Never Left

On the day Bai Xiaohu was captured, he wanted to go home early after school, but Zhuzi wanted to go out and play with Erniu.

So Bai Xiaohu walked home from school by himself. It wasn't a long way. In the past, they would walk and play together. They were all familiar with each other in the village.

As a result, he walked between two dense trees halfway and was covered with his mouth by someone who jumped down from the trees, put into a sack, and taken away from the mountain forest path.

When Zhuzi returned home, he panicked when he saw that Bai Xiaohu hadn't returned yet, saying that he had left first.

The Bai family searched everywhere in the village, but they didn't see anyone until dark, so they knew something must have happened. Su Bai mobilized the young and strong men in the village to search for Bai Xiaohu in the nearby mountains and neighboring villages for a long time, but they didn't find him, and no one had seen him.

The Bai family felt like the sky had fallen. Grandpa Bai's hair turned completely white overnight, and Aunt Bai cried every day. Liu always refused to sleep at night, saying that she would sit at the door and wait for Xiaohu to come home.

Zhuzi blamed himself and said that he should go home with his brother after school, so that the kidnapper would not dare to attack them when he saw the two of them.

Including the Bai family, everyone in the village believed that Bai Xiaohu was kidnapped and sold by human traffickers.

This kind of thing can always be heard in the surrounding area. No matter boys or girls, there are kidnapped, but no one has been found. In addition to the dirty things done by Wu Yun and Wu Huaian, only Liu Xiaoyue was found, and now no one knows where she has gone.

It is said that the kidnapped boys were sold as slaves, and most of the girls were sold to brothels.

The Bai family, who had been living a better and better life after meeting Su Liang, were in a gloomy mood within a month of Bai Xiaohu's disappearance, and they could not live.

It was not until Su Bai received a letter from Su Liang in the capital that he learned that Su Liang had rescued Bai Xiaohu and would send him home soon that he was overjoyed and rushed to the Bai family to tell them the good news.

In fact, Su Liang explained the whole story in the letter, and Bai Xiaohu was implicated by her.

But Su Bai did not tell the Bai family so much, only saying that Bai Xiaohu was taken to the capital and Su Liang saved him.

The Bai family confirmed again and again, and when they heard Su Bai swear that it was true, they were so excited that they cried and laughed.

From then on, Zhuzi would look towards the village entrance for a long time every day when he went to school and came home, waiting for Su Liang and Bai Xiaohu to come back.

Su Bai led people to repair the ancestral tomb of Su Yuanzhou's family, cleared the weeds and gravel, asked Feng Shui to determine the location of the cemetery, and so on, and the manpower was also found.

Everyone in the village knew that Su Liang had saved Bai Xiaohu and would soon send her family's coffin back to the village for burial, and they praised her for being powerful and filial.

Entering September, the weather in the small village in the north was getting colder and colder.

This day, Zhuzi wore the thin cotton coat that picked up Bai Xiaohu, and after school, he stood at the bridge head and looked at the village entrance waiting for his brother.

After waiting for a long time, the sun was about to set. Hearing Aunt Bai calling him back, Zhuzi sighed, turned his backpack and was about to go home.

Just as he turned around, Zhuzi heard the faint sound of horse hooves.

There were cows, donkeys and two mules in the village, but there were usually no horses.

Zhuzi rubbed his eyes, saw the carriage, and rushed out immediately, "It's my brother! My brother is back!"

Aunt Bai didn't hear it, but she stood at the door of her house and saw that her grandson was gone from the bridge. She immediately ran over in panic.

"Brother! Brother!" Zhuzi shouted loudly, fell down and immediately got up and ran in the direction of the carriage.

Bai Xiaohu poked his head out of the car and waved at Zhuzi, "Brother! Brother! I'm here!"

Qi Jun was also in the car, and Su Liang was in the car behind. The coffins of the Su family followed behind, and the team was very long.

The villagers heard the noise and walked out of their homes. As soon as they saw the carriage, they knew that Su Liang was back.

When the carriage reached the side of Zhuzi, Qi Jun reached out and picked him up.

"Brother!"

"Brother!"

The two children hugged each other, laughing at first, and then they started crying.

Qi Jun watched from the side, and his heart was also sour. He suddenly missed his brother too. It had been a long time since they had fought...

Aunt Bai stood at the bridge head, wiping her tears and watching the carriage approach.

After Su Liang's treatment and Qi Jun's careful care, Bai Xiaohu's body recovered. He ate and drank well and saw the scenery along the way. His flesh grew back, his face was rosy, and his skin was several shades whiter than before. He looked like a handsome young boy.

Bai Xiaohu and Zhuzi got off the carriage and rushed over to hug Aunt Bai.

Aunt Bai looked at her lost grandson and couldn't help crying. She hugged him tightly and refused to let go.

Many villagers gathered around and said that Xiaohu had grown taller and whiter, and looked more stylish than the young masters in the city. When they saw Su Liang getting off the carriage, they all greeted her.

During the last time Su Liang returned to the village, she had basically known all the villagers. At that time, the school she funded was on the right track, and the villagers were very enthusiastic about her.

