Chapter 58 The Woman on the Train

  The world is really small, and I didn't expect to run into someone on the train again. However, that woman seemed to have no impression of me. She carefully opened the door and looked outside, appearing very cautious, and quietly asked the old man a question.

  Is anything wrong?

  The old man hastily pulled out his work permit and said, "It's like this, we are national archaeological personnel, preparing to survey in this area for a period of time. There is no place to settle down in the village, so we can only come to trouble our fellow villagers." The old man's words were so subtle that it was hard to imagine. I guess he hadn't spoken to anyone like that in many years.

  The woman took the work permit, muttering softly "I've heard that the country on top of the mountain is sending people to dig something" After glancing at it casually, the woman handed the work permit back to Lao Da.

  "If you don't mind our house being small, you're welcome to stay"

  As soon as he said that, we several people in the back hurriedly nodded and bowed. The boss gratefully said 'We will pay for the room'

  The woman waved her hand and said, 'It's not necessary, there is a vacant room anyway, it's no trouble to lend it to you for accommodation.'

  He led us into the yard as he spoke.

  I recall what she said on the train, for the sake of treating her child's illness, she couldn't even afford a berth, now she actually refused the eldest's suggestion to give money, and I couldn't help but sigh.

  The woman led us into a small room. 'There's only this one small room in the house, and just one big bed; you can squeeze together, can't you?'

  Cao Ke Rui hastily said 'It's nothing, it's fine like this'

  "What should we call you?" I asked.

  "Oh, just call me Zhao Di"

  The boss expressed his gratitude again and again, saying 'we won't disturb you for too long'

  "It doesn't matter, this house was idle anyway."

  "Then I'll trouble you for these days."

  After Zhaodi left, we put away our luggage. Although it was a communal bed, it was much better than sleeping in a tent. There was a roof over our heads, which was better than camping in the wilderness.

  "Alright, I'll go ask that fellow villager to lend us a car, let's go buy some stuff."

  Cao Ke Rui threw his luggage aside and said.

  "Just right, let's go down the mountain to buy some food," said Lu Huan.

  "Are you going, Brother Sun Yi?"

  I'm still picking up things, "You guys go ahead, I'll pick up these things"

  "How about you, boss?"

  The boss waved his hand and said, "You two go ahead, it's a long way back and forth, I won't bother."

  After everything was packed up, I felt a bit thirsty, so I walked out of the room to find some water to drink. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Zhaodi washing clothes, her hair disheveled and hanging in front of her face, looking very haggard.

  Hearing me open the door, she looked up and said 'What's wrong?'

  "Oh, excuse me, where is there water?"

  "Ah, water, I'll go get some for you," she said, wiping the water from her hand onto her clothes. She got up to find me some water. I felt embarrassed and quickly said "No need, no need, just tell me where it is and I'll get it myself."

  "It's okay," he said, and handed me a bowl of water.

  I drank the water in one gulp and handed the bowl back to her. She put the bowl away and sat back down to do laundry. I stood in the courtyard for a while, feeling refreshed after catching some wind. The sky gradually darkened, and I didn't know when Lu Huan and the others would return; we couldn't trouble them with dinner again.

  "Is there really a grave on this mountain like they said?" Zhaodi was talking to me.

  "Ah, yes. It's a tomb from the Warring States period. There's nothing good to keep secret about it, even if I don't say anything, it will eventually come out and be exaggerated."

  "Things must be quite expensive, right?" Zhaodi asked.

  "It's hard to say whether it's valuable or not, because it can't be circulated in the market, so there's no way to predict the price." After I said that, I felt like I had said something useless, and she looked at me with a puzzled expression. So I explained again: "It means this thing won't be sold, so we can't say whether it's valuable or not, that's what I meant."

  Zhaodi nodded and continued washing her clothes.

  I turned around to look inside the house, no one was there, and it was quiet. Where's her son? I saw her holding a child on the train before, now he's nowhere to be seen. Thinking of that child's illness, could it be... did he pass away?

  I tentatively asked 'Is it just you at home?'

  Zhuo Di's hand movement paused, and she wiped her face with her arm. "Mm, just me."

