Chapter 3 — I Raised a General in the Central Highlands

This reason is really too "earthy", too surprising, too honest. The little disappointment just now was wiped away. Seeing me laughing until my shoulders were shaking, Luc Tram gently squeezed my nose: "It's not because of you today, is it? I had to tell Uncle Ba Do to bring the cows home early. As a result, the calves couldn't keep up, and at night my grandfather scolded me." Thinking about a tall man like Luc Tram, yet there were times when my elders scolded me until I was speechless, I was even more amused. But while I was laughing... a bolder thought appeared in my mind. I stopped laughing, crawled onto his chest, looked straight into his eyes: "Then let me go herding cows with you." This time it was Luc Tram's turn to be stunned. "Ha Tri Dao, herding cows is very boring. Having to stay outside in the sun and wind all day, sometimes there's no phone signal, are you sure?" “It doesn't matter whether there is phone signal or not.” I placed a light kiss on his lips: "As long as you have signal... that's fine." I clearly felt his heartbeat change. A moment later, he pressed me down, his voice was low as if hoarse with joy: "Okay." 17 I woke up in bright sunlight that was too bright. The side is empty. Reflexively, I picked up the phone. 【I'll go change and wait for you at the restaurant downstairs.】 Looking at the words "Luc Tram" on the chat box, remembering last night's passion, my face immediately became hot. I jumped up, took a shower, and changed into the most "prairie" looking outfit in my suitcase— White T-shirt, jeans, sneakers. Luc Tram sat by the window waiting for me, in front of him was a rich breakfast table. He had also changed into different clothes, looking full of vitality, clean and bright. The local people working in the hotel seem to all know him. After breakfast, we walked out together. On the way, whenever they met someone a little younger, they would smile meaningfully: "Hello, sister-in-law!" I instinctively wanted to explain. But Luc Tram's face did not change color and did not bother to react. …That's it. Leaving the hotel, the dark red horse was already waiting. I was excitedly about to run, but was stopped by Luc Tram. He leaned down close to me, his voice low and meaningful: "No. Yesterday the scratches turned red. When I helped you... clean, I saw everything." My face immediately turned red enough to fry an egg. What? When you cleaned me? I'm completely unimpressed! So angry, I raised my hand and punched him: "Luc Tram, you're a pervert!" He laughed softly, then pushed out a tourist-style electric vehicle commonly found in tourist attractions. “Yes, I'm driving this today.” 18 On the steppe, a very special scene appeared: A tall man riding a handsome horse, walking behind a herd of cows. The petite woman drove the electric car and acted as a "guardian" next to him. Herding cows... is actually quite boring. Wherever the cow goes, we follow. Most of the time, Luc Tram just sat still on horseback, occasionally whistling to warn the cows to separate from the herd. Because we had free time, we talked a lot. The topic mainly revolves around me. Luc Tram asked me how I live in Nam Thanh, asked why I chose my current job, even asked about the movies I like to watch and the vegetables I hate to eat. His questions were very small, as if trying to piece together a complete "Ha Tri Dao". As for your life... I don't know what to ask. Maybe ask him "how much do you let go?" cow", or "how much grass does this horse eat a month"? Our worlds - too far apart. Even a kind question to start a conversation with him... I couldn't think of it. That realization suddenly made me feel strangely frustrated. Perhaps Luc Tram sensed that difference. He gently pulled the reins, slowing the horse down. Then patted the horse's neck: "His name is Tieu Phong Tu, like the Akhal-Teke horse. It was a birthday present when I was twelve years old, given by my grandfather. At that time, he was still so small, he kept following his mother's butt and running around." “It… is beautiful.” I sincerely commend. He smiled, carrying the innocent arrogance of a teenager: "Of course, he's my best brother." Having finished speaking, Luc Tram turned around and got off the horse, giving me the reins: "Want to try it?" 19 “I…” “Don't be afraid, he's very good, he won't mess up.” Luc Tram grabbed the reins and led me closer. I hesitated a bit then reached out my hand and gently caressed Tieu Phong Tu. He stood next to me, telling many stories: "He's a picky eater, he only likes alfalfa mixed with oats, and he doesn't even bother to look at the normal black grass. "He's big but cowardly. He hates anyone who touches his ears the most. Touching him makes him tremble. "The scar on his stomach was caused by me. When I was a child, I first learned to let go of a rope, but accidentally caught its hind leg, causing it to fall to the ground. "A few years later, my grandfather wouldn't let me near the horse. I lied to him that studying next to Tieu Phong Tu would be more effective, so every