In the distance, the small village is already full of smoke, and the smell of stir-fried vegetables can be smelled from afar. There was one exception, though, when the room was pitch black, with occasional coughing sounds from men and women.

The old hen in the yard lay in the nest and was silent.

When Zhang Xuan returned home, he immediately put the sheep in the sheepfold, and shouted when he entered the house: "Parents, sister, I'm back." I'll cook, and you'll wait for me...... Let me tell you, I met a great master in the mountains, and he was amazing......"

My sister's crisp voice sounded: "Really, how powerful is that master?"

"Hmm...... I'll tell you more about it when we're ready to eat. ”

With Zhang Xuan's return, the house was much more lively.

As the smoke rose, the lights came on in the house.

At the dinner table, Zhang Xuan served vegetables for everyone, and spat about today's encounter.

Zhang Xuan's father listened to it while coughing for a year, and he listened to it with relish, but he looked at Zhang Xuan's eyes and was full of apologies.

After all, Zhang Xuan is only thirteen years old this year, but he has to shoulder the livelihood of the family, which makes the parents very ashamed.

Although her sister Zhang Ling'er who was sitting on the side had broken her legs, she didn't have any sadness on her face, but her eyebrows danced when she listened, her little head swayed, and her big eyes were shiny.

Obviously, this family was not defeated by the disease.

When talking about the medicine in the medicine garden, Zhang Xuan's father suddenly said seriously: "Little Xuanzi, you remember."

People live for a lifetime, and they don't want to be a big hero, but they must have a clear conscience. Take what you should take, not your own, and don't move it. ”

Zhang Xuan nodded vigorously and said, "Don't worry, Dad, I know." ”

From beginning to end, Zhang Xuan didn't say anything about him and the big wild boar hard steel, obviously, this stupid boy also knew that there were some things that could not be said.

This is a man's responsibility......

Through chatting, Jiang Zhe knew that Zhang Xuan's parents used to do stone processing, and they had been sitting for more than 20 years, but they both had pneumoconiosis.

For such a family, pneumoconiosis is equivalent to a death notice, once it is obtained, it is basically incurable, and when to leave is just a matter of time.

Sister Zhang Linger broke her legs because of a car accident, and the driver who caused the car accident escaped and has not been caught until now.

Jiang Zhe did not enter the house, but turned around and left, he knew that Zhang Xuan would definitely go up the mountain tomorrow.

When he came out of the yard, he didn't know what funny jokes Zhang Xuan had said, and everyone in the family laughed.

Jiang Zhe also laughed: "People who love to laugh are generally not too bad luck." ”

Nothing was said all night.

The next day, Zhang Xuan really came to the mountain again.

From a distance, I saw Jiang Zhe sitting in the courtyard, and the small stove beside him boiled a pot of things that I don't know if it was tea or hot water, making a whining sound.

On the other side, there was a large alchemy furnace, and the fire in the furnace was also flickering......

Jiang Zhe smiled: "Boy, come to herd sheep again?"

Zhang Xuan scratched his head and said: "Yes, uncle, uncle, you lied to me yesterday, this is obviously your house, and you still say it's not." ”

Jiang Zhe didn't deny it, patted the chair next to him and said, "Come and sit?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head: "Don't sit down, I'm not tired." Uncle, what are you doing here?"

Jiang Zhe said: "Cook wine, alchemy." ”

"Boiling wine, alchemy?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Jiang Zhe nodded.

Zhang Xuan said: "Uncle, are all your medicinal materials used for alchemy?"

Jiang Zhe continued to nod.

Zhang Xuan wanted to speak and stopped.

Jiang Zhe smiled: "Boy, I lack a miscellaneous medicine boy here, are you willing to stay?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned for a moment, and then asked, "Yes...... Salary?"

Jiang Zhe smiled: "No." ”

Zhang Xuan subconsciously shook his head and said, "Forget it, I need to make money to support my family." But I've been herding sheep in the mountains lately, and I've found a nest of medicinal herbs, and I can pick them for a while, and if my uncle needs help, you can call me. ”

Jiang Zhe looked at this simple boy and smiled: "Okay, since you help me, then I will also help you, do you know how to read?"

Zhang Xuanxiao's face immediately turned red, and he said a little embarrassedly: "Know a little bit...... Not too much. ”

Jiang Zhe said: "I'll teach you how to read and write today." ”

"Really?" Zhang Xuan asked excitedly.

Jiang Zhe nodded: "Yes!"

Zhang Xuan was so happy that his big mouth and laughter were cracked to the root of his ears......

At this time, Jiang Zhe picked up the teapot, poured two cups of hot wine and said, "Drink some?"

Zhang Xuan sniffed it, and his brows furrowed slightly: "Uncle, what kind ......of wine is this?"

Jiang Zhe said: "Huangliang wine, drink it, it's not intoxicating." ”

Zhang Xuan licked his lips, picked up the wine glass and took a small sip, the entrance was a little sweet, and the taste of yellow sorghum rice was delicious.

So he blew on the wine and dried it in one gulp.

After drinking, he only felt a stream of heat falling all the way into his stomach, warm and very comfortable.

"Delicious, right?" Jiang Zhe asked.

Zhang Xuan nodded vigorously: "It's delicious, can you have another drink?"

Jiang Zhe shook his head and said, "One cup is enough, if you have more, you will be drunk." ”

After speaking, Zhang Xuan was in a trance, but then he came to his senses.

In the following time, Jiang Zhe taught Zhang Xuan to read while refining pills.

Although Zhang Xuan looks silly, he is not stupid, and he is also very smart, especially with a very good memory. He recognized more than 100 words in one day, and this speed really surprised Jiang Zhe.

In the evening, Zhang Xuan happily drove the sheep down the mountain.

He didn't know that Jiang Zhe had been following him all along, and he had sent away some wild boars and wild wolves that might threaten Zhang Xuan's safety.

On this day, after Zhang Xuan returned home, he told his parents and sister about learning words in the mountains.

Hearing Zhang Xuan's experience, his parents still didn't believe it.

But when Zhang Xuan stumbled over the contents of the newspaper pasted on the wall, and after reading some of them, he was stunned by the second elder.

My sister said with envy: "Brother is so powerful! Brother, can you teach me too?"

Zhang Xuan touched his sister's head dotingly and said, "Okay, in the future, my brother will learn during the day, and I will teach you when I come back at night!"

"Great, I can go to school too!" said the little girl, dancing happily.

......

The next day, Zhang Xuan came again, but this time, Zhang Xuan carried a big rooster.

Jiang Zhe looked at the old hen and asked puzzledly: "Expand your business, and at the same time herd the sheep?"

Zhang Xuan scratched his head and said with a little shyness and inferiority: "Uncle, my father said that I can't let you teach me to read in vain, but my family is too poor and has no money to pay for tuition." So let me send you a chicken......"

Jiang Zhe was immediately happy when he heard it, but Jiang Zhe was not polite, he directly took the big, and then threw it into the yard and said, "Okay, this is your tuition." ”

Seeing this, Zhang Xuan immediately smiled happily, and his inferiority complex disappeared.