Chapter 4 The most difficult reunion is easy to part
Autumn afternoons are the most beautiful time of the day.
When there are no patients, Xiaoliu likes to cover his eyes with a lotus leaf, lie on his back on the straw mat where he is drying herbs, stretch his arms up against his ears, and put his feet together and his toes down. The whole body is straight like a line, imagining that the body can be infinitely extended, the feeling of muscles and bones, with the warm sun, the fragrance of lotus leaves, part-time work is like bones drinking wine, drunk and slightly drunk.
He once encouraged Mazi and Skewers to bask in the sun like him, but Mazi and Skewers were ashamed of themselves in broad daylight and never learned from him. So this wonderful feeling, Xiao Liu can only enjoy it lonely by himself.
Xiao Liu's support was enough, he slowly withdrew his arm, took away the lotus leaf, and saw that Seventeen was cutting medicine.
Since the birth of her daughter, Mazi has almost always lived in the butcher Gao's house. Originally, the skewers could still do some work, but for the past three months, he has been outside all day, and he doesn't know what he is tossing. There is only seventeen left in the medical hall, but Xiao Liu doesn't feel that there is more work than before, but it is more worry-free, every time he thinks of something, he just thinks of doing it, and finds that seventeen has been done.
Xiao Liu sat cross-legged on the mat, put the lotus leaf on his head, and watched Seventeen concentrate on his work. Seventeen kept his head down and cut the medicine, and when he was done, he carefully packed the small pieces of medicine into the medicine box, and when the medicine box was full, he began to cut another medicine.
Sixteen called: "Seventeen." β
Seventeen paused for a moment, raised his head, and looked at Sixteen silently.
"Hmm......" Xiaoliu shook his head, "It's nothing." β
Seventeen lowered his head and began to get busy again.
"Seventeen."
Seventeen stopped, this time he didn't look at Xiao Liu, just tilted his head slightly, and listened intently.
"You can rest for a while!"
"Not tired." Seventeen continued to work.
Xiao Liu took the lotus leaf, looked at Seventeen, and slowly tore the round lotus leaf into strips. Lao Mu and String couldn't detect that he was angry with Seventeen, but Seventeen and he both knew that at first Seventeen wanted to apologize, but he deliberately pretended to be confused, becoming more and more polite, and gradually Seventeen stopped mentioning it, but followed him silently like a shadow, and did all the work done by the previous three people.
"Seventeen ......"
Seventeen looked up at Xiao Liu, but Xiao Liu didn't know what he wanted to say, bit his lip, and suddenly patted the side with a smile, "Come here, I'll teach you a fun thing." β
Seventeen put down the work in his hand and walked to Xiao Liu's side.
Xiaoliu lay down, even said that he was compared, and commanded Seventeen to lie down, basking in the sun very unvividly like him, Seventeen really didn't want pockmarks and skewers, and did them one by one without hesitation. Xiao Liu squinted his eyes and counted the white clouds in the tiled blue sky, and sighed contentedly. Although the sun on the body is still the sun, and the straw mat lying under the body is still the straw mat, but the feeling of two people basking in the sun together, I don't know why, it is better than the feeling of one person basking in the sun.
When Xiao Liu was drowsy, Seventeen's voice suddenly came: "There will be no second time." β
"Huh?" Xiao Liu opened his eyes in confusion.
"No matter what the reason, you won't be able to find me when you want to lean on it again."
Xiao Liu was completely sober, and suddenly felt that his little temper during this period of time was strange and boring, and he lost seventeen and even patiently pondered it. Xiao Liu turned over and sat up, scratched his head and laughed a few times, wanting to say something, Lao Mu suddenly ran in, grabbed Xiao Liu and ran.
"Shoes, I haven't put on shoes yet!" Xiao Liu hurriedly put on his shoes and was about to step out of the door, when he suddenly turned back to Seventeen and said, "Let's go together!" β
Xiaoliu was dragged by Lao Mu all the way to run fast, and he didn't care to see if Seventeen followed.
ran all the way to the street, Xiaoliu just said hello to Xuan, and was pressed by Lao Mu to hide behind a few wine tanks, Lao Mu and Xuan gestured, Xuan nodded, that is, everything understood.
Someone squatted carefully behind him, and Xiao Liu didn't look back, knowing that it was seventeen coming. Xiao Liu turned around and grimaced at Seventeen, adjusted his posture, and smiled and waited for the peep to not know what it was.
Xuan coughed loudly a few times, Lao Mu immediately entered a state of alert, and Xiao Liu immediately peeked through the crack of the wine vat.
Three prostitutes came belatedly, and said to Xuan in a soft voice what wine they wanted to buy, a few taels. After buying the wine, the two walked fast, and the remaining one slowly fell behind.
Xiao Liu was looking impatient, Lao Mu beat him hard, and then he saw that the string came out of nowhere, walking side by side with a prostitute who was left behind, walking, walking...... It's gone.
Lao Mu dragged Xiaoliu and trotted again, turned left and right, and got into a small alley. Skewers and the prostitute whispered in the shadows, and as they spoke, the two of them stuck together and began to twist the candy.
Sixteen looked at it with a smile, but Lao Mu's face was pale, and he looked sad and disappointed. Little Six looked sideways at Seventeen, and Seventeen stood up straight, his eyes looking at the tips of his shoes, absolutely disrespectful.
The two people twisting the candy silk became more and more intense, the woman leaned against the wall and gasped and moaned, Lao Mu wanted to rush out, but he really didn't know how to deal with such an embarrassing thing, and said to Xiao Liu: "You look at it!" After saying that, he left in a rage.
Xiao Liu didn't care about Lao Mu, he just looked at Seventeen with a smile, Seventeen's eyelashes trembled slightly, Xiao Liu couldn't help but lean over, "The children of the big family don't have concubines, and there should be a few beautiful maidservants, right?" How is the handmaid beside you better than this daughter? β
Seventeen didn't speak, trying to avoid Xiaoliu and retreat, but he was already sticking to the wall.
Xiao Liu couldn't help laughing, continued his evil, opened his hands, put it on the wall, and surrounded Seventeen, the bully teased the posture of the people's girl, "What kind of woman do you like?" Is it as pure and shy as the little white rabbit, or is it as coquettish and enthusiastic as this woman? β
In the woman's moan, Seventeen's pale cheeks slowly stained with a layer of red. Xiao Liu was already about to burst into laughter, but he became more and more evil, and he got closer, almost touching Seventeen's face, and asked in a low voice, "Do you want it?" β
Unexpectedly, Seventeen slowly raised his head, although he was a little shy, his eyes were clear and clear, and he actually overflowed with a smile!
