Song Yun asked, "What's going on with these tyrannical and unruly people?"
The old man said, "It's just like what's written in the book. They blocked my way and said that I opened this mountain and planted this medicine. They wanted to take the medicine away and leave money to buy it."
"Isn't this robbery?"
"Who says they aren't? They're dressed quite formally, wearing smocks and black triangular scarves, just like the bandits described in ancient travelogues. They don't ask for much, just fifty cents or one yuan."
Song Yun couldn't help laughing when she thought of that scene, "You gave it to me?"
The old man said, "How can I not give it to him? In this deep forest, if I don't give it to him, he will hit me with a stick and throw me out there to feed the wolves. Who can I cry to? Since those people only want money, even fifty cents or a dollar, and they don't talk dirty, I'll just consider it as spending money to ward off evil."
At this point, the old man laughed and said, "I will go into the mountains with you in the future. If they dare to block our way again, you must help me get back all the money that was extorted from me."
Song Yun agreed with a smile and asked, "What if you miss the bus? This place is dozens of kilometers away from our military district."
The old man said, "Can a living person be killed by holding his urine? If there's no bus, there's a donkey cart. There's a town not far from here that has donkey carts. A trip costs one dollar."
"Then it will cost you a lot to collect herbs." Song Yun said with a smile.
The old man smiled bitterly, "Who says it's not true? I work in a clinic and only make 28 yuan a month. I have to bring my own food and drink to collect herbs, and it costs me two or three yuan. I spend more than I earn. It's a huge loss."
As the two were talking, another person came over to wait for the bus. Seeing the old man holding a fish, his eyes lit up and he asked, "Old comrade, where did you get this fish? Are you selling it?"
The old man waved his hand and said, "I won't sell it. Someone gave it to me, but I want to keep it for myself."
The man who spoke to him was obviously very shrewd and didn't believe the old man's words at all. "Who would give three fish at a time? Is this basket of herbs in your basket? Are the fish caught in the mountains?"
The old man glared at her. "I already said the fish was a gift from someone else. Believe it or not, the herbs were also a gift from someone else. What's the problem?"
Seeing that the old man was unhappy, the man quickly said, "No, no, I just wanted to buy a fish to nourish my pregnant wife at home. I really don't have any other intentions."
The old man didn't buy his tricks. "My eighty-year-old mother is still lying in bed waiting for a fish bath. I won't sell it to her."
Seeing that the old man had a bad temper and spoke very cautiously, the man knew not to provoke him, so he stopped pestering him and stood aside with a wry smile.
There was an old lady waiting for the bus who was also coveting the fish in the old man's hand. Before she could say anything, she saw someone else lose, so she simply shut up.
Song Yun finally understood why the old man insisted on carrying the fish. He must have anticipated these things and was afraid that she, a young woman, would be too shy to refuse others.
The two of them took the regular bus back to the military district's family compound. The bus stopped at more than a dozen stations along the way. There were many people on the bus, and everyone who saw the old man holding a fish in his hand would take a few more glances.
The old man had a sullen face the whole time, as if to keep strangers away, but he managed to scare off those who had ulterior motives. No one came up to him to talk nonsense along the way, and they arrived at the family compound safely.
After getting off the car, the old man's stern face relaxed, he let out a long breath, and then became excited again, "Yun girl, can you make squirrel fish?"
Song Yun shook her head, "No."
The old man asked again: "Can you make West Lake Vinegar Fish?"
"Won't."
The old man scratched his head.
Song Yun asked with a smile, "Are you from Jiangsu or Zhejiang?"
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