Under a tree next to the official road, Chen Suisui picked out the trunk of the tree that was missing a piece of bark with his hand, turned around and leaned on the trunk to rest.

Unplugged the gourd and drank a sip of water, but Chen Suisui, who was not very tired, wanted to rest here for a while.

He had already returned the borrowed silver to Zhang Zhongqian, and he still had a "huge amount of money" of nearly twenty taels in his arms.

The bark of the IOU written in blood was left behind by Zhang Zhongqian, although it was not in line with business morality, but there was something more valuable in it than the rules of the trade.

Moreover, in Chen Suisui's opinion, although he repaid the money from the remuneration given by Zhang Zhongqian, the remuneration paid by Zhang Zhongqian was a bit much.

Some inadvertent kindness, naturally have to be remembered.

It's not far from Taojiabao, and there is a lot of money, which is indeed worth being happy and proud of.

In the town wine shop bought a jar of good aging wine for Mr. Tao, filled the gourd with loose wine for his father to drink, Chen Suisui went to the butcher shop to cut a few catties of meat, although it was only a few dollars of silver, but in Chen Suisui's opinion, it was already a lot.

Mr. Tao's wine is not enough to drink, he will buy it again, only the silver taels on his body, naturally he will be handed over to his mother, while he can spend so much before handing it over to his mother, Chen Suisui feels that he is already "bold", and if he buys more, he is afraid that his mother will be distressed.

Now thinking of his mother's mother, Chen Suisui is a little distressed!

He made up his mind that no matter what, he couldn't let his mother live that kind of life when a penny was broken in half again.

Approaching Taojiabao, Chen Suisui was worried, he went out for a month, but he earned so much money back, it is strange that his mother is not suspicious, and he has to find a reasonable explanation, but after thinking about it, he can't find a reason to convince himself.

"Yo, isn't this Niu Niu? But I haven't seen you for a few days, where did you come back?"

Chen Suisui heard the sound, said hello, and said with a smile: "It's Uncle Mingyu, I took advantage of the farm to go to the town to do odd jobs, and the autumn harvest is not coming soon, so I will come back quickly." ”

There are too many people with the surname Tao in Taojiabao, so the names between the neighbors are mostly prefixed with their names.

Niu Niu is the nickname of Chen Suisui, the baby who grew up in the fort, and the elders are used to calling it a nickname.

Tao Mingyu looked at the things that Chen Suisui was carrying in his hands, and said: "You kid is promising, this looks like he has earned a lot of silver, not to mention two taels, it costs a lot of money to buy these things." ”

Chen Suisui smiled shyly, and said a little embarrassed: "I didn't earn much, I just didn't have much time to go out, this is the first time I have made money, after taking the silver, it is inevitable that some extravagant people have spent it all, just for my father and mother to be happy." ”

Telling such a lie, Chen Suisui was really embarrassed.

Mr. Tao once told him that honesty is a person's quality, but being an honest person does not have to tell the truth.

At that time, Chen Suisui was puzzled, so Mr. Tao smiled and said, who doesn't have a secret?

Mr. Tao looked at him with a smile and asked him a question, isn't the matter of you practicing martial arts with me a secret between you and me? In this way, did you lie to your father and mother?

Mr. Tao's question made Chen Suisui, who was only a teenager at the time, depressed for a long time, and he finally gave himself a reason with a sullen fist.

As long as my father and mother don't ask, I don't count myself as lying.

And Chen Suisui's parents are just ordinary farmers, how could they have thought that their son could do martial arts?

I'm afraid that for them, they don't know the meaning of the word martial arts.

Tao Mingyu's face was straight, and he said to Chen Suisui: "You babies, you are too young, you don't know how difficult it is to make money, so you earn such a little money and spend it indiscriminately, this uncle is going to say a few words to you, although this is something bought for the family, but you don't have the consciousness of saving money in your head, you have to learn from your mother." ”

Speaking of this, he pointed to the wine jar that Chen Suisui was carrying and said: "Look at it, this wine is the most expensive kind at first glance, your father is a farmer, drinking such a good wine is a pure waste, with this money, how good is it to stay and buy more delicious food and drink for your father?" Niu Niu, don't blame the big uncle for talking too much, I'm afraid that your mother will feel distressed when she sees you spend so much money!"

