Chapter 005: Sister Xiang'er

Xiang'er laughed at the door, saying: "Hehe, you are wearing Xiang'er's clothes. Do they look good?" Yi Xin scratched his head and laughed along. Xiang'er came over and asked with concern: "Does your injury still hurt?" "It doesn't hurt anymore," Yi Xin replied. His external injuries had mostly healed, and he didn't dare mention his headache, fearing it would worry Xiang'er. He simply said, "I want to go outside for a walk." "Okay, I'll help you," Xiang'er said, supporting him as they slowly walked out of the wooden house, step by step.

"Your elder brother?" Uncle Liu was taken aback, and without further questioning, he first intervened, saying, "You are still injured..."

Yixin slowly woke up, feeling dizzy and heavy-headed, with his entire body still in severe pain. He gently opened his eyes and was surprised to find himself lying on a small wooden bed. The room contained only three wooden beds—one large and two small—along with a small table and two low stools, with no other furniture. Two animal skins were hung on the wall.

With determination, he picked up a stone from the ground and thought, "As long as the stone hits the place where those two are hiding, it might just startle them into revealing themselves. Even if they remain hidden, at least it will allow Uncle Liu to take a look there, providing some level of caution."

Xiang'er fell asleep after feeling sad. Yi Xin had just carried her into the house and laid her down. Hearing the sound of the fence gate, he knew that Uncle Liu had returned, and hurriedly went out to greet him

In the following days, Yixin could only lie in bed, dozing off for a while and then waking up again. Each time he awoke, he would see Xiang'er sitting by the bed, smiling at him with great joy. When she noticed he was awake, Xiang'er would wipe his face and feed him. Yixin tried to sit up and do things for himself, but Xiang'er would coax him gently, saying, "Be good, don't move. I'll take care of it." Yixin always felt a warmth in his heart. Sometimes, in a hazy state, he would hear Xiang'er softly humming a song, and an indescribable sweetness would fill his heart. He would pretend to sleep a little longer just to continue listening to Xiang'er's sweet voice.

Zheng Yuanshan, Du Zhong, Yi Xin, and Xiang Er were all taken aback, and they simultaneously followed his gaze.

Xiang'er found a few large leaves to place on the ground and sat down with Yixin, watching their father watering the vegetables with a ladle. She suddenly looked at Yixin's bald head and asked, "Brother Yixin, why do you have no hair?" Yixin looked at her, smiled shyly, and said, "I don't know either. The senior and junior brothers in the temple are all like this." Xiang'er said, "Can I touch your head?" Uncle Liu glanced at his daughter, about to stop her, but saw that Yixin had already leaned his head towards Xiang'er's hand, and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.

"I have a mark too," Xiang'er said, placing the little rabbit into Yixin's hands, while she rolled up her sleeves to reveal a red mark on her right arm. "Look, doesn't it look like a willow leaf?" "It really does look like one," Yixin couldn't help but reach out to touch it, "and it's still red.

In the distance, the layers of mountains are clearly visible. From a high vantage point, one feels a sense of tranquility and joy. With both hands cupped around the mouth, facing the empty valley, I shout loudly: "I have arrived! I am Yixin!" The echo of that shout reverberates through the valley.

"Is it nice, Brother Yixin?" Xiang'er asked after finishing her song, turning her head.

Uncle Liu instructed them to go inside the house, then closed the fence gate, taking some food with him to the mountain to find his "big brother".

"The Tomb of the Beloved Wife of the Li Family." Old Zheng read the inscription on the tombstone aloud, looking at him in confusion, and asked, "It's a woman buried here, so what?" The man replied, "Do you remember? It seems that Liu Zhengfeng's wife also has the surname Li." Old Zheng thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "That's right. Brother Duzhong, are you suggesting..."

