Yunding Ranch

Chapter 11 The Lone Star State
He yawned a lot and rubbed his tired eyes, feeling a little sleepy all over.

Lu Li hastily rolled down the window of the car, and the harsh wind howled into the driver's cab. He became sober all of a sudden. He glanced at the blue-gray sky outside the window, without the cover of the steel forest in New York. , the whole world opened up, the long horizon meandered continuously within the field of vision, and the change of the scenery made the noise in the ear quiet down, as if the stale air accumulated in the chest was slowly pouring out.

A person is driving on the road, there is no one around, the empty road has no end in sight, and the howling wind makes the surrounding silence more and more, as if he is the only one left in the huge world, and there is a wonderful illusion in an instant, It seems that I can embrace the whole world with open arms, and that I am just a speck of dust in the vast world. This contradictory illusion of being strong and small makes everything unreal.

After hesitating for a moment, the right hand that was about to turn on the radio was still taken back.

Living in a big city all year round, the hustle and bustle seems to have become a part of the body. Even in the middle of the night, I fall asleep accompanied by noisy noises. The ubiquitous sounds and crowds fill the world to the brim, and there is no chance to enjoy belonging. own time.Now, on this ancient Route 66, he is alone, alone, feeling his time and space again after a long absence, which reminds him of his childhood——

The sound of frogs in the farmland, the sound of water in the stream, the laughter of children in the yard next door, those sounds are so far away and so close, the world is so quiet, just look up, you can see the stars falling all over the sky Down, everything is so easy.

Studies, projects, part-time jobs, graduation, future, father... In the past few years, things have happened one after another, making people overwhelmed. I am on the footsteps of life, but in a trance, I have forgotten the goal and meaning of progress, and even forgotten the original appearance of life, just living for life.

He couldn't even remember the last time he enjoyed the leisure time of "doing nothing".

Turning the head and looking out of the car window, the vast desert and the endless sky are walking side by side in the field of vision, extending towards the far end, and finally meeting at the end of the world, blending into one, making people indistinguishable; dry and messy The loess is spreading in the air, and the cacti are scattered among them, stretching upwards lonely and stubbornly, as if screaming towards the sky; the scarlet rock cliffs cut off the contact with the horizon immediately, and then without warning You can get a glimpse of the Indian reservation hidden behind the mountains, and the breath of life at the tip of the iceberg is swallowed up by the image of the vast and desolate west in a blink of an eye...

This is Route 66, known as the "Mother Road", running all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles. This road not only shoulders the heavy responsibility of transportation from east to west in the United States, but also is the basis for the economic development of the entire country in the early [-]th century; and It is also the crystallization of the essence of American mainstream culture, witnessing the changes of the gold rush in the west, witnessing the rise and fall of farmers behind industrialization, and witnessing the collision of cultures on both sides of the Strait.

The tavern selling sparkling water next to the small town on the highway seems to be where the story of "Red Dead Redemption" is staged; the motel with flashing neon lights seems to look like the Bates Hotel in the movie "Psycho"; The old gas station reminds people of the displaced family in "The Grapes of Wrath".

On the entire road, it seems that every corner is a story, and the sights are everywhere. Before Lu Li realized it, the smile on the corner of his mouth had already risen. All the troubles, all the pressure, all the chaos, All the depression seems to be gone with the wind at this moment, just enjoying the pure relaxation.

"Moo..."

A large herd of cows appeared right in front of them, and they were slowly crossing the road. A boy riding a horse dressed as an Indian aboriginal followed behind the cows, waving a whip in his hand, directing the cows to pass by in an orderly manner.Lu Li slowed down the speed of the car, and finally stopped when he was 20 meters away from the herd of cattle, looking at the scene in front of him with great interest.

Sensing the presence of the uninvited guest, the young man raised his head, and a big smile appeared on his red and black face. He pushed down the brim of his hat and apologized to Lu Li.

Lu Li also saluted in response, then poked his head out from the driver's seat, a strong smell came over his face, mixed with the smell of grass, cow/dung and soil, primitive and direct, without any processing, and without any cover, In an instant, Lu Li felt a completely different scene from the city.

The herd of cattle moved forward unhurriedly, and stopped to sniff around from time to time. The long line didn't look long, but it felt like it was endless.This is absolutely impossible in New York where every second counts.

