A few years have passed, Li Gui graduated from junior high school, did not be admitted to high school, and did not want to repeat his studies, and only thought about hunting every day. During the summer and winter vacations before finishing his studies, he often helped Liu Duanping with some housework, in order to please him. Of course, Liu Duanping did not treat Li Gui badly, knowing that he wanted to learn to hunt, he often took him to the mountains for internships, and shot many birds with a shotgun, but he never avenged him, because the male eagle who pecked at his skull never appeared again, so many birds became scapegoats. Despite this, Liu Duanping still didn't let Li Gui act alone with a shotgun, but when Liu Duanping was present, he had a target, such as an unsuspecting bird resting on a tree, so he taught him how to aim, pull the machine, and then count the loot.

Now Li Gui found Liu Duanping again, Liu Duanping did not break his promise, and was ready to lend him the shotgun, but after thinking about it, this is a dangerous weapon, once something happens, he Liu Duanping still can't get out of it.

So, he came up with a foolproof plan, asked Li Gui to sign a contract, and asked his parents to sign it too, what unpleasant things happened, and it had nothing to do with Liu Duanping. However, Li Gui signed the contract, but his parents did not sign it, and they all objected, saying that hunting was dangerous. In this way, Liu Duanping was not reluctant, Li Gui didn't blame him, and gave up borrowing a shotgun.

I didn't read anymore, but Li Gui was still thinking about hunting. He was going to save up money to buy a shotgun, and he had already mastered how to use it anyway. However, he found many shops in the market, but none of them sold shotguns. When asked what the reason was, some shopkeepers said that there was no place to supply, and some shopkeepers said that the government did not allow them to be sold. In this way, he wondered, and asked Liu Duanping again, and the answer was that this shotgun was handed down by his ancestors, and the government was not strict in its management back then, and the regulations prohibiting hunting had not yet been introduced. Hearing this, Li Gui felt helpless, looked dejected, and reached out to touch the back of his head.

Seeing this, Liu Duanping approached him and whispered: Li Gui, let me introduce you to the outside of the village to get a shotgun.

There are no hunting rifles sold in the market, so will there be anyone outside the village who sells hunting rifles? Li Gui asked solemnly.

That's not what I meant, and I know it's hard to get shotguns everywhere. Liu Duanping lowered his voice: Do you know? Last month, Wu Yun, the only hunter in Wujiawan, went up the mountain to hunt and unfortunately died violently, and was later discovered by a woodcutter.

What does it have to do with me when he dies? Li Gui asked inexplicably.

Oops, your brain doesn't live. Wu Yun is dead, his shotgun is not dead, and it can still be used as usual, can't you ask his family to buy that shotgun with money?

Ooh! How did I not think of it? Okay, as you say, that's it! Li Gui said, very excited, and held Liu Duanping's hand tightly.

Liu Duanping said: As for whether the matter can be settled, it is not all up to you, and Wu Yun's family has to agree to sell you the shotgun. It's up to you to do the work and negotiate the price.

Li Gui immediately rushed to Wujiawan, ten kilometers away, to find Wu Yun's family and ask about it. Wu Yun's son, Wu Yi, received Li Gui, who said that he was also a hunter and had learned from his father. It is said that this shotgun is a family heirloom and is not sold.

Li Gui was emotionally apprehensive when he heard this, and his brows furrowed.

Wu Yi continued: However, my father told me before he died, telling me not to hunt, which can be regarded as a last word.

So what do you do for a living?

I make a living by killing pigs.

Oh, being a butcher.

The two of them exchanged words for a while, and then pulled on the shotgun. Li Gui said: Since the shotgun is not used at home, it is better to sell it to me. I have an addiction to hunting.

After saying this, he regretted it a little, because he showed a strong desire to buy, will people take advantage of this to raise the price? He originally wanted to say that you should make a price, but now he cautiously changed his words: Wu Yi, you see that I am not a rich person, I want to make a living by hunting, do you offer an appropriate price, as long as you don't lose each other.

Wu Yi glanced at the hall and said that his father's shotgun was originally hung on the wall of the hall, but now it is stored in the main room.

Li Gui said: I want to ask you, your father's shotgun is going to be sold, what price are you going to make?

The price won't be quite high, but I don't want to sell it right now. Wu Yi spoke like selling Guanzi, Li Gui broke the sand pot pattern (asked) in the end: Why don't you sell it? Are you afraid that I won't be able to pay the price?

No, neither. Wu Yi said that their family had a rule that the things commonly used by the deceased should be sold to outsiders, and the outsiders must go to the grave of the deceased and kowtow. My father is already old, and of course the rules set by the family can't be broken.

Willing! I would like to go to your father's grave and prostrate, you name the number, how many heads?

No matter how many heads you kowtow!

Li Gui thought that if he kowtowed, he could make a deal. Unexpectedly, Wu Yi picked out the words more clearly: I don't think ordinary people can do it. The problem is to kowtow for 7749 days, not for a day, and it is stipulated that the kowtow should be done every evening, and the weather will be sunny and rainy.

Hearing this, Li Gui was a little hesitant in his heart, it was okay for a day or two, but it was difficult to guarantee that it would be okay one evening on the forty-ninth day. He said, "As long as you prostrate, why do you insist on it in the evening?"

Yes, you must prostrate in the evening, and of course it is okay to prostrate later, but you can't prostrate during the day because of the heavy yang energy during the day. Wu Yi has a firm attitude: If you are willing to accept this condition, your father's shotgun can be sold to you.

Let me think about it. Is it okay to answer you tomorrow?

Absolutely.

The two confronted each other, but remained silent.

In the evening of the next day, someone suddenly called Wu Yi, Wu Yi looked back and saw that it was Li Gui who came from the field, and Li Gui asked: Where is your father's tomb? Take me to prostrate!

On that mountain. Wu Yi pointed to the north, there were a few twilight crows flying on the north mountain, and when he saw the crows, Li Guidun hated and was once pecked by the crows. He thought: If you have a shotgun, you can shoot a crow when you see it.

When he arrived at the tomb of Wu's deceased father, Li Gui bowed his head and said something in his mouth: Ancestors, Li Gui is polite. Now I plan to buy the shotgun you used in your life to hunt for a living, if you have a spirit in the sky, please fulfill the wish of the younger generation.

Seeing that Li Gui was so sincere, Wu Yi of course also accompanied him to kneel down and kowtow, and said: Father, you have seen it, Li Gui plans to buy your shotgun, and his son can't make up his mind, so he specially goes to your grave to report, just wait for Brother Li Gui to complete the worship of you for 7749 days according to the family rules set by the ancestors, and I will sell him the shotgun you used during your lifetime, I think you will agree! Wu Yi stood up, Li Gui was still kowtowing, and his forehead was still stained with a little brown soil in front of the grave.

Just as he was getting up, he suddenly heard a bird's call, faintly skimming the sky, but saw a little white thing falling down, just landing on the fur collar of the black jacket Li Gui was wearing. He looked at it and saw that it was a piece of bird.

Wu Yi immediately took out a piece of paper from his body and said to him: Come, I'll help you erase it. Li Gui was a little nervous, the first time he came to kowtow, a piece of bird feces fell on his body, is this auspicious or not? He was a little annoyed and looked up at the sky: Fuck, damn bird, when I have a shotgun, I'll shoot a bird.

Li Gui took the piece of paper in Wu Yi's hand and wiped it himself, but it was still not very clean, there was a faint trace on it, like an eraser block erasing a miswritten word, and leaving a hairy mark on the paper.