At the beginning of Niujia Village, my sister-in-law and I depended on each other.

The waves are far away, the willows are swaying. The fragrant grass of the lonely village is far away, and the apricot blossoms are flying in the setting sun. The spring in the south of the Yangtze River is over and the parting is heartbreaking. The duckweeds are all over the sandbank, but the people have not returned.

Jiangnan, Taihu Lake——

After a spring rain, red apricots line the paths, green willows hang over the lake, and the soft spring breeze with its subtle fragrance blows on your face, making you feel relaxed and happy, and intoxicated.

At this moment, the lake is vast and misty, and the water in the distance connects to the sky, just like endless acres of folds of green.

Only the sound of oars could be heard, and a small boat floated on the green waves. A girl in green clothes held two oars, paddling slowly and singing a little song.

"The fragrance of lotus fills ten hectares of pond, but the young girl is too eager to play and is late picking lotus flowers."

"The boat bow is wet in the evening, and I take off my red skirt to wrap the duck."

The singing was gentle, innocent, joyful and moving, blending with the sound of water, gradually awakening Niu Dingtian from his dream.

As soon as he woke up, he felt unbearable pain all over his body, as if his tendons and veins were broken, and he couldn't help groaning.

The sounds of rowing and paddling suddenly stopped.

Then he heard the clanging of footsteps on the boat and a faint fragrance of virgin wafted over. Niu Dingtian then saw a pretty and elegant face, hazily appearing in his sight.

"Young master is awake?"

The girl spoke very clearly and sweetly, with a tone of surprise that made one feel indescribably comfortable.

Niu Dingtian opened his eyes with difficulty. The girl was about sixteen or seventeen years old. Her face was full of gentleness and her whole body was delicate.

"Where is this?"

Niu Dingtian asked weakly.

"This is Taihu Lake. How could you faint on the lakeside?" The girl said with a Wu accent and a sweet smile.

Seeing that Niu Dingtian had chapped lips, she walked to the cabin, took out a bowl of water, and fed him carefully.

Niu Dingtian drank it all up, and the pain in his body was relieved a little.

"Thank you, young lady..."

He looked at the girl and thanked her softly.

"Sir, do you want more?"

The girl asked softly.

Niu Dingtian shook his head, suppressed his anxiety, and asked, "What's your name, young lady? Which emperor is in power now?"

Now that we have survived the turbulence of the void, the first thing to do is to figure out where we are.

After hearing this, the girl smiled and said:
"My name is A-Bi, and I am the little girl who serves my master in playing the piano and flute. Please don't be polite, just call me A-Bi."

"As for the current emperor, my son told me that his taboo name is Zhao Xu. However, he is only thirteen this year, and the Empress Dowager Gao is ruling the country from behind the curtain."

Although Niu Dingtian's clothes were torn, he had fair skin and a handsome face, unlike ordinary people. As to why he asked such a common sense question, A-Bi thought he was just confused after the injury, so she answered him patiently.

Moreover, because she was unaware of her young master's ambitions, her tone was respectful when she mentioned the emperor's name.

Abi?

Zhao Xu?

Niu Dingtian was stunned.

At this moment, a few swallows flew over the bow of the boat on the lake and flew away to the west.

Niu Dingtian pondered for a moment, and then he said softly, "Miss A-Bi, do you know who has the best martial arts in the world today?"

Ah Bi glanced at Niu Dingtian and said with a smile, "I don't know about that."

"It is said in the martial arts world that 'Qiao Feng in the north and Murong in the south', but my son has never fought with the hero Qiao, so who is stronger and who is weaker is not something a little girl like me can guess."

Qiao Feng in the north and Murong in the south...

Niu Dingtian remained silent.

He endured the severe pain and tried to use his internal energy, only to find that his dantian was already empty and even the breathing method in his sea of ​​consciousness had no response.

Start over again?
Niu Dingtian couldn't help but frown.

