Suddenly, I came home.
In an unexpected way.
Bai Zhou looked at Bai Yang, who was about to set, and Blood Moon, who was about to rise. He wondered if he would encounter any ghost following him in the wilderness outside the door. At this moment, he just turned around and gave the ghost a surprise. "Stop chasing me, brother, I'm home. Why don't you sit at home?"
By then, everything that is normal and abnormal here, and the bustling markets hidden deep in the mountains, will probably feel evil even to the lonely ghosts in the wilderness.
"--Hey, Brother Zhou?"
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the street hawkers, a voice of surprise and uncertainty suddenly came to their ears. Then the voice seemed to be sure of something, and then it was full of surprise.
"It's really you, brother Zhou, why are you here!"
Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia looked up and immediately saw that the fat boss Convenience Store, whose shelves were full of Four-Flavor Instant Noodles and Jade-in-Jade Ham Sausage, was walking out of the threshold with a surprised look on his face and walking straight towards Bai Zhou on the street.
The white-skinned old man's vest is close to his belly, and the wrinkled fat is swaying with each step. The fat boss has a cute look, and his eyes are only slits when he smiles.
Brother Zhou----?
Fang Xiaoxia blinked twice, curious in his heart.
Are you calling Bai Zhou?
Such an affectionate title, it sounds like a very close elder.
Then, Maiden heard Bai Zhou respond by his ear. There was surprise in the voice, a slightly alienated vigilance, and also indescribable complexity.
"----Uncle Xiang."
Bai Zhou looked at the visitor calmly and found that Uncle Xiang had not lost half the weight due to Luo Tunan's torture, and of course he had not gained any weight. He completely maintained the same body shape as Uncle Xiang in Bai Zhou's memory.
"Didn't you write a letter asking me to come and see you often?" Bai Zhou greeted him.
"Now I'm here." Bai Zhou finally squeezed out a heartfelt smile, "No matter what, Uncle Xiang, I'm very happy to see you like this."
But.
Uncle Xiang listened to Bai Zhou's expression, but his expression was obviously startled.
"Letter?"
He asked, "What letter?"
"----?"
Hearing this, Bai Zhou frowned.
Next.
The Uncle Xiang in front of him spoke words that made Fang Xiaoxia confused, but made Bai Zhou's whole body feel horrified.
"When did I write to you?"
Uncle Xiang said carelessly, "You kid, you just talk nonsense that no one can understand!"
"----"Bai Zhou held his breath, his spine shivered and his pupils shrank.
Not you----
Who is that?
If Uncle Xiang didn't write to himself--
So, who is writing to himself?
Who is the person who wrote the letter in the tone of Uncle Xiang, calling him Brother Zhou and asking him to come back often?!
Bai Zhou's heart skipped a beat, and he felt extremely horrified. Thousands of thoughts were running through his mind in an instant.
No wonder.
Think carefully----
[Bai Zhou--]
[Want to join our Daydream?]
On the yellowed letter paper, the last sentence was particularly concerning to Bai Zhou. At that time, Bai Zhou was only thinking about whether this sentence had any profound meaning, but ignored one detail.
"Daydream" is such a uneducated Uncle Xiang. Can you write it in a letter----
But that letter did not deceive Bai Zhou. There was really a "Daydream" in No. 27 Humanitarian Care Sanatorium.
Evening City, which had been shattered, appeared in front of Bai Zhou unsuspectingly. Everyone in Evening City who had been thinking about it all lived a life that was no different from before.
Candied haws, rice wine incense burner, umbrella on a sunny day, Evening City Daily and Uncle Xiang Convenience Store filled with Four-Flavor Instant Noodles.
This daily life is peaceful and beautiful, as if the end of that day had never happened, Evening City had never been broken, and all that Bai Zhou had experienced seemed like a dream.
Everyone here lives a familiar and peaceful daily life, but for Bai Zhou, it is the most jaw-dropping miracle.
Evening City is back?
What is going on here?
The person who wrote the letter—what is his purpose for Bai Zhou?
If he just wanted to deal with Bai Zhou, then he could have taken action the moment Bai Zhou set foot here.
But no.
There was nothing but the hawking of candied haws, only the smoke from the incense burners on the street, and only the aroma of cooking and frying meat coming from the alley next door.
