Shan Hai and Mu Wan followed Xiao and ran on the overgrown path. I heard the sound of water in the distance, maybe I was approaching a river. The footsteps masked the other quiet sounds on the roadside, and the animals poked their heads out from the bushes, peering curiously.
"Liangqiu, I thought of one thing." Shan Hai said, "The name written on the tombstone should be the word Chi Li, right? The word "chi" means "departure", not the word "chi" in the pond, and the word "pear in the pear blossom".
"Yeah...what's wrong?"
"She said it was the last two words... Are these really just random words with the same sound?"
"What's going on here-wait."
Mu Wan was two steps slower, but quickly caught up with Xiao. At that moment she suddenly recalled something and the reason why Shan Hai said this. That poem, that poem Yan Muxue wrote casually, probably had no other ideas. After all, in her eyes, Chili had been dead for a long time.
Close and far away, I return to Linghan night, half of the pond is covered with snow and inkstones, and the pear blossoms are withered.
Half a pond, pear blossoms.
Chi Li.
Why did the two words she chose at random happen to be exactly the same as Yan Muxue's impromptu lyrical poem?
The two of them kept chasing the back of Xiao in front of them, vaguely feeling that they knew something. He didn't look back, but naturally heard the conversation between the two people. While running, he said from the front at a volume just enough for the two of them to hear:
"Your suspicions are not unreasonable. Indeed, she has been secretly watching the Xue Yan Sect."
Chi Li is indeed not a heartless person. Although based on her biological father's behavior, it is natural that she has no feelings for Xue Yanzong, but since she often interacted with her grandfather here as a child, she still felt a little hard to let go.
What's more, her thoughts about her mother can naturally be transferred here. My mother has always supported my father. Whether he wants to travel all over the world to call home, or he wants to find a stable place to live a life of daily necessities, she is happy with it. She said that family is home, and wherever the family goes is home. A home without family is just a house, an empty shell.
After Xiao told them this, Shan Hai breathed a sigh of relief. This could explain why her eyes looking at Mu Wan were a little complicated, rather than just seeing a related stranger who was relayed in other people's mouths. And this feeling is positive, she will definitely be willing to help Mu Wan.
Xiao led them to a forest. Mu Wan is already familiar with this area, she lived there when she was a child. At that time, this area was full of small houses built by everyone. As a result, she did not live there for long, and several old houses collapsed during the rainy season. When Chi Li's father, Mu Wan's master, first took over this place, many things were lacking in maintenance. After all, when his father was old and faint, there was little organization. After that, he picked a new place and spent his own money to find someone to rebuild a series of connected houses for everyone to live in. Later, the funds improved a little, and we changed locations twice. Xiao said that the last place was for those crooked people, and most of the disciples were concentrated in the newly built building. After the fire, it had to be moved back to a former location until the renovations were completed. Later, they said they would strengthen patrols and gave the old site to outsiders, and some unnamed disciples also joined them. Either being assimilated or being bullied.
"It's a smoky atmosphere." Mu Wan cursed secretly.
"It's very chaotic. The forces are severely divided. Either everyone is close to him and used by him, or they dare to be angry and dare not speak out. I predict that Chili will be able to win people's hearts when he comes back this time."
Shan Hai glanced at Xiao and hesitated to speak. Xiao knew what he was going to ask and continued:
"She came back with Yun Waijing, so she is naturally convincing. If there are still people who don't believe it, we have other ways."
Xiao said this mysteriously, as if there was some kind of grand finale. Mu Wan didn't care about this. It would be a good thing if they could find a way. Now, they came to the place where Mu Wan first settled down when he was a child. At that time, there were not so many rules. Relatives and friends from outside the valley could live together when visiting. My mother also came here. But now they are all dilapidated houses, with no one taking care of them at all. The rubbish and cobwebs are connected together, and they are very desolate.
"They put my mother here?!"
"No." Xiao continued to lead them away, "Your mother wants to live here herself."
Mu Wan's throat was sore and she was speechless.
Akatsuki walked towards the only house that looked relatively intact. Even so, the top was in tatters, and had been randomly plastered with boards, straw or mud from the outside. She recognized this house at a glance, and even said that it was a house that her master had newly built for her when she first came here, so even though no one had maintained it, it was still habitable for more than ten years.
My mother only recognized this room.
The room was bright, with faint light flowing from the gaps between the walls and eaves. Like a bright light in the dark cold night.
Xiao and Shanhai stood at the door, looking at her at the same time. She actually felt a little uneasy. It was obviously a far cry from the cozy little house outside the valley, but it felt like she had arrived at the doorstep of a long-lost home - earlier, when her father and brother were both at home. As soon as you open the door, you can see the familiar and happy scene. Four sets of bowls and chopsticks, and a table of food. There must be a plate of cold green vegetables and a plate of hot green vegetables, and there must be a basin of soup that is neither thin nor thick. Although my father was an official in the court, he lived in poverty, and meat was not available every now and then. But enough is enough, enough is enough.
