Chapter 9: Meng Shi Tou's Show Off (Seeking Collection)

  Today is a fine day, no wind, no dust, the sun is not poisonous, clear and refreshing; in the green fields, countless small roads lead to Fengliu Town from different directions. There are people carrying poles, pushing carts, driving donkeys, and walking, with men, women, old and young all present.

  People in groups, greeting each other, joking around, discussing all sorts of interesting news. Here and there, laughter bursts out continuously.

  Zhang Xiaosuo and Huang Li also met acquaintances, Meng Lao's son Meng Shitou, who was collecting herbs. The three of them walked and chatted enthusiastically along the way.

  "Little lock, it's been three months since you came to town, right?" Meng Shi had a basket of herbs on his back and was also walking quickly.

  "Almost." Zhang Xiaosuo nodded and asked with concern, "Didn't catch anything valuable, just mountain chickens and wild rabbits, not worth the trip."

  "This time——" Meng Shitou stretched his neck to take a look inside Zhang Xiaosuo's basket, and asked tentatively: "Did you catch the leopard, or..."

  "Leopard? Ha! This time it's a tiger." Zhang Xiaosuo said proudly: "This is me, that one isn't me——"

  "It was Xiao Suo and I who beat him to death together." Huang Li said with a smile, giving Zhang Xiaosuo an excuse.

  Meng Shitou's eyes widened as he stared at Huang Li, his mouth agape. "Huang, you're really something else," he said.

  "Huang is indeed formidable." Zhang Xiaosuo hastily praised: "You haven't seen how ferocious that tiger was, and how agile Huang was."

  "Oh, I'd love to see the tiger skin. Never mind, let's talk about it later." Meng Shitou nodded vigorously and stuck out his thumb in admiration, saying: "Coming from Hei Shi Valley, since I was a kid, I've heard of you, indeed you're extraordinary."

  Heishi Valley is a forbidden place for the mountain people in this area, and it has been so since ancient times. No one can say exactly when it started. But that place is indeed strange. When locals talk about Heishi Valley, they always tell you some mysterious historical events. For example: during the Guangxu period, more than a dozen hunters entered the valley together, but only went in and never came out; in 1921, there was a large-scale riot by starving people, and later when government troops came to suppress it, several rioting starving people fled into the valley in a panic. Later, when government troops of forty or fifty men entered the valley to search for them, they only found a few skeletons without flesh, but after the troops left the valley, many soldiers mysteriously died one after another...

  Huang Li smiled faintly and said: "I also have to thank Meng Bo and you, brother, for the medicine you picked. Otherwise, I wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

  "It's nothing, don't mention it." Meng Shi waved his hand casually and smiled, saying: "However, you guys came to the market at a pretty good time today."

  "Why is that?" Zhang Xiaosuo asked in puzzlement.

  "Two months ago, the security team in our town got a new captain," said Meng Shitou. "I heard he made a mistake and was demoted from the province to come here. I've seen him once, no more than thirty years old, quite tall, wearing a crisp military uniform, very spirited. He came for just a few days, and then dismissed many of the lazy, idle, and smoking security guards, and recruited some new people, leading them in loud drills day and night. Do you still remember Ma Erbao, the second son of Qi Tai's uncle? He also joined the security team. Later, this new captain even posted a notice saying that if anyone from the security team bullied ordinary people, they should report to him and he would definitely take action. Now, Fengliu Town is much more peaceful than before, even White Eye Wolf has restrained himself a lot."

  "It's probably because the heel didn't stand firm, let's just buy it first!" Zhang Xiaosuo had a deep-seated dislike and disgust for the army, and he said with a flick of his lips.

  "It's good to buy or not to buy, we poor common people have suffered enough, but it's true." Meng Shitou disagreed with Zhang Xiaosuo's words and argued.

  "Is that the town up ahead?" Huang Li's timely question dispelled the possible argument between the two young people.

  "Right!" Zhang Xiaosuo nodded and said: "After entering the town, it's not far to the market. I brought some money, let's go eat something first."

  "Is there a share for me?" Meng Shi said with a greasy face, young people are just young people, their emotions change quickly, the slight unhappiness from earlier had long been thrown away.

  Zhang Xiaosuo rolled his eyes and said in a bad mood: "It's none of your business whether I'm full or not, if you want to come, just come."

  Heh heh, Meng Shi chuckled and said: "I'm not picky, as long as I can eat a couple of bites, that's fine."

  …………

  The market in Fengliu Town was really lively, Huang Li saw so many people of all shapes and sizes for the first time, and couldn't help but widen his eyes, looking around, everything seemed fresh.

  The small square in the center of the market is the most lively place. There are more stalls, vendors selling goods on poles, and people carrying baskets selling goods such as sugar figurines, writing services, and fruit. There are also many food stalls with canopies selling steamed buns, pancakes, sesame seed cakes, pot covers, roasted chicken, fried meat, boiled dumplings, tofu soup...

  The hawkers' cries and vendors' calls resounded through the market, while the aromatic and appetizing smells wafted through the air.

  A family-run stall selling tofu dishes, the business looks good. A sturdy-looking girl with dense black hair, neatly combed, wearing a five-tenths new blue cotton jacket and trousers, a white apron wrapped around her neck from the collar. She was cooking while keeping an eye on the fire, and at the same time, she kept raising her head to look at the people passing by in front of her stall with her big black eyes.

  Meng Shitou's footsteps slowed down, his eyes secretly glancing at the girl, and he said with some entreaty: "Xiao Suo, let's just eat here! A bowl of tofu dish is fine, I have dry rations, we can save some money!"

  Zhang Xiaosuo hesitated for a moment and looked at Huang Li inquiringly.

  Huang Li nodded slightly, his eyes still sharp and his senses still keen. Although he had already noticed that Meng Shi's intentions were not entirely pure, he didn't want to expose him.

  Three people sat down and ordered three bowls of vegetarian tofu dishes. Zhang Xiaosuo asked Huang Lishan for two baked buns, while he and Meng Shitou took out dry rations and soaked them in the tofu dish, eating with relish. If Huang Li hadn't been by their side, they probably wouldn't have come here to eat, just plain water and dry rations would have sufficed.

  Meng Shi finished his meal in three mouthfuls, five swallows and two belches, then carefully passed the bowl and chopsticks over. He saw him somewhat awkwardly asking the girl a few questions in a low voice, then turned back.

  "Little lock..." Meng Shi Tou scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and hesitantly said: "That, can you let Xiu Er take a look at the tiger skin?"

  "Who is Xiuer?" Zhang Xiaosuo asked in confusion.

  "It's just, it's just——" Meng Shi pointed with his hand, a strange smile on his face.

  Huang Li lowers his head to eat, haha, this is to show off in front of the person who has a crush on him, very interesting.

  "Just let her take a look and touch it." Meng Shi's head came over with a flattering face, "She has never seen what a tiger looks like."

  Zhang Xiaosuo looked up at Huang Li, Huang Li nodded slightly. This request was not excessive, and there was no reason to let this foolish kid sit on wax.