Even, Bai Zhou did not see Last Will in the folks of Evening City.
Does this mean that they are not dead, but alive - alive and living here in Evening City?
My thoughts are in a mess, Bai Zhou is really confused.
He rarely uses the stupid-sounding word "muddleheaded" to describe himself, but now-
Such a huge impact made Bai Zhou immediately think of this word to describe his current state.
There is no fog in the bustling Evening City, but the evening moonlight stains the streets.
Even though he was illuminated by the warm and familiar Blood Moon, Bai Zhou's body could not stop feeling the biting coldness, "This letter----"
In Convenience Store, Uncle Xiang put on reading glasses and looked at the words on the yellowed letter paper word by word.
Bai Zhou, who was brought into Convenience Store, looked around calmly. Some kind of first instinct when returning to a familiar place drove his eyes to automatically search for those corners in his memory.
The four walls are covered with things, including Evening City Daily, faded New Year pictures, an old almanac that is almost torn, and some little GGs selling feed and fertilizers.
The more than ten square meters of Convenience Store were packed to the brim, and the counter was filled with Black Rabbit Milk Candy, plum candy, peanut nougat, and wine-filled chocolate wrapped in gold paper.
On the counter surface, there are large jars of white wine and pickle sauces in bulk, as well as Monkey God Pills snacks arranged in boards.
The shelves are full of orange Power Boost Drink. Hundred Mouth Cola is a rare item here. The spicy strips named Evening City Roast Duck are the only "roast duck" that Bai Zhou has ever eaten in his life.
The most conspicuous place on the shelf is where Crab Emperor Noodles, Big Boss Crispy Noodles and Big Bear Crispy Noodles are placed. Next to them are Four-Flavor Instant Noodles and Jade-in-Jade Ham Sausage who grew up with Bai Zhou.
Several boxes of dusty Big Green Stick Beer were piled at the door, and plastic baskets were stacked beside them, with eggs and salted duck eggs in the baskets.
In order to save space, good things are hung on the edge of the counter and the green door frame, including Big Big Bubble Gum and popping candies. Their small bags are all connected together, like colorful ribbons fluttering in the wind.
There are also some toys, including monster cards, mini-soldiers, and plastic swords, guns, swords and halberds, all packed in bags. Colorful bags are always very attractive to children.
"Pah, pah----"
A series of plastic curtains were hung in front of the door, one by one, and they flapped softly in the evening breeze.
The fluorescent tube overhead made a slight buzzing sound and flickered, illuminating the items on the shelves.
"Nothing has changed here----"
Everything that was familiar made Bai Zhou almost feel like he was back in the past.
This is a completely different feeling from the neon city of Tinghai with green lights of Red Wine. Even the wind here seems to be slow.
The smell of Convenience Store's spicy strips and pickles mixed with his mouth and nose made him feel more friendly and at the same time, he felt like he was back in those summer evenings when everyone came home from school.
Fang Xiaoxia was also watching. She didn't recognize almost any of these things, and she seemed to have seen them on TV. Everything seemed to be a product of the last century, and everything she saw made her feel novel.
Now she only feels that by following Bai Zhou, she can encounter all kinds of incredible experiences, and they are always exciting and make her scalp numb.
I was chased on a viaduct on a rainy night on a Bai Zhou tricycle, I rode a Paper Airplane over the waves, I witnessed my school being blown up into fireworks from the top of a Soaring Egret Mountain, and now -
Going deep into Wild Mountains and Ridges, I came across a mysterious sanatorium. After opening the iron door, I stepped into another extremely mysterious old world.
In the past, Fang Xiaoxia thought that these wonderful things were Mystic World's daily routine, different from the dangers and excitements in the real world, but then Fang Xiaoxia also stepped into Mystic World, and found that this was not the case at all.
These wonderful things do not belong to Mystic World.
They belong to Bai Zhou.
Compared with what he saw and heard next to Bai Zhou, and what he suddenly experienced today, the training that Special Management Department, the newbie Training Camp, went through in the mud pit - it was simply too weak!
Thinking like this, Fang Xiaoxia's eyes flashed brighter than Bai Yang, which was about to fall in the sky outside.
Is this where Bai Zhou comes from?
At Training Camp, Fang Xiaoxia mentioned that Savior of Tinghai had a mysterious origin. He seemed to be a local of Tinghai but he seemed not to be.
