The only way

Chapter 9

On the day when Lingchu officially broke through the second level of Qi training, He Xiangyi returned from going out.

Also brought a lot of food.

Lingchu happily opened the large and small ceramic cans on the table, revealing various preserved fruit pastries and bunches of bright candied haws wrapped in oiled paper.

"Uncle He, you are really a wife."

Lingchu had a candied apricot in his left hand and a hawthorn ball in sugar frosting in his right. His cheeks were bulging like squirrels, and his bright eyes were curved like jade.

He Xiangyi shook his head and laughed, with a gentle voice, "Huanniang told me that you like these little snacks."

浣娘
The half-bitten apricot in his hand paused in mid-air, and Lingchu suddenly felt that the sweet and sour taste in his mouth was two points weaker.

In the blink of an eye, she had been away from Huanniang for more than half a year.

"By the way, when I just went up the mountain, I met Mrs. Li. She asked me to invite you to play in the village. She said that there will be a bonfire party and a small market in the village tonight. Let you go to the lively and lively together." Yi Minrui Catching the gloom in Lingchu's eyes, he changed the subject with a smile.

The child's emotions come and go quickly, Lingchu is only over nine years old, and he is only a half-grown child.

Hearing the fun, I was still very interested, "Bonfire party? Small market?"

Lingchu's eyes were shining. She had been staying in Taoyuan Temple for more than half a year, and she hadn't gone out once. Uncle He went to sell wine, and she was bored for a long time. Quiet and thoughtful.

Every year after the Spring Festival, in order to celebrate the beginning of the new year, the Wujia Village where Mrs. Li lives will hold a celebration. During the day, there will be a water table and a bonfire party at night. It is very lively and attracts people from several surrounding villages to watch. Today, those merchants and hawkers who smell business opportunities will also come to Wujia Village to set up stalls that night, forming a small market.

He Fangyi also joined in the fun during his first year in Taoyuan Temple, which was really interesting.

Although it was a bit messy, Lingchu was not only a nine-year-old child, but also a monk at the second level of Qi training. In terms of strength, he could not lose to a mortal martial arts master.

Ever since, Lingchu, who was chatting with Uncle He for half a cup of tea, gnawed a bunch of candied haws in his mouth and carried two bunches of candied haws in his hand, floating down the mountain as light as a swallow.

It's evening now, and it's almost time for dinner after walking down the mountain slowly, just in time to go shopping in the market, and then wait to watch the bonfire party.

Candied haws can also be used as an after-dinner snack for Mrs. Li's children, to help digestion and invigorate the spleen.

Lingchu had been to Mrs. Li's house once before, so she knew the way very well.

When we arrived at the door of Mrs. Li's house, Mrs. Li's family was preparing to go out.

Two adults, one holding the child and the other holding the child, pushed the door and were about to go to the market and watch the bonfire party.

"Ah, Taoist priest, you're here." Sister Li smiled when she saw Lingchu, showing her white teeth.

In the beginning, she respected the Taoist priests of Taoyuan Temple because the old Taoist saved her husband. Now, it is because her two children have become stronger and stronger since they wore the silver bells sent by Lingchu. Too much, I didn't sleep well, but now I sleep very solidly, and I can't be shaken.

Sister-in-law Li was illiterate, and she didn't know much about the truth. She only thought it was because the Taoist priests of Taoyuan Temple had real skills, so they were naturally more respectful.

Sister-in-law Li's husband, Wu Dayou, is an honest-looking man. When he saw the little Taoist priest in the benefactor's Taoist temple, he couldn't say anything, but smiled gratefully.

On the contrary, Sister Li's two children, the youngest is still young, babbling and showing a toothless smile, waving their hands all over the sky, and the silver bells tied on their ankles are jingling.

The older one was only six or seven years old, younger than Lingchu, thin and thin, and his skin was yellow and black typical of children who played wild in the village.

The boy was a little afraid to look at Lingchu, but his eyes often passed over the candied haws that Lingchu was holding.

By the way, candied haws.

Lingchu handed the two bunches of candied haws to Mrs. Li's two children respectively, and greeted them warmly, "Come here, let's try it together, it's delicious."

The youngest child was happy, and when he saw the red fruit, he wanted to grab it. The older one grabbed Sister Li's clothes with one hand, and looked up at his mother hesitantly.

