That day, after Luo Xiangxue and Liu Ruyan parted ways at Xianrenju Post Road, several days had passed unknowingly.
When she thought of the first meeting and acquaintance with Liu Ruyan, a vague and tender feeling arose in her heart.
The unexpected encounter with him in the inn a few days ago made her feel even more inexplicable. There seemed to be something faintly trembling in her heart, as if a looming deer ran into her heart, jumping around unscrupulously. Collide. It made her uneasy, but she felt happy in her heart. This indescribable feeling made her mood bright and light.
She herself couldn't quite explain what this felt like. She just felt that since she met him again at the inn that day, she suddenly felt that everything in this world had become so beautiful!
In the past few days, she traveled to almost every beautiful place near Xianrenju and tasted many delicacies she had never tasted before.
This small town of Xianrenju is not big at all. There is only one long street from beginning to end, and I wandered through it without even realizing it.
This time she secretly ran down the mountain without telling her father and mother. Now, she is like a bird escaping from a cage, enjoying the leisure time without being controlled.
The world outside the mountains made her feel lively and novel, unlike staying inside the mountains, which was boring and boring. What drives her crazy the most is that her father and mother force her to practice and learn the piano every day.
She was tired of that kind of life. If she didn't sneak down the mountain to relax, she would go crazy sooner or later.
Counting the days, today is already the fourth day since she came down the mountain. Early in the morning, as soon as she came out of the room wearing a men's gown and carrying a long sword, she met the waiter hurriedly carrying breakfast upstairs.
When the waiter saw her, he greeted her with a smile: "Sir, are you getting up so early today? Where are you going this morning? I have prepared breakfast for you, but you want to eat A little?" The waiter looked at her with a bright smile.
Luo Xiangxue yawned, stretched out, as if she hadn't woken up, rubbed her eyes and said slowly: "Little brother, what are some delicious things?" After that, she looked at the food on the plate. .
I saw several dishes on the tray, including milk, snacks, fried dough sticks and eggs. It's steaming hot and looks fresh. She felt hungry in her belly, so she grabbed a few steaming buns and stuffed them into her mouth, devouring them.
The waiter looked at her poor look and rolled his eyes in shock, thinking to himself: "Could this person be the reincarnation of a starving ghost?"
It turned out that she came back too late last night. After wandering outside for a day, she felt very tired. When she returned to the inn, she even forgot to eat dinner and went straight to her room to sleep. When I woke up in the morning, I felt empty and unbearably hungry.
Yesterday evening, when she was passing by a remote alley, she suddenly saw a middle-aged woman crying in the alley. She was crying and cursing at the same time. Seeing that she was crying with tears running down her face, she felt strange and hurriedly walked forward to ask her. what happened.
The woman said with tears in her eyes that she had just met a robber who had robbed her of all the money she had.
After Luo Xiangxue listened to the woman's cry and asked about the direction of the robber's escape, she chased him out along the long alley and chased 200 meters away. Then she saw the corner of the robber's clothes flashing around the corner. . She quickly chased after him and saw that the robber was gone.
When she returned to the alley panting, the woman had disappeared.
There was an inexplicable anger in her heart. I wonder if it was because of the ruthlessness of the robbers? Or is it just my own nosy? After a lot of trouble, she could only drag her tired body back to the inn slowly.
When she was strolling in the market yesterday, she overheard a group of people sitting around and discussing that there was a Taoist temple called "Feixian Temple" on Peach Blossom Mountain nearby, and there lived a Taoist man who knew everything. long.
It is said that this Taoist priest has profound Taoist practices and is a very powerful person: he is proficient in divination of good and bad luck, fortune telling, yin and yang and five elements, Feng Shui and Yili.
What's even more impressive is that it is said that he can predict a person's past and present life just by looking at his or her face: when and where he was born, and when and where he will be born. Death can be measured clearly. Not only that, but it can also explain some truth, so that people who come to ask for fortune-telling and fortune-telling will be convinced.
