The lively atmosphere of the banquet in Hongdou Village gradually came to an end. The women took their children and packed up and went back to their houses to rest. Only the three hunting team captains and a group of people were still there to fight for wine.
The fruit wine in the village is not actually wine, it is similar to fruit juice. Children can also drink some. No matter how much the elders drink, they are not very drunk, but they run to the latrine more often.
"Brother Mingshan, don't say anything anymore. I'd like to give you a toast."
Liu Dahu rushed over, sat down and grabbed Hu Mingxian's neck. Without saying a word, he drank up the fruit wine in the big wooden cup.
Originally, he was a little unhappy when he saw Hu Mingxiansheng's fair face and good looks, and he was even more unhappy because Lei Xiaohua was interested in him. However, his previous actions completely made him fall in love with this boy. He was quite a sensible person.
Turning his head to look at the big bald head shining in the firelight, Hu Mingxian smiled and said nothing. He raised the wooden cup to signal and drank it down in one gulp.
Not long after, Lei Xiaohua and Er Zhuang also came over and sat down opposite them. Looking at Lei Xiaohua, who was a little resentful, Hu Mingxian smiled awkwardly, tilted his head, and drank to himself.
"Brother Mingshan, can I ask you something?" After sitting down, Erzhuang lowered his head and hesitated for a while, then asked with some embarrassment and expectation.
After looking at Er Zhuang, Hu Mingxian put down his wine glass and replied, "What's the matter?"
"What's the outside world like?" At this moment, Er Zhuang's eyes were a little scorching and he said: "I used to ask the village chief, but the village chief always didn't tell us and just told us that it's very dangerous outside."
Hearing Er Zhuang's question, Lei Xiaohua and Liu Dahua became more energetic. The three of them unknowingly clenched the wooden cups in their hands and looked at Hu Mingxian with longing expressions.
"This..." Hu Mingxian was stunned and smiled bitterly to himself.
This was difficult for him. He had just come to Shengwu Continent. How could he know what it was like outside? Looking at the three people's eyes, after thinking about it, he asked: "First of all, why are you so concerned about the outside world?" Interested? Wouldn’t it be nice to live a peaceful and happy life here?”
Hearing this, the eyes of the three people couldn't help but dim a bit. After a moment of silence, Liu Dahu said in a low voice: "Brother Mingshan, I don't know if you have noticed that there are no other old people in the village except the village chief. You know why?"
His heart shuddered slightly, and Hu Mingxian's face became serious. He also discovered this problem. Take tonight's banquet as an example. Every household is basically composed of two generations. There are no elderly people in any of them, even if they don't have children. It was only a generation ago. Originally, he wanted to find a chance to ask Luo Chenfeng, but he didn't have time to ask.
Looking around, Dahu gave a bitter smile and continued: "Don't look at the rich food in the village tonight. In fact, the food in the village is very tight. The last time everyone ate so happily was when the village chief was rescued. once.
The chance of a hunting team succeeding in hunting is very small. They may not be able to hunt a monster dozens of times. Moreover, every time, the hunting team will have casualties. If they are just injured, the village will accept it. If unfortunately they die in battle, For the village, the chance of successful hunting will be smaller.
In order to ensure that the food in the village can feed the next generation, the old people in the village will spontaneously leave the village and enter the mountains as long as they are over sixty years old.
I heard from my parents that this has existed in the village since ancient times. Over time, it has become a 'tradition', just like a sacrifice. The old people sacrifice to the monsters in the mountains, and the monsters will not invade. Only the village, Hongdou Village, can exist in this mountain for so long. "
Unknowingly, Lei Xiaohua curled up, hugged his knees with his hands, and mist filled his big watery eyes: "This time the monsters in the mountains rioted, but fortunately you saved my father and the others. , otherwise Dad’s hunting team might all die in the mountains..."
"..."
For a moment, Hu Mingxian was shocked and speechless. He could only feel the fruit wine in his hand and the animal meat on the table became heavy.
All of this was not only obtained by the hunting team’s hard work, not only by the villagers’ frugality, but also by generations of elders who gave up their lives to leave behind!
As if he felt that the atmosphere here was a bit heavy, Erzhuang grinned and said: "Before you came, the three of us had already thought about it. When the people from Liuli Wanbao Tower come this time, we will ask the village chief to let him go." People from Liuli Wanbao Tower will take us out. With good luck, we can learn some skills and then come back to join the hunting team. But if it doesn’t work out, let’s see if Liuli Wanbao Tower accepts any handymen. We can also earn some money and buy some things from the people at Wanbao Tower. Go back to the village, it will be better for the village."
Hu Mingxian was startled, looked at the three of them, and couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. This was so similar to the migrant workers on earth who left their hometowns, whether it was for themselves or their families, living a life that they might not have thought of.
It's just the pressure of life and the last resort.
To be honest, although Hu Mingxian, who grew up in a wealthy family and was backed by Tianlan Group, has never experienced this kind of emotion in person, he can understand and admire such a group of people.
Is the outside world dangerous?
