Chapter 74: Miaojiang Younger Brother
Jiang Li stared at Yu Huannian, her mind going blank for a moment.
She had thought she was dead for sure, but then the ground beneath her feet collapsed, and both she and Aunt Yu had fallen in.
"Xiao Nian, where’s Aunt Yu?"
"My mom isn’t awake yet." Yu Huannian turned and poured her a cup of hot water.
Jiang Li watched Yu Huannian’s back. "So, you were the one who dug that pit?"
Yu Huannian handed her the water and nodded. "Yes. I’m not actually Mom’s biological son. She found me.
When I was little, I’d often see Mom secretly run up the mountain. Every time she came back, her body would be covered in large welts. Over time, she came back with fewer and fewer welts, but she also grew more and more frail.
Then one time, I secretly followed her up the mountain and saw her feeding those bees with her own blood. There was a pile of dead rats next to her.
When my mom found me, she didn’t scold me. She just pointed to a mountain in the distance and told me how to get out if I ever wanted to leave.
Later, when I was a bit older, I watched as she killed the entire Zhang Family, threw their bodies into the mountains, and used them to grow flowers and raise bees.
Mom told me she would never leave this place alive, and that I shouldn’t feel burdened.
But I didn’t want that. Later, as Mom got older and older, she started teaching me how to feed those bees. I used those opportunities to dig the pit.
As for the location, I never calculated it. I just thought, what if heaven didn’t want us to die? What if?
But thankfully, everything went smoothly."
Yu Huannian looked at Jiang Li and gave her a genuine smile.
’Thankfully, he was a boy. Otherwise, he would have died, and Yu Shuzhen would have died too, for being unable to bear a son.’
Hearing that Yu Shuzhen was okay, Jiang Li let out a sigh of relief. "I’ll go see Aunt Yu."
"Don’t move. You have burns, and I just applied some ointment. I’ll let you know when Mom wakes up."
Yu Huannian stopped Jiang Li and got up to leave.
Jiang Li looked around the cool bamboo house, which gave her a sense of peace and tranquility.
She glanced at the phone lying beside her, picked it up, and tried it. Thankfully, it still worked.
She turned it on and immediately saw that Zhaozi Village was a trending topic. It was under investigation, and there were pictures attached. She looked at the photos of the bodies, which no one had moved.
Jiang Li smiled, put the phone down, and thought about the future. She would take Aunt Yu for a medical check-up, and then take her wherever she wanted to go.
Her gaze fell on the haggard faces of Lu Xingye and Zhou Tiancheng in the photo, and a warmth spread through her heart. Then, she turned off the phone and threw it away.
’If they knew Aunt Yu was still alive, they’d probably be caught in a dilemma. Some things are better left unknown.’
Jiang Li’s injuries took half a month of rest to get better. Yu Huannian’s ointment was very effective. She got out of bed and went next door to find Yu Shuzhen.
Yu Shuzhen had only woken up two days ago and still hadn’t fully processed it. ’I’m still alive?’
"Aunt Yu."
Hearing the voice, Yu Shuzhen looked at Jiang Li, who was leaning on a crutch at the door. The memory of how she had rushed over recklessly brought tears to her eyes. "You foolish child, why are you so foolish?"
’If Xiao Nian hadn’t dug that pit, wouldn’t she have died along with me?’
Jiang Li stepped forward and hugged her. "Aunt Yu, it’s all in the past. We’re both okay now."
Yu Shuzhen looked at her helplessly. "Xiao Li, this body of mine has been used to feed the Murder Peak. I... I don’t have long to live."
Jiang Li’s eyes reddened. "It’s okay, Aunt Yu. It’s okay."
Yu Huannian walked in, carrying some food.
Jiang Li remembered something and pulled a bank card from her pocket. She looked at its burnt, curled edges. "This..."
"Don’t worry, I have money." Yu Huannian put down the chicken soup he was holding. "Mom, have some chicken soup to regain your strength."
"Okay." Yu Shuzhen looked at Jiang Li and Yu Huannian, her eyes full of relief and comfort.