Xiao Liu was stunned, and only after a while did a sentence come out of his mind, a wolf in sheep's clothing!
Xiaoliu was ashamed and annoyed, his face turned red, he threw all his anger on the skewer's body, and rushed over directly: "Skewers!" Are you bold, have you learned? Where does the money come from? β
The skewer was so frightened that he ran away with his pants, but habitually ran two steps, and then ran back and blocked in front of the woman. The woman was not ashamed, she only quickly tidied up her clothes, pushed away the skewers, and saluted Xiao Liu, "Slave Sang Tian'er, I am good with Brother Chuan'er, and I didn't ask for his money." β
Xiaoliu asked with a smile: "You are a prostitute, you don't need money to sleep with him, isn't it a loss?"
Sang Tian'er smiled: "I'm willing!" β
Xiaoliu asked, "Are you willing to sleep with him for the rest of your life?" β
Sang Tian'er was stunned, and seemed to understand what Xiao Liu meant, but she couldn't believe that Xiao Liu meant that. Skewer hurriedly said, "I do!" I'm willing to sleep with her for the rest of my life! β
Xiaoliu kicked him, "Get out of the way, I'll ask her!" β
Skewers looked at Sang Tian'er pitifully and nodded at her.
Sang Tian'er finally believed that what Xiao Liu asked meant, there were tears in her eyes, and she knelt down, "The slave family is willing." β
Xiaoliu said, "Have you thought about it? Following the skewers can be tiring to work. β
"The slave is willing."
"Cheng, you go back and wait, think about when you will get married."
Sang Tian'er looked at the skewers in disbelief, everything can be so simple? Skewer helped her up, "Although the sixth brother is fierce, he has always said what he is." β
Xiaoliu twisted the ears of the string and dragged him away, "You have really grown up!" β
The skewer's wish came true, and while crying out in pain, he smiled happily at Seventeen, who followed behind them, just looking at Xiaoliu with a smile in his eyes.
When passing by the wine shop, Xiao Liu said to Xuan, "Thank you!" β
Xuan glanced at the skewers that Xiao Liu's ears were twisting, and smiled and arched his hand, "If you have a happy event, remember to take care of my business!" β
"Cheng, you can talk to Lao Mu then."
Xiao Liu was carrying a skewer, and when he was about to enter the door, Xiao Liu whispered, "Don't you scream miserably?" β
The skewers reacted immediately, crying loudly, Xiao Liu kicked and kicked the skewers in front of Lao Mu, Lao Mu was distressed again, and muttered: "The boss is not small, and if you want to beat someone, you can save some face for her." β
Lao Mu was already angry, but Xiao Liu had already packed up the skewers, and Lao Mu suddenly didn't know what to do, "Xiao Liu, what do you say is this?" How did the skewers get stuck with a prostitute? β
Xiao Liu said: "Find a way to redeem people!" After redeeming, you can do what you want, anyway, if you have pockmarks, don't give the strings shortage. β
If Lao Mu is a Shennong or Gaoxin person, with his sincere love for the string, I am afraid it will be difficult to accept the string to marry a prostitute, but he comes from the unrestrained and fierce Xuanyuan of the people, squatting on the threshold and blowing the cold wind, pondering for a long time, I feel that there is nothing that is not good, and the daughter-in-law of the string is so settled.
Once Lao Mu decided, he immediately began to Zhang Luo. The prostitution house may think that it is profitable, or it may want to punish Sang Tian'er, and opened a high price, which is enough for Mazi to marry ten more spring peaches. Lao Mu asked people to intercede everywhere, but with the relationship between Lao Mu and Xiaoliu in Qingshui Town for more than 20 years, it was completely impossible to get it done.
Lao Mu was so angry that he couldn't do anything. The prostitute is a very special place in Qingshui Town, where all the news is gathered and disseminated, there are the most beautiful and talented women, it is a place where powerful men often sit, and there are various forces in control, not only Xuanyuan, Shennong, Gaoxin, but also major families, from the Chishui clan in the Central Plains to the Fengfeng clan in the north.
Lao Mu frowned, and sighed for a long time, "I think Tian'er really wants to have a string with our family, and now she would rather be beaten than take customers, but that old bustard is really hateful!" β
Mazi looked uncomfortable, and privately persuaded the skewers to give up, no matter how good-looking Sang Tian'er was, it was not what people like them thought.
Skewer's face was gloomy, and he sat on the threshold of the courtyard, holding his head,
I couldn't sleep all night.
In the house, Xiaoliu was lying on the couch, stilting Erlang's legs, holding his baby mirror, and smiling.
In the small mirror, there are pictures of his masterpieces in the middle of the night. He drew nine heads on Sang-ryu's face, and he looked at him like a sword with cold eyes.
Xiao Liu looked at the mirror and flicked Liu's head, "Let you be fierce!" Make you fierce! When he finished playing, he wiped the mirror, and all the images disappeared, and the small mirror returned to normal, except that it looked more delicate than the normal mirror, and it was completely impossible to remember what had happened in the past.
This seemingly ordinary mirror was actually forged from a raccoon spirit. There are strange beasts in the Great Wilderness, and they are born with the ability to peek into the past, but they are not all against the sky, because of the ability of the beasts to go against the sky, they are very difficult to cultivate, and all the monsters are extremely difficult to encounter, and the mirror forged with the spirit of the monster has only this side throughout the ages. Because the artifact forged with the Fox Spirit Soul Lock must be willing when it is refined, without a trace of resentment, in order to reproduce the past, it is conceivable that no Fox Demon will not have a trace of resentment when he dies in the pain of cruel forging.
Xiao Liu put the mirror close to his body and crossed his hands under his head.
After that night, it had been several months, and Sang-ryu had not appeared. So many people are looking for trouble with him, it is normal for him not to appear, and if he does, Xiao Liu also understands that he has lived to the end. Xiao Liu has been praying in his heart that more people will trouble him, and it is better that he is so busy that he completely forgets that there is still a Min Xiaoliu in Qingshui Town.
However, now...... Alas!
The little white eagle transformed into a white feather and golden-crowned hairball flew in from the window and landed proudly in front of Xiao Liu.
