Quick Wear: Cousin, Come to the Bowl Quickly

"Snapped!"

A crisp sound of a gavel suddenly drowned out the noise of the teahouse and broke the somber atmosphere in the corner.

Everyone was taken aback and turned their gazes toward the simple desk in front of them.

Behind the stage stood a storyteller dressed in a gray robe. Although he was very thin, he was energetic. When he saw everyone looking at him, he cleared his throat and began to speak in a loud voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's pick up where we left off! It is said that the loyal and valiant Marquis Xue Yi was framed by treacherous people and trapped in an isolated city, with no reinforcements from the outside and no food supplies from within..."

A tragic story unfolded slowly before the audience as the storyteller recounted it with dramatic intonation and vivid description.

How the general fought valiantly, how he found himself in dire straits, how he was eventually captured after exhausting himself, how he refused to surrender even in the face of death, and how he was cruelly beheaded and his body left no trace.

When the tragic news reached the Marquis's residence in the capital, the old lady of the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, Lady Xue, turned white-haired overnight, and his wife and children were devastated.

Everyone in the city thought that the Xue family had fallen into ruin, but the white-haired old lady, suppressing her grief over the loss of her son, spoke with a resounding voice in front of the mourning hall: "How many thousands of sons have died on the battlefield, their bodies wrapped in horsehide and buried in foreign lands! My son died loyally for his country, and he died a worthy death! Since he chose this path of war, what difference does it make where he is buried? Everywhere, the green hills can bury the loyal bones of my Great Xia!"

The old lady wiped away her tears and personally taught her young grandson both literary and martial arts, instilling in him a deep-seated hatred for her father and a spirit of loyalty and righteousness. Twenty years later, the young general led an army into battle, decisively defeating the enemy and finally avenging his father, bringing glory to his family…

"What a wonderful saying: 'Loyal bones are buried everywhere in the green hills; why should they be wrapped in horsehide to return home?'"

The storyteller struck his gavel, his voice booming like a bell, propelling the story to its climax: "Ladies and gentlemen, the Marquis of Zhongyong sacrificed his life for the city, unyielding and unyielding—that is true loyalty!; Old Madam Xue endured the pain of losing her son, encouraging future generations with the motto 'burying bones in the green hills,' upholding the family tradition—that is true righteousness!; and her grandson carried on the legacy, avenging his family, achieving great merit on the battlefield, bringing glory to the family—that is true filial piety!"

The storyteller was in high spirits, his words ringing out, and he slammed his hand on the table.

"This loyalty, righteousness, and filial piety are passed down through generations, forging a family's character over three generations. This is the undying soul of our Chinese nation, the true legacy of family and country!"

"it is good!"

"well said!"

After a brief silence, thunderous cheers and applause erupted in the teahouse. Clearly, this dramatic story, full of patriotism and national sentiment, had successfully captured everyone's attention.

Even Lin Xi, who was originally immersed in grief, was drawn over by the storyteller's melodious and emotional voice, and for a moment forgot to cry.

"Green hills everywhere bury loyal bones, why need a horsehide to wrap the corpse and return home?"

She stared blankly at the passionate storyteller on the stage, murmuring the words that struck her soul like a thunderbolt.

A vague memory suddenly and unexpectedly entered her mind.

"Wow! It's osmanthus candy, thank you, brother!"

The little girl, who was playing with her doll, suddenly threw it down, took the paper package from the boy in front of her, and exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm glad Xixi likes it." The boy smiled gently and lowered his voice to instruct, "Remember to hide the candy wrapper after you finish eating, so that your mother doesn't see it, or you won't get any next time."

"Mmm!" The girl chewed on the candy, glancing guiltily at the doorway. Seeing that no one was there, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Also, remember to rinse your mouth after eating, otherwise if you get a toothache, no one will be there to call a doctor for you in the middle of the night."

The little girl, Lin Xi, nodded hurriedly, her cheeks puffed out from the candy, and promised earnestly but indistinctly, "Xi Xi knows! I'll rinse my mouth after I finish eating!"

