Nan Feng was mending her father’s clothes, “There’s nothing like that, it’s all just rumors. There are no ghosts in this world, it’s all just scaring oneself.”
“Then, do immortals exist in this world?”
“That’s a kind of belief. If you believe, they exist; if you don’t, they don’t. Belief is used to constrain people’s thoughts. For example, if you do bad things, the immortals will know, and if you do good, you’ll accumulate merit. Some people have no beliefs and mit all kinds of bad deeds, and they end up with no good fortune,” Nan Feng passed the thread through the needle and tied a beautiful knot at the end.
Xia Dabao was drawn to Nan Feng’s needlework and moved a small stool to sit beside her, “Mom’s needlework is really good. If only Abao could do this too.”
“When mom was your age, she couldn’t do these tasks either. Every time she tried, she’d get a headache.”
“So how did you get good at it later on?” Xia Dabao asked curiously.
“It got better after having you and Axian because mom wanted you to dress better, especially just after you were born. We were so poor back then, your clothes were all made from old ones.”
Xia Dabao couldn’t help but feel sorry for her mother and hugged Nan Feng’s shoulders, “Mom is so wonderful. But then again, Dabao also doesn’t need to learn right now. Maybe she’ll be motivated after getting married, right?”
Nan Feng pinched Xia Dabao’s face, “Yes, yes, you’ve found another excuse to be lazy. But you just mentioned getting married; is our Dabao thinking about it?”
“Not at all, Dabao wants to stay with dad and mom, and Axian forever.”
“You say that now, but once you meet someone you like, you’ll wish you could leave us as soon as possible,” Nan Feng said with a laugh.
“Mom, really, you always tease people. I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going out to see what Axian is doing.”
…
“Sister, did you hear? They say a child was buried under the pear tree on the back hill, and at night it’s haunted,” Axian said with a panicked face to Xia Dabao in the yard.
Xia Dabao also laughed, “Who told you that?”
“Daya and Erya both said so,” Axian went on, “They also said that ghosts are afraid of black dogs.”
“Afraid of black dogs?”
“Isn’t our Xiaocao a pletely black dog? So how about this, let’s bring Xiaohei back home now,” Axian suggested.
Xia Dabao calculated the days, “Sure, it’s almost three months now, so let’s go and bring it back. If we wait any longer, it might not recognize us as its owners.”
Therefore, the siblings immediately went inside to discuss it with Nan Feng, who quickly agreed.
The homes of Auntie Zhao Er and Auntie Zhao Da were separated by just a small courtyard, and Xia Dabao felt a little nervous as she entered.
Usually, when she was feeding the fish by the pond, she could hear the neighbors fighting vehemently next door, and she worried about running into Uncle Zhao and Auntie Zhao Da arguing, so she proceeded cautiously, hoping to avoid the couple.
But as it turned out, her fears were realized; just as Xia Dabao entered, she encountered Auntie Zhao Da ing out, carrying a manure bucket, apparently heading to the fields to water the vegetables.
Xia Dabao quickly greeted her, and Auntie Zhao Da seemed quite normal, replying with a “You’re here,” before carrying her manure bucket away.
It seemed that incident wasn’t affecting much.
Xia Dabao let out a sigh of relief and went with Axian to the kennel. The mother dog was no longer confined and was happily frolicking in the yard with Xiaocao. Xiaohei was playing joyfully by its side. Seeing this scene, Xia Dabao felt somewhat reluctant to take Xiaocao back home.
While she was watching, Tian Xiaobei arrived too.
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