But seeing an old woman walking outside like that, leaning on a cane, her gait unsteady, would make anyone feel sorry for her. Shangguan Xi walked to Grandma Chen's side, took her arm with one hand, and asked softly, "Grandma, where are you going? I'll take you there."
Grandma Chen heard the woman's voice, turned her head to look at Shangguan Xi, a flash of panic in her eyes, but she came to her senses the next second and clearly saw that the person in front of her was not the one who frightened her. "I...I'm looking for Xixi. Have you seen Xixi? A boy, not tall, very thin. Have you seen where Xixi went?"
Grandma Chen grabbed her arm, persistently asking about Xixi's whereabouts. Shangguan Xi thought for a moment and told her that she had seen Xixi on the mountain. "Up the mountain? You said he went up the mountain? How can that be! How could Xixi go up the mountain? There are monsters on the mountain! My Xixi!"
After getting the answer she wanted, Grandma Chen let go of Shangguan Xi's hand and walked in another direction, which was the path leading up the mountain. A light drizzle was still falling from the sky. Seeing this, Shangguan Xi quickly stopped her, "Hey Grandma, it's raining now, and the path up the mountain is slippery. Why don't you go back and wait? Xixi should be back soon."
Grandma Chen seemed unmoved, standing still. Seeing that she had stopped moving, Shangguan Qi turned to the others and asked, "You guys think that boy is Xixi? I'm not mistaken, am I?"
Nangong Yu clicked his tongue. "In this village, besides Xixi, whom that grandma mentioned, there's no one else. How else could you possibly say something wrong?"
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Xi thought it made sense and stopped meddling. After restoring the place to its original state, when they were about to leave, the old lady had already disappeared. This matter itself had little to do with them, so none of them paid any attention to it. However, Xu Yuehuai noticed something was wrong and wanted to go find Grandma Chen, which made everyone else think.
When they found Grandma Chen, it was on a small slope not far from the mountain. A light drizzle was falling from the sky, and the atmosphere around them was extremely heavy. The old woman was lying in the mud, silent and still.
For a moment, all that could be heard around her were soft, shallow breathing sounds. Shangguan Xi's hand trembled, and she almost slipped. Grandma Chen was the first person she saw. If she hadn't said those things to Grandma Chen back then, would Grandma Chen have not gone up the mountain, would she not be here, and would she not have died?
This incident later became a source of inner demons for Shangguan Xi, who felt that she had caused Grandma Chen's death.
When Xixi came down the mountain, he didn't think about what he would face. He was very fast and didn't care even if he fell a few times. When he thought about going back to see Grandma Chen soon, Xixi was thinking about happy things.
He never imagined that when he met Grandma Chen again, it would be a final farewell.
When Xixi reached the foot of the mountain, she saw a group of people gathered in one place. No one touched the old woman, and they knew clearly that the old woman was dead.
Xi Xi walked over. He felt he had done a good job, so he was in a good mood. But when he got closer and saw the person lying on the ground, all the expressions on his face completely cracked at that moment. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, and he felt tears seeping into his eyes. It hurt so much. He didn't know how to describe his current feeling. His whole body was covered in a dense, tingling pain.
"Grandma..." Xixi murmured softly, kneeling down helplessly. It was as if the heavens knew that someone was experiencing human suffering, so the drizzle gradually intensified, but no one said anything about leaving.
Xi Xi's eyes dimmed. He didn't know what had happened, but he could clearly see the cause of Grandma Chen's death. There was no outsider framing her; she slipped, lost her footing, and fell, hitting her head and dying instantly. Elderly people are already in poor health, and without spiritual power to protect them, they are even more vulnerable. In addition, her eyesight wasn't very good.
Everyone stood in the rain, letting the downpour completely soak the place, their faces streaked with what seemed like tears or raindrops. Xixi picked up Grandma Chen's body.
Xixi was thin, not much different from an old lady. Perhaps due to genetics, he was a boy, so he was a bit taller. He lifted Grandma Chen without any difficulty. His hands, rough from years of working, were strong and steady as he descended the mountain. His steps were not as hurried as when he first came down, but rather much more steady.
Xu Yuehuai and the others followed behind him. The seven of them looked at each other and no one spoke, but they didn't want to leave just like that. After going down the mountain, Xixi took Grandma Chen to the house. The house was very warm. Xixi had lit a fire because she was worried that Grandma Chen would be cold before going up the mountain.
Amidst the alternating chill and heat, everyone shivered. Xixi glanced at the group, who were soaked to the bone, and said, "There's an empty room over there. Go inside and change your clothes."
After he finished speaking, he continued to look at Grandma Chen with his eyes, holding her hands tightly, hoping that she would wake up from her sleep.
But the world is real; there aren't that many miracles or that much good fortune. Even if good fortune were to fall on earth, there would always be people who are unlucky and don't receive it. Xixi felt that she was one of those people at that moment.
He was born without parents and grew up with his father's family, learning many things he didn't like. Then one day, an old lady came to his door and said she wanted to take him away. She said the family didn't need another child and let him leave.
When Xixi arrived in the village, she didn't like to talk or eat all day. At such a young age, she had a lot on her mind. Grandma Chen felt sorry for her and tried her best to make the child happier, but all her efforts were in vain.
Xixi grew thinner and thinner, looking like he had no flesh on his body at all. Grandma Chen was heartbroken. She told her everything that had happened back then, and also explained why she wanted to bring Xixi back. He carried the hopes of the entire village. If he could live to the age of twenty, the curse on the entire village would be broken.
Grandma Chen placed her hopes on Xixi, only wishing that he would live well. She told Xixi that he could do whatever he wanted, as long as it didn't involve any danger to his life, she wouldn't stop him.
After hearing the story, Xixi began to get closer to this old lady who was over fifty years old. She then discovered that the old lady was not a bad person. In fact, she would clean up his messes after he caused trouble, and she would sew up his torn clothes stitch by stitch.
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