A good match
"Master, what do you think we should do next..."
"Now we're going back to eat."
Yue Lang, carrying the mechanical sparrow, waved to the figure who had been waiting in the cabin for a long time.
Upon seeing the greeting, Meng Yan straightened up, kicked the heavy fishing net down, and then lightly jumped down, landing steadily on the ground. He then walked towards him, carrying the fishing net.
"See you tomorrow, everyone."
Yue Lang moved the mechanical sparrow to a different position, freeing up his right hand to hold Meng Yan's hand. He then whispered to her that she could be lazy and hang the fishing net on the mechanical sparrow as well.
Meng Yan looked at the bewildered wooden bird with affection, shook his head, and carried the fishing net in one hand as they headed west of the village.
Two matching silhouettes faded into the night, and huge waves surged up, crashing against the dock and bringing the fishermen, each lost in their own thoughts, back to reality.
The large red lanterns still fluttered in the wind, their glare inexplicably bright in the darkness, making one vaguely recall the increasingly absurd rumors.
The wind was unusually biting tonight, making everyone rub their arms and look at each other with a sense of unease.
"What exactly happened back then? How come we locals know less than two outsiders?"
"What does the Taoist priest mean? It sounds like there's still hope, doesn't it?"
"Do we need to prepare for tomorrow? I've heard that Taoist spellcasting procedures are quite complicated."
...
Xiaoling had just met Xiaodong at the pier. After hugging, the two returned to the crowd together. Hearing everyone's questions, she rolled her eyes and comforted them, "Since Brother Yuelang said see you tomorrow, why don't you all go back to sleep first and ask them all the questions tomorrow?"
"Lingling, you're close to them, what kind of people are they?"
The girl pinched her chin, puffed out her cheeks, and said, "They are a very good and well-matched couple!"
.
Two good men, like robbers, stormed to Mr. Weng's doorstep. Sure enough, the gate was wide open, and candles had been carefully lit at every corner of the road, illuminating the way to the west wing.
Upon reaching the doorway, the two turned a corner and headed towards the main house.
"Mr. Weng, I know you haven't slept. Are you hungry?"
Old Weng, who was used to being disturbed, opened the door, but before seeing anyone, he saw a bird's head, which startled him so much that his beard trembled a few times.
The mechanical sparrow stood obediently, and Yue Lang moved it aside with a smile. He turned to the side, and Meng Yan behind him took a step forward, shaking the fishing net that was constantly tumbling in his hand.
"You're going to raise fish?" Old Weng looked up from the internet and opened the door to welcome them in.
"No, it's for dinner," Yue Lang said frankly, carrying the wooden bird into the house.
"Could an entire village eat this much in one evening?"
Old Weng questioned, took the fishing net from his hand, and walked towards the left side room.
He never expected these two young outsiders to be able to cook. He had thought about them coming over for a free meal, and he had thought about them bringing back a few pitifully small creatures. But he never imagined that they would bring back both fish and birds like they did at a market fair.
I really underestimated them.
Especially the wooden bird, although it has little to do with being lifelike, judging from its structure and fine details, it was definitely not a work done without thinking.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glance at the side room entrance, where he saw the wooden creature quietly guarding the door. The cloth bag hanging around its neck had not yet been removed by its two unruly owners. It was both carrying a heavy load and standing guard, looking rather pitiful among the pile of wood.
Mr. Weng didn't ask about his taste, and Yue Lang was too embarrassed to say that he couldn't eat spicy food. He figured that since he had the steamed buns in Meng Yan's bag to fill his stomach, he would eat whatever the old man made.
But when Old Man Weng brought out several dishes of light and salty-spicy flavors to the table, and the candles that hadn't been lit for a long time slowly burned in the center of the three of them, Yue Lang felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.
In this scene, the people sitting at the table with the elderly should have been three other people.
"I haven't cooked in a long time, so make do with this. If it's bad, don't tell me, I won't go back to cook it for you again." The old man snorted and picked up his chopsticks to reach into the plate.
Meng Yan and Yue Lang then picked up their chopsticks, one only choosing the spicy dishes and the other only the mild ones. This made the old man slow down. After a while, he picked up his bowl and chopsticks again.
“My son loves spicy food, while my daughter only eats bland food. Every time I cook for them, I have to prepare several dishes. I don’t know… how two people who can’t even eat the same thing got together.”
Old Weng's eyebrows curved into a smile, and his beard parted to the sides as he did so. "I shouldn't have said anything about them. I don't like spicy food, but my wife loves it. So I cook different dishes for her every day. No matter how unpalatable my cooking is, she always smiles and finishes the food."
The old man stared blankly at the dim candlelight, his chopsticks hovering in mid-air, as if he were picking up food for someone.
Yue Lang leaned close to Meng Yan's ear and whispered, "What would you do if you encountered a really bad meal?"
“I will try my best to avoid running into you,” Meng Yan replied coldly.
Yue Lang sheepishly slid back onto the table.
After the meal, when it was time to say goodbye, Meng Yan put the mechanical sparrow on the table, opened the package to the old man's puzzlement, took out a bunch of forged tools, hid the food in a cloth, and hung it in Yue Lang's hand without expression.
Yue Lang didn't understand her meaning, but simply took the food and carefully tucked it into his arms. He watched the two people chatting in front of him and added a few words when appropriate.
"This wooden bird appears to have been made by the young lady," Old Weng remarked upon seeing the tools.
"The old man doesn't think I made this, does he?" Yue Lang joked, stroking the textured bird feathers.
Old Weng shook his head, "I would just assume you picked it up from the roadside."
Yue Lang: "..." He should go play with the birds; this scene isn't really suitable for him.
