Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Shoulders
Chuner, who was busy gathering the river snails and clams from the ground, heard the voice and looked up, calling out, “Old Master Mo.”
“In such cold weather, why are you two sisters picking these things up? They can’t be eaten,” said Old Master Mo, gasping for breath as he spoke, his back hunched over so severely that his head was almost touching his knees.
“My sister said she knows how to cook them, and they are very delicious. Since we have nothing else to do, we thought we might as well try it,” Chuner responded.
Chuner’s little face was very happy, as her sister had co out to play with her today. She reached out her little hand to brush away a few strands of hair hanging down her face, and suddenly, her face was sared with mud, but she was completely unaware of it.
Xuexue, who was bending over searching for river snails, heard the voice and also looked up, realizing it was Wealthy Master Mo from their village.
He was the Wealthy Master of Mo Family Village. According to the older folks in the village, more than a decade ago, Old Money Mo was also poor, with his family having nothing to their na and experiencing tough tis, often alternating between starvation and satiation. In the end, his mother died of starvation while trying to save food for him to eat.
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Old Money Mo wrapped his mother’s body in a tattered mat, carried her up the mountain, hastily dug a hole, buried her without ceremony, and then left Mo Family Village. He vanished without a trace, leaving no word of his whereabouts.
After disappearing for a whole year, he returned to the village dressed in fine clothes, constructed a luxurious mansion, hired nurous servants, and purchased vast amounts of farmland, becoming the richest man in Mo Family Village.
However, interestingly, ever since the construction of his mansion began, the once upright man turned hunchbacked overnight. Despite nurous examinations by famous doctors, no illness was found.
“Old Master Mo, my sister and I are just picking them up for fun.” Although Old Money Mo was a wealthy master, he never put on airs. From her past life, Xuexue rembered him favorably.
“It’s freezing cold. You two girls must take care of yourselves,” Old Money Mo instructed kindly as always.
“It’s okay,” Xuexue replied while continuing to search in the water.
After a few words, Old Money Mo slowly walked away with his servants, following the path.
“Chuner, don’t you think Old Master Mo looks so strange? Despite his own back being so hunched, he’s carrying so many kids?” Xuexue straightened her back, just in ti to see Old Money Mo’s back, and remarked in surprise.
“Sister, what are you talking about? What kids?” Chuner also looked towards Old Master Mo’s retreating figure, utterly perplexed.
“Hehehe… Chuner, you must still be half asleep, right? So many kids, and you say you can’t see them? Stop teasing your sister.” Xuexue shook her head with a smile, thinking to herself: Chuner is always so whimsical.
“Sister, are you sure you don’t have a fever again? You’re delirious. Stop collecting river snails and co up here quickly!” Chuner’s voice grew more anxious as she spoke, and suddenly, she threw the river snails she was holding and almost burst into tears.
Last ti her sister had a fever, not only did she bite off Auntie Sun’s ear, she almost died and was unconscious for days before finally waking up, causing their mother to panic. This ti, she couldn’t afford to let her sister fall ill over a few worthless river snails.
Seeing that Chuner wasn’t faking it, Xuexue took another look at the small children on Old Money Mo’s back, counted, and found there were seven in total. She asked urgently, “Chuner, are you really unable to see the kids on Old Master Mo’s back?”
“Wahhhhh… Sister, don’t have a fever,” Xuexue’s questioning only made Chuner cry harder.
Xuexue hastily climbed up from the creek, patting her back: “There, there, Chuner, don’t cry. Sister doesn’t have a fever. If you don’t believe , feel my forehead.” Saying this, she placed Chuner’s hand on her forehead.
Chuner felt it, and indeed, it was icy cold, not like soone with a fever, which eased her mind. But she was still sniffling from fright and couldn’t recover right away.
Xuexue held Chuner in her arms, patting her back, but her eyes were fixed on the seven small children on Old Money Mo’s back.
Suddenly, a four- or five-year-old girl on Old Money Mo’s back turned her head, looked at Xuexue, and smiled a split grin.
Xuexue also ant to return the smile when her whole face froze in shock…
She saw the little girl who was smiling had blood oozing from her mouth corners, creating a chilling sight.
Old Money Mo and his several servants remained completely oblivious, continuing their slow walk toward the village.
Even as soone who had faced life and death in her previous life, Xuexue couldn’t help but be startled. It seed she had encountered sothing unclean that day.
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