"Good fate?"

Qi Wuhuo shook his head upon hearing this and said something from his dream:

"It's just a small favor, not worth mentioning."

After a pause, he defended himself with some youthful stubbornness:

"I'm not helping my father-in-law just for the sake of reward!"

The old man laughed and said, "Of course I know."

He said nothing again.

The night watchman came over with a clapper and glanced at Qi Wuhuo, as if he didn't see the old man on his back. He just said impatiently:

"I'm afraid it will snow tonight. You're going to freeze to death outside in such thin clothes! Go home quickly." The night watchman was wearing a dark blue cotton jacket, but it seemed that it had not been washed for a long time. He also had a pair of black gloves made of animal skin and a water bag hanging around his waist, but it was filled with liquor.

Fighting at night in winter is even more difficult.

Drinking a strong liquor can moisten your throat and refresh you, and it can also warm your body. As long as you don't overdo it and don't pass out drunk, it's fine.

Qi Wuhuo thanked him and made way.

After waiting for the night watchman to pass, he carried the old man on his back and walked towards home step by step. The night watchman walked forward a few steps, then suddenly thought of something. When he was about to turn around and say it, he saw the young man walking forward step by step, with a calm posture, but at an extremely fast speed, like a dragon or a tiger, crashing into the wind and snow, and disappeared in a few steps. He could not help but be stunned.

"Strange, why is this kid so fast today?"

“Walking is like running.”

"Is it possible that you are not tired?"

He wiped his eyes and looked at the wine jug again. He saw that it was still half full, so he became more suspicious: "I didn't drink too much."

"How strange."

…

The town was quite large, with more than 10,000 residents. In the center was where officials handled affairs. With this as the center, the next level was the town's wealthy families, the officials. The next level was those with extra wealth at home. Qi Wuhuo was originally an outsider, and although he was taken in, he only had a small wooden house on the edge of the town.

It was where the forest ranger lived more than 20 years ago to protect against wild beasts. Later, the government sent troops to the mountain several times, the range of wild beasts' activities retreated, the position of forest ranger disappeared, and the house has been abandoned for more than ten years and has long been dilapidated.

Although there were many refugees who came here back then, no one looked down on them.

He would rather go forward and go to the provincial capital of this state, but Qi Wuhuo, who was only nine years old at the time, stayed here.

Carrying the old man on his back, they arrived at the destination in just a few moments. The strange aura entered his body, making him feel light and strong. He even seemed to be able to go home faster than Qi Wuhuo himself.

He could not sense the breath entering his body, and just thought it was the urging of the wind and snow today. He quickened his pace, pushed open the door, asked the old man to sit on the bench first, and then made a fire with hay. After a while, the whole room was warm. He took out a small bag made of gauze, which contained a lot of strange insects. They glowed at night like a lamp. He placed it in the center, and the whole room was bright.

The old man took the bowl of hot water handed over by Qi Wuhuo, looked at the insect lamp, and smiled in surprise:

"Heh... the kid is quite clever."

Qi Wuhuo said: "There is no extra money at home, so I have to find a way."

The old man stroked his beard and looked around the small wooden house.

The originally dilapidated places have been well repaired. There are not many objects in the house, but they are all neatly arranged. There are also a few pots of green plants that can grow in winter on one side of the windowsill. The overall scene is refreshing and clean.

There were a few strips of bacon hanging on one side, which looked like wild animals from the mountains.

The skin and fur were peeled off and the meat was dried in the sun.

In today's world, many places with abundant vegetation and plenty of harmless wild animals have been designated as hunting grounds by the royal family. In spring and autumn, the dignitaries ride horses for hunting, and at other times, they let the wild prey reproduce.

Ordinary people must not bring bows into the area to hunt. Otherwise, if they are caught, they will be whipped dozens of times and bedridden for three months at the very least. In serious cases, they may be caught on the spot by patrolling soldiers and thrown into prison.

Wild animals like these rabbits can only be encountered and caught occasionally.

There are quite a few of them here, which shows that the boy is very clever. The New Year is approaching, and these are probably preparations for the winter. Although he is poor, he is full of expectations for life.

The old man nodded slightly.