There is no doubt that it is dangerous, extremely dangerous. Just from Luo Chenfeng's experience, it is not difficult to see that even the prince of a country can only watch his wife being tortured and his child dying in his arms. Not to mention mortals like them.
I'm afraid that after going out, I will have to endure all kinds of cynicism. If someone falls in love with Lei Xiaohua, who can stand up for her in the case of robbery?
Liu Dahu or Meng Erzhuang?
Apparently he couldn't do either of them.
However, Hu Mingxian did not persuade the three of them to give up this idea. Just like himself, the dangers they would face in the future were not difficult to imagine just from the two pill prescriptions, but so what?
Give up? Obviously you cannot and cannot give up.
Putting down the wooden cup, Hu Mingxian looked at the three of them seriously and asked, "If the village chief doesn't agree with you going out, what are you going to do? Secretly follow behind the Liuli Wanbao Tower?"
If you can't keep up, you will probably die in the mountains, under the claws of monsters. Even if you can keep up, who of you can guarantee that the people in Wanbao Tower will not get tired of you and kill you casually. Danger, have you ever thought about it? "
"..."
"..."
"..."
The three of them were silent, and there was a hint of embarrassment on the faces of the young and girl. The embarrassment and Hu Mingxian's words revealed their little thoughts, and there was also a hint of uneasiness, uneasy about the danger of being ignored by them, but they did not show a trace of embarrassment. Regret and withdrawal.
The three of them looked at each other, and the determination in their eyes became more and more intense. They looked at Hu Mingxian at the same time, and said in unison: "We still want to give it a try."
Hu Mingxian smiled and nodded, then stood up and walked towards Luo Chenfeng, who was sitting alone under the banyan tree. Before leaving, he said: "Anyway, I have to discuss this matter with the village chief. You guys go to Yunxue'an in the early morning." Wait for me at the Soul Fruit Orchard."
Behind them, the three of them fell into a daze for a moment. They didn't understand what Hu Mingxian meant, but they instinctively believed in Hu Mingxian, believing that he would convince the village chief and that he would take them out of here together.
After coming back to her senses, Lei Xiaohua stood up suddenly, shouted at the back of the figure in front of her, "Yue Mingshan, is the bracelet on your hand yours?"
Yes, when they first met, Lei Xiaohua saw the crimson jade bracelet on the naked young man's hand. Afterwards, she was wondering why a young man was wearing a girl's jewelry, too. Weird.
The forward steps stopped, Hu Mingxian lowered his head and touched the jade bracelet in his hand, smiled knowingly, then raised it high in the air, and responded loudly: "My sweetheart left it to me. After I bring her back, I will Will marry her."
At that moment, Lei Xiaohua looked at the figure with his hands behind his back and smiled like a flower, just like a wild flower blooming in the mountains. He smiled and shed tears. Those were not tears of sadness, but tears of relief. , the good feeling in my heart withered away before I had the chance to go any further.
Turning around, Lei Xiaohua looked at Dahu who was staring at her. In those eyes that had been staring at her since childhood, she saw the same persistence as that boy, and then she realized that the person who had always liked her, It's right by your side, so why bother forcing emotions that don't belong to you?
Seeing Lei Xiaohua's tearful smile, Dahu was dumbfounded. He swore that he had never seen Lei Niu smile so beautifully since he was a child.
"Snapped!"
The Erzhuang at the side couldn't stand it any longer, slapped Dahu's bald head, and cursed: "You idiot, why are you still standing there?"
"Pfft!"
Lei Xiaohua couldn't help but smile, wiped away her tears, and walked directly towards the Yunxue Requiem Fruit Orchard. Behind her, Dahu and Erzhuang looked at each other and quickly got up and followed.
Under the banyan tree
Hu Mingxian jumped up and landed on a thick branch, swinging his feet, looking at the stars in the night sky, and said, "What do you think?"
"You've already made up your mind and you come to ask me, is that interesting?" Looking at the three figures walking away, Luo Chenfeng smiled angrily and said, "What's so good about practicing? No matter how high your cultivation level is, it's still There are many things that cannot be protected, so what's wrong with being able to spend this life here with your family."
"Before dawn, you still have a chance to object. Let's make an agreement first. After this, I can't guarantee their life or death in the future." Hu Mingxian said lightly with a slight smile on his lips.
"They have already decided whether to live or die. It has nothing to do with you." Glancing at the indifferent Hu Mingxian, Luo Chenfeng shrugged and sighed.
"Then have you decided?" Changing his position, Hu Mingxian leaned on the big tree and looked at Luo Chenfeng and asked.
Luo Chenfeng was silent, and Hu Mingxian didn't ask any more questions. The two of them just looked at the starry sky quietly.
After a long time, a breeze blew by. Luo Chenfeng stood up and took out a pair of red baby shoes embroidered with gold rims from his arms. After taking a deep look, he threw them to Hu Mingxian and said solemnly: "These are the shoes that Ru Ting used to wear back then." Made it for Fan'er with my own hands.
If you can really see Ru Ting, she will believe you when she sees these shoes. If she is dead, just put these shoes in front of her tomb.
However, no matter what, you must put your own safety first, otherwise, I will never feel at ease in this life. "
"rest assured!"
