Clear Creek Winery

Zhou Wanwan was startled and looked at the wine jar in front of her, saying, "Is the wine jar talking? I can actually hear the wine jar talking?"

"I am red sorghum, and this liquor is made from me."

The red sorghum seemed to be giving its last words:

It was brewed by a young girl from the distillery...

She was only ten years old, but her winemaking skills were naturally gifted; the wine she brewed was fragrant and mellow.

"But she had a hard life... Her parents died early, and her uncle and aunt seized the distillery, treating her like a tool for brewing wine."

"They wouldn't let her go out, wouldn't let her speak, and pushed her into the distillery before dawn."

They forced her to steam grains, mix yeast, tread fermentation lees, and put grains into vats, working until late at night without a moment's rest.

"If the wine was served even a little too slowly or tasted even slightly off, my uncle would beat her with a wooden stick."

Her aunt grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the wall, beating her until she was covered in bruises and felt like she was dying.

Can you please save her?

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Clear Creek Winery, right? I remember now, I'll go find her in a bit."

The jar of wine fell completely silent. The Old Scholar Tree drank a whole jar of wine, let out a satisfied burp, and said, "Delicious! This is the best wine I've ever tasted."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "Then let's bring some wine for my father. Shall we go to Clear Creek Winery now?"

Soon, they arrived at Clear Creek Winery.

As soon as Zhou Wanwan reached the entrance of Clear Creek Winery, she heard heart-wrenching cries coming from inside.

A little girl's voice came from inside:

"Uncle... Aunt... I was wrong... I've been brewing wine non-stop, without a moment's rest..."

Please stop fighting, please stop fighting...

"Hmph! Still dare to be stubborn! Yesterday this wine could sell for ten taels of silver, but today it's only six! Do you think I'm stupid?"

"I think you did it on purpose! You deliberately ruined the wine, trying to fool me!"

"Zhao Qingxi, let me tell you, if you dare to slack off or cheat again, if you dare to earn even a single penny less, I'll beat you to death, you jinx!"

There was another "smack, smack" of whipping, followed by a suppressed scream from the little girl.

"Ah--!!"

Zhou Wanwan pushed open the door and shouted, "What do you two think you're doing?"

The man looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Who are you? Oh! Little beauty, you're quite pretty!"

My aunt said fiercely, "You vixen, mind your own business and get out of here! Or I'll beat you up too."

Zhou Wanwan sneered, "You guys are pretty tough! Bullying a child, what kind of skill is that?"

The man rubbed his hands together and said, "Then I'll bully you a bit today. I wonder which family's daughter you are, you're really beautiful!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Old Scholar Tree swept the couple up and dragged them out.

The little girl trembled with fear. Zhou Wanwan squatted down and looked at her, saying, "Zhao Qingxi, would you like to come with me?"

Zhao Qingxi looked at her, nodded, and said, "Sister, I'm willing."

Zhou Wanwan coughed and said, "I'm six years old, don't make me sound old."

Zhao Qingxi obediently followed Zhou Wanwan home. Zhou Wanwan looked at the injuries on her body and said:

"Let me treat your injuries, including some internal injuries."

Your uncle and aunt are so vicious.

Zhou Wanwan took out more than twenty kinds of medicinal herbs and placed them on Zhao Qingxi.

Before long, Zhao Qingxi gradually absorbed the medicinal herbs.

Zhao Qingxi shifted her body and said, "I feel much better."

Zheng Xing'an walked in, and Zhao Qingxi, looking uneasy, hid behind Zhou Wanwan.

Zhou Wanwan said with a smile, "This is Xing'an, Xing'an. Get her some clothes and take her downstairs to rest!"

Zhao Qingxi knelt down and said, "Thank you so much for saving my life, Miss. I... I will brew lots and lots of wine for you in the future."

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "We don't need a lot, take your time. You can go and rest now!"

Zhao Qingxi suddenly said:

"I... I also have a younger brother who lives with my uncle and aunt. My uncle and aunt have many older cousins who often bully him."

I just wanted to... I wanted to bring him over; he can brew wine too!

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Okay, let's go take a look now!"

Zhou Wanwan led Zhao Qingxi back to an alley, where they heard crying coming from inside.

"Zhao Qinghe, you little beast, how dare you steal food from our house! I'll beat you to death!"

Zhao Qinghe cried out, "I'm just hungry... I haven't eaten for days, I want my sister!"

The boy inside shouted:

"What are you crying for? You still want your sister? Your sister's brewing wine!"

Your sister will become my wife someday, hehehe..."

Zhao Qinghe cried even harder, "No, I don't want to marry my sister to you."

The chubby boy laughed loudly, "If your sister didn't know how to brew wine, I wouldn't marry her! She'll brew wine for our family for the rest of her life."

Zhou Wanwan stood on the Old Scholar Tree and looked inside. The chubby boy, riding on Zhao Qinghe's back, said, "Hurry up and climb! Horse, giddy up... Haven't you eaten?"

Zhao Qinghe crawled while crying, and Zhao Qingxi stood beside him, tears streaming down her face.

Everyone in the family looked at Zhao Qinghe like he was an animal. "Get up! You're useless, a piece of trash."

The roots of the Old Scholar Tree entangled the people, and the chubby boy yelled, "Let me go! What is this thing?"

The Old Scholar Tree chuckled and said, "You like riding people? Then today you'll be their horse to your heart's content."

The chubby boy's hands and feet were tied up, and then the Old Scholar Tree dragged a pig onto him.

The chubby boy cried out twice, and the Old Scholar Tree nodded, saying, "It seems that being well-fed does indeed give you a lot of strength."

He pulled up another pig and put it on top of the first one.

The chubby boy yelled, "Who dares to scheme against me? Believe me or not, I'll chop you up in a minute! My parents are powerful; they own a distillery!"

The Old Scholar Tree then pulled another pig onto him and said, "Hmm, looks pretty strong."

With a loud "crack," the chubby boy's back broke. He cried out in agony, "Father, Mother! Where are you? Come back and save me! I'm in so much pain!"

The whole family quickly fainted, and the Old Scholar Tree didn't intend to kill them.

They weren't given any room in the house; they were all moved out immediately.

Zhou Wanwan took Zhao Qingxi and Zhao Qinghe to the mountain.

Looking at the mountain stronghold, Zhao Qinghe asked, "Sister, where is this? Have we arrived in the Netherworld Underworld?"

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "You even know about the Netherworld Underworld?"

Zhao Qinghe was stunned. Zhao Qingxi tugged at him and said, "This is our young lady. I was beaten half to death by my uncle and aunt today, but she saved me."

Zhao Qinghe knelt on the ground and looked at Zhou Wanwan, saying, "Thank you, Miss."

Zhou Wanwan glanced at him and said:

"Get up. Your injuries are too bad. Let me treat you. From now on, you two can stay in the mountain stronghold!"

All the children in the village can learn; you can go to school every day.

However, it would be even better if you were willing to brew wine for me.

What kinds of wines do you all brew?