Chapter 2, where is the old man with the white beard

There is also a mother who raised herself alone; if she were to learn of her own death, she would surely collapse. Losing her husband when she was young and then losing her child in her old age, how could she possibly endure such blows

Zhou Heng thought carefully for a moment, looked at Old Xue, and said

Zhou Heng is merely an emergency doctor approaching thirty, unable to lift or carry heavy objects. Although he has long coveted the position of director, it has only been a desire without any schemes, tricks, or underhanded dealings. He hasn't even had a girlfriend.

Zhou Heng washed the mud off his hands and looked at Old Xue

Emerging from the mud yet untainted, the lotus root is snow-white and exceptionally delicious

Old Xue looked at Zhou Heng, and his expression clearly indicated disbelief. Without saying a word, he left. Zhou Heng was left in a state of confusion, wondering what this meant

Zhou Heng's cheeks trembled, this is a provocation. Asking an emergency doctor what skills he possesses is an insult

The boy named Mingyu, seemingly recalling the hardships of the old man, glared at Zhou Heng with resentment, and then continued to speak

Mingyu is on the shore, I will go and take a look. If this kid makes any unusual moves, you can go and call for help.

In an instant, flames soared into the sky. By the time the villagers arrived to break open the granary, all the wheat had turned to ashes, and even the west wing of my house was burned down. At this moment, searching for you yielded no trace. The clan leader of the Xue family helplessly convened the entire village to discuss the matter, deciding to temporarily hand over the food supplies as tax. If the grain manager were to learn of this, would you still have a chance to survive

Well, alas! I do not know if your elder brother can bring me some cooked lotus root, as this place is still empty.

Zhou Heng looked at the two and said, "As long as it is something I owe, I must certainly repay it. However, you must first tell me, who am I? How do you know me? I currently have no memory at all!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Laoda quickly stepped ashore, took off his outer robe and spread it on the ground, gathering all the lotus roots into the robe. He tied it with two knots, reached out, and hoisted the entire bundle of lotus roots onto his back

Even at the worst start, there is a dog, but what does this mean for me? I am faced with a pile of debts right from the beginning

After saying so much, Mingyu sat down on the ground and began to cry bitterly, holding his head.

Zhou Heng grasped the lotus leaf and felt down along the stem. Below, there was a lot of silt, and stirring the lake water slightly caused it to become murky. However, fortunately, the water was not very deep

Mingyu nodded and pointed to a road not far away, saying: "Young master, please follow me; that dilapidated temple is just beside the official road not far from here"

Brother Xue snorted again, released his grip on Mingyu, and fixed a hostile gaze on Zhou Heng, saying

Allow me to return to the village to explain the situation. Tonight, I will accompany you to that dilapidated temple at the foot of the mountain to spend the night. Mingyu will first take him to the temple, and we will explain to Brother Zhang tomorrow. If you just follow me back to the village, I fear you might be beaten to death.

Glancing at the distant figure of Master Xue, Zhou Heng shrank his neck and spoke in a lowered voice

May I ask for your esteemed surnames, how should I address you both

Very well, then I shall speak! In early spring of last year, an old man brought you to Lingshan Village in Qingping County, Jinan Prefecture of Daliang Kingdom. At that time, he rented an old house in the eastern courtyard of Brother Zhang's home next door to mine, saying that his family had encountered difficulties, leaving only the two of you, grandfather and grandson. You were somewhat dazed and confused due to the shock you had experienced, and he intended to help you recuperate your mind here

I do not remember much about the past, but I still recall the medical skills. Your words remind me that our family, the Zhou family, has been practicing medicine for generations. It is not an exaggeration to say that we can save a life, even if it means dealing with the most dire situations.

Xue Laoda and Mingyu exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison

What about the weapons and supplies warehouse

Just as he was thinking, Zhou Heng's stomach let out a loud growl, and then the two others seemed to be infected, responding in unison with their own rumbling sounds

What is there to play with if there is nothing at all

Seeing Zhou Heng's earnest demeanor, Xue Laoda was momentarily moved and cast a glance at Zhou Heng

After the explosion, being able to be reborn in another world is delightful. However, I have no recollection of what he just said. Don't those time-travel novels always mention that one can obtain the original owner's memories?

After speaking, Old Xue also jumped into the lake, following Zhou Heng's steps, and walked towards the depths of those lotus leaves

Recalling the process of being bombed over and over again, I let out a long sigh, wondering what kind of situation this is and how I ended up being bombed in the first place

Still thinking about the medicinal herbs, if there are herbs that can be sold, why should we bother to gather food? You burned down my granary, and the courtyard next door that you rented has also been affected; it has now been completely destroyed. Brother Zhang is still regretting having rented the house to you in the first place

Zhou Heng shook his head to dismiss these thoughts, grasped a corner of his robe and tucked it into his waist, then stepped forward towards the depths of the lotus leaves by the lake

Only then did he turn to look at Zhou Heng and said

Zhou Heng settled his mind and reflected on Ming Yu's words, then raised his head to look at him

Zhou Heng forcefully broke off a section of lotus root, pulling out some strands, and indeed, the inside of the lotus root was snow-white

Since it has been cleaned, let us transport it back to the village

Zhou Heng turned to look at the surface of the lake. At this moment, the rain had already ceased, and many of the lotus flowers by the lake had withered, yet the lotus leaves were exceedingly lush. Such a profusion of lotus leaves was certainly not a sight typical of early summer. Licking his lips, he suddenly thought of a certain ingredient

Looking at the lotus root that was no longer muddy, Xue Laoda seemed to have fewer doubts, "Is it necessary to cook it or can it be eaten raw?"

