Section 7: The Shen Family Compound (Part 1)

  After a while, Shen Mo heard the sound of noise coming from downstairs, it seemed that the old woman was calling her husband to go upstairs and report the revenge, but the husband was unwilling, so the old woman scolded him for being a coward, picked up a rolling pin, and went upstairs with great momentum.

  The woman saw that the door was still ajar, so she glanced up from the gap and indeed saw a basket sitting on top of the door. She couldn't help but laugh coldly and say, "I won't be fooled again!" She tilted her head back, stood on tiptoe, grasped the broom handle with both hands, and made an effort to sweep upwards, and indeed knocked the basket down.

  "Haha, you're out of tricks now, little girl. You can't even get past me." The fat woman pushed open the door with a flourish, her head held high and her chest puffed out, and strode triumphantly into the house.

  However, accidents are everywhere. As soon as her right foot landed, she felt like she was stepping on a mirror. When she looked down, she found that she had stepped on a large piece of watermelon rind... With a "splat" sound, the fat woman fell backwards with her face up... There is a saying that disasters do not come alone, and her calf got caught on the doorstep... With increased force, her downward momentum suddenly increased, and in an instant, she crashed out like a falling mountain or a collapsing jade pillar.

  Accompanied by a shrill scream like the slaughter of pigs, the fat woman rolled down the narrow stairs like a big ball... This feeling is so familiar. However, her husband learned his lesson this time and when he saw a huge object rolling down, he dodged to one side without hesitation, watching with wide eyes as the woman fell into a heap, sprawling in all directions.

  Shenmo listened quietly above, thinking to himself: "This time he's fallen hard enough, and doesn't even have the energy to scold people." He knew this matter wasn't over yet, but didn't put his mind to it at all.

  He quietly leaned on the windowsill, gazing at the small bridge and flowing water outside the window, looking at those smooth and slippery bluestone streets, looking at those boats with black awnings coming and going like a shuttle, looking at those men and women wearing long jackets and short shirts, they were working, chatting, occasionally someone would raise their head to take a look at this little brother leaning on the window, bursting into a kindly laugh.

  Everything is so vivid, everything is so familiar, without a hint of estrangement, as if he had always belonged here.

  "This is my life now." Shen Mo said to himself, waving his hand in farewell to the world of his dreams...

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  He didn't guess wrong, it wasn't dark yet, but trouble came.

  Shen Mo was lost in thought when he heard the noise of people talking from the sky well, followed by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.

  Just as Shen Mo straightened his back, he heard a loud crash, and the door was kicked open. A stout man with big ears appeared before Shen Mo's eyes.

  The big man didn't rush into the house, but instead looked around in all directions to make sure it was safe. Only then did he step inside, making way for others at the door... and even kicked aside a watermelon rind on the ground with one foot.

  A young man with a feathered hat on his head and green silk robes on his body appeared at the door, shaking a golden fan in his hand. He was only sixteen or seventeen years old, but he was extremely arrogant, looking at Shen Mo with both nostrils: "Was it you who injured Seventh Young Lady?"

  Shen Mo's face was puzzled as he asked: "Excuse me for asking, but who is Seventh Young Lady?"

  The young man in brocade hummed and his nostrils seemed even larger as he said to the big fellow on the side, "Tell him who Seventh Sister is."

  "Hmm, listen up," Da Han said in a loud voice: "Qī Gūniáng is the paternal cousin of our young master, and she's also the one living downstairs from you."

  Shen Mo almost choked to death, thinking that the fat woman's husband must have misjudged her at first and ended up in a wolf's den. But on the surface, he calmly said: "She wasn't injured by me." It was self-inflicted.

  "Don't even think about making excuses." The young man sneered, "You should know that our Shen family rules are strict and strictly prohibit relatives from fighting!" He said, slapping his fan, "Still not binding him, send him to the old master's place, and receive family law!"

  The big fellow walked up and wanted to pull Shen Mo up, but Shen Mo coughed and said coldly: "Do you dare touch me? Can't you see that I'm weak and frail like a piece of paper? If you touch me and something happens to me, will it be your responsibility or your young master's?" This was purely nonsense. He had been eating well lately, his face was rosy, and he didn't look like someone who was dying at all.

  The big Han was stunned by him, and he tilted his head to look at the young man in brocade clothes. The young man said impatiently, "Let him go himself." Only then did he remember that this little guy had been bitten by a snake and had moved in, although he looked like nothing was wrong with him, who knew if he would suddenly die or not?

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  He silently held onto the railing and went downstairs, trembling. The young man in brocade clothes walked ahead with his head held high, while the burly man followed behind with his head bowed, sandwiching him between them, as if escorting a prisoner.

  As soon as he entered the attic, Shen Mo saw the "Seventh Girl" with a blue nose and swollen face, her hands and feet bound by wooden boards, sitting on a flatbed cart, smiling at him with narrowed eyes... It should have been a cold or triumphant smile, but her swollen face looked like a big eggplant, making people laugh involuntarily.

  After the three of them left the small courtyard, Seventh Sister let her husband push a large cart behind them, and the five people formed a line on the corridor and walked forward. Shen Mo looked around and suddenly remembered a nursery rhyme he used to sing as a child, which was so fitting for the occasion, and he began to sing loudly...

  "Tang Monk wears a green kasaya, followed by Sun Wukong; Sun Wukong runs fast, followed by Zhu Bajie; Zhu Bajie is fat, followed by Sha Monk; Sha Monk pushes a cart, on which sits an old witch, the old witch is really evil, deceiving Tang Monk and Bajie; Tang Monk and Bajie are really confused, can't tell human from monster; Can't tell, got cheated, luckily Sun Wukong's eyes are bright; Eyes are bright, emitting golden light, holding high the Golden Cudgel; The Golden Cudgel has power, sweeping away all monsters and ghosts..."

  In this era, the story of Tang Monk's journey to the West was already well-known, and with his good voice, humorous and playful singing style, he attracted men and women from various courtyards to come out and watch, and some children followed behind him, giggling and laughing as they listened to him sing.

  After he finished singing, the young master surprisingly turned his head and smiled: "This song of yours is quite interesting, who taught you?"

  He silently rolled his eyes, wondering if this young master was extremely intelligent or extremely stupid.

  At that time, those children understood and surrounded the fat seventh girl on the big cart, chirping and making ghostly faces: "Old witch, old witch..."

  The Seventh Young Lady naturally understood and hastily said: "Fourth Master, he scolded you as Tang Sanzang!"

  "Am I that handsome?" Unexpectedly, Fourth Master was overjoyed instead of angry, rubbing his face and asking Shen Mo: "Do I really look as handsome as Tang Monk?"

  Staring silently at his ugly face, he blabbered: "The young master is as handsome as a jade tree in the wind, and his looks surpass those of Pan An. Whoever sees him loves him, and whatever flowers see him bloom!"

  "Good kid, your eyes are quite sharp." The fourth son with the big nose smiled happily and said: "Few people can discover my inner connotation."

  "Ah, this world is not short of beauty, just short of eyes that can discover beauty." Shen Mo said seriously.

  Division line

  One more update tonight. Vote for recommendations...

  Also, there's this bro, who ranked first in the new book monthly ticket this month. He's a low-key brother just like me, and he's really down-to-earth. Everyone go take a look at his book and show some support with your monthly tickets!