Xiao Liu said to it: "When I see you pulling your fart, I want to pluck your hair, roast and eat your left half, boil and eat your right half, and feed the bones to the dog after eating." β
The hairball pounced on Xiao Liu, Xiao Liu held his head and rolled to the ground, "Tell your master, I want to see him." Serious business. β
[Xingxing]: A kind of strange beast recorded in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas, Nanshan Classic", "its shape is like Yu and white ears, walking in ambush, the name is called Xingxing, and the food is good at walking". In "Huainanzi", it is said that it can know a person's past, but it cannot know the future, so it is called "knowing the past but not knowing the future".
The furball glared at Xiao Liu viciously, spread his wings and flew into the night.
Xiaoliu felt that he couldn't see Xiangliu in the house, and the same social environment would remind him of the last time he was humiliated, which could easily stimulate his ferocity.
Xiao Liu went out and ran upstream along the river, until he ran out of Qingshui Town and into the dense mountain forest. He climbed up a large tree hugged by five or six people and found a comfortable place to sit down.
The trees are very tall and can overlook everything from a high vantage point, the mountains and forests are condescending, and the West River meanders like a glittering silver belt, flowing gracefully. If it weren't for the winter, if it wasn't for the cold wind blowing tightly, everything would have been perfect.
He's coming!
Xiao Liu looked up, and the white eagle flew from the full moon with Xiang Liu, white clothes and white hair, flying down from the nine heavens, like snow, and gently landed beside Xiao Liu.
Xiao Liu said: "Three choices, you can whip me forty times, you can kick me down from here, and you can listen to me get down to business." Get down to business! β
Sangyu asked, "Have you taken a bath?" β
Xiaoliu still flamboyantly, "It's clean, just wait for the adults to be lucky." β
Xiang Liu clasped Xiao Liu's shoulder with one hand and bowed his head, Xiao Liu leaned his head back slightly very meekly, and Xiang Liu's fangs pierced his neck, sucking his blood. Xiaoliu didn't close his eyes, but
Admiring the moon.
Xiang Liu was really polite, Xiao Liu's head gradually became a little dizzy, "Are you going to eat it all at once?" Even though you have nine heads, I haven't heard you have nine stomachs! Can't you have some leftover to eat next time? β
Sangyanagi's lips were pressed against his neck, facing the blood vessels that were connected to his heart and held his life. "When do you think I'm going to bite here? How about tonight? β
Xiao Liu hurriedly made a suggestion, "Tonight is not good, on this beautiful day, how elegant it is to talk to the moon." It's better to wait until I really want to kill you. β
"Don't you want to kill me?"
"I don't want to!" Xiao Liu smiled, "You obviously know that I don't want to kill you." It won't kill you. β
"I don't know, I just know that you should hate me."
"You dare to come to see me without knowing that you are injured? Do you really think of me as a white rabbit? Or are you nine heads fighting, stupid? β
Sang-ryu wants him and plans to continue eating.
Xiaoliu hurriedly said: "I'm lonely! β
Sang-ryu's lips pressed against his neck and didn't move.
"Believe it or not, I really don't hold a grudge against you, and I don't want to kill you at all, because I'm lonely. At that time, I had a strange disease, hiding in the mountains, I didn't see anyone for several years, and the flower monkey and I kept trying to escape, but we couldn't escape and wanted to kill ourselves by hitting the rock wall. Later, I came across a snake bite and it wanted to eat me and almost broke one of my legs, but it understood me and reacted to my every movement. I knew it was dangerous, but I couldn't help it, and from time to time I ran up to it and dangled it, so angry that it went crazy...... With it, the days in the mountains are no longer lonely. Xiao Liu grunted, "After a long time, he found that I was getting more and more cunning, couldn't eat me, wanted to leave, it didn't leave, chased after my ass and wanted to kill me." β
Xiao Liu looked at the moon on his head, and there was an indescribable loneliness in the corners of his eyebrows and eyes, "It can be said that the heavens favor the gods, but I think it is the human race, they are all very godlike, the only difference is that their lifespan is short." But look at the moon, it was like this thousands of years ago, and no matter how beautiful the scenery is, it will be boring for a long time! β
"The snake, later?"
"Dead!"
"You killed?"
"No, the king of the fox clan."
"Nine-tailed fox?"
Xiao Liu closed his eyes, "The nine-tailed fox wants to catch me, and the snake bite thinks that it can only eat me, and it is in the way of that vicious fox, so ...... It's dead! β
Xiangliu chuckled softly, "Interesting, what about the fox?" β
"I killed you."
"Do you have what it takes?"
"He should have killed me as soon as he caught me, but he was blinded by hatred and greed, and he raised me with all kinds of treasures, and forced me to eat a lot of disgusting things, and when he wanted to fatten me, he ate me again, and used my spiritual blood to restore his lost power...... Oh, I forgot to tell you, he's not actually a nine-tailed fox anymore, but an eight-tailed fox, and her tail has been chopped off, and her vitality is greatly damaged. He raised me for thirty years, and he was about to finish, cough that day he accidentally got drunk in front of me. β
"He kept you in a cage?"
"Hmm."
Xiangliu was silent for a moment, and rubbed his hand on Xiao Liu's neck, "I'm the snake that relieves your loneliness?" β
Xiaoliu smiled, "Who knows? Maybe I'm the snake that teases you. β
Sang-ryu let go of him, "Serious business!" β
"Is the prostitute on Donghuai Street yours?"
"What are you asking for?"
"Skewer wants to marry one of the prostitutes in there."
"You want to ask me to release you for help?"
"Is the prostitute yours?"
"It doesn't seem to be yours, and I don't think this kind of difficulty is like your style." Xiao Liu grinned, his eyes flashing with a thief's light, "I don't need you to help me, I'll go ask another person for help." β
The white eagle hairball flew in, circled around the tree, and the willow jumped up lightly and landed on the eagle's back, "This is your business?" β
"Uh...... The family affair of the skewer is very important...... Ahh
The branch on which Xiao Liu was sitting was cut off, and Xiao Liu fell.
Crackling, the body and branches kept colliding, although it slowed down the speed of the fall, and at the same time knocked Xiaoliu to vomit blood.
BangβLittle Six finally slammed straight to the ground, sending up a cloud of smoke and dust.