Now Fang Xiaoxia can refute the rumor. You Tinghai people should stay away from it. The place where Bai Zhou comes from is simply a paradise. This is Peach Blossom Spring or Fantasyland? Fang Xiaoxia's brain started to work, and the familiar conversation between Uncle Xiang and Bai Zhou made her imagine everything about this place.
She has reason to suspect that everything here is Mystic World's master. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is full of extraordinary seniors who have retired. The old man with missing front teeth drinking rice wine on the street may have been the swordsman who shouted at the sky. The disabled Butcher who sells meat at the end of the street may be the swordsman of the generation;
The candied haws peddler passing by with an umbrella on a sunny day may be a goblin who has lived for thousands of years, and the unattractive-looking Uncle Xiang in front of me, who is wearing reading glasses and reading a newspaper, may actually be a half-human, half-spirit magician who protects the shrine here and is proficient in various magics.
-But they are all seniors who watched Bai Zhou grow up. While hiding their identities, they quietly taught Bai Zhou their own unique skills. In this way, when Bai Zhou was just starting out, he met others in the outside world. Every powerful extraordinary person I met was either an elder that Bai Zhou had never met, or an old friend who owed something to Bai Zhou. No matter how old Jianghu was, he would still be an invincible and lonely person.
After all, even if Yu Gong and I were here, I might not be able to poach so many backers.
Isn't this too exciting?
Fang Xiaoxia felt that such a life was so dreamy, and how could she be so virtuous that she could accidentally break into the Heavenly Family and be lucky enough to be the follower of a noble man like Bai Zhou, and be able to glimpse a corner of the palace in heaven.
But Fang Xiaoxia knew that she couldn't think about it anymore, because she already felt that the shadow under her feet was about to move, and if she thought about it again, the shadow would jump out and sing a poem seriously.
She didn't dare to disturb the poet----
"Brother Zhou, this letter is indeed not written by me."
The voice of Uncle Xiang came from behind the counter, bringing the two people who had their own thoughts back to reality from their trance.
"Although the notes are indeed very similar, I almost thought I wrote them myself at some point——"
Uncle Xiang shook his head, shook the envelope with a clatter, and handed the crumpled letter paper to Bai Zhou across the counter. "But I won't even forget this, right?"
"Then----" Bai Zhou took the envelope and letter paper and put them away thoughtfully.
"But no matter what, it's always a good thing that you can come here. I'm very happy - really happy."
Uncle Xiang regained his previous enthusiasm. "I think everyone at Corner Street will be happy to know that you are back."
"Corner Street ah----" Bai Zhou's eyes blinked twice, and his expression was slightly startled.
It was a very familiar name, but hearing it now seemed like it happened in a previous life. He thought he would never hear the name again.
"Of course, I'm even more happy that you didn't come back alone."
Uncle Xiang's expression became happy, and while winking at Bai Zhou, he took the initiative to get two teacups, washed them, and poured milk powder "Gululu" into them to brew.
"Brother Zhou will eventually abduct girls when he grows up!"
Kidnapping a girl?
Bai Zhou was stunned for a moment, then looked at Fang Xiaoxia beside him who was blinking in confusion, and was speechless for a moment.
Are you talking about this guy?
When Uncle Xiang brought the tea cup and enthusiastically asked Fang Xiaoxia about their parents' affairs----
The ignorant Fang Xiaoxia suddenly realized what he was doing.
These people seem to be Bai Zhou's natal family.
So, his behavior of bringing himself here is not——
Meet, meet the parents?
Fang Xiaoxia's face suddenly turned red, and then the blush turned almost purple. He looked dizzy. He was wearing a little white skirt, his legs were close together, and he was sitting on a small bench, holding the corners of the skirt tightly with both hands, looking at a loss.
As the saying goes, an ugly daughter-in-law always has to meet her parents-in-law. Fang Xiaoxia, who suddenly saw Bai Zhou and other neighbors, realized what this meant and had no experience in dealing with this at all.
She only felt regretful. If she had known she was coming here, she would have put on beautiful makeup a few hours in advance----
Bai Zhou also felt that Uncle Xiang must have misunderstood something, and even if he really brought someone back, it was not as simple as just bringing one Fang Xiaoxia.
