C143 (2/2)
A child about six or seven years old ran over with wide open arms and laughter. When he approached the man, he tripped over a tree branch and fell to the ground.
The man's face revealed a hint of panic. He hurried forward to help the child up, but the little boy scratched his head and laughed, as if he didn't feel any pain.
”Why are you so careless? Is it painful to fall down?” The man's voice was a bit magnetic and very pleasant to listen to. Adding on a trace of the vicissitudes of life, it was even more unspeakably attractive.
”No, Grandpa Xing. My father asked me to call you over.”
”Mm, let's go.”
”Mn. Grandpa Xing, I want you to carry me!”
The man chuckled. The affection in his eyes became even stronger. He squatted down and said, ”Come up, you're the naughtiest.”
The child let out a happy cry and pounced on him, seemingly very happy. Perhaps he was this person's relative.
”Grandpa Xing, I forgot about the song you taught me last time. Teach me to sing it again.”
”You are the dumbest. Look at Little Tong and the others, they have already learned it. I will teach you one last time …”
”When the spring wind blew across the fields, the land was covered in green branches. The smile on your face became even more radiant, and you walked barefooted towards the direction of the rising sun. The men of the field laughed and asked, ”Where are you going, you said, toward the cleanest world in your heart?” Green wind, dark blue water, heaven stage white clouds, I will never regret it. You used your life to step into every land, in exchange for our eternal peace … ”
The man's voice was slightly hoarse, but as he lightly sang this gentle song, the child's eyes blurred. Even I was intoxicated by this warm picture, a gentle spring wind seemed to blow by my ears, and a hearty laughter rang out. It was calm, peaceful … After the man finished singing, he took out a flute. This flute was not made of bamboo, but wood. It was as if a wood branch that wasn't thick or long had been hollowed out and carved into a wooden flute.
The clear sound of the wooden flute rang out, and when the surrounding people heard it, they all revealed a comfortable expression. There was not a single trace of ruthlessness in their eyes, and they were all in peace.
The melodious sound of the flute traveled far away and drifted in the air. The eyes of the surrounding people became calmer and the corners of their lips unconsciously curled up into a smile. Everyone slowly stopped, afraid that they would disturb this quiet moment.
”Cough cough …”
A light cough rang out, and all the spirit realms were broken in an instant. However, none of the surrounding people showed any signs of rebuking. They only continued their previous actions, as if the flute music was just a tiny interlude.
The man put away his wooden flute and calmly looked at a figure in the distance. It really was that person who had coughed lightly to interrupt the flute.
As he slowly approached, the little boy on the man's back seemed to slip down in fear and stealthily slipped away from the side.
”Ah Mu, stop!”
With a dignified voice, the little boy's body trembled. He slowly stood up and timidly shouted, ”Grandpa Jiao!” He lowered his head, thinking about something.
The man approached slowly, and I could see for the first time that Grandpa Jiao was coughing softly. He was leaning on a curved wooden staff, and on the wooden staff was a foot-long green vine. Grandpa Jiao's face was wrinkled like an old tree, and his eyes were small, but they were extremely cold.
An old and cold voice came out of Grandpa Jiao's mouth, this time not towards the little boy called Ah Mu, but towards this man.
”Xing Gan, everyone is heading for the holy tree. Why are you going the other way?”
Xing Qian smiled and calmly said, ”Ah Mu's father is looking for me.”
”What is it?”
”I don't know!”
”Hmph, in the future you are not allowed to sing about that woman again. Quickly go to the Holy Tree Congregation, I have something to announce.”
”Alright.”
After Grandpa Jiao left, Amu let out a long sigh of relief. He patted his chest fearfully and complained to Xing Gan, ”Grandpa Jiao is too scary. I can't even hide from him.”
Xing Qian laughed and lightly tapped A'Mu's head. ”No matter what, he is still the family head. Don't be so impudent in the future. He does everything for our own good.”
A'Mu stuck out his tongue and shook his head vigorously. He didn't say anything, and even Xing Qian could only smile when he saw this. He then continued to walk in the opposite direction of the crowd.