Hillside terraces.

The mountain breeze blew through the wild grass in the field, disturbing the branches and leaves of the trees on the top of the hillside, and the shadows reflected on the old monk's robes.

The dappled sunlight shining through the foliage seems to sway gently.

“...... Amitabha. ”

When the old monk heard this, he looked at Lian Singer, spread out the pig's head meat in the plastic bag, was silent, first recited the Buddha's name, followed closely, and stretched out his hand.

In the bag, he picked up a piece of cold pork head meat, and as usual, the old monk put it in his mouth.

Chewing, the old monk's somewhat cloudy eyes were calm and silent.

"How's it taste?"

Glancing at the old monk, Lian Ge turned his gaze, looked at the village under the mountain, and asked in a calm tone,

"It's sour, it's spicy, it's sweet...... and bitterness...... The taste of the bitter sea. ”

Raising his head, the old monk also looked at the village below the mountain, still calm in his cloudy eyes, and said.

At the foot of the mountain, smoke rises from every house, and the villagers in the fields are still busy or tidying up, and are walking towards their homes.

"Let's go, Zen Master Jikong. ”

Lian Ge said something out loud, picked up the piece of pig's head meat in the bag, took a bite, moved his steps again, and walked down the hill along the ridge.

“...... Amitabha. ”

The old monk recited the Buddha's name again, and followed closely, carrying the bag on his back and supporting the branches.

......

The two tombs are getting farther and farther behind them, and the village is getting closer and closer in front of them,

Along the ridge, down the mountain, on the village road,

Looking at the family at the first turn of the village road again, Lian Ge retracted his gaze,

"Zen Master Junkong, do you still eat?"

"One slice is enough. ”

The old monk clasped his hands together and said.

When Lian Ge heard this, he looked at the old monk again, smiled slightly, and didn't say anything more.

Eating the cold pork head meat, he moved away and walked forward along the village road.

The old monk followed closely by Lian Ge's side and followed.

......

“...... Xiaosheng, go to the field and call your dad back for dinner, and say that mom has cooked the rice. ”

"Got it!"

“...... Daddy, Daddy ......"

Lian Ge and the old monk walked along the village road, and on their side, families passed by.

In a yard, a middle-aged woman held a vegetable spoon and shouted to a seven or eight-year-old boy who was playing in the yard,

The boy stood up, answered, and ran out of the courtyard, passing in front of Lian Ge and the old monk, and ran towards the courtyard in front of the house, shouting and running.

......

“...... Damn's leg hurts again, and I see it's so swollen. In the afternoon, I still don't work for half a day, so I'll take my mother to the town to see it again. ”

"Cheng ...... Let's go to the city. Last time, I didn't move the wages you paid to repair people's houses in the town, so in the afternoon, you can take them. ”

“...... The child's living expenses ......."

“...... There is still some millet at home, let's sell another bag, eat it with noodles, and you can't eat so much rice......"

"Becoming ......"

A middle-aged man with rough skin and a little swarthy squatted by the eaves, holding a rice bowl, talking to the middle-aged woman next to him, and was silent from time to time.

The woman answered, took the bowl and went back into the house.

......

“...... How about it, Mom's craft is still complete. ”

“...... That is, you finally came back, and Mom still didn't get you something to eat, so what if you don't come back next time. ”

"It's really watching, it's growing up, when I was born before, I was only so big, and now, I look taller than your father. ”

In a family with a half-open door, the family was eating, the middle-aged man was smiling and smiling, and the young man was talking to his mother, who was smiling and answering the conversation, and was still in and out of the kitchen from time to time, busy.

......

"Crackling ......"

"Happy birthday, Dad. Although this year is not your birthday, several of our brothers and sisters are back to celebrate your birthday. ”

"Happy, happy...... You are happy with me. ”

In front of a house, a middle-aged man lit a firecracker and quickly ran back to the hall.

In the hall, the old and young families sat around, eating steaming dishes, and the old man sitting on the main seat wore happy clothes and responded with a smile.

......

“...... You take this too. ”

"And the umbrella, don't forget to take it, I'm afraid it's going to rain when I look at this day. ”

“...... By the way, do you want to bring some dried fish, I haven't finished it at home before. ”

“...... That's ...... Then you take these things, and when you get on the bus, you put them under your seat, and don't forget to take them when you get off the bus...... By the way, do you have any change on you, and you have to ask for change for a while on the bus. ”

"Yes...... Okay, then you should be careful on the road, pay attention to safety, and call your mother when it's time...... Come back when you're free. ”

In front of a house, a middle-aged woman was busy back and forth inside and outside the hall, and in front of the door, there was a young man.

After the young man had picked up his things and left, the middle-aged woman stood by the door and watched for a long time before turning around and walking back into the house.

......

One by one, the courtyards swept by his side, and the voices gradually faded away, and along the village road, Lian Ge and the old monk stepped out of the village entrance.

“...... Amitabha. ”

The old monk turned around, looked at the village, fell silent, and recited the Buddha's name.

Glancing at the old monk and then at the village, Lian Ge withdrew his gaze.

Without saying anything, Lian Ge moved his steps and continued to walk along the road.

The old monk paused again, turned around, and followed,

The village faded away behind them, and a man, a rat and a monk walked along the road.

......

Stepping on the mountain road around the mountain again, Lian Ge continued to walk forward while looking at the scene along the way.

The old monk held the branch, carried his bag, and followed closely by his side.

On the road beside him, from time to time, some pedestrians passing back or going, and on the hills next to the road, some birds rose in the forest from time to time.

The foliage that stretches from the top of the hill to the road swaying in the breeze reflects the shade of the trees.

Patches of trees swept underfoot, and hills approached in the distance and faded behind them.

As the sun gradually sets in the west, the mountains on the side of the road block the sunlight, reflecting more shade on the road.

......

On the side, the pedestrians passing by, the number of vehicles gradually decreased, and under the feet, the winding road turned into a somewhat potholed mountain road.

Passing by a few more mountain villages, the old monk who was following Lian Ge's side paused,

“...... Lian Shi, the poor monk is a little tired. I'm afraid I can't go any further. ”

The old monk held on to the branch and said a little tiredly,

Lian Ge also paused, turned his gaze, and glanced at the old monk,

"Then take a break. ”

After a pause, just a word, Lian Ge turned his gaze.

"Thank you, Lord Lian. ”

After the old monk said a word, he leaned on the branch and moved to the side step by step.

Lian Ge turned his gaze and looked into the distance beside him.

At this moment, the place where Lian Ge and the old monk traveled was the entrance of a village.

A road at the foot of the mountain connects to the entrance of the village.

Inside the entrance of the village, on both sides of the village road, are the families in the village.

It was evening, the smoke of cooking rose from every house, and on the village road, people came and went from time to time.

The sunset, which has almost fallen into the horizon, shines on the tiles of every house.

Turning his gaze back, Lian Ge looked at the old monk again,

The old monk held on to the branch, moved step by step, and walked to the foot of a tree at the entrance of the village.

Leaning against the tree, the old monk sat down under the tree.