The eldest sister took Yuan Xianger back to her home.
The courtyard wall is made of rammed earth, the roof is made of thatch, there are two small thatched huts, a yard leveled with loess, and there are two thin and lonely hens in the yard. Described by the four walls of the family.
So much so that Nan He and the others didn't even have room to enter the room, so they just stood and waited in the courtyard.
Yuan Chunhua was excited when she ran into a little girl she hadn't seen for many years, and couldn't care about anything else. She led Yuan Xianger into the room, and took her hand to look up and down, her eyes were already red.
"I've grown so much, I've gotten fatter and whiter, and I've become more beautiful. My sister just watched you from behind for a long time, and she didn't dare to come forward to recognize you."
She twitched the corners of her mouth and tried to force a smile to the little sister whom she had met after a long absence, but tears couldn't help falling down, so she had to cover her face with her sleeves.
"Xiang'er, you don't know. After you were taken away, Zhao Di and I cried for several days. During those days, I couldn't sleep well every night. I always dreamed that you were bullied, had no food, and were hungry. My stomach calls my sister." She choked up as she spoke.
Her six- or seven-year-old eldest daughter, leading her three- or four-year-old sister, came into the house sensible with tea and hurriedly comforted her mother, "Mom, don't cry, why are you crying?"
Yuan Chunhua hurriedly wiped away her tears, "No, I never cried. My mother is happy. Big girl Er Niu, this is your aunt, call someone quickly."
The two little girls called out in a milky voice, and placed the bowl of freshly brewed rough tea in their hands on the table.
"Don't just serve this, go, cook a few poached eggs, put some sugar, and serve two to each of the guests in the yard." Yuan Chunhua said to her eldest daughter.
The young girl hesitated for a moment. Eggs and sugar are precious treasures to their family, and there are so many guests today.
"Come on, what are you doing, my mother hasn't seen your aunt for more than ten years." Yuan Chunhua pushed her.
After a while, the fat white poached egg was soaked in sugar water and brought to the table.
"Come on, eat this, you liked this when you were a kid."
Yuan Xianger took a sip. The boiled soup had a hint of egg aroma and sweetness. In her memory, it seemed that she had only eaten it once when her little brother was born. At that time, I probably didn't like this kind of food, but because I didn't have to eat it, I was so hungry all day, and it was rare to see a bit of meat and fish, and I almost swallowed my tongue.
The two little girls looked at her timidly and couldn't help swallowing quietly.
Seven and four years old, with dirty face, withered yellow hair, and thin limbs as thin as firewood, the young ones were pulling on the front of their sister's clothes, very much like Yuan Xianger and Yuan Chunhua when they were children.
Yuan Xiang'er fed them the poached eggs in the bowl, feeding them one bite at a time, feeding the two little girls to look at her with bright eyes.
"I married into this village eight years ago, and it's not far from my parents' house. I can occasionally go home to see my parents. The family has now built two new houses. Last year, I got a daughter-in-law for Dalang, and now I have younger brothers and sisters. I'm pregnant. My younger brother should get married in two years. My grandmother is still there, but I can't get out of bed, and I don't know people very well. I'm still drinking medicine every day."
Only the other girl in the family was not mentioned.
"Where's my second sister?"
"Zhu Di..." Yuan Chunhua hesitated for a while, "My parents married her to a member of the town as a concubine."
Yuan Xianger's movements stagnated for a moment, then after feeding the whole bowl of sugar water, she wiped the mouths of the two little girls with a handkerchief.
"Isn't it enough to sell me one?" She took back the bowl and said calmly.
"Zhao Di herself is willing. She said that she doesn't want to marry into a poor family and live a hard life." Yuan Chunhua sighed, "What can I do? The two boys in the family always want to inherit the lineage, but I hate that I'm useless, and I can't help very much. Go to my mother's house."
She held Yuan Xianger's hand, "Axiang, you should go back and have a look when you are free."
Yuan Xianger looked at the hand of the eldest sister. The fingers were thick and covered with cracks and calluses. It took a lot of hard work to turn a woman's soft hands into this look.
The eldest sister is undoubtedly a hard-working and gentle woman, walking on the mountain road with her younger brother on her back, not forgetting to share the weight of pig grass from the young Yuan Xianger.
She would stand on a chair and cook with her feet on her feet, while she would pick out some delicious food from the pot and secretly stuff it into the mouths of her younger siblings.
The eldest sister, who is always busy, is almost like someone who has never had a childhood. She is born mature and sensible, and has worked hard since she was a child.
Yuan Xianger undoubtedly likes her sister who has lived with her for seven years, but at the same time she will never agree with her sister's outlook on life that has been solidified by the times.
There was a little noise outside the courtyard door, and a man dressed as an Orion pushed open the courtyard door and entered.
Yuan Chunhua pulled Yuan Xianger out to introduce, "Xiang'er, this is your brother-in-law. Lang Jun, this is the youngest sister of my family. The one I told you before."