At the beginning, Lu Li was vaguely impatient. The feeling of needing to do something to fill in the blank was really unsettling. The urge to honk the horn was rampant in his chest, but gradually, his mood settled down, and Lu Li began to enjoy the sight in front of him. The scene of watching the boy take care of each cow and make sure they are heading in the same direction, such a plain picture is like a peaceful poem.

The herd finally all passed, the boy pressed the brim of his hat to Lu Li again, with a sunny and simple smile on his face, then patted the horse's belly with both feet, and followed the herd of cattle.

Lu Li was not in a hurry to get back on the road. His eyes followed the movement of the young man and the cattle. Weeds, rocks, and puddles were scattered at the feet of the cattle. On top of this view, transform into a gift from nature.

He finally understood why many people are always keen on road trips, not because of the scenery on both sides of the road, but because of the wide field of vision and the joy of running on the road.On the journey again, when he saw the hills and valleys with no trees growing in front of him, Lu Li knew that he had entered the border of Texas.

The status of Texas in the United States is very special. It is not only the second largest state in the United States, but four of the twenty largest cities in the United States are located on this vast land, Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas; Occupying an important position among them, it is the state with the second highest economic aggregate in the United States, and it is also a leader in the economic recovery of the United States. The comprehensive development of energy, petrochemicals, agriculture, electronics, aerospace, and biomedicine gives it a unique position .

However, Lu Li has stayed in the United States for more than three years, but he has never been to Texas. He has a very vague impression of this place, mostly just scattered fragments captured from the news and TV. Cowboys, Houston Rockets, NASA, and more There are guns, that's all the keywords about Texas in his mind.

Parked the car on the side of the road, lying on the steering wheel, looking at the street signs above the intersection in front of him, thinking in his mind, should he go to the city to find Mark's colleagues, or bypass Austin and go directly to the ranch.

At this moment, a rough and hoarse voice came from beside his ear, "Brother, do you need help?" The ferocious voice hit the eardrum like thunder, Lu Li turned his head reflexively, and then exclaimed from the bottom of his heart. : Just entering the border of Texas and causing trouble?
In front of him was a man in his mid-thirties, with a goatee and a navy blue turban, sitting domineeringly on a modified motorcycle. His thick right hand was covered with tattoos, and his narrow eyes were hidden in the Under the bushy eyebrows, there was a fierce light.What's even more exaggerated is that he had a rifle slung across his back and two rows of bullets hanging from his shoulders. He stopped directly by the street in a big way, and the picture in "The Walking Dead" immediately appeared in his mind.

Although Lu Li has long known that the people of Texas are tough, and that this is the state with the highest rate of legal support for guns, it is still difficult for people to get used to walking around with guns in broad daylight—as if overnight. From a civilized society to a primitive society.

Fortunately, Lu Li is from the Department of Journalism. He had previously interviewed the scene after the gunfight broke out in the Bronx District of New York, and he has seen a lot of things in the world. However, he couldn't help laughing, "I'm looking for a way to New Braunfels."

The big man raised his chin suddenly, "New Braunfels? After you turn left from here, go straight to the end, and then you can see the road sign, just follow the road lead. It's not far from here, at most four It's a 10-minute drive." The big man sized Lu Li straight, without covering his eyes, "Going to the ranch for vacation? Or go to work?" But without waiting for Lu Li's answer, the big man denied his statement, " It's still early in the summer, and they don't lack manpower at all."

"Visiting friends." Lu Li's answer made the big man suddenly understand, but Lu Li took the initiative to ask, "This is my first time in Texas. Why, is it so obvious?"

The big man glanced at Lu Li's car, "Young people here won't drive such a fucking car." That blunt words made Lu Li laugh out loud.

Lu Li's car is very normal. It's a black Ford Mustang. I don't know if it's third-hand or fourth-hand. It's not expensive, but it's definitely a retro muscle car. It's very cool. The problem is, this is Texas, so look around. You know, there are almost all pickup trucks around, without exception.

Sensing the friendly message released from the big man, he was far less fierce than his appearance, so Lu Li was a little more casual, pointing to the weapon behind the big man, "Is it because I don't have this...'Hunger Games' attire?"

"Haha!" The big man was amused by Lu Li's teasing, he raised his head and laughed.

(End of this chapter)