It was as if a stranger who had nothing to do with him experienced a life, and he was the bystander who saw it with his own eyes. It sounds really mysterious!
Yesterday at the market, after she went to watch a street performer, on the way back to the inn, she saw a group of people sitting together, talking about something with great interest, so she curiously stepped forward to listen, so she decided to We headed to Peach Blossom Mountain early this morning to meet this legendary and mysterious Taoist priest. I want to see with my own eyes whether he is really as powerful as the legend says!
During the past few days at the foot of the mountain, she had seen and heard many strange things, but this mysterious Taoist priest aroused her full curiosity. She must meet this Taoist priest!
Because she had just arrived and was unfamiliar with the place, she didn't know how to get to Taohua Mountain's "Feixian Temple", so she went to a tea shop on the roadside to ask the shop owner.
As soon as she led the horse to the tea shop, a fat middle-aged man came up to her and asked with a smile: "Good morning, sir! What kind of tea would you like to drink, sir?"
He saw Luo Xiangxue holding a long sword in her hand, a baggage on her shoulder, and a kettle on her waist. He could tell at a glance that she was someone traveling in the world.
He has seen many people dressed like this, and he knows that most people in the world have weird personalities and bad tempers. If he doesn't wait for a moment, once they get angry, he can drink a pot of it. At worst, the store may be smashed, but at worst, it may lead to death.
Therefore, he always obeyed, for fear of offending the gods.
Luo Xiangxue was a mild-tempered "god". She cupped her fists and saluted the middle-aged man, and said with a smile: "Excuse me, the store owner, do you know how to get to Feixian Temple?"
When the middle-aged man saw that she answered the question incorrectly, he thought to himself that this person was not here to drink tea, and he felt a little unhappy. However, he still greeted her with a smile and said in a nonchalant voice: "Your Majesty, you are going to Feixian Temple."
He thought for a moment, blinked and said, "Feixian Temple is on Peach Blossom Mountain five miles ahead. Everyone here knows about it, but we don't know why you want to go to Feixian Temple?"
His smile suddenly faded, and there was a strange look on his face, as if he was a little timid and frightened.
When Luo Xiangxue heard this, she nodded. Seeing that the middle-aged man had a strange look on his face, he suddenly felt doubtful. But it was inconvenient to ask, so he clasped his fists at the middle-aged man, smiled slightly, and said, "I don't have anything important to do. I just went to go shopping. Thank you for the store's guidance!"
The middle-aged man still wanted to attract more business, so he asked: "Sir, would you like to have a cup of tea first? Our store has fine Maofeng, Tieguanyin, Bamboo Leaf Green, Jasmine, Longjing..." He named a lot of tea products in one breath.
Luo Xiangxue saw that the store owner was very enthusiastic and had just given him directions. She didn't want to drink it, but she couldn't refuse, so she said, "Okay, give me a cup of Bamboo Leaf Green!"
She then tied her horse to the willow tree next to the shop, found a table and sat down, placing her sword and bundle on the table.
The air in the morning was exceptionally fresh, with a slight chill, and white morning mist shrouded the houses.
At this moment, as she sat here, she couldn't help but think of the scene where she unexpectedly met Liu Ruyan that day in the Zuixianlou Inn. The two were strangers, but they squeezed into the same table by accident. From the beginning They were so awkward that they gradually recognized each other and chatted happily. Later, they even used the place to become sworn friends and parted ways... The scenes that happened that day seemed to be happening before their eyes.
She sighed, the fate between people is such a strange thing! She was thinking: I wonder how he is doing now after a few days of separation? Have you reached Cuihua Mountain safely? Did she successfully take back her sister? What is he doing now? Will he think of me occasionally? ………
Thinking of this, she suddenly became sentimental again.
She even thought of her father and mother. When they were in the mountains, they were always very strict with her and arranged for her to do many things every day that she didn't want to do.