The furball was overjoyed, hovering low in the air, laughing at Little Liu. Xiang Liu stood on the back of the eagle and said with a smile: "You are at best the snake egg that can be eaten casually!" β
The hairball whistled up, and Sang-ryu left.
Xiao Liu slowed down for a long time before he sat up strongly, but his head was dizzy, his eyes were dizzy, and his feet hurt so much that he couldn't walk at all.
The awakened squirrel probed his head to look at him.
Xiao Liu smiled and said to them, "What are you looking at?" Look at me ugly? I'm not making a fool of myself, I'm exchanging small for big, at least the next time I see that devil, he won't want to pinch me to death......"
Before dawn, Seventeen came over, and Xiao Liu was curled up in a pile of broken branches, sleeping soundly, embarrassed, but the corners of his mouth were smiling.
Seventeen crouched down and carefully plucked the hay leaves from his head and face. Xiao Liu's neck has two tooth marks, which are half-hidden and half-exposed through the collar. Dark red marks outline a faint lip shape.
Xiao Liu's eyelids twitched slightly, "Seventeen? He opened his eyes and smiled at the seventeen scoundrels: "I can't go again." β
Seventeen picked up on his back, and Little Six meekly lay on his back.
Xiaoliu rested for three days, and when he could walk on crutches, he asked Lao Mu to cook some dishes and invited Xuan to drink.
Xuan arrived as promised, Xiao Liu enthusiastically poured wine for everyone, Lao Mu and Skewers drank two bowls, turned their bodies back, and fell asleep.
Xuan looked at Little Six with a smile, and Seventeen sat quietly on the side.
Xiao Liu said to Xuan: "Please come, there is something to ask for." β
"Please."
"Skewers want to marry Sang Tian'er, and I want to trouble you to be accommodating."
Xuan didn't speak.
Xiao Liu said sincerely: "I know that there may be some superficial words, but this is a lifelong event of the string, so I can only ask for it cheekily." β
"Why does Sixth Brother think I can help?"
"I don't know the true identity of you and Ah Nian, but I'm sure you come from an unusual background, to be honest, I also went to investigate out out of curiosity, and I was accidentally caught by you, as long as Brother Xuan is willing, I will definitely be able to help." Xiao Liu had already begun to call Brother Xuan flatteringly.
Xuan looked at the seventeenth and said, "Ah Nian and I just want to live quietly. β
"Yes, yes, I understand, I will never bother you again."
Xuan stared at Xiao Liu, and Xiao Liu smiled. "I've been in Clearwater for more than twenty years, and I am who I am."
Xuan got up and left, "When you are happy to drink, remember to invite me." β
Xiao Liumei smiled, "Okay, good!" β
Lao Mu woke up in a daze, "You guys...... How did I get drunk all at once? β
Xiao Liu laughed, "Who told you to drink so quickly?" Next time you drink, eat some food first, and by the way, you will go to ransom tomorrow. β
"But ......"
"I'll let you go, and you'll go."
In the Rejuvenation Pavilion, it usually seems that Lao Mu is in charge, but once Xiao Liu really speaks, Lao Mu is obedient.
On the second day, Lao Mu cleaned up and went to Donghuai Street to redeem people, and Lao Bustard actually accepted Lao Mu's price on the condition that Xiaoliu gave them a contraceptive herb prescription for free. Lao Mu was overjoyed and agreed.
After completing the formalities, Lao Mu led Sang Tian'er back to the Rejuvenation Hall.
When Skewer saw Sang Tian'er, he stared at her in disbelief, and slowly, his nose became sour and his eyes were wet. He lowered his head, picked up a rattan box, and said in a rough voice, "I'll go to my sister-in-law to borrow you two sets of clothes first." β
Xiao Liu kept looking at it with a smile and instructed Lao Mu, "Go buy some good food and celebrate in the evening." β
"Good!" Xiao Liu carried the vegetable basket and went out happily.
Xiao Liu's face turned cold, and he looked at Sang Tian'er, "Do you believe it or not, I can make your life worse than death?" β
Sang Tian'er sat down with grace, "I believe it." β
"Who the hell are you?"
Sang Tian'er touched her face self-deprecatingly, "With my appearance, the sixth brother can't help but underestimate the competition in our industry, and even more so those men!" β
"Why are you seducing skewers? I don't believe you can look down on him. β
"I started picking up customers at the age of thirteen, and there are many men who have come to see me in the past twelve years, and the skewer really has no strengths, but he is the only one who is willing to marry me." Sang Tianer smiled. "Three months ago, a man approached me and promised me a lot of money to seduce a skewer. I didn't have much status in the prostitution parlor, and if I didn't save some money, I was afraid that I would starve to death when I got old, so I agreed. Kushiko has never experienced a woman, I just let him taste a little bit of a woman's goodness, and he swears all day long that he wants to marry me. I've been numb to this since I was thirteen years old, and I didn't take it seriously at all, but I didn't expect you to really come to redeem me. Mom hated me for hooking up with men behind her back, and deliberately raised the price to think of my good deeds. Last night, the man came again and gave me a sum of money, and he said that the deal with me was over, and that if I was willing to marry a skewer, I could give the money to my mother to redeem myself. β
"Do you know the man?"
Sang Tian'er shook her head, "Sixth brother should know that gods and demons can change their appearance, and I am just an ordinary mortal." Sang Tian'er knelt down, "Twelve years of prostitution, my heart is cold and hard, even now I still don't believe that the skewers will really not dislike me, and will really want to live with me for the rest of their lives, but I want to try." If Skewer is really willing to live with me, I-" Sang Tian'er raised her palm and swore to the sky, "I am also willing to devote myself to him." β
Xiaoliu looked at Sang Tian'er and didn't speak.
Sang Tian'er lowered her head, and her voice was faint, "My heart has become cold and hard, which can isolate pain, and at the same time isolate joy." I really want to have a man who turns me back into the person I was twelve years ago, so that my heart is soft and I can laugh while crying. If Skewer was really that man, I would cherish him more than I would cherish life. β
The string pulled the pockmarks and ran in together, "Sister-in-law said......" Seeing Tian'er kneeling in front of Xiao Liu, he was stunned and looked at Xiao Liu worriedly.
Xiaoliu grinned, "What's wrong?" Let your daughter-in-law kowtow to me, are you dissatisfied? β
Skewer glanced at Sang Tian'er and smiled with a red face. Sang Tian'er was so relieved that her body was weak, and she slowed down, before she solemnly kowtowed to Xiao Liu, and when she raised her head, there were tears in her eyes.
