The Secret of the River God

  I couldn't keep up with Uncle's pace, and I ran after him in small steps. Xiao Bai was being squeezed uncomfortably in my arms, so he jumped down to the ground and followed behind Uncle's feet.

  "Uncle, what's wrong?" I asked Uncle, but Uncle didn't say a word and walked straight ahead.

  As soon as they entered the courtyard of Qin's house, Uncle Qin stopped and said, "Let's take a break here." The wooden table under the locust tree had not been removed yet, and it was still filled with peanuts, melon seeds, and mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

  I had just sprinted a short distance and was in a hurry, so I turned around and sat down on the stool, looked up at Uncle and asked cautiously if something had happened.

  "I asked, 'Uncle, what exactly happened?'"

  Uncle glanced at me, turned around and sat down beside me, next to Uncle, so warm-hearted. He put a peanut in his hand and looked at it for half a moment before saying, "I've been busy all day, I'm tired too, just want to go back and rest early."

  I was chilled from head to toe after hearing Uncle's answer, is Uncle telling a cold joke?

  He peeled the peanuts and handed them to me, and before I could open my mouth, I heard his voice.

  "Uncle Yang." Da Zhu's voice sounded at the gate of the courtyard.

  I looked up at Da Zhuang, his expression was somewhat solemn, and he hesitated to come in because Yang Liu Ying was standing beside him.

  I looked at Uncle Ah, and Uncle Ah seemed to have expected this, a smile playing on his lips.

  "What are you standing there for? Come and sit down."

  Yang Liu Ying finally understood who was in Da Zhu's heart after this incident, as she had previously misunderstood that Da Zhu didn't want to get engaged to her because of me.

  I sat in my seat peeling peanuts, not eating them, but putting them on the plate, perhaps to show off the wronged look of being framed by Yang Liu Ying.

  "Uncle Yang, Yingzi and I have come to thank you and Ah Li." It was still Dazhu who broke the silence first.

  "Uncle Yang, I'm sorry." Yang Liu Ying's voice also rang out, and I looked up at her with a sincere expression.

  "Uncle smiled and said, 'In life, it's inevitable to make mistakes. As long as you can correct them, that's good enough. No need to dwell on the past.'" Uncle's words were light and carefree.

  "Me..." Yang Liu Ying trailed off, hesitant to continue speaking.

  "Don't take this to heart, let go of everything, cherish the present." As soon as Uncle said that, my heart skipped a beat.

  Should I just let go of everything and cherish the present? But uncle, I should cherish every moment with him, I'm afraid that you will leave me and marry another woman, while I also get married to another man.

  Although I could choose not to marry after Uncle Ah married another woman, at that time, Uncle Ah never belonged to me. My identity with Uncle Ah can only be foster father and foster daughter, nothing more!

  It wasn't until now that I realized how much I've grown accustomed to living with Uncle, and now it's hard for me to leave him.

  Looking at Uncle's smiling face, this mature and charming man, he never belonged to me. He has always loved the dead woman named Liu Xijun, even if it was impossible for him to be with Liu Xijun, but he still had his fiancée An Linglong who disappeared four years ago.

  No matter what, it's impossible for me and Ah Shu to be together, he will eventually marry another woman.

  I dare not continue thinking about it, a cold smile playing on the corners of my mouth, a self-mocking cold smile.

  "Ah." They had been talking about something all along, but I hadn't caught a single word until Uncle Ah called me and I snapped back to reality.

  "What are you thinking about?" Uncle asked me.

  I took a glance at Da Zhu and Yang Liu Ying, then shook my head at Uncle Ah, "No, nothing."

  Uncle smiled lightly and didn't say anything else.

  "A Li." Yang Liu Ying smiled at me, "Don't mind me calling you that."

  Her smile is so beautiful, so comforting, even though I'm still entangled in her misunderstanding of me.

  The faint dimples on her face are quite lovely, this girl, if not for those things with Qin Auntie, she would be perfect, but where in the world is there a most perfect person, even my uncle, he can't possibly be perfect, because when it comes to love, he hides too much.

  I forced a smile from the corner of my mouth, "It's okay."

  "A Li, the other day, I misunderstood you. I know that you and Da Zhu grew up together since childhood, and there's nothing between you two, but I was afraid." Yang Liu Ying said, slowly lowering her head.

  Yes! Yang Liu Ying is afraid.

  A rural girl who has never left Yuan'an County, for the first time had a romance, she liked someone so excellent, of course, she was afraid again, because she had taken her favorite person as the only reliance for this life.

  From now on, she will rely not on her parents, nor on her brothers and sisters, but on her lover.

  Just like me and Uncle, if in the future, I have someone to rely on for a lifetime, it won't be Uncle, he will just be relied upon by his wife and children.

  Yang Liu Ying, I understand her mentality.

  Smiling at her, "Eiko, I know, it's alright."

  She listened to what I said and seemed a bit surprised. Perhaps in her heart, which only had big pillars, she hadn't thought that not minding something could be so easy.

  Her eyes changed from worry to joy, and she smiled sweetly at me.

  "By the way, Uncle Yang, I've set a date for my engagement with Yingzi. It's the day after tomorrow. You and Ali must come." Dazhu had a smile on his face, this soon-to-be-twenty-year-old man looked slightly shy.

  I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Dazhu and Yang Liu Ying in my heart.

