Chapter 42: Nothing but Life and Death

"Grandma Qi took the money and mountain products, but she didn't treat you well?"

The air was filled with mist and fog, and Lu Mingchao's expression was hazy and blurred, making it difficult to see clearly.

The monthly salary and dividends of a shopkeeper in the county town add up to a lot. If he saves enough, he might be able to buy a small courtyard in the city.

Just taking money but not doing any work, can you be considered a prominent figure?

Xie Huaiqian pursed his lips, his eyes dark as the abyss, "When Dad was away, there was no meat in Grandma Qi's meals. There were only a few grains of rice in the huge pot, and the soup was so watery that it could even reflect a person's face."

“We were all still young at that time.”

"Jingyi can't talk. She just cries loudly when she's hungry, pees, or falls. She cries until she's out of breath, but Grandma Qi doesn't care. She says that all children are like this. A loud cry means that the child is energetic and healthy."

"At the end of the day, Jingyi's body was covered with bruises and wounds."

"Ru'an is timid and afraid of crowds. She shrinks and shrinks. Grandma Qi feels that she has Ru'an under control, so she keeps ordering Ru'an to do chores, such as feeding chickens, sweeping the yard, mowing the grass, picking eggs, and serving tea to Qi Rui. It seems like there is no end to the work for her."

"I was so angry that I wanted to file a complaint and let my father know the true face of Grandma Qi."

"But in order to let Dad go into the mountains to hunt and fulfill his promise to the North without any worries, I held back and could only take better care of Jingyi and help Ru'an with his work."

“That’s how we got through that year.”

"Later, Dad gradually saved money and became more comfortable. Grandma Qi changed her previous sarcastic attitude and tried every means to force Qi Rui to be Dad's daughter-in-law, but Dad refused immediately."

"Grandma Qi refused to give up and said she wanted to let Qi Rui be my child bride. We know each other well and have a deep affection for each other."

At this point, Xie Huaiqian laughed sarcastically, "Oh, deep feelings?"

"Do you mean that I am her riding horse? Or that she pulled my ears and spit in my face? Or that I was told to be grateful to her?"

Lu Mingchao was extremely angry, his heart was filled with dissatisfaction and anger, as if a ball of fire was raging in his chest and abdomen. The spoon in his hand lost control due to anger, and suddenly fell into the bowl, splashing a string of water droplets. He also transferred his anger to Xie Yan, "Is your father blind?"

The sunlight, which had not yet set, shone through the thin paper on the window, making Lu Mingchao's face look particularly pale. His eyes were tinged with a hint of anger, which made people feel intimidated.

Xie Huaiqian was startled at first, then his deep dark eyes brightened up. "Mom, it's not true."

"Dad is very busy and very tired."

"The top priority at that time was to get rid of the pursuit and settle down safely with a new identity."

"If you are not careful and someone discovers you, your life will be in danger."

"After finally getting back on his feet, Dad was penniless and risked his life to go hunting in the deep mountains and valleys. The more ferocious the beast, the more valuable its fur was. I can't even remember how much he was hurt during that time."

"After collecting furs and mountain goods, my father sold them one by one to make money and prepare supplies for the winter. He also tried to disguise them and send them to the north without telling the court."

"Staying alive is the most important thing."

"A young man who has encountered a sudden change chooses to take care of the most important things first."

"Dad is not stupid nor blind, it's just that the matter of staying alive has consumed all of Dad's energy, and he has no time to care about anything else."

"Was the scar under his eye caused by hunting?" Lu Mingchao asked in a deep voice.

Xie Huaiqian shook his head and said, "I drew it myself on the way to escape."

A faint sense of sadness spread in Lu Mingchao's heart.

Xie Yan, what kind of suffering and hardships did he endure to escape the inevitable death that year?

"The North..." Lu Mingchao pursed his lips. "Who was exiled to the North?"

"How could someone survive the catastrophe that destroyed the entire clan?"

Xie Huaiqian's eyes were red and misty unconsciously. "He is my father's grandfather and my biological father's teacher. He can also be regarded as my great-grandfather."

"He was the only person who was not publicly executed during the extermination of his clan."

"Dad has to take care of me and Ru'an Jingyi, and also take care of the grandfather who is exiled to the north. He no longer has the energy to care about anything other than life and death."

"Beyond life and death, everything else is trivial."

"Fortunately, we made it through. Life is getting better and better now. Dad even got married and now he has a real family."

Xie Huaiqian choked up and tears streamed down his face.

Lu Mingchao stood up, put Xie Huaiqian on his shoulders, and patted his back gently. "Yes, we got through it."

"Huai Qian, everything will be fine slowly."

Drop after drop of tears wet Lu Mingchao's shoulders.

My heart is like a cloud in the sky, squeezed, torn and gathered again by the wind at will.

"Mother?"

A small head poked out from the crack in the door.

Xie Huaiqian suddenly stopped crying, wiped the tears from his face hastily, turned his head and looked out the window as if nothing had happened.

Xie Jingyi and Xie Ruan walked over the threshold hand in hand.

"Brother, are you crying?" Xie Jingyi looked up, looked at Xie Huaiqian's red and swollen eyes, and asked carefully.

Although Xie Ru'an did not speak, her eyes were full of worry.

Xie Huaiqian cleared his throat twice, trying to make his voice sound normal. "The wind was too strong, I was blown away."

The suspicion on Xie Jingyi's chubby little face almost turned into reality.

Lu Mingchao replied, "Yes, it was blown by the wind."

"The wind of the past has blown away, and everything will be new from now on."

Seeing that Lu Mingchao also said that it was blown by the wind, Xie Jingyi and Xie Ru'an believed it instantly.

My mother is such a good person, how could she lie?

"Jingyi, Ru'an, did you get enough sleep?" Lu Mingchao waved at Xie Jingyi and Xie Ru'an.

Xie Jingyi walked with her short legs, a sweet smile on her chubby face, "Mom, I've had enough sleep."

"Me, me too." Xie Ru'an said in a low voice.

"That's good." Lu Mingchao took out a candy with a strong milky aroma and placed one in each person's palm.

"Wow." Xie Jingyi raised her head, and her long eyelashes brushed across Lu Mingchao's palm again and again.

"Huai Qian, eat candy. With candy in your mouth, your heart will also become sweet." Lu Mingchao smiled softly.

"Mom, your face is pale. Are you sick?" Xie Jingyi chewed the candy clumsily, drooling as she spoke.

Lu Mingchao smiled helplessly and wiped the corner of Xie Jingyi's mouth with a handkerchief. "I'm angry."

Xie Jingyi and Xie Ruan both widened their eyes at the same time.

"Mom, is it Erbao and Sanbao?" Xie Jingyi said indistinctly while holding a candy in her mouth.

Xie Ru'an also subconsciously pulled Lu Mingchao's clothes.

Lu Mingchao shook his head. "It's a snake."

The farmer and the snake.

The great ancestor of the Qi family is the snake who does not know what is good for him and repays evil with kindness.

Xie Jingyi cried out in surprise and hugged Lu Mingchao's calf, "Mom, don't be afraid."

"Dad, Dad is very good at catching snakes."

"Yeah, where's Dad?"

Xie Jingyi then realized that someone was missing from the room.

A couple with similar tastes