Xiao Liu waved his hand, "Can you cook?" I can't cook, go to the kitchen and learn from Lao Mu! β
After dinner in the evening, skewers and mulberry sweeteners walked along the riverbank. The two of them were not afraid of such a cold wind, and they kept talking and walking slowly.
Little Six followed them from a distance on crutches, and Seventeen walked beside him.
Xiao Liu's nagging finally started again, "Actually, it's a very fun gamble. Tian'er didn't believe that the skewers would sincerely live with her for the rest of their lives, and all she gave to the skewers now was hypocrisy. But the skewers don't know, Tian'er is good to him, he is better to Tian'er, Tian'er sees that the skewers are better for him, and the hypocrisy is gradually mixed with the truth, and the fake lasts forever, and finally the fake becomes true. But in this process, it is not without risk, Tian'er is gambling with her heart, if the string changes, these two people will definitely die. β
Xiaoliu smiled and said, "My illness is very long, you can wait to see the ending." β
Seventeen looked at the two people walking side by side in front of him, "Xuan, why?" β
Xiaoliu said: "The last time I went to his house late at night to steal chickens to eat, he suspected that I had other intentions, and made a sweet one, but I want to see the reliance behind me, if I beg Xiangliu for help in a daze, it will be a big trouble in the future." Now he doesn't really believe that I'm clean, but as time goes by, I do know that I'm clean. β
"Don't drink cold air with them, let's go back." Little Six shoved his crutches into Seventeen, and with his arms outstretched, he jumped on one foot, giggling and jumping back. When he arrived at the courtyard gate, he jumped up the steps, a thin layer of ice was formed on the stone slab, Xiao Liu didn't watch out, his feet slipped, his body fell backwards, and he fell into Seventeen's arms.
Xiao Liu went to grab the crutches in Seventeen's hand, trying to stand up, not wanting the crutches to fall to the ground. Xiao Liu grabbed the air and lay back in Seventeen's arms.
The two faced each other and stood in silence.
"ThatΒ·Β·Β·Β·Β· Thank you. Xiao Liu turned around and jumped back into the room on one foot.
In the mid-spring month, when the flowers are in full bloom, Lao Mu held a wedding for the string and Sang Tianer.
The wedding was very simple, only a few partners who had a good time with the skewers were invited, the butcher Gao and Xuan. Chun Tao was pregnant again, sitting on the side with a big belly, with a smile on her face, but she didn't talk to Sang Tian'er. Occasionally, when the big girl came to Sang Tian'er's side, Chun Tao would immediately pull the big girl over and tell her, "Don't disturb the aunt." β
Skewers only cared about happiness and couldn't see many things, but his loud laughter still filled the room with joy.
Xiao Liu gnawed on the duck's neck and looked at it with a smile. This is the ordinary life of sweet and sour, as for whether it is sweet tea or bitter tea, half depends on the destiny of heaven and half on the individual.
Halfway through the banquet, Ah Nian came.
Xiao Liu immediately turned around and found that Seventeen was gone.
Lao Mu greeted Ah Nian warmly, Ah Nian nodded to Lao Mu reservedly, and said to Xuan: "Brother Xuan, Haitang said that you came here and enjoyed wine, it turned out to be true. β
Ah Nian glanced at the skewers and Sang Tian'er, they were undisguised, ** naked disdain, even the skewers who were dizzy with joy felt it, and the skewers' face changed, but Sang Tian'er was not sad, because she soon found out that Ah Nian despised all the people at the banquet, including Xiao Liu, Butcher Gao, Chun Tao, and even the big girl.
Ah Nina's condescending, justified, and well-deserved disdain made everyone a little restless, and the butcher Gao remembered that he was just a stinky butcher, and there was a perennial smell on his body, and Chun Tao remembered that there was always a little dirt between her fingernails that could not be cleaned......
Skewers and Mazi clenched their fists tightly, but Ah Nian didn't do anything, didn't say anything,
She just stood there dignifiedly, looking at everyone.
Xiaoliu has to admire, how was this girl raised? can be so elegant and blindly arrogant, overlooking the world, despising all beings, and making everyone think that she is right.
Xuan stood up and wanted to say goodbye, but Ah Nian opened a handkerchief, put it on the seat, and sat down, "Brother Xuan, I haven't seen such a wedding, let them continue." β
Xiao Liu was about to vomit blood at the desk, and the skewers were about to smash the case, Sang Tian'er held him down and said with a smile: "We should toast this young lady." β
Ah Nian said vividly: "I don't drink, your cups are not clean, I look at the pickles." β
Xiaoliu silently thought in her heart, I let her, I let her......
Xuan took the wine from the skewer and drank it with a of his neck. Ah Nian frowned, but didn't say anything, but curiously observed the wine and food, and said to Lao Mu: "I heard that at the wedding, the grand team of the banquet valued the bride, you ate so poorly, it seems that you don't like the bride very much." β
The eight-faced delicate Sang Tian'er's face also changed, and Xiao Liu immediately decided to send off the guests, and said to Xuan and Ah Nian, "The two of you won't sit for a while anymore?" Don't sit anymore! Walk slowly, walk slowly, don't send it! β
Xuan pulled Ah Nian to stand up, walked out, and apologized to Xiao Liu. Ah Nian glared at Xiao Liu, "Every time I see you, I feel bored, if it weren't for my brother, I would have ordered you to be whipped." β
Xiao Liu said in his heart, if it weren't for your brother, I would have smoked you.
Xuan and Ah Nian left, and Xiao Liu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He walked around the house, through the medicine fields, towards the river. The shrubs were lush and wildflowers were colorful, and Seventeen sat on the bank and looked at the river. Xiao Liu stood behind him, "Six years ago in the spring, you were lying in that bush. β
Seventeen looked back at him, a smile on his lips, "Six years." β
Xiao Liu squatted beside Seventeen with a smile, "Mazi and Skewers can see that you shouldn't be in the Rejuvenation Hall, and Xuan can definitely see it, not to mention that he has doubts about me, and he will definitely send someone to check on you." β
"Hmm." Seventeen pairs of eyes are clear, with a slight smile, indifferent and quiet, long and peaceful, beyond everything, but they are integrated with the breeze and clear water of the mountain flowers.