Su Liang called people one by one and greeted everyone.

Su Bai, who came after hearing the news, was greatly relieved to see Su Liang and Bai Xiaohu return safely. He still affectionately called her "Liang girl" and arranged to pull the coffins to the Su family's ancestral hall.

After the escort delivered the coffins, Su Liang settled the balance with them and gave them another reward, and then they could leave.

Originally, they thought that Su Liang's enemies might appear along the way, but there were no accidents, and their escort trip was very easy.

Su Liang opened the door and returned to the familiar yard alone. The weeds in the yard had grown a little more, probably the grass seeds that floated down from the mountain.

But this is Su Liang's first home after she crossed over, and it is also the place where she feels most relaxed and comfortable. Even looking at the green and yellow weeds on the ground, she feels lovely.

Aunt Bai called her two daughters-in-law to come and help Su Liang clean up. When she entered the door, she saw her standing quietly in the yard.

This scene made Aunt Bai immediately think of "Ning Jing". She thought that Su Liang must be sad because of the death of "Ning Jing", but she didn't show it in front of others. The last time Su Liang left in a hurry was because she received news that "Ning Jing" was killed.

Aunt Bai sighed deeply, "Liang girl! Let's help you clean up!"

Su Liang turned around with a smile on her face, which made Aunt Bai stunned for a moment. Because she thought Su Liang was crying silently in front of the room where "Ning Jing" lived...

In short, this matter made Aunt Bai a little confused. When she went back to tell her husband about it, Uncle Bai sighed and said, "Ning Jing has been gone for a while. Liang is a strong-willed girl. When have you ever seen her cry? She must have let it go."

Su Liang did not refuse the kindness of the Bai family, so Aunt Bai took her daughter-in-law to clean up.

After Su Liang put the luggage in the room, he went to the backyard.

The last time he left, there were pumpkins and eggplants growing in the backyard, and Gu Ling picked an eggplant and a pumpkin to take away. The first time he showed his true face in front of Su Liang was that night after he and Su Liang had eaten delicious roasted eggplants in the grove. The pumpkin was too tender, so he made pumpkin and egg dumplings the next day.

The eggplant leaves were all yellow at this time, but two late-ripening purple eggplants could still be seen, round and shining.

Most of the pumpkin vines climbing on the wall were dry, but there were about four or five long old pumpkins still hanging on the vines, with a layer of white frost on them. The first time Su Liang saw it, he was already thinking about how to make pumpkin pie and pumpkin soup.

The doors and windows of the room were closed tightly, and it was ready to live in after a simple cleaning.

The weeds in the yard were removed, and Aunt Bai helped to clean the kitchen. Su Liang thanked them and took the gifts specially given to them, such as clothes and snacks. Aunt Bai was straightforward and did not refuse, and went back with her daughter-in-law.

Just after they left for a while, Uncle Bai carried a shoulder pole and brought two large baskets of things, all of which were their own ingredients, and Su Liang brought some of each.

Aunt Bai had already invited Su Liang to her house for dinner, and she didn't have to cook by herself. But Su Liang said that she would stay for a while this time, and she didn't want to cook and eat at Bai's house again, not to be polite to them.

Of course, if Su Liang was really alone, she would go to Bai's house for free meals every day. But there was a fairy in the dark, so there was nothing she could do.

Su Liang thanked Mr. Bai and chatted with him for a while.

Su Bai came over and discussed the burial with Su Liang.

Su Yuanzhou had been gone for so long, and only Su Liang was left as his granddaughter. Su Bai meant that the funeral should be simple and the person should be buried in the ancestral tomb properly.

Su Liang said that everything would be arranged by Su Bai, and he was always a thoughtful person. The villagers helped, and a buffet was held after the burial.

Finally, it was decided that the tomb would be opened tomorrow and the burial would be held the day after tomorrow.

Su Liang had asked the messenger to give Su Bai a silver note before, and she took out another one. Su Bai got up and left, "I haven't used the one I gave you last time! You should take a rest! I'm going back!"

Finally, the courtyard was quiet again.

Qi Jun went to Bai Xiaohu's house, and took Su Liang's money and Bai Xiaohu's selected many gifts to deliver them one by one, and he hasn't come back yet.

"Let him live in Xiaohu's house." Gu Ling's voice suddenly sounded behind him.

Su Liang was not frightened at all. She turned around and saw him coming out of the inner room, still with a disguised face.

"Did you see the eggplants and pumpkins in the backyard?" Su Liang asked.

Gu Ling nodded, "I saw crispy eggplants and pumpkin cakes."

Su Liang chuckled, "Me too." In fact, she was not a greedy person, but she felt very hungry when she saw the dishes grown in her own home.

"Let Qi Jun live in Xiaohu's house." Gu Ling said again.

Su Liang thought about it, "That's right. Otherwise you can't live there. Although this yard is not small, it is clear at a glance, unlike Yuanming Pavilion. Let Qi Jun live there and teach Xiaohu and Zhuzi martial arts. Let them learn a little to strengthen their bodies. If there are other children who are willing to learn, they can come together, so that he won't be bored."