Ah Bi thought he was in pain and asked with concern: "How do you feel, sir? If you need to go ashore for medical treatment, I will row the boat to take you there, okay?"

Her "OK?" was an earnest inquiry and a gentle negotiation that was hard to refuse, and Niu Dingtian couldn't help feeling warm in his heart.

"Thank you Miss Abi for saving me. The injury is not a problem. I just need to rest for a few days."

As he spoke, Niu Dingtian forced himself to stand up by supporting himself with his hands on the bottom of the boat. A-Bi came over to support him, but his weak body could only lie sideways on the edge of the boat.

Ah Bi said, "Sir, do you have any relatives around Taihu Lake? I originally went to the city to buy rose rice dumpling candy. It doesn't matter if I buy it next time. If you have any relatives, I will row the boat to see them off, okay?"

Relatives...

Hearing these words, Niu Dingtian felt lonely in his heart when he thought about the time and space separation between him and his wife and sister, and didn't know if he would see them again.

After sighing, he said softly, "I'm all alone now. I'm sorry to make Miss Abi laugh."

A-Bi was stunned when she heard that. She saw that Niu Dingtian had a calm expression, but his skin was fair and delicate. He was obviously not much older than her. She didn't want to be an orphan like her.

After thinking for a while, she said softly, "Young Master's injuries are too severe. I should have taken you back to the village to recuperate, but A-Bi is just a little girl and can't make the decision."

"The place my master has arranged for me to live is not far from here. I must go back and discuss it with Sister Ah Zhu, and then have the servants go and ask the doctor to take a look at the master, okay?"

She originally wanted to take Niu Dingtian back to the village, but when she saw that he was in tattered condition and couldn't even stand up, she gave up the plan.

Lessons from the past... Gusu Murong has recruited many heroes, but they are not burdened by such young wounded soldiers.

Brother Bao San always says: "If you are not good at talking and not reliable at doing things, what good is that?"

If I bring him back rashly, I will definitely be scolded again.

Niu Dingtian seemed to understand, he breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Please ask Miss A-Bi to find a place to stay in Hu Ting and drop me off. No need to trouble you."

"This……"

A-Bi looked hesitant.

Niu Dingtian smiled and said, "I know there are some thatched huts where fishermen live on the lakeshore. Miss A-Bi, can you find one for me?"

If Ah Zhu and Ah Bi were the only ones in Qinyun Cottage, he wouldn't mind bothering them.

But if she went there like this and met Murong Fu, who was different from that gossipy Bao, not only would he bring trouble to the girl, he might also humiliate her.

He was in a disheveled state, and was powerless. If he went to the Beggars' Sect, the people there would probably look down on him. In case of an accident, he didn't want the power of life and death to be in the hands of others.

And right now, the most important thing is to find a safe place, use Taiyin magic skills to repair the meridians, and then practice internal strength as soon as possible.

Murong Bo, Xiao Yuanshan, Tianshan Tonglao, Li Qiushui... and the old monk who didn't know if he had entered Shaolin Temple
There are many big bosses in this world who are cruel and ruthless and take people's lives for no reason.

Thinking of this, he looked at the troubled girl in front of him and said, "Don't worry, Miss Abi. I know my physical condition very well. I will recover after a few days of rest."

Ah Bi felt relieved after hearing this. She took out a few pieces of candied lotus root from the cabin and placed them next to Niu Dingtian. She said with a smile, "Young Master, try this. If you are being rude, I will treat you to some candied lotus root."

Niu Dingtian was in pain all over at the moment, with no strength left. He barely raised his hand and picked up a piece. He saw that the candied lotus root was slightly transparent, with a little icing sugar and rose petals on it.

After slowly putting it into his mouth, he immediately felt the sweetness, crispness and extraordinary freshness.

"How about it?"

Abi asked, blinking.

Seeing the girl's sweet smile and innocent expression, Niu Dingtian felt happy and even his pain seemed to have eased a lot.