Glancing aside from the corner of his eye, Miss Ya, who had been looking at the environment with great interest since arriving at "Evening City", was also standing at the door watching.
Don't favor one over the other Uncle Xiang.
"Uncle Xiang." Seeing Fang Xiaoxia's embarrassment, Bai Zhou coughed lightly and tried to divert Uncle Xiang's attention, "That's over there----"
Under the shrine with nothing enshrined, there was a plate of fried carp, a piece of half-rare pork belly and a rooster with chicken wings stuck in its mouth. The bright comb was very eye-catching.
"Oh, it's almost on time, the time is almost up." Uncle Xiang glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, his face changed, he hurriedly got up from his seat, and lit three sticks of incense religiously.
Green smoke curled up, and Uncle Xiang inserted three sticks of incense on the incense burner.
"On August 16th, we burn incense and offer sacrifices to the full moon. Don't forget this."
Uncle Xiang patted his hands and turned to look at Bai Zhou, "Isn't this our Evening City tradition?"
"But that's not what Black Robe promoted----" Bai Zhou frowned.
Uncle Xiang knew what Bai Zhou meant. He nodded and explained, "Black Robe is gone. Everyone is living a good life. Even the pure gold sculpture in the middle of Civic Square and the big Elder has been knocked down, and every household has been given gold."
--But life has to go on. Tinghai We can't get used to those habits, and we don't want to think about them.
"How can a custom that has been adhered to for so long be changed so easily?"
Uncle Xiang said casually, "Now Evening City, some people still adhere to the previous traditions, and some do not adhere to these, but they are also a minority."
"Doctor said that adhering to past customs can help us stabilize our minds and promote physical and mental health."
"Doctor?" Bai Zhou's heart moved. He looked at Uncle Xiang in front of him and seriously asked the question he had always wanted to ask, "So, where did this Evening City come from?"
"How did it come----?"
Uncle Xiang was stunned for a moment, as if he was suddenly asked a natural question, asking why peeing goes up and down instead of from bottom up.
Then, he said, "Isn't Evening City Evening City? You opened the door and entered the nursing home, didn't you just come in?"
He seemed to have answered, but also seemed not to have answered.
Bai Zhou was speechless after hearing this.
At this time, Uncle Xiang said again, "Won't you also come and offer a stick of incense?"
He said what Evening City people often said in the past, "Blood Moon Society in the sky bless every Evening City child."
"Me?" Bai Zhou blinked twice and subconsciously stood up from the bench, but immediately stopped where he was.
He had done similar incense burning countless times in Evening City before. It was not until Evening City came out that he realized that these customs in Tinghai were backward and dregs.
In fact, he still feels that this is nothing until now. People should always have some respect. If you believe it, you will have it. If you don't believe it, you will not have it.
But everything was still confusing at the moment, and Bai Zhou really didn't dare to act rashly, so he waved his hand to Uncle Xiang.
"No—I won't."
"That's fine." Uncle Xiang didn't force it, but looked as if it was true.
He looked at Bai Zhou and shook his head. "I know that you have become a high official and a great person outside. It is only right to look down on these things in your hometown."
As he spoke, he looked at Bai Zhou with a complex awe mixed with alienation.
Bai Zhou:"----"
He has read Uncle Xiang's eyes.
That look seemed to be saying to Bai Zhou:
Unfortunately, it turns out that there is already a tragically thick barrier between us and you Bai Zhou.
The conscience of heaven and earth! He really didn't think so!
It is true that Tinghai has too many tricks and too many stupid ass and bad guys who want to harm him. Bai Zhou can no longer return to the simple appearance of the past.
"Uncle Xiang----" Bai Zhou, feeling helpless, quickly changed the subject, "Everyone at Corner Street, are you okay?"
"Everything is fine."
After hearing what Bai Zhou said, Uncle Xiang nodded, "You Grandpa Wang still move a small horse and sit at the door to play chess every afternoon, but your chess skills are so bad that no one likes to play with him."
"Do you still remember the shoe repairman? You Elder Liu, his legs and feet are not as good as before. Now he only works at the stall for half a day. In the afternoon, he moves a deck chair to bask in the doorway. He smiles and waves to everyone he sees."