  "Uh-huh." Uncle nodded in response.

  But big

  Reincarnate as a handsome young man

  The pillar and Yang Liu Ying seemed to have gotten everyone's witness of their love, they said thank you to Uncle Ah, and finally left the yard, through the middle fence, I could still hear the happy laughter of the two.

  A good end!

  I looked at Uncle's profile, he is a good person in the world, this man is so good.

  Uncle's gaze returned from afar, took out the tattered cloth I had just given him, and placed it on the wooden table, examining it carefully.

  His expression was somewhat solemn, I went forward with Ah Shu to take a look together, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

  Suddenly...

  Uncle looked back at me, wanting to say something but stopping himself. I found it a bit strange, as Uncle's gaze seemed somewhat unusual.

  "Ah, Uncle Ah, why are you staring at me like this?" I muttered in a low voice.

  Uncle's lips moved for a moment, and he asked me, "If we set out immediately to find Xiaobai's family..."

  "I'm willing, Uncle said what I am willing." Before Uncle finished speaking, I answered him before he asked the question, because staying here is not because I don't like Qin Village, but because while finding Xiaobai's family, I also want to find this mystery on Uncle's body.

  Uncle smiled lightly and reached out to stroke my hair.

  Uncle put his index finger in his mouth, slightly furrowed his brow, my uncle, he was again using the only blood of a medium to open up any mystery one bit at a time, I felt heartache for him.

  Uncle's finger was bitten and broken, fresh blood dripped onto the tattered cloth, spreading like water.

  Under the moonlight, I saw a place covered with fresh blood on tattered cloth, presenting a white surface, with four fluorescent dots on red lines, which pierced my eyes like needles, and I closed my eyes tightly.

  "What's wrong?" Uncle's voice sounded in my ear.

  I tightly covered my eyes and didn't dare open them, I was afraid of seeing those four white lights.

  "It hurts so much, Uncle, I can't look at that thing, my eyes hurt."

  At this time, I heard Uncle utter a soft laugh, "You're tired, how can this light hurt your eyes."

  Uncle said it so lightly, I firmly believe that he would not deceive me about anything. He opened a crack between his index and middle fingers, and I squinted at the fluorescent spot with half-closed eyes, as if, really, there was no burning sensation.

  He put down his hands and muttered to himself, "I said it was nothing."

  Watching Uncle carefully studying the tattered cloth, I couldn't help but smile, and I really wanted to reach out and stroke that jade-like cheek.

  However, Uncle's expression began to change gradually, frowning slightly, as if he had encountered some difficulties. I leaned forward and got closer to him.

  "It's clearly five items, so why are there only four places?" Uncle Ah looked at the fluorescent dots on the red line and asked in puzzlement.

  "What thing?" I asked Uncle.

  Uncle didn't even lift his head, didn't look at me, and was searching for something on his own.

  I furrowed my brow and looked up, but apart from a fluorescent strip on the red line, there was nothing!

  However, at the end of the red line, some subtle changes seem to be taking place. The originally moist areas, like a waterlogged area, began to expand and grow larger, eventually forming a pool-like appearance.

  I pointed with my hand, "Uncle, look."

  Uncle's gaze fell on top of it, he muttered to himself, I couldn't hear clearly, but I should be able to confirm two words that Uncle said: River God.

  Uncle Qin picked up the torn fabric, and in that instant, I seemed to see a fluorescent spot appear in the water. I was about to tell Uncle Qin, but he and his family had already returned.

  Mr. Qin supported Mrs. Qin as they walked towards the courtyard, with DouDou following behind them. Mrs. Qin's face was pale and haggard, having just experienced something major.

  I got up and walked towards them, arrived at Qin Aunt's side, ready to stretch out my hand to support her.

  "A Li, you can rest now, I'm here." Qin's uncle's voice also showed fatigue. Perhaps when he called A Shu from Shanghai to come to Qin Village, he had already prepared for this outcome.

  He wasn't trying to expose Qin Auntie's crimes to the public, but rather to help her get over the psychological hurdle of the past, put the ghost of DouDou to rest, and rescue Qin Auntie who had been living in guilt and fear.

  Mr. Qin just wants a stable life for his family; his requirements are simple and not high.

  Aunt Qin was supported by Uncle Qin into the house, as she passed by me, her eyes seemed to be grateful. I always thought she would hate me and my uncle, but it seems that she has let go of the whole incident. My uncle pretended to be ignorant about the murder, while Aunt Qin was truly thankful to us from the bottom of her heart.

  Uncle saved her former son, also saved her daughter, and even saved herself, how could she not thank Uncle?

  Doudou stood at the door, watching as his father and mother entered the house. I went forward and carried Doudou from the doorstep to the courtyard, Doudou's whole body was meaty and very heavy.

  "Doudou, tonight, will you let Aunt Ali help wash your face? Your mom is tired and needs to rest."

  Doudou looked back at me, and he was carved out of the same mold as Ghost Doudou. I miss Ghost Doudou, it's been almost an hour since he passed away, has he been reincarnated?

  Has he found the family he wants?

  "Doudou looked up at me and said 'good'."

  As I led DouDou to wash up, Uncle's voice sounded behind me, "A Li, after you're done, get ready too."

  I already knew what it was about and didn't even turn around, answering Uncle, "Okay."