Chapter 8: Encounter with Qiao Zheng Again

  Lying in bed at night, thinking about today's busy day and the considerable harvest, feeling extremely happy.

  Knowing to stretch out her limbs, she completely relaxed and turned inward, propping up her chin, thinking that from now on she would rely on her own two hands to make a living. She didn't mind this, life wasn't lived one way, it was just another way of passing the days.

  Maybe tomorrow I can find some time to set a small trap on the mountain, catch a small animal or something, exchange for money, buy some grain, slowly, she thought that in this ancient era, it's not right to be hungry, but wanting to live a comfortable life is not possible.

  But she didn't have much demand for the quality of this life, living alone on this mountain quietly was also good.

  It's just that the two people I met on the road today were a bit strange, and this body also knows it, but why does she live alone on this mountain? And that woman's gaze made me feel uncomfortable, really disgusting.

  This woman knew that she had somehow offended her, and the woman's eyes were filled with disgust, driving her away and not letting her get close. Her heart was filled with gloom.

  Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. How did I end up thinking about these two again? This poor guy probably doesn't even know where he is now.

  ……

  The next day, she was woken up by the long, sharp cry of a kingfisher outside. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she got out of bed and started her busy day.

  After finishing the reheated breakfast, I ran to the riverbank. The several nets that were set up yesterday are all in this river. With a pull and a lift, there are three more fish, all of the same variety as yesterday. It seems that these fish really like to eat this vine! Knowing this, I got excited and thought, now is not the time, wait until I get back from town, then make a few more small-mouthed big-bodied fish baskets.

  These three fish were taken to the city to sell today, yesterday she saw that there was a vegetable market in the city, and the flow of people was quite large, she thought the business was very good.

  Picked some wild vegetables that looked good, and after cleaning them, there were only about 4 or 5 catties left. Hmm, too little, let's go look somewhere else this afternoon when we get back.

  Stringing up the fish, holding it in one hand, and carrying a basket of wild vegetables in the other, with a cheerful face and a look of expectation, heading into the city.

  When passing through the village at the foot of the mountain, I saw a group of children playing under an old locust tree in the distance, some sitting and others standing.

  One of them seemed to have discovered something and walked in that direction, and after saying a word to a group of stinky boys next to him, suddenly someone shouted "Ah", a group of children ran away, hid, and instantly scattered without a trace.

  There were a few bold ones hiding behind the trees, occasionally poking their heads out and quickly withdrawing when they knew someone was looking over.

  It seems that these children know the owner of this body and are very afraid, what's going on.

  Knowing that he intentionally glared fiercely at the little kid who poked his head out, scaring them all to retreat and run away.

  This group of kids is really asking for a beating, gnashing their teeth as they watch them run away.

  Everyone here sees him as very uncomfortable, don't know what kind of person this guy is or what he did to make these people avoid him like they're afraid of him.

  Continue walking on the main road, throwing this group of unrelated people behind her mind, speeding towards the city, la la la, she's going to make money! Make money!

  After running for nearly half an hour, she finally arrived at the entrance that the little beggar told her yesterday. She tried it out and found that the basket was woven too big to fit in, so she had no choice but to find a few sturdy grass stems in the bushes, tie them up with three twists and five turns, and bind four bundles together before she could enter smoothly.

  Dusting off the dirt on his body, he walked towards the restaurant.

  She met that uncle again on the road yesterday, knowing that he was frowning, neither close nor far, this is too coincidental.

  "Little girl, we meet again." Qiao Zheng looked her up and down with a smile.

  This girl actually came into the city again, with things in both hands and some grass clippings stuck to her body and head, I don't know what kind of place she just emerged from.

  Where are her parents? How can they leave her alone all day wandering around?

  Thinking of this, I couldn't help but frown.

  She glanced at the old man, her mouth slightly pursed, heaven knows, she didn't want to see this person again. This was too coincidental, and such a coincidence wasn't good for her in any way. Today wouldn't be him coming to settle yesterday's account, would it?

  She clutched her sleeve pouch tightly, where the little money inside was now her only possession. She didn't want to go back, and she involuntarily shrank back, making herself smaller.

  But this man seemed to be unaware of her unease, and his enthusiasm was a bit too much, as he even wanted to take her out for breakfast, knowing which one would dare, she really feared being sold.

  He hastily declined his kindness, stole a glance at the wild vegetables in his hand, gritted his teeth and handed over two handfuls, considering it as yesterday's city expenses.

  "Uncle, this is wild vegetable, can be eaten as fresh vegetables, tastes good too, uncle take it back and try."

  Knowing it was a big deal and heart-wrenching, she sent him two bundles, and then told him the cooking methods of these two wild vegetables in detail.