The second brother also tried it, and the taste was quite good

The burly man snorted without saying a word. The boy named Mingyu looked at Zhou Heng's dejected appearance and sighed, saying

Furthermore, what exactly did one break? Could it really be a first aid kit

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became, and instead, his head felt swollen. Zhou Heng raised his hand and tapped his forehead.

Zhou Heng was not being polite; although he had bitten into a piece of raw lotus root, his steps were still somewhat unsteady as he grasped Mingyu's wrist and said

Have you seen those lotus leaves? It is the rhizome beneath the lotus leaves, which is white and tender, tasting very sweet and satisfying hunger

Zhou Heng rubbed his belly and said that everything else was pointless; the primary task now was to find something to eat. Otherwise, it would be difficult to survive, let alone talk about finding a way home.

Although your elder brother has a loud voice, he has a truly kind heart. Let us be on our way.

Seeing Zhou Heng wading through the lake, Old Xue turned around and advised him

Zhou Heng shivered, let alone saying that this arrangement could be considered reliable

Zhou Heng nodded slightly and said, "Brother Xue, even if you were to kill me now, you still wouldn't be able to repay the forty-two stones of wheat. Why don't we first find something to eat, fill our stomachs, and then think of a solution? What do you think?"

Raw food is crisp, seemingly lacking the flavor of fruits, but when cooked, it becomes very soft and filling. Would Brother Xue like to give it a try

Old Xue glared, "What do you mean by not going to eat? Are you planning to cook this kid? Just wait and see."

Mingyu looked at Zhou Heng, feeling much less resentment in his heart, and he also felt a tinge of sympathy for him. Having just lost his grandfather, he occasionally acted foolishly. Although he was clear-headed at this moment, he had completely lost his memory

Taking a deep breath to suppress the resentment within, I smiled at Boss Xue.

Where is the standard white-bearded old man

Uncertain how much time had passed, listening to the deep snoring of Old Xue, Zhou Heng felt no drowsiness at all; he wanted to run, but truly did not dare to do so

Returning to the great hall with a sense of awkwardness, Zhou Heng groped for the bundle, spread the quilt on the straw, and sat down on it, feeling somewhat more comfortable as he gnawed on a boiled lotus root.

After that, Old Man Zhou went to the mountains to gather herbs during the day and took care of you at night, living off the collection of mountain delicacies and medicinal materials. Just a month ago, Old Man Zhou passed away. The clan leader of the Xue family, seeing you in a state of loneliness and suffering from an old ailment, helped to arrange the funeral. However, it was unexpected that you, in a daze, either did not realize that your old ailment had recurred or what was happening, began to steal food in the village.

"The raincoat will go to the lakeside tomorrow to search. You should return and rest first. I will keep an eye on him here to prevent him from escaping. Just now, Brother Zhang almost came over with a knife after hearing the news. Second Brother will say that it is better for you to talk to him. After all, the tax has already been transported away. Killing this kid at this moment would be of no use. We should think about how to make him repay the money."

Just as he happened to hit the spot of the ruptured lump, at the same time, a heavy object "bang" landed directly on his chest, and Zhou Heng suddenly sat up.

Feeling a sturdy lotus root, Zhou Heng did not rush to pull it out. Instead, he loosened the mud along the direction of the lotus root's growth. After clearing several sections of the lotus root in this manner, Zhou Heng exerted force with both arms and pulled upwards.

Our family name is Xue

Zhou Heng was somewhat at a loss for words, unsure of how to comfort the young man

Zhou Heng glanced at Xue Laoda beside him and realized that he was not short; although he was half a head taller than Ming Yu, he only reached Xue Laoda's ear level. This indicates that the original owner had a good diet and at least did not hinder his growth.

Hearing Zhou Heng's words, Ming Yu glanced at his elder brother, took a deep breath, and suppressed the anger he had just felt

Tonight I will sleep in the side room, and you will be in the main hall, so do not think about running away! There is a quilt in the bundle, while in the main hall there is straw and a few sections of lotus root. Eat and sleep early, and tomorrow we can think about making money to repay the debts. By the way, do you have a skill? Have you thought about how to make money to repay the debts?

Do not worry, I can find something to eat

Brother, how should we handle this situation?

Xue Laoda is also a straightforward person. He walked up to Zhou Heng, imitating his actions, and began to dig for lotus roots. After breaking a few, he seemed to find some rhythm. Before long, they had dug up about a hundred lotus roots. Mingyu squatted by the lake, washing them, and looked at the pile of roots with some difficulty.

