Chapter 4, Bring a Jug of Jianghu Wine (3)

The harvest is quite satisfactory

Three feet ... ... two feet. ... ... ... one foot ...

Filled with such hope, Liu Xiu extended his hand to cover his eyes and began to count in a tender childlike voice

Remember, do not run around, just stay here and wait patiently for your brother to return

His hand and foot movements were very slow, very slow, trying his best not to make any sound that might disturb the birds at the treetops

Only under the dim moonlight did Liu Xiu fail to discern what it truly was

However, in the heart of young Liu Xiu, one hundred is already a very large number

After a moment of astonishment, Liu Yan joyfully stepped on the wild rabbit, confirming that it could not escape, and then lifted the rabbit by its ears.

Pounce

Approaching ... ... approaching ... ...

He can only count up to one hundred. Beyond one hundred, he cannot count clearly

After a swift cut, Liu Yan's left hand quickly grasped the tail of the venomous snake and flung it far into the distance.

The sudden movement of Liu Yan startled the birds in the nest. However, just as they were about to take flight, the short shirt had already enveloped the entire top of the nest, and Liu Yan tightly wrapped it around. The soft fabric of the shirt was continuously bumped by the birds, creating numerous bulges, yet they were powerless to break free from the cage, only able to squawk incessantly within the nest

Liu Yan lifted his short shirt with satisfaction, and by the sparse moonlight filtering through the leaves, he saw that in the nest, besides two dead chicks, there were five smooth and shiny bird eggs

When my brother departed, he did so with a smile, having made a promise to himself

A Xiu

However, the quantity is still a bit insufficient. Even to satisfy just one person's hunger, it is likely not enough

The last remaining shirt on his upper body has also been taken off and is tightly held in his hand

The snake's head finally rubbed against Liu Xiu's neck, and even the foul odor penetrated directly into his nostrils

Liu Xiu excitedly put down his hands, opened his eyes, and looked ahead.

forty-five ... ... forty-six ... ...

Liu Xiu pouted, his heart already filled with a profound sense of loneliness and loss

If I run away, my brother will not be able to find me

And that voice was unmistakably that of my younger brother Liu Xiu

Liu Yan's heart seemed to have fallen into an endless abyss

Liu Yan held a bird's nest in one hand and carried a wild rabbit in the other, walking back in the direction he had come from

Liu Xiu began to count

After landing on the ground, he immediately pulled open a small opening at the edge of the short shirt covering the bird's nest, reached into the nest, and grasped the necks of two chicks.

Liu Yan weighed the bird's nest in his hand. It sounded like, in addition to the two birds, there were also four or five eggs.

When Liu Yan burst out of the woods, he saw those two gleaming fangs fiercely sinking into Liu Xiu's neck

And his prayers seem to have no effect

This wild rabbit is plump and hefty, weighing at least a dozen pounds. Even without that bird's nest, this would suffice for the dinner of two people. Tonight's luck is simply astonishingly good

Before he could react, Liu Yan saw a wild rabbit swiftly leap out from the tall grass, and then—

A straight silk thread is exuding a red signal, as a venomous snake slowly winds its way towards Liu Xiu

Liu Xiu widened his eyes, watching as the snake slowly approached. A chill had already risen from his feet to the top of his head, and his body was covered in goosebumps.

As the snake drew closer, under the moonlight, the red tongue that was constantly flicking in and out became increasingly clear, and one could even see the elongated vertical pupils in its eyes, continuously shimmering with a cold, ruthless light

The writhing object drew closer and closer. It was only when it approached Liu Xiu that he could see clearly the sharp triangular head atop its elongated body

Accompanied by a crisp sound, the necks of two little birds have been twisted off

There is still no commotion in the bird's nest

Moreover, it seems to be gradually drawing closer to itself

He instinctively wanted to stand up and escape into the distance. However, just as he stood up, he recalled his brother's admonition before leaving

Thus, Liu Xiu's small steps, which had just begun, came to a halt once again

So, when we count to one hundred, brother will definitely be able to come back!

Liu Yanping quietly climbed towards the top of the tree, focusing his mind with each careful movement

Liu Xiu nervously clutched his brother's long robe, gathering it in his embrace. The scent of his brother on the robe could provide him with a slight sense of security

Finally, I have counted to one hundred

One ... ... Two. ... ... ... Three ...

That is a snake

It crashed into the tree trunk, its ears twitched twice, and then it collapsed to the ground, motionless.

The anticipated older brother did not emerge from the woods with food. Before him, it remained desolate and devoid of any presence.

Liu Yan leaped into the air, dropping the bird's nest and the wild rabbit in his hands, and pounced towards his brother. While in mid-air, he also drew a short knife from his waist.

At this moment, the sky has darkened. He concealed himself among the leaves, gradually climbing upward.

... ...

When the snake slithered to Liu Xiu's feet, he had already lost the strength to even run away, and could only watch helplessly as the snake crawled up his instep, then to his knee, and then to his chest

Liu Xiu kept silently reciting in his heart, his gaze fixed on the snake that was still drawing closer, while beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead

Liu Yan was hesitating whether to take his brother back to eat now or to search for a few more bird nests, when suddenly a rustling sound emerged from the bushes at his feet

On that tender skin, two distinct bite marks had already been left

Liu Xiu took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and stood firmly under the tree

Why hasn't my brother returned yet

Just as Xiao Liuxiu was about to cry, he suddenly noticed something wriggling in the distance at the corner of his eye

A cold light flashed, and the blade barely grazed Liu Xiu's skin as it passed. Blood splattered, and the snake's head had already fallen to the ground

Cannot see A Xiu, cannot see A Xiu, cannot see A Xiu

However, when his gaze fell upon his younger brother's neck, his heart sank heavily

A few feet above his head was a bird's nest. Just at sunset, Liu Yan clearly saw a pair of birds landing in the nest

Two streams of tears, mingled with fear and despair, slid down Liu Xiu's eyes

Liu Yan smiled with satisfaction, holding the tree trunk with one hand, and slid down towards the ground

Just as Liu Yan reached the edge of the forest, he suddenly heard a piercing scream filled with terror coming from ahead

The sudden outburst of screams seemed to startle the venomous snake

And the scream within that chest could no longer be suppressed, piercing through the silence of the vast sky

In the final foot of distance, Liu Yan suddenly leaped forward, and the short shirt tightly gripped in his right hand swiftly descended like a large net towards the bird's nest

Liu Yan's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he ran forward at a frantic pace.

Ninety-nine ... ... one hundred