Ancient Doomsday Traveler

Chapter 56 About the Little Girl

Throughout the day, Lin Xiu spoke very little, but he gradually showed a difference from yesterday. It was as if he had become more familiar with Han Cheng and spoke much more confidently, no longer as taciturn as he had been yesterday.

That way, if he talked more afterward, Han Cheng wouldn't have any suspicions.

Han Cheng was speechless. "Are you kidding me?! That's a horse! What a huge price to pay! Brother Lin, I'm not trying to be mean, but what you said is true, but it's not worth a horse!"

Resources are scarce in the village these days, and many things have to be found elsewhere by chance. The horses from the yamen are incredibly useful. Brother Lin, how can you possibly exchange your story for a horse?!

Upon hearing Han Cheng's words, Lin Xiu immediately understood—this horse could indeed be traded; it wasn't a non-sale item, but the price would certainly be considerable.

He didn't press the matter, and instead brought up other things: "Brother Han, do you have any dried vegetables? If you could exchange them for some dried vegetables, that wouldn't be out of the question."

Han Cheng said, "That's no problem. I have some dried water chestnuts at home, and everyone else in the village has their own dried vegetables. Magistrate Xu has also prepared for a rainy day and has specially stored dried vegetables and grains in the yamen. If you want them, I can exchange them for you."

"Wait here, I'll go get some more tomorrow. Is there anything else you'd like?"

Lin Xiu shook his head and said, "I can't think of anything for now."

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, then turned and asked, "Brother Han, you've been in Lijiaji all this time, have you seen a four or five-year-old child?"

Han Cheng said, "There are two other children in this village, around four or five years old, who both came to feed Brother Donkey today. Brother Lin, you've already seen them, so they're probably not the ones you want to ask about. I wonder if those children have any special characteristics?"

Lin Xiu recalled for a moment and said, "It was a little child with dry, yellow hair and a very thin body. It was impossible to tell whether he was a boy or a girl. He had an older brother, but it seemed that he was already dead."

Han Cheng's eyes suddenly widened as he stared at Lin Xiu, asking, "How do you know that child has an older brother?!"

This guy actually knows?!

Lin Xiu's heart skipped a beat. Seeing Han Cheng's unusual expression, he remained calm and fabricated a story, a mix of truth and falsehood:

"Sigh... It's quite a coincidence. Before my sister and I arrived here, we went to that mountain over there and saw a small temple on it, so we decided to stay there."

But as they approached the temple, they saw a child lying there, with two pools of blood. The little girl was on the verge of death and couldn't be saved; she kept calling for her brother.

My sister and I couldn't save the child. Before he died, the child told us that there was a living dead on the mountain road and that we shouldn't wake him up, because he said we would die if we did.

We were deeply grateful, and after the child died, we buried her outside the temple. Fearing the living dead, we dared not stay on the mountain any longer and quickly descended.

Now that he has become familiar with Han Cheng, he spoke such a long passage without arousing Han Cheng's suspicion. He was just as honest and quiet as he was yesterday, which only increased the credibility of his words.

Upon hearing Lin Xiu's words, Han Cheng suddenly murmured, "Dead... he's actually dead... how could he just die?! I must go and inform Magistrate Xu. I'll take my leave now, Brother Lin, please excuse me..."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and stumbled toward the government office, looking utterly lost and disoriented.

Lin Xiu was surprised and suspicious. He had just suddenly remembered that the little girl and her brother should have been in the Fengpo Temple. The "General Map of the World" said that the villagers of Lijiaji also liked to go to the Fengpo Temple to burn incense. They might know about the little girl. So he made up some stories, half true and half false, and came to ask Han Cheng.

Unexpectedly, Han Cheng reacted in this way!

That little girl actually has a close relationship with Magistrate Xu and Han Cheng?!

Unable to pinpoint the key, Lin Xiu waited patiently inside the house, thinking that if that were the case, Han Cheng and Magistrate Xu might arrive soon.