Xiao Liu sighed, in fact, Seventeen is another kind of condescending and high-minded, Ah Nian's kind, which makes Xiao Liu want to pump her and beat her down; Seventeen made Xiao Liu want to knead him, let him be infected with his own turbid qi, so that he would not really go away with the wind and turn into white clouds.
Xiao Liu picked up a stone, smashed it into the water, and smiled with satisfaction as he watched the water droplets splash all over Seventeen's face. Seventeen took out a handkerchief and wanted to wipe it, but Xiaoliu said arrogantly: "Don't allow it!" β
Seventeen was puzzled, but obediently stopped wiping it, and just used a handkerchief to help Xiaoliu wipe off the water droplets on his face.
The white carved fur balls flew against the water, and Xiang Liu looked at them with a smile.
Xiao Liu immediately stood up, took a few steps forward, and said to Seventeen without looking back, "You go back first!" β
Seventeen was wary and reluctant to leave, but remembering the kiss marks that were half-hidden in the neckline, he lowered his head and turned away silently.
Xiaoliu stood in the water, crossed his waist and looked up at Xiangliu, "Come to give a congratulatory gift again?" "Another reminder of one more hostage.
The hairball flew down, Xiangliu stretched out his hand, Xiaoliu grabbed his hand and flipped over the back of the carving, and disappeared into the sky in an instant.
Xiao Liu lay on the back of the eagle and looked down, and the hairball flew lower, so that Xiao Liu could see the scenery on the ground clearly. They flew all the way to the sea, the hairball happily led its neck to roar, and rolled a few times, Xiaoliu's spiritual power was very low, and he hugged its neck tightly in embarrassment, his face was pale, and he said to Xiang Liu: "I would rather be sucked by your blood and die than fall to death." β
Xiangliu asked, "Why is your spiritual power so low?" β
Xiao Liu said: "xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, but in order not to waste my 476 spiritual power, that dead fox used medicine to abolish me, so that the spiritual power could be dispersed into the blood meridians little by little, so that he could eat it." β
Xiang Liu smiled, "I heard that the pain of scattering gong is like drilling into the bone and sucking the marrow, it seems that my forty lashes are too light, and I will have to find the torture instrument again in the future."
Xiao Liu's face turned even paler, "You think it's singing, and the more you practice, the smoother it becomes?" Because I was so in pain back then, I was very afraid of pain, more than ordinary people! β
Xiangliu patted the hairball, and the hairball didn't dare to have fun anymore, and flew up in a proper manner. Xiao Liu breathed a sigh of relief and sat down carefully.
The hairball flies very slowly and smoothly.
Xiang Liu stared at the void, his face was like water, and he was neither happy nor angry.
Xiaoliu asked, "Are you in a bad mood?" β
Xiang Liu asked softly, "How did you survive the thirty years you were locked in a cage and fed?" β
"In the beginning, I always wanted to run away, to fight with him, to scold him, to provoke him. Later, I didn't dare to provoke him, so I silently did not cooperate, and tried to kill myself, but I died several times without success. Later, as if I had resigned myself to my fate, I was having fun in my misery, guessing that the dead fox would catch something disgusting for me to eat, and bet and play with myself. Then I hated him more and more, and hated him madly, and began to find ways to gather materials, to make poison, and when the old fox wanted to eat me, I ate it and poisoned him. β
Xiaoliu came to Xiangliu's side: "People's mentality is very strange, happiness or unhappiness, pain or no pain are achieved through comparison. For example, if a person does a day's work and can only eat one loaf of bread, but he sees many beggars who have frozen to death on the streets, he thinks that he is lucky, he is having a good time, and he is in a good mood, but if he sees that his companions who were like him when he was a child have made a fortune and start wearing silk and eating broth. If there is a servant girl to serve, then he will feel that he is having a bad life and is in a bad mood. Do you need me to tell us a little more about my tragic past? I can consider exaggerating the embellishment appropriately, and I am guaranteed to make you listen to it and find that there is no worst, only worse! β
Xiangliu raised his hand and wanted to beat Xiaoliu, but Xiaoliu closed his eyes, subconsciously curled up, protected the vital point, and waited meekly. This is a natural reaction that has been developed after being beaten a lot.
Xiang Liu's hand slowly fell and placed it on Xiao Liuhou's neck.
Xiao Liu saw that he didn't move his hands or mouth, and he became bolder, "You are very different tonight than before, you lived in the sea when you were a child?" β
Xiang Liu did not answer, the hairball gradually fell, flying against the sea, Xiang Liu actually walked directly from the eagle's back to the sea, without any credentials, but as if walking on the ground.
He stretched out his hand to Xiao Liu, who immediately grabbed it and slid down the back of the eagle. After all, the hairball was afraid of water, and immediately flapped its wings and flew away, away from the sea.
Xiang Liu took Xiaoliu to step on the waves and stroll in the wind.
There was not a single light, the sky was dark, the sea was dark, there was nothing in front of it, there was nothing behind it, the sky and the earth were vast, and the wind and waves were surging. Xiaoliu felt that he was as small as a mayfly, and it seemed that he would be swallowed up in the next wind and waves, so he subconsciously tightened Xiangliu's hand.
Xiang Liu suddenly stopped, Xiao Liu didn't know why, but he didn't ask, but he couldn't help but lean towards Xiang Liu's side, and looked at the east silently with Xiang Liu.
Not long after, a bright moon slowly rose from the sea, and the clear light poured down, Xiaoliu was shocked by the magnificence of heaven and earth, and the hard shell on his heart was soft.
In the sound of the waves, Xiang Liu's voice came: "As long as there is such a scenery between heaven and earth, life is very precious." β
Little Six muttered; "No matter how rare the scenery is, I can't get tired of seeing it, unless someone accompanies me to watch it. Jing is always dead, and only people can give meaning to Jing. β
I don't know if Xiang Liu heard Xiao Liu's muttering, anyway, Xiang Liu didn't react at all.
The most magnificent moment has passed, and Sangyu summons the hairballs and takes them back.
Sang-ryu closed his eyes, and there was tiredness between his eyebrows.
Xiaoliu asked, "Why are you in a bad mood?" β
Xiang Liu ignored him, and Xiao Liu said to himself: "Since Xiao Zhurong is in charge of the Central Plains, I heard that the Central Plains has gradually stabilized, and the Yellow Emperor will have to clean up the Gonggong General sooner or later, the general trend of the world is irreversible, and it is not something that can be stopped by one person, I think it is better for you to run away as soon as possible." Actually, are you a monster, or just an annoying nine-headed demon, with Shennong's gang of gods arrogant, in their eyes, you are probably the one...... It's nothing as good, why should you worry about the Shennong Righteous Army? What do you get by working together? If you like power, it's better to simply betray Gonggong and defect to the Yellow Emperor......"