However, he had already seen Qi Wuhuo grinding herbs. He had put some rough grains in a jar, added water to cover three fingers and cooked them. When they were almost cooked, he took out a piece of cured rabbit meat. He originally planned to cut a small part, but on second thought, he cut a little more.

Cut it into small pieces on the table, put it into a jar together with the cabbage which tastes sweeter after being frosted in winter, and cook them together. In a moment, the aroma will fill the air and the warmth will rise.

By the time the old man's medicine was changed, the pot of meat porridge was also ready. The table that was placed upright on one side was turned over and laid flat. Two bowls of porridge and a pile of pickled cabbage were placed on the table.

The young man said:

"My family is poor and I have nothing to offer you."

"I hope the old gentleman won't take it as an offense."

The old man looked at the handsome but serious boy in front of him and felt vaguely that the child seemed to be quite happy about "being able to eat with others after returning home instead of being alone".

But even though he was happy, his face remained calm and composed.

The old man drank a mouthful of porridge and found it quite delicious. He picked up a piece of pickled vegetables with chopsticks and found it crisp and refreshing. He smiled and said, "It's delicious. I don't know how to call you, little friend. Do you know your full name?"

Qi Wuhuo put down his bowl and chopsticks and said:

"Gao is not a famous name. My last name is Qi."

"My name is Wuhuo, which means I hope to have no confusion in my life."

The old man sighed: "Qi Wuhuo..."

"The word 'no doubt' sounds simple, but it is hard to come by."

"My last name is Li. It's a pity that I have the same last name as that Taoist master. I have lived too long and haven't used my name for a long time."

He didn't know what he was thinking of. His voice paused slightly, and he looked at the young man in front of him. At first, he only saw that his spirit was strong and there was something unusual about him. He thought he was some evil demon who had taken over someone else's body. But after being carried on his back all the way, he felt that his spirit and soul were in harmony with each other, so there was no possibility of taking over someone else's body. He paused, thought for a moment, and then smiled and said:

"However, you carried me all the way, treated my injuries, and fed me. I must repay you well. Come on, little brother, tell me what you want, and I will satisfy you."

Qi Wuhuo shook his head and said, "I didn't save Mr. Li for these reasons."

The old man stroked his beard, stretched out his hand and said with a smile:

"Slow down, slow down, and listen to it first before you speak."

He looked at Qi Wuhuo's life, pointed at the dilapidated gatehouse, and said with a smile: "Well, I will give you a thousand taels of gold and silver, and you can get ten carriages and horses, a hundred servants, a house with three entrances and exits, a life of wealth and prosperity, and dozens of children. How do you think?"

Qi Wuhuo shook his head.

The old man smiled and asked why.

Qi Wuhuo thought for a moment and replied:

"If I accept ten thousand gold coins without understanding the etiquette and morality, what good will ten thousand gold coins do me?"

"I am unworthy of this."

These were the words he had seen in his dream.

The old man was stunned, thought for a while, and then said, "Is that so? How about this? I see that you live alone and are miserable. I am also a little famous. I know all the five surnames and seven clans. The youngest daughter of the Cui family is very beautiful, like a banished immortal. If you save my life, I am willing to ask for her to come to you. How about this?"

"With the support of this family, the company of a lovely wife, and a beautiful woman by your side, the two of you are in love with each other, and the red sleeves add fragrance to your life, isn't it happy?"

Qi Wuhuo frowned and shook his head, saying, "Father-in-law, you said that you wanted to repay me, but because of me, the fate of a woman I have never met has changed. This is putting me in an unfair position."

"Besides, I don't know her. If I agree, wouldn't it be just for her beauty? How can you say that we are in love?"

The old man wanted to speak, but Qi Wuhuo pointed at the porridge:

"Old man, the porridge is getting cold."

After a pause, he added what the boy felt was the biggest threat:

"If you don't eat it, I will!"

The old man did not feel offended by being rejected several times. Instead, he smiled even more. He nodded with a smile, drank a mouthful of porridge, and finally shook his head and said:

"I don't want this, I don't want that, let's just leave it like this."

He put down the porridge, his black eyes were as warm as jade, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and he said lightly:

"You carried me for 1,200 steps, so we should make a good relationship."

"The door is the way, and the scripture is the path."

"I will open a door and give you a life of one thousand two hundred years."

"how?"