shiwu, and no exquisite iron smelting and weapon making technology, delicate things like armor and weapons are hard to come by for ordinary people. They are usually passed down from father to son, son to grandson, and as long as they can be used, they are passed down from generation to generation as "heirlooms". They can save lives at critical moments! Some people go out hunting, and their weapons are sharpened stones...
The armor and bows and arrows of Aru's mother's family were all spoils of war that they were lucky enough to get from some unlucky guy at Yonggu Pass. Some families in the tribe wanted to borrow them, but Aru's mother usually refused. These were the equipment she left for her son Aru!
The person who asked for a loan this time was my deceased husband's brother.
She agreed.
The man dressed neatly and went out happily.
His majestic appearance attracted countless eyes along the way.
Aruniang was busy preparing dinner for the evening, burning firewood to cook corn and meat soup, and doing housework, moving quickly.
Soon, the children who had been playing came back one after another, and from some houses the sound of children crying loudly was heard.
Except Aru.
Until the moon is at its zenith.
A shadow ran back complaining.
Alu cursed: "You didn't even call me when you came home..."
Finally, after working so hard, he was almost there. Under the moonlight, he could vaguely see the shadow of the tribe's tent. Aru quickened his pace and trotted along the way. But as he ran, he found that the dark tribe gradually lit up with a strange light.
It started out as a little bit, then quickly became a whole.
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