"I am not very talented, but I have some skills, which are no match for yours, sir," Meng Yan replied politely.
Knowing what she meant, the old woman glanced at the wall and saw that the pile of tools had been tidied up, wiped clean of dust, and neatly arranged in the corner.
"Does the young lady have any questions for her?"
If it's something from the past, there's no harm in talking about it. What I've written down is not much different from what's been said, so it seems like that's the truth.
"Yes." Meng Yan nodded, making a mark on his handy tool. "I'd like to learn some skills from you, like woodworking or fishing net making. But forget about carving; I'm not good at that, and it would be a waste of your time."
Yue Lang was greatly shocked as he held the steamed bun. Look at how others pursue their studies! Senior Brother Li Li is still only a half-baked student, ultimately because he's not proactive enough.
On second thought, he raised his hand and interjected, "If you're teaching pattern drawing, I can learn it; I'll need it."
Do I need to draw a few flower petals and add two clam shells on the talisman paper?
Noticing Meng Yan's gaze, Yue Lang tilted his head back. "It's about cultivating one's character. Besides, talismans have always looked the same from ancient times to the present. A few red lines on yellow paper. They may not be tired of looking at them, but I am!"
The old man never imagined that the two unruly children he had casually let in would each possess unique skills and be unconventional. It was just that their requests were too special. Decades ago, he would have imparted all his knowledge to them. A few years ago, he could have offered some pointers and suggestions.
But now, at my age, I'm like a withered tree, how can I attract new talent?
"Give me some time, let me think it over carefully." The old man's tone was more serious than usual, indicating that this decision was the result of careful consideration.
"But if you see anything you like among those utensils piled up against the wall, take it."
Meng Yan was overjoyed. Remembering someone's prediction, he turned to look at him, but Yue Lang misunderstood and shamelessly asked the old man, "Can we take everything with us?"
Before Elder Weng could reply, Meng Yan apologized, and amidst Yue Lang's repeated "Hey!", Zuo Niao and You Ren were dragged out, one in each hand.
.
The night spent hunched over the table felt long. Finally, dawn broke, and the faint rays of sunlight seeped in through the window, illuminating the porcelain vase on the table and revealing the figure of someone fast asleep in bed.
Meng Yan patted his head to wake himself up. In the dim light, he found the bed sheet he had taken from Xiao Dong's house in the corner of the room. He walked to the door and looked back. The person inside the curtain was sleeping peacefully.
Fine, let him sleep in the bed tonight, let him lie down a bit longer.
A cool breeze caresses your face on the riverbank in the early morning, and the tide rises slowly, gently lapping at the sand before receding again.
In the distance, the sky meets the water, the light and color intense, and stars fall from the sky, plunging into the sea. Near the shore, sand crabs crawl in groups, while fish and birds stand on one leg, waiting for their chance to hunt.
Most of the fishing boats had left since last night. On the beach, some were gazing into the distance, while others were gathering seafood. These were mostly elderly people, women, and children who still had their hooks and tongs in hand. They searched the sand with their heads down, exchanging a few words when they met, before hurrying away to leave.
Meng Yan, carrying the quilt, flowed through the crowd like a clear stream, squatting down by the water-sweeping seaside to rub it.
Everyone's busy somewhere!
Today she wore an orange-red dress, and her hair was not tied up, but left to fall loosely behind her head, looking like a colorful river from afar.
Xiaoling passed by the river several times like this, until Meng Yan caught up with her carrying the washed bedding, and only then did she recognize the bright scene.
"Where's Yue Lang? I thought you two would be together. Without his constant chatter, I wouldn't have even recognized you, Yan Yan!"
Meng Yan blinked. Sure enough, bringing this person along had its advantages, such as serving as a landmark. She didn't expose someone's wishful thinking, only saying that she was busy and they should part ways for the time being. She went home with Xiao Ling and hung the mattress on the drying rack.
It was almost time, and the neighbors, anticipating that Meng Yan would arrive at Xiao Ling's house first, gathered there together. On their way, they bumped into Yue Lang.
"Why did you come alone, Taoist priest? Where is your wife?"
Yue Lang waved his hands repeatedly: "She has a name, Meng Yan. I also have a name, Yue Lang."
Only then did he realize the local custom of addressing girls with two-character names by repeating their given names.
Surrounded by "Yan Yan"s, Yue Lang finally escaped to Xiao Ling's house. Before he even knocked on the door, he saw a glimmer of hope, like a fairy descending to earth.
"Xiaoling, have you seen Yan Yan?"
Hearing the sound, Xiaoling came out and opened the door. The first impression that came to her mind was: No wonder they're a couple!
Behind the door, Meng Yan's orange-red skirt rippled on the stone slabs, while in front of the door, Yue Lang's indigo Taoist robe was quite eye-catching, as if someone had moved a stone to stand at their own door.
Even after entering the room, Yue Lang was still anxious and couldn't stop. In such a big room, there was not a trace of Meng Yan.
Xiaoling couldn't stand it anymore, so she pulled him to sit down at the table and subtly pushed him towards the hem of her orange-red dress, which covered her face with long hair.
Sensing something was wrong, Yue Lang immediately jumped out of his seat and started to walk towards the door, muttering to himself, "This is not the time to joke around. I have something important to do. I'll go first."
Xiaoling burst out laughing. Seeing Yue Lang turn around in confusion, she quickly brushed Meng Yan's loose hair back, afraid that he might actually run away at any moment.
"My dear Yan Yan, I've been looking for you everywhere!"
The person who had just wanted to stay away slid past her seat, and the two beautiful figures met, making Xiaoling's eyes dazzle.
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