The man was burly and dark-skinned, carrying a heavy load of firewood. When I entered the yard, I saw people sitting in the yard, everyone holding a bowl with eggs in their hands, and their faces became ugly. He had a dark face, didn't say hello, and went in without saying a word.
Yuan Chunhua was very embarrassed, so she comforted Yuan Xianger and hurriedly followed into the house.
Soon the voice of the couple arguing came from the house.
"Xiaobao, mother-in-law, your mother-in-law comes too often. Last year, my brother-in-law got married, and you took all the savings from the family. The mother-in-law came a few days ago, and you left me to make soup for you. The pheasant was stuffed to her. You're still feeding Xiaobao."
The woman's broken and aggrieved explanation sounded faintly.
Yuan Xianger took two purses, squatted down and put them into the arms of her two nieces, and went into the house to say goodbye to her eldest sister Yuan Chunhua.
Yuan Chunhua was embarrassed and reluctant to give up. Seeing Yuan Xianger's firm attitude, she had to send them out the door with tears in her eyes.
She held Yuan Xiang'er's hand reluctantly, and instructed: "Ah Xiang, if you have time, go back often to see your parents."
Yuan Xiang'er said, "Since my father and mother sold me back then, for thirty taels of silver, the grace is over, and I won't go back."
Yuan Chunhua was taken aback: "We were born as children, how can we talk like this? After all, parents are parents, and there is no reason to deny it. Besides, it was a last resort."
"Why can't I say that? I have seen the deed of prostitution back then, and it clearly stated that life and death, illness and death, are determined by the destiny, and the physiology of the four quarters. Since I was sold as a commodity, naturally there is no longer my daughter."
"That...that's just a contract of prostitution copied by convention." Big sister said, she really couldn't understand, how could the gentle and sensible little sister say such rebellious words and did not recognize her parents.
Yuan Xianger slowly pulled out her hand and left.
"Big sister, take care. If Xiang'er is free, I'll see you again."
…
Yuan Xianger walked on the road silently.
Qingyuan was very surprised when he read this story, "You are a girl with a very contradictory personality. You seem so soft-hearted on weekdays, why are you so ruthless to your blood parents. Xiao Xianger, don't be awkward, your father. After all, mother gave birth to you, since you are so close, it's just a few steps away, why don't you turn around and take a look?"
In this era when the son does not talk about his father's past, even a cultivator like Qingyuan can't help but not understand Yuan Xianger's mentality.
Wu Yuan was unhappy: "Why do you want Ah Xiang to recognize them, since they didn't want Ah Xiang when they were young. Of course Ah Xiang can also not want them. It doesn't matter who was born, the person who takes the effort to raise himself should be the best. A filial person. Just like my father is not my father, I love him very much, just listen to his words."
Hu Qing: "That's right, don't listen to the stinky Taoist priest. Ah, isn't your father Wu Yuan your biological father?"
Wu Yuan said that he had leaked his life experience, and was very annoyed: "What if it's not my father? My father is much better than my father."
Du Shuo: "We don't care who is the biological parent. The first thing we see when we come out of the egg, the one who brought us up with us is the parent."
While talking here, a call came from behind.
Yuan Chunhua's husband caught up all the way out of breath.
"Sister-in-law." He bent down and took a few breaths, and an embarrassed red color appeared on his dark face, "I'm a rough person, and I don't know the etiquette. I was rude just now."
He handed the two bulging purses in his hands to Yuan Xianger: "This is too precious, we can't take it."
The purse contained a little bit of silver and two gold ingots. These things were nothing to Yuan Xianger, but the man in front of him was sweating, and firmly refused, even though the money would be of great help to the poor family.
This made Yuan Xiang'er, who had been stumped for a long time, feel a little better.
"Brother-in-law, treat my sister well. You keep the money. I gave it to my nephews and nieces. Don't let my sister take it back to her parents' house."
"The first time my brother-in-law saw you, he didn't give you anything, but took you something instead. It's impossible to say anything."
The man still wanted to resign, but Yuan Xianger had already said goodbye and left.
It's obviously a petite and delicate girl and a few gentle and handsome gentlemen, but when they really started walking, Yuan Chunhua's husband found that he couldn't catch up this time.
The figures of the group did not see any movement, but they disappeared from his sight very quickly.
At this moment, Yuan Chunhua's husband realized that the wife and sister who suddenly appeared at home today may not be an ordinary person.
Because of the delay here, the sky quickly darkened, and most of the team were demons who did not like to be restrained. Yuan Xianger and his party avoided the inn and chose a secluded place in the suburbs to settle down for the night.
The night fell, foxes and insects chirped, and most of the companions had fallen asleep.
Yuan Xiang'er leaned against Nan He's huge fluffy body and looked at the stars in the night sky.
(Xiao Nan, will you miss your parents?) Yuan Xianger started the contract and spoke in her mind.