Chen Suisui looked at Tao Mingyu's distressed look, grinned and said: "Uncle is right, I remember it, I'm afraid that when I get home, my father and mother will have to count me down." ”

Tao Mingyu said with a smile behind his back: "It's too late for your father to be happy, as for your mother, although I feel sorry for the money, but this meat, I will buy it, just save some food, okay, it's not early, go home quickly, I just saw your father and mother finish work and go home when I came over." ”

"Well, Uncle Mingyu, then I'll go home first!"

After speaking, Chen Suisui walked quickly towards home with his things.

Tao Mingyu nodded with his hands behind his back, this old Chen family is smoking from the ancestral tomb.

The door of the house was ajar, and Chen's father, who was packing up farm tools in the courtyard, looked up and just saw his son who had stepped into the courtyard door.

"Daddy!"

Chen Suisui saw his father greet him and shouted happily.

Who knew that Father Chen glared at him with a straight face, stretched out his hand and gently patted his head and scolded: "You are out of breath, just go out like this? You don't even have the time to say a word to your father? Little rabbit cub, is there still your father in your eyes?"

That day, Chen's father came back from work, and heard Chen's mother say that her son went to the town to work for a short time, and the man in his forties was stunned for a long time, his eyes were still slightly red, and he complained to Chen's mother: "How old is he? Are you so relieved to let him go out? What if something happens?"

Chen's mother drank the medicine that her son had brought back, seemed to have some strength, glared at Chen's father and said, "Niuniu or the meat that fell from my body? Just you, the father, know that you are distressed? Our rice jar has bottomed out, what else do you think I can do? Besides, we can't take other people's money with a clear conscience, right?"

Father Chen looked at his daughter-in-law holding on to the door frame, fine beads of sweat oozing from her forehead, and he was a little distressed, so he hurriedly wiped it with his sleeve, sighed and said: "In the end, it's my Chen Fugui who can't bear it, so that your mother and son suffer." ”

Mother Chen leaned on Chen's father's shoulder and said softly: "When I married you, I didn't think about being able to live a rich and prosperous life, I know what kind of life I have, and it is enough to have you to be good to me." ”

Chen's father lowered his head, stretched out his hand to brush the scattered hair for Chen's mother, and sighed: "My son has never gone out by himself since he was a child, and I am still a little relieved when he goes out." ”

Mother Chen said softly: "When the child is older, he is going to go out after all, his father, haven't you noticed that your son seems to be different from other children?"

"It's different? It's different? It's not all two eyes and one mouth. ”

Chen's mother raised her feet, and Chen's father let out an "oops", jumping to the side and dodging two steps.

Mother Chen glared at him and said, "Don't pretend, I didn't make any effort!"

Father Chen laughed twice, squatted on the threshold, and asked, "My Chen Fugui's son, of course, is different from the children of other families!"

Mother Chen turned around and went in, took a small stool and sat down, and said softly: "I didn't mean this, do you think that your son's strength is particularly strong?

Father Chen thought for a while and said, "Isn't it normal for a young man to be fierce and fierce? When you first got married, I didn't sleep all night?"

Chen's mother glanced at Chen's father, and scolded in a low voice: "Can you still decorate something in your head?" The hero doesn't mention the courage of the year, now you don't need to stay up all night without sleeping, you stay up in the middle of the night to try? ”

Father Chen took off his cloth shoes, beat them a few times, glanced at Mother Chen, who was covering her nose, and smiled awkwardly on her feet and said, "Aren't I tired!"

Mother Chen gently waved the sour smell wafting over, thought for a while and said, "You men, you are just not careful, Niu Niu is working with you in the field, when do you see when he is tired?"

Father Chen lowered his head and thought about it and said, "That's really the case, it's our baby's strength!"

Chen's mother said again: "The pheasants and rabbits in Nanshan are not easy to catch, you see our cattle and cows, when did they go and come back empty-handed?"

Father Chen said casually: "I thought he caught it!"

Chen's mother glanced at Chen's father and said, "If it's so easy to catch, it's still our turn to get our Niuniu?" ”

Father Chen scratched his head and said suspiciously: "He grew up beside us since he was a child, what can he hide from us? What are you thinking nonsense? Why didn't you say it before?"

