Dingzhou City, hundreds of years have passed in the world.

It's another year of Star Return.

Legend has it that the ancient gods of war, the heavens were furious, sent a large number of locusts to the earth to eat crops, the ancestors here in Dingzhou saw that people were about to starve to death, so they cut down many pine branches, wild artemisia branches into torches, led people to light up, to the field to burn insects.

This day is the Torch Festival.

In order to commemorate the hero who has gone away, the people of Dingzhou will light torches on this night, carnival all night, and tell the ancestors with songs and dances that they are doing well now, please don't worry about them.

But few people remember this allusion now, and the hero who led the people to burn torches to drive out the locusts in the dark has been forgotten, and the temple dedicated to this hero is now long gone.

People no longer light torches for the heroes who are far away in the dust, and the current Xinghui Festival is only to commemorate Sister Xiaobao, who saved the entire Dingzhou in the midst of the pandemic.

Today's Dingzhou City, a prosperous scene, carved cars compete in the long street, BMW racing on the road, golden cui dazzling, Luo Qi fragrance. People come and go, rubbing shoulders, on the brightly lit high-rise buildings, there are new voices laughing at Liu Mo Huaqu, and tuning the strings according to the orchestra in the teahouse wine shop.

There is no city wall in Dingzhou City, Sister Xiaobao sits here all the year round, taking care of the people of Dingzhou, they don't have to worry about what wars and bandits and looting will happen here, as long as Xiaobao is still there, naturally no one dares to come here, demons, or other gods to come here to be presumptuous.

It was windy, it was raining, and I had to go.

It's dusk, it's dark, and I'm worried.

The white fog has not yet dissipated, and the distant mountains seem to be reflected. ’

This is a folk song passed down by the mouth of Dingzhou people, the melody is catchy, and everyone will sing it during the Star Torch Festival.

'The rootless water creeps to the ground, and everything is washed away. ’

'Man lives a lifetime, cuckoo March.

The return of the soul, the land of peace.

Accompanied by the galaxy, pious guard. ’

In the middle of the square, torches were blazing, and people dressed in various clothes, holding hands, sang and danced around the pile of skyrocketing torches, and everyone had a smile of joy and happiness on their faces.

'Man lives a lifetime, cuckoo March.

The return of the soul, the land of peace.

Accompanied by the galaxy, pious guard. ’

On the high-rise building, the delicate gilt small furnace wafts out of the curling cigarettes, the lid of the furnace is carved with the shape of the mountain, there are people and animals on the mountain naturally arranged, when the smoke in the incense burner floats out leisurely, it is like the clouds and mist coiled on the sacred mountain all the year round, and the small building is a heavy overlapping tulle, and a sitting figure can be vaguely seen.

Xiaobao sat upright, bowed her head slightly, and looked at the people who were singing and dancing enthusiastically in the square, Xiaobao used to jump down and sing and dance with everyone, she still likes to watch them dance like this, but she will no longer dance and dance with them.

Now if she dances with the believers, it will make the believers be influenced by her, like a madness, immersed in the belief in Sister Xiaobao, and completely forget her own simplest and purest happiness.

No one can refuse the opportunity to get close to the gods they believe in.

Xiaobao does not know when a verdant willow branch appeared in her hand, the wicker is narrow and narrow, her fingers are also slender, the hand holding the willow branch is glowing white, and in the thin smoke and candle flame, there is a gratuitous elegance, which makes people easily think of the charming verses of 'slender willow, holding this to send lovers'.

Xiaobao walked to the window, holding a willow branch, when this willow branch appeared, the cigarette curled in the room dispersed without wind, and spread along with Xiaobao's movements, and the willow branch flashed a faint white light, even in the thousands of lights, it was not inferior, and Xiaobao's face was also bright.

With a slight wave of Xiaobao's arm, countless white lights splashed from the tips of the willow branches like fireworks, suddenly piercing the sky and spilling towards the people who were singing and dancing.

The people who felt the blessing of Xiaobao let out a burst of cheers, and the sound of singing and dancing became more and more enthusiastic.

Tonight, the moon is full of stars, and the night is full of carnival.

"Old man, where is your money, give it to me! You're so bold that you dare not give me money! ”

"I obviously saw that you paid your wages today, where are you hiding! You don't take it out yet! Do you want to die? ”

Under the tall building, in the shadows of the alley, a thin young man punched and kicked a lame old man who fell to the ground, mercilessly, "You will rely on me to carry your coffin in the future!" If you don't give me the money now, when you die, I'll throw you into a mass grave!" ”

The gray-haired old man curled up with great skill, holding his head, his legs curled up in his chest and abdomen, and turned his back to the young man who had punched and kicked him with his not too broad back, trying to protect his fragile internal organs.

He moves skillfully, as if he's been through it many times.

"I don't, don't fight, son, I'm your father, don't fight, I really don't have money, I really don't have money!"

"Today's holiday, the owner just sent us a piece of meat, but didn't pay for it! Son! Son! Stop fighting, you're going to beat your dad to death! Son! ”

The old man cried out mournfully, he no longer dared to pray that his son would be kind enough to let him go, but begged him to kick a few more times today, and when he was tired of kicking, he would just leave.

He endured his son's kicking and beating, but he was still wailing 'son', 'son'.

The young man kicked hard a few times, and sure enough, he was tired of kicking, panting, and spat on the white-haired old man's body with a mouthful of thick phlegm, "If you don't give me any more money, you see that I won't kill you!" Dog, look at your virtue! ”

The young man patted his dusty pants and cursed away from the shadows beyond the thousands of lights.

Old Hanser cowered on the ground and did not squeak for a long time.

His hair is gray, his body is full of footprints, and his skin that is not covered by his clothes is full of bruises and bruises, and he looks so pitiful.

When Xiaobao held the willow branch in his hand and blessed the entire Dingzhou, a little white light disappeared into the corner of this shadow, and the old man's body trembled, and his body stretched slightly, as if he felt better.

Xiaobao lowered his eyes and looked at the farce of the son beating his father, but he did not show his spirit to help this poor old father.

Three hundred years ago, these two men were also father and son.

The father sold his daughter and used the money from the sale of his daughter to support his son's education, perhaps because of his lack of talent, the son took his sister's money from selling his body, but he did not gain fame, and after reading books for more than ten years, he finally only recognized all the words.

Gray returned home from the school, became a parent, gave birth to a pair of lovely children, and spent an ordinary life.

And although this father did not live a rich and noble life, he also died well, and ended his life with a smile surrounded by his sons and grandchildren.

Oh, by the way, three hundred years ago, there was a mother in this family, who somehow went mad, rushed into the rain in the pouring rain, slipped her feet, fell into the rough waters, and never came home.

Thanks to the lost memories, you will never remember the monthly pass support of your classmates!