Xiang'er said, "Father is in the vegetable garden, let's go find him." Yixin was delighted to be with her and happily nodded. Xiang'er took Yixin's hand and ran towards the back of the small house

He wandered around, walking far away from the library, and unexpectedly found himself unable to locate the path he had taken. It turned out that he was too focused on searching for and identifying medicinal herbs, without paying attention to the terrain and topography of the mountains, nor did he make any markings. What should he do now

With great effort, he struggled a couple of times, but to no avail, so he could only continue lying there, staring blankly at the father and daughter. The man covered him with a blanket and said softly, "You are seriously injured, so do not move for now. Just lie there like this." He then turned to the little girl and said, "Xiang'er, go bring him a bowl of porridge."

Upon seeing the grave of Xiang'er’s mother, the man with an iron ruler at his waist seemed somewhat surprised: "How did we end up in the graveyard? This is truly inauspicious!" Another person, after reading the inscription on the tombstone, could not help but feel delighted, pointing at the tombstone and exclaiming: "Old Zheng, look at this."

The morning in the deep mountains is fresh, with clear air and a sky adorned with light clouds

At this moment, faintly, someone could be heard speaking, and it seemed to be approaching this way. That was not Uncle Liu's voice. In a hurry, Yixin pulled Xiang'er to hide in the thicket behind the grave.

Not far ahead, there is a high cliff. I thought to myself: "The elevation there should allow for a broader view." Thus, I began to climb towards the cliff.

He sat up, remained still for a moment, and suddenly a sense of foreboding surged in his heart. He supported himself to stand up, following the direction in which Yixin had gone, and while hastily walking, he shouted loudly: "Yixin, where are you? Yixin..."

Uncle Liu shook his head when he saw Yixin come out and said, "There is no one there. I wandered around the vicinity again, but still found nothing. I only found this." As he spoke, he handed over an iron flask and a short sword.

After lying in bed for a long time, stepping outside the house brings a refreshing feeling of air. As the gentle breeze blows, my spirits are greatly lifted. His clothes are hanging on the pole, and the areas that were torn by branches and rocks have already been mended.

The two individuals walked intermittently, and before they knew it, they had arrived in the deep mountains of the southern Tuo Peak area of the Taihang Mountains (located at the border of present-day Hebei and Shanxi provinces)

Yixin saw Uncle Liu returning alone, and Ding Buer did not accompany him, causing a sudden jolt in his heart as he stood there in a daze

Following Xiang'er closely, I took a detour and arrived nearby, only to discover that there were low bushes on three sides, surrounding a cleared patch of land where the short grass barely reached my ankles, lush and green. In the center of the clearing stood a mound of earth, in front of which was a stone tablet inscribed with: "Tomb of my deceased wife, Li"

Uncle Liu brought back a wild rabbit. Xiang'er was very fond of it, often cradling it in her arms and petting it incessantly. However, her mind was still preoccupied with the matter of Ding Buer, causing her distress, and her headaches would occasionally flare up.

"Does it still hurt?" Xiang'er extended her small hand and gently touched beside the scar. Suddenly, she noticed three moles the size of green beans under Yixin's left collarbone, and curiously reached out to touch them. "How did this happen?"

On this day, Ding Buer coughed up blood again. Yixin helped him lie down on the bluestone and said, "I will go gather some medicine." Ding Buer replied, "I cannot go with you; you must be extra careful." Yixin prepared a pouch of clean water for Ding Buer and then went out to collect herbs. Once Yixin had walked far away, Ding Buer lay down again and murmured to himself, "I wonder if I helped him, or if he helped me. Haha. Having roamed the rivers and lakes alone for over ten years, it is rare to encounter such a little brother."

I want to find Ding..." With a sense of urgency, Yi Xin stood up. Just as the words were about to leave his lips, he suddenly recalled Ding Buer's admonition, and thus refrained from mentioning Ding Buer's name, instead saying, "I want to find my elder brother."

In the evening, Uncle Liu returned

Yixin was greatly shocked, but it was already too late to retreat. With a sudden "crack," the root of the forceful branch snapped in response, and the tree branch fell down. Yixin suddenly tumbled down, his body was thrown out, and the fruits in his arms scattered into the air

With a heart full of gratitude, he struggled to say: "Thank you, benefactor..." He intended to say "thank you, master," but suddenly recalled that Ding Buer had told him that he was no longer a monk and should not address anyone as master. Thus, he was momentarily at a loss for what to call him. Just as he moved, it pulled at his wound, and he couldn't help but let out a soft "ah".