But after he waited a while, Han Cheng returned alone.

After returning, Han Cheng stood at the door of the house but did not come in. He said to Lin Xiu, "Magistrate Xu went out of the village today. He said that he found the bandit from yesterday and went to see it in person today. He has not returned yet."

I will speak with Magistrate Xu when he returns.

Brother Lin, I do recognize that little girl, and so does Magistrate Xu. However, I'm not in the mood to go into the details right now. Please allow me to go back and think it over. I apologize.

After speaking, he turned and left once again.

Seeing his forlorn figure, Lin Xiu offered a word of comfort: "Brother Han, please accept my condolences."

Han Cheng paused, turned around to look at Lin Xiu, forced a smile, waved weakly, and walked away.

Lin Xiu watched Han Cheng walk away until Han Cheng's figure disappeared from sight before returning to the house.

After a short while, Yao Rongrong returned.

Yao Rongrong carried a bundle on her back and held a jar in her arms, indicating that she had made quite a haul.

When she reached the door, she smiled and said to Brother Donkey, "Brother Donkey, you've gotten quite a few good things today. You're in luck! I'll let you see them in a bit." Then she went inside.

Brother Donkey tossed his head and snorted disdainfully at Yao Rongrong, indicating that he was already full and didn't care for Yao Rongrong's so-called "good stuff".

Then Yao Rongrong went inside, unloaded the bundle, and opened the jar. The donkey outside immediately became anxious, nudging its head towards the door and braying "Ugh, ugh, ugh" in a pleading tone.

Inside the jar was a half-full jar of fragrant wine.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

Yao Rongrong chased Donkey Brother out of the house, saying, "Didn't you say you didn't care? Why are you in such a hurry now? Wait a minute, let us pour out two bowls first. Last time you ruined a whole jar of wine!"

After saying that, he went to the corner of the wall, took a bowl, filled two bowls with wine, and then carried the jar out of the house and put it down for Brother Donkey.

Brother Donkey, in a panic, stuck his head into the jar, not even worried that he wouldn't be able to get out.

Yao Rongrong chuckled at the sight, then turned and presented a bowl of wine to Lin Xiu, picking up another for herself, and said, "Sir, you seem a little unhappy. Is the storybook badly written?"

Without waiting for Lin Xiu's reply, she continued to persuade him, "It's alright, it's alright, sir. If all else fails, you can just write down 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.' Such a wonderful story is a waste that only I know about it. Everyone in this village should hear it!"

Lin Xiu shook his head and said, "It's not this one. I've already written quite a bit of the story, and Han Cheng is very satisfied. He wanted to take the manuscript away today. I wanted to leave it for you to see first, so I didn't give it to him."

I casually asked Han Cheng if he knew the little girl we buried outside the Wind Goddess Temple, but I didn't expect that Han Cheng would actually know her, and he suddenly became distraught, which clearly shows that he had a close relationship with that little girl.

I've been wondering what Han Cheng's relationship with that little girl is.

Also, Han Cheng just went to find Magistrate Xu in a hurry, saying he wanted to tell Magistrate Xu about this. It seems that Magistrate Xu also knows that little girl.

What is the relationship between them, and how will things develop from here?

He stopped there, not expecting Yao Rongrong to completely ignore the second half of his sentence and focus entirely on the first half: "You're saving this for me to see first? Sir... I really don't know what you're thinking!"

"What kind of business is this? What if you offend the buyer and the deal falls through? Besides, I haven't even finished listening to 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils' yet, why would I want to read a new storybook?"

Lin Xiu said, "Never mind then. Anyway, I can't see the text clearly at night. I'll just give it to Han Cheng tomorrow morning."

Yao Rongrong quickly said, "Sir, you've already offended him. What's the use of going back on your word now? Besides, if I don't look, wouldn't I be letting down your good intentions? The moonlight is bright tonight, and my eyesight is excellent, honed through long practice. I can see clearly in the darkness without any problem."