She was either gathering herbs or practicing martial arts and learning the piano. She was almost suffocated to death by staying in the mountains all day long. But maybe her father and mother would never know what she really wanted in her heart? What kind of life do you want to live? They always like to impose their preferences on her. This had to make her feel bored and rebellious.
But now, she secretly ran down the mountain and they couldn't find her at home. They must be worried to death! But she really didn't want to go back to that place again. Before he ran out, he left a letter for his parents and hid it under his pillow. I wonder if they saw it?
It had been several days since she came out of the mountains, and she suddenly couldn't help but miss her parents. Maybe, in her heart, she still loved them deeply and cared about them.
But why can such emotions only show up after leaving?
She sat there, suddenly thinking a lot, thinking of Liu Ruyan, and also thinking of her father and mother.
She once wondered if she was their biological child? Especially when they lectured her harshly.
But at this moment, there was no resentment in her heart, only deep longing!
Therefore, she made another decision: after going to Feixian Temple today, she would go home and return to her father and mother!
Just as she was staring at some weeping willows in the distance in a daze, the store owner had brought the tea to her and said with a smile: "Sir, please have some tea!" She just came back to her senses after hearing the store owner's words.
He glanced at the horse under the willow tree, picked up the teacup, and drank in small sips. This tea tastes pretty good, with a refreshing fragrance and a slight green astringency in your mouth. This is the best fresh bamboo leaf green tea.
When she was at home, her father loved to drink tea. She often carried a bamboo basket on her back and went to the Moon Bay Tea Garden a few miles away to pick fresh tea for her father. Therefore, she knew a little about the difference between good and inferior tea.
After drinking tea, she took out a few pieces of silver from her pocket to pay for the tea. Under the slightly puzzled eyes of the store owner, we set foot on the road to Feixian Temple.
At this time, it was nine o'clock in the morning, and the weather today was not very good. Suddenly, it started to rain in the gloomy sky. Although the rain was not very heavy, it was enough to wet the clothes.
She rode the horse and ran at a leisurely pace. With the sound of hoofbeats, the horse galloped along the official road for a while, passing over a green field and rows of cottages with red walls and gray eaves.
Seeing that the rain showed no sign of stopping, it was getting heavier and heavier. After a while, her body was soaked by the dense raindrops. The horse was galloping very fast, and the wind was blowing in the fields. She only felt the coldness on her body, and she couldn't bear it. I couldn't help but shiver and shudder.
The horse was wet and felt a little uncomfortable. It gradually slowed down and seemed to be in a mood. It raised its head and neighed a few times.
At this time, she had entered Peach Blossom Mountain and turned onto a mountain road. The road was quite wide and lined with lush trees. It was raining continuously and would not stop for a while.
She thought to herself: She had to find a shelter from the rain first, and then go up the mountain after the rain stopped.
She raised her eyes and looked around, and saw a four-cornered mountain pavilion in the forest not far ahead, and then rode her horse to the pavilion. Tighten the reins and dismount. He tied his horse under the eaves of the pavilion and walked in quickly.
There was a square stone table in the middle of the pavilion, with several stone benches around it. She was just about to sit down and rest. Suddenly, a man's voice sounded in my ears: "It rains heavily during the Qingming Festival, and pedestrians on the road are dying! Where do you want to go? The Immortal Temple by the Peach Blossom Mountain!"
After hearing a chant of seven rhymes, a young man about twenty years old hurriedly ran out from the corner of the avenue.
He was wearing a green cloth waistcoat, his hair was tied up in a high bun, his forehead was broad, and his eyes were blinking with a slightly panicked look. He held a small hoe in his hand, and while running, he covered the rain above his head with his hands. He carried a small bamboo basket on his back, which seemed to contain some green herbs.
The clothes on his body were also wet. He quickly arrived in front of the pavilion. As soon as he stepped on the steps, he looked up and saw a "boy in white" sitting in the pavilion. He was almost frightened. He took a closer look. The "boy in white" in front of me grinned at the "boy" and said with some embarrassment: "This rain is really untimely. As soon as I came up the mountain, it rained and got wet all over me. What bad luck." After saying that, he put down the bamboo basket and shook the dust off his body with his hands.
