The water of the Jing River is very clear, and a few leisurely aquatic plants are playing with themselves under the blue sky and white clouds. There are many resting pedestrians by the river, whether they are foot merchants or villagers, all gathered in this small tea shed.

Wealthy merchants had separate tables in the tea sheds, as well as tea sets. As for those local villagers or big men who don't have much money, they usually take a big bowl from the shopkeeper, pour a bowl, sit on the edge of the shed, take out their big tobacco leaves from their arms and smoke them.

The owner is a local in his 40s, honest and never argues with customers.

"Please also change the place to smoke, this is the right outlet, there are several women in my shed. As he spoke, he glanced into the shed, and there were two or three guests at the table, and at one of the tables sat a pregnant woman with a big belly.

The man who smoked glanced at the shopkeeper.

"Please also ask Mr. to change the place, this tea money is mine. ”

The man who was smoking did not answer, and moved two steps forward, exposing himself to the scorching sun.

But the hot wind was still blowing in this direction, and the woman in the shed coughed a few more times.

The shopkeeper came out again: "I'm tired of the old gentleman to change his mouth, but the wind is still blowing in." ”

The old man who smoked glanced at the shopkeeper: "Is this your family?"

I can't say whose family belongs to this Chaotian Avenue, I only have this shed. This old man couldn't please him even if he was exposed to the scorching sun, and he didn't know why he had to smoke the woman with smoke.

The woman sighed and waved at the shopkeeper, signaling that he should ignore it.

There was a big tree diagonally opposite the shed, and the Taoist priest under the tree saw all this.

"If my husband has anything to worry about, let's talk about it, don't ask for money. ”

The old man was originally a believer, but when he glanced at the Taoist priest with two wisps of beard, there was no trace of fairy wind and bones, and he was no different from those charlatans, and his heart was even more unhappy.

This old man is also a straightforward person, and snorted coldly: "I'm not allowed to smash your mess." ”

The old man walked under the shade of the tree, and the air in the tea shed was finally fresh, and the shopkeeper cast a grateful glance at the Taoist priest.

"What if it's approved?" the Taoist priest asked, and the old man paused: "Then I'll give you money." He unconsciously took a small step back, and the Taoist priest looked at it in his eyes: "Okay, sign for five cents." ”

Although the old man was a little surprised, he still took out a lot from the bamboo tube in the Taoist priest's hand.

"Winning the lot!"

"What is the explanation?" If you see that you are proud, they will draw a lot of money and ask for a few dollars; if you are sad, you will inevitably draw a bad lot, and you will use the method of cracking to trick you.

"It's difficult, it's difficult, it's hard to walk, it's restless in the inner room, and it's mediocre to disturb itself. ”

The old man stared at him and asked, "How do you say this?"

The Taoist priest glanced at the old man, who snorted coldly, scattered five cents in a row, and put them on his table. The Taoist glanced at it, but still did not answer.

"What do you mean?" said the old man, angry.

The Taoist priest glanced at the five cents. "This is just the money for the lottery, and I am not obligated to release it for you. ”

The old man was furious and said, "Then what do you want!"

The Taoist priest pointed to the road ahead: "There is a private school thirty miles away, and the gentleman takes in more homeless children, if I am satisfied, you can send fifty taels of silver, how about it?"

"What if you are not satisfied?" The Taoist priest scratched his head when he heard this, as if it was very familiar, and replied, "Then you smashed my mess." ”

"My husband must be worried about family affairs, but mostly for his son!"

"Then tell me why you're bothered. ”

The Taoist priest smiled and said: "Although the old man is wearing coarse cloth clothes, I can see the physiognomy of the old man, and the old man is a big family." However, it is in the son, not in you. ”

The old man snorted coldly, which was considered a tacit acquiescence.

"Then I'm here to congratulate my husband on holding his grandson. ”

The old man snorted coldly again.

"Your son should be away all the year round and come home once a year, and you suspect the child in your daughter-in-law's womb?"

The old man's gaze immediately changed from disdain to surprise.

"The signing document said that mediocrity disturbs itself. ”

The old man lowered his head and lowered his voice and said, "But if it weren't for ......"

The Taoist priest smiled and said: "Then you will be born and then drop blood to recognize your relatives, if you don't treat it well now, it's really your grandson, then how do you deal with yourself?"

The old man looked at the woman in the shed and whispered to the Taoist priest, "I will send someone to send fifty taels." ”

With that, the old man went straight away.

After a while, a sedan chair came and stopped in front of the pregnant woman.

The woman came up, "Thank you, sir, the slave family should also send fifty taels of silver to the gentleman." ”

"No need, he will give your father-in-law's fortune telling money. ”

"It's just a little respect from the slave family for the gentleman who adopted the orphan. ”

When the fortune teller heard this, it was inconvenient for him to say more.

As the sedan chair went away, Xu Changan also walked out of the tea shed.

"Little brother, please stay. ”

Xu Changan turned his head to look at the Taoist priest.

