Linxia

Chapter 31, Bitter Buds
After bidding farewell to Master Lianzhou and Monk Jingwen, Fang Lin and his family packed up their belongings and left the renovated dilapidated temple to continue on their journey.

Fang's mother's condition has improved. Although she is still a little weak, she doesn't need to be carried on someone's back and can carry some light things. Tian Xuan is also freed up. The things that Fang Lin originally carried alone are now shared by three people, and the pressure is greatly reduced.

Of course, Father Fang was also half a patient. Although his fever had subsided, he was certainly not as healthy as before he was sick. He was a little weak, so Fang Lin took turns with him pushing the small wheelbarrow.

Taking all these factors into consideration, the Fang family's travel speed increased a lot, and they were able to catch up with the average group of villagers. Along the way, they even surpassed many lone families.

In the morning, passing by a village, the family stopped to rest.

Gulu!
Fang's mother's stomach suddenly growled, and perhaps it was a chain reaction, because Fang's father's stomach also growled twice - he didn't do much in the morning, considering his and his mother's situations, and now they are hungry.

Unlike Fang's father and mother who were a little embarrassed, Fang Lin was happy: "Dad, Mom, it's good to be hungry. Only when you are sick can you not eat. This is a sign of good things to come."

"How about making something to fill your stomach first?" he suggested.

"It's not dinner time yet, forget it! Let's just boil some thatch root water!"

Mother Fang considered that after giving away five kilograms of coarse rice, although the rest was enough for the journey, she had to reserve some just in case, so she was naturally reluctant to give it away: "Linzi, you and your father go collect some firewood, Xiaoxuan, go to the village to get some water."

"Hey!" The whole family went their separate ways.

……

On this side, Tian Xuan entered the village and wanted to ask for water from a family with a well. The water there was clean and tasted better.

Soon, he found a family that met the requirements and knocked on the half-open door.

"Who?"

The hostess of the family who came out had a rather fierce look on her face. Seeing that Tian Xuan was unfamiliar, she knew that she was just passing by. Then she looked at Tian Xuan's muddy trouser legs and thought that she was a beggar. She immediately shouted, "Go away!"

It was fine before, but recently these passers-by are not welcome in their village, because there are all kinds of birds in the forest, and some of them often steal.

"Hey, Auntie, I just want some water..." Tian Xuan hadn't finished her words.

The woman turned her head and called out, "Da Huang!"

"Wang Wang!"

A local dog as tall as a child's knee and covered with yellow and white spots rushed out, scaring Tian Xuan so much that she stepped back repeatedly and almost fell down.

"Come back!" At this time, the male owner of the family heard the noise and came out. It turned out to be the bearded hunter he met yesterday. When he saw Tian Xuan, his face suddenly changed. He immediately stopped them and called his dog back.

"Uncle?" Tian Xuan also recognized the other person.

"Hey, it's me. What a coincidence to see you again. I heard you asking for water, right? It's no big deal. I'll pour it for you right away." The bearded man was friendly. He poured water for Tian Xuan and brought it to the door.

After sending Tian Xuan away, the bearded man breathed a sigh of relief. Turning back, he saw his wife with a hostile and murderous look on her face, as if she was about to twist his ear: "Okay, you know this young wife? Tell me! Is she your lover?"

She knew that her boss was not a good-tempered person, but just now, he was so amiable, which was obviously abnormal. How else could she explain it if they were not in love?
Snapped!
The bearded man slapped his wife's hand away, his face showing a fierce look, and he scolded her: "You are such an ignorant woman, you almost caused a disaster for our family!"

Seeing her husband so confident, the hostess felt a little guilty: "Boss, are you trying to scare me?"

"Is he trying to scare you?" The bearded man snorted. "It rained heavily yesterday and I didn't come back. I was at the old dilapidated temple in Erdaogou. At that time, I took you two nephews inside to take shelter from the rain..."

He finished telling the story of yesterday, with a lingering fear on his face: "Now you know, right? The girl just now is the wife of the murderer!"

The hostess was also frightened when she heard this, and was glad that her husband held her back.

