Chapter 683 Your father, why can’t you leave this mountain?
"That's it!" The ferocious-faced escort gritted his teeth and slapped his thigh fiercely. "We firmly believe that the person has been delivered! The boy left on his own!"
The few of them quickly reached a consensus and stuffed the half-worn clothes back into the bag.
When the sky brightened, the group pretended nothing had happened, turned their horses around, and galloped towards the capital.
At the same time, in a small mountain village a hundred miles away.
Shi Yong looked at Lin Jiayou's wary and hostile eyes, with no expression on his face, and just looked away from his hands that were tightly protecting his chest.
"I don't want your silver." Shi Yong turned around, picked up a coarse earthenware pot from the stove, poured a bowl of hot water into it and handed it to Shi Xiaoniu beside him, "Give it to him."
Shi Xiaoniu held the bowl and moved closer to Lin Jiayou, his black and white eyes full of curiosity.
"Don't be afraid, my father is a good man. Although he looks fierce and has a tough mouth, he has a very kind heart. Everyone in the village asks my father for help."
Lin Jiayou did not take the bowl of water. His body remained tense, like a lone wolf ready to fight or escape at any time.
Shi Yong ignored him and said to Shi Xiaoniu, "I'm going to the back mountain to check on the sets. You stay home and watch over the guest. Don't let him run around."
After saying that, he picked up the machete and rope leaning against the door, pushed open the wooden door and walked out. The empty sleeve swayed slightly in the morning breeze.
There were only two half-grown children left in the room.
Seeing that Lin Jiayou ignored him, Shi Xiaoniu didn't get angry. He put the bowl on the table, then moved a small stool and sat in front of him, holding his cheek and continuing to look at him.
"Are you really going to Jinguan City? It's far away."
"I heard from the old people in the village that Jinguan City is full of tall houses and the roads are paved with bluestone slabs, which are very smooth. Is this true?"
"When you get to Jinguan City, are you going to the Gu family? What kind of family is that? Is it more impressive than the village chief's?"
Shi Xiaoniu kept talking, but Lin Jiayou remained silent.
All his senses were on high alert, listening for any movement outside the yard.
He didn't know when the one-armed hunter would come back, nor did he know what he was up to.
He can't trust anyone.
After an unknown amount of time, Lin Jiayou's stomach growled twice. In this quiet little room, the sound was particularly clear.
When Shi Xiaoniu heard this, his eyes lit up and he immediately jumped off the stool and ran to the stove. He brought out a plate like offering a treasure, with two roasted sweet potatoes on it.
"Are you hungry? Eat this, it's so sweet!" He held the plate in front of Lin Jiayou with a innocent smile on his face.
The hot aroma penetrated into his nostrils. Lin Jiayou looked at the dark and simple face, and the ice in his heart seemed to crack a little.
He hesitantly reached out and took one of the hot sweet potatoes.
"Thank you." He finally spoke, making Shi Xiaoniu so happy that his eyes curved with laughter.
Lin Jiayou ate it in small bites. The sweet and soft taste melted on his tongue and warmed his stomach.
He just stayed in the Shi family.
During the day, Shi Yong would go into the mountains to hunt, or go to the village to help people with manual labor.
Shi Xiaoniu was like a little follower, following Lin Jiayou around all day long.
He would show the bird eggs he had dug to Lin Jiayou like they were treasures, and would also drag him to the river at the entrance of the village to fish, even though Lin Jiayou had never been in the water before.
Lin Jiayou still speaks very little, but he is no longer as prickly as he was at the beginning.
He would sit quietly in the yard, watching Shi Yong skillfully weave straw sandals with one hand, and listening to Shi Xiaoniu tell interesting stories about the village that he had never heard of.
Life here is poor and simple, but there is a kind of peace that he has never felt in Prince Yong's Mansion.
That evening, Shi Yong brought back a wild rabbit and was skinning it skillfully in the yard.
Lin Jiayou looked at the blood, hesitated for a long time, and finally walked over.
He stood in front of Shi Yong and spoke again: "Uncle, I would like to ask you to take me to Jinguan City."
Shi Yong didn't stop his movements, and he didn't even look up: "I told you, I don't want your money."
"I know," Lin Jiayou took a deep breath, his tone much firmer than last time, "but I have to go. When you get there, the Gu family will give you a generous reward, enough for you and your son to live a good life."
Shi Yong finally stopped what he was doing. He raised his head and looked at Lin Jiayou quietly with his deep eyes.
"I'm not leaving this mountain."
Lin Jiayou was stunned. He thought the other party was just watching, but he didn't expect such a straightforward rejection.
"Why?"
"No reason." Shi Yong lowered his head again and continued to deal with the hare in his hand. His tone was indifferent. "If you want to go to Jinguan City, you have to find a way yourself."
Find a solution yourself?
What can he, a half-grown child, do in this desolate mountain area?
He can't be trapped here forever.
He clenched his fists and stared at Shi Yong's profile. "Okay. Then give me a map and I'll go by myself!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Shi Xiaoniu, who was teasing ants under the eaves, suddenly jumped up, rushed over a few steps, and grabbed Lin Jiayou's arm.
"Brother, don't go!" Shi Xiaoniu's face flushed with anxiety. "It's very dangerous outside!"
Lin Jiayou looked at him and pursed his lips: "I'm not afraid."
"Why aren't you afraid?" Shi Xiaoniu's voice was filled with tears. "Don't you know, there are wolves in this mountain. When it gets dark, they gather together and howl. The sound is scary!"
"And there are man-eating tigers. Uncle Wang from the village was taken away by a tiger! My father said that the most powerful animal in the mountains is the black bear. It can break a tree this thick with just one slap!"
Shi Xiaoniu gestured at the old locust tree in the yard with his hands, his face full of horror.
As Lin Jiayou listened to these words, his face turned paler and paler.
He had seen the evil in people's hearts, but the beasts hiding in the deep mountains and dense forests were more terrifying than he had ever imagined.
It was a pure, raw danger that was completely irresistible and unreasonable.
He had finally escaped from a group of vicious wolves with beastly hearts. Was he going to feed real jackals, tigers and leopards again?
Looking at his pale face, Shi Yong finally spoke again, his voice emotionless: "Do you still want to leave by yourself now?"
Two children lay side by side on the simple wooden bed.
Shi Xiaoniu fell asleep quickly, breathing evenly with a hint of a smile on his lips. It was unknown what he dreamed about.
Lin Jiayou, however, had no desire to sleep at all.
He opened his eyes and looked at the dark beams above his head.
Why?
Why would Shi Yong rather be trapped in this poor and dangerous mountain for the rest of his life than leave?
He turned over and gently pushed Shi Xiaoniu's shoulder.
"Maverick." He lowered his voice.
Shi Xiaoniu smacked his lips and said "hmm" in a daze.
Lin Jiayou moved closer and asked, "Your father, why can't we leave this mountain?"
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