Chapter 173 These are other people's memories and secrets
"Sister, did I make you angry?"
Xie Yunze tilted his head slightly, his eyes full of caution and concern, his voice carrying a hint of flattery, as if afraid that Xu Zhili would really get angry and ignore him.
"Sister, please don't ignore me."
He spoke softly again, his tone becoming increasingly clingy, much like a child begging for forgiveness after making a mistake.
After saying that, he naturally took the sweet potato from Xu Zhili's hand and peeled it open with practiced ease and care, the steam emanating from the sweet potato filling the space between the two of them.
Then, holding a peeled sweet potato, he offered it to Xu Zhili, his eyes filled with a gentle smile, and asked softly, "Sister, shall I feed you?"
His expression was focused and serious, as if nothing in the world was as important as feeding Xu Zhili sweet potatoes.
Xu Zhili and Xie Yunze walked side by side, silent for a moment, the atmosphere subtly quiet, with only the rustling of their feet on the fallen leaves.
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from the bushes ahead.
The two stopped almost simultaneously, their eyes sharply fixed on the other side.
A male pheasant with exceptionally bright plumage and extremely long tail feathers flapped its wings and emerged, seemingly unaware of the two people not far away, who were leisurely strolling and foraging for food.
Xie Yunze reacted almost instinctively, his body slightly lowered, and his right hand subconsciously swung back to shield Xu Zhili in a safe position behind him. His aura instantly changed from gentle to that of a hunter poised to strike.
At the same moment, Xu Zhili's eyes lit up, and she thought about which place in the space would be suitable to temporarily house this beautiful pheasant.
The two moved almost in sync, and then paused at the same time because of each other's movements.
Xie Yunze turned his head and met Xu Zhili's eager gaze.
He paused slightly, then a barely perceptible smile and curiosity flashed in his eyes. He put away his formality, made a very gentlemanly "please" gesture, and lowered his voice to say, "Ah Li, it seems you've noticed too. Want it? Why don't you come and get it?"
Xu Zhili's competitive spirit was aroused by his slightly teasing tone, and she did not refuse. She bent down and quickly picked up a handy pebble from the ground.
She held her breath and aimed—
However, perhaps due to a lack of practice or a bit of nervousness, the pebble flew out with a "whoosh," but grazed the pheasant's magnificent tail feathers, startling it into a loud "cluck cluck" and flapping its wings as it darted into the dense forest.
"Oh dear!" Xu Zhili exclaimed softly, somewhat annoyed.
In the blink of an eye, just as the pheasant took flight, Xie Yun made his move.
He moved like a leopard, rushing forward in a few quick strides, just before the pheasant was about to disappear into the bushes.
A swift, diving leap, the movement so precise it resembled a military training exercise, but used to catch a chicken in this situation, it appeared both professional and somewhat... inexplicably comical.
He landed steadily, clutching the still-flapping pheasant wing tightly in his hand. His shirt sleeves were covered in bits of grass, and his hair was slightly disheveled.
He stood up, carrying the still-clucking pheasant back, a hint of smugness and slight embarrassment at his overly "rapid" movements on his face: "Looks like I can give An'an an extra meal tonight."
Xu Zhili looked at his unusually composed demeanor, and then at the colorful "trophy" in his hand.
She couldn't help but burst out laughing, her earlier annoyance vanishing instantly: "Comrade Xie, your tactical maneuvers... are a real waste of your talent to catch chickens."
Xie Yunze looked at her smiling face, his ears burning slightly, but he handed her the pheasant over, saying seriously, "Mission complete, Ali, please inspect."
The two continued on their way, Xie Yunze carrying the chicken, while Xu Zhili kept an eye on the herbs around them.
The sky suddenly darkened, and the mountain breeze carried a dampness.
"It looks like it's going to rain." Xie Yunze looked up at the sky and frowned.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than large raindrops began to pelt down.
The mountain rain came suddenly, and there were no tall trees around to take shelter from.
"there."
Xu Zhili, with her sharp eyes, pointed to a stone wall not far away that was almost completely covered by vines, "There seems to be a depression!"
The two ran over quickly.
Xie Yunze parted the wet vines, and sure enough, a narrow opening less than a person's height was revealed behind it.
"Let's go inside and take shelter." He let Xu Zhili go in first, then bent down and followed her in.
The cave was small but dry, clearly abandoned for a long time, and smelled of earth and dead wood.
The sound of rain was blocked out, making the cave exceptionally quiet.
Using the dim light coming through the cave entrance, the two looked around the small cave.
There was a pile of scattered withered grass in the corner, as if someone or an animal had once rested there.
Xie Yunze gently parted the withered grass with his foot, and suddenly, a rusty tin box was revealed.
"What is this?" Xu Zhili asked curiously as she leaned closer.
Xie Yunze carefully opened the box. Inside, there was no gold or silver treasure, but several old books wrapped tightly in oilcloth, the pages of which were yellowed and brittle.
The cover of the top book is blurry, but the words "Lectures on Advanced Mathematics" are still legible. Below it are several books that appear to be collections of classical Chinese poetry.
Underneath the book were several old grain coupons from the 1960s and a faded black-and-white photograph of a young man in a Zhongshan suit with a gentle smile.
“These books…” Xu Zhili said softly. In those days, these books were somewhat sensitive.
"Um,"
Xie Yunze nodded solemnly and carefully examined the items. "They're so well preserved; someone must have deliberately hidden them here."
He picked up the photo again, "I wonder what happened to its owner later."
The two stared at the box of "treasure" in silence for a moment, as if they had touched a hidden piece of time.
Outside the cave, the rain pattered softly, but inside, a sense of historical weight and a faint melancholy permeated the air.
"Let's leave these here?" Xu Zhili suggested. "These are other people's memories and secrets."
Xie Yunze agreed, closed the box again, carefully put it back in its original place, and covered it slightly with dry grass.
This unexpected discovery gave meaning to the silence between the two, a tacit understanding of sharing a tiny secret.
The rain stopped quickly, and the mountains and forests were washed clean and looked lush and green.
The two left the cave and continued walking towards their agreed-upon destination.
They hadn't gone far when suddenly a heavy groaning sound and the sound of bushes being violently struck came from ahead.
Xie Yunze instantly became alert, pulling Xu Zhili behind him again, his gaze sweeping forward like lightning.
A large, robust wild boar with protruding tusks was seen charging up the slope with red eyes, seemingly disturbed by the rain.
"Watch out! Don't move!"
Xie Yunze warned in a low voice, his body tense, and he quickly looked around for usable weapons or a way out.
He only had a pheasant in his hand, which was obviously not a threat at all.
Xu Zhili's heart was in her throat.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
