Chapter 203: Meeting at the Oboo
After washing up, Zhou You lay in bed, replaying the day's events.
In his past life, he was an ordinary person. In this life, he was still ordinary, just making some money by relying on his foreknowledge.
But his nature hadn't changed.
Take Xiao Si's behavior, for instance.
Two little figures were constantly fighting inside him.
One said, "This must be dealt with severely. If not, someone else will do it again, and how can safety be guaranteed?"
The other said, "Forget it. It's like driving—who hasn't had a scrape? Being lenient this time might even win you some loyalty."
His mind was a chaotic mess.
One moment, he thought of the steamed bun in *Blade 1937*, how a single bun cost a man his life.
The next, he thought of Chai Jin, the "Little Whirlwind," who used his wealth to overwhelm people, leaving even the bravest heroes at a loss.
A poor man suddenly rich, with no experience handling such matters and no one to guide him.
What he'd learned from TV and books was far from enough to deal with the problems in front of him.
Zhou You wrestled with it for a long time, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
Suddenly, a realization struck him.
The reason he was so conflicted was that he hadn't actually considered punishing Xiao Si harshly.
He was just worried that, given his current status, not taking action might seem inappropriate.
But what was his status now?
A university professor, an investor—that's it!
So there was nothing to agonize over. He didn't have the ruthlessness for scheming or the skill for power plays. He could just settle for being a wealthy ordinary person.
Once he figured that out, he drifted off to sleep peacefully.
Zhou You slept soundly.
Xiao Si, on the other hand, didn't sleep a wink. Worry was part of it, but mostly it was guilt.
Zhou You had been so good to him. If he got hurt because of Xiao Si, would Xiao Si even be human anymore?
It was as if he had grown up overnight. The carefree, reckless Xiao Si was gone.
In his place was a mature, steady adult—whether that was good or bad remained to be seen.
The next morning.
Breakfast.
Local grassland specialties: lamb offal, fried rice with milk tea, *bei zi* (a type of bread), and even *shaomai*—lamb-filled dumplings.
The locals were used to this diet because they did a lot of physically demanding work, but Zhou You wasn't accustomed to it.
City folks were used to lighter meals; eating meat first thing in the morning was hard to digest.
In the end, Zhou just had a *bei zi* and a cup of milk tea.
Today was the day of the Oboo ceremony for Daxi's tribe.
Along the way, Daxi explained some basic knowledge.
"In Mongolian, 'Oboo' means a pile of stones. They're usually found along well-traveled roads and are common sites for prayer and offerings on the grasslands. Worshipping at an Oboo is the most widespread folk ritual for blessings. In ancient times, Oboos also served as landmarks or boundary markers."
Zhou You roughly understood: "So it's like a lighthouse at sea?"
Daxi smiled. "Yes. The grasslands stretch endlessly, and long ago, without roads, it was easy to get lost."
"Any taboos we should watch out for?" Yu Qian asked cautiously.
"Walk clockwise around the Oboo three times, add a stone each time, and make a wish or prayer. Just follow me," Daxi said simply.
There would be plenty of people around, and everyone would follow the crowd, so making a mistake wasn't a concern.
Zhou You turned to Agula. "Have you been to one before?"
Agula looked down sheepishly. "I came a few times as a kid with the adults, but then school got busy, and I almost never came again. But for this Oboo gathering, my teacher told me yesterday he'd be attending today."
Zhou You and the others were a bit confused.
????
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Daxi laughed awkwardly. "My bad for not explaining clearly. After the Oboo ritual, there's also an Oboo fair. It only lasts a day, though, and it's small—just locals from nearby areas. The activities are similar: horse racing, archery, wrestling. By mid-July, the Nadam Fair will be much livelier."
Outsiders often found these ethnic customs hard to grasp.
But hearing there would be fun activities, Zhou You and his group were excited.
Traveling was about broadening horizons, but more importantly, it was about having a good time.
Soon, they arrived at the site.
From a distance,
Zhou You could see a large stone pile standing atop a hill.
The Oboo was circular, with poles around it connected by ropes, and the ropes were draped with strips of cloth in various colors.
Curious, Zhou You asked, "Daxi, what do those colored strips mean?"
"Those are *hadag*—scarves we use for blessings, praying for good weather, thriving people and livestock, health, and longevity. You can hang one too; I have some in the car," Daxi explained.
The group followed Daxi up the hill.
"Mountains look close but are far to reach," as the saying goes. Even though it was just a small hill, it took them a while to climb.
Zhou You looked around and noticed that only men were climbing the hill. The women were either in cars or at the base.
"Daxi, are women not allowed to participate in the Oboo ritual?"
Daxi smiled sheepishly. "That used to be the case. Around here, it's still not allowed, but I've heard some places no longer have that rule."
Customs evolve with the times.
Back in Zhou You's hometown, women sometimes weren't allowed at the main table during meals.
But the younger generation didn't care about such things anymore.
Up close, Zhou You saw that the Oboo was made entirely of piled stones, with no cement or adhesive holding them together. Some stones had fallen off and lay scattered around.
Daxi led the way, demonstrating the process. He picked up three stones from the ground, walked clockwise around the Oboo, and placed one stone on the pile each time he completed a lap.
Everyone followed suit.
Zhou You paid close attention and noticed that when Daxi placed the stones, he paused briefly and his lips moved slightly—probably reciting a prayer.
After finishing the circuit, Zhou You also hung a *hadag* on the rope.
Closing his eyes, he silently prayed: *I hope my parents stay healthy, and I stay healthy too.*
He didn't need to pray for money; he had enough.
After the ritual, Daxi's mood brightened. "Come on, let's go have some fun!"
Standing on the hill, looking down,
Rows of cars formed a semicircle, with groups of people scattered inside.
Some had brought simple tents and barbecue grills, resembling a city camping trip.
Up close, there was even more to see.
Zhou You spotted a group playing chess, but unfortunately, he didn't know how.
Seeing the chessboard gave him a moment of disorientation. The grassland tribes seemed somewhat diminished now, often perceived as backward.
He almost forgot about Genghis Khan's vast empire.
Chess might have spread from those times.
*Alas, the splendor of the past is swept away by wind and rain, as new generations replace the old.*
Zhou You didn't understand chess and wasn't interested, so he headed straight for the horse-riding area.
Damn.
He couldn't help but exclaim.
A group of kids, no older than fifteen or sixteen, were racing horses. Their speed alone left Zhou You far behind.
But what really stood out was the fastest rider—a kid riding without a saddle or stirrups.
Truly a people born on horseback, with skilled riders starting from childhood.