"Your Aunt Zhang still grows and sells vegetables. She is still very impatient. The day before yesterday, she said she wanted to cut down the old locust tree at the door because it blocked the light in her house. It took everyone a long time to persuade her to stop. Now she stands under the tree every day and complains that too many leaves are falling into her yard."
"----Okay, everything is good."
Uncle Xiang waved his hand, "I just talk about you every now and then and ask when you will come back."
After a pause, he added, "I chant it too."
He said, "Everyone says that you are successful and have done many great things outside. You Aunt Zhang also saved a plate of dumplings stuffed with pickled cabbage and oil residue for you and frozen them in the refrigerator. I will cook them for you when you come back."
"Aunt Zhang----" Of course Bai Zhou will not forget it, because the other party always has leftovers to give to Bai Zhou. Sometimes, the "leftovers" are clearly lying on the vegetable cart, but everyone has a tacit understanding not to ask Aunt Zhang, this dish is obviously here, why don't you sell it?
Bai Zhou could not live to this day without the love and care of everyone at Corner Street. He knows this better than anyone else and keeps it in his heart at all times.
Thinking like this, he hesitated for a moment and said, "I want to go see everyone - and also see my previous home."
"It should be, that's what it should be - they will definitely be surprised when they see you." Uncle Xiang grinned, and the gap that had just occurred disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Go on, go on. I have to check the store right now, so I won't go over there yet. I'll find you later."
He looked at Fang Xiaoxia who was standing next to Bai Zhou obediently. "If they see such a handsome girl being brought back to us Evening City, we don't know how happy we will be!"
Fang Xiaoxia felt confused after listening to it, and his brain was so dizzy that he almost didn't know what the world was.
In her smart little mind, she had completely translated what the other party meant:
Need to meet parents.
There are so many parents to meet----!!!
While talking, Uncle Xiang pointed to Bai Zhou at the spicy strips, crispy noodles and bubble gum on the shelf, "It's not easy for you to come back----"
"Do you like any of these snack toys?" Uncle Xiang said, waving his hand generously, "Take it and eat it!"
Following the direction of Uncle Xiang's finger, Bai Zhou looked over.
If in the past, after hearing what Uncle Xiang said, Bai Zhou was ready to cheer Uncle Xiang loudly, feeling extremely happy and embarrassed, and finally tied up and picked up a bag of snacks to take away.
Whether it's spicy strips, Paopao Tang, or these colorful packets of crispy noodles, they were all Bai Zhou's favorite things when he was a kid, but he was reluctant to buy them.
At that time, Bai Zhou was lucky enough to eat it once, and I could never forget the taste for days or even years.
In fact, it is not the taste that I can forget, but the freshness and joy of getting something cherished at that time is unforgettable. Children are always the best at coaxing themselves.
But now----
Bai Zhou looked at the shelves of Dazzling Array, but subconsciously waved his hand.
"No, I'm not very hungry----"
The Bai Zhou of childhood is finally different from what it is now.
In fact, Bai Zhou didn't eat anything rare at Tinghai, but as his body and mind were full of exhaustion, he also lost the freshness of tasting the snacks he couldn't get enough of when he was a child.
I grew up after all.
Want to buy sweet-scented osmanthus wine----
After all, it's not like traveling as a teenager.
But.
Just as Bai Zhou's emotion was mixed with melancholy that he didn't even notice, Fang Xiaoxia beside him spoke at an inappropriate time.
"That, Bai Zhou----"
"What's wrong?" Bai Zhou turned around and looked over, and found Fang Xiaoxia looking curiously and expectantly at the spicy strips on the shelf.
"That Evening City Roast Duck"----is it delicious?
Bai Zhou:"----"
Okay.
--
I forgot that there is a little girl here who has not grown up.
Walking on the street in the evening, Fang Xiaoxia held a candied haws in one hand and "Evening City Roast Duck" in the other, walking leisurely beside Bai Zhou.
One bite is sweet and sour, the other is spicy, I am really a seasoned foodie.
After the experience just now, Fang Xiaoxia is no longer so afraid of this place, and curiously looks at everything around him that is very different from Tinghai.
"Bai Zhou, is this your home?"
"That's right."
"Are they the old friends you said you wanted to visit?"
"Yeah."
"Then where are we going now?" As he spoke, Fang Xiaoxia took a bite of a particularly sour hawthorn, and his expression wrinkled up.
