Chapter 011 Me and My Enemy Father and Brother

"Shao Tu, come, have a cup of tea and take a break."

There are large tracts of connected farmland in Cuiye Village, planted with wheat, corn and common vegetables.

It is the autumn harvest season now. Ming Shaotu came to the village early to help. He is strong and nimble, and he harvested half of the wheat in the morning. Now he is leaning on a wooden shovel to wipe his sweat and taking the fried rice tea handed to him by Aunt Xu.

Cuiye Village wasn't densely populated, with only about 20 households and a hundred people, 30% of whom were elderly. But they had plenty of farmland, with each family owning 20 to 30 mu (approximately 1.5 acres). This year was a bumper harvest, and the young and middle-aged people were too busy to handle it.

Although Ming Shaotu and Ning Bufan do not live in the village, they have received a lot of favors from the villagers since they fled to this place, so whenever the villagers have problems, the two brothers are willing to help.

"Shao Tu." Aunt Xu, a sturdy woman, leaned against the cart, making a slight "click" sound as it shifted. A smile spread across her rosy, round face. "Why are you the only one here today? Where's your brother?"

"Brother has to go out for something and will come over in the afternoon." Ming Shaotu made some space for her.

His manners were refined and measured, his tone gentle and composed, and he possessed a profound calmness and gentleness. Even the most boisterous of people would naturally quiet down in his presence. Even Aunt Xu, renowned for her loud voice, would speak softly to him.

"It's just right that your brother is not here. Auntie has something to ask you."

As soon as Aunt Xu tilted her head, Ming Shaotu leaned over to listen, listening to her whisper, "Shaotu, I found a good guy for you in the neighboring Xinghua Village. Didn't you say before that you didn't like women? This time, I found a man. He's handsome, has good character and personality, and most importantly, he likes men. Do you want to find a time to meet him?"

Ming Shaotu: "..."

Oh, I forgot to mention that Aunt Xu is not only famous for her loud voice, but also for being a famous matchmaker in the surrounding area.

The kind that doesn't charge money and treats matchmaking as a hobby.

Ming Shaotu was at a loss for words: "Auntie, if I say I don't like men either, will you introduce me to someone who has excellent flowers, birds, fish, insects, cats, or dogs next time?"

Aunt Xu patted him on the back. "That's possible! But, do you really not like men? I've seen some for you, and that boy is indeed good-looking and has a good temperament. You should go meet him. If you can't be a partner, then a friend is fine! Your brother also said that you are too quiet and withdrawn. You should go out more and meet more people, otherwise you will be really bored."

The old lady spoke sincerely, not to make a match, but because she was truly thinking about him.

Ming Shaotu also understood this and couldn't bear to refuse: "Then let's meet him. Which family in Xinghua Village is he from?"

"The Lin family's son is Lin Hong's youngest son, Lin Yaoge, who moved here from out of town two years ago. His family opened a rice shop in Huaiyang City." Aunt Xu smiled. "No matter the date, it's better to do it now. I just happened to order several dozen kilograms of rice from the Lin family rice shop and asked Lin Yaoge to deliver it. It's at noon, so you two can meet!"

Ming Shaotu smiled and said, "You are thoughtful."

Three consecutive "just right", anyone who is not stupid will know that it was done on purpose by Aunt Xu.

As the two were talking, Aunt Li appeared on the ridge of a field not far away. She was carrying a bamboo basket in her hand. She must have just delivered food to her family. When she passed by, she happened to hear the second half of Aunt Xu's words.

When she heard Lin Yaoge's name, she raised her carefully drawn willow-shaped eyebrows, jumped down with her skirt lifted up, and ran to the two of them in small steps.

"Aunt Xu, why did you introduce Lin Yaoge to our Shao Tu?" Aunt Li was a girl who married from the south. She spoke in a soft tone with a slight accent. "Oh! I know Shao Tu likes men, but you can't be so picky!"

Aunt Li loves gossiping and is well-informed. Every day on her way to deliver meals to her family, she chats about gossip and news with everyone she meets. Whenever something happens in the nearby villages, she is the first one in Cuiye Village to know about it.

She was one of Aunt Xu's gossip sources. Upon hearing this, Aunt Xu quickly grabbed her and asked, "What's wrong? Did the child get into trouble or is he engaged?"

Aunt Li raised her index finger and shook it. "Neither. He's taken an immortal as his teacher, the kind... the kind that flies around in the sky. He said he'll be going out with his master to practice after the New Year, and he won't be coming back to a small place like ours. If you introduce him to Shao Tu, what if Shao Tu really falls for him? Wouldn't that make her sad?"

"The flying fairies..." Aunt Xu was puzzled.

"He's a cultivator, right?" Ming Shaotu explained. "He can't be called an immortal, but he has some special abilities compared to ordinary people."

"Yes, that's what it's called!" Aunt Li nodded repeatedly and reached out to touch his smooth hair. "Our Shao Tu is such a good man. We can find someone better in the future. There's no need to suffer this hardship of not being able to get love."

Ming Shaotu was helpless. He wanted to say that he might not be attracted to Lin Yaoge, but if this meant he could avoid seeing Lin Yaoge, it would be a good thing.

So he didn't object.

"Oh, I didn't know about this!" Aunt Xu slapped her forehead in frustration, her tone a little resentful. "I shouldn't have bought rice from his rice shop earlier. His rice is not good. It has a stuffy damp smell and even smells a bit like flowers. It's so strange."

"Moisture? Fragrance of flowers?" Ming Shaotu was stunned.

