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墨書 Inktalez
Wei Qiuxi sighed and hurried on his way.
The journey from Guan Zhuang to Yuanling was full of twists and turns. Wei Ning was taking a bus alone for the first time, feeling a bit anxious. The bus wasn't going fast, and by the time it arrived at the station around noon, Wei Ning's home was in the suburbs, requiring two transfers. Having visited the county town a few times before, Wei Ning knew where to catch the bus. However, after getting on, he had been tense for so long that when the cool breeze blew in and the warm afternoon sunlight streamed through, he unknowingly fell asleep.
"Hey, friend, we're at the station; you need to get up." The ticket collector woke Wei Ning. He sat up and looked around, panic rising within him. He had never been here before and asked, "Where is this?"
The ticket collector examined Wei Ning closely and realized he must have missed his stop because he had fallen asleep. "This is Zhangjiawan; it's already the last stop. Where are you headed?"
"Oh no, I missed my stop," Wei Ning thought, quickly asking, "I need to get off at Lujia Slope; what should I do?"
"Lujia Slope was several stops back; how could you sleep through it?" the ticket collector replied. "This bus is done for the day and won't go back. If you want to go to Lujia Slope, you'll have to walk three stops to Cross Slope and catch Bus 15 from there. Where do you live? Do you want me to call your mom to come pick you up?"
"No need; I can manage myself. I need to get to Yuanjia'ao; where's the best place to catch a bus?"
"Oh, Yuanjia'ao? That's convenient! Just head that way; it's just over there—no need to go to Cross Slope."
"Really? That's lucky!" Wei Ning hadn't expected that he would save quite a bit on fare by accidentally taking a longer route. He thanked her hurriedly and followed her directions.
After Wei Ning left, the driver who had been silent finally spoke up. "Sister Liu, why did you send that kid down that road?"
"He’s going to Yuanjia'ao; isn't that the quickest route? Just over there."
"That's not what I meant. You know that road is dark; most people avoid it..."
"Hey, Zhang, you're still young but quite superstitious! It's broad daylight; what's there to be afraid of? Don't worry; that kid seems clever enough; he'll be fine."
Zhang sighed and watched thoughtfully as Wei Ning walked away.
"How unfortunate. If I had known, I would have taken a car. A few extra bucks wouldn't hurt. What kind of road is this?" Wei Ning complained as he walked. It was no wonder he felt this way; the path seemed to have been neglected for a long time, barely recognizable and overgrown with thorns. Wei Ning swung a long stick in his hand, making his way forward with difficulty. The afternoon sun blazed down, and he had forgotten to bring water, making his throat feel parched. All he wanted was to get back quickly and drink from the cool well in front of his house.
As Wei Ning spotted a Cool Shed ahead, likely built by the government for travelers to rest, he quickened his pace, eager to take a break. Inside the Cool Shed were three people: a middle-aged man carrying a bundle who appeared to be another traveler, enjoying tea from a cup; a woman sitting on a stool with several tea cups covered by glass in front of her, beside a large teapot; and an old man lying on the ground in tattered clothes, poking the ground with a bamboo stick while squinting his eyes to rest.
In Xiangxi, tea stalls like this used to be everywhere, but in recent years, with the popularity of bottled water, such stalls had slowly faded from history. Wei Ning felt as if he had stumbled upon an oasis after a long drought and hurried forward. However, before he could reach the stall, the beggar-like old man extended his bamboo stick and intentionally tripped Wei Ning. Wei Ning shot him an annoyed glance but decided not to argue. He turned to the tea vendor and asked, "Give me a cup of tea. How much?"
"One yuan," the vendor replied as he handed Wei Ning a cup of tea. Wei Ning quickly gulped it down; although it tasted strange, it was enough to quench his thirst. He ordered a Tea Egg as well, planning to eat it on the way.
"You're just leaving?" the old beggar suddenly said. "Kids these days see an old person lying on the ground and don't even bother to help. There's no compassion anymore."
Wei Ning's face flushed with embarrassment as he silently felt ashamed. He walked over to the beggar and reached out to help him up. To his surprise, although the beggar looked light, he was incredibly heavy. Wei Ning struggled several times before finally managing to pull him up.
Once he got the beggar settled in the shed, Wei Ning thought for a moment and handed him the Tea Egg. "Grandpa, you can have this. I'm not hungry; I'm almost home."
The old beggar's face lit up with joy as he said, "Hey, not bad! You're quite considerate and know how to respect your elders—good for you! But about this Tea Egg... even though I'm not that old yet, I don't want to die just yet. I wouldn't dare eat anything from the Grass Witch."
At that moment, both the middle-aged man and the tea vendor turned pale along with Wei Ning. "Grandpa! Grandpa! What do you mean? She... she's the Grass Witch?" Wei Ning exclaimed.
The middle-aged man reacted dramatically, quickly reaching into his throat to gag himself. Before long, he spat out a pile of seaweed-like substances along with a green bug about the size of a broad bean wriggling among them.
Wei Ning immediately followed suit and tried to induce vomiting as well. Soon enough, he too expelled a heap of seaweed and that green bug.
The woman glared fiercely at the beggar and said angrily, "Wang Tuozi! I have no grievances against you in this life or any other; why do you have to ruin my good fortune?"
Wang Tuozi lazily replied, "Who you have grievances with is none of my concern. But I like this friend here; I've decided to take him as my disciple."
The woman stomped her foot and said angrily, "You yellow-skinned immortal, you've ruined my good fortune! I won't let this go; just wait and see." With that, she disregarded her stall and walked away.
Wang Tuozi lazily scratched at the lice on his body, paying no attention to the harsh words thrown by the Grasshopper Witch.
At that moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed deeply. "I was on my way to the capital for the imperial examination and didn't expect to nearly meet my end here. Thank you, elder and brother, for your assistance in ensuring my safety. I owe you both a great debt."
What? On his way to the capital for an exam? What era is this? Wei Ning glanced at the middle-aged man; he looked decent enough, but his mind seemed off... Could it be that he was scared silly just now?
"May I ask your name, brother? I would like to honor you with a longevity tablet at home, offering incense and candles daily to repay your kindness today."
"I am called..." Before Wei Ning could finish, Wang Tuozi's bamboo pole struck him hard in the face, cutting off the rest of his words.
"What was that for!" Although Wang Tuozi had saved his life moments ago, this sudden blow made Wei Ning quite angry.
Wang Tuozi rolled his eyes dramatically and said in a strange tone, "You corpse ghost, didn't you hear what I just said? I already claimed him as my disciple! Why are you still trying to get close to him? Are you not dead enough or something? Do you want to spend five hundred years in there?"
Wei Ning shivered all over and thought: Could this middle-aged man also be...
Despite having his identity exposed, the middle-aged man remained graceful and smiled. "In that case, I shall take my leave. It is truly a joy to see such a talented disciple under your guidance. I came in such haste that I did not prepare proper gifts; I will certainly make up for it another day. Brother, I bid you farewell." With a bow, he waved his sleeve and departed.
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