Digging up.

Ye Yaodong smiled again when he saw the two of them, then he took a newspaper, sat on the recliner at the door and rocked it, trying to find something for them to do so that they wouldn't have to run around chasing chickens and dogs.

He stopped digging. He was not a child playing with earthworms.

The spring sun was so warm that even the wind seemed warm. It was much colder than the cold at sea. He had to wear a cotton-padded jacket at sea. When he got ashore, he only had to wear a base layer and a thin sweater.

.

Now that the sun was shining, he felt that he was getting too hot even wearing a sweater, so he simply took it off and covered his face to block the sun. He stopped reading the newspaper and leisurely rocked the armchair while listening to the two words in his ear.

The little girl’s laughter.

Just when he was leisurely, someone called him at the door, breaking the warmth in the yard.

"Ah Dong?"

He sat up in confusion, looked at the door of the courtyard, and then greeted him with a smile on his face.

"What kind of wind has brought Secretary Chen here? If you need anything, just call me and I'll go find you. Come on, come on in and sit down..."

"I heard it spread throughout the village when I woke up early in the morning. I also knew you were at home, so I came over to take a look."

"Would you like some tea? There's nothing else at home."

"No, no, no, just talk."

After Secretary Chen sat down, he looked at the two children digging in the soil beside him and said, "This little one has been raised in your house."

"His parents went to the city. No one was watching, so they left him here to raise him for a few months. The two of them stayed together and had a companion. What's going on? How are you doing recently?"

"Okay, I just have something I want to discuss with you."

He paused, looked at Ye Yaodong's puzzled expression and said, "That's right, isn't today April 23rd? It's the third day of March in the lunar calendar..."

"Ah? Today is the third day of March? Isn't that my daughter's second birthday? Xiaojiu, come here..."

Ye Xiaoxi listened to the kind call, turned his head and took a look, and immediately shook his head like a rattle, "No, I still have to dig up insects."

"No, today is your birthday, I even forgot..."

When he woke up early in the morning, his mother was making trouble for his father, causing him to run away after dinner without even having time to look at the calendar. He had forgotten what day it was today.

The problem of food and clothing has just been solved these days. No one celebrates birthdays. Only relatively special birthdays are celebrated, such as the first birthday, which is only celebrated on the tenth day. The most I eat is longevity noodles and two poached eggs. I probably even eat it every day.

I have forgotten my birthday.

He has been back for three years, but he has never remembered his birthday in any of the years. It took many days afterwards to accidentally remember that his birthday had passed.

This second birthday is not that important, so Ah Qing didn't remind him specifically. No one in the family had a birthday in the past few years.

He shouted at the child several times, but Ye Xiaoxi didn't even look back. He only turned his head at first, but now he turned his back to him and kept shaking his head and twisting his butt, unwilling to move.

Secretary Chen patted his shoulder and said, "I'm talking to you about business. I'm not here to remind you of your child's birthday."

He had just started to stand up when he was interrupted, and he only listened to him muttering about his child's birthday.

"What's the business? I thought you heard the gossip in the village this morning and came here to chat."

He really thought so, otherwise, he couldn't think of anything else that could come to him?

"It's like this. Isn't today the third day of the Lunar New Year? Mazu's birthday is on March 23rd..."

Ye Yaodong suddenly realized, "Oh~ Mazu's birthday is coming...and what next?"

Why did you come over to tell him?

There is an ominous premonition.

"Then, I was thinking that we had such a grand event last year. The Mazu temple in our village was the largest and most spectacular in the entire county, and it was also mentioned in the local newspaper at the time. It makes no sense why it shouldn't be more lively this year."

He nodded, "That's for sure, it's necessary. It can't just be silent like this. We have to carry forward this folk custom."

"What's more, Mazu ensures the safety of the sea. Of course, her birthday must be taken seriously, and it must be lively. She should also be wandering like last year, and the whole town should be paraded. Mazu in the world is one family."

"And at that time, some fishermen from surrounding towns and villages also came to donate money and contribute. Those who donated money should be specially blessed, and those who did not donate money should also be blessed. Everyone's faith is also a power of faith.

Every village must be inspected to ensure everyone’s peace.”

Secretary Chen smiled with a smile on his face and patted him again appreciatively, "Yes, you are right, we old guys think so too. It is not easy to build a palace as big as ours. It all depends on everyone's penny.

Mazu protects the safety of our sea area, of course we must pay attention to it, not to mention, it is so easy for you to fight pirates today, you must not be able to escape Mazu's blessing."

Ye Yaodong continued to nod in agreement.

"This is the second year after the completion of Thean Hou Temple. We can't just be sluggish like this. We have to hold a big event when it is time to do it. It only happens once a year. So we old guys discussed it. This year will be the same as last year. We will invite a person.

The troupe sings a great opera for a few days and makes the whole village lively."