(Well, I miss it from time to time.)
(They left Tianlang Mountain and didn't wait for you. Are you angry with them?)
(Angry, even though I knew they had to leave, I was still very sad and angry for a long time. But I still miss them a lot.)
Yuan Xianger and him looked at the Sirius star hanging low in the sky. The star was particularly dazzling in the night, as if he was looking at them on the ground from the night sky.
(When I was young, I couldn't get what I wanted, so I was depressed. Now I have gotten what I want most from my master and my wife. So, I no longer have any regrets.)
(Axiang, if you want to go back and have a look, I will accompany you.)
Although Yuan Xianger didn't say anything, Nan He guessed that she wanted to take a look after all.
Yuan Xianger rode on the back of Sirius, and soon took the night to quietly return to Yuanjia Village, where she came from.
On the night of early summer, the creek at the head of the village is flowing, the grass in the forest, and the shadows of the trees.
Occasionally, there are human voices speaking from the courtyard.
Everything was too quiet and peaceful.
This is not the hometown in Yuan Xianger's memory.
In Yuan Xiang'er's memory, this season is the most active day for the goblins. Plenty of rain and moist weather will make the glowing goblins dance happily in the woods, and make the barefoot goblins in the woods. Running through the grass.
Yuan Xianger walked slowly along the familiar dirt road.
there is none left. There are no firefly-like vegetation elves wandering in the air. There is no chattering chick or weasel, nor is there any bunny-eyed bunny.
Those big and small monsters have been completely wiped out and expelled by humans.
From a yard came the sound of children playing,
"It's getting dark, don't run around, be careful to be caught by the goblin." The elders in the family frightened him like this.
"Hee hee, grandma, you are talking nonsense. There are no fairies in this world." The child was not afraid.
When Yuan Xianger was still young, although most of the children could not see the demons roaming the world, they still had a fear of such a name in their hearts.
After all, those weird creatures that are different from humanoids really live by their side.
But in more than ten years, children who have never seen a goblin have gradually begun to forget about those creatures and listen to them as legends from their parents and elders.
Yuan Xianger turned on the cover of the sky to hide her figure, and came to the home where she lived when she was a child.
The yard has been expanded, and two new brick houses have been added, with blue brick and white walls, gray and black tiles, and the festive couplets on the door frames have not been removed.
The parents and grandma still live in the dilapidated rammed-earth thatched hut. In this newly built house, which was sold by several daughters, the son who is in charge of the reception of the Yuan family's lineage lives.
Yuan Xiang'er, who was hiding her figure, entered a dim bedroom. On the bed in that room lay her grandmother who had been sick at home for many years.
When the old man was young, he had the strength to stand outside the gate with his arms on his hips and scolded for several hours, which could be heard from the beginning of the village to the end of the village.
Now that he is about to die, he can only lie on the hospital bed sluggishly, and even family members cannot distinguish accurately, and often call his eldest grandson his son's name.
Yuan Xianger looked at her. This grandma, who had never liked girls since she was a child, found out a package of caramel that had been hidden for a long time and handed it to her on the day she left home.
"Grandma, I'm here to see you." Yuan Xiang'er said softly.
The old man opened his cloudy eyes and squinted for a long time,
"Ah Xiang, it's A Xiang who is back." The old man said tremblingly with his toothless mouth open.
…
When Father Yuan came into the house with the decoction, the elderly mother grabbed his arm,
"Son, Ah Xiang is back."
"Mother, you are confused again, Xiang'er is no longer at our house."
"She's back, she was standing here just now."
Father Yuan didn't take it seriously, and it was not a day or two for mother to lose consciousness.
He put the hot medicine bowl on the table, and was suddenly stunned. On the table was a neat package of caramel and three silver ingots.
Father Yuan threw down the medicine bowl and chased outside the door. Outside the courtyard was a silent night, on the dim dirt road, a young girl stood there quietly, her handsome features made him feel both familiar and unfamiliar.
"Axiang, are you Xiang'er?" Father Yuan asked hesitantly.
A gust of evening wind blew past, rolling up fine dust and sand. Father Yuan rubbed his eyes and looked again. The figure of the daughter who had grown up in the dream disappeared without a trace, and there was nowhere to look.
Whether he is ashamed or not, no one can know, and there is no need to know.
After the sky was bright, everyone set off in the direction of Kunlun Mountain.
Yuan Xiang'er lay on the back of Nan He, who had turned into a wolf, and slept soundly all the way.
"Why is Ah Xiang still sleeping today? Did you not sleep last night?" Wu Yuan asked in confusion.
Nan He: "Be quiet, she didn't get much rest last night."
Qingyuan smiled and said, "Did you go to see her parents with you last night? I knew that this child's heart is still soft. Did you reconcile with her parents yesterday?"
"Xiang'er doesn't have to make peace with anyone. She just made peace with herself," Nan He said.