"The boy in white" Luo Xiangxue saw that he was like a drowned rat in the rain. She covered her mouth with her hands and couldn't help but want to laugh, but she held it back. He glanced at him, then looked up at the eaves of the pavilion, looking around.
The young man shook off the dust and found a place to sit down. His body was wet with rain, and he was feeling cold and uncomfortable.
Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of the long sword next to the "boy in white". He was startled and became alert. He thought to himself: "Looking at the way this boy is dressed, could he be a member of the martial arts world? He feels a little weird. I'd better not do it." Good for provoking." Then, he stood up and moved his position, sitting further away from the "boy in white".
The two of them sat in the pavilion, minding their own business and looking at the surrounding mountains and fields. No one spoke, and the atmosphere became a little strange.
At this time, the rain had gradually weakened, and a gust of mountain wind blew, carrying a sweet fragrance of grass and trees, which was refreshing.
The young man groaned and wanted to say something, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them alive. Occasionally, I secretly glanced at the young man in white, and when he saw the long sword, he seemed a little timid.
At this time, the "boy in white" Luo Xiangxue sighed deeply, looked up at the sky, and murmured to himself: "Oh, I didn't expect that it would rain when I came to this mountain for the first time. The weather was really unfavorable. It seems that Peach Blossom Mountain does not welcome me as a guest!"
She seemed to be talking to herself, and after saying that, she couldn't help but glance at the young man from the corner of her eyes. The young man happened to be looking at her, and their eyes met for an instant. They were both stunned, and immediately looked away.
The young man suddenly spoke and said, "Is this young master coming to Peach Blossom Mountain to play?" He said, turning to look at Luo Xiangxue, the young man in white.
"The boy in white" Luo Xiangxue was startled when he heard this, then smiled at him and said, "Well, I just passed by this place when I was down there. It suddenly started raining. I saw a mountain pavilion here, so I came in to take shelter."
The young man sighed, smiled at her, and said, "Oh, so that's it. I came to the mountain to collect herbs early in the morning. I didn't want it to rain suddenly, so I had to go in to take shelter."
He then asked, "Young Master's accent sounds like he's not from here?"
"The boy in white" Luo Xiangxue frowned, blinked, and said doubtfully: "How do you know that I am not a local?" She was surprised, how could this man tell that.
The young man scratched his head and laughed and said: "To be honest with you, my home is at the foot of the mountain, and I see many outsiders from far away every day. You can tell by looking at the way you dress and the accent you speak. "He straightened his sleeves, stood up, and walked slowly in the pavilion.
"The boy in white" Luo Xiangxue couldn't help covering her mouth and laughed, and said quietly: "Your Excellency has really good eyesight, I am indeed not from here." She paused and said hesitantly, "Then where do you think I am from? "She suddenly felt that this young man collecting medicine was quite interesting, and she gradually relaxed her guard.
The young man frowned, thinking for a moment, looked at the "boy in white", and said with some irritation: "Hmm, judging from the young master's face, could he be from Shu?" He looked at the boy in white slightly.
"The young man in white" Luo Xiangxue glanced at him with a half-smile, and said faintly: "Oh, look at faces? Do you dare to read people's faces?" She then stood up, walked slowly to the eaves of the pavilion. She turned around and looked at him, "Sir, can you tell me what I look like?" She suddenly showed a naughty expression.
Hearing this, the young man chuckled and said, "Young Master is making fun of you. I don't know how to read faces. I'm just guessing at random." He stretched out his hand again and scratched his head, hesitating with some embarrassment.
"The young man in white" Luo Xiangxue looked at the sky and said slowly: "Your guess just now was wrong. I am not from Shu."
The young man said curiously: "Oh, I was just guessing. Don't be surprised, Master!" He paused and then said, "If it's not Shu, where is it?" He seemed determined to find out.
