Qin Junyao's shout attracted the people at the small spring. Qin Lin, hearing his niece's voice, was the first to rush out, followed by Qin Erniu, Grandma Qin, and others.
Entering the woods, they saw Zhao Liangcai a zhang away from Qin Junyao. Qin Junyao's eyes were red, staring intently at Zhao Liangcai.
Axel ran towards Qin Junyao for a bit, then ran back.
Sister was so scary; he felt as if her hair was standing on end from anger.
That’s right, Qin Junyao was furious.
She hated mice so much that even hearing the word made her uncomfortable. This man, who resembled Li Kui, kept mentioning it.
“What did you do to my granddaughter?” Grandma Qin was the first to question Zhao Liangcai.
“Grandma, it has nothing to do with him.”
“I’m fine, you all go back. I’ll be alright in a bit,” Qin Junyao wasn’t explaining for Zhao Liangcai, but rather she didn’t want others to know the extent of her fear of mice.
Grandma Qin’s eyes flickered, remembering Qin Junyao’s fever last time. “Yaoyao, did you get… enlightened?”
Qin Junyao’s brainwaves connected with Grandma Qin’s this time. She understood that Grandma Qin was referring to enlightenment. She nodded slightly, then took a deep breath and silently recited multiplication tables.
“It’s alright, everyone go back, go back and drink the meat broth,” Grandma Qin waved them away happily. Enlightenment was good.
The Hou family returned first. Qin Mu and his wife wanted to stay but were glared back by their mother.
Dengzi Tui and the others directly followed the eldest’s orders, half-escorting Madam Qian and the others back.
The only ones left were Qin Lin, Qin Sen, Zhao Liangcai, Doctor Sheng, and Sheng Yining.
Qin Sen exchanged a look with his second brother, then asked Doctor Sheng to leave with them.
Qin Lin walked to his niece’s side and took the firewood basket from her back. He stood by her, keeping her company and keeping an eye on Zhao Liangcai.
Reciting multiplication tables over and over, Qin Junyao paid no attention to who stayed or who left.
She was fighting with herself, trying hard not to act too abnormal, and not to let the day her parents left affect her present self.
But she could still clearly remember that day twenty years ago.
It was a sweltering day in the height of summer. Three-year-old Junyao hid by the door, secretly listening to her parents argue.
She forgot the content of the argument, only remembering that her mother threw two papers at her father and left with her luggage.
She cried and shouted, chasing the car under the scorching sun. Her mother, seeing her from inside the car, did not stop to take her.
In the evening, her father went out, leaving her alone at home. She sat by the flower bed in the courtyard, innocently waiting for her parents to return.
That night was very dark, the night was long, and her toe, bitten by a rat, was very painful, truly painful.
Qin Junyao encouraged herself in her heart, You are not a three-year-old child. You are a beloved young musician. You have a grandfather…
“Yaoyao, your second uncle found you a clean stone to sit on,” Qin Lin’s voice suddenly appeared in Qin Junyao’s ear.
Qin Junyao turned to look at this stranger who was also familiar. Yes, her second uncle.
She had taken over someone else’s life, had new parents, brothers, and sisters.
Perhaps it was because of Axel’s words today about his mother not liking him, or perhaps it was seeing a rat after many years, or perhaps because she hadn’t outwardly expressed her emotions, Qin Junyao had lost a bit of control.
“Thank you, Second Uncle. You can go back. I’m fine,” Qin Junyao forced a smile at Qin Lin with all her might.
“Mhm,” Qin Lin agreed verbally, but did not leave.
Qin Junyao sighed. She had stabilized now, but she just didn’t want to go back.
Zhao Liangcai regretted it the moment Qin Junyao called out his nickname. He had intended to befriend this family, not anger them.
With Qin Lin accompanying her, he turned and returned to the spring.
Seeing that hot water was being boiled in the iron pot, Zhao Liangcai walked over to Madam Qin and spoke to her in a low voice.
Madam Qin nodded quickly after listening and took out a jar to replace the iron pot that was usually used for cooking.
Qian Duo’s gaze had been silently following Zhao Liangcai since he appeared, and she was also thinking.
There had been many things happening since the morning. Only now was she truly beginning to ponder.
Zhao Liangcai told this group names that were not their commonly used given names, so this group likely did not know Zhao Liangcai’s true identity.
Then why would Zhao Liangcai conceal his identity and travel with a group of refugees?
What was special about this group?
In her previous life, she hadn’t heard of General Zhao having any confidants named Qin or Hou.
“Cousin, do you think that crazy old woman’s granddaughter is not normal? She doesn’t talk much, always has her basket with her, and now she’s suddenly shouting.”
“Also, I think Zhao Liangcai’s people are not right in the head either. Those rats are so disgusting, yet they still want to make soup. I think my younger brother has also been misguided by Zhao Liangcai.”
“Cousin, let’s go back after we stay at our destination for a while. I don’t think Zhao Liangcai can find us good marriages,” Zhao Rui said to Qian Duo, rubbing the bloodstains on her skirt.
No matter how she rubbed, the stains wouldn’t come off. It was annoying.
“We can’t go back,” Qian Duo retracted her gaze and looked at Zhao Rui.
Zhao Rui stopped what she was doing. “Why?”
Qian Duo took a deep breath. “Because the weather is about to change.”
Change?
Zhao Rui looked up at the sky. It was still clear and cloudless. Where was the weather about to change?
The soup was ready. Those with courage drank some of the rare oily liquid, savoring the taste.
Zhao Liangcai asked Dengzi Tui to clean up the fur and bones, then he went into the woods to call Qin Junyao and Qin Lin back.
Upon returning, Qin Junyao still sat to the side with a straw mat, making plans in her mind. She needed to overcome her fear of rats; at least she shouldn’t be unable to even hear about them. Suzhou Novel Network
These weren’t like the rats you’d see once every few years in a modern big city. In ancient times, such animals might sleep by your bedside at night.
Oh my!
Qin Junyao sat alone, scaring herself. The others went to gather firewood, fetch water, feed the horses and donkeys, and feed themselves.
There was enough firewood and plenty of water. Grandma Qin had her daughter-in-law boil water for everyone to wash their faces.
So many people were dirty, their original appearances hidden. The Hou family even took out all the jars used to pack their belongings to boil water together. If they were going to wash, they should do it properly.
Zhao Liangcai found soap powder from the luggage on the horse and distributed it to everyone.
Zhao Rui was very unhappy that their soap powder was given away by Zhao Liangcai. She threw a tantrum but was quickly silenced by Grandma Qin’s few words.
So boring. This little girl wasn’t good at arguing. It was more fun to tease the older one. This was Grandma Qin’s true thought after defeating Zhao Rui.
After everyone had washed their faces with water and felt refreshed, the sun was already setting in the west, and it was time to prepare food again.
“Oh, how beautiful,” Sheng Yining exclaimed, seeing the true faces of the Qin family, voicing what most people were thinking.
That’s right, Qin Junyao felt the same.
The Qin family wasn’t stunningly beautiful to an exaggerated degree, but even with their gaunt cheeks, they were not frightening and were still good-looking.
Perhaps the ugliest among them were Grandma Qin, whose drooping eyelids formed triangular eyes, Qin Lin with his birthmark, and Qin Sen, who was dark from not washing his face.
Grandma Qin was very satisfied looking at her clean family. They looked so good.
She had put a lot of thought into finding wives for her two sons. They had to be honest, not bad-looking, and most importantly, their families had to be severely patriarchal. This way, the daughters-in-law would be obedient and wouldn’t miss their maternal homes after marrying into the family.
See, the children they gave birth to also looked good.