Xiang Liu opened his eyes, a pair of demon pupils, glowing with a bloodthirsty red light. Xiaoliu was enveloped by his sight, his body was squeezed by the invisible force, he couldn't move at all, his nose was bleeding, and blood was oozing from his fingernails.
"I ...... Wrong...... Wrong ......"
Xiang Liu closed his eyes, and Xiao Liu's body rushed forward, lying on the back of the carving, like a rag that had been rubbed, and there was no life. Knowing that it was almost time to arrive in Qingshui Town, the hairball slowly flew down, and Xiao Liu reluctantly sat up, wiped the blood from his nose and mouth, jumped down without saying a word, and fell into the river.
Xiao Liu lay on the surface of the river, letting the flowing water wash away all the blood.
The moon in the sky, Xiao Liu looked at it, but it quietly shone on the earth.
Xiao Liu climbed ashore, pushed open the courtyard door, and immediately walked out when he was sitting in the kitchen, Xiao Liu smiled at him, "Is there any hot soup?" I want to drink. β
"Yes."
Xiaoliu walked into the house, took off his clothes, wiped his body casually, changed into clean underwear, and got into a clean and warm quilt.
Seventeen came in, brought a bowl of hot broth, Xiao Liu wrapped himself in a quilt, sat up, drank the hot soup in small sips, and a bowl of soup was in his stomach, and his internal organs were warm.
Seventeen took a towel and helped him wipe his hair, and Little Six leaned back and closed his eyes.
Seventeen subconsciously looked at his neck, there were no kiss marks, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl. Seventeen dried his hair, but he was reluctant to let go for a while, so he took a comb from the couch and helped Xiaoliu smooth his hair.
Xiaoliu whispered, "You shouldn't get used to me. What do I do if I get used to it and you leave? β
"I'm not leaving."
Xiaoliu smiled. There are thousands of people who make promises, but those who keep promises are hard to find. If he was seventeen, maybe it would have been simpler, but he wasn't seventeen.
There is an extra woman in the Rejuvenation Hall, but everything doesn't seem to have changed much.
Lao Mu is still in charge of the stove, Sang Tianer follows him to learn to cook, but he always seems to lack a little talent, and the clothes of the skewers are still washed by themselves, because Sang Tianer washed three clothes for him in a row, and the small days of Tianer and the skewers did not start smoothly, but Tianer is studying hard, and the skewers have a strong affection for her, everything can be tolerated and considerate, and the two of them live sweetly.
Seventeen is still silent and diligent, and Xiaoliu is still sometimes energetic and sometimes weak.
During the summer day, everyone is afraid of the heat, and there are not many pedestrians on the street.
There were no patients, Xiao Liu sat under the eaves, shaking a fan, and stared at the street in a daze.
A delicate carriage drove by, the wind blew the curtain, the woman in the car, a glimpse, Xiaoliu marveled at the beauty! Realization couldn't help but chase the carriage and keep looking over.
The carriage stopped in front of the jewelry shop, and the woman got out of the carriage, and Yu Xin, the owner of the jewelry shop, stood at the door, saluting respectfully. Yu Xin is quite famous in Qingshui Town, not because of how good the business of the jewelry shop is, but because the shops on this street belong to other people, including the shops of the Rejuvenation Hall, and Lao Mu has to go to the jewelry store once a year to pay rent.
Although Qingshui Town is a plate of scattered sand, it can be scattered but not chaotic, among which is the credit of Yu Xin, although he is not an official government, but he naturally maintains the rules of Qingshui Town. From a certain point of view, Yu Xin was half the king of Qingshui Town, and everyone looked up to him from the bottom up.
So, when he saluted, and did so respectfully, the whole street was shocked. Everyone wanted to discuss, didn't dare to discuss, wanted to see, didn't dare to look, all of them looked strange, and in an instant, the whole long street changed the sky.
Xiao Liu was not only shocked, but also very concerned, after all, Huichun Hall is the place where he has lived for more than 20 years, and he plans to continue to live, he also likes the old neighbors on this street very much, and he doesn't want big changes to happen.
On the second day, news came out that Yu Xin seemed to be going to take back some shops.
Lao Mu sighed, his soul was not kept, and the skewers and sweets were also panicked. Butcher Gao didn't know where to inquire about the gossip, so he specially came to inform them, because the Huichun Hall was close to the river, and there was still a piece of land, and the big boss Yu Xin wanted to take it back.
Lao Mu was so angry that he scolded his mother, when he rented it, it was just a wasteland, and it took countless efforts to fatten the land, but in front of half the king of Qingshui Town, he was powerless to fight, and he didn't dare to fight, so he could only worry about not sleeping all night.
Xiaoliu loves water and doesn't want to leave here. Therefore, he decided to go and meet Yu Xin, the half king of Qingshui Town.
Xiao Liu deliberately cleaned himself up, and Seventeen noticed that he was so cautious, although he didn't know what he wanted to do, but when he went out, he deliberately followed.
Xiaoliu went to the jewelry store to ask to see Yu Xin, and Yu Xin heard that the doctor from the Huichun Hall asked to see him, so he ordered someone to invite them in.
After the front hall of business, I entered the courtyard. The yard is an ordinary size, but because of the layout, it looks very large. Small bridges and flowing water, rockeries stacked on top of each other, vines and roses, koi playing in the water, using bamboo to create a winding path through the secluded, moving to change the scene, there is a two-person high waterfall, falling with a bang, water droplets splashing like pearls, washing away the summer heat.
Walking into the flower hall, Yu Xinduan sat on the main seat, Xiao Liu saluted respectfully, and Seventeen also saluted.
Yu Xin sat upright and did not move, only raised his hand and motioned for them to sit.