"To be honest with you, I am from Qin." Luo Xiangxue looked at him and smiled slightly.
"Oh, from Qin?" He nodded thoughtfully.
"Where is Qin? Is it far from here?" He seemed to want to break the casserole and ask the question.
"The boy in white" Luo Xiangxue said thoughtfully, "Qin is not far from here, just on the border of Shu."
The young man said "Oh" and seemed to understand something. He suddenly sighed and said slowly: "I went up the mountain today, but I didn't find the herbs Mom wanted. I'm afraid I'll get scolded again when I go back." He was a little worried.
Seeing the worried look on his face, Luo Xiangxue asked doubtfully: "Did your mother ask you to come to the mountain to collect medicine?"
"Yes. My mother said that there is a herb on the mountain that can cure my father's rheumatism. She asked me to go up the mountain to look for it early this morning." He looked slightly disappointed. "But, I searched half of the mountain and couldn't find anything." Find that herb." After that, he sighed deeply.
Luo Xiangxue asked curiously: "Cure rheumatism? But I don't know what kind of herb it is?"
The young man hurriedly said: "My mother said that the medicine is called Achyranthes bidentata. It is very effective in treating rheumatism. I have found Qianghuo, Eucommia ulmoides, and Acanthopanax bark, but I can't find this medicine alone."
He looked at the bamboo basket on the ground and said quietly, "My mother said that these medicines must be added together to be effective. If we don't get them together, there is no way to cure my father's rheumatism. My father's rheumatism is very serious." , when an attack occurs, the pain is often so painful that I can’t sleep! Especially when it’s cold, the pain is even worse!”
Luo Xiangxue saw that he seemed extremely anxious when talking about his father's illness, and she immediately felt a fondness for him.
She smiled at him and comforted him and said: "I can see that you are very filial to your parents. Don't worry, take your time and you will always find them." Then she added: "We have been chatting for so long. , I haven't asked you what to call me yet?" She slowly walked to the stone bench and sat down.
The young man smiled at her and said, "My name is Hua Bufan, but I don't know what your surname is?"
Luo Xiangxue was heartbroken, blinked her beautiful eyes, and said thoughtfully: "My surname is Luo, and my name is Xiangxue." She saw that he was very sincere, and she didn't want to hide it from him.
When Hua Bufan heard this, his eyes lit up and he murmured softly: "Luo Xiangxue, your name is so nice! Well, Luo...Xiang...Xue, eh, eh, what a good name! What a good name!" After saying that, he felt that He became puzzled, frowned and said: "Master Luo, this name is so special, but..." He hesitated a little, with a trace of awkwardness on his face. Now, I don’t know what to say.
Luo Xiangxue was startled when she saw that he was about to stop talking, and asked doubtfully: "Just what?" She looked at him lightly, half-smiling but not smiling.
Hua Bufan scratched his head and said hesitantly: "Master Luo, haha... I just... I just feel a little weird, I don't know whether to say it or not."
Luo Xiangxue rolled her eyes at him and said leisurely: "Weird? What's weird? Brother Hua, tell me about it!" She said calmly and calmly, but she felt uneasy in her heart, as if she had sensed something!
Hua Bufan was nagging, seeming a little embarrassed, looking at her and saying cautiously: "If I tell you, please don't be angry, sir?"
Luo Xiangxue's heart moved and she said seriously: "What's so weird? Brother Hua, it's okay! I promise I won't be angry." Seeing Hua Bufan's hesitant expression, she couldn't help but want to laugh, but she curled her lips and couldn't help it. Laugh out loud.
Hua Bufan looked at her face and said tentatively: "Mr. Luo is indeed a nice name, but... it always feels like a woman's name!"
When Luo Xiangxue heard what he said, her heart suddenly trembled, and she thought: So he has discovered that I am a woman! Doesn't this mean that he will make fun of her? It's really embarrassing. How should I put it?
