42. Luoyang Blade
Li Muquan cut off the vines near the grave and approached
with Chen Ming. He lowered his head and began to murmur piously, apologizing
to his grandfather.
The dust on the ground was dry, and it didn’t look like a damp environment
with waterlogging. But Chen Ming was still confident. He picked up the
shovel and put the extension pole on it.
The tool’s professional name was Luoyang Spade.
The shovel was utterly different from that of an iron shovel. Its
surface was curved towards the center and formed half a cylinder. The
rod was thin and long, long enough to reach Chen Ming’s chin.
It was invented for tomb robbers to explore the ground since ancient times. It was convenient and would not make a loud sound when being used. Even archaeologists loved it and developed an
electric version.
After the preliminary preparation, Chen Ming stood with his feet turning outward and was about to dig the ground when stopped by Li Muquan, “Come
and greet my grandfather.”
Chen Ming was so pissed that his mouth twitched,
“What?”
“Just tell me what you’re doing.”
Li Muquan wanted him to explain politely in case he disturbed
the one underground. But Chen Ming was reluctant to do so. He said,”
Let’s get started and dig a hole,” and then began digging.
Li Muquan exclaimed and hurried to apologize.
Chen Ming put half of the shovelhead in, rotated for half a
circle, and pulled it out with some dry soil. The bottom was damper. He knocked
the earth down and firmly plunged into the small hole.
Rotated for half a circle, pulled it out, and knocked the earth
down. He repeated this process until the finger-long hole was deeper. The soil
was wetter, and the dirt color gradually changed from yellowish-brown to
muddy-brown. Li Muquan and Zhou Nan were stunned.
The sound of the last plunge was weird, and when Chen Ming pulled it off,
everything was clear. What was left was mud water and could not be shovelled out.
Chen Ming stood leaning against the Luoyang shovel, sighed with
relief, and smiled proudly at Li Muquan, “What do you say, little
brother?”
“This…” Li Muquan paused for a moment and quickly
apologized to Chen Ming, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s the first time that
I learn about these things.”
Chen Ming didn’t take it and poked his forehead, saying,
“Don’t be so cocky if you know nothing about it. It’s my profession, and I
am not a liar, Ok?”
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault…” Li Muquan repeatedly
apologized, “I… I’ll pay you the taxi fare. What do you think?”
Zhou Nan immediately predicted that Chen Ming would
accept happily. But he refused, “It’s not easy for you to make money, save
it. There’s no need to pay the remaining money in a hurry. Take your time. No interest.”
Li Muquan was stunned for a while before he understood. He quickly
bowed and thanked him, “You’re a good guy. Thank you, thank you…”
“You should clean up your grandfather’s grave. I’ll leave
first. Don’t see me off.” With that, Chen Ming left.
However, he still decided to save money by walking home.
There was no one on the country road, and Chen Ming said to Zhou
Nan, “How about that? I’m not stingy, am I?”
All this time, he had been called stingy, and he should’ve been accustomed
to it. But after Zhou Nan said it a few days ago, he felt uncomfortable for the
first time and had been finding examples to refute it.
It was quite inexplicable.
“Not stingy, not stingy. But if you spare
that one thousand yuan, it will be better.” The first half sentence was how Zhou Nan truly felt, and the second half was a joke.
But Chen Ming took it seriously and said, “That’s
impossible. I also need to make a living. I am mot a philanthropist, and these
are all I can do. Li Muquan is a healthy man, and it will only take him time to pay
the remaining money. Kindness is not turning a capable laborer into a lazy
beggar.”
Zhou Nan was surprised. He didn’t expect Chen
Ming to be so serious. But after carefully pondering Chen Ming’s words, he couldn’t
help but feel dwarfed: “Alas, for the first time, I find you to be so positive!”
It was a compliment, but Chen Ming’s focus was different:”Delete ‘for the first time’! I’ve always been positive!”
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