Chapter 85 The Twelve Treasure-guardian Families (1/2)

Long Xi asked in amazement, ”Really?”

Zhu Junyao said, ”It is true. I can't believe it at first, but I played a few games of chess with Dong'er and she all won. I gave her a chess endgame and she got it cracked effortlessly.”

Long Xi said, ”I once watched an old foreign movie called 'Rain Man', in which there was a character who suffered from autism. But he had such an amazingly tenacious memory that he would not forget anything and was particularly quick at figures. Maybe Dong'er is sensitive to chess, too? But I remember that she likes to play with the big yellow dog of Uncle Zhao Si. She is not a child who is completely unwilling to communicate with the outside world.”

Xiaolu said, ”Really? Then she is mildly or moderately rather than severely autistic. The situation might be improved gradually through systematic training and it is even possible for her to realize her potential in playing chess. There is a specialized charity with some dedicated volunteer counselors in X City that can provide such training. My mother called upon people to set it up and she donated money in it herself. I also volunteered there before and met many children of the stars.”

Long Xi said, ”It will be great if Dong'er can receive systematic training there.”

”Brother Kun, is your head still hurting?” She asked, turning to Mo Kun.

Mo Kun said with a smile, ”I've taken medicine and then taken a bath in the hot spring. I am okay now. It seems that a bath in the hot spring can be quite effective.”

They each had something on their minds and soon walked to a large waterfall.

The large waterfall was very magnificent. The waterdrops that looked like jade beads splashed around and then plunged into the deep pool in front of the waterfall.

Water Curtain Cave was about 40 meters above the deep pool, hidden behind the waterfall.

The shore they stood on was also 40 meters away from the pool.

Feng Zihao fluttered his mechanical wings, flying directly towards the cave.

He wobbled a little when he dashed through the waterfall because of the strong power of the current. But he still made it safely and disappeared behind the waterfall.

Mo Kun asked, ”How can we get there with no bridge?”

Niu Xi put Granpa Shu down and got as close as possible to the waterfall, fishing out two iron chains each with a steel hook on either side from his backpack.

He hurled the two chains towards and the hooks were hooked accurately to the two iron pillars near the Water Curtain Cave.

Then he hooked the other end of each chain to the two pillars on the shore.

When he cast the chains just now, his image reminded both Long Xi and Xiaolu a song. They couldn't help but sing it out together, laughing. ”The man lassoes a horse is so robust…”

Niu Xi said with a smile, ”Horse-lassoing is a kind of traditional sports of the Ewenki people. We also have a similar activity in Inner Mongolia.”

Mo Kun asked, ”What is horse-lassoing?”

Long Xi said, ”Darling, no wonder you have no idea of it since you grew up in a foreign country. In short terms, there are two types of horse-lassoing. One is culm-wielding. The horseman will hold a three-meter-long culm with a loop of rope on its top. The loop of rope is right in the size to harness the horse. The other is rope-wielding. The horseman uses a rope with a slipknot instead. When the game begins, the fiery horses run first and the horsemen galloped their horses in hot pursuit. Once they get nearly enough, they will try to harness the fiery horses immediately. Who harnesses the fiery horse first wins.”

Mo Kun gave a grunt and said, ”It sounds quite funny!”

When they talked with each other, ”princess” gave them each a thin plastic raincoat, and everyone put it on.

Niu Xi said with enthusiasm, ”If you visit Inner Mongolia together with me, I will invite you to live in the yurts, drink more milk, try wrestling and horse-lassoing. We Inner Mongolians are the most hospitable!”

Long Xi clapped, Mo Kun nodded with a smile and Xiaolu cheered happily.

Niu Xi carried Granpa Shu on his back and then ”princess” tied them two tightly together with ropes.

Niu Xi said, ”Let me set an example for you!”

His strong arms each caught hold of an iron chain and thus he pulled himself nimbly and steadily towards the cave.

After a while, he made his way back alone and carried Dong'er to the cave in the same way.

”Princess” said, ”I don't have the strength he has, but I have my art. Xiaolongnv, let's see it.”

Long Xi looked at her intently.

She sat directly on the two chains in balance, putting her hands behind her on the chains and pulling back hard, and, with her leaning forward, she used the counterforce to move forward.

She made it much more slowly than Niu Xi, but it could spare her lots of energy.

Mo Kun said to Long Xi, ”You go first. In case you fall, we, Xiaolu and I, both are able to save you. Don't be afraid.”