Qin's mother closed the door, her legs went weak.
Yao Yao asked, "What's wrong?"
"The kidnappers are here again, it's like they've got their eyes on our family," said Qin's mother.
Yao Yao frowned, "Didn't you say you were leaving? Why are you back?"
"Waaah—" The child's cries suddenly rang out.
Then another, softer cry followed, accompanied by whimpers.
The man in black, who hadn't gone far, had exceptional hearing. Hearing the child crying, he turned back and looked over...
...
A sudden downpour occurred at night.
Qin's mother quickly brought in the clothes that had been drying during the day and hung them inside the house to air out.
After feeding the two children, Mu Run came over to help.
"Don't touch it. Even though you're out of confinement, you should still avoid cold things to prevent your milk from getting cold. Huanhuan and Tuantuan will get stomach upset if they eat them."
"It's alright, I'm not that delicate."
"We should keep that in mind. After this rain, I'll turn over that empty space in the backyard and plant some vegetables or something. It's such a waste to leave such a large area unused."
“Okay, whatever Mom wants to do,” Mu Run replied.
*******
Hedao Village, village entrance.
Despite the wind and rain, Qiao Dongzi and Yang Yang helped an old man push an oxcart...
The roads were slippery from the rain, and an oxcart got stuck in a mud pit and couldn't get out.
Qiao Dongzi intended to pretend he hadn't seen anything and leave, but Yang Yang insisted on staying to help.
And so this scene unfolded.
"One, two, three, go!" With the shouts, the oxcart finally emerged from the mud pit.
The old man thanked Qiao Dongzi and Yang Yang and asked them where they were going. Upon learning that they were going to Jingyue County, he invited them to his home to take shelter from the rain, saying they could continue their journey once the rain stopped.
Yang Yang readily agreed, completely ignoring Qiao Dongzi who was about to refuse.
The old man lived in an old house in the village, surrounded by dilapidated buildings. After a rain, there wasn't even a decent place to step.
Fortunately, there was an oxcart, otherwise Qiao Dongzi and Yang Yang would have had to use their lightness skills to fly over.
The elderly woman lives with her grandson; there is no one else in the house.
My grandson, Ding Jian, is nine years old and isn't shy at all. He's very considerate, helping Qiao Dongzi and Yang Yang by getting them clean clothes and shoes.
Although they didn't fit quite right, they were still more comfortable than being covered in mud and water.
While eating the mixed noodle soup made by Old Ding, Qiao Dongzi asked, "Old man, where is your son?"
"He went to do business in another city, contracted an illness and died, and his body was never brought back." Old Ding sighed. "His daughter-in-law felt there was no future in life, so she went back to her parents' home, and she probably won't come back again."
Qiao Dongzi looked at Ding Jian, who was weaving a basket, and asked, "Don't you miss your mother?"
"Yes," Ding Jian replied.
"But she abandoned you."
The little hands that were weaving baskets stopped, and then rummaged through a pile of rattan to find a rattan clip. Opening the clip, there were several books inside.
After watching for a while, he started weaving baskets again.
Qiao Dongzi was a little curious, so he reached out to take a look at the book.
To everyone's surprise, Ding Jian immediately put it away like a precious treasure and wouldn't let him see it.
Old Ding said, "That was given to him by Mr. Mu; even I can't touch it."
"Mr. Mu?" Yang Yang asked curiously.
“Ms. Mu was a female teacher. She taught in the village before the Lunar New Year, teaching for free. My grandson often went there and learned quite a few characters. Later, Ms. Mu became pregnant and went to the city, and never came back. But during the Lunar New Year, she still remembered these children and sent them a lot of food, supplies, and books.”
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