Opening the door, it was much colder than expected. The table was empty, but you could see the traces of water that had just been wiped after dinner. A single candle was burning on the table, almost at its bottom, and the old lady was about to blow it out. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she froze, staring straight at Mu Wan, motionless. Mu Wan didn't dare to move, but just looked at her mother's missing front tooth, which was still there before she left.
"...Did Mom freeze to death?" the old lady asked, "She was frozen to death. I saw it wrong...or did you die outside too..."
"Don't say such unlucky words...I'll come back to see you."
Mu Wan guessed that her face must be ugly, so she tried her best to control her facial expression to avoid crying. She pretended that nothing happened, blocked all the pressure that was originally expected, and said lightly:
"Oh..."
The old man walked around the small table and ran to her, touching her up and down with such force that it hurt her, but she didn't even make a sound. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth again, snot and tears would come out too.
"Why did you come back today? Did you come back for the New Year? I thought you weren't coming back. They took me here and let me live with a group of people, saying that you asked me to come. You didn't come. I don't believe it. They except The white and green clothes, and the people wearing other clothes, all looked fierce. If I didn't go, they would pull me away and ransack the whole house, but we didn't have anything, so we were not afraid of them searching... I didn't know those people People, don't live with them, just pack your things and run here - this is the only place I know. In the end, they didn't care about me, so I have been waiting for you. Occasionally, people come here. Those who come ask me to write to you, I said I had no idea where you were. If I happened to pass by here, I would ask where you were, but no one knew... I guess they knew but didn't tell me. Mom felt that everyone had changed and become bad... …or become indifferent.”
Being cold is probably for your own good. Mu Wan couldn't say anything. She reached out and touched her mother's split lips. Like a completely dry and cracked river bed, dirt can fall off at the slightest touch. My mother was quite young when she gave birth to her brother. Now she is only over fifty, but she clearly looks like an old lady. Her hair wasn't so white last time, but now it's mottled. She stretched out her other hand and passed it over the head of her mother, who was as tall as herself. She couldn't wipe off the white color, which didn't seem to be wall plaster.
"Did they bully you?" Mu Wan's look and tone became anxious, "What happened to your teeth? Did they hit you? Really?"
The mother waved her hands repeatedly: "That's not the case. Some of them are a little too fierce to fight me. I planted a wave of vegetables in the back mountain. When I first hoeed the ground, it was full of stones. Hei walked unsteadily, turned around and was knocked down..."
"Then, it's not broken, is it? Are there any other injuries? It must be bad to eat without a tooth... Can someone give you medicine? You must have bled a lot and it must be in pain..."
"That kid from Wu Yuangui came over and asked me to give me a bottle of powder to stop bleeding. It stopped the pain once I applied it. But he was always busy and couldn't sit still for a few minutes before leaving. He didn't know anything about you either, so he said I really don’t know. I guess he doesn’t want to hide it from me... It’s really tiring to handle the affairs inside and outside the sect alone.”
Mu Wan said nothing. Shanhai outside the door glanced at Xiao, who nodded slightly.
Her mother continued: "It's true that it wasn't broken. Your mother is in very good health. It's just that the weather has been cold recently. She doesn't come back from afar. I think he must be too busy. I really don't want you to come back." I know what to do. It's too cold, it's too cold. I have to open the window when I want to light the brazier. But as soon as I open the window, the wind makes my head buzz, buzz... like a swarm of bees. My head is spinning, and I will have a headache soon. If I don't have a fever, I close all the doors and windows. There will be air leakage everywhere, blocking the air here and there. But I won't squeeze into the same courtyard with them, they They are all bad, and spanking the child is definitely not good for me... Fortunately, the coldest period is almost over, right? The New Year is almost here, but there is no New Year flavor in this valley. "
Shanhai heard it very unpleasantly outside the door.
"Mom often wonders if I shouldn't have let you go out to explore...but you are so stubborn and never listen to what my mother says."
"Listen, I'll listen." Mu Wan said with a trembling voice, "I won't go anywhere until the current issues are resolved..."
"No, you should go out. You shouldn't be trapped. You can listen to whatever my mother says. It's cold outside, so you can let your friends come in and sit... But there's really nothing to entertain you. I'm old. "My ears are still sharp and I listen to the sounds at the door every day."
Shanhai and Xiao were a little embarrassed and bowed to apologize when they came in. Shanhai tugged at the hem of his clothes and looked around. He felt that he was much dirtier than in this room and he didn't know where to sit. Although the place is small and shabby, it is kept in good order.
"It's great. I feel relieved that Wan'er is with you. You must have something important to do when you come back this time, right?"
"That's true... But first, we need to ensure your safety." Shan Hai said worriedly, "You are still healthy, so we feel relieved. But there is still a girl, we have to find her... Liang Qiu can stay here. , let’s just go find it.”
"Are you telling a rumor?"
"Yes, that's right!" Mother was holding Mu Wan's arms, but she suddenly grabbed them back, "You know she is... Do you know how she is doing? Her sister said she went home. I originally wanted them to I picked you up to live with you, but something went wrong. I'm sorry, you're so old, I still--I can't do anything..."
"What the hell." She scratched the bridge of Mu Wan's nose, "Yao'er often comes to see me, but..."
"only?"
"It's just that I haven't been here for a long time."
