Perhaps the timing of my arrival was off, as the village gave off a depressing and lifeless feeling.

Also seen was smoke rising from the chimneys, this smoke, the only living thing, seemed to be telling people that there were still people living in this village.

Otherwise, Yang Ruqing would have the illusion of walking into a primeval forest and discovering an ancient human site.

"Little brother, you're here! This is my home."

The sound of the mill reached her ears, and Yang Ruqing came to her senses. She raised her eyes and followed the direction indicated by the millstone.

This is a placeholder for text.

Beside a large jujube tree, there appeared a farmhouse.

On the front side there were three low, humble mud-brick houses, their roofs thatched with straw.

The straw swayed in the wind.

Under the eaves, hung a long bamboo pole. On the bamboo pole were strung several strings of red chili peppers, corn, and garlic.

A platform has been leveled in front of the house with adobe bricks, estimated to be used for drying things.

Around the platform, a half-human-high fence was built with a mixture of fences and wooden stakes, equipped with a gate.

>

"Wow, your brother's house looks like the richest in the village." Yang Ruqing couldn't help but say.

Of all the places we've been, this one is by far the most impressive.

In front
there was actually a courtyard, other people's houses, didn't have a courtyard.

Upon hearing Yang Ruoqing's words, Damo said proudly: "Of course! My grandfather, my father, and my elder brother are all village heads of our village."

"Wow? Three terms as village head? That's really impressive!" said Yang Ruqing.

>

"But, can your three houses really accommodate that many people?" she asked again.

Da Mo said, "Hehehe, there are three more rooms behind these three, enough to stay in!"

"So it's still binary, huh? Yang Ruqing was delighted. It really is a big family from Sishan Aos, a giant among the short ones!"

"Hey little brother, let's go in. It's about this time my brothers should be at home!" Damo beckoned.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate! ?

Yang Ruqing nodded and followed Da Mo behind the fence gate.

"Brother, I'm back!"

After entering the courtyard, Dayao placed his hoe and a bundle of firewood to one side. He then called out towards the three main halls facing him.

The hall was dimly lit, and no lamps were burning. Hearing the miller's call, a figure emerged from the hall.

He was holding a pipe in his hand, sucking on it and puffing away.

"Just come back, what's with all the howling? You expect fireworks to greet you?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man, probably in his mid-thirties to late thirties.

His figure, eyebrows, eyes, and features are very similar to Da Mo's.

The same dirt-stained face, the same flipping of lips, the same bare feet in straw sandals, with fingernails blackened by mud exposed.

"Brother, I brought a little brother back," Big Mo pointed to Yang Ruohqing standing behind him and turned to the middle-aged man at the doorway.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

“The little brother said he was from Sūnjiāgōu. He came into the mountains with his brother-in-law to chop wood and got lost.”

"I'll bring him back first and let him stay at our place for a night. Tomorrow, when he looks presentable, I'll ask around about the way to Sunjiaogou and send him off..."

Hearing this, the middle-aged man raised his eyelids and glanced at Yang Ruoqing, taking a casual look at her.

>

Yang Ruqing was wearing clothes that had belonged to Luofeng Tang. A section of the pants leg and sleeve had been torn off and altered.

Because Luo Fengtang's clothes were without patches, Yang Ruqing deliberately tore a few holes in his elbows, knees, and other places.

She was deliberately covered in mud and dust, from her head to toe, making her look dirty and shabby. This fit well with the appearance and demeanor of the mountain boys.

>

The middle-aged man glanced at him without saying a word, holding his pipe and squatting down on a stone by the doorway. Then he started puffing away on it,

Upon seeing this, Da Mo was taken aback. He turned his head to look at Yang Ruqing, who seemed helpless. It seemed like he had thought of something.

He hurried quickly to the middle-aged man's side and bent down.

"Brother, people said I wouldn't eat and live for free at our place, look, they even gave me five coins,"

"They also said that the bundle of firewood he hit, he's giving it to us too," Da Mo replied truthfully.

Seeing the five coins, the middle-aged man finally pulled the pipe from his mouth.

He tucked the five coins into his pocket, glared at Yang Ruqing, and said in a huff, "You young people these days, running around like this, giving your families no peace of mind!"

After he finished speaking, he stood up, put his pipe behind his back and turned away.

"Let him sleep in the same room as you. I'll go talk to your sister-in-law and tell her to cook an extra portion for dinner tonight."

Having said that, the middle-aged man strode into the dimly lit room without looking back.

>

Here, Damo happily ran back to Yang Ruqing.

"Little brother, my big brother promised to let you stay in our house. Come, I'll take you to my room!"

On the way to the Big Mill House, Da Mo also took the opportunity to introduce Yang Ruqing to the layout of their house.

>

The front three rooms, the middle one is a hall, where they eat.

The house on the left is divided in half: the front section is a kitchen and the back section is a pigsty, where there's one skinny pig.

The house on the right was also divided in half from the middle.

The front part belongs to Big Mo's brother-in-law and sister-in-law, and the back part belongs to Big Mo.

Yang Ruqing entered the big mill's house, and the room was equally dim.

"Why not turn on the light?" Yang Ruqing asked.

Da Mo said, "My older brother won't light the lamp. He'll light it for a bit when we eat dinner, and then he'll go to sleep in the dark. My older brother says that lighting the lamp burns money, and our family's money should be saved for me and my younger brother Xiao Mo to buy wives!"

This text has been translated.

Buying a wife?

Yang Ruqing twitched the corner of her mouth.

It doesn't matter if the lights are off, her eyes can see clearly in the dark.

The room only had a simple straw mat, and the bedding on top emitted a combined smell of sweat, dampness, and mildew.

After Da Mo entered the room, he hurried over to tidy up the bed.

He blushed a little and said, "Little brother, I'm sorry to embarrass you. My house is as messy as a pigsty..."

Yang Ruqing smiled and said, "It's nothing, guys are like this, I'm a guy too, I understand."

Da Mo smiled and nodded.

"Hey little brother, what's your name? How old are you?" he asked again.

Yang Ruqing said, "Just call me Xiao Tang, I just turned twenty on the sixth day of the first lunar month."

Da Mo said, "I'm twenty-six! Hehe!"

Yang Ruqing smiled and nodded, then glanced around before walking to the small window at the back and peering out.

Behind the house were three low, dilapidated huts. Two of them were pitch black, and the only one with light emanating from it must have been the kitchen.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

The sound of pots and pans came from the kitchen, along with the sound of a man's voice.

Yang Ruqing withdrew her gaze and said to Da Mo, "Big brother Da Mo, I have something I want to discuss with you."

"What's up, Xiao Tang? Tell me about it." Da Mo turned around and asked with a smile.