Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
From now on, a chapter will be updated every day at noon. Dear friends, please show your support and don't hesitate to bookmark and recommend!
However, the calls from the two did not receive any response. Liu Qingxi led Liu Qingyan down the mountain along the path they had taken, but there was still no sign of anyone. The midday sun shone through the bushes beside them, scorching their frail bodies.
At this moment, both of them were parched and hungry. Looking around, they saw nothing but desolation; even the wild fruit trees within sight only bore unripe fruits.
Glancing at the basket filled with their morning's harvest, there were only one or two red fruits. Initially reluctant to eat them, they now found it impossible to continue: "Here, eat!"
The purpose of going up the mountain was to find food to fill their stomachs. Dizziness from hunger made Liu Qingyan's mouth water as she saw her sister offering her the red fruit. She wiped her hands on her clothes and opened her mouth wide to take a big bite: "So sweet! So delicious! Sister, you should eat too!"
Little Guy was not one to eat alone and handed another fruit to Liu Qingxi.
After finishing the two sweet fruits, their stomachs were finally not as empty. They struggled to lift their baskets and helped each other down the mountain.
It seemed to confirm the saying that going up is easy but coming down is hard. Liu Qingxi had never felt the road so long. Little Guy, clearly exhausted and unable to walk any further, still held his breath and insisted on walking by himself.
Sweat dripped from her forehead, neck, and back. Occasionally, a couple of drops fell into her eyes, causing a stinging sensation that made Liu Qingxi unable to hold back her tears. Little Guy was stronger than she had imagined.
Finally, they reached the foot of the mountain without encountering any family members. This made Liu Qingxi realize that it was indeed midday when the sun was scorching hot; there wasn't a single figure in sight.
Liu Qingxi did not know whether the Liu Family had intentionally left them behind or if it was unintentional; either way, it was a fact that they had been abandoned.
The path at the bottom of the mountain was somewhat flatter. Unable to carry their burdens any longer, they set down their baskets and dragged themselves forward. The cave was right in front of them; they seemed to see hope.
However, upon putting down their baskets and seeing the situation inside the cave, their earlier hope shattered like bubbles in an instant. Everyone lay on their beds, breathing lightly; it was clear they were all asleep!
This was a habit of the Liu Family—because they ate little every day and it was too hot to work at noon. If someone suffered from heatstroke, they would need a doctor, which would be counterproductive; thus, they had this habit of resting for a short while.
Fearing waking everyone up, the siblings quietly placed their things down. Liu Qingxi gestured for them to move to the stove area. They noticed that the large pot on the stove was unusually shiny; crouching low, they stealthily entered the cave only to find that there was nothing in the bowl.
The siblings had no choice but to accept the reality: their family had left them behind on the mountain without leaving even a morsel of food.
A sense of abandonment and bitterness arose.
Indeed, there should be no hope for this family or these so-called relatives.
Liu Qingxi began to feel grateful for the Cicada Monkeys she had secretly hidden away last night. Clearly, Liu Qingyan also remembered the hidden items, and the two siblings quietly slipped out just as they had arrived.
They returned to the forest they had come to in the dark yesterday, found the marked tree, and peeled back the leaves covering it. They dug out the hidden package with their hands.
Immediately, a faint fragrance lingered at their noses. Unable to wait, they opened it and each stuffed one into their mouths joyfully.
Although it lacked the crispy texture and rich aroma from last night, it was still a rare delicacy for the siblings.
A large bag of Cicada Monkeys was quickly devoured. To prevent others from discovering it, Liu Qingxi even dug a hole to bury the shells!
Don't ask her why she did this; clearly, no one else knew about this way of eating, and these treats were their current source of sustenance.
If everyone knew, how would there be any left for them?
"Why didn't Uncle and them wait for us?" Liu Qingyan asked innocently after finishing his meal.
Liu Qingxi choked momentarily. Why? Why?? Well, it was obviously because those people despised them; they were seen as a burden, perhaps even wishing for their demise.
This was reality—the harsh truth she had come to see in less than two days. Unlike Liu Qingyan, who was still a naive child, she had witnessed enough of human warmth and coldness in modern times to understand that the Wang family wished for their death.
But how could she tell this innocent little boy that they once had parents and then an older sister who all left before her, Liu Qingxi? She couldn't bear to let his pure heart be tainted by such darkness.
Suppressing her bitterness, she said, "Maybe Uncle forgot. There are many people at home. It's fine; we ate well too—better than them! We even had meat!"
The innocent Little Guy believed her: "Yeah! Sister is so nice! If only we could eat meat every day! I heard from Gouzi that people in town eat meat every day!"
As he spoke, he almost drooled, which made Liu Qingxi very sad. In modern times, through her own efforts, although she couldn't enjoy luxurious delicacies, she never lacked ordinary chicken, duck, fish, or meat. Who would have thought that here even a simple cornmeal bun would be a luxury?
"Yes, we will have meat every day too. Xiao Yan, you must be good; I promise you will eat meat!" Liu Qingxi assured Liu Qingyan while also reassuring herself and honoring the memory of Liu Laosan and Yun Clan who had passed away for their sake.
"Sure, sure! So, sister, are we going to roast again tonight?" The Little Guy's eyes sparkled as he looked at Liu Qingxi. The Cicada Monkey tasted much better than the mush at home.
Although small, it was still a piece of meat. He had no other wishes; he just wanted to eat this every day!
"Don't worry, we'll roast more tonight and hide some!" Liu Qingxi said with a smile. It didn't matter if she didn't leave any food for them; they could fill their own stomachs.
Even if she deliberately left them on the mountain, she would ignore others' gazes and thoughts, living her own life and creating her own space!
She was suddenly filled with determination, inspired by the presence of the Little Guy in front of her and the warmth she had longed for in both this life and the last.
After tidying up the mess, the siblings exchanged smiles, their faces glowing with a fox-like charm. Their bony bodies couldn't block the hope in their hearts.
They sneaked back into the cave, climbed onto their wooden bed quietly, and soon fell asleep with their eyes closed.
What they didn't know was that while they were happily eating Cicada Monkey, someone stood not far away, wearing a dark blue cotton robe, silently watching them.
The two Little Guys looked thin and frail, nothing particularly special. But in an era where everyone struggled to fill their stomachs, what were they eating? The boy felt a bit curious!
After they left, he walked to where the siblings had been and stared blankly at the ground.
A faint fragrance lingered in the air, making the boy smile and feel even more curious about the unfamiliar siblings!
Comment 0 Comment Count