Enemies Crossing Paths

Xiaoguo guessed that Xiao Zhu probably hadn’t paid her respects to the two elders, so she took the initiative to bring up the subject.

One might say that Xiaoguo was meddlesome or that she had nothing better to do. She just couldn’t bear to see Xiao Zhu live with regrets over this matter.

Xiaozhu’s parents did not dare to let her know about their deaths as they feared that she was too young at that time. That was why they fabricated a reason to say that they were gone on a long trip. It was done out of love and concern for their daughter.

There are some things that cannot be ignored and treated as if they do not exist. Xiao Zhu should move on at this moment.

Xiaoguo knew that it was easier said than done.

After a while, Xiao Zhu looked up at Xiaoguo determinedly. “Sister Xiaoguo, come with me to visit my parents.”

“Okay!”

Xiaoguo narrowed her eyes and smiled at Xiao Zhu.

At this moment, Zhuang Zhuang rolled over, scaring the two of them so much that they immediately stopped talking. When they saw that he was only rolling over and had fallen back to sleep, they started laughing silently again.

—-

In the afternoon, when Zhuang Zhuang saw that Xiaoguo was going out, he wanted to tag along even though he didn’t know where she was going.

Seeing this, Yu Ling immediately stopped him. “Zhuang Zhuang, I came across a few unfamiliar characters. Can you teach me?”

She thought that Zhuang Zhuang would say yes, but she was soon disappointed.

The little guy thought for a moment and said without hesitation, “Sure. I’ll teach you when I get back.”

“Uh…” Yu Ling looked at Xiaoguo pleadingly, looking like there was nothing more she could do.

“If you don’t go, I’ll come back very soon.”

Xiaoguo tried to coax Zhuang Zhuang, and he eventually listened to her.

The old village chief had given the address to Xiao Zhu the other day. After the two of them came out, they walked towards the place he had mentioned.

As there was not enough time, they didn’t prepare any offerings. It wasn’t appropriate to borrow offering items from others, so they had to go empty-handed.

The fishing village was actually not big, but the residential area was very densely populated. Since the village was located by the sea, there were limitations in the usage of land. Other than the residential area, only the mountains could be used as a cemetery.

When the villagers passed away, their families would find a random spot in the mountains to set up their graves. There were no rules or boundaries to speak of with regards to burial spots.

Following the old village chief’s instructions, Xiaoguo and Xiao Zhu set off for the mountains.

Although Xiao Zhu had grown up here, she had never been to this side of the mountains. After taking two steps, she bumped into a grave filled with weeds. Instinctively, she pounced on Xiaoguo.

Xiaoguo patted her gently and said, “If you’re afraid, hold my hand.”

As she spoke, she held out her hand.

Xiao Zhu took it without hesitation. “Sister Xiaoguo, why is it so cold here?”

“The weather is turning cold. After all, the summer is over.”

Xiaoguo felt the temperature and said dismissively. Fortunately, she had brought a few thicker garments with her on this trip. Otherwise, she and Zhuang Zhuang would have to go home in their summer clothes.

Xiao Zhu shook her head vigorously and said fearfully, “It’s not that kind of cold, rather it’s…”

As if responding to her guess, there was a sudden sound from the depths of the forest. Countless birds flew out from the trees, accompanied by a round of coarse cawing.

“Argh!!!”

Xiao Zhu hugged Xiaoguo and cried out uncontrollably. Her cries were even louder than the noise that sounded across the mountains. The number of startled birds was no less than before.

Xiaoguo was also shocked by Xiao Zhu’s cry. After carefully observing her surroundings, she exhaled and said, “Xiao Zhu… don’t scare yourself. The temperature in the forest is naturally lower. It’s normal for the air to be damp and cold since this area is shielded from the sun.”

“But what about the cackling sound?”

Xiao Zhu still didn’t believe her, but she loosened her grip a little.

“There are many living things here. It might be the sound of an animal or the sound of withered trees collapsing. Those quacks you heard are the cries of pheasants.”

“Oh… I see!”