  "...this shepherd's purse and meat-filled dumpling is the most delicious, uncle might as well try it." He also exaggerated that this dish has some medicinal effects and can cure some diseases.

  Qiao Zheng listened with a smile, nodding his head in delight, happily accepting it, and looking relieved, "Then I'll go back and try to make some to eat."

  Knowing that he was willing to accept it, the stiff defensive expression on his face relaxed a bit. "The wine house had a customer with ulcers on his mouth yesterday, and eating this wild vegetable is the most down-to-earth way to treat it. I promised someone early in the morning that I would send some over."

  "So you came into town for business?" Qiao Zheng looked at her with great surprise and a hint of confusion, then asked himself the question he had been wanting to ask since he saw her:

  "Where are your parents? Why didn't they come?" The tone seemed somewhat displeased when saying this.

  "Father and mother?" Zhi Xiao puckered her mouth, from the moment she woke up until now, she had always thought of herself as an orphan, where did this father and mother come from? "I don't have a father or mother." Zhi Xiao was very certain, and even nodded her head.

  "What?!" Qiao Zheng slapped his own leg anxiously, picked up the two bundles of vegetables in his hand and jumped up, waving his arms wildly, looking very anxious, and spun around twice before stopping.

  After standing still and looking at the ignorant and unknowing Xiaozhi in front of her, she furrowed her brow and thought for a moment. Perhaps this girl was quarreling with her parents, which is why she said such things.

  Considering the two of them, one honest and the other sometimes fierce in temperament, it must be that they had been annoyed by this girl to speak like this. That couple should never have treated her badly, they were the closest relatives this girl had in the world, there was no one closer.

  Once he understood this point, he felt at ease and thought that he had been overthinking things. No one was more trustworthy than these two people.

  Qiao Zheng usually went to the village to see Liu Jian and others, but they all avoided him. He didn't want to avoid her either, but this girl was nowhere to be seen every day, wandering around aimlessly everywhere.

  Qiao Zheng hid in a place and watched her play alone from afar.

  Under the intentional or unintentional concealment of adults, she knew nothing about him and had never seen him before. She didn't even know that there was a person named Qiao Zheng, just like she didn't know her own origin. The parties involved in these three things have been keeping secrets from her all along, and fortunately, nothing big has happened over the years, and the Qi family hasn't come to their doorstep.

  Now Qiao Zheng unexpectedly ran into this girl on the street for two days in a row, how could he not be surprised. This girl still had a confused look, doing things according to her own ideas, and now she even dared to go into the city alone to do business, it's really...

  Thinking of this, Qiao Zheng felt a little unhappy. How did Liu Jian and Lan Niang look at the child? After all, there might be some informants in this city, it's hard to say.

  Looking at her small arms and legs all the way, it's not an easy life either. And she has been relying on these two small legs for two days now. Qiao Zheng couldn't help but feel a little resentful towards this couple.

  "Well, I'm off then." Zhi Xiao Ke had already seen the shop assistant from the store in front occasionally poking his head out to take a peek at her.

  "Oh, okay." Qiao Zheng wanted to say a few more words, but looking at her hurrying away with excitement, he thought better of it.

  She gave a hint with her eyes and the little figure who was hiding in the corner, stifling a laugh, followed her. She let out a sigh, carrying the two dishes in her hands, and walked back and forth alone.

  On the way home, holding the wild vegetables sent by this little girl, I looked at them again and again, and my mood suddenly improved a lot. It's been so many years since then, what's the point of thinking about it now? Now they are still living a good life in front of them, shaking their heads and smiling wryly. Even this little girl knows how to go into the city to sell things, it seems that from now on, everyone will not live a bad life either.

  My mood improved and I got hungry, so I ran to the butcher's shop and bought half a catty of pork. I carried the two things back home with a happy heart.

  Pushing open the door of his own home, he saw his wife and daughter embroidering flowers in the sunlight. He hurriedly smiled and called out to them, "Quickly, quickly, boil water and chop meat, we're having dumplings for lunch today."

  With a smug expression that couldn't be hidden, he held up the two wild vegetables in his hand and showed them to his wife, saying triumphantly.

  Only saw the mother and daughter hastily walking up, this lady held in her hand curiously sizing it up, "Where did this come from? It's still a while before fresh vegetables go on sale."

  "Hehe, I know what to give you. Let's get started first and wait for our son to come back, then we can eat together." Qiao Zheng was clearly in a very good mood today, with a big smile on his face.

  "Is that so?" The lady smiled slightly, raised her head to gaze at the distant horizon, and thought about something in her heart. In the end, she shook her head and went back into the house.