He had a big bag under his eyes and squinted his eyes as he said to us, "We, the Zhuzhu tribe, have been here for more than 200 years. In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, people sent us food, but no one cared about us anymore. We survived by reclaiming wasteland and farming. But when there was a drought, we would starve for a year. It's a good thing that the government still remembers us. We don't have to worry about food and drink in the future."
We were all stunned. He was talking about the government. It seemed that no one had taken care of them for many years. Shen Bing couldn't help but ask him curiously, "The government doesn't care about you. Maybe they don't know you exist. Why don't you go to the government?"
The chief frowned and said, "The rule of the Zhu Shou tribe is that you can only go in and not go out. Because we are unlucky in the eyes of the world, we don't want to be looked down upon by the world, so no one is allowed to go out."
"You'd rather starve to death than go out?" Shen Bing asked with eyes wide open.
"I would rather die than leave the mountain!" The old patriarch answered this question in a resounding voice.
This is also a kind of spirit. Although it is a rather pedantic persistence, they can reproduce and survive here from generation to generation, making a living with difficulty, all for the purpose of protecting this bamboo forest and providing peace for the beautiful world outside. They are indeed worthy of our respect!
I complimented the Shouzhu tribe a few times, flattering the old chief, and he seemed to be enjoying himself, as if he had drunk aged wine, and closed his eyes and smoked a cigarette, looking very satisfied. Taking this opportunity, I also asked about the situation in the valley and whether there was a legendary bone cave at the foot of Jiming Mountain.
When the old clan leader heard the last part, his eyes widened with a nervous look, and he said to me, "Don't believe the rumors. How could there be a bone cave that harms people? We only have the bamboo forest that suppresses ghosts here. Those ignorant people insisted on breaking in, and ended up touching the bamboo and having their souls taken away by bamboo worms."
Seeing how nervous the old man was, the White Bone Cave was probably right at the foot of Jiming Mountain. That place might be too evil, and they didn't want anyone to get close to it, so they kept it a secret.
Now that we have found the White Bone Cave, it is time to look for Chen Ming. Once we find Chen Ming, we will have no problem finding the spirit fox.
I touched my nose and thought, instead of looking for Chen Ming in the mountains like looking for a needle in a haystack, it is better to wait and see. I will live here. I don’t believe that these four little guys can’t serve as bait to lure out the bastards!
At this moment, the weather outside changed again. It was only seven o'clock and it was completely dark. There was no light in the house. The darkness made people feel uncomfortable. In fact, it was not that they were stingy. There had been no supplies for many years. The lamp oil and candles had been cut off. How could they light the lamp? Lighting at night was a luxury.
I gave the old patriarch a flashlight, which made him so happy that his mouth was cracked like a gourd. This was the first time I saw him lose his composure since we met. I said it was getting dark and we planned to stay here for one night and leave the mountain tomorrow. He kept playing with the flashlight, as happy as a child playing with a new toy, and kept nodding his head in agreement.
Lao Hei asked the tribe leader quietly, "There is only one empty room in our village, and it was given to the people who came to give gifts the day before yesterday. Where should we let them live?"
We were all shocked when we heard this, and the three of us looked at each other. The person who gave the gift must be a bastard, right
The clan leader was in high spirits, and said to Lao Hei, "Hasn't that crazy girl at the east end of the village been missing again these past two days? Let's stay at her house first. If she comes back, let her stay at the ancestral hall."
After we thanked the old patriarch and left the house, we asked Lao Hei about the people who gave us the gifts. Lao Hei said that there were two kind-hearted people who heard about the plight of the ghost keepers and brought a large amount of food and clothing here. They have been staying here for two days.
Or two? I was stunned. Could it be a man and a woman? The woman who climbed on Qu Mo's head and showed her head last night was one of them
As he was talking, Lao Hei pointed to a dark figure in front and said, "Look, he is the kind-hearted man."
Shen Bing raised the flashlight and shone it over. We saw a very handsome young man standing in front of a mud house. We almost fainted. Damn it, how could it be Wang Zijun!