The young boys following the donkey cart chattered excitedly on the winding mountain path. Meng Yutang had become the center of attention, answering every question from his companions, explaining things thoroughly as long as he knew them. He realized for the first time what it felt like to have friends.
Fu Xinci, hearing their chatter, felt an urge to silence them for the first time.
Alas, after much thought, she held back.
She decided not to dwell on it; the more she thought, the more depressed she became.
Jiang Tou, sitting on Old Wu's mule cart, watched the youngsters ahead with a remarkably good mood, his voice even different from usual.
"Zhuzi, do you think we brothers have done another good deed?"
"Of course. If these lads really join the army and fight the Tatars in the future, we brothers will surely earn merit."
"Ha, I never expected that rascal to have some skills."
"Flashy and good-looking, but he didn't grasp the essence," the dark-skinned man said with some regret.
"That rascal, he was the darling of the Duke's mansion. What essence could he have learned? A bit of showmanship is already good."
"I must say, I'm surprised. He actually remembered what his master said."
"Mmm, he spoke of his master today, but never revealed who his master was."
"Finally, we did something decent."
"Speaking of which, ever since that rascal started following Second Brother Meng, he's truly different from before."
"I admire that too. Second Brother Meng knows how to teach children. Look how well those two kids have been taught."
"Yes, the few children who followed along this journey are all more pleasant than before. Especially that rascal, his change is the most significant."
"Isn't that so? After the upheaval at the Duke's mansion, I hope that rascal can truly awaken."
"Let's hope so." It wasn't that Jiang Tou said this casually; it was simply that Meng Yutang's past image was too deeply ingrained, making it hard to forget.
Jiang Tou's words also brought to mind the scoundrel deeds Meng Yutang had committed. The dark-skinned man chuckled twice and said no more.
As the trees became sparser, Fu Xinci's thought blurted out, "Are we about to leave this mountain?"
"It should be," Meng Qingping replied when he heard his granddaughter's question.
"Oh, this mountain isn't that big."
"It's not. But you'll encounter many mountains like this in the future."
Fu Xinci said "Oh" and looked up at the sky, continuing to chat with her grandfather, "It's better to travel on mountain paths in hot weather, it's cooler."
"Mountain paths are cool, but not safe. Not only are there wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards, but also bandits who rule the mountains."
"If that's the case, we'd rather be hot."
Qi He, however, thought differently. He now wished he could encounter another wolf, and he would be the first to charge forward.
But he didn't dare say this to Sister Fu directly, fearing she would give him a disdainful look, making it not worth the trouble.
Perhaps due to the terrain, the path down the mountain seemed similar to the path up.
Finally, they reached the foot of the mountain. Fu Xinci looked back at the green, shaded mountain scenery and fell into a reverie.
"Sister Fu, what are you looking at?"
"I'm looking at the mountain."
"What's so special about mountains? They're all the same."
"They're not. Every mountain is different."
"Still not interesting, just trees and rocks."
"Perhaps, but we may never have the chance to walk this path again."
The little girl's voice was not loud, and not many heard her. However, they agreed with her words and followed her gaze back to the unremarkable mountain.
Because they would never have the chance to return.
Qi He looked back, thinking of the small village he had lived in for ten years. With his grandmother gone, it was no longer his home.
He also thought of his father, whom he had never met. The joy he once felt in his heart seemed to have faded.
Fu Xinci was somewhat surprised to see Qi He looking dejected, which was rare. "Brother Qi, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"That's not like you to be evasive."
"I..."
"If you can't say, Brother Qi doesn't have to," Fu Xinci never forced people.
"There's nothing I can't say." Qi He felt he had no secrets from Sister Fu, so he spoke his concerns.
"With Grandma gone, that courtyard in Qijia Village is no longer my home."
"It's alright. You still have your father, and he will treat you well."
"Perhaps." At this moment, Qi He felt that the three words Fu Xinci had used before were quite fitting for his current mood.
Seeing Qi He's low spirits, Fu Xinci tilted her head, secretly glancing at him, and cautiously asked, "Brother Qi, are you afraid you won't get along with a stepmother?"
"..." Fu Xinci's question left Qi He bewildered. When he recovered, he replied shyly, "My father has always been alone. He hasn't remarried. My grandmother has urged him for years, but he just agreed without marrying anyone else."
"Your father is quite devoted. That's admirable."
"Is that admirable?" Qi He then thought of a child named Fuzi in the village. Fuzi's mother died while giving birth to his younger brother. When his brother was only a month old, his grandmother arranged a new wife for his father, and his father didn't refuse.
Compared to that, his father was indeed admirable, just as Sister Fu had said.
Moreover, he remembered something else. His father was a commander in the Liaodong garrison.
Grandpa Village Chief often repeated one sentence, saying it ten times a day without getting tired: his father was the pride of their entire Qijia Village. With his father around, their village was never looked down upon by any other village in the surrounding areas.
Seeing Qi He's complexion gradually improve, with a hint of pride, Fu Xinci couldn't fathom why his mood had changed so quickly.
Everyone has their secrets, and she didn't pry.
Jiang Tou stood on the mule cart, shading his eyes to look ahead. He vaguely saw a cluster of houses and asked the dark-skinned man beside him, puzzled, "Zhuzi, where are we? We didn't see any houses when we were on the hillside."
The dark-skinned man turned and pointed behind them, replying, "Brother, didn't you see we just passed a small bend? That bend perfectly concealed this village."
"Oh, I see. So we're not far then."
"Not far, only a little over two li."
"Just two li?" Jiang Tou looked at the sky; it wasn't dark yet, and they could travel a bit further.
The dark-skinned man knew him too well. He pointed ahead and said, "After this village, about five li further, there's another village. We can rest there; it's a larger one."
"Alright, Zhuzi, you arrange it."