Xiao Zhu let go of her hand completely and stood with her hands on her hips. She put on a brave expression to show that she wasn’t afraid. Xiaoguo laughed out loud when she saw that.

After Xiaoguo’s explanation, the other party’s fear was successfully eliminated. After which, they continued with their journey.

While searching for the exact location of the grave, the two of them arrived in front of a towering redwood tree. They walked down a small slope beside the tree and arrived in front of a big, odd-shaped rock. After walking for another five meters, they finally saw the grave of Xiao Zhu’s parents.

According to the old village chief’s description, the couple was buried together. Every year, he would ask the villagers who knew about them to top up soil on the grave. That was why the graves were not flattened over time by the elements.

After seeing her parents’ graves, Xiao Zhu’s fear instantly disappeared, leaving only longing and sadness in her heart.

The people lying here were her family. She barely has time to miss them, let alone feel afraid.

Xiaoguo moved further away to give Xiao Zhu some time to herself. She then walked to a spot that was just behind a tree.

Soon, she heard wailing and crying. Xiaoguo resisted the urge to go over. Instead she retracted her foot and waited quietly in the same spot.

Listening to Xiao Zhu tell her parents how much she missed them, Xiaoguo couldn’t help but feel melancholic—she missed her parents too. Two kind souls were actually lying here in eternal repose. It was really a cruel twist of fate.

At this moment, she wondered if Earth was a toy created by the Muses of the Gods. When they were in a good mood, they would create rainbows. When they were in a bad mood, disasters like zombie viruses and droughts would be labeled as natural disasters and get sent to Earth…

“Yo, I was wondering who was crying here. So it’s the little orphan.”

Xiaoguo retracted her thoughts and laughed to herself. Enemies were bound to cross paths. Before she could look for this woman, she had already appeared in front of her.

“I was wondering who it was. So it’s the little medicine girl who was thrown out overnight by Mrs. Yang.”

Yu Zhizhi was looking smugly at Xiao Zhu, who was kneeling on the ground. Just as she was gloating in her heart, she was suddenly startled by a voice beside her. She turned around abruptly and saw a figure whom she didn’t expect to see.

In her shock, she did not hide the fear on her face. “Qin Xiaoguo! Why are you here!”

“Why was she here? If she was here… was Brother Jiang here too?”

At the thought of this, a look of joy flashed across Yu Zhizhi’s face.

“Yo, you are not addressing me as Madam anymore?”

Xiaoguo strolled over and reached out to help Xiao Zhu up. She looked down at the girl with a smile in her eyes.

Xiao Zhu looked at her in embarrassment. Her legs were numb from kneeling. Otherwise, she would have jumped up and greeted Yu Zhizhi.

Xiaoguo’s words stung Yu Zhizhi’s nerves, reminding her of her embarrassing past. Instantly, her little face turned dark and crumpled up like a used rag. It was completely devoid of the happiness it had just moments before.

Yu Zhizhi’s mouth opened and closed. Trembling with anger, she said stubbornly, “Madam? Ptui, ptui, ptui, ptui!”

Xiao Zhu was unhappy when she heard that. She immediately tried to break free from Xiaoguo’s grip, with the intention of reaching out to scratch Yu Zhizhi’s face.

Xiaoguo was quick to react and stopped her. This woman deserved a beating, but it should be handled by the adults.

Yu Zhizhi instinctively took a step back, but she felt that it would seem cowardly of her. So, she forced herself to take two steps forward and looked at Xiao Zhu with apprehension…

As soon as she saw the girl, her face involuntarily throbbed with pain. That wretched girl had really sharp claws. The last time she scratched her, she had left a bloody scratch on her face. Fortunately, it was not a deep scratch, so she had no scars after treating the wound with some medicine. However, the most important thing for a woman was her face. She would hold this grudge forever.

Earlier on,, when she had just finished picking herbs and was on her way home, she heard someone crying. She thought that it might be something worth checking out, so she changed her route and walked over.

She didn’t expect to see this wretched girl. As soon as she saw her, she was reminded of her own face and couldn’t stop herself from mocking the girl. Who would have thought that her nemesis, Qin Xiaoguo was here too!