He Dazhu and his two companions followed the mountain path, climbed a slope, and arrived at Xiling Mountain.
Looking at Xiling Mountain, the scene of being framed by his second uncle that day reappeared in He Dazhu's mind. He Dazhu couldn't help but clench his fists and grit his teeth, hating his second uncle.
Liu Sichun, who was standing nearby, recalled the scene when she saw He Dazhu being pushed off the cliff.
“Dazhu, I still have a question: I clearly saw your second uncle push you off the cliff, and we all thought you were dead.”
"But what I still can't believe is that you are standing safely by my side again."
"How exactly did you survive?"
Li Xianggui, who was standing nearby, asked curiously, "If it's really as your second aunt said, then how did you manage to survive?"
"When I saw you, all I saw was you lying in your family's cornfield. It was really amazing."
He Dazhu said, "Since you are all so curious, I will tell you the truth. Actually, I was saved by the mountain god."
"Mountain God?"
"Silly Big Pillar, are you sleepwalking?"
"If there really are mountain gods in this world, then I'd be a fairy from the Heavenly Mountains."
Li Xianggui couldn't help but mock.
Liu Sichun also looked at He Dazhu with a puzzled expression, clearly not believing what He Dazhu said about the mountain god saving him.
He Dazhu shook his head helplessly as he looked at Li Xianggui and Liu Sichun's reactions. Sometimes it's like that; when you tell the truth, no one believes you, and people are more willing to believe cleverly crafted lies.
"Sister Guihua, I've told you the truth, but you don't believe me. There's nothing I can do about it."
"Although Dazhu, you may have told the truth, your truth sounds too much like a lie."
Suddenly, He Dazhu's eyes lit up; a plant on a rock caught his attention.
He Dazhu exclaimed excitedly, "Sister Guihua, Second Aunt, come quick! I've found a treasure!"
Hearing He Dazhu say that, Li Xianggui and Liu Sichun also ran over, only to see He Dazhu looking at a plant that looked like a starfish.
"Is this the treasure you were talking about?"
"I have a lot of these behind my house."
“Your second uncle’s backyard has many too. I also found many on the rocks next to the field last time.”
Upon hearing what Li Xianggui and Liu Sichun said, He Dazhu instantly activated his Xuan Tian Divine Eye.
He was shocked to discover that there were many of these plants nearby, and he also found several beehives.
"Isn't this the grass unique to Shihua Village?"
“We all call it elephant trunk grass,” Li Xianggui said.
"It is elephant grass, but it is also called aloe vera, and also ghost pill."
Li Xianggui and Liu Sichun looked at each other, puzzled, wondering why He Dazhu was so happy.
"Silly Dazhu, hurry up, or it'll get dark soon," Li Xianggui said.
He Dazhu said, "Sister Guihua, Second Aunt has discovered a business opportunity to make money. We can sell aloe vera."
These words immediately drew ridicule from Li Xianggui.
"Sister Dazhu knows you want to make money, but your method won't work."
"If this elephant grass were really profitable, it would have been dug up by other villagers long ago, and wouldn't be waiting for you to dig it up."
"Sister Guihua, you don't know this, but this thing is indeed a treasure."
"It can also be used to reduce swelling. It even has a beautifying effect."
He Dazhu described the uses of aloe vera in traditional Chinese medicine, as shown in the Xuan Tian Medical Classic, to Li Xianggui and Liu Sichun.
Li Xianggui and Liu Sichun were completely confused, but after listening to He Dazhu's explanation, they both looked at the plant in front of them with new respect.
"I never expected that you, silly Dazhu, would know so much. No wonder you're the first college student in Shihua Village," Li Xianggui said with admiration.
“Then I’ll dig one up and plant it. It’ll be perfect for helping Sister Guihua reduce her swelling,” Liu Sichun said.
He Dazhu carefully dug out the aloe vera and put it into his basket.
He Dazhu thought to himself that perhaps the reason why the aloe vera in Shihua Village had not been dug up was because everyone had not yet discovered this treasure, and was busy digging up the pitiful few withered corn plants in the mountain hollow.
He Dazhu will be the first person in Shihua Village to take the plunge, which is definitely a viable business opportunity. In addition, with He Dazhu's Xuan Tian Divine Eye, finding aloe vera in the mountains is incredibly easy.
He Dazhu suddenly saw hope in surviving on this barren land.
He Dazhu and his group were carrying six kilograms of honey on their way home, attracting many villagers from Shihua Village to turn around and watch.
When passing by He Debing's house, He Debing was even more furious and gritted his teeth in hatred.
He couldn't stop cursing He Dazhu and Li Xianggui in his heart.
He Dazhu walked proudly on the stone road, carrying honey on his back, deliberately showing it off to the villagers, especially He Debing's family.
The three of them walked through the persimmon tree and that was it—they had arrived home.
Li Xianggui laughed and said, "Silly Dazhu, did you see your second uncle's expression just now? It was like he'd eaten shit, it cracked me up."
Liu Sichun, standing to the side, lowered her head and remained silent.
"Cough cough." He Dazhu coughed a few times.
"Haha, I was just saying."
"Silly Big Pillar, I'll go get a broken pot. You can plant the aloe vera in it."
Li Xianggui then walked away awkwardly.
"Second Aunt, don't take it to heart. Sister Guihua just likes to joke around. She's a very nice person."
“I know about Zhu Zi, and I don’t blame Sister Gui Hua.”
"I just blame myself."
“I also saw your second uncle just now. The way I saw him was different from how Sister Guihua saw him. Sister Guihua saw stupidity, but all I saw was fear.”
“Especially your second uncle’s eyes. For so many days and nights, those eyes have been staring at me. I feel like I can never get rid of them. It’s like he follows me wherever I go.”
"Dazhu, I'm really scared."
"I'm really scared."
"I'm terrified."
"Can I really leave Shihua Village?"
"Can I really escape your second uncle's control?"
"What if he brings me back again?"
"Those eyes are going to bring me fear again."
"The mountains are like a cage; they imprison not only my body, but also my heart!!!"
Hearing Liu Sichun say that, He Dazhu was deeply shocked!
He hadn't expected that his second uncle had instilled such fear in his second aunt. It seemed that taking his second aunt out of the village was not as simple as just taking her out of Shihua Village.
If the trauma in her second aunt's heart is not healed, then no matter where Liu Sichun goes, those eyes will always follow her.
It seems there's no escaping it...
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