The sound of chopping wood, "ka! ka!", shattered the tranquility of the morning. Compared to the occasional chirping of birds, the sound of chopping wood is particularly striking and conveys a sense of vitality.

Indeed, one can see far and wide from a high vantage point. With a heart relying on memory to roughly discern the direction, he felt a sense of joy. He was unwilling to descend the same path he had come, but instead chose to slowly walk down along the gentle slope on the southern side

One day, he suddenly realized: "Since Uncle Liu hasn't found Brother Ding, it means he is fine. Brother Ding is so knowledgeable, how could anything happen to him? He must have left on his own since he couldn't wait for me to return. It must be like that." With this thought, he felt much better. Now that Brother Ding has also left, and he has nowhere to go, why not stay here and be with Xiang'er and Uncle Liu? Wouldn't that be nice?

The two individuals concealed themselves in the bushes, waiting for Uncle Liu's arrival. Recalling the scene where the Tianshan Evil Spirit and Meng Kun set an ambush to harm Brother Ding, Yixin immediately felt anxious, contemplating a plan. He only wanted to find an opportunity to sneak away with Xiang'er and then return to inform Uncle Liu. However, going out now would surely lead to their discovery, so he had to endure for the time being

The two of them then burrowed into the thicket to the left of the grave mound, waiting for Liu Zhengfeng to arrive

Xiang'er said again: "Mother must be very happy, right?" After saying this, she quietly listened, as if her mother were right in front of her speaking. Then she joyfully said: "I understand now. Thank you, Mother." She bowed her head to the ground once more, then turned to Yixin and asked: "Brother Yixin, I want you to be my brother, will you?" Yixin was willing to do anything to make Xiang'er happy, so he nodded repeatedly: "I am willing, willing." Xiang'er was very happy and turned to the grave saying: "Mother, Brother Yixin has agreed." As she spoke, she pulled Yixin to bow together. Then she turned to Yixin and asked again: "Brother Yixin, I want you to be my brother, will you?" Yixin was willing to do anything to make Xiang'er happy, so he nodded repeatedly: "I am willing, willing." Xiang'er was very happy and turned to the grave saying: "Mother, Brother Yixin has agreed." As she spoke, she pulled Yixin to bow together. Yixin was quite earnest, bowing until his forehead nearly bled.

Uncle Liu had just fetched water from the creek when he saw Xiang'er running over with Yi Xin. He hurriedly called out, "Xiang'er, don't run. Yi Xin gege is injured and cannot move." Xiang'er, caught up in her excitement, had completely forgotten about it. Now, as her father reminded her, she quickly stopped and asked with concern, "Yi Xin gege, are you okay?" Yi Xin, enduring the headache, smiled and replied, "I'm fine." He was worried that Xiang'er would be reprimanded by her father.

Uncle Liu comforted, "Do not be anxious. You cannot climb the mountain right now; even if you find him, you won't be able to save him. Why not tell me where he is? I can go find him and carry him back for treatment."

Two individuals approached, dressed alike. One had a dagger hanging from his waist, while the other had two iron rulers tucked into his belt

Xiang'er’s small hand gently roamed over Yixin's head, exceptionally soft, as if afraid of causing any harm. Yixin felt that Xiang'er’s hand was both soft and warm, and it felt very comfortable on his head. Remembering her attentive care over the past few days, his heart was filled with sweetness.

The little girl pulled her father into the room, but shyly hid behind him, peeking out. The man walked to the bedside, touched Yixin's forehead, and said: "It's nothing serious. Ah, finally awake." "You've been asleep for two days," the little girl said before hiding behind her father again.

He searched diligently along the way and, to his surprise, reaped quite a harvest, stuffing many items into his waist and arms, with a joyful expression evident on his face. It is estimated that the medicinal materials would be sufficient for three to five days. However, concerned about Ding Buer's injuries, he decided not to be greedy and turned back.

"Yixin! Yixin!" Ding Bu'er called out twice, but there was no response. He began to feel uneasy in his heart, "It's already so late, why haven't they returned yet?"