Not to mention how scared this family was, over here, Tian Xuan was carrying water and passing by a house. She suddenly smelled a fragrance. Someone was making pancakes. She couldn't help but think of buying two for Fang's father and mother to replenish their health, but where did she have the money?
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from the alley in the village: "Collect your hair braids!"

……

A moment later, Tian Xuan's shoulder-length hair was gone, cut just an inch short, messy like a chicken coop, and in one hand there were two more pancakes, hot, as big as a bowl, golden yellow, with chopped green onions on top. The fragrant smell of the pancakes rose to her nose and penetrated into her heart, making her saliva flow out, swallowing it straight into her throat, making a gulping sound, and instinctively wanted to take a bite immediately. But she still held back, thinking about how happy Fang's father, Fang's mother, and Fang Lin would be when they saw them, her steps became lighter and she hurried back quickly.

From a distance, Tian Xuan happily lifted up the pancake and shouted, "Dad, Mom, Lindi, look what this is?"

Fang Lin looked over, his eyes passed over Shaobing and landed on her head: "Sister Xuan, your hair?"

At this time, Tian Xuan's long hair was cut almost to the roots, and there was a spot that was almost bald - obviously, the man who tied the hair braid had done it with a careless heart in order to cut it longer.

"I sold it and bought some sesame cakes." Tian Xuan was still smiling foolishly as she handed the sesame cake to Fang's mother.

"Sister Xuan!" Seeing this scene, Fang Lin's nose felt a little sour. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. He felt indescribably moved in his heart.

"Stupid, you let someone cut your hair like this." Fang's mother also sniffed and complained, then took the pancake, broke it in half and gave one to Fang's father and Fang Lin, half each, and one to herself and Tian Xuan, with Tian Xuan getting the majority.

"Mom!" Tian Xuan wanted to refuse, but Fang's mother said she couldn't finish it, so she took it. However, she turned around and changed it for Fang Lin.

Here, Father Fang took half of the pancake, was silent for a moment, and whispered to Fang Lin: "You should be nicer to Xiaoxuan."

He paused, then added: "Better."

"I've remembered it!" Fang Lin looked at Tian Xuan, who was hiding aside with a smug look in her eyes and holding the replaced sesame cake. He took a bite of the fragrant sesame cake in his hand, chuckled and nodded.

How could he bear to disappoint such a sister Xuan? If she really changed her mind one day, he would look down on himself and think he was not a human being!

After eating the sesame cakes and drinking some water boiled with thatch roots, the family rested for a while and then set off again.

Because it was already mid-morning and she had eaten a full meal, Fang's mother looked much better and felt more relaxed on the journey.

Fang Lin suddenly saw a familiar grass on the side of the road. He picked it with his free hand and passed it to Tian Xuan's mouth: "Sister Xuan, try it!"

Tian Xuan trusted Fang Lin, so she put it in her mouth, but it was so bitter that she spat it out. She thought Fang Lin was teasing her and rolled her eyes. However, she saw Fang Lin still looking at her with a smile. Suddenly, she felt the bitterness in her mouth fade away, and a hint of sweetness seemed to arise, becoming clearer and clearer. In contrast to the bitterness, the sweet feeling became more prominent, as if it could sweeten her heart.

Especially after drinking a sip of water, the feeling becomes more obvious.

"Brother Lin, what kind of grass is this?" Tian Xuan asked in surprise.

"Ku Yaer!" Fang Lin smiled and said, "After all the hardships, our family will get better and better."

The voice was very soft, but it contained a very confident and certain tone.

……

By noon, Fang's father and mother were basically well again, so the journey was easier in the afternoon. In the afternoon, they even surpassed a village.

During a break, Father Fang said happily: "If we continue like this, we might be able to catch up with our village!"

This goal inspired the whole family, because they knew how difficult it was to be alone for a day or two.

The family was full of energy and rushed a little longer in the afternoon, and caught up with another village in the evening.

They rested not far from the village team and cooked a meal. After suffering losses, the family was extra vigilant and nothing happened that night.

……

The next day, mid-morning.

Fang Lin looked at another group of villagers that appeared in front of him: "Dad, Mom, Sister Xuan, look, what is that in front of you?"

……

(End of this chapter)