Chapter 31: Looking as Small as an Ant
Sang Yongjing didn't take it seriously before going to bed last night, thinking that he only had minor injuries, but the next day he couldn't get up.
He had never done the hard work of chopping trees and carrying firewood in his life, and after being beaten and kicked, his muscles were so sore that he couldn't even straighten his back.
Sang Xingjia was not in a much better condition. He struggled to get up, and after using his hands and feet for a while, he could only stare at the ceiling with his eyes wide open.
He felt as if someone was pricking him with a needle whenever he moved, and his whole body was in severe pain.
Seeing this, Sang Yu was both angry and amused. She rubbed Sang Xingjia's arms herself and said, "Mom, follow my example and rub Dad's limbs to soothe his muscles. This way he will get better faster."
Sang Xingjia subconsciously wanted to avoid it. After all, there are differences between men and women, and even his sister couldn't be so close.
Sang Yu rolled her eyes at him and said, "Do you want to continue lying here paralyzed for days without being able to move?"
He immediately lay down obediently and let Sang Yu rub and squeeze him.
After massaging the tense muscles in his limbs to relax them, Sang Yu slung over her shoulder a basket full of cattails, took Sang Xinghao's hand and walked out.
We had originally planned to go to the canyon for an inspection with our family today, but due to unexpected circumstances we had to reschedule.
She didn't want to sell vegetables again, but firstly, she had promised Sang Xinghao yesterday to take him out to play, and secondly, she also wanted to see who bullied her family.
Last night she secretly asked Sang Xingjia about the appearance of the people who beat them.
Sang Xingjia didn't remember the others very well, but the leader left a deep impression on him.
He told Sang Yu that the man looked to be in his thirties, with a yellow scarf on his head and a hairy mole on his face.
Although he was doing the job of chopping wood, he was always being lazy and slacking off.
Later, Sang Xingjia came to his senses and understood why the other party was lazy and the supervisor didn't care at all. The other party didn't come to work, but to scout the place.
They had probably been targeting them for a long time. Even if Sang Yongjing hadn't thrown the axe, they wouldn't have been able to escape.
The physical features he provided were very recognizable, and Sang Yu felt that if she asked others, someone would probably recognize that person.
Since Sang Xinghao came to the shed, his activities have been within a few dozen meters of the shed.
It was a rare opportunity for him to go out and play with her. He jumped excitedly all the way and chattered with Sang Yu.
It's rare to see him so lively. Sang Yu knew that he was feeling suffocated because he had been detained for too long.
When he reached the top of the mountain, Sang Xinghao looked at the crowd below, which was as dense as ants, and his jaw dropped open in surprise: "There are so many people, and they look as small as ants."
"Hold my hand and don't run around, okay? There are so many people here, I won't be able to find you if you get lost."
Before, he could run around freely on the official road, but not here. Sang Yu was afraid that he would play around too much, so she reminded him again.
Sang Xinghao nodded seriously and held her hand tightly: "I will definitely follow my elder sister well."
The two of them pinched their noses as they walked through the shed area and came to the street market. Sang Yu wanted to continue to go to the same place as yesterday, but found that there were already people there, so he had to change seats.
Coincidentally, there were a lot more people setting up stalls at the market today than yesterday, and I didn't see a single empty stall even after walking quite a distance.
Sang Yu was a little confused. Could it be that there were special market days here, so there were so many people today?
Just when she thought she had to keep walking back to find an empty spot at the end of the street, she unexpectedly discovered a small empty space next to the stall where she bought salt yesterday.
It’s not like there’s no one setting up stalls there, it’s more like the people setting up stalls around here are deliberately avoiding it.
This place is about halfway to the entrance, and is also close to the place where oil and salt are sold. There are many people coming and going, and Sang Yu is somewhat tempted.
But she didn't take the spot right away. Instead, she walked over to the young man selling salt and asked softly, "Stall owner, can I set up a stall next to yours to sell vegetables?"
If the other party disagrees, she will walk back.
The young man, who was reading a book, didn't even look up when he heard this: "Whatever you say."
This place is not his, so he can put it there however he wants.
After getting the other party's consent, Sang Yu showed a look of joy on her face. She pulled Sang Xinghao to squat beside her and began to pack up the things she brought.
The cattails she brought today were a little different from those she brought yesterday.
She originally wanted to eat the cattails for her family, so she only picked the white rhizomes at the bottom. In fact, the long, thin, light green stems above the white rhizomes are also edible.
The taste is similar or even better, but the starch content in the light green part is not as much as that in the bottom, so it is more suitable as a dish rather than a staple food.
The cattails I brought this time were not cut into sections, and each piece was long and thin.
He separated twenty or thirty cattails and tied them into small bundles with cattail leaves. Soon, a small hill of cattails was piled up in front of Sang Yu.
Next to them were the baskets and cattail bags they had woven yesterday. They didn't know if they could be sold, so they brought them here to try their luck.
Only after everything was tidied up did Sang Yu have time to pay attention to Sang Xinghao.
I looked around but didn't see him. When I looked up, I saw that he had run to the young stall owner next to me and was curiously stretching his head to look at the book in his hand.
She was startled and quickly stood up, calling him softly: "Hao'er, come back soon!"
The young man seems kind and loves to study, but how can he be a good person when he is doing oil and salt business in a place like this? Don't accidentally annoy him.
Hearing her voice, Sang Xinghao turned around to look at her. Seeing that she looked nervous and anxious, he stood up and ran back in a hurry.
"Didn't my sister just tell you not to run around?"
Sang Yu angrily slapped him on the butt twice. This brat had made such a promise when he came, but he couldn't keep quiet for even two seconds before he started to make trouble for her.
Sang Xinghao knew he was in the wrong, so he lowered his head and listened to the scolding. He couldn't help but defend himself: "I just wanted to see what book he was reading..."
Different from Sang Yongjing and Sang Xingjia, father and son, who threw themselves into books, Sang Xinghao never liked reading since he was a child. When the teacher was teaching, he would rather watch the birds building nests outside the window than listen to the lecture.
Now, when he said he wanted to see what books other people were reading, Sang Yu didn't believe it at all: "Are you that studious?"
"I don't like it, but dad and elder brother like it." Sang Xinghao's voice became smaller and smaller, almost disappearing.
There is a big age gap between him and Sang Xingjia and Sang Yu, and he can be regarded as Sang Yongjing's late son.
Every time I saw my father and elder brother, they were holding a book. But after arriving in Lingnan, there was not even a piece of paper at home.
So when he saw the book in the hands of the stall owner next to him, he wanted to go over and take a look. If possible, he also wanted to ask where the book was bought from.
Sang Yu's next words were suddenly blocked, and she could not say a single harsh word. She sighed and touched Sang Xinghao's lowered little head.
"I'm sorry for blaming you, but next time, tell me before you do anything. Do you know how worried I was when you disappeared?"
He admitted his mistake sincerely, holding Sang Yu's hand with an apologetic look in his eyes: "Sister, I was wrong. I shouldn't have made you worry."
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