Xiang'er came out of the wooden house holding a small rabbit and saw Yi Xin sitting under a tree. She walked over and said, "Yi Xin Gege, let me take a look at your wound." Yi Xin, fearing that she would worry, hurriedly concealed it, saying, "I just checked, it's all healed." Xiang'er insisted, "Let me see." Yi Xin could no longer refuse, so he opened his clothing slightly, revealing only a few relatively shallow scars.

Four individuals are hidden in two places within the thicket, and at this moment, none dare to make a sound, resulting in a sudden silence

Yixin said: "This is a mole, one that I was born with. My ancestral master said this is my mark"

Xiang'er saw that Yi Xin was very happy, so she pulled him to sit down against a big tree, and then began to sing earnestly. The song depicted the scene of two children playing under a big tree by the river. The tree was adorned with beautiful flowers, some red and some white, extremely lovely. One little girl was the younger sister, named Xiao Ya; the other was the older brother, named Da Ya. Little sister Xiao Ya looked up at the flowers on the tree, very fond of them and wanting to have them. Older brother Da Ya climbed up the tree to pick some for her. Little sister Xiao Ya watched her brother picking flowers for her with great joy, clapping her hands continuously. Of course, older brother Da Ya was also very happy, which made him even more energetic. Little sister Xiao Ya was so focused on watching her brother picking flowers that she didn't pay attention to her feet and accidentally stepped into a puddle, starting to cry. Older brother Da Ya saw this and quickly jumped down from the tree, not caring about whether his feet hurt from the fall, he reached out a hand to wipe his sister's tears while handing her a big bunch of beautiful flowers he had just picked, saying, "Sister, don't be afraid, Da Ya will carry you home." Little sister Xiao Ya looked at the flowers that her brother had just picked for her, extremely happy, no longer crying, and forgetting about stepping into the puddle. She smiled and said, "Brother, let's go home."

With a dazed expression, he stared at her, listening to her speak alone to her mother in the grave, recalling how he often lay on the ground, talking to the large stone as if conversing with his ancestral grandfather.

Xiang'er suddenly asked, "Yixin Gege, where are your father and mother?" Yixin lowered his head, hugging his knees with both hands, and softly replied, "I grew up in the temple since I was little, without a father or a mother." Xiang'er gently responded with an "oh" and fell silent. Compared to her earlier joyful demeanor, she seemed like a different person, and she quietly said, "I also no longer have a mother."

This is a small courtyard in the valley, surrounded by a simple fence made of branches

Xiang'er pulled Yixin to the grave and said, "This is my mother's grave." As she spoke, she knelt down in front of the tombstone. Seeing Xiang'er kneel, Yixin also knelt down and bowed. Xiang'er bowed twice and said to the grave, "Mother, I want Yixin brother to be my brother, what do you think?"

At this time of spring, the mountains are adorned with hues of yellow, red, brown, and green, resembling a splash of colors. This place is rarely visited by people, with lush vegetation, making it indeed an excellent location for recuperation and seclusion

Uncle Liu noticed that both children were silent and sad, so he quickly changed the subject: "Little Master Yixin, how did you come to be here? Who else came with you?" Only then did Yixin remember Ding Buer and felt a sudden panic, quickly asking: "Uncle Liu, how long have I been here?" Uncle Liu replied: "It has been more than half a month. You were in a deep sleep for the first few days, and afterward, you were in and out of sleep."

Just as I was puzzled, I suddenly saw a little girl walking in with a bowl. Upon seeing that he was awake, she turned around and ran out, and then I heard her excited voice shouting outside the door: "Father, he is awake, he is awake"

The two little ones opened the fence gate and exited the small courtyard

"Sounds good, sounds good," replied with great joy.

The man carrying a knife is named Du Zhong, who analyzed: "In this desolate mountain wilderness, where could a solitary grave come from? Is it not suspicious?" Old Zheng also showed a pleased expression and said: "For four years, I, Zheng Yue, have traveled from east to west across the mountains; today, I have finally seen hope.

The man sighed softly, saying, "Alas. Who knows? Let's eat first." As he spoke, he stood up and went to set the table.