"I send a message to my little brother. ”

"If you cross the barrier, you must pass through the mountains. ”

"Thank you. Xu Changan walked forward with his burden on his back.

Xu Changan looked at the two roads in front of him and hesitated.

One road is along the river, and the other is up the mountain, both of which lead to Yunmeng Mountain.

As if influenced by the previous scene, his feet made him almost up the mountain.

Climbing up the mountain, Xu Changan found that the plank road on the mountain was broken at some point, and there was only a cliff in front of him, and under the cliff was the turbulent Jing River.

He was a little helpless, how could he believe the Taoist priest's nonsense.

When I turned around, I saw several men in black.

Dressed in black, he looked dusty, and he also saw a passerby in Weicheng.

"Boy, you are so treacherous that we chased us down the mountain road for days. Say, Where is Shi Wanli, and where is the talisman?"

For these two questions, Xu Changan is really powerless, if he knows where Uncle Shi is, how can he block them, as for what Fu, I have never heard of it.

Looking at the approaching crowd, Xu Changan retreated step by step.

The sun at noon was very dazzling, especially on the edge of this cliff, Xu Changan began to doubt in his heart, could it be that he was going to be caught by them today?

A voice suddenly sounded in my ear, which seemed to be somewhat familiar.

"Jump off and don't be afraid. ”

Xu Changan didn't know where he got the courage, so he turned around and threw himself into the turbulent Jing River.

......

Xu Changan seemed to see a huge monster before entering the water.

There is no suffocating river water and suffocation as expected, and the feeling of being slippery is everywhere, like climbing a big rock with moss on a rainy day.

It has dark skin, fish-specific mucus that makes it look greasy, and even a little moss on its forehead, two large eyes the size of copper bells, thick lips that hold the whole mouth very large, and two strands of whiskers float freely in the water, like aquatic plants on the banks of a river.

This is...... A big catfish!

Xu Changan looked down and saw that he was lying on the head of the big catfish.

Although Xu Changan has never been to the sea, nor has he seen the sea, he has heard that the overlord of the sea, the whale the size of half a hill, Xu Changan looked at the figure of the big catfish, and with a random swing of the tail, there was a huge wave in the river. Xu Changan estimated that this big catfish was not much smaller than a whale.

Falling from a high place, even if there was a big catfish, Xu Changan's head became heavier and heavier, and he slowly closed his eyes.

......

A ruined temple stands in the middle of a bamboo forest, rustling around when the wind blows, reminiscent of ghost stories you heard when you were a child.

The firelight was flickering, and there was no imaginary female ghost, only a Taoist priest, wearing a wide robe, with a large mouth, and a strange mustache, which was long and almost collapsed near his neck.

Xu Changan hesitated at the door for a while, he clearly remembered seeing a big catfish, how did he wake up when he was in the bamboo forest.

"Stinky boy, don't come in yet. Listening to some familiar voices, Xu Changan looked the Taoist priest up and down, and felt more and more that the Taoist priest by the tea shed was like a catfish.

"The old man's name is Qu Catfish. The old man glanced at Xu Chang'an, and saw that Xu Chang'an's heart was awe-inspiring, and it seemed that all the secrets were revealed at that glance.

"Yes, the old man is the giant catfish, and he is also the Taoist priest. ”

In those weird novels, Xu Changan has seen many demons, once they come out of the mountain, they will definitely change the color of the mountains and rivers, turn over the rivers and seas, and the atmosphere is extraordinary, how can they be as ordinary as this old man.

"Dao Chief, I really don't have any money, if you want to cheat, go and deceive others. Xu Changan said and pulled Qu Catfish's mustache.

Qu Catfish was so angry that his beard was crooked, and this stinky boy actually regarded himself as a charlatan.

"Stinky boy, have you forgotten who saved you in the river?"

"Of course I remember a huge catfish, and in order to repay it, I decided not to eat catfish again. Xu Changan was familiar with himself, sat on the ground and dried his clothes, and he didn't see anything outside.

"You ......"

"I've heard Mr. Storyteller say that those monsters are all fierce and vicious, and they are as amiable as the Taoist chief. ”

Qu Catfish heard Xu Changan say this, his heart was very useful, he twisted his long beard, and suddenly turned his head to reveal a huge catfish mouth, long teeth in his mouth, dark skin, and long whiskers on his cheeks fluttering in the wind.

"Is that what a youkai is?"

Xu Changan looked up and saw a catfish head on the wide robe, and he screamed and tilted his head and fainted again.

When Xu Changan woke up, the sun had already cast a sparse light and shadow through the bamboo leaves, the breeze blew, and the stream in the stream next to it kept hitting the stones, making a nice sound, as if nature was whispering softly in his ears.

The breeze was blowing, and the sky was cloudless.

Xu Changan swung his injured hand, there was no pain, he didn't need to pull up his sleeves to look at it, he knew that the wound was smeared with a layer of medicine. At this moment, he actually had a composure far beyond his peers, looking at the pile of dry grass in the corner, he lay down and closed his eyes.

From Weicheng to Jinghe, he traveled nearly a thousand miles because of a letter from Uncle Shi.