Chen's mother got up and poured a bowl of water for Chen's father, handed it over and said: "His father, I didn't care too much about it, but this time my son sent medicine and silver back, I calculated this way, more than eighty miles away, my son just ran back, not wheezing or tired at all, after packing up my things, I went to chase the good Samaritan and return the silver, I didn't care too much at the time, and after my son left, I thought about it carefully when I was boiling the medicine before I realized that my son seemed to think that he could catch up with the good Samaritan, I listened to him, the caravan was all by carriage. ”

Father Chen was silent for a while, then raised his head and said, "According to what you say, my son Chen Fugui is very talented, hahehe, hahaha!"

Mother Chen looked at Chen's father who was laughing there and asked, "What kind of nerves are you having there?"

Chen's father said: "Can I cry if I don't laugh? My son has such ability, of course I am happy, Niu mother, give me some money, tomorrow I will go to the town to get some wine and come back, and I will go by to inquire about my son's whereabouts." ”

After speaking, he took out a rag bag from his body, threw it to Chen's mother and said: "I don't have the ability of a son, this is eighty yuan, I have saved it for the past few days, I was going to give you medicine, since Niu Niu sent the money back, you give me more, I will buy some more rice, you are weak, just give me those bad chaff grains to eat." ”

Chen's mother caught the money bag thrown by Chen's father, untied the rope, counted it twice, and threw it back.

After Father Chen caught it, he looked up and asked, "How much do you want to buy so much?"

Mother Chen smiled and said: "You buy more rice, you can buy a bite of wine to satisfy your hunger, you are so tired from work, you need to eat more good, let's not move this silver for the year, in case he can't make much money, we have to think about returning it to others, right?"

Father Chen nodded and said, "It's okay!"

The next day, Chen's father returned from the town, the rice was bought, but he did not drink, Chen's mother saw that Chen's father was not happy, and only after inquiring did she know that Chen's father asked around the town, but did not inquire about the whereabouts of his son, only heard someone say that he saw a young man carrying a package to the east.

was afraid that his son was chasing the caravan, Chen Fugui was worried about his son, and he didn't have the heart to drink, so he bought rice and came back.

After that, Chen's father took the time to go to the town twice, but still did not hear any news.

In this way, Chen's father has been thinking about his son for a month, and when he saw his son return safely, he couldn't help but feel a little sour in his heart.

Chen Suisui saw that his father's eyes were a little red, and his heart was also a little uncomfortable, so he gently put the wine he bought for Mr. Tao on the ground, untied the gourd on his waist, opened the stopper and handed it over and said, "Dad, I bought it for you!"

Chen's father, who was thinking about his son, did not pay attention to the things in his son's hand, and when he saw him put down the wine jar, he noticed that his son bought wine and meat and came back.

At this time, Chen's mother, who was in the backyard, heard the movement and walked to the front yard, seeing that her son had returned safely, she hurriedly walked to Chen Suisui, took a good look at the front and back, her nose was sore, her eyes were red, and she said softly: "You baby, where did you go? Didn't you say that you would go to the town? Your father went to look for you, but he didn't find out your whereabouts, but he worried his mother." ”

Chen Suisui wanted to wipe his mother's tears, but his hands were occupied, and then Chen's father spoke: "You mother-in-law, I didn't see you crying when my son was not at home, and now that my son has returned safely, what are you crying about?"

After speaking, he took the gourd handed over by Chen Suisui, put it under his nose and sniffed it and said with a smile: "Well, it's fragrant, it's much better than the wine that Daddy makes every time." ”

After speaking, he took a sip, smacked his lips, closed the stopper, and sighed: "Just this sip, the wine of this half of my life has been drunk in vain." ”

Chen Suisui looked at his father, whose hair was a little gray, looked up at the sky, and tried not to let the tears in his eyes remain.

Chen's mother wiped her tears and glared at Chen's father, saying, "What do you know? When Niuniu is not at home, he can't cry even if he wants to, it's unlucky! Now when he sees his son back, this is crying with joy." ”

Father Chen said with a smile: "I know this, it's called crying with joy, and it was told to me when Niu Niu was studying with Mr. Tao." ”

Speaking of this, he looked at Chen Suisui and said, "Niu Niu, do you want to buy something for Mr. Tao?"

