The sky was overcast and the rain poured down. She fell on the muddy ground, her hands dripping with blood. She felt no pain at all under the wash of the rain. There was a look of indifference in his eyes, as if he had no attachment to this world at all.
Just like this, just die like this...
At this moment, a figure faintly appeared in the gradually blurred vision. The man held up a large aqua umbrella to shield her from the rain hitting her body.
"Why are you lying in the rain and sleeping? I have a more comfortable place, do you want to go and see it?"
These words reached her ears along with the sound of rain, and then she fell completely into darkness.
When she woke up again, she found that she was lying in a small wooden house, with the bed under her not even having a mattress.
Is this the "more comfortable place" that the old man said
She looked at her hands. The wounds had been treated, but the fingers were broken. What was the use of keeping them
The heavy rain outside has not stopped yet, and the patter of rain penetrates into the house, and the humid air gives people a gloomy feeling.
She stared blankly upward, as motionless as a puppet.
"Hey, you're awake?" The wooden door was opened, and an old man walked in. His hair and beard were messy, as if he hadn't taken care of them for a long time, and he looked like a beggar.
"I brought you hot porridge. The girl from the neighboring village made it. It tastes good. Why don't you get up and eat some?"
She showed no reaction, and her whole body exuded the air of death.
The old man put down the food box, took off his raincoat, and said to himself: "Don't lie down, your fingers are only slightly injured. If you can run and jump, get up and eat by yourself."
Just a little injury to your finger? She closed her eyes in pain.
She lost her family, her husband, her children, her dignity, her identity, and now she lost the hands she relied on to survive. What was left for her
She has... nothing left.
"You really don't want to eat?" the old man said casually while chewing something, "The fragrant hot porridge, the roasted chicken that is charred on the outside and tender on the inside, are very delicious."
very noisy! Can't she be allowed to die peacefully
The aroma lingers in the nose, making people feel restless.
The old man ate happily and praised it from time to time.
She was unmoved and didn't even look at him in the end, but her stomach honestly reflected her hunger.
The old man heyed a few times, put away the dishes, turned around and walked out of the house, and the surroundings returned to dead silence.
The next day, the old man appeared in the house again with food. He ate happily as before and did not force her. He just said some nonsensical words.
On the third day, he came again.
At this time, her eyes were dazzled by hunger and her limbs were weak, but she still had a breath left.
The fourth day... the fifth day... It's strange, she was obviously extremely weak, but she didn't die.
It wasn't until the seventh day that she finally couldn't bear it anymore and shouted in a hoarse voice: "Why did you save me? Why didn't you let me die?"
The old man smiled and said, "It would be nice to take one more look at these green mountains and green waters, with hundreds of herbs and red leaves."
After saying this, the old man left with his hands behind his back and did not appear again the next day.
She curled up on the bed, feeling her life force passing away little by little.
Just like that, let her die in peace, let her die in peace.
It's enough that she has been living alone until now, that's enough...
What's the point of continuing to live
"It would be nice to take one more look at these green mountains and green waters, with hundreds of herbs and red leaves." The old man's words suddenly came to mind.
She opened her eyes and looked into the dim room, suddenly feeling very cold.
One more look, just one more look, okay
She pushed herself up with difficulty and moved towards the wooden door step by step.
He raised his bandaged hand and pushed open the somewhat old wooden door.
The sunlight outside the house instantly fell on her.
She covered her eyes with her hands and slowly adjusted to the light outside through the gaps between her fingers.
Putting down her hands, she slowly opened her eyes. Under the boundless sky, there were undulating peaks and mist lingering in the distance, like a sea of clouds making waves. The trees are lush and green, swaying in the wind, reflecting the stars in the sun. The empty valley with chirping birds, gurgling springs, fences, stone mills, and polygonatum looks like a picture scroll.
The fragrance of flowers is pleasant and the warm breeze is intoxicating.
Walking out of the dark wooden house, under the sunshine, looking up at the sky, I felt sad for no reason, and tears came to my eyes.
"The scenery here is unique, isn't it?" the old man's voice came from behind.
She looked back and saw him sitting casually on the steps, knitting bamboo baskets in his hands. Although he was dressed in coarse linen clothes and unkempt, he was full of energy and had a stern look, which revealed a kind of transcendent wisdom.
"Now that you're out, come and sit with the old man for a while." The old man patted the empty space beside him and pointed to the refreshments on the stone table. "There is tea on the table. If you are thirsty, drink some."
She walked slowly to the stone table, hooked her thumb on the teapot, and poured a cup of tea tremblingly. Then he held the teacup with both hands and took a sip.
The sweet taste on her tongue made her slightly dazed.