"It should be..."

"Just don't invite so many days. It's too expensive. Let's just ask for three days. After singing the three-day opera, Mazu will also parade for three days, and then go to the temple on her birthday. At noon, the whole village will visit

Eat a feast and eat in peace.”

"Okay, okay..."

"It costs a lot of money to sing a big show for three consecutive days, and to tour for three days, you will definitely have to take care of the food and drink of the guys for three days..."

Ye Yaodong instantly understood that this was not a negotiation with him, he was here to ask for money.

He just said that he is not a village cadre. If they want to hold celebrations and create excitement, they can just decide it as their own cadres. Why did they come here to say something to him? He is not a big shot.

You should pay for it, it’s Mazu’s birthday.

"...To benefit the whole village, the whole village must contribute money and raise funds together. However, some families are also very difficult, so it is not appropriate to ask for too much. If it is less, it will definitely not be possible...

If some people don’t express their opinions, everyone must also have opinions. We will watch the show together and be blessed by Mazu..."

"I understand, I understand. Every household must contribute the same amount, otherwise some people should have objections. Well, I am considered a big family in the village now, and I have many boats at home, so I have to ask Mazu to protect me more.

, it is appropriate to contribute more, I will donate more, 500 yuan."

Secretary Chen was pleasantly surprised, his old face instantly burst into laughter, and he was so happy.

"500!!! Okay, okay, you are the most sincere and helped me solve the problem directly. No wonder Mazu has always blessed you with safety and prosperity. For your sake, no matter how much you bless me, you deserve it."

"That's right. Mazu has blessed me with safety and prosperity, so I have to help her and do my best."

"Okay, okay, we old guys were thinking about it when we were discussing yesterday. The funds donated by the folks will definitely not be enough for the six-day event. We are still worried. Now you can help solve the problem. We will definitely be able to organize a big and good event.

.”

"Then it's just the right time for me to come back."

"Yes, this is all Mazu's blessing."

Ye Yaodong also smiled and nodded, "How much money is the village going to ask the villagers to pay per household?"

"I thought each household would give two yuan, so that anyone could take it out, and no one would complain about poverty, so as not to disturb the birthday celebration."

"That's about the same. Two yuan per household. If there are 400 or so households in the village, then it will cost around 800 yuan. Including my donation, hiring the troupe and food and drink for the wandering gods for three days should be enough."

"That's enough, that's enough. When Mazu's Wandering God has finished her visit to the temple, each family will have to pay for the lunch banquet. It's voluntary. Those who are willing to have a peaceful meal will pay two yuan per person. Those who are not willing will pay two yuan.

If so, forget it.”

"Hey, if you eat at Ping'an, it doesn't necessarily limit our village. If people from other villages or other towns want to come over to eat at Ping'an, it's okay. Mazu is one family all over the world. Anyway, you just need to pay. Then we can open more

table."

"This is okay. If you have a safe meal, you will be able to protect the men at home who are going to sea."

"Okay, when will we start raising funds? I'll ask Ah Qing to send the money over."

"Okay, okay, I'm going to make a radio broadcast in the afternoon, and tomorrow I'll have people go door to door to collect money and statistics. Thank you very much. It's a blessing for our village to have a boss like you. No wonder Mazu will bless you and make a fortune together."

"Oh, I'm not a boss. I just have a few boats and a small workshop. It's good that no one comes to trouble me."

"Whoever dares to trouble you, just catch fish and sell dried fish. They are serious fishermen selling local specialties, not reselling. It's okay. If someone from the township asks, we will help you."

"Okay, okay, if I work better and better, I will definitely bring benefits to the villagers, provide more jobs, and earn more extra money."

At the end of the 1970s, the big pot meal had just ended. Economic reform was quite difficult and development was not that fast. Most people were doing small business. In the past few years, small businesses were allowed, but they were not allowed to become big. This year it seems to be much better.

, he seems to have heard that loans can be made and allowed to become bigger and stronger.

"Okay, okay. With your donation, our big problem has been solved. I have to go back and talk to the others. We will discuss it again and make a plan. Then we have to decide on the theater troupe in advance."

"OK."

After Secretary Chen achieved his goal, he left directly with a happy face.

Ye Yaodong continued to sit back on the armchair and rocked, and he was also thinking about donating. 500 yuan was nothing to him now. It would be nice to contribute more and contribute more.

He can continue to do this every year in the future, of course, the premise is that he has money every year.

These old men are quite thoughtful, and the first one thought of looking for him.

He just said that he would not go to the Three Treasures Hall for anything.

However, this traditional culture of wandering gods can still be preserved. It is also the unique custom and honor of their village, and it will also be a cultural heritage if it continues for decades.

He fell asleep after being rocked, and only woke up when he heard the roar of a Hedong lion in his ears.
To be continued...