Chapter 548: A Humanâs Life
Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
This year, Jiang Lan was thirty-eight years old.
It was inevitable that some people in the village would die.
After the funeral, Xiao Yu was a little distracted. She sat beside Jiang Lan and
felt empty.
âDarling, they will all die and disappear from this world, never to be found
again, right?â Xiao Yu looked at Jiang Lan and asked.
Jiang Lan caressed Xiao Yuâs head and said.
âTo be born, grow old, fall sick, and die. This is the order of the world.â
âThen, what if I want to talk to them one day? What if I suddenly want to see
them? Xiao Yuâs eyes were a little wet.
If one was dead, one was gone. One would never be found again.
The person would no longer respond, curse, or care about you anymore.
Everything would come to an end.
Another three years passed. Jiang Lan was already in his early forties and was
already old.
His body was no longer the same as before. Although he was still considered
strong, there were many things that he could not do.
âUncle Jiang, Iâll take care of you in the future.â Liu Dahu patted his chest and
said firmly.
Jiang Lan shook his head and laughed.
âTm not that old yet, but itâs indeed time for me to give up hunting.â
Jiang Lan left the hunting team and Liu Dahu took over.
He took out most of his savings and began to forge at home.
He had been thinking of this day since ten years ago. He had no children and
could not hunt for a lifetime.
He needed to do some work that didnât require him to enter the mountains.m
Xiao Yu supported him. Fortunately, he had prepared for a long time and the
tools he made were still useful.
In the following days, Liu Dahu and Lin Sisi would come again. However, they
would no longer come to eat candies. Instead, they would send food over.
Xiao Yu had never had a child. Lin Sisi and the rest knew about this, so they
silently helped her.
The following year, Jiang Lanâs forging had improved and he was pretty decent
at it now.
Liu Dahu sent his ten-year-old son to Jiang Lan, saying that he wanted Jiang
Lan to take him in as his disciple and learn how to forge.
It was normal for his disciple to support his master when he was old.
of course, Xiao Yu was happy. Xiaoxiao and the rest had grown up and she had
been taking care of these little ones
It was as if the light of life was shining on these children.
Another year later, Sister- in-law Liu fell sick.
When Xiao Yu went to visit Sister- in-law Liu, she suddenly cried.
âTm just sick. Why are you crying?â Sister-in-law Liu said angrily.
âSister-in -law Liu, you have wrinkles on your face,â Xiao Yu said as she wiped
her tears.0
Sister-in-law Liu was stunned for a moment before she said in amusement.
âI already had it long ago.â
âBut I didnât realize. I thought that Sister- in-law Liu was still that young
Sister-in-law. I thought that you will always be young and be fine.â Xiao Yu
cried even more sadly.
Time was heartless. She hadnât realized it before.
In the evening, Sister-in-law Liu seemed to have recovered a lot. She asked
Xiao Yu to accompany her for a walk outside.
It was summer.
Sister-in-law Liu sat beside the river, and XĂao Yu was beside her.
âDo you still remember the past? When the girl from the Yang family fell into
the water, you went to save her. Then, we saw the scales on your body.â
Sister-in-law Liu looked at Xiao Yu and said.
âAt that time, we said that you were a demon, but you ran away. However, you
stayed in the village. You were never bad to us.
Youâre a fool. People fear no virtue. If you bear it silently, itâl only get worse.
âSister-in-law Liu, itâs been so many years. Donât mention it anymore,â Xiao Yu
immediately said.
She had finally gotten rid of her demon identity and did not want to be a
demon.
No one in the village treated her as a demon anymore.
âI need to say it.â Sister-in-law Liu said seriously.
âAt that time, I was very afraid of you. I was very afraid. Although I said some
harsh words, I kept thinking in my heart if you would suddenly eat our entire
family.
Especially when Dahu and the others disappeared. The first thing I suspected
was that you had eaten them.
If not for the fact that my husband told me not to think too much, I really
wouldnât be able to help but question you.
Later on, I went to the forest. I saw the temple and you in the forest.
And I saw.â
Sister-in-law Liuâs face was filled with fear as she reached out to touch Xiao
Yuâs hand.
âI also sawa fair hand turn into an inhuman hand.
And then watch as the inhuman hand tap between the three childrenâs brows.
I was extremely afraid. I was so afraid that I couldnât move. If I hadnât seen the
pain between the three childrenâs brows disappear, I would really think that
you were plotting against them. â
Sister-in-law Liu knelt down in front of Xiao Yu.
âTâm sorry. I know you saved three children, but I didnât dare to thank you. I was
afraid. I was so afraid that I had nightmares every day.
I donât have much experience. I only know how terrifying demons are. I didnât
know that there were good demons.
Iâve been worried for a long, long time and have been afraid for many years.
I know that you might be a good person. Usually, I only dare to say good things
to others, but I donât dare to be too close to you.
It wasnât until you were busy with the marriage of Dahu and the others, until
you cried tears of joy for their child, that I realized you were no different from
a human.
Iâm really sorry.â
Xiao Yuâs eyes were red as she quickly helped Sister-in-law Liu up.