She immediately turned her head and turned her back to him, with a panicked look on her face, but she pretended to be calm and said seriously: "Ah? What? A woman's name? How could it be a woman's name?" She She deliberately took two steps forward to stay away from him, for fear that he would see her panic and guilty conscience. She immediately glanced at him sideways and said, "Is it true that only women can have such a name?"
Hua Bufan was stunned for a moment, then he chuckled and said, "I was just talking casually, Mr. Luo, please don't take it personally!"
In fact, when he stepped into this mountain pavilion and saw her for the first time, he felt that this young person had fair skin, beautiful eyebrows, a peach-like face, the movements of his hands and feet, and the tone of his voice... …They all look like women!
It's just that she was wearing men's clothes, and her whole body was dressed as a man, so she didn't make any guesses in this regard. But now, when she heard her name, it was filled with endless gentleness and softness. It was clearly a woman's name! How can any man choose such a soft and soft name?
It seems that not only is this Hua Bufan not stupid, but he is actually more considerate than a woman! He actually guessed from her demeanor and name that she was a woman.
He was afraid that his abrupt words would make her unhappy, or even angry, and he would draw his sword at her... The long sword beside her was black, resembling a snake. If she was angered, he would That's not fun.
It seems that she is dressed like a person from the world, wandering around alone with a sword, and she dares to come to this mountain and forest alone... she is definitely not an ordinary person! Maybe he is still a top-notch master in the world!
In fact, Luo Xiangxue was worried that he would find out her identity as a woman. If she disguised herself as a man, wouldn't he laugh her off? If he exposed it, wouldn't it be too embarrassing?
Therefore, in order to avoid embarrassment, she immediately changed the subject: "I think Brother Hua is a straightforward person. How about we make friends with you?" She glanced sideways at him. His guess just now made her both embarrassed and funny. , I think this person is very interesting, I have a good impression of him, and I am willing to get acquainted with him. When people are traveling in the world, having one more friend is never a bad thing!
Hua Bufan looked at the sky. It was clearing after the rain. The gloomy atmosphere in the sky had gradually dissipated and it became brighter. There was also a rainbow rising from the distant mountain peaks!
The chirping of birds in the forest adds a lot of vitality to this silent empty mountain! A gust of mountain wind blew by, scattering the rainwater on the leaves!
Luo Xiangxue's horse was pacing back and forth freely, swaying its tail, and breathing in the refreshing breath of the forest after the rain!
When Hua Bufan heard that this handsome young man was willing to be friends with him, he couldn't help but feel happy. He thought to himself: He didn't have many close friends since he was a child. He originally had a sibling brother, but in the early years, inexplicably... He died of a serious illness ten years ago. Now except for his father and mother, he has no other relatives in the family. I usually have no friends to share my concerns with! Although there is a father and mother at home, there are some things that are on my mind that I cannot tell them...
Thinking in his heart, he immediately raised his eyebrows and said with joy: "Master Luo is willing to make friends with me, that's great! I really want it, this is really great!" He paused and then said "Then we will treat each other as brothers from now on! But, I just don't know that Brother Luo is noble this year?"
Luo Xiangxue turned her head, looked at him, smiled slightly and said: "I..." She suddenly hesitated and said leisurely, "Brother Hua, why don't you tell me first?" Women are always a little a little confused when others ask about their age. embarrassing. She unconsciously showed the shyness of a woman again.
This inadvertent coyness was naturally noticed by Fan Bufan, but he just pretended not to notice it, so he might as well keep this secret in his heart.
He couldn't help but laugh secretly in his heart. He stayed for a long time and said seriously: "Okay, let me tell you first. To be honest with Brother Luo, I have just turned twenty this year. Brother Luo, what about you?"
Luo Xiangxue blinked her eyes and said quietly: "I am eighteen this year, so you are older than me." She smiled, "Then I should call you brother."
After saying that, he pretended to be a gesture, hugged his fists towards Hua Bufan, bowed and said: "My little brother Luo Xiangxue, I have met Brother Hua!"
Her gesture of salute immediately amused the two of them, and they couldn't help laughing.