What kind of tea is this? Is it so fragrant
"How does it taste?" the old man said with a smile, "This is the tea I brewed myself, you can't drink it anywhere else."
She put down her tea cup, walked silently to the old man, sat down, and stared into the distance.
The old man pointed at her and smiled: "You should take a look in the mirror. You look so sloppy, just like a female beggar."
You seem to be no less generous.
She glanced at the old man first, and then looked down at herself. She was really dirty, and she could even smell it. But the bandage on her hand was very clean. Apparently the old man had changed it for her several times while she was sleeping. My fingers are not as painful as before, just a little numb and itchy.
"Your hands," the old man said when he saw her staring at his hands, "actually it's not serious."
"Nothing serious?" she said with a wry smile, "Old man, there is no need to comfort me. I know how badly I was injured. Even if the bones heal, they will never be as flexible as before. I make a living by embroidery. Without these hands, I’m just a loser.”
"I never comfort people." The old man waved his hand and said, "If I say it's not a serious problem, it's not a serious problem. However, your body has suffered too much, and I'm afraid you won't live long."
Sure enough, it doesn’t comfort people…
"I have no love in my life, so let me die." If she hadn't met this old man, she might have been dead.
"That's not possible. You haven't repaid me for saving my life yet?"
Did she not want to be rescued at all
"Didn't you also say that?" She said calmly, "I won't live much longer. If I want to repay your life-saving grace, I have to wait until the next life."
"I don't like credit." The old man said confidently, "Don't worry, I will let you live to repay my life-saving grace."
"How long was that?"
"About two years."
I didn’t expect to live for another two years.
"Two years..." She murmured to herself, "That's two years, but what's the use of me being a useless person?"
"This is my business." The old man chuckled, "You can do whatever I tell you to do."
She didn't reply. For a person who has nothing left, what else is there to be afraid of
So, she stayed in this cabin.
The old man goes out every day and often disappears for several days. Usually a little girl aged 13 or 14 will come to take care of her, bring her meals and help her change her dressing.
The old man never asked about her past and seemed not to be interested in her identity or experience at all.
He possesses peerless medical skills and profound knowledge, but he never pays attention to appearance and behaves casually. He likes to do handicrafts, chopping firewood and planting vegetables, and enjoys it. Although he is over seventy years old, his body is very healthy, his face is glowing every day, and he is full of energy. No wonder the little girl always calls him the old god.
She guessed that this old man was probably the legendary hermit who had great talent but was devoted to the mountains and rivers.
Before she knew it, more than a month had passed, and her injuries had healed almost completely.
After taking off the bandage, her fingers were as stiff as she expected, and she could hardly hold the cup.
The once white jade-like fingers have now become scarred remnants.
She can no longer play the piano, can no longer embroider, and can no longer even maintain a basic life.
She brushed off the tea cup on the table and hit the table hard with a half-clenched fist.
"Wasteless person, useless person, you are just a useless person!" She burst into tears.
Why on earth does she want to live? Why still live? Is there anything in this world that she is attached to
"Hey, I finally healed your hand, so don't break it again." The old man walked into the room and shouted to her, "You still have to keep your hand to repay your kindness. Take it easy."
She turned away and wiped away her tears.
"Okay, hurry up and wash your face, it's so ugly." The old man said with disgust, "Come out after washing, I have something for you to do."
She stood up silently, washed her face and walked to the yard.
The old man pointed to the dustpan on the table and ordered: "Go and help me peel the peanuts. The skin on the peanut kernels must also be peeled off. I only want the white flesh."
She sat down at the table as instructed, picked up the peanuts, and peeled them one by one with great effort.
My fingers are weak and it takes me a long time to peel a peanut. But she had no right to complain, and kept repeating the same actions with a numb expression.
It took her a whole afternoon to peel a handful of peanuts, and her fingers were sore and painful.
This small pain was nothing to her.
"Come over for dinner." The old man greeted in the room.
"I haven't finished peeling it yet. Eat it after peeling it off." She had no intention of getting up. She seemed to be competing with herself and continued to work.
The old man came over, put his hands on his hips and said, "Eat when I tell you to. If you don't obey, be careful and I will punish you by memorizing the Heart Sutra!"
She stopped and walked into the house under the old man's glare.
She walked unsteadily and her back was slightly arched, like an old woman. She is only in her forties, but she lives like an old person in her eighties or nineties.
The old man asked behind her: "Little woman, what is your name?"
She paused in her steps and replied with difficulty: "My surname is Qi, Qi Surong."
Even if she loses everything, she doesn't want to throw away her name.
No matter how humble she lives, she is still Qi Surong...