The Green Stone

Life on the plains was completely different from life in the mountains! People could farm, do business, and trade with other villages! But deep in the mountains, generation after generation had been able to make a living only by hunting! That was probably one of the reasons the old village chief planned to relocate the village!

"Xiao Fan, do you want to go take a look at Granny Liu's stone?" Xiao Feng, who was helping push a cart, asked, turning his head.

"Yeah, let's go take a look. Let's see what's so peculiar about this green stone you mentioned."

"All right, then. Tomorrow, after I help Father gather medicinal herbs, we'll go together!"

"Sure. We don't have to hunt tomorrow anyway, so we might as well give ourselves something to do."

The sun sank in the west, casting a crimson-orange glow over the sky and draping the endless mountains in a thin golden veil! All kinds of fine birds circled constantly among the mountains, chasing one another and fighting for food. Every so often, the sounds of waking beasts could be heard. Some were as loud as thunder, others as faint as the chirping of insects! Beneath the mountains' tranquil surface, undercurrents surged!

Fortunately, the group was already nearing the village!

In the open space at the village entrance, a crowd craned their necks, waiting anxiously. The old village chief was among them! Standing beside him were Physician Xiao, Xiao Ke'er, and Ye Fan's father and mother! When they saw five or six burly men and two boys pushing carts toward them through the sunset glow, chatting and laughing, the crowd immediately rushed over! They talked and laughed, as though releasing the unease they had felt all day!

The old village chief also stood up, his stern face finally breaking into a faintly kindly smile! It seemed the trading had gone well today; they had returned with full loads!

The men set down the carts and, paying no mind to their exhaustion, went over to the old village chief. "Old village chief, we've finished trading. Two whole carts full of grain, and another cart of hunting tools. Now we won't have to eat that rock-hard dried meat anymore. With the new tools, hunting will go smoothly too. I feel like I could chop off a flood dragon's head!"

"Hahaha..."

The villagers gathered around them also burst into hearty laughter!

The old village chief first looked at the men, then at the goods. Only then did he speak. "Did everything go smoothly?"

"The trading went especially smoothly. It took less than half an hour from start to finish! We were in a hurry to get back, so we didn't dare linger. Once everything was sorted, we came straight home!" Old Uncle Chen replied.

"Mm, mm. You've all worked hard today! Go over there and rest your feet first!" With that, the old village chief turned to the villagers. "The families who traded for goods today can come collect them now."

Ye Fan's father was in no hurry to collect their goods. Instead, he went up to Ye Fan, patted him on the shoulder, and looked him up and down! His mother also put down the hunting tools in her hands and asked softly, "Xiao Fan, are you all right?"

"Don't worry, Mother! Everything went fine today."

Seeing that there really was nothing wrong with their son, the two of them finally let out a long breath of relief!

"Brother Fan!" It was none other than Xiao Ke'er, the Xiao family's youngest daughter!

After Ye Fan and the others left the village, Xiao Ke'er had finished her work at the pharmacy and waited at the village entrance ever since! She had arrived even earlier than the village chief! Now, the moment she saw Ye Fan and her eldest brother, her slightly furrowed brows smoothed out!

"Little Sister, your brother's over here!" Xiao Feng, who was still helping move the goods, said with a look of dissatisfaction!

Xiao Ke'er turned to her eldest brother. "Brother, thank you for your hard work on the journey. Father is still waiting for you!"

Xiao Changlin was Xiao Feng's father and the village's only physician! His medical skills had the villagers clicking their tongues in amazement! Physician Xiao, however, was a reclusive man who rarely initiated conversations. In the more than ten years since they had moved to the village, no one had ever known where they came from! All anyone knew was that on the day they arrived, rain had poured in torrents. Xiao Changlin had carried Xiao Ke'er, who was not yet a month old, with four- or five-year-old Xiao Feng following beside him. There was no one else!

"Greetings, Father. I've made you worry." In front of his old father, Xiao Feng did not dare act out!

Xiao Changlin, as undisturbed as an ancient well, said nothing! He merely cupped his hands to the village chief and left! As he passed Ye Fan's father, he gave a slight nod! Then he said softly to Xiao Ke'er, "Ke'er, it's time to go home."

"Yes, Father." Xiao Ke'er looked at Ye Fan and made a helpless face! Then she said softly to Ye Fan's father, "Uncle Ye, I'll be going home now." She slipped a packet of medicinal herbs to Ye Fan. "For soaking your feet. It's especially soothing!"

"That girl~"

Xiao Feng watched his sister walk away with light steps, then glanced at the grain they had traded for. "Sigh, in the end, I'm the one carrying it all."

He said goodbye to Ye Fan's parents and trudged away, carrying loads on his shoulders and in his hands!

Ye Fan's parents looked at Xiao Ke'er, then at their own son. They exchanged a smile; the more they looked, the more pleased they were!

Once everything was taken care of, everyone went home!

The following morning, there was no hunting to do! Ye Fan's family had some leisure! The three of them sat on stone stools in the little courtyard. Father Ye skinned beasts and picked the flesh from their bones, while Mother Ye sorted the grain they had traded for the day before! Ye Fan, meanwhile, idly fiddled with tools, repairing and patching them up!

Just then, outside the courtyard, Xiao Feng waved at Ye Fan. "Xiao Fan, Xiao Fan!"

Ye Fan put down the tools in his hands, said goodbye to his parents, and left with Xiao Feng!

At Granny Liu's home, Granny Liu had lost her husband in her early years! Her husband, Chen Baishun, had been carried off by an Azure Tiger while hunting! She had only one son-Chen Tian! At that moment, Chen Tian had gone hunting with the village's burly men, leaving Granny Liu alone at home. The dilapidated thatched hut was dark and damp everywhere. Granny Liu sat outside the door, her cloudy eyes revealing her helplessness in the face of life. There were also Hundred Treasures Chickens being raised in the courtyard, their heads lowered as they wandered aimlessly in search of food!

"Granny Liu!"

Xiao Feng and Ye Fan, who had brought a packet of medicine and some grain, called out softly!

Granny Liu looked up. "It's the Xiao family boy and the Ye family boy." Her voice was somewhat hoarse and weak!

"Granny Liu, I've come to pay my respects. This is the medicine my father asked me to bring you."

"Granny Liu, my father asked me to bring you this grain. It's all fine grain."

"You boys are thoughtful. Give your elders my regards when you get back. Come, come, hurry inside!"

"Granny Liu, where's Brother Tian?" Ye Fan asked as he put the grain into the grain jar inside the house!

"He's gone hunting. These past few years, he's been supporting the family all by himself, never daring to rest for even a moment! The poor child has had a hard time!"

Ye Fan and Xiao Feng exchanged a look, unsure how to respond. "If we'd known, we would have brought Ke'er along too. Granny Liu is very fond of her!"

That was what life in the mountains was like! Destitute and without hope!

The two fell silent and simply sat there, listening blankly as Granny Liu talked about old times!

A breeze swept in, bringing a hint of coolness! It stirred Granny Liu's graying hair and set the leaves rustling. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, falling in dappled patches on the ground. Without anyone noticing, a green object glimmered faintly, standing out clearly under the sunlight!

"The green stone!"