"It's Hui Hui's voice!"
"Hui Hui is looking for me!"
Wu Guifang was so frightened that she snatched up her clothes. Her previous intentions vanished in an instant, and her face turned several shades paler.
If my daughter catches us, this will be a huge problem! Not only will she curse me to death, but my husband will grab a broom and beat me to death!
"Er Gou, get out of here, quick."
"We'll talk more tonight."
Wu Guifang hastily shoved Liu Ergou out.
Not having a moment to spare, Liu Ergou rushed out of the cave.
Of all the times, Hui Hui had to show up right now! If she had been just a little later, I would have completely shut Wu Guifang's foul mouth! She would never have dared to scold me again!
"Brother Er Gou, have you seen my mom?"
Seeing Liu Ergou coming down the mountain, a girl in jeans and gray canvas shoes stopped him, her voice filled with anxiety.
The girl wore her hair in twin ponytails, radiating a youthful energy that made her look like she was from the city. She was naturally pretty, but after several years of schooling in the city, she had learned how to dress herself up and had become even more beautiful.
"I saw her. She's in the little cabin up in the mountains," he explained with a guilty conscience. "When the rain stopped just now, I told her we should go. But she was worried it might start pouring again, so she decided to wait in the cabin a little longer to see."
"Is she okay?" the girl asked worriedly.
"She's fine," Liu Ergou said, shaking his head.
"That's good!" The girl let out a long sigh of relief, patting her full chest. Like a pebble dropped into a lake, the motion sent ripples spreading out.
Liu Ergou's mouth was already parched. Seeing her , how could he possibly resist?
A large hand shot out and grabbed her by the waist, causing her face to flush crimson. "Brother Er Gou, what are you doing? If my mom saw this, she'd definitely beat you with a feather duster!"
Although she complained, her body snuggled into Liu Ergou's embrace, pressing against him coquettishly.
"Beat me with a feather duster?"
Liu Ergou held the girl as he led her down the mountain. Her waist was slender and soft, but his hand couldn't help but drift downward.
Feeling his touch, the girl's face blushed an even deeper shade of red. She shot him a reproachful glare but didn't push his hand away.
It was only a ten-minute walk from there to the village at the foot of the mountain, so they arrived quickly. He was worried someone might see them and tell the village chief or Wu Guifang, so as much as he didn't want to, Liu Ergou had to let her go.
"Brother Er Gou, I'm going to the city in a couple of days."
"Do you want to come with me?"
Like a lively skylark, the girl had a faint pink blush on her cheeks. Just standing there was enough to make one's mouth water.
"In a couple of days, huh?"
"Is it going to rain?" Liu Ergou asked.
"The weather forecast says it won't. Besides, Liu Mazi's family is heading to the city, and they have a tractor," the girl said with a smile.
"That's perfect. I can sell some herbs in the city," Liu Ergou nodded in agreement.
The medicinal herbs they foraged in the mountains, once processed and dried, were taken to the town's market day to be sold. He had heard, however, that the prices in the city were significantly higher. This was a good chance to check. If there was a big difference, they would sell in the city from now on.
"I'll come find you then."
Seeing that no one was around, the girl gave Liu Ergou a quick peck on the cheek and then darted away like a wisp of smoke.
Liu Ergou touched his cheek, smiled in the direction she had gone, and then turned to head home.
At home, his sister-in-law Xu Yulan's back basket was already there. The herbs inside were still dripping wet, but she was nowhere to be found.
Liu Ergou dumped all the herbs out of the basket, rinsed them with clean water, and began to sort them. For their family, herbs were the primary source of livelihood. Treating the villagers didn't bring in much steady income, as payment was often deferred. Without gathering herbs and planting some rice, he and his sister-in-law wouldn't be able to survive.
He worked for over two hours. Seeing that it was getting dark and his sister-in-law still hadn't returned, he decided to go look for her.
As he was passing through the living room, a sudden BANG caught his attention.
He turned his head and saw that the spirit tablet on the altar had fallen over. Liu Ergou glanced around. He didn't feel any wind, so how could a properly placed tablet have fallen?
He stepped forward to set it upright and saw that it was his great-grandfather's spirit tablet.
"Huh? How did Great-Grandfather's tablet get cracked?"
This is awful! This is really, really bad! Could it be that Great-Grandfather is angry?
A sudden chill ran down Liu Ergou's spine, and a horrifying feeling washed over him. The villagers were very superstitious, especially when it came to their own ancestors. A spirit tablet wouldn't crack for no reason! According to village lore, a cracked tablet was a bad omen—a sign of an ancestor's wrath!
"Forgive me, Great-Grandfather!"
"Please forgive me, Great-Grandfather!"
Terrified, Liu Ergou immediately dropped to his knees, a cold sweat beading on his forehead.
But at that very moment, a beam of golden light burst from the tablet and shot into his body.
His head buzzed, and then a strange sensation enveloped him completely.
When the golden light faded, he stood frozen in place, utterly stunned.
Divine Dragon's Wondrous Hand Vitality Sutra? White Phoenix Nine Chants Acupuncture? Body Refinement Art? ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ noᴠelfire.net
He remained frozen for a long time, the expression on his face growing more and more incredible.
If I'm not mistaken, this new knowledge in my head isn't just about medical arts; it also includes techniques for strengthening the body. No wonder Grandfather's medical skills were so miraculous. It turns out Great-Grandfather was even more formidable!
Suppressing his elation, Liu Ergou quickly righted his great-grandfather's spirit tablet and then gave it three loud, respectful kowtows. How could he not be grateful to his great-grandfather for bestowing such abilities upon him?
"Great-Grandfather, when I go to the city in a couple of days, I'll be sure to buy you lots of joss paper. I will make good use of the skills you've given me. Your spirit in heaven can rest easy!" Liu Ergou said excitedly.
The medical arts his great-grandfather had passed down were far more powerful than what his grandfather had taught him! Armed with these skills, he was sure to make something of himself in the future.
"Er Gou, what are you doing?"