He turned back to look at Qiu Henian, who had been paying attention to his movements. When he saw this, he said: "It's alive, take it back and give it to Nian Sheng."
Niansheng's full name is Wang Niansheng, he is exactly ten years old this year, and Qiu Henian is called uncle. He is the grandnephew of Blacksmith Wang.
Blacksmith Wang has no children, and his two brothers have died, leaving only two nephews. The eldest is over thirty, named Wang Heyao. He beat the miserable wife.
The second child is called Wang Sanyao. He is in his twenties. His parents are both gone, and his family is now a family of three.
Qiu Henian was thinking about the child of Wang Sanyao's family who brought the hedgehog.
Qingyan said, "Then I will put it in a bamboo basket. When we walk back, I will put the basket in my quilt and lift it up from time to time to let it breathe. I hope it won't freeze or damage it."
Qiu Henian nodded and glanced around him, seeming to be inspecting the situation of this young man who was guarding the house alone.
Qingyan remembered something, smiled, slipped out the pheasant, and showed it to the other party in a showy way. The pheasant was so frightened that its feathers stood up.
"Er Xi and I caught it, and it flew over the treetops," Qingyan gestured excitedly, "Er Xi chased it out, and I just pounced, one by the head and the other by the tail, and all of a sudden Just capture it alive!"
When Erxi heard the name, she ran over and stood next to Qingyan. They both raised their heads and looked at him with bright eyes, waiting for his praise.
Qiu Henian's always slightly tense lips relaxed. He put down the empty bowl in his hand, stood up, touched the top of Qingyan's head, then bent down and patted Erxi's dog's head, and said, "Everyone is doing it." Very cool!"
Although he was praised, Qingyan always felt that something was strange.
After dinner, they went to bed early.
Early the next morning, Qiu Henian set out to hunt again.
This was their last day in the mountains. Looking at the weather, it might snow tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. They had to try to get back before it started snowing.
Qingyan started packing her things during the day, packing and putting away anything she didn't need first to avoid being too busy tomorrow.
Then he briefly handled the roe deer and deer that Qiu Henian brought back yesterday, and tied them to the cart with ropes.
Dinner was almost done, and he went to the door to look around from time to time, but he didn't see the person he was looking forward to.
After heating the food in the pot, Qingyan waited by the door. When it was completely dark and he could hardly see anything outside, he felt a little panicked.
When he was considering taking Erxi out to search, a tall figure finally came out from the woods.
Qingyan's heart suddenly dropped to the ground, and she hurriedly opened the door and ran out to greet him.
Qiu Henian came back today with a lot of things on his back, in his hands, and on his waist.
Qingyan helped him unload it neatly and put it in the yard first.
It's time, they eat first.
Qiu Henian had been working outside all day. Even if he brought dry food, he must be very hungry now.
He was going back tomorrow. Qingyan stewed all the pork he had brought. The braised pork was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The skin was bright red and sizzling with oil.
There is also a plate of scrambled eggs and a piece of cabbage fried with potato slices.
I didn't heat up the steamed buns today. Qingyan cooked all the little polished rice she brought. Braised pork and rice are a perfect match.
After dinner, Qingyan and Qiu Henian collected the prey together.
Today I shot another roe deer, and there was actually a half-sized wild boar that hadn't had time to grow its hard mane, and ordinary bows and arrows might not be able to do anything to it.
Qingyan was surprised and said: "So many!"
Qiu Henian said: "I had good luck going up the mountain this time. It has not been so good in the past. There are times when I go out for a day and encounter nothing."
Qingyan went to pick up the sack on the ground again and found two gray rabbits inside, both of which were frozen solid.
"Did we set up a trap?" he asked.
Qiu Henian nodded in affirmation.
Qingyan had a happy look on her face, feeling that her tiredness had not been in vain, and she felt particularly involved.
As for Bunny being cute and not being able to eat rabbits, he can be hard-hearted and ruthless in order to eat meat.
Before going to bed at night, the two of them scrubbed and washed separately.
Qiu Henian sat on the kang and took off his shoes and socks, preparing to wash his feet.
Qingyan glanced at it inadvertently and was stunned. He walked over and knelt down to look carefully for a while. He frowned and raised his head and said, "When did your feet get frostbite? Why didn't you tell me?"
Qiu Henian looked down at him slightly, "It's an old wound. It happens again every winter. It doesn't matter."
Qingyan thought about it and realized that it might have been caused by the cold when the other party was unconscious in the ice and snow. If Blacksmith Wang hadn't discovered it too late, even if he survived, there was no telling whether his hands and feet could be saved.