At this time, Qi Jun, who had just come out of Erniu's house with Xiaohu and Zhuzi, looked at the beautiful mountain village scenery in front of him, and couldn't help looking forward to the leisurely and comfortable life in the future...

After the gifts were delivered, Qi Jun came back with two tails following him.

"Sister Su Liang! Sister Su Liang!" Zhuzi kept shouting as soon as he entered the door.

Su Liang came out, and Zhuzi ran to her and said with a smile, "Sister Su Liang, I've grown taller!"

Su Liang rubbed Zhuzi's still fluffy hair and said with a smile, "Yes, I've grown taller." When they first met, he was still a sickly kid, but now he is like a strong calf, exuding vigorous vitality.

After a while, Qi Jun said to send the two little guys back, and chose the original firewood room in the corner that Su Liang cleaned up later to practice medicine, "I will live in that small house."

But Su Liang said, "You live in Xiaohu's house."

Qi Jun was stunned. Hearing Su Liang ask him to teach the children martial arts, he thought it was a good thing. He also liked to be with the children, but it seemed that he didn't have to live in Xiaohu's house, right?

"I was inconsiderate. For the sake of my master's reputation, I will go and live at Xiaohu's home." Qi Jun thought about it and felt that this was the right thing to do. It would be easy for people to gossip if Su Liang, a girl, brought him and a male follower.

Su Liang nodded solemnly, "Well, you go ahead. Food and accommodation are over there. If anything happens, I will go find you."

Bai Xiaohu and Zhu Zhu were very happy. One on each side, they pulled Qi Jun and ran away.

When Qi Jun arrived at Bai's house, Uncle Bai and Aunt Bai knew that he was going to live here, and they all felt that this was the way it should be. He was not a maid and could not live alone with Su Liang.

The Bai family warmly entertained Qi Jun. Uncle Bai let Qi Jun stay in Bai Xiaohu and Zhu Zhu's room, and the two children lived in the same room as their parents.

Qi Jun quickly said that he would be the master of the two children from now on, so he would just live with them.

Aunt Bai asked Qi Jun if he was married, if he had an engagement, and what kind of girl he liked. Qi Jun quickly said that he had to listen to his father on this matter.

Aunt Bai didn't want to introduce the girl from the village to Qi Jun. It was definitely not a good match. She just asked about this out of habit when she saw such a good young man.

The sun was almost setting when we entered the village. By the time Gu Ling lit the fire and Su Liang started preparing dinner, it was already dark.

Xiaohu brought four vegetarian steamed buns. Su Liang and Gu Ling each ate one first, and then started making crispy eggplant and pumpkin cakes.

The pumpkin Gu Ling picked was as long as his arm. He lit the fire, cut off a section as Su Liang pointed out, put the others aside, and then peeled and removed the flesh.

"Don't throw away the pumpkin seeds. You can eat them." Su Liang said.

Gu Ling put the pumpkin flesh into a large clean bowl, steamed the cut pumpkin into pieces and crushed it before kneading the noodles.

Su Liang sighed while cutting the eggplant, "It seems like we have never left. What were we doing on this day last year?"

Gu Ling didn't hesitate and said, "Sweet and sour pork ribs."

Su Liang was stunned for a moment, "I made sweet and sour pork ribs for dinner last year?"

Gu Ling nodded.

Su Liang said in a faint tone, "Master, your memory is too good. I can't remember it at all."

"I know you don't remember, so I just said it casually." Gu Ling said, "I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs tomorrow."

Su Liang:......

After Su Liang tore off a piece of the fried first pumpkin cake and tasted it, she gave it to Gu Ling.

Sweet but not greasy, very delicious.

After the pumpkin cake and crispy eggplant were ready, Su Liang asked Gu Ling to look at the soup in the pot. She brought a bowl of crispy eggplant and a small basket of pumpkin cake to the Bai family.

The Bai family had just started eating, and when they saw Su Liang coming, they quickly made way for her.

"I still have some at home. I'll go back and eat them." Su Liang put down the vegetables and cakes. Zhuzi picked up a warm pumpkin cake and took a bite. He said loudly, "It's so delicious!"

Su Liang smiled and left.

When I got home, the lights were lit in the small hall, and Gu Ling's figure was reflected in the window. He was setting the meal.

Su Liang looked up and saw a shooting star streaking across the night sky, and soon there was another one.

"Meteor shower!" Su Liang looked surprised, "Master, come out quickly!"

Gu Ling walked to Su Liang's side and looked up at the night sky with her.

"It is said that if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true." Su Liang clasped his hands and closed his eyes, "Master, hurry up and make that wish of yours."

Su Liang meant that Gu Ling could travel to her previous life.

Gu Ling looked at the shooting stars, clasped her hands, and silently made a wish in her heart, "Su Xiaoliang and I will never be separated."

The meteor shower ended and the two of them walked to the room.

Gu Ling asked Su Liang, "What wish did you make?"

Su Liang blurted out, "Peace and health, the world is at peace."

Gu Ling crossed Su Liang and entered the room, "Eat the crispy eggplant while it's hot."

－－－－－－Digression－－－－－

Asking for a monthly ticket (*^▽^*)