For breakfast, they had dumplings cooked in chicken soup. Xu Ling and Fan Shiqing ate more than twenty large dumplings each, and were forced to drink chicken soup and eat chicken.
After breakfast, the sun was hidden behind the clouds, barely showing a little light.
It would take at least three hours to walk back to Lianhuawanzi from Mrs. Li's home. When Mrs. Li found out, she enthusiastically cooked the uneaten dumplings and put them in jars for them to take with them on the road.
Xu Ling refused.
When he was pulling the cart and Fan Shiqing to leave, Mrs. Li's family of three took him to the path outside.
Xu Ling said: "Aunt Li, I will deliver the dishes in a few days. Don't send them to me. It's cold. Go back."
After that, he called Hutou to his side, knelt down and touched his head, "Hutou must listen to dad and grandma. Uncle Zaozi will come to see you in a few days."
Hutou likes Xu Ling. When Xu Ling comes, he can eat meat and dumplings.
Hearing this, he agreed abruptly: "Okay!"
Xu Ling smiled, stood up to push the cart, said goodbye to Mrs. Li Dayong, and slowly walked away.
It wasn't until he was far away that Hu Tou sniffed his nose, then opened his hand and shouted: "Dad, Uncle Zaozi gave it to me!"
Li Dayong took a closer look and saw that it was actually one ingot or two taels of silver barley!
Fan Shiqing didn't lie down on the cart today. After following Xu Ling for a while, he was panting like an ox.
"How long until we get to your home?"
Xu Ling's leg strength has long been developed. Not to mention pushing a cart, he can even pull a person lying on it.
However, Fan Shiqing's physical strength is too weak and needs to be tempered.
At this time, they had just arrived near Erfang Town, and Xu Ling said: "We'll be there in another hour!"
He himself was very happy. He could go home soon. How could he not be happy?
Fan Shiqing's eyes darkened, and he shouted quickly: "I can't do it anymore, I can't do it anymore, please let me get to the car."
Xu Ling had nothing to do with him, so he had to let him sit on the cart to rest while he pushed him forward.
When he was about to reach Lianhuawanzi, Xu Ling finally met an acquaintance from the village.
When the man saw Xu Ling from a distance, he didn't dare to recognize him at first. He stopped and looked at him for a while. When he got closer, he shouted happily: "Xu Ling! Isn't this Xu Ling?"
Xu Ling also recognized him as a young man named Li Dong from the village, accompanied by a woman who must be his wife.
"Xu Ling, where are you coming back from?"
Xu Ling smiled and said, "I just came back from Lingbao Town, where are you going?"
"I accompanied Qiu Ju back to her parents' home, and now I'm going back to the village. Let's go together!"
In Xu Ling's memory, this young man named Li Dong was not very familiar with him. His great change of attitude should be attributed to his return to his hometown in wealth.
However, Xu Ling didn't know whether the news about his lawsuit in Lingbao Town had spread back to the village.
I talked to Li Dong along the way, but I didn't hear anything bad.
Li Dong helped push the cart, and his daughter-in-law Qiu Ju also helped push it. No matter how thick-skinned Fan Shiqing was, he was too embarrassed to lie there alone, and was so embarrassed that he wanted to come down and take a walk.
The group of people were chatting in the car, and Fan Shiqing also observed the scenery here.
It's cloudy today, with very thin clouds and warm sunlight. In the distance is the rushing river. There are rice fields on both sides of the bank. There is no rice in the fields and the soil is exposed.
The low hills are covered with withered yellow grass, and from time to time you can see a few bushes of wild chrysanthemums, some of which have already failed.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Lianhuawanzi Village. Looking to the southeast from here, they could see the faint mountains. There are several conspicuous tall trees growing in the village. Even in winter, they are still green.
Cross the wooden bridge and enter the village completely.
Xu Ling's heart was beating like a drum. Li Dong and Li Dong insisted on sending him to the door of his house. Before Xu Ling could call someone, Li Dong shouted: "Aunt Xu, your Xu Ling is back!"
The Xu family courtyard is still the same courtyard, but it is a little different. There are two low and dilapidated mud thatched houses with roofs covered with straw newly cut this year. There are three or five chickens walking around in the chicken coop enclosed by a bamboo fence in the yard.
Li Dong called twice, but no one at home answered.
Xu Ling smiled and said, "I guess he went to my father-in-law's house. Brother Li, I won't bother you and I'll go look for it myself!"
Li Dong said: "Well, if I can't find you, you can come to my house to drink water!"
After that, he said goodbye and left with his wife.
Xu Ling left the cart at home and asked Fan Shiqing to wait here while he went to his father-in-law's home to have a look.
When they arrived at Gu Daliang's house, the door was closed. Xu Ling adjusted his clothes and robes, took a deep breath, and then stepped forward to knock on the door and call for someone.
"Mom, far away, are you at home? I'm Xu Ling, I'm back!"
"It's my brother!"
Xu An's voice came from the room, and then the patter of footsteps inside was heard.
The door latch was hurriedly taken down and the wooden door was opened. Before Xu Ling could get into position, Xu Ping and Xu An jumped on him like two crazy puppies, crying loudly.
"Brother! You are finally back!"
Xu Ling's eyes were moist, and he held the two children in his arms and refused to let go.
Looking again, his mother Xu, Gu You holding Da Ya, and mother-in-law's uncle all came out of the house.
Gu Tao's eyes were red, and he seemed afraid to step forward while holding the child.
Mrs. Xu didn't care so much, and rushed over to touch Xu Ling, crying: "My son, you have lost weight!"
God knows how sad she was when she learned that Xu Ling was on death row. She wished she was dead!
Xu Ling was fully clothed, he steadied his steps, stretched out his hands towards Gu You, with a bright smile on his face, "Daughter-in-law, daughter, come and let me hug you!"
Li Cuicui giggled and pushed Gu You from behind, "Sister, don't you miss your man? Go quickly!"
Gu Tao's face turned red. He was hesitant at first, but he speeded up and walked to Xu Ling. Xu Ling picked up Da Ya, lifted him up into his arms, and turned Xu Ping behind him to hold him. Make room for Gu You yourself.
Holding his daughter and wife in his arms, Xu Ping's heart, which had endured so much turmoil and pain outside, miraculously calmed down.
He finally came home.
"Da Ya, call me daddy!"
"Daddy!"
After Xu Ling took stock of the family, Gu Litian frowned and came out to be the bad guy.
"Okay, no matter what, let him come in to have a rest and drink a bowl of water!"
Xu Ping and Xu An were in disarray. It seemed that not only Xu Ling was afraid of his father-in-law, but even his younger brothers and sisters were afraid of this stubborn old man.
Xu Ling was welcomed back into the house by the stars, and sat on a long bench, facing his father-in-law Gu Litian. His mother-in-law, Mrs. Liu, poured him a bowl of tea.
"Drink some, warm yourself up, you're freezing outside!"
Xu Ling smiled and said, "Thank you, mother-in-law. I'm wearing thick clothes and I'm not cold."
Gu Daliang was shaking his legs anxiously beside him. Seeing that his father was silent, he also refrained from speaking.
After Xu Ling took a few sips of water, Gu Litian asked in a deep voice, "What happened to you? Are the officials looking for trouble with you again?"