Sister-in-law Li didn't refuse. In her opinion, people come and go when they interact with each other. Candied haws are not expensive, but those traveling traders and peddlers rarely come to these small villages, so they are relatively rare.

Today I received the candied haws from the head of the trail. After two days, the fruit trees in the village will bear fruit. She will pick some and send them to Taoyuan Temple.

After taking the candied haws gifted by Lingchu, Sister-in-law Li's eldest son, Wu Dawa, obviously has a lot of affection for Lingchu.

Occasionally, I can still speak a few words with Lingchu.

Lingchu also learned a lot of news from Da Wa.

In addition to the bonfire jumping at the finale of the bonfire party, the village also invited opera troupes to sing big plays and perform juggling.

There is a large open space at the entrance of Wujia Village, with a thick banyan tree growing in the middle, and a piece of red silk as thick as an adult's arm is tied to the trunk.

There is a simple stage set up under the tree, and a circle surrounded by small stones. There are three piles of firewood inside, and there is no fire. According to Dawa, that is the highlight of tonight's fire jumping.

When Lingchu and Sister-in-law Li's family arrived, there was already a long line of small stalls at the entrance of the village, and opera singers dressed in red, pink, blue and green and heavy makeup were also babbling and chanting on the stage.

Listening to the sometimes ups and downs, sometimes low-pitched and shallow singing, the loud music of gongs and drums, and the noise of people coming and going.

Seeing people from ten miles and eight villages, as well as people from other places, rubbing shoulders, men and women, old and young, sitting and chatting casually, walking around the market by hand, and the heat rising from the stalls.

There is a sweet smell of sugar in the air, as well as the smell of fireworks from hot vegetables and noodles.

Lingchu was still a little dazed for a moment. After staying on the mountain for more than half a year, it was the first time he saw so many people and such a lively scene.

I don't know why, but it still feels like a world away.

It's no wonder that the immortals in the story books all look independent from the world.

She has only practiced for less than half a year, and she already feels a little uncomfortable.

Teenagers don't know how to feel sad.

After sighing, Lingchu and Dawa stood in front of the candy maker's stall with blushing faces.

This is one of the busiest stalls in the small bazaar.

Surrounded by large and small radish heads.

Relying on his agility, Lingchu led the eldest baby, forced a bloody path from the outside, and squeezed into the inner circle.

"This, this, I want this big tiger!"

The one who made the sugar figure was a white-haired old man in a clean blue cloth. Looking at the chattering children in front of him, there was a kind smile on his mouth, and deep wrinkles appeared in the corners of his eyes.

There are a bunch of Chinese zodiac signs on the old man's booth, and each one is pinched to life.

Lingchu glanced at it, pointed at the sugar tiger who looked like a tiger descending the mountain, and shouted loudly.

There is no way, there are excited children all around, howling every word you say.

It doesn't help to be quiet.

For example, Dawa followed Lingchu and asked in a low voice, "How much is a candy man?"

This question was submerged in the sound wave, without causing any splashes.

It just so happened that the little girl who pinched the candy rabbit figurine got the candy rabbit and was paying for it.

The older boy stared at it quietly, and the little girl gave fifteen coins.

Fifteen Wen, the eldest child carefully touched the twenty Wen hidden in his chest, and finally a smile appeared on his nervous little face.

"Grandpa, I want a big tiger too!"

One sound, extremely loud, overwhelmed all the children's voices in an instant.

Lingchu was next to Dawa, and naturally heard Dawa's whispered question before, and was still thinking about whether to help Dawa buy it together.

She went down the mountain this time, in addition to the money Huanniang had prepared for her, and the pocket money given by Uncle He, her purse was bulging.

I haven't thought about helping to buy together, but suddenly I was shocked when I heard the eldest baby's introverted voice, which was extraordinarily loud.

Not only Lingchu was taken aback, but most of the children around here were from the village, so naturally they all knew Dawa and Dawa.

First, he was startled by the roaring sound, and then saw that it was the eldest child. The scene was very quiet for a while.

The grandfather of the candy maker was also bluffed, whose child is so full of anger.

Looking up at the cute little girl dressed in red in front of her, and then at the child next to her who was holding back the scene, Grandpa Sugar Man said with a smile, "Two tigers, right?"

After a while, Lingchu and Dawa, each with a candy tiger, withdrew from the candy-making circle.

Lingchu took a look at the eldest baby who had returned to an introverted look.

It's true that people can't be judged by appearances, and the ancients never deceived me.

(End of this chapter)