Under the meticulous care of Uncle Liu and the attentive nurturing of Xiang'er, Yixin's external injuries gradually improved, and he slowly regained his strength

Zheng Yuanshan and Du Zhong each held an iron ruler and a waist knife in hand, waiting for the right moment to leap out and catch him off guard

Ding Buer dozed off in a daze. When he woke up, the sun was already close to setting

Yixin looked at the two with heartfelt gratitude, feeling a sense of closeness in her heart, and softly replied: "My name is Yixin"

Ding Bu'er gradually regained his strength, but his injuries had not yet lessened. Concerned about encountering enemies seeking revenge, Ding Bu'er decided to retreat deep into the mountains to recuperate. Yi Xin took great care of him along the way. Ding Bu'er taught Yi Xin to identify some herbs that could treat internal injuries. Following Ding Bu'er's guidance, Yi Xin went around collecting herbs to treat his wounds

After crossing the small stream and walking about 100 steps, there appeared a gently sloping area ahead. The soil and water here are rich, and the vegetation is lush.

Xiang'er smiled and said, "Both of us have marks, how wonderful." The two children were indeed innocent and adorable; upon seeing that they both had special marks, they were so delighted that they couldn't stop smiling for a long time.

With a heart fully devoted to watching Xiang'er and listening to her sweet singing, I could roughly imagine what kind of scene it was. A lovely little sister like Xiang'er and a young brother of similar age playing together under a tree. Perhaps they had known each other for a long time, or maybe they had encountered each other by chance like I did, but in any case, they were very happy together, just like I am now. If I were that young brother, I would certainly climb the tree to pick flowers for Xiang'er. ... Perhaps they had known each other for a long time, or maybe they had encountered each other by chance like I did, but in any case, they were very happy together, just like I am now. If I were that young brother, I would certainly climb the tree to pick flowers for Xiang'er. ... If Xiang'er stepped into a puddle, I would definitely jump down without hesitation to wipe her tears...

Yixin roughly understood from the conversation between the two that they were looking for someone named Liu Zhengfeng. They believed that this grave was related to Liu Zhengfeng, and a thought flashed through his mind: "Could Uncle Liu be the Liu Zhengfeng they are searching for?" He then turned to Xiang'er. Xiang'er guessed what he was thinking and gently nodded. She looked at Yixin anxiously, hoping he would come up with a plan soon.

He felt at ease in his heart and happily laughed for a while. With nothing to do, he unfastened his clothing and began to count the scars on his body. After several days of recuperation, the external injuries had mostly healed. Upon roughly counting, he found that there were as many as fourteen marks remaining.

Xiang'er saw her father and almost cried out, fearing that she would expose herself and suffer harm, she hurriedly covered her mouth

Suddenly, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out, and Ding Buer collapsed to the ground. The short sword he had at his waist fell out and slid into the grass

How is Brother Ding doing now? Unable to stay inside the house, I stood in the courtyard looking around, hoping that Uncle Liu would find him soon and bring him back

"Ahem." Xiang'er responded cheerfully and ran out quickly, soon returning with a bowl of hot porridge, which she handed to her father. The man fed it to Yixin mouthful by mouthful.

With a wine jug and a short sword in hand, Yixin felt a heart-wrenching pain, and tears streamed down her face.

A man in his late thirties set down his axe and sat on a low stool at the entrance of the small wooden cabin, wiping his face with his clothing. He turned back and asked inside the house: "Xiang'er, has the little monk woken up yet?"

Xiang'er has fulfilled a wish and is very happy. Seeing her joyful, naturally, I am also happy.

With a focused gaze on Uncle Liu, knowing that what he said was reasonable, he recounted from memory the whereabouts of Ding Buer and entrusted him to go and rescue the person

This is precisely a prominent boulder, suspended in mid-air beneath the feet, leaving no point of support. The remaining tree roots were gradually pulled out, and finally, the last one snapped.