Bai Zhou calmly looked at the surrounding environment and pedestrians, and then answered, "My home."
"Squeak----"
The dusty door was pushed open.
"Here----?" Fang Xiaoxia exclaimed, "This is your home?"
It is completely different from the "noble master"'s home that Fang Xiaoxia imagined. In fact, it is simply too shabby.
In the small room that came into view, there was a single bed against the wall, covered with blue plaid sheets that had been washed white.
Next to the window is an old-fashioned desk with an old-fashioned kerosene lamp on it. There are also a few old Black Robe textbooks spread out on the table, with the corners rolled up. Most of the Evening City Story Bai Zhou has heard of came from them.
The bookshelf on the side was built by Bai Zhou himself with bricks and wooden boards. It was crooked and crooked, and was stuffed with a few old books from the scrapyard to satisfy the fantasy of the orphan boy who came from a scholarly family and had extracurricular reading.
On the desk, there is a thermos cup that has been tightened. Its appearance has long faded and turned white.
The warm Rainbow Light from Blood Moon shone in from the outside, fell on the corner of the desk, and shone on those dusty old textbooks.
Dust floats slowly in the gauze-like light.
At noon that day, Bai Zhou put down the old textbooks in his hands, put a few of them into his schoolbag, and went to Black Robe Youth Training Corps to go to school.
Then, he never came back.
But now----?
Everything here remains unchanged from when Bai Zhou left.
It's as if I've been waiting for that young boy who excels in studies to come home from school.
"Go home."
Bai Zhou looked dazed, walked over, raised his hand and picked up the thermos cup from the table to examine it.
With a "squeak" sound, Bai Zhou unscrewed the lid of the cup and saw that there was still half a cup of water inside.
The water is so clear that it looks like it's still drinkable.
Probably.
"How long have you been away from here? This water must be too old for bacteria."
Fang Xiaoxia came over and looked at the water in the cup curiously, "Tell me, can drinking this water make you younger?"
"Yes." Bai Zhou nodded seriously, "You can transform into a grandson after drinking it."
Fang Xiaoxia:
, Bai Zhou slowly closed the lid of the cup and re-sealed the half bottle of water inside.
A strange feeling arose spontaneously in his heart.
It's like----
It's like meeting an old friend again after returning home, it's so joyful.
When he closed the lid of the cup and made a soft "squeak" sound, Bai Zhou seemed to hear the half-full cup of water inside saying something to him——
"Ah, in the blink of an eye, Bai Zhou has grown up."
It seemed to be asking Bai Zhou: "How are you, kid? Is the adult world fun?"
----But, this is strange to say.
It's obviously the sound of water, but why does it use Bai Zhou's own voice as a child?
The world of adults, is it fun?
Bai Zhou can't answer.
Taking Fang Xiaoxia with them, they walked out of the house. As soon as they stood in the narrow alley, the two of them bumped into a pushing vegetable cart.
"Give me a little bit, give me a little bit--ugh?!"
The vegetable cart stopped immediately. The woman pushing the cart was about sixty years old and wore a blue cloth apron that had been washed to gray. There was half a muddy green onion hanging out of the apron pocket.
She stared at Bai Zhou for two seconds, her eyes suddenly widened. "Brother Zhou? Brother Zhou!"
The vegetable cart was left on the spot. She rushed over in three steps and grabbed Bai Zhou's hand tightly. "It's really you! That Lao Xiang really didn't lie to me!"
Without waiting for Bai Zhou to speak, she dragged Bai Zhou to the side yard. As she walked, she turned back and waved to Fang Xiaoxia: "My daughter, come here too, come in, come in, don't stand outside!"
"Oh----oh!" Fang Xiaoxia followed in a daze.
Aunt Zhang couldn't sit still after chatting for a while, so he got up and went to the kitchen, insisting on making a meal for Bai Zhou Fang Xiaoxia no matter what.
"Aunt Zhang I know you love to eat noodles. Let's not eat that Four-Flavor Instant Noodles today. Can we eat your Aunt Zhang hand-made noodles?"
Aunt Zhang pressed Bai Zhou on the bench in the main room, turned around and entered the kitchen, swinging the apron string behind him.
Soon there was a clanging sound in the kitchen.