Brother, why not just not go!

Reaching out to support the unsteady Zhou Heng, the two hurriedly walked towards the dilapidated temple

It would have been better not to mention this; once it was said, Mingyu felt uncertain.

Lotus root, have you never eaten lotus root

Zhou Heng was about to curse, but the sensation of that object in his hand suddenly made his heart race a few beats, causing his fingers to tremble uncontrollably

Zhou Heng handed a piece to Xue Laoda while he himself gnawed on a small chunk. The wild, pollution-free lotus root tasted surprisingly good. At that moment, he was so hungry that he felt dizzy, but after swallowing a piece of lotus root, he immediately felt a bit of strength returning.

Mingyu nodded slightly, "As per my elder brother's arrangement, Mingyu will go!"

Zhou Heng looked at Old Xue and laughed, grabbing the three sections of lotus root and washing them in the lake water. When he took them out of the water again, the slightly yellow skin was already visible, completely free of the muddy appearance.

Zhou Heng imitated Ming Yu's gesture of cupping his hands in farewell, casting a sidelong glance at Xue Laoda. This person appeared to be brawny yet simple-minded, but the arrangement was quite meticulous, as he had come to keep watch, fearing that Zhou might escape.

A single sentence left the two in shock, instantly halting their actions. Zhou Heng's hands were still trembling as he leaned against the stones by the shore to steady himself, looking at the two with a puzzled expression in his eyes

It seems that the people here are unaware that lotus root is edible, Zhou Heng raised his chin towards that patch of lotus leaves and said

Just the night before last, you secretly climbed into my yard, holding an oil lamp, intending to sneak in and steal grain. My elder brother had not returned from hunting, and when I heard a noise and came out to check, I found you stuck in the window of the granary, unable to enter or exit. Helpless, I pulled you out, but in your panic, you unexpectedly threw the oil lamp inside the granary

Is this the lotus root you mentioned? It is dark and covered in mud; can it be eaten?

There is no imagined ruin here; it is merely the absence of monks. The temple gate is somewhat damaged, but the main hall and the side rooms are intact and show no signs of decay, clearly having been renovated.

You said my grandfather made a living by collecting herbs, right? Then help me back to the house we are renting. Since we have no food, let's see if there are any herbs in stock. We can sell some to exchange for money to repay the villagers

He rolled his eyes and looked at the burly man, his face displaying a pitiful expression as he softly asked

Although it is unknown how much silver and book money the forty-two stones of wheat are worth, it is likely to cause the people of a village to wear frowns, as it must be a substantial sum

Are you asking for repayment

It is easy for you to say, but after all this commotion, the fish in the lake have fled, and the fishing rod has broken its line. How do you propose to find food?

Old Master Xue seemed to sense Zhou Heng's gaze, turned his head to look at Zhou Heng, scanned him with his eyes a few times, and spoke in a voice like thunder

Seeing that Zhou Heng had eaten without any issues, Xue Laoda also took a bite. Although it was not sweet, it was quite tasty. He held up the remaining large piece and threw it to Mingyu on the shore

What food is there

Where is the library

I have only seen young women gathering lotus pods, and I have never heard of anyone eating lotus roots; can that truly satisfy hunger

"Brother Xue, give me a pull. Can we eat it? We'll know once we dig it out."

The only hobby is to follow friends to study forensic anatomy, in pursuit of excitement, secretly following a few crime scenes. At this moment, thinking about the last life feels like a loss, busy all day long, just for that salary of ten to eight thousand yuan

Zhou Heng was taken aback, right, I forgot about this matter, such a large barn is on fire, the surrounding houses are bound to be affected, wait, does this mean that there is no place to live now

Seeing the confusion in Xue Laoda's eyes, Zhou Heng supported himself against the ground, trying to stand up, but his legs were still a bit unsteady

That landlord, Brother Zhang, is the most unfortunate; an entire courtyard was burned down, and the arsonist fled. In the end, he even had to compensate with his own food supplies. Given this background, upon seeing Zhou Heng, he was the first to pounce and devour him.

The three sections of the black, muddy lotus root were pulled out, but due to excessive force, it almost fell into the water; fortunately, Xue Laoda behind him reached out to support him

Xue Laoda grasped Zhou Heng's arm and gently lifted him, causing Zhou Heng to stand up completely

Zhou Heng thought of this and clenched his fists, with mist rising in his eyes. No matter what, he must not be discouraged; no matter how difficult it is, he must survive and find a way to return home. Since he was able to come here, he must also be able to go back. He must be able to.

Mingyu looked at Zhou Heng with a strange gaze. Before he could speak, the burly man let out a cold snort. Zhou Heng instinctively shifted back a little; with that physique, a single slap could cost him his life.

After waiting for a long time, as the sky darkened, Xue Laoda finally returned carrying a large bundle and handed a oiled paper umbrella to Mingyu

Let us begin digging, as the taste will be better once we bury the pot for a while