Chen Suisui pointed to the jar of wine on the ground and said, "Daddy, this jar of wine was bought for Mr. ”

Mother Chen took the meat strip from her son's hand and complained: "I cut so much meat, but it cost a lot of money, you kid, I don't know how to save a little, there is so much meat, my mother will make more later, you can send a bowl to Mr. Tao." ”

Chen Suisui nodded and said, "Got it, mother." ”

Chen's father had already picked up the jar of wine given to Mr. Tao, the mud was not opened, and he could already smell the faint aroma of wine, he sighed: "Niu Niu, this wine costs a lot of money, this taste is really pure!"

Chen's mother slapped Chen's father's arm, gave him a blank look, and said, "Do you think you are Mr. Tao?"

After speaking, he said to Chen Suisui: "Son, yes, we can't forget our roots, from childhood to adulthood, Mr. Tao has taught you so much, you must always remember his great kindness." ”

Chen Suisui pursed his lips and nodded vigorously.

Chen's father was not convinced: "What's wrong with me? When my son has a chance, I will drink the good wine in this jar." ”

After speaking, he looked at Chen Suisui and said: "Son, it doesn't matter what kind of wine your father drinks, the wine you drink in the future must be stronger than what your father drinks!"

At this time, Chen's mother remembered something and asked, "Son, my mother asked you, did you pay back the silver?"

Chen Suisui nodded and said: "I returned it, mother, I met a nobleman, that Zhang Gongzi accepted me to give him a hand, I went to Wuling City with him, and when he returned to Bazhou, he paid me a salary, and I came back." ”

"It's good to pay it back, otherwise the money will be placed at home, and my mother will always be uneasy. ”

After speaking, she said to Chen's father: "His father, don't pestle here, you two go in and talk, my son must be hungry, I'll hurry up and cook." ”

After entering the house, Chen Suisui told his father about what he had done this trip, but his identity had become an ordinary laborer and guard.

As for the short sword that Yuan Xi gave him, he tied it to his calf.

It's better for this sword not to be seen by my father and mother for the time being.

Father Chen was dumbfounded when he heard this, and patted his thigh again and again and said: "Niu Niu, it's thanks to you that you're back, otherwise Dad would be frightened when he found out, this is exchanging his life for silver, how dangerous must it be along the way? Dad has heard that those bandits are all masters who kill people without blinking, you can't do this kind of errand in the future, this Zhang Gongzi is really, but he borrowed some silver from him, and let you do such a dangerous errand." ”

Chen Suisui shook his head and said: "Daddy, when Zhang Gongzi was willing to lend me money, he never asked me to go to the caravan, it was only later that I found someone else, and they were willing to help me, Daddy, Zhang Gongzi is a good person, you can't say that." ”

Father Chen sighed: "I also know that Dad is just missing you." ”

At this time, Chen's mother entered the house and said, "The meal is ready, Niu Niu, you can finish eating first and then send wine and meat to Mr. Tao, you must be hungry along the way." ”

Chen Suisui thought for a while and said, "Mother, I'd better send it to Mr. first, otherwise the meat will be cold later." ”

Mother Chen nodded and said, "It's okay, then you can go and go back quickly." ”

At this time, Chen's father said: "Niu Niu, I seem to have heard that Mr. Tao's house has a guest today, and it is time to leave when you look at the sky." ”

"Guest?"

Chen's father said: "Two days ago, a man and a woman came to our fort to inquire about people, I have also seen, and after inquiring for two days, I am sure that I am looking for Mr. Tao, you know, Mr. Tao came back from outside, he is so knowledgeable, it is normal for someone to visit." ”

After speaking, Father Chen sighed: "That man and woman are really well dressed, and the man is also carrying a big bow, Dad originally thought it was hunting, but looking at the clothes, I'm afraid it's a big man." ”

Chen Suisui remembered the girl named An Xiaodao for no reason, and the person who pulled an arrow and shot him to death.

Chen Suisui walked towards Mr. Tao's house with a food box and wine, and saw two people walking out of Mr. Tao's house from a distance.

Sure enough, it was her!