Needless to say, every time Mother Min saw her adorable little grandson, she would kiss him again and again, holding him tightly and reluctant to let go. She would also instruct the kitchen to prepare a large table of soups and pastries, for fear that her precious little grandson would go hungry.
Even Mr. Min, who was usually engrossed in his studies, couldn't resist the charm of his little grandson. Whenever his wife was busy with other things, he would take the opportunity to pull Pei Ji to sit on the couch with him, either holding him while reading or teaching him to recognize characters. His usually stern face would often reveal a joyful expression that went against his own wishes.
Pei Ji first experienced the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren at the Min residence, so as soon as he heard Min Yueqing say that she was sending a letter to Min's father, he immediately ran in from the outer room.
Min Yueqing caught the little boy who rushed towards her, stroked his forehead a couple of times, smoothed out the messy downy hair, and replied, "Yes, Mother hasn't seen Grandfather for a long time either."
Pei Ji craned his neck to look at Min Yueqing, "Then when can we go to Grandpa's house?"
That's a good question, after all, they're on a long journey and are only getting further and further away from the capital.
Helpless, Min Yueqing could only offer empty promises: "When we return to the capital, we must visit your grandparents immediately. They must miss you terribly."
Pei Ji immediately nodded and added, "Father will also be coming with us."
"Yes, Father will definitely go too."
Upon receiving this assurance, Pei Ji immediately beamed with joy, as if he could already see them arriving at his maternal grandfather's house.
Looking at the little one's clear, bright eyes, slightly curved, and two dimples appearing and disappearing on his cheeks, looking so sweet it was almost overwhelming, Min Yueqing once again felt her heart melt.
The next day, just as dawn broke, everyone got up, packed up the carriages and luggage, had a hot breakfast in the street, and then boarded the carriages to set off.
After traveling for more than ten days, the group clearly felt that the places they passed through were becoming increasingly desolate. Sometimes, even after nightfall, they could not find a town to stay in and had to light a fire in the wild to spend the night.
Fortunately, they were well-prepared, bringing plenty of felt, thick mats, pots and pans, so they weren't too much of a problem sleeping outdoors occasionally.
Pei Ji even found the experience quite novel; he had never experienced spending the night in the wild before. When he heard Uncle Zhao say that they probably wouldn't find a place to stay that day and would have to make do outside for the night before continuing their journey at dawn, Pei Ji was visibly a little excited.
Min Yueqing glanced at the sky, then looked at the road ahead, which still seemed endless, and agreed with Uncle Zhao's words.
Having made up their minds, the group began to pay attention to the terrain along the way and look for suitable locations.
Min Yueqing simply put the two children on the vehicle frame, taking this opportunity to let them experience firsthand the selection of campsites in the wild.
As the carriage moved forward, Min Yueqing's clear voice rang out unhurriedly, "When spending the night in the wild, the four most important factors to consider are water supply, flat terrain, shelter from the wind and shade, and distance from danger."
Pei Ji and Shi Tou sat next to Min Yueqing, listening intently.
"The importance of water is self-evident. We cannot do without water, whether for bathing or cooking. Moreover, there are more than 20 of us. We not only need water, but we need a relatively large amount of water. Therefore, choosing a location close to a water source is even more important."
Pei Ji and Shi Tou both nodded in agreement. After all, when they lived in the manor, they even chose a spot near the stream to practice martial arts, so that they could take a bath and change clothes comfortably after each practice session.
"Terrain is also an important factor. Try to choose a flat and dry place. A flat area covered by grass or sand is good. This is not only convenient to set up a tent, but also safe."
Upon hearing this, the two children subconsciously looked around again, searching for terrain that matched the characteristics described by Min Yueqing.
Seeing that Pei Ji and Shi Tou were listening attentively and were able to combine theory with practice, Min Yueqing continued her lecture in one go.
"In addition, choose a sheltered and shady spot. Now that winter is approaching, it's best to choose a place that can get sunlight as early as possible, so that the morning sun can dry the dew on the tent and make it warmer. Finally, stay away from danger and carefully check the surroundings for poisonous insects or wild animals, and whether there is a risk of natural disasters such as flash floods."
While Pei Ji was still pondering silently after Min Yueqing finished speaking, Shi Tou's eyes were already sparkling.
At first, Shi Tou was full of pride. As expected of my master, he really knows everything, even how to spend the night in the wild. But then he became a little depressed.
The last time they spent the night in such a desolate place was when their family was forced to become refugees.
Back then, his parents were still alive. Shi Tou remembers that if he slept outside at night, his parents would sandwich him between them so that he wouldn't freeze to death or be stolen like some other children.
Now he has to spend the night outside again, but his parents can no longer lie beside him to shield him from the cold wind and danger.
Before he knew it, Shi Tou was already in tears, the tears dripping down his chin and onto his clothes, splashing out a small mist.
Min Yueqing was surveying the surrounding terrain when she suddenly sensed that someone beside her was breathing unsteadily. Turning her head, she saw Shi Tou silently shedding tears.
Seeing the sad and nostalgic expression on Shi Tou's face, Min Yueqing instantly understood what he was sad about and couldn't help but sigh softly.
There are no inherently strong people; they are all worn down by life and, in order to survive, they have no choice but to find ways to calm themselves down and face the blows that have come their way.
Min Yueqing hugged Shi Tou and gently patted his shoulder. Perhaps sensing that someone still cared about him, Shi Tou broke down and burst into tears.
Pei Ji sat on the other side of Min Yueqing. Min Yueqing had blocked his view earlier, and Shi Tou was silently shedding tears, so Pei Ji hadn't noticed anything unusual about Shi Tou.
Startled by Min Yueqing's actions, Pei Ji realized that the usually carefree Shi Tou was actually crying.
Pei Ji moved a little closer, wanting to ask Shi Tou why he was crying, but Min Yueqing noticed his movement, shook her head slightly, and made a shushing gesture.
All they can do for Stone is to give him a warm hug when he's sad, so that he knows there are people who care about him and that he's not all alone.
Some sorrows cannot be relieved by words. As Lu Xun once said, "Human joys and sorrows are not shared," which is a very insightful statement.
For Stone, this was the ultimate sorrow in his short life, but to others, it was someone else's story. Each time it was told, it only deepened Stone's pain and did not provide any real relief.
Perhaps, when Stone grows up, has a firm direction in life, and has a more independent understanding of the world and human relationships, he will truly be able to deal with the various emotions he has experienced in the past. But to say that he has reconciled with these sufferings would be asking too much.
The only way for humankind to cope with suffering imposed upon them without cause is through resolute struggle.
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