Perhaps remembering something, he paused for a moment, looked at A-Bi and said with a smile: "It tastes light and not greasy, just like the little song Miss A-Bi just sang."

Ah Bi blushed slightly and said with a smile: "Comparing my song to the sugar lotus root, this is the first time I've heard it today, thank you very much, sir!"

After saying that, the girl joyfully walked to the stern of the boat, picked up the oars and slowly rowed the boat. The boat sailed on the lake, and after a few turns, it entered a lotus pond.

As far as the eye can see, the water surface is covered with lotus leaves. The green leaves are like a canopy among the clear waves, which is extraordinarily beautiful.

Seeing this beautiful scenery, Niu Dingtian chewed candied lotus root, listened to the sound of water, smelled the fragrance of the lake, and his heart gradually calmed down.

He looked at A-Bi paddling the wooden oar at the stern, her white wrists like jade against the clear waves, her green shirt fluttering in the wind.

When he was extremely tired, he put down the sugared lotus root, lay flat on the bottom of the boat, looked up at the blue sky, and pondered about his future.

At this moment, except for the sound of oars and the rustling sound of lotus leaves and the boat hull, there was silence all around. Occasionally, a breeze blew by, carrying a faint scent of flowers.

……

"Sir, we're here..."

After an unknown amount of time, Niu Dingtian heard a soft voice in his ears.

Opening his tired eyes, he slowly stood up with the help of A-Bi, and saw a dilapidated thatched hut about ten feet high built on a small reed-covered beach at the edge of the lotus pond.

A-Bi pointed at the thatched hut and said with a smile, "This is where the fishermen in the lake stay overnight, but it has become deserted in the past two years. Sir, take a look and see how it goes. If it doesn't work, A-Bi will change it for you."

"Here it is,"

"Thank you, Miss Abi."

Niu Dingtian saw the dense reeds on the shore and knew that few people came here. He was quite satisfied and looked at the girl's profile and thanked her softly.

A-Bi smiled, helped Niu Dingtian sit down, picked up the wooden paddle, and rowed the boat towards the reeds. When they got closer, they saw a wooden ladder made of branches, hanging down to the water.

After tying the boat, A-Bi helped Niu Dingtian to the shore.

Perhaps because the two of them made too much noise, they suddenly heard a "fluttering" sound, and a few water birds and wild ducks quacked and cooed, flying out of the reeds and into the lake.

By the time Niu Dingtian was half-supported and half-dragged into the thatched hut, A-Bi's cheeks had turned slightly red, perhaps out of tiredness or shame.

"Sir, please take a rest. I have to go back soon. I'll leave some food and drinks for you to take when you need them."

“Remember, if you encounter a large boat with flowers on it on the lake, don’t show up.”

She placed the remaining candied lotus root, water and a box of snacks in the cabin next to Niu Dingtian. She gave him a few solemn instructions, smiled slightly, and then left the hut, untied the boat rope, rowed the boat, and slowly rowed away.

At this moment, the sun has already set in the west, and the lake is rippling with clear waves and sparkling clouds.

The girl rowed the boat, and her figure gradually went deeper into the lotus pond until she disappeared.

Niu Dingtian lay flat on the haystack with his head facing the entrance of the thatched hut. After slowly withdrawing his gaze, he couldn't help feeling a little emotional.

Lotuses reflect the sun in the deep water, and the soft Wu dialect sings little lyrics. Don't ask me about the bitter and happy years, he is crazy and I am stupid.

This is Abi's life.

Who would not like and feel sorry for the gentle and charming, beautiful girl from the water town who is always talking sweetly to others?
Of course, except Murong Fu...

As I was thinking, dusk fell outside and night arrived.

Niu Dingtian took out a piece of sugared lotus root and stuffed it into his mouth, then slowly crawled to the wooden ladder outside the door, turned over and lay down on his back.

Looking at the bright full moon in the starry sky, he practiced his skills, and traces of moonlight essence began to flow into his body, slowly repairing his damaged tendons and veins. (End of this chapter)