âSister-in-law Liu, donât be like this. You treated me very well. I donât think
thereâs anything bad about you.
Besides, Iâm really not a demon. Donât be afraid.â
Sister-in-law Liu did not ask further. She got up and leaned on Xiao Yu to
watch the sun set.
Before winter came, Sister-in-law Liu left. She had no regrets, no pain, and
was very peaceful.
Xiao Yu cried very sadly. She could not accept it.
Jiang Lan could only touch Xiao Yuâs head and let her cry.
In the winter, Xiao Yu finally understood one thing and asked Jiang Lan.
âDarling, when Dahu and the others went missing more than twenty years ago,
were you near the temple?â
âNo.â Jiang Lan drank the meat soup and shook his head.
Then how could Sister-in-law Liu, who is in the forest, see the situation in the
temple? I specially went to take a look. The forest is very far from the temple.
She also said that she could see Xiaoxiao and the othersâ expressions.â Xiao Yu
glared at Jiang Lan and asked.
âMaybe her eyes suddenly became better.â Jiang Lan moved his chopsticks and
ate the meat.
âThen after that, a sound could be heard outside and I ran out to find no one.
Was that done by you?â Xiao Yu asked again.
âI wasnât there. Maybe someone did see it and his desire to survive made him
un back to the village. However, he felt that the village was too dangerous and
decided to go into the city to work,â Jiang Lan said casually.
âDarling, did you kill someone?â Xiao Yu cried out in surprise.
âWhat nonsense are you talking about? He moved to the city and marrieda wife
and had children. His life isnât any worse than in the village. Occasionally, he
will return to the village to visit his wife,â Jiang Lan said unhappily.
âHmph, you are actually meddling in the affairs of mortals.â Xiao Yu snorted
coldly.
At this point, Xiao Yu lowered her head again. She would never see
Sister-in-law Liu again.
Jiang Lan patted Xiao Yuâs head without saying anything comforting.
Another three years.
Jiang Lan was already 45 years old. Liu Dahuâs son had reached the age where
he could get married. It was just that there had never been a good girl in his
life, which made Xiao Yu anxious.
Lin Sisi didnât really care. Liu Daniu knew how to forge and didnât need to
worry about getting a wife.
However, Liu Dazhu had also fallen ill this year.
He, who had always been burly, fell sick for some reason.
This winter, Jiang Lanâs door was knocked on.
âWho is it? Jiang Lan asked.
âItâs me.â It was Liu Dazhuâs voice.
Jiang Lan immediately opened the door and saw an old man with greying hair.
It was the old Liu Dazhu.
âBrother Liu, arenât you still sick? Why are you running around?â Jiang Lan
frowned.
He was no longer young. He had quite a lot of white hair on his head and many
wrinkles on his face.
He, who was not considered strong, looked a little thin.
âHaha, nothing much. I was just bored and wanted to come over for a drink.
Second Brother went to the city but I couldnât find him. I went to look for the
lad from the Yang family and the lad from the Lin family. Letâs have a drink,
âsaid Liu Dazhu generously.
âAlright.â Jiang Lan nodded, not refusing
Not long after, the lad from the Lin family and the lad from the Yang family
also came. They were no longer young children. Both of them were old.
Their skin was dry and their wrinkles showed the vicissitudes of life.
One of them carried wine while the other carried meat.
The Yang familyâs wife had also come to help Xiao Yu prepare some food.
The four of them sat at the table eating and drinking. After three rounds of
drinking, the lad from the Yang family said.
âIt was all thanks to Brother Liu that we didnât have any conflicts all these
years.
He was talking about the split between the hunting team.
Thatâs right. Speaking of this matter, Iâm the one who has suffered the most.I
even had to pretend to be injured.â The young lad from the Lin family smiled
and said.
âThatâs right. At that time, we were still young. Our children have all now
grown up and our grandsons have also become successful.
Itâs just that my wife passed on too early.â Liu Dazhu shook his head and
sighed.
âWhen I was around, I didnât feel anything. I even felt that it was not
comfortable when someone was staring at you while drinking.
But.
Liu Dazhu drank a mouthful of wine.
âBut after sheâs gone, I just want to hear her say something. Iâm not used to her
not nagging at me.â
Jiang Lan only poured wine for Brother Liu without saying anything.
The few of them sighed. They had all reached the end of their lives. They didnât
have many years left to live.
âCome and drink.â âThe lad from the Yang family raised his wine cup and said.
âLetâs drink. The wife of the Yang familyâs lad is so pretty that he hopes to go
home earlier after hunting to stay with his wife.
So useless.â The lad from the Lin family said disdainfully.
âHaha.â âThe lad from the Yang family laughed.
âLife is not long. Isnât it normal to be with the person you like?â
âYou have done well. I always felt that I owed my wife.â Liu Dazhu drank his
wine and felt a little regretful.
They drank till very late. The wife of the Yang family lad was a little worried.
She was old and had wrinkles on her face, but anyone could still tell that she
was a beautiful lady when she was young.
