Chapter 122: The Rain Falls So Deep, So Earnestly
(Please everyone, when you see what the old man says, automatically substitute in the dialect, the immersion is super strong, the author is already starting to rap!)
The words had just reached this point when everyone heard a strange “gurgle” sound, which sounded like
Wu Xie silently turned his head and saw Lin Yan’s evasive gaze. No way, big brother, is it really necessary? If Lin Yan heard, he would definitely answer: It is necessary! It’s been two or three hours without eating! Even if you’re not hungry, I am!
The old man also had sharp ears and eyes, immediately locking his gaze on him. The few old men nearby smiled: “Old Wang (they had just learned the old man’s surname was Wang), this child is hungry, he came all the way from so far to find you, aren’t you going to treat him to something to eat?”
Old Man Wang slapped his leg: “Exactly, you came from so far away, how can you not eat something before leaving? Come on, come on, my child just made some food, you have to eat some, right? How about this, you eat something, and I’ll take you back. If you want to go into the mountains, you can do it after a few months, right? Why do it at this time? Listen to me, go back for now temporarily, come back after a while, and this old man will personally lead the way for you?”
Wu Xie and the others couldn’t refuse, and awkwardly followed the old man to his home. The scene was especially like New Year’s when receiving red envelopes, the giver charging straight in, the receiver playing hard to get, the atmosphere was especially harmonious for a moment no matter what Wu Xie and the others’ expressions were like, the old men nearby all laughed until their faces were like chrysanthemums.
Once seated at the dining table, Old Man Wang asked them what they wanted to eat. Originally Wu Xie and the three only wanted to say eat anything, but the aroma of meat from the kitchen wafted into their noses, they simply couldn’t control themselves! The old man probably saw their predicament too, and quickly told his son to bring more meat over. Hearing the old man and his son shouting with full vigor, Wu Xie couldn’t help thinking of Wu Sansheng and his grandfather.
Back when his grandfather and his third uncle were both around, he had watched his grandfather calling Wu Sansheng just like this, straightforward and unceremonious, but with a natural warmth in it.
Thinking of Wu Sansheng, Wu Xie’s mood inevitably sank. It had already been several months, from the time he went to the underwater tomb until now, there was still no news of his third uncle, not even a trace from his second uncle’s side. Although his second uncle and Lin Yan often comforted him that it would be fine, he still.
When he collected his mood and turned his head, Lao Yang had already grabbed a flatbread and was eating it, and even handed a piece to him, raising his chin at him: “Eat? Or are you waiting for meat?”
Wu Xie hesitated for a moment, but decided to fill his stomach first.
Who knew that just as he took a bite, Lin Yan came wandering out from the kitchen laughing so hard his teeth were showing but eyes not, holding two plates, followed by Old Man Wang’s son with a beaming smile, and most ridiculously, two strips of cured meat hanging from his hands.
Wu Xie stared dumbfounded: “You… taking food and also carrying some out?” He turned to Old Man Wang: “Old man, we’ve already troubled you enough by coming here, how can we take things out too? Besides, we’re going into the mountains this trip, it won’t be convenient to carry them, please take them back quickly.”
Old Man Wang’s face turned stern, exuding the natural authority of an elder: “You can’t say it like that. You came all the way from so far, even finding me again after years, that’s fate, right? I can’t persuade you to go back, so I can only give you some things, and even that’s not okay? What else can I do? I like the child, so what’s wrong with giving him some?”
The more the old man spoke, the lower Wu Xie’s head went, until he almost buried his face in the flatbread. For some reason, the more the old man said, the more guilty he felt. Clearly he was thinking for the old man, how did it become his fault in the end?
Wu Xie was utterly baffled, while the others at the table were chatting and laughing happily, Lin Yan and the old man were like old friends who hated not meeting sooner, talking animatedly, even leaving the son aside, just short of recognizing a godfather on the spot.
Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Wu Xie quietly picked up chopsticks and clamped a few pieces of meat into the flatbread, rolled it up and ate. Wow… so fragrant!
Full and satisfied after the meal—this time really full, arguably the fullest Wu Xie had ever eaten since tomb raiding. Not sure if it was because the food the previous days had been too bland, but he felt the old man’s family’s meat was simply the most delicious he’d ever tasted in his life!
Looking at Lin Yan beside him, he couldn’t help feeling a surge of shame… Before, Lin Yan and his third uncle had been so tense and wary of each other, he thought that was just Lin Yan’s personality, even living under the same roof, he had never seen Lin Yan this enthusiastic… Didn’t become a godson, but almost became a grandson.
When Old Man Wang’s family saw them off at the door, not only the old man, but his son and daughter-in-law were also reluctant to part with Lin Yan, saying straight out that if their son came back, he’d probably become sworn brothers with Lin Yan! So, Lin Yan very excitedly added the old man’s family’s contact info, agreeing to visit their home after coming out of the mountains, and even come sit at their home in Qinling Mountains whenever free.
Wu Xie and Lao Yang standing nearby were both very awkward, feeling like they were two blockheads, among everyone present, no one except themselves noticed there were two more people here!
So ridiculous!
After feeling a wave of desolation like autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves, Lin Yan finally entered the mountains with them, looking back every few steps. Once Old Man Wang’s family was out of sight behind them, Wu Xie finally couldn’t hold back and asked Lin Yan: “How… how did you do it? How come I just zoned out for a bit, you went to the kitchen, and suddenly you’re so close with the old man and his family?”
Seeing the two strips of cured meat and a big bag of braised snacks in Lin Yan’s hands, he felt his mouth twitching, an inexplicable jealousy arising. Lin Yan looked at him, his eyes with a perfectly normal Versailles expression: “Isn’t this basic operation? You just need to praise the old man a lot, praise Uncle Wang, praise Auntie, praise big brother, and praise their cooking skills, is it hard?”
This is… too ordinary! Fists itching! Seeing Wu Xie’s face visibly darken, Lin Yan stopped joking, took out the little white zombie from the bag first, left some snacks in hand to munch on the way, put the rest in the bag, perfectly filling the little white zombie’s spot.
Before meeting Old Man Wang, Lin Yan had quietly put the little white zombie in the bag, afraid of scaring the villagers, only daring to let it out now that no one was around. After being released, the little white zombie first curiously jumped onto Lin Yan’s hand to sniff those snacks, probably smelled they weren’t edible (Lin Yan didn’t know where it got its nose from… honestly, do zombies have a sense of smell?), then jumped onto Lin Yan’s shoulder.
Wu Xie looked at those two black grape-like eyes staring at him, then turning away arrogantly to rub against Lin Yan’s neck, speechless for a moment.
Unexpectedly, this little thing held a grudge?
Lao Yang watching this scene was collapsing. Never mind how that little dumpling jumped up again, just Lin Yan: “You can’t eat this stuff in the forest, what if there are wolves? Even without wolves, if a large wild beast comes, we won’t be able to run!”
Lin Yan just lifted his chin and glanced at him: “You’re overthinking it—not just wolves, large beasts’ activity and hunting times are basically dawn and dusk. What time is it now?”
Lao Yang looked at the sun that had risen to the top, momentarily speechless… Turning his head, Wu Xie this guy had already reached out!
This damn… isn’t this serious mountain entry for tomb raiding? Why has such a dangerous place been turned into a picnic vibe by them? The rain fell so deep, so earnestly, those were the tears he shed from his unyielding craving! So
“Share with whoever sees, give—give me some!”
(This wave, this is the foodie’s victory! Not afraid of foodies only eating, afraid of foodies being cultured! Go for it, Ollie give!)