Xiao Liu made his intentions clear: "I heard that Boss Yu wants to take back some shops. β
Yu Xin has the cold-blooded frankness of the superiors, "Yes, including the Rejuvenation Hall." β
Xiaoliu smiled and said: "No matter who you rent it to, it's rent, I mean it's better to continue to rent to us, as for the rent, we can add it, everything is negotiable." β
Yu Xin seemed to think that Xiao Liu was funny talking about money with him, and smiled slightly, seemingly polite, but there was disdain in his eyes: "Don't talk about the rent of a shop, even the rent of all the shops in this whole street is not worth mentioning." β
Xiaoliu is not a business material, he was choked and didn't know what to say, and after thinking for a while, he asked again: "Then what does Boss Yu want to do when he takes back the shop?" β
Yu Xin said: "You have been in Qingshui Town for more than 20 years, I will tell you the truth, I am just a house slave, my family owner is very rich, not to mention a shop, even if the entire Qingshui Town is idle, but by heart." After Yu Xin finished speaking, he no longer wanted to talk, and instructed his subordinates: "Send off guests!" β
Xiao Liu lowered his head and walked slowly, sighing weakly, if it was a conspiracy, he could still try to crack it, but other people's shops, people want to take it back, it is justified, he has no way at all.
"Stop!" A woman's voice suddenly came from upstairs.
Xiao Liu stood obediently and raised his head, it was the beautiful woman in the carriage he saw that day.
Seventeen didn't stop, and continued to walk forward, the woman ran a few steps, jumped directly off the railing, jumped up and hugged Seventeen, tears rained down, "Childe...... Son. β
Seventeen stood straight and stiff, refusing to look back, and the woman cried and fell at his feet, "They all say that the son is dead...... Ahem, we don't believe it! It's been nine years! It's been nine years...... God is merciful, let the slave find you! β
Hearing the woman's crying, Yu Xin rushed out, and when he saw the woman kneeling at Seventeen's feet, he immediately knelt down in panic.
The woman cried and asked, "Childe, why don't you speak?" The slave is a quiet night, have you forgotten? And Orchid, you once teased us about Silent Night Orchid...... Yu Xin, hurry up and send a letter to the old lady, and you will find the second son...... Childe, have you forgotten even the old lady......"
Seventeen turned his head and looked at Xiao Liu, but the distance of just a few steps had become an insurmountable moat, and his dark eyes were full of sadness.
Xiaoliu smiled at him brightly, walked over step by step, and wanted to say something, but his clever tongue in the past was so dry that he could only try to smile brighter, and while laughing, he gestured to him indifferently, You deal with family affairs slowly, I'm leaving!
Xiao Liu walked back to the Rejuvenation Hall.
Skewers and Sweetie have gone elsewhere to find a house. Lao Mu had no intention of doing anything, sitting on the stone steps, sighing.
Xiao Liu sat down next to Lao Mu and looked out of the courtyard silently.
Lao Mu said dumbfoundedly: "I've lived for more than 20 years, I'm really reluctant!" β
Xiaoliu said dumbfoundedly: "It's okay, let's rent for as long as we want, even if we don't give rent, no one dares to take it back." β
Lao Mu was stunned for a while before he came over, "You persuaded the big boss?" β
"Sort of."
Lao Mu said goodbye to God, "Thank God! β
Xiaoliu muttered: "Don't worry, I will definitely accompany you and send you to the end of your life." Your life is short, I will definitely accompany you to death, so that you will not be alone, with no one to rely on, no one to talk to, but I don't know who can die with me......"
Lao Mu shook Xiao Liu vigorously, "I'm starting to make trouble again!" β
Xiaoliu said: "Lao Mu, you can still rely on it!" β
Lao Mu touched his head, "My family's Xiaoliu is a good person, God will definitely take care of him." β
Xiao Liu smiled and patted Lao Mu's shoulder vigorously, "Go to work." β
In the evening, during dinner, Tian'er didn't see Seventeen, and asked in surprise, "What about Seventeen?" Lao Mu and Skewers both stared at Xiao Liu.
Xiaoliu smiled and said, "He's gone, you won't have to cook for him in the future." β
Lao Mu sighed, "It's good to go, so I don't have to worry about it all the time." β
Skewers and sweets are all songs, and continue to eat. Seventeen's words are too little, and Skewer has always felt like he doesn't exist, so he doesn't feel anything when he leaves, and Tian'er has just arrived, so he won't feel anything.
At night, Xiaoliu followed the bluestone path, passed through the medicine field, and paced to the river.
Walk slowly along the river beach.
Someone followed him, Xiao Liu was fast and he was fast, Xiao Liu was slow and he was slow.
The waves crashed on the shore, the breeze sent bursts of rice fragrance from nowhere, and as he walked, Xiao Liu's mood gradually became quieter.
Xiao Liu stopped, and he stopped.
Xiao Liu turned around, and Seventeen stood silently, still wearing the coarse linen clothes of the day, but they were obviously washed, and there was a smell of smoke.
Xiaoliu said, "I don't like the smell on your body. β
Seventeen lowered his head, and Xiao Liu smiled and said, "I still like the taste of herbs, and the next time you come to see me, I'll give you a sachet of herbs." β
Seventeen raised his head, and there was starlight falling in his eyes, blooming brightly.
Xiaoliu smiled and continued to walk, and Seventeen took a few quick steps and walked side by side with him.
Since then, Seventeen would always wear that coarse linen shirt and wait for Xiao Liu by the river at night.
The two walked and chatted, and when Xiaoliu was tired, Xiaoliu went back to the house to sleep, and Seventeen left.
The days seem to be the same as before, but the content of the chat has changed slightly.
Xiao Liu will ask, "How many maids did you have before?" β
"Two."
"How much money do you have?"
ββ¦β¦β
"You were ...... back then Is it because of making money? β
"Hmm."
"Is it better to look at the quiet night, or is it better to have orchids?"
ββ¦β¦β
"Remember those herbs I told you before?"
"Hmm."
"Remember, those herbs look ordinary, but they can be put down with a little bit of something, whether it's a god or a demon."
"Hmm."
"You're not the nine-headed monster of Xiangliu, you have nine lives, don't eat indiscriminately."
"Okay."
"Is it better to look at the quiet night, or is it better to have orchids?"
ββ¦β¦β
"Close people are often the most unreliable, and you have more than one mind."
"Hmm."
"And ...... Either don't do it, pretend to be confused, if you do, you have to start the knife with your hands, cut the grass and eradicate the roots, don't be soft-hearted. β
Seventeen was silent.
Xiao Liu sighed, "If you really can't fight, come back, continue to help me grow medicine, I won't starve you to death anyway." β
Seventeen stared at Xiao Liu, and there was something rippling like water in his eyes, as if he was going to roll Xiao Liu in.