All these years, the lad from the Yang family had been very good to her.
She also treated the young lad from the Yang family well wholeheartedly.
Everyone in the village envied them.
They then drank till they were all drunk.
They had talked a lot. They had talked about the past; their youthful ambitions
and the pressures of life.
Three days later.
Liu Dazhu left.
Liu Erzhu came back a step later. He knelt on the ground and cried loudly. He
cried because he did not see his brother for the last time.
Liu Daniu was also sobbing uncontrollably. He said that he regretted not
letting his grandfather see him get married and have children.
He was unfilial.
Daniu, who originally wanted to continue stalling, finally chose to get married
the next year. He found a girl from the same village.
He was worried that Grandpa Jiang and Granny Jiang would also leave before
he got married. He didnât dare to wait any longer.
Xiao Yu was very satisfied with Daniuâs wife.
Lin Sisi and the others were naturally satisfied.
Seven years had passed, and Jiang Lan was already in his fifties. He was old and
his body couldnât take it anymore.
This year, Liu Erzhu left and so did the kid from the Lin family. That year, the
kid from the Yang family fell and also left.
The night the lad from the Yang family left, his wife went to find Xiao Yu. They
were chatting for most of the night, talking and laughing. It was as if the days
had returned to when Xiao Yu had just arrived and the young lady from the
Yang family had just married into the family.
The young lady from the Yang family kept smiling. She was very beautiful.
Since the young lad from the Yang family liked her beauty, she had always
been beautiful.
But the person who liked her was gone. She could no longer be beautiful.
Xiao Yu looked at the wife of the lad from the Yang family continuously cry.
Early in the morning, Liu Xiaoxiaoâs cries could be heard.
The wife of the lad from the Yang family had passed on as well.
The number of people hunting in the village decreased. Later on, when they
dispersed, everyone went to the city to look for livelihoods.
There were fewer and fewer people in Dao Village.
Recently, there was no harvest in the mountains. It seemed like there was a
natural disaster.
Liu Daniu went into the city to train. His business was good and he took good
care of his entire family.
He had always asked Jiang Lanâs family to move into the city. He could afford it.
However, Jiang Lan didnât leave. They were about to reach the end of their
lives. They wanted to die in Dao Village.
Dahu and his wife didnât leave either. They stayed behind to take care of Jiang
Lan and Xiao Yu.
They could also take care of their children here.
When one was old, one would always want to be in their hometown. This place
had their memories and their lives.
âAunt Jiang, why did you bring us candies today?â Lin Sisi, who was already a
little old, asked as she looked at the candies Xiao Yu handed her.
âItâs just nice that I managed to get them.â Xiao Yu sat on the chair and looked
at Lin Sisi.
Liu Xiaoxiao took the candy and ate it. âItâs still so delicious.â
Jiang Lan and Xiao Yu sat on the chairs and looked at the sky. They were a little
quiet.
Liu Xiaoxiao looked scared. It was the same when her mother left.
âAunt Jiang, 1
Before Liu Xiaoxiao could say anything, Liu Dahu suddenly ran over and said.
ââSomething bad has happened. Letâs leave the village.â
Jiang Lan looked ahead at Liu Dahu and said.
âYou guys should go. Weâll stay here. We canât run anymore.â
Yes, they couldnât run anymore. Following him would only be a burden.
It was better to be buried here.
âXiaoxiao.â Liu Da Hu didnât say anything else and only called out.
âAlright, Brother Hu.â Liu Xiaoxiao instantly understood.
Soon, Liu Dahu carried Jiang Lan while Liu Xiaoxiao carried Xiao Yu.
âWe wonât take our items anymore. Letâs go. Fortunately, the little fellow isnât
here today.â Liu Dahu shouted as he walked.
âIs there anyone else in the village? Thereâs a flood. Run.â
There werenât many people in the village to begin with, so they had long fled to
a higher place.
On the way, Xiao Yu felt a bump and felt that her life was constantly silent.
âXiaoxiao, you have to be good in the futureâ
âAunt Jiang, donât say anything stupid. With us around, we will definitely let
you and Uncle Jiang live a good life,â Xiaoxiao said anxiously.
Xiao Yu looked behind her as the water rushed into the village. Everything that
had happened in the past seemed to be buried.
She then looked at Big Tiger, Sisi, and finally at Jiang Lan. Both of them closed
their eyes.
In her daze, she heard cries.
The person seemed to be calling out to her, as if he couldnât bear to part with
her.
Yes, she couldnât bear to do so either
The next day.
Dahu and the others buried Jiang Lan and Xiao Yu on the mountain.
Xiaoxiao and Sisi cried for a long time. Xiaodie, who had rushed over and was
also Daniuâs sister, also cried.
âGrandpa Jiang, Granny Jiang, why are you guys like this too? Grandpa and the
rest left without a word, and you guys left without a word too.
Why do I have to be an unfilial descendant every time? Da Niu cried the most.
The cries of these people seemed to prove that the person in the tomb had not
made this trip in vain.
No matter how bitter and tired this life was, it could be considered perfect.