  My heart sank, it seems that the child is really gone. It's only been a few days, how could this be? I hid the panic in my tone and replied with a "really?"

  She couldn't bear to ask any further, it was probably a topic that a mother wouldn't want to bring up. It had only been two days since the train until now. That meant the child had just passed away.

  But why don't I see any signs of mourning in this courtyard? This mother, apart from speaking a little less, doesn't look like a mother who has just lost her child.

  At this time, a noisy sound came from the door, I looked up and saw Cao Kerui and Lu Huan coming back.

  Cao Kerui ran in front of me, wrinkling her nose and saying 'I told you not to follow us two, we two had a big meal downstairs before coming back'

  Lu Huan chimed in, saying "Right, a big meal!"

  The old man heard the sound and walked out of the house 'Let me see what you've bought'

  Cao Kesui raised the bag in his hand. I took a look, instant noodles, instant noodles, instant noodles. I reckon I'll be eating instant noodles for half a month now.

  "Didn't you buy something else?" Lao Da said disappointedly.

  Cao Kerui was chewing gum and blew a big bubble, which burst with a loud "pop" in front of me. "Nothing else, the supermarket... can you even call it that?" Cao Kerui scratched his head. "Anyway, it's where I buy stuff, they don't have anything except instant noodles and gum."

  I and Cao Ke Rui found a place to buy things at the village head, although there's nothing much, but it's closer than going down the mountain. We walked there and back, this took less than two hours.

  Because the two of them only bought instant noodles, I and Lao Da could only silently boil water in the evening. Lu Huan and Cao Ke Rui said they were already full and not hungry. Don't know where the two people had a big meal again.

  After everyone had solved their warm and hungry problems and finished washing up and preparing for bed, it was already after 11 o'clock at night.

  I had just lain down when I felt a sudden urge to urinate. After struggling for a while, I decided to go to the toilet; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to sleep soundly. I half put on my shoes and opened the door with my clothes on.

  The yard is very quiet, and the Zhang family doesn't even raise a dog, possibly because of the simple folk customs, and there's no need to raise dogs to guard against thieves. During the day, I didn't notice where the toilet was, and at night, it was pitch black outside, so I could only slowly grope around with the light from my phone. I also didn't dare ask Zhang, as it was already late at night and they were probably asleep.

  I noticed a small hut with a thatched roof in front of the house. It should be the toilet.

  I tiptoed towards the thatched cottage, and with a gust of wind, I still felt a bit chilly, so I pulled my clothes up a bit.

  Just as I was about to walk in front of the thatched cottage, my foot kicked something and it made a loud "clang" sound, which scared me quite a bit. I took out my phone to take a look, and it was an iron shovel.

  I was just about to walk past when I suddenly saw a pair of eyes staring straight at me from the window of Zhaodi's room. My hair stood on end, I swallowed my saliva, and I was so scared that I froze in place, not daring to move.

  Before long, those eyes disappeared. I was wondering if it was just my illusion when Zhaodi pushed open the door and walked out.

  What are you doing?

  "I, I need to go to the bathroom" I stuttered, still trying to recover from the shock.

  Zhuāi pointed with her finger to a place under the wall of the big gate 'The toilet is over there'

  I quickly turned around and walked away, repeatedly saying "oh, thank you"

  Zhuāi turned around and prepared to go back into the house.

  "Excuse me, I'm sorry to disturb your sleep."

  Zhaodi didn't turn around and said lightly, "It's okay, hurry up and finish using the restroom and go back to your room. It's almost midnight." After saying that, she turned around and walked away.

  I hastily went to the toilet, not daring to delay for a moment, with that pair of eyes always on my mind.

  After finishing the toilet, I rushed back to the house. After lying down, I couldn't sleep no matter what. I put my hand on my chest and felt the intense beating of my heart, still frightened. The older ones had long fallen asleep, and no one paid attention to me. Lu Huan occasionally turned over and muttered something about delicious food in his mouth.

  Zhaodi's behavior and words just now were a bit strange, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what was strange about them. After tossing and turning for a long time, I finally couldn't resist the fatigue of the day and fell fast asleep.