Just as Aunt Xu was about to answer, Aunt Li grabbed her arm and said, "What are you waiting for? Go and return it! You don't know, there was a big case at Jiangnanchun Restaurant yesterday. They said there was poison in the food, and many people died! Jiangnanchun uses his rice for their meals, so who knows if the poison was in the rice? You can't gamble on things like this!"

"There's such a thing! Oh, it's my fault for going to bed too early last night and not hearing anything!" Aunt Xu was anxious and hurried to the edge of the field. "Xiujuan'er, you go back. Shaotu, you stay busy here, and I'll go return the rice!"

Xiujuan is Aunt Li's name.

Aunt Li agreed. Ming Shaotu thought about it, then stood up and followed her.

Jiang Nanchun's family, from the boss to the waiters, were all dead. The government still didn't know that their family used rice from the Lin family rice shop. He was worried that there was something strange about the rice shop and that it would be dangerous for Aunt Xu to go there alone, so he just followed her.

Aunt Li continued walking home with her basket, chatting with everyone she met about the Jiangnanchun tragedy. She used the news that Jiangnanchun's rice was made from the Lin family rice shop to exchange for several other pieces of news, and then continued to spread and exchange information.

The village chief sat under a fruit tree by the roadside, smoking a water pipe and listening to everyone's conversation. He pondered for a while, and when his granddaughter called him home for dinner, he asked her to go to the field and bring a message to her father.

…

"Where are you going now?" Ning Bufan glanced at the sky, wrapped the fishing line around the rod, and put it on his back. "Are you going to investigate the truth behind the Jiang Nanchun tragedy?"

"No." Chen Yunli shook his head righteously, "Investigating cases is the job of the government, why should we get involved?"

Lou Zhixi paused as he was turning his neck: "Are you sure? If the government can't catch the murderer..."

"If the government can't catch the murderer, can they just randomly pick a lucky person to take the blame?" Chen Yunli asked him sideways. "Even if they really did that, that lucky person wouldn't be Chen Wenjian."

"Oh."

Lou Zhixi chuckled emotionlessly and didn't engage in verbal banter. "Alright. I'm going back to Cuiye Village with Mr. Ning to apologize to the villagers. What about you guys?"

Chen Yunli looked at Chen Wenjian: "Is there any place you want to go?"

Chen Wenjian shook his head. He only practiced at night, so he was free during the day. The Sword Sealing Tower Master didn't care about him.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Where do you want to go?"

"Well... I just arrived and I'm not familiar with the area around here, so let's go to Cuiye Village together." Chen Yunli grinned, patted Lou Zhixi on the shoulder and said, "I'll come and see your fun."

“…”

Lou Zhixi's face turned green and he took steady steps.

"etc!"

Ning Bufan suddenly spoke, causing Lou Zhixi to retract her foot and turn back with a look of surprise: "I don't have to go?"

"What are you dreaming about!" Ning Bufan rolled his eyes at him, stroking the fishing rod behind him, his tone sad. "Before I left, I promised Shao Tu I'd bring back a big fish. Now that this guy has delayed me, I can't catch any fish. I have to find a way to catch some river shrimp and crabs to fill his mouth."

Chen Yunli: “?”

Okay, okay, a fisherman will never come back empty-handed, right?

"Let me do it."

Ning Bufan also helped them figure out Lou Zhixi's identity. Chen Wenjian looked around, picked up a half-meter-long branch from the ground, carried it loosely to the stream, and stared at the water surface.

As soon as he became serious, Chen Yunli and the other two couldn't help but hold their breath, standing in a row, waiting to see his moves.

After a while, Chen Wenjian's hand stretched out like an arrow, and he plunged a branch into the stream. When he picked it up, he saw a green carp skewered on it, with its head and tail still swinging.

After a successful strike, Chen Wenjian continued to catch five or six fish in succession until the branch was almost full, and then he stopped with a sense of unsatisfied satisfaction.

He turned around with the fish skewers in his hand and was met with three pairs of eyes filled with amazement.

"Awesome!" Chen Yunli gave a thumbs up, and his words of praise were concise and powerful.

Ning Bufan and Lou Zhixi nodded vigorously.

Lou Zhixi even forgot that he should be afraid of Chen Wenjian, the "big devil", and said sadly and enviously: "If I had your ability, why would I cheat and eat for free in Cuiye Village..."

Hearing this, Ning Bufan glanced at him: "Aren't you a fortune teller? How hard is it to set up a stall in Huaiyang City to make a living? Cheating is wrong! You just have a problem with your thinking!"

As he spoke, he took the fish skewers handed to him by Chen Wenjian, took the fish off them and put them into the fish basket. Then, holding the fish basket in one hand and grabbing Lou Zhixi's collar in the other, he strode towards Cuiye Village.

Chen Yunli and Chen Wenjian smiled at each other and followed side by side.

Just as the four were about to walk out of the forest, rustling footsteps suddenly came from the depths of the weed-covered path on the right. Chen Wenjian frowned and raised his hand to stop Chen Yunli. At the same time, he stopped, turned around and looked over there, and took the opportunity to block him behind him.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Yunli didn't understand what was going on, so he pulled Ning Bufan's sleeve to signal him to stop, then looked over Chen Wenjian's shoulder.

Not long after, a tall figure appeared in his sight. The young man, dressed in brocade clothes, was carrying a bag of rice on his shoulders. He seemed to be walking quite relaxed, though he was a little out of breath while walking.

There were four big words printed on the rice bag - Lin's Rice Shop.

Chen Yunli noticed that Chen Wenjian frowned the moment he saw this young man.