Seeing her obedient appearance, the boy's smile deepened, and his tone softened, "If you want more after you finish this bag, just quietly tell Ah Shui and ask him to buy you another one."

"Huh?" The little girl swallowed a mouthful of sweet syrup with difficulty, her big, clear eyes filled with confusion. "Why did Ah Shui have to buy it? Where's my brother? Isn't he going to buy it for me?"

The boy's smile faded slightly. After a moment of silence, he said softly, "Brother... is going on a long trip."

"A long journey?" The little girl tilted her head. "Where is a long journey? Is it farther than the Bund?"

The boy chuckled at the childish question. He reached out again and gently ruffled his sister's soft hair, trying to explain, "Yuanmen... isn't a specific place, but... a place where your brother is needed."

The little girl blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite, before her attention was quickly drawn back to the sweet taste in her mouth. She casually asked, "When are you coming back?"

The boy suddenly fell silent, and the afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a faint shadow on his young profile.

He watched the girl eating candy carefree, his voice very soft, as if speaking to her, but also as if speaking to himself.

“When... when there is no longer a need for you there, you will come back.”

"Oh." The little girl didn't seem to care much about the somewhat abstract answer. She just licked the candy crumbs from the corner of her mouth, then suddenly remembered something, looked up and asked, "Will my brother miss Xixi when he goes there? Will he miss Dad and Mom?"

“Okay.” The boy answered without hesitation. He gazed deeply at his sister’s innocent face, as if he wanted to etch this moment into his very bones. “I will think about her every day, every moment.”

He reached out and gently touched the girl's chubby cheeks with his fingertips, his voice slightly hoarse, "So, when your brother isn't around, Xixi, you have to be good, listen to your father and mother, and eat well..."

His voice gradually faded, eventually turning into an almost inaudible murmur.

"This family... has one disobedient child, that's enough."

"What did you say, brother?" The little girl looked up, blinked her bright black eyes, and asked curiously.

"Nothing?" The boy met her bewildered gaze and shook his head.

"Oh." The girl nodded and began to rearrange the doll beside her. After a while, she suddenly spoke up, "Is the place my brother is going... dangerous? My mother said that I might get hurt if I go on a long trip, so she never lets me go out."

The boy was slightly taken aback, then his eyes filled with a deeper tenderness and a hint of complex emotion that was hard to detect.

He paused for a moment before gently stroking his sister's hair and saying, "It might be a little dangerous, but that's precisely why your brother has to go."

"Why?" the little girl asked, puzzled. "Isn't it better at home?"

The boy looked into her pure eyes and spoke softly, as if he were telling an important secret, "Because... if no one went to those slightly dangerous places, then children like Xixi might not be able to sit peacefully at home and happily eat candy like they do now."

The girl seemed to understand but not quite. She blinked, tilted her head, and asked the most innocent question a child could ask, "Then... what if my brother gets hurt and can't come back?"

Sunlight streamed through the window, dancing on the young man's face. He looked away and turned back to the girl, then smiled very softly. The smile was clean and bright, as if it could dispel all gloom.

"That's alright. If that day ever comes... Xixi can look up at the highest mountain and the most beautiful river. Maybe her brother is somewhere there, watching over all the children like Xixi on this land..."

It had been so long since Lin Min left that Lin Xi could hardly remember his face unless she deliberately tried to recall it.

But at that very moment, memories that had long been blurred resurfaced with unparalleled clarity in her mind amidst the noisy and sweltering teahouse.

On stage, the storyteller, who had taken a short break, had already begun the next round of his eloquent narration.

Down in the audience, Lin Xi, having pulled herself out of her memories, closed her eyes and let the last tear slide down her cheek.

When she opened her eyes again, the previous sorrow had faded from her face. Her eyes, washed by tears, were as clear as the sky after the rain, reflecting a bright, clear light.

She slowly turned her head, meeting Shen Jingyuan's gaze beside her, and said in a hoarse but extremely firm tone.

"Shen Jingyuan, let's not look for my brother anymore, let's go back to Shanghai."