"Huzi, don't talk nonsense. This is Uncle Xiao Shan, whom Mother told you about."
Shuang Hua finally wiped her face and stopped crying.
"Brother Shan Zi, please come home and sit down. I will explain things to you in detail."
Seeing Shuang Hua, Xiao Shan would think of her mother, a woman as gentle as water, who jumped into the river and committed suicide after being insulted, in front of him and Shuang Hua.
At that time, Shuang Hua was so frightened that she couldn't even cry, and he, only 9 years old, despite his natural strength, was still no match for a tall, strong adult man.
These unpleasant memories were truly unwelcome.
Xiao Shan led Xue Niang into the small courtyard. He had thought her husband would be home, not expecting anything else. However, upon entering, he realized it was just the mother and son.
The three mud houses had poor lighting, and were low and cramped. Xiao Shan had to bend over to enter.
Food was still cooking in the pot. Shuang Hua quickly added more firewood, and Huzi moved a wooden stool, which served as a seat, to invite them to sit.
Xiao Shan's clothes were not luxurious, but they were the most comfortable fine cotton. Ling Yao's were the same, all brand new. The pale pink high-necked cotton jacket made her appear otherworldly, a stark contrast to the impoverished farmhouse.
Shuang Hua hadn't noticed when she first saw Xiao Shan. Now, after finishing her tasks, she turned and saw Ling Yao sitting gracefully beside Xiao Shan.
She was so radiant, like a celestial child, that Shuang Hua immediately felt a little flustered, twisting her hands repeatedly.
"Brother Shan Zi, is this your daughter?"
She looked slightly younger than her son. So, he had married long ago.
His wife must be someone very respectable, judging by his daughter.
This was the first time she had seen such a beautiful person, and she truly didn't know how to describe it. She was simply too beautiful to look at directly.
Brother Shan Zi's appearance hadn't changed much, only that he had become taller and more imposing. He clearly wasn't an ordinary person.
This small hut seemed even more impoverished because of their arrival.
Xiao Shan didn't answer. It wasn't appropriate to ask about her husband in front of his children. He guessed he must be gone, otherwise, she wouldn't have returned to Baiyang Village.
"What did you mean by what you said outside just now?"
Xiao Shan was accustomed to speaking coldly, and his voice sounded very serious. However, Shuang Hua thought he was displeased.
"Brother Shan Zi, actually, Uncle didn't die back then. Not long after you left, he returned. But no one knew where you went. He couldn't find you anywhere, and then he left. He hasn't returned since."
Xiao Shan was shocked. His father hadn't died then?
Did he not stay with his mother and sister?
He looked at Shuang Hua with some doubt.
"Brother Shan Zi, I'm really not lying to you. When Uncle left, he left a letter for you under the collapsed kitchen at your house. He told me to tell you if I saw you return. But later, I was married off by my aunt. I don't know if you returned during that time..."
No, he hadn't returned. He thought his entire family was dead.
Just as a storm of emotions surged within Xiao Shan, a pair of small hands squeezed his.
Ling Yao whispered, "Shall we go and see that letter?"
Xiao Shan looked at her for a long time before nodding as if he had just realized.
Yes, seeing the letter would clarify everything.
Besides, there was no reason for Shuang Hua to lie to him. Recalling that time, his father often went out to do temporary guard duty for merchant caravans. It was possible he wasn't home at the time.
Otherwise, his mother and sister might have had a chance of survival.
He was earning money outside, and his father was also outside. What about his mother and sister, left alone during the flood? How helpless would they have been?
The family affection he thought he had long forgotten now surged back like a tidal wave.
How old was his sister then? She was about the same age as Xue Niang now. Every month when he returned from the city, she would be waiting for him at the village entrance...
He couldn't think about it anymore. The clearer his thoughts became, the more unbearable the blockage in his heart felt.
"A Shan?" Ling Yao shook his arm.
Xiao Shan gave her a reassuring smile. "It's alright. We'll go find that letter."
The house Shuang Hua lived in now was built later. The original site was overgrown with weeds. Shuang Hua took two shovels and handed one to Xiao Shan.
"Xue Niang, don't come over."
Xiao Shan instructed. The area was filled with broken tiles, branches, and weeds. He didn't want her to fall.
Xue Niang stopped. She had intended to go, but she saw a mouse dart past and changed her mind. However, Shuang Hua followed Xiao Shan and began to dig with him.
This made her uneasy, so she stood watching from what she guessed was the original front yard.
"Sister, do you want to sit down?"
Ling Yao turned her head and saw that Huzi had actually brought over the wooden stools from their home. He was wearing a thin, old cotton jacket, and his cheeks were red from the cold.
"I won't sit. You sit."
Her backside still hurt from sitting earlier. She'd rather stand.
"Are you cold?" Xiao Shan turned and asked. "Shall I get a warm fur coat from the carriage for you?"
"No need. You dig quickly. I can manage myself."
Shuang Hua listened to the father and daughter's conversation and found it a little strange.
That girl had just called Brother Shan Zi by his name, and their interaction didn't seem like that of a typical father and daughter.
Could that not be his daughter?
Looking at Xiao Shan's tall and straight figure, he lifted the stones like tofu with a single shovel. His strength had always been immense, giving her a sense of security.
When she was younger and playing with her brother Ying Zi, she had jokingly said she wanted to be her sister-in-law.
Those times were truly good.
If only there hadn't been the flood.
Huzi's gaze kept stealing glances at Ling Yao.
She was too beautiful, beautiful from any angle. Was she a fairy from the legends?
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
Ling Yao suddenly turned her head, catching him red-handed.
Huzi's face stiffened. "I, I..."
His stomach rumbled at that moment. He immediately covered it, his face turning red.
This little fellow, who had been fierce and aggressive like a biting dog, had now turned into a little kitten.
"Are you hungry?"
Coincidentally, Ling Yao touched her stomach. She was hungry too.
Her appetite was huge now, and she couldn't go hungry. If she was hungry, she lost her strength.
Xiao Shan had prepared a lot of food in the carriage!
"I, yes, I haven't had a chance to eat yet." Huzi rubbed his stomach, feeling very embarrassed.
"Your name is Huzi, right? I have a little black dog named Xiao Hu. Ah, I'm not calling you names. My Xiao Hu is very good. He saved my life and is better than many people."
Huzi certainly didn't think she was calling him names. How could a little fairy curse people? And her voice was so pleasant. If only she could live in Baiyang Village in the future.
"Come with me to the carriage to get some food."
"Ah, okay."
Huzi followed without even knowing what he had heard.
Xiao Shan glanced to the side. Xue Niang, who had been there moments ago, was gone. He stood up straight and looked around.
"Brother Shan Zi, don't worry. Huzi took your daughter away. Perhaps they went home to get food."
Xiao Shan thought for a moment. The carriage was over there. It was likely Xue Niang went to the carriage to get something. But given her past experience of being abducted, he was still a little uneasy.
"Brother Shan Zi, are you planning to stay this time, or just visit?"