Scenes kept spinning in his mind, and one question after another was knotted in his heart.

At this time, hearing a sound outside the door, Xu Changan immediately closed his eyes.

The man glanced at Xu Changan, shook his head and scolded: "Stinky boy, Lao Tzu personally went to find game, and you are still sleeping." ”

Throwing off his wide robe, Qu Catfish ignored Xu Changan, picked up some dry grass and firewood left over from last night, and went outside to make a fire. After a while, puffs of smoke from outside the house went straight into the house, mixed with the smell of roasted meat......

"The meat is not grilled like that. ”

Qu Catfish didn't speak, handed the pu fan forward, Xu Changan took it, skillfully started the fire, and roasted it.

"How would you?" Qu Catfish was a little puzzled.

"Ever since I was a kid, I ran around with someone, he only taught, and of course someone had to do these things. Xu Changan pulled the hair scattered on his forehead, stared at Qu Catfish and said.

Xu Changan's heart was pounding, he was gambling, betting that this big catfish knew Uncle Shi.

Qu Catfish smiled, smiled from the bottom of his heart, nodded appreciatively, and then asked, "You're not afraid of me?" From being stunned last night to being calm now, the change is really big.

"I believe you're a monster, but if you want to harm me, why save me. ”

The small eyes on the big head suddenly narrowed, revealing Bai Sensen's teeth: "What if I don't want to share?"

Xu Changan suddenly realized that he was missing something, in this morning breeze, there was actually a small layer of fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Your roasted meat is almost mushy. Hearing this, Xu Changan was suddenly stunned.

"After all, it's a child, and I don't think I have time to teach you anything when I have my surname. Hearing this, Xu Changan's hanging heart finally let go.

About Uncle Shi, for more than ten years, Xu Changan has known him as just an old-fashioned teacher, who likes to wear a green shirt, and has no interest in the eldest daughter-in-law and little widow at the entrance of the village, it seems that his life is to take him from city to city, teaching children in one small city after another to read and write.

Qu Catfish took the barbecue in Xu Changan's hand and took a bite: "It's not bad, I didn't expect him to be able to barbecue." ”

Xu Changan lowered his head: "He won't, he's just an ordinary teacher, taking me through one small city after another, and nothing can leave him, including those good-looking widows." ”

"He's so old, but he's always been alone. ”

Qu Cat smiled, looked at Xu Changan in his memories and said: "You still don't know him, if one day you also stood on a high place and looked at the mountains, how could you bend your waist because of a speck of dust." ”

"I never knew he was so powerful, he was like a dead dog when he was dragged out by the servants of the palace. ”

Qu Catfish's brows furrowed: "You said that's about him?"

Xu Changan snatched the barbecue meat from Qu Cat's hand: "At that time, he was just a pair of skins, so what?" said and took a bite of the meat, and spit out a mouthful of "bah".

"What kind of meat is this, it's sour than the stinky sauerkraut of Aunt Wang's house in Weicheng. ”

"Aunt Weicheng Wang?"

"Nope. Xu Changan said and returned the barbecue to Qu Catfish.

"Bobcat meat. ”

Xu Changan didn't speak, ran towards the stream, and after a while, he came back with a few lively fish in his hand.

"I always feel like somebody is going to be beaten. This was the first thing Xu Changan heard when he came back and saw Qu Catfish.

Xu Changan looked down at the fish in his hand, then at the long beard of the catfish, and ran back to the stream with the fish.

"He also likes to eat fish. When Xu Changan came back, he said a word.

Qu Catfish didn't look at him: "I also like to eat bear children." ”

......

Xu Changan finally gritted his teeth and ate a cat leg handed over by a qu catfish, he swore that it was more unpalatable than anything he had ever eaten, looking at the qu catfish that was feasting, Xu Changan sighed slightly.

"I don't like to eat bobcat meat, it's sour and smelly, but it's refreshing. ”

Xu Changan didn't understand why Qu Catfish was cool, was it because cats like to eat fish?

"When I was young, I was taken by an old cat, and I had to make up for my wife, who had just given birth to a child. ”

Xu Changan was stunned for a moment, and then remembered that the old doctors in Weicheng often said that catfish is very good for lactation promotion and nourishment......

"And then?"

"Later, a teaching gentleman who was old-fashioned and didn't like little widows saved me. The corners of the catfish's mouth brought a hint of a smile.

......

The afternoon sun is a little scorching, there is a heat in the air, and there are a lot of bamboo leaves.

"Those people probably can't find you for the time being, and the smell of your body has been washed by me in the river, and they are all shady things. ”

Qu Cat glanced at Xu Changan and continued: "Remember, go where you want to go first. After saying that, Qu Catfish took a bite of bobcat meat fiercely and walked towards the river.

Xu Changan watched Qu Catfish's distant back, and a voice suddenly came from his ears: "Stinky boy, when you see that old man in the future, you must tell him that I saved you!." ”

Xu Changan shook his head noncommittally, and a loud roar suddenly sounded in his ears: "This is very important!"