Flower Moon

Chapter 20 Shall I put the bath water in for you?

It started to rain in the mountains, and when Tao Yueer and Hua Ling carried the small coffin up the mountain, the children in the yard stood under the trees and watched quietly.

Tao Yueer's familiar emotions were in their eyes, fear and reluctance intertwined, full of fear of the future and death.

Although they have already accepted the fact that they will not live long, every time they see their friends leave, they always wonder, will they be the next one?
Can reunion really come after death?

That unknown world is full of fear and fear, but they have no way to escape.

Hua Ling and Tao Yue'er buried Shuisheng in the mountains, in a forest full of peach blossom trees. Compared with the dilapidated epidemic center, the small tomb stands in the ten-mile peach forest, which is already considered lying. In Xanadu.

For Shui Sheng, she is free.

It was already evening when the two went down the mountain.

Tao Yue'er often went up the mountain to dig bamboo shoots and wild vegetables, and was very familiar with this place, so she strode ahead of Hua Ling.She intended to lead the way for Hua Ling.Because subconsciously, she always felt that Hua Ling was younger than herself, a younger brother who needed her protection.

Hua Ling didn't refuse, and walked behind her calmly.

In the evening, there is a thin mist in the mountains and forests, and the last ray of sun sets, and the darkness is shrouded, but it is not completely dark.Along the way, there are some green lights, on both sides of the road, guiding the two down the road.

Tao Yue'er felt very lucky, pointing to those green lights, she said strangely: "Look at those lights, they are so beautiful, are they fireflies? But it's so strange...it's not the season yet."

Tao Yueer twittered, Hua Ling couldn't stop being bothered, and said flatly: "That's a ghost fire." He couldn't help rolling his eyes, and almost called her an illiterate.

"What, what?" Tao Yue'er was startled suddenly, stopped immediately, and quietly followed behind Hua Ling.

"Ghost, will-o'-the-wisp?" Tao Yue'er gritted her teeth and couldn't believe it.

Hua Ling nodded affirmatively: "It's the will-o'-the-wisp."

"That is to say, there are buried... corpses on both sides?"

"En." Hua Ling looked calm, not at all worried that her confession would scare Tao Yue'er.

Tao Yue'er silently pulled up Hua Ling's sleeves and let him walk in front.

Hua Ling sneered: "Now you know you are afraid?"

"……Um."

"It's useless to be afraid, one day, you will get used to it." Hua Ling said coldly, without any comforting words, but he could see carefully that Tao Yue'er was a little immobile.

Ever since she knew that the green light all over the mountains was emanating from the corpses, Tao Yue'er wished she could walk with her eyes closed, so as not to see the faint green fire all over the mountains again.

But the mountain road is rugged, how can you not pay attention to your feet?
In order not to encounter those flames, she could only hold on to Hua Ling's sleeve tightly and follow him.

But the sleeves are empty, it is not so real, the distance between the two is not very close.

Tao Yue'er's heavy breathing and tense body always reminded Hua Ling that she was very scared.The speed at which they descend the mountain can be described as turtle speed.

In order to go down the mountain as soon as possible, Hua Ling sighed and squatted down.

Hua Ling: "Come up."

"Ah?" Facing Hua Ling's sudden leaning over, Tao Yue'er was a little puzzled.

What's happening here?
"I'll carry you."

what? !

Tao Yue'er looked surprised, but Hua Ling didn't have time to talk nonsense to her, she didn't allow her to refuse, and directly carried her on her shoulder.

The two went down the mountain calmly with the will-o'-the-wisps all over the mountain.

……

……

After going down the mountain, Tao Yueer's face was already flushed.

"Are you shy?" Hua Ling asked her directly.

This sentence made her blush even more.

She shook her head and said, "I'm not shy."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I just... I just think it's shameful to ask a younger brother for all kinds of help. I'm so much older than you, so I should take care of you."

"..."

Hua Ling said indifferently: "How do you think that you are older than me? You don't seem to have asked my age."

"Do I still need to ask?" Tao Yue'er opened her mouth wide and exaggerated: "Anyone with eyes can tell that I am much older than you, right?"

"That's right. But the world is impermanent, maybe what you think is not the truth?" After Hua Ling finished speaking, the corners of her mouth twitched, and before Tao Yue'er could speak, she changed the topic: "Go to bed early."

"okay."

Hua Ling turned around and was about to leave, but Tao Yue'er noticed that his shoes, socks and shirt were covered with mud, obviously rubbed off when he just went down the mountain.

Hua Ling has always been particular about it, and it is obviously impossible for him to rest like this.

Feeling sorry, Tao Yue'er stopped him and said, "Let me put the bath water in for you, your shoes and socks are all dirty. You won't be able to sleep well."

Hua Ling stopped and looked down at her shoes and socks: "..."

He didn't refuse, didn't look back, just nodded and said, "Okay."

The bathhouse is opposite the firewood house, and the children can only use herbal water to wipe their bodies because of the rotten sores on their bodies, so almost only Hua Ling can use the bathhouse.

There is a wooden barrel in the bathhouse, which can accommodate one person. Tao Yueer boiled two pots of water in the kitchen, and then mixed some cold water. After adjusting the temperature suitable for the human body, she turned around and saw Hualing standing by the door, with her right hand Supporting the wall, leaning his head on his right arm, he looked at himself quietly.

The room was filled with smog and hot air. Looking at Hua Ling through the smoke, his brows and eyes became more erratic and the outline was blurred, only the bright red lips were particularly distinct.

"Is the water ready?" Hua Ling asked him.

Tao Yueer nodded blankly: "Put it away."

"Thank you."

"I'm going first, you wash slowly."

"it is good."

After Tao Yue'er finished speaking, she left the bathroom.

Outside the door, it is the most common rainy night in spring, pattering, moistening things silently.

Soon, the sound of entering the water came, and the moment Tao Yue'er closed the door for him, she raised her head inadvertently, and saw Hua Ling laying comfortably in the bathtub with her eyes closed, showing her smooth skin.

A split second is enough to see his flawless body.His slender neck and exquisite collarbone loomed in the water vapor, extremely alluring.

How could such a white and beautiful body have been burned by the fire?
That child in the dream... I'm afraid it's someone's past in this mass grave.Or maybe it was just a dream at all.

Tao Yue'er's body, which was originally hot when she saw his beauty, suddenly calmed down when she thought of the child in her dream, and her chest felt like being hit by a heavy object, with a dull pain.

Fortunately, it was just a dream... If it was real, she would not know how to vent this despair.

She can still feel the child's loneliness and helplessness, as well as the lingering deep resentment, despite thousands of mountains and rivers and unknown time.

Hua Ling's past must not be so dark and tragic.

(End of this chapter)