day I groomed him while reading the lesson. I don't know if he understood, but my grades weren't bad..." I listened, dumbfounded. The sun gradually rose. He took out two packages of bread and a military water bottle from the cloth bag hanging next to the horse's saddle. “Breakfast cake baked by the hotel, with beef sandwich.” We sat down on a hillside covered with wildflowers. A herd of cows is leisurely grazing not far away. Blue sky, white clouds, green grass, time seems to stop. I leaned against Luc Tram, ate the same cake with him, and drank the same bottle of water. The countryside scene is so rustic that it couldn't be more rustic... But incredibly romantic. I even had a hallucination — that we weren't just random passersby. Just as I was blushing at that dreamy thought, a newly born calf, whose hair was still smooth and curly, left the herd at some unknown time and trotted over. It walked up to me, blinked its eyes and looked at me for a moment. Then suddenly give it a really wet lick. The tickling feeling made me cry out in surprise. Luc Tram quickly hugged me back. Looking at the calf that was startled by me and backing away, he burst out laughing. Bright yellow sunshine. I squinted at his face, beaming with laughter — a pure, defenseless smile. I reached out my hand and gently drew the contours of that face. Even though it's just a dream, I still want to sink a little deeper. 20 The two of us wandered around like that all day, and didn't return to Luc Tram's farm until the sun went west. He led me into a small house. An old man was sitting by the fireplace, leisurely drinking tea. He was as tall as Luc Tram, just a bit thinner. The spirit is very clear, the eyes are bright. When he saw me, he clearly froze, his eyes stopped on me for a moment. “Tram Tram, are you a city friend?” Luc Tram's grandfather's Mandarin also quite clear. "Yes." Luc Tram nodded, but didn't seem to want to say much. He didn't ask anything else, just glanced at me a few more times. His expression wasn't exactly friendly... but it wasn't unpleasant either. Even so, he still fulfilled the rituals of a host: He brought out hot salty milk tea, fragrant baked milk cakes, and chewy, crispy beef jerky with rich flavor... Then with a moderate tone, he asked a few questions like: "What is your name?", "Where do you live?", "What do you do?" I answered them all in turn. Next to me, Luc Tram was even more nervous than me. Sometimes he stood up, sometimes he rubbed his hands, his appearance remained uneasy and uneasy. When I stood up again to pour him more tea, he finally couldn't hold it any longer. "Grandfather." He hesitantly opened his mouth: "Tri Dao, she... well, Ha Tri Dao still has to go back to the hotel, I... I have to take her home." He glanced at him. That look — I read two words: “Useless.” I guess tonight... Luc Tram will definitely get scolded. 21 On the way home, the two of them said almost nothing. In the end, he spoke first: "Are you tired?" “Also… a bit tired.” The wind blew all day, I felt like my bones were about to fall apart. “It's because I didn't think about your physical strength.” He paused for a moment, his voice clearly carrying a bit of guilt: "I'm used to it. At our place, the June 1st festival in kindergarten is a mini marathon - three-year-old children, run three kilometers." Seeing me looking at him, he continued: "The high school coming of age ceremony is walking 60 miles, university military training is walking 80 miles..." Luc Tram seriously talked about the intense life of the indigenous people. I burst out laughing, the laughter rang out and then gradually dissipated in the quiet car compartment. A strange, unnamed emotion was quietly fermenting between the two of them. A moment later, he broke the silence again: “Actually, my brother is a pretty good person—” “Luc Tram.” I interrupted him: "Your grandfather is very good. But I don't care how adults see me." I looked out the window, where the darkness was rushing behind: “Anyway, we were just—” “Just a passing love, right?” 22 Luc Tram's voice sounded a bit cold. He stared at the road ahead, his jaw clenched into a hard line. “Ha Tri Dao, are you really on a Monday night flight?” I didn't expect him to ask so directly. "Luc Tram, I was very happy last night, today too. Meeting you, I also feel happy." I looked at him, my voice sincere: "But, we... should stop here." The air in the car seemed to thicken instantly. Luc Tram still looked straight ahead: "You see we're not in the same world, right?" “Even though I'm different from your image of a shepherd, but—” “But still not as good as those guys in suits and ties, right?” He interrupted me, his voice carrying clear sarcasm. “I didn't mean that.” “Then what do you mean?” He continued to use his words like a knife: "You like that type of person - the type that makes you feel unbearable pain, makes you run away to the steppe to have fun with a stranger like me, right?" I choked, not knowing how to respond: "I don't want to talk about these things right now." Luc Tram suddenly turned the steering wheel.