Chapter 2, Bring a Jug of Jianghu Wine (1)

"A-Xiu is so well-behaved, I can take good care of him by myself!" As soon as Liu Yan's words left his mouth, he saw his father clenching his teeth tightly, the muscles on his face twisted in anxiety

The road paved with loess extends westward, stretching straight to the setting sun that has already sunk in the west, seemingly reaching an end that is invisible in the distance

Moreover, in today's world, who is not living a difficult life

The sunlight filters through the leaves, casting patches of light that illuminate my brother's sharply defined face. His long, jet-black hair spills onto the ground, resembling a waterfall that has fallen to the earth

Liu Yan patted his younger brother's head and took a step forward

The long years of illness have tormented him for far too long. His deeply sunken eye sockets and gaunt cheeks, along with a sparse beard that can be counted, and his yellowish, murky eyes half-open and half-closed, struggle to see the two figures in front of him

That is his eldest son Liu Yan. Beside him, being held by the hand, is Liu Qin's second son, who is also Liu Yan's younger brother, Liu Xiu

This road... should still take about three more days to travel

He bit his lower lip tightly, tears continuously welling up in his eyes, yet he made every effort to prevent them from falling.

Two individuals walked along the road, heading west all the way. Until the sun set, Liu Xiu's tender legs could finally no longer endure the long journey.

"... the child knows ... the child will take A Xiu to Chongling to find the second uncle!" Liu Yan quickly tightened his grip on his father's hand, while his other hand firmly held his younger brother Liu Xiu's hand in his palm

Observing his younger brother, who was gritting his teeth to persevere yet whose steps were gradually slowing down, Liu Yan gently patted his head and silently squatted down in front of him

The great fire consumed everything in the house; had it not been for A Xiu's moment of urgency, insisting on accompanying him, the two of them would likely have perished in the flames.

The back room of the county office is furnished with items that have become quite antiquated. The weathered writing desk is missing a leg, propped up by a half piece of broken brick. On the desk, a worn pen holder contains several brush pens, most of which have already lost a significant amount of their bristles.

In the corner, there is a long couch, on which lies a gaunt middle-aged man.

Hurry... it's almost time...

When he awoke again, he found that it was already morning

Another one, a child under the age of ten, stared with a pair of large eyes, tightly held by a young man beside him with his left hand

... ...

Liu Yan endured his tears, forced a faint smile at his younger brother, embraced him, and walked towards the door.

When Liu Yan set out on the road to his hometown of Chengling in Nanyang with his younger brother, he could not even afford to hire a single ox cart

Let us go, Ah Xiu

We no longer have a home... Ah Xiu

Then, he breathed his last.

Indeed, it is by my brother's side that I feel warmer

"But... your younger brother is only 8 years old!" Liu Qin opened his eyes wide with great effort, squeezing out the last bit of strength from his body, and tightened his grip on Liu Yan's hand: "Even if... even if you can take care of yourself... what about him... what will happen to him!"

But the father can no longer speak, only emitting hoarse calls from his mouth. The excitement from just now has completely drained the last vestiges of his vitality.

The mother passed away three years ago. Since then, only the three of us, the father and the two sons, remain in this household

The younger brother beside me continued to bite his lower lip, yet tears could no longer be restrained and began to flow down.

A tall and robust young man, handsome in appearance, has features as distinct as if carved by a knife or chiseled by an axe. His long hair is not styled into a bun but is instead tied into a fierce, soaring braid that stands upright for half a foot before cascading down like a waterfall, reaching all the way to his waist. The long robe, which should have been loose-fitting, clings tightly to his body, not flowing at all, but instead stretched taut by his explosive muscles.

Liu Qin gasped heavily twice, extending his hand with great difficulty and effort, attempting to touch the face of the young man beside the couch

"After I die... return... to Chongling, go find your second uncle... he... he can... take good care of you two brothers..." Liu Qin took several deep breaths before he could barely finish this sentence.

When I open my eyes, I should have arrived at that very distant place...

Three people held hands, forming a unified entity. Liu Qin looked at Liu Yan's resolute face, as well as Liu Xiu, who still appeared bewildered and unaware of what had transpired, and managed to force out a faint smile

Liu Yan felt that the hand he was holding suddenly became light in that fleeting moment, losing its last trace of strength

Liu Yan silently crouched down, bringing his face closer, extending his hand to grasp his father's hand, which was as withered as a dry bamboo, pressing it tightly against his own face

The way he tightly holds onto himself is as if he is his entire world

Liu Xiu let out a cheer, jumped onto her brother's back, and held on tightly

Although Liu Qin served as the county magistrate in Nanton for three years, he truly left behind no substantial wealth. The three of them, father and sons, have always lived the most frugal life

When Liu Yan woke up, he saw his younger brother curled up beside him, resembling a small rabbit

Although it is already early summer, the morning is still a bit chilly. Liu Xiu shivered, staggered to get up, draped a robe over her brother, and then lifted a corner to burrow back in.

Lying on the back of my brother and the * book *, it feels just like being with father... No, it is a place that is even stronger and provides more security than father.

Just like the sun

And now, the father is about to leave the two of them. In the final moments of his life, Liu Yan is determined not to let him depart with any regrets

"I am sorry... I could not leave anything for you two brothers..." Liu Qin's eyes were dim, and his lips moved slightly: "Father... I am incapable... I could not take good care of you as you grew up..."

Holding her brother's arm, Liu Xiu closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber once again

Under a large tree, the elder brother is lying beside himself, sleeping soundly. His robe has been removed and draped over me, leaving him with only a shirt.

Liu Yan held his father's hand, gently caressed his own face a couple of times, and then softly placed it back on his father's chest before standing up

The originally unruly expression was nowhere to be found on the face at this moment, leaving only a profound sorrow.

Brother, how much further do we have to go

Under the setting sun, two figures, one large and one small, walked hand in hand out of the county gate. The small bundle behind Liu Yan was the last possession of the two brothers.

"Second Uncle?" Liu Yan furrowed his brows and let out a soft hum: "Father, I am already eighteen years old"

Elder brother walked quickly, yet steadily, without feeling even the slightest bump. With each step, he moved forward, while Liu Xiu gazed at the setting sun gradually descending on the horizon, her eyelids slowly growing heavier.

Year 3 of the Yuan Shi, Nandun County. Late at night

Nanyang Chongling, although considered the ancestral home of the Liu family, Liu Qin, who left his hometown at an early age, has only his younger brother Liu Liang with whom he still maintains contact. In Liu Qin's heart, this should be regarded as a trustworthy person.

With such feelings, Liu Xiu gradually fell into a deep sleep

Not long after leaving the city, Liu Xiu began to pout, raising his head to look at his brother with a pitiful expression: "It's not fun outside... It's getting dark, let's go home..."

Liu Yan pondered for a moment, chose not to wake Liu Xiu, and simply draped on his outer robe, cradling his younger brother in his arms, continuing along the road in the direction of Chongling.

In this world, at last, only myself and my younger brother remain

The funeral and burial, although conducted in the simplest manner, still drained the last bit of savings left by my father

Liu Yan extended his other hand and gently stroked his younger brother's forehead. He noticed him slightly shifting, mumbling a couple of indistinct words, before changing to a more comfortable position and continuing to sleep

Returning home ... ... ? Thinking of the sudden fire that appeared in the house before leaving, Liu Yan felt a bit strange