Not far from the bamboo house, Miao Anji looked at the little creature leading the way. "If you lead me astray again, I’m going to throw you in a jar and refine you."
The Bamboo Leaf Green quickened its pace, terrified of being refined if it was too slow.
Miao Anji had a large leaf on his head, his small face flushed red from the sun. He panted as he followed the Bamboo Leaf Green.
"Sister, where on earth are you?!" Miao Anji’s body was slumped, and he walked as if he were half-dead.
Suddenly, the little snake stopped. He looked up and saw a bamboo house in the distance with smoke rising from it, and his eyes instantly lit up.
’Could she be here?!’
Miao Anji was instantly re-energized and strode quickly toward the house.
Yu Huannian was stunned for a moment seeing the woman who had appeared. He demanded sharply, "Who are you?"
Miao Anji peeked inside. "Uncle, is Jiang Li here?"
’Uncle?’
Yu Huannian looked down at himself, then back at the woman before him. "Are you a friend of Jiang Li’s?"
"No, I’m her younger brother."
Yu Huannian frowned. ’Jiang Li has a lot of younger brothers.’ He paused. "Younger brother? You’re a man?"
Miao Anji put his hands on his hips. "Don’t I look like one?"
Yu Huannian’s mouth twitched. It was the first time he had ever seen a man dress so flamboyantly.
"Jiang Li, your younger brother is looking for you."
Jiang Li, who was sipping her soup, looked up in confusion. ’I have a younger brother?’
Yu Shuzhen also looked up, puzzled.
"Aunt Yu, I’ll go take a look."
The moment Jiang Li reached the door, she was blinded by a dazzling light. "HISS!" ’What is that thing!’
The instant Miao Anji saw Jiang Li, his eyes lit up. "Sister, I finally found you! WAAAAH!"
He rushed forward to hug Jiang Li but was kicked away by Yu Huannian. "She’s injured."
Miao Anji sat up, rubbing his backside and looking at her pitifully.
Jiang Li’s vision finally cleared. She saw the person in front of her: fair-skinned, carrying a small basket on his back, and covered in silver ornaments. That’s what had blinded her.
"Who are you?"
Jiang Li looked at the Miao youth before her. She didn’t know this person at all, so why was he claiming to be her relative right off the bat?
Miao Anji pulled a notebook from his pocket. "Sister, it’s me! Xiao Ji.
I was taken back by my clansmen in the fourth grade. Later, I came to Zhaozi Village to look for you, but I couldn’t find you.
A month ago, I finished my apprenticeship, and Grandma finally let me travel far from home. I came to find you right away.
But I went and still couldn’t find you."
The more Miao Anji spoke, the more aggrieved he sounded, and tears started to fall at the drop of a hat.
Watching the scene unfold, Yu Huannian’s brows furrowed in irritation. He really wanted to give the boy a good smack.
Jiang Li thought hard but still couldn’t remember.
"Sister, Sister, it’s Xiao Ji! The little crybaby! I can’t believe he’s still such a crybaby even though he’s all grown up. For shame!"
Jiang Li stood to the side, scraping a chubby finger against her cheek.
Hearing this, Jiang Li smiled. "Oh, it’s you. Why are you calling me Sister?"
"Sister, we swore an oath of brotherhood back then!" Seeing that Jiang Li remembered him, Miao Anji happily scrambled up from the ground.
Jiang Li’s mouth twitched. That was all just kids playing house back then.
"Why did you come looking for me?" Jiang Li looked at the handsome Miao Anji in front of her. The little crybaby had become a big crybaby.
"I... I missed you! So I came to find you. What other reason could there be? Don’t you miss me?"
Miao Anji’s eyes instantly reddened as he looked at Jiang Li, his vision blurring with tears.
Yu Huannian’s fists clenched so tightly they audibly cracked.
Seeing that the two of them hadn’t come in from the doorway, Yu Shuzhen walked over curiously. When she saw Miao Anji at the door, she let out a cry of surprise.
"It’s you."