But how could Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia just look at them like this? In the blink of an eye, they were kitchen helpers.
A hand-pulled bellows was lit, and a large black iron pot was burning on it.
The choking smoke flew up the chimney into the evening sky. When the bellows for the fire "clattered" in the hand, several greetings of "Have you eaten?" came from the alley outside the house, as well as the faint shouts of uncles playing cards and chess——
At this moment, Bai Zhou felt that the swallows from the south were flying back to the north, the withered willow trees at the entrance of the alley were turning green again, and even the withered peach blossoms were blooming again, and his past days were quietly gone and coming back.
"Hulu----Hulu----"
At this moment, Bai Zhou's movements of hand-pulling the windmill even became slow and cautious. The warm and relaxing time accompanied by the fireworks of the evening shone into the kitchen, and the noodle soup boiling in the iron pot came to his side.
"And this, your favorite food, Jade-in-Jade Ham Sausage, add it in too!"
The voice of Aunt Zhang came from the side, and the kitchen knife made a "snap" sound when it fell on the chopping board, which was very rhythmic.
Fang Xiaoxia was handing firewood to the side, and the smoke turned Maiden's face into a tabby cat. Her eyes were purring and she was curiously looking at the faded New Year paintings and Stove King portraits on the wall.
"Jade-in-Jade Ham Sausage----What is it?" Fang Xiaoxia muttered beside Bai Zhou. The smell of milk lingered on the tip of Bai Zhou's nose, mixing with the smoke of fireworks and the heat of noodle soup.
"Jade-in-Jade Ham Sausage, it was my favorite and one of the few meat dishes when I was a kid----" Bai Zhou said, turning his head and glancing at the chopping board next to him.
Aunt Zhang was cutting ham sausage on the chopping board, the knife was rising and falling, the rhythm was fast, the ham sausage was cut into even small pieces, and she threw it into the boiling cauldron.
"Click, click, click, click" 7
"Click, click, click, click."
The pot is steaming, and the aroma of ham wafts out.
But Bai Zhou's eyes gradually became wrong.
Because the kitchen knife in Aunt Zhang's hand fell quickly, and she was dazzled as if she was showing off her skills. The sharp edge not only cut off the ham sausage, but also cut off a section of her finger.
A piece of finger.
The finger was cut in half with a knife and lay limply on the chopping board in a pool of blood. Half of it was thrown into the noodle soup by Aunt Zhang.
After a while, the aroma of broth came from the noodle soup.
The remaining half of the finger was picked up by Aunt Zhang, and he just glanced at it and threw it into the trash can next to him without changing his expression.
His movements were natural and smooth, as if nothing had happened, as if he was throwing away unused pieces of ginger, as if this was a normal part of daily life.
At this time, Aunt Zhang raised his head and met the eyes of Bai Zhou.
The kind smile and the familiar wrinkles on his face, everything Evening City is so familiar and warm at this moment, makes people relax unconsciously.
But the "normal" feeling of no pain on her face made Bai Zhou feel a sudden chill down his spine when he peeked at her, feeling an inexplicable coolness in the hot weather.
"What are you looking at, Brother Zhou?"
Zhang grinned broadly at Bai Zhou.
When the old man smiled, he had a gentle smile and kind eyes, which was very much like the amiable Stove Lord painted on the stove.
"Did you not eat when you came here? Are you starving?"
"Don't worry, haha, the hand-rolled dough will be ready soon."
As he spoke, Aunt Zhang raised his left hand with one finger missing, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve stained with flour and blood, and at the same time prepared to roll out and cut the noodles, his movements were quite capable.
"Click, click, click, click -
"Click, click, click, click."
The knife edge kept moving, and the flour and blood stains on the chopping board vibrated.
A few drops of blood flew up and splashed into the pot. A few drops of blood were mixed with flour and splashed onto the blurry and black portrait of the Kitchen God on the wall.
At this time, Aunt Zhang grinned again and smiled openly, "If you ask me, don't let your daughter come over to work."
"Such a handsome girl looks like the richest lady in the city. How can you understand this?"
She smiled, turned to Bai Zhou and asked:
You say no, Brother Zhou?"
During the conversation.
"Tick, tick, tick----"
The bright red blood between the severed fingers dripped on the chopping board.
It hurt Bai Zhou's slightly startled eyes.