The branch grew out from the crevice of the mountain rock, its foundation not solid. When Yixin leaned his weight onto it, it began to loosen. Yixin thought about how he could treat Ding Buer and Tushumei to a feast, and he was already filled with excitement, momentarily forgetting his own predicament. He leaned over the branch and reached out to grab the fruit at the end of it. The tree root could not bear the weight and gradually began to break away.

Desiring to sit up with all one's heart, yet unable to move, with not a shred of strength in the body

A few more days passed

Thinking of Ding Bu Er's injuries, I wonder if he has eaten anything these days. Yi Xin is very anxious: "He is seriously injured. I need to go gather medicine for him and find him something to eat."

Xiang'er said: "This is what my mother taught me. She often sang to me. She loved me very much. Later, my mother fell ill, and then..." At this point, Xiang'er became sad again, resting her head on Yixin's knee, murmuring: "I miss my mother."

With a loud scream, he fell into the empty valley... The cry echoed through the valley...

The man helped him lie down and said gently, "Just call me Uncle Liu." He pulled the little girl over, and she cheerfully said, "My name is Xiang'er. What about you, what is your name?"

Du Zhong said: "Since Lady Li is buried here, it is likely that Liu Zhengfeng will not be too far away. We might as well stay here for a couple of days." Tie Chi Zheng Yuanshan nodded in agreement

On this day, Yixin woke up, but Xiang'er was not by the bedside. He lifted the quilt and slowly got out of bed. As he stood up, his head suddenly buzzed, and he nearly fell. Supporting himself against the edge of the bed, he closed his eyes and rested for a while, and the headache gradually subsided. Feeling that his clothes were somewhat tight, he looked down and realized that he was no longer wearing his original garments.

Xiang'er fell silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and said, "Yixin Gege, I will take you to a place." Yixin responded with an "Oh," stood up as well, and followed behind Xiang'er

Suddenly, Liu turned around and shouted loudly, "Who is it?!"

Zheng Yuanshan and Du Zhong were indeed delighted to see Liu Zhengfeng arrive, exchanging glances with each other before each reaching out to grasp their weapons

There are no roads on the mountain. Fortunately, Yixin has grown up on the mountain since childhood, engaging in the laborious tasks of chopping firewood and fetching water, which has greatly enhanced his physical strength, and he has long been accustomed to traversing the rugged terrain.

Suddenly, I was struck by a bright idea and discovered that among the tangled branches at the edge of the cliff, a few bright orange fruits were faintly protruding. Overjoyed, I hurried over, pushed aside the branches, leaned out, and reached out to pick them.

Uncle Liu threw the ladle into the bucket, walked over, and gently stroked his daughter's hair, saying, "Why bring this up when everything is fine?" Xiang'er leaned her head against her father's leg, tears welling in her eyes. Yixin saw this and wanted to comfort her, but did not know what to say.

Xiang'er followed closely beside him, not understanding his thoughts, and simply asked: "Yixin Gege, can you sing?" Yixin shook his head. Xiang'er said: "Then let me sing for you."

Having grown up in the mountains and experienced some challenges, he, in a moment of panic, still managed to grasp the branches with both hands, leaving his body suspended in mid-air at the edge of the cliff

Alright. I enjoy listening to ... ... "Yixin is speaking from the heart. There were several times when I woke up and heard her humming, and I was reluctant to interrupt, so I continued to pretend to be asleep, delighted to hear a few more lines. Of course, Xiang'er was unaware of this. Yixin also did not wish to reveal this secret, so she did not continue speaking

Liu Zhengfeng placed fresh flowers in front of his wife's grave and softly said: "Hai Zhi, I have come to see you again"

Near the cliff, the terrain is even steeper, and the vegetation is not as lush as in other places. Yixin cautiously climbed onto a large rock, sat down, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and took a short rest. The air in the mountains is truly refreshing. Yixin took a few deep breaths and felt revitalized. He continued to climb a few more steps, grasped a thick vine, and used it for support to ascend the high cliff

Before long, the sound of footsteps was heard again. A person came over, holding a large bunch of wildflowers, and it was Uncle Liu.

"Not yet, Father," a girl of about twelve or thirteen years old came out of the room, helping the man to massage his shoulders. "It's been two days already, why hasn't he woken up yet?"