Chapter 124 The System of Promises
Xie Jianguo's temper flared up instantly.
He rushed back in a few big strides, stood on tiptoe (his son was too tall), and grabbed Xie Yunce's ear with perfect accuracy, twisting it hard.
"You idiot! What are you grinning about? Has he bewitched you? Hurry up and come home with me."
"Ouch! Dad! Be gentle, my ear's going to fall off, it hurts!"
Xie Yunze grimaced in pain, tilting his head and hopping around, one hand protecting his ear, but his eyes were still glued to Xu Zhili, turning back every few steps, reluctant to leave.
Xie Jianguo couldn't bear to look at his stupid son's behavior, and in anger, he kicked him lightly in the calf.
"Still looking! What are you looking at, you good-for-nothing? Get out of here."
"Hey! Here it comes."
Hearing his father's urging, Xie Yunze quickened his pace to catch up, but couldn't help glancing back again.
Witnessing this scene, Xu Zhili couldn't help but laugh, a bright yet slightly mischievous smile spreading across her face.
As evening fell, the area where the cattle shed was located was quiet and peaceful, with a faint smell of hay and livestock in the air.
Xu Zhili, carrying a heavy basket on her back, held her breath and quietly came to the low, dilapidated wooden door in the corner of the cowshed. She bent her fingers and knocked three times very lightly.
Soon, a low, wary female voice came from inside: "Who is it?"
Xu Zhili quickly leaned closer to the crack in the door and whispered, "Mom, it's me, A-Li."
The door creaked open a crack.
Xu Nuoyan's haggard yet overjoyed face appeared in the dim light of the kerosene lamp.
She quickly pulled her daughter inside, closed the door behind her, and then took the basket from her. The weight of it surprised her.
"Grandpa, Grandma," Xu Zhili greeted sweetly in a soft voice.
"Oh, my dear little girl, come here quickly, let Grandma take a look at you."
Grandma Zhou Minglan sat on a simple straw mat, waving affectionately to her granddaughter, her voice choked with emotion.
Grandpa Xu Changde leaned against the side, forcing a kind smile on his face, as he fumbled for a dented enamel mug, intending to pour water for his granddaughter.
"Grandpa, I can do it myself."
Xu Zhili quickly took it; the jar contained clear water.
She took a few sips and said sweetly, "This water is so sweet, thank you, Grandpa."
"I'm glad you like it. It's spring water flowing down from the back mountain." Grandpa's voice was a little hoarse, but filled with satisfaction.
Xu Zhili put down the jar, turned around, opened the basket on her back, and took out the items inside one by one.
A small bag of white rice, about five pounds, a piece of cured meat wrapped tightly in oil paper, a basket of eggs wrapped in straw, a can of malted milk powder, a few coarse grain buns, and a small bag of sweet potatoes.
"Oh, my little girl!"
Grandma Zhou Minglan panicked at the sight and struggled to stand up. "This... so many precious things, why don't you keep them for yourself and your brother?"
“It must be so hard for you, a young woman, to raise Xiao Yuan all by yourself! Take it back with you. We'll be fine here as long as we have something to eat.”
"Grandma, don't worry."
Xu Zhili quickly helped her grandmother up, a reassuring smile on her face, her voice even lower, "I have a way."
"Grandpa, don't worry, it's not food we scraped together from home. It's... it's that little jar we used to secretly bury under the old jujube tree in the corner of the yard. I found it."
"There was a large box of yellow croakers of various sizes, jewelry, and several deposit slips inside."
Grandpa Xu Changde's cloudy eyes suddenly lit up, and he excitedly grabbed Xu Zhili's hand: "Found...found it?"
"Good! Good! Heaven has eyes! Those things didn't fall into..."
He paused, not saying the name (referring to Xu's father), and turned to his wife, "Old woman, did you hear that? Our daughter has someone to rely on now, so let's not worry about her anymore. Keep the things safe for the children."
Grandma Zhou Minglan breathed a sigh of relief, but still held Xu Zhili's hand with concern: "My dear, you can't spend money recklessly, and don't overwork yourself. Try to be a little lazy at work; your health is the most important thing."
"Yes, Grandma, I've got it."
Xu Zhili nodded vigorously and snuggled affectionately next to her grandmother. "Grandpa and Grandma, you two must take good care of yourselves. I'm waiting to take you home to enjoy your retirement!"
“Nannan…”
The smile on Grandpa Xu Changde's face faded, replaced by deep self-reproach. "It's all Grandpa's fault... Grandpa's useless. He's dragged your mother down with him, and made you and your brother suffer..."
He lowered his head, his withered hands trembling slightly.
Xu Zhili's nose tingled, and she quickly squatted down, gently taking her grandfather's hand in her soft but firm voice: "Grandpa, please don't say that!"
“You have worked hard for the country and our family your whole life. Without you, there would be no us. The country is now... facing some difficulties, just like people stumble and fall while walking.”
“But you see, you can always get up after you fall, and you’ll walk more steadily. You taught me that there’s no hurdle you can’t overcome. We have to have confidence in the country and confidence in ourselves.”
Xu Changde was slightly taken aback, his cloudy eyes looking at his granddaughter who seemed to have grown up overnight and whose eyes revealed a tenacious spirit.
Her words were like a ray of light, piercing through the gloom in his heart. He seemed to see the dawn of hope for the future of the country in her, and his eyes gradually brightened.
He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes gradually clearing: "Nannan...you're right. It's Grandpa...he's getting senile, he's stuck in a rut."
"The country nurtured us and gave us roots. Now that it's sick, we have to stay by its side and give it the strength to heal. I believe we can overcome this hurdle."
The three of them whispered intimate words to each other for a while.
The two elderly people continued until they showed obvious signs of fatigue and their eyelids began to droop.
Seeing this, Xu Zhili winked at her mother, Xu Nuoyan, and said softly, "Mom, you stay and rest with Grandpa and Grandma. I... I'll go check if our family's 'assets' are properly stored."
She deliberately spoke vaguely, then took her mother's hand and casually walked towards the innermost corner of the cowshed where hay was piled up.
Taking advantage of the moment when they turned around to block each other's view, the mother and daughter were of one mind. With a slight thought, their figures disappeared from the spot and the next moment they were standing side by side next to the Tree of Life that exuded a gentle life aura in the space.
"Mom, look!"
Xu Zhili pointed to the medicinal herbs piled up under the tree, "Fei Lian, Lin Ji, Pei Lan, Bai Xian Pi, Fang Feng, and Huang Qi, all stored away."
Xu Nuoyan nodded, a thought flashing through his mind: "System, scan these medicinal herbs."
A cold, mechanical voice rang directly in the mother and daughter's minds: [Scanning... Target detected: *Fei Lian*, *Lin Ji*, *Pei Lan*, *Bai Xian Pi*, *Fang Feng*, approximately 10 jin each; *Huang Qi*, approximately 20 jin. Composition analysis: Contains pure life energy, unpolluted, excellent quality. Exchange value: 10 gold coins each for the first five herbs, 20 gold coins for *Huang Qi*. Total: 70 gold coins. Exchange?]
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