Chapter 5 Black Jade
After dinner, the family sat around the table and chatted about Xia Wu’s past.
For Xia Wu, the past was as distant as her previous life. She still remembered it, but she didn't feel any real connection with it. She only picked out one or two interesting things to tell the Yang family.
Everyone listened with great interest, yet couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if the wrong child had not been taken away.
What will happen? Xia Wu has no idea.
Maybe it would be better for the Xia family, a misplaced family relationship, a misplaced life...
Xia Wu was not completely free from heartache, but she could only be thankful that she had lost her SIM card. Now that she was not online, no one could contact her, and she could calm down.
Otherwise, I would have some expectations in my heart.
While chatting, Mr. Yang stood up and went into the house. After a while, he sat back down with a wooden box in his hand.
"Dad, what is this?"
"It's our family heirloom," Old Master Yang said simply. He opened the wooden box, took out a piece of black jade wrapped in silk, and handed it to Xia Wu. "Don't blame me for being partial. We owe her. I'm the one who decided to pass this jade on to Xia Wu."
As he spoke, he put the jade around Xia Wu's neck.
Xia Wu touched the warm jade and felt a little confused. Why didn't he give this jade to Xia Wei? Or was it because he didn't have time to give it to her, so now it's a bargain for her?
No, no, no, I can't think like that. If I go on like this, won't she be stuck in the same dilemma as her previous life?
Xia Wu took a deep breath and said briskly, "Thank you, Grandpa. I like it very much!"
"Tomorrow I will take you to the mountain to worship the Mother Goddess and let her recognize you. From now on, you will be a member of this place and she will protect you." Yang Hongwen said seriously.
Seeing that Xia Wu was a little confused, Liu Guizhen explained, "There is a mountain temple on Mother Mountain, dedicated to the Mother Goddess."
Xia Wu readily agreed.
Yang Guojun cleaned up the dishes, and Xia Wu was taken back to her room by Liu Guizhen. Although Xia Wu said she only wanted a bed, Liu's mother still packed up Yang Wei's things and put them in Yang Hongwen's room.
Now, this room belongs to Xia Wu. The bed has been replaced with a new four-piece set and the quilt is also newly made.
"I've been exposed to the sun for a while this afternoon, so it shouldn't be damp. It's a bit cold in the mountains, so I'll need to cover myself with something thicker at night. I don't know if you're used to that..."
Liu Guizhen tidied up the corners of the quilt very neatly, fearing that Xia Wu would be wronged.
"If you need anything at home, tell me and I'll go to town to buy it for you tomorrow."
Xia Wu said, "Mom, I want to get a mobile phone card. Can I buy it online here?"
"Of course I can, but the nearest express delivery point is in town. Tomorrow I'll ask your dad to get you a card. You can buy whatever you want. Mom will transfer the money to you, and I'll ask your dad to pick it up on his motorcycle when the package arrives."
Although life in the countryside is not convenient, they are indeed trying their best to provide Xia Wu with the best.
After taking a shower, Xia Wu lay in the cotton quilt, smelling the scent of the sun. She felt sleepy instantly and fell asleep soon.
When she woke up, it was already past eight o'clock. Yang Guojun had gone to town early in the morning to get her a mobile phone card and buy her some daily necessities. Liu Guizhen had gone to work in the fields, and the meal was already in the pot.
Old Master Yang was preparing medicine and waited for Xia Wu to wake up and eat before taking her up the mountain.
There is hot milk, eggs, and two steamed buns in the pot.
"This is buffalo milk from Yang Laosi's house. Your mother went to get it early in the morning." Old Man Yang said to her.
"I came back yesterday in Mr. Yang Si's ox cart. It was the first time I saw a water buffalo. Mom said buffalo milk is delicious."
The buffalo milk was warm, just right. Xia Wu took a sip and it tasted like ice cream, sweet and rich, with a mellow texture. It tasted indeed better than milk.
"It tastes good!" Xia Wu said in surprise.
"That's fine." Old Master Yang didn't say anything. He waited for her to finish breakfast, pack up her things, and call Yang Hongwen and Xia Wu to go out with him.
In the countryside, people don't lock their doors unless they are going on a long journey.
The old man took his two children and walked along the cement road towards the mountain.
There's a saying that goes, "If you look at the mountain, you'll kill the horse." The Mother Mountain seemed very close, but they walked for at least twenty minutes before reaching the foot of the mountain. On the way, they met villagers and stopped to greet Old Man Yang. He introduced Xia Wu to them, "This is my granddaughter. I'm taking her up the mountain to worship the Mother Goddess."
The villagers looked at Xia Wu curiously. "This girl is even prettier than Xiao Wei. She looks so much like Xiao Wen. You can tell they're siblings!"
Old Master Yang was cheerful, with his hands behind his back. He would chat with people when he met them, and would go up the mountain in silence if he didn't meet anyone.
There are also cement roads leading up the mountain. If someone lives on the mountain, the government will build roads so that every household can access the roads.
Mr. Yang has an old friend who has lived in the mountains for fifty or sixty years and is very good at raising bees.
"After we finish worshipping the Mother Goddess, I'll take you to get some honey. Eating more honey is good for girls' health."
It was past ten when we arrived at the mountain temple halfway up the mountain. The trees near the temple were shady, letting in a little sunlight. Birds rested among the vines, and when they fluttered their wings and took flight, the misty mountain fog enveloped everything, creating a seemingly unreal beauty.
There were constant offerings in the mountain temple. Old Man Yang presented fresh fruits, arranged the incense and lit it, then he was the first to bow down, muttering something, probably asking the Mother Goddess to bless Xia Wu with good health.
Xia Wu and her brother imitated their grandfather and knelt down in an orderly manner. When she made a wish, her mind went blank for a moment and she didn't know what she wanted.
In the end, she prayed to herself that she hoped she could find a spiritual home in this life and live a simple and self-sufficient life, as if it would be nice to be accompanied by green mountains and clear waters.
When he kowtowed, the black jade emerged from his clothes. A ray of sunlight reflected from outside the temple and shone on the jade. The deep green fluorescence was even more beautiful than the most emerald green lake water, so beautiful that it made people dizzy.
Xia Wu stood up dizzy and almost couldn't stand steadily.
Yang Hongwen hurriedly supported her, "Sister!"
Old Master Yang noticed something was wrong and hurried over to check on Xia Wu.
"What's wrong?"
"I feel a little dizzy... maybe I didn't get enough rest." Xia Wu said weakly. She felt as if all the strength in her body was drained away by something. The world was spinning around her, and she soon lost consciousness.
Xia Wu dreamed of a vast green expanse. She stood there confused, not knowing where she was. She could only walk forward, and finally saw a cave standing there alone.
As if summoned by something, Xia Wu walked into the cave, feeling his way along the rock wall and slowly going deeper.
She saw a pool of emerald green water, half a foot square, emitting a faint fluorescent light. Xia Wu knelt beside the spring, fascinated by it, scooped up the water and brought it to her mouth.
The spring water had an endless sweet aftertaste, flowing continuously in her body. Xia Wu could feel a warmth flowing through her limbs and bones, finally converging into her Shentingxue.
Xia Wu felt as comfortable as if he was back in his mother's arms, curled up and fell into a deep sleep.
In Beijing, Fu Shilin hung up the phone and rubbed his brows with a headache. He had just received a call from Xia Heng, who said that he couldn't contact Xia Wu and asked if he knew where Xia Wu was.
"Xia Wu, what tricks are you playing this time?"
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