Thinking of this, Qingyan felt scared and distressed. He tested the water temperature in the basin and said softly: "It's too hot. I'll add some cold water."
After the cold water was added and the temperature was just right, Qingyan knelt down and pulled up Qiu Henian's trousers.
The sitting man subconsciously pulled his legs back. Qingyan had already gently pressed his instep and put it into the warm water in the basin.
Qiu Henian put his hand on his shoulder and pushed him gently, "You don't need to be like this."
Qingyan was already minding his own business, washing his feet and saying, "No one cared about me when I was a child. Half of the soles of my shoes fell off in the winter and I didn't even know how to repair them. I went back and forth to school every day..." He immediately changed his mind when he realized something was wrong, " When I went to private school, I had to walk a lot of snowy roads, and the snow got into my shoes. After it melted in the body temperature, it was frozen again. My toes were red and swollen all winter, and they were itchy and painful."
The flame of the oil lamp flickered, and there was a faint smell of high-temperature burning oil, mixed with the smell of various sundries in the house, and the aroma of soap locust after washing. Combined with the quiet and low-pitched words, there was a quiet and warm atmosphere.
Qiu Henian no longer stopped his movements, straightened up, sat on the edge of the bed, and listened to him attentively.
Qingyan was recalling, "The cold that time left the root of the disease, and it happened again every winter. Although it was not a serious problem, it was quite uncomfortable." He raised his head and smiled at the man looking at him, "But I When you grow up, you will know how to take care of yourself. It is considered a long-term illness and it has never happened again in these years." He blinked, "I will cure your illness. After this winter, I can guarantee that next year Winter will never let you suffer like this again."
Qiu Henian didn't respond. He just looked down at Qing Yan, looking very intently.
The fire went out, and Qingyan's face was particularly beautiful and charming.
Qiu Henian looked at it for a long time, but he didn't know what he thought of. He suddenly looked away and turned his face sideways, habitually hiding the scarred half of his face.
After going up the mountain, he rarely did this anymore.
Qingyan was not disappointed, the light in his eyes was gentle and tolerant.
Qingyan stood up slowly, but his back was still bent. In this posture, he approached the man's face. When the distance was closer, he stopped and looked at the man carefully.
"I was afraid when I first met you," he said, "now, I'm not afraid anymore."
After saying that, Qingyan continued to lean towards the other person, her soft lips lightly touched the man's lips, and they left at the first touch.
Qiu Henian suddenly turned back to look at him. Qingyan curled up his lips and smiled, saying, "Your mouth smells so good."
Bang, it was Qiu Henian who kicked over the basin under his feet.
Bang bang, was the sound of Qingyan's heart beating in disarray.
Chapter 15 Going down the mountain and visiting relatives
Early the next morning, the sky was extremely gloomy, and it looked like it was going to snow.
Qingyan had almost packed everything the day before, except for the things she needed to put in the car.
When Qiu Henian packed the bedding and pots and pans, Qingyan also finished cleaning the cabin.
The most feared thing about going down a mountain is steep slopes. Qiu Henian tied the hemp rope to the handrails on both sides of the cart and straddled it diagonally on his shoulders. His body was almost tilted backward for most of the journey.
Qingyan followed closely behind him. On particularly difficult sections, he hugged the other person's waist and slowly pushed backward together. Even Erxi sensibly bit Qingyan's trouser leg and pulled back hard together.
It took twice as long to walk down the mountain as it did to go up the mountain. Fortunately, the snow only started to fall when they reached the foot of the mountain. Otherwise, the road would be slippery and it would be even harder to walk.
After resting at the foot of the mountain for less than a quarter of an hour, we headed towards the village after regaining our composure.
They did not arrive home first, but went to the first house in the east of the village.
Qiu Henian knocked on the door for a while. In the heavy snow, a woman in her fifties opened the door while shouting impatiently.
After seeing the person clearly, the woman's ugly face forced a smile. She glanced behind Qiu Henian and said, "Hey, are you coming back after going up the mountain?" Her eyes turned to Qingyan, and she said No intention of talking to him.
Qiu Henian called her "Auntie", picked up a roe deer and two fish that were lying on the ground, and said, "They were caught on the mountain. They are for you and your eldest brother to have as a snack during the Chinese New Year."
The woman's eyes swept over the roe deer and fish, her eyes showing joy, but she quickly looked at the cart, and looked at the bulging area covered by the tarpaulin on the cart, with a look of dissatisfaction on her face. "Why don't you beat him less when you go up the mountain this time? Your elder brother has been having his old habit again recently. This little thing is not enough to replenish his body!"