From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 21 Seeing Through
Sun Ye quickly pretended to be unable to move and slowly raised the bowl: "I, I'm still a little thirsty, can you pour me another bowl of water?"

He saw the two steamed buns in Xu Xiaoxia's hand and said, "Miss, you are so kind. Just give me one steamed bun to fill my stomach. One is enough."

Xu Xiaoxia was interrupted by him and ignored how he followed her into the kitchen quietly.

"It's okay, just eat it."

She stuffed two steamed buns into Sun Ye's hands, then took the bowl and poured a full bowl of water from the kettle.

Sun Ye took the bun and began to chew it eagerly. He choked because of his haste, so he quickly drank a large gulp of water to wash it down. After finishing one bun, he carefully put the other one into his pocket.

His acting was so realistic that it did not arouse Xu Xiaoxia's suspicion at all.

"Uncle, please walk slowly."

Xu Xiaoxia helped her out of the hospital.

Turning around, I saw Jiazhen coming out from the north hall: "Erxia, who is that?"

Jiazhen heard some noise outside the house and came out to ask.

"Mom, it's nothing. A passing old man came in to ask for a drink of water, and I gave him two steamed buns."

"Is the person gone?"

"Yeah, just sent away."

After hearing her daughter's answer, Jiazhen didn't think too much about it. Her daughter was kind-hearted and giving her two steamed buns was nothing.

----

at dusk.

Xu Xiaoniu returned home from the fields and, as usual, fed the chickens and pigs first, then went into the kitchen.

There was a basin of dried Scutellaria baicalensis water on the kitchen table.

He was very thirsty every day when he came back from the fields, so Jiazhen or Xu Xiaoxia would prepare a basin of water in advance for him to drink.

He scooped a full bowl of water, tilted his head back and gulped it down. Not satisfied yet, he drank another half bowl.

The water contains Scutellaria root, which tastes slightly bitter and is really good for cooling off and quenching thirst in the hot summer.

"Hiccup~"

Xu Xiaoniu burped and suddenly felt a little sleepy.

"Ah woo~~"

He opened his mouth wide and yawned, wondering why he was so sleepy today.

"Dad and my third brother haven't come back yet. I'm going to rest for a while."

He walked back to the bedroom, fell on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

After a while, Xu Fugui and others arrived home one after another.

"It's time to eat!"

In the main room, the Xu family gathered around the table waiting for dinner, but Xu Xiaoniu was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, why hasn't Daniu come back yet? Wait for him a little longer."

They have to wait until everyone is gathered before they start.

Xu Fugui asked casually, "There are quite a few more refugees in the village today. Did you encounter any bad guys?"

"No, I wouldn't run into any bad guys."

Xu Xiaogou shook his head. With his burly build, strangers would avoid him when they saw him.

"I didn't run into any bad guys, but I did run into an old man who was asking for water. I even gave him two steamed buns."

Xu Xiaoxia wanted to express her kindness.

"Uncle? What uncle?"

At this time, Xu Fugui had not yet realized the seriousness of the matter.

"The old man looked to be in his seventies or eighties. He said he was fleeing famine. He was so hungry that he could hardly stand and spoke weakly. I poured him a bowl of water and gave him two steamed buns."

"..."

Xu Fugui vaguely felt that something was wrong.

Tonggu County is thousands of miles away from Yunbian County. How could a man in his seventies or eighties walk here on foot?

Beside him, Xu Xiaoyun growled with hunger: "Mom, can I have a steamed bun first? I'm so hungry."

"Be good, hold on a little longer, your brother will be back soon."

Jiazhen tried to comfort him. Xu Fugui's brows gradually darkened. "Erxia, tell me exactly how that old man came to our house. Don't leave out any details."

"Oh."

Xu Xiaoxia felt puzzled and recounted the story of how Sun Ye came to ask for water.

When Xu Fugui heard that Sun Ye had followed him into the kitchen, his expression suddenly changed: "He also went into the kitchen?"

Even Jiazhen could tell something was wrong: "Xia'er, why didn't you tell Mom that he went into the kitchen?"

The kitchen is where we cook, how can we let strangers in?

Xu Xiaoxia shrugged innocently and muttered softly, "He followed him in on his own."

Xu Xiaoan, who had been silent all the time, said, "I heard the eldest brother come back to feed the pigs, and then I don't know where he went."

"Daniu has come back?"

Xu Fugui stood up suddenly: "Go find him quickly."

After saying that, he walked out of the main room. When he passed by the east wing, he heard snoring coming from the window.

"He is sleeping?"

Xu Fugui and others walked into Xu Xiaoniu's bedroom in confusion and saw him lying on the bed with his clothes and shoes on, sleeping soundly.

"Hey, Daniel, Daniel!"

Xu Fugui shouted several times but couldn't wake him up, so he shook him hard and finally woke him up.

Xu Xiaoniu opened his eyes dazedly and saw the worried faces in front of him: "Dad, Mom, what's wrong? How long have I slept? I'm so sleepy, ah~~"

He yawned again.

Xu Fugui had never seen him so depressed before: "Daniu, what did you do after you got home?"

"I just fed the pigs and chickens as usual, washed my hands and face, and then fell asleep because I was too sleepy."

"Didn't you go to the kitchen?"

"I went and drank two bowls of Scutellaria water."

Xu Fugui finally understood what was going on: "We can't drink the water. It's been drugged! No, we can't eat the food either. Our big water tank is right at the door of the kitchen. Someone is trying to knock us out and do something bad!"

When Xu Xiaoniu heard that he had been drugged, he broke out in a cold sweat and instantly woke up: "Dad, are you saying that I am so sleepy because I drank drugs?"

"Yes."

Xu Fugui nodded confidently.

Everyone looked at each other, all of them were frightened and worried, and their whole family was almost knocked unconscious.

Only Xu Xiaoxia was skeptical. That old man looked so pitiful, how could he be a bad person? She had been kind enough to help others, but she had harmed her entire family?
"Dad, what are they coming for?"

Xu Xiaogou's face was full of worry.

"What else could it be? Climbing over the wall, breaking into the house, picking the lock, and stealing."

As Xu Fugui finished speaking, he realized the "wealth" that his family had in plain sight: "It's a medicinal herb field, withered leaves and blackberries!"

The only thing that could attract the attention of the refugees who didn't know his family's background was the eight acres of black-leaved medicinal herb field.

The withered woodbird grew its fifth leaf last year, and this year is its sixteenth year.

For many herbs, the older they are, the more expensive they are, which means the higher the profit they bring.

For example, the 15-year-old blackbird can be sold for 200 taels of silver per mu, and the average annual income per mu is more than 10 taels of silver.

This is why Xu Fugui was reluctant to sell those withered leaf crows.

However, the risks are: if the fields are destroyed by natural disasters or man-made calamities, all the money will be lost. It is also easy for others to take notice.

"We have to sell the withered leaf crow as soon as possible."

Xu Fugui thought.

The current dilemma is: what to do tonight?
That person drugged his family and will probably take action tonight.

"It's going to be dark soon. Daniu and Sangou, stay with me in the fields to keep watch. Tomorrow morning I'll go to the county town and find a pharmacy to sell those eight acres of Kuyewu."

This was the only solution he could think of.

"Dad, we don't have enough manpower. Please wait while I go out."

After Xu Xiaogou finished speaking, he turned around and ran out to find his friends.

(End of this chapter)