Chapter 9
No Family
The Snake Swallow Stone had been changed five or six times. Fourth Uncle, Third Uncle, and the others also came back to fetch water several times. Seeing that the swelling on Song Yang’s leg had almost gone down, Fourth Uncle and Third Uncle decided to leave first. When they left, Third Uncle walked to Ding Yao. “Yaoyao, you know the situation at home. Your father doesn’t have much authority at home. Even if you go home today, you won’t have a good life in the future.”
Fourth Uncle looked at Ding Yao guiltily and said, “Yaoyao, go back to their house with Song Xiuyan first. If you really can’t stay there anymore, I’ll pick you up later.” After saying that, he took out ten yuan from his pocket and gave it to Ding Yao.
Ding Yao quickly waved her hands and said, “Ah...” what he meant was that she didn’t want the money, so he should take it back.
Song Xiuyan translated Ding Yao’s meaning to Fourth Uncle and Third Uncle. Fourth Uncle and Third Uncle sighed and gave Song Xiuyan a few words of advice before silently turning around and leaving. Looking at their backs, Ding Yao fell into deep thought. In this village, she actually had no family left, and there was nothing left for her to miss. Her father had a broken leg, and if it weren’t for her grandfather’s support in her previous life, her father couldn’t even marry a wife. After her grandfather died, everything in the family was supported by her stepmother, Wang Hongxia. Her father, Ding Qingshan, didn’t dare to offend Wang Hongxia, so he didn’t have much pity for Ding Yao. Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle looked at her and felt pity for her, but that was all. There wasn’t much more they could do.
After so long, the sun had already set. Ding Yao was already so hungry that her stomach was growling. Although there were snacks in the space of her herbal field, it wasn’t good to take them out to eat in front of so many people. Song Xiuyan took out a few steamed buns made from multigrains and gave them to everyone. These were the lunches they had brought before they went out to hunt.
Ding Yao held onto the hard buns that could be used as bricks and didn’t know how to eat them. To be honest, she had never eaten such coarse food before. Ah-jie quickly swapped his soft bread with hers. “You can eat this.” He and Song Yang were like brothers. Ding Yao saving Song Yang was the same as saving him, so Ah-jie was very grateful to Ding Yao.
Ding Yao smiled and gestured, meaning that she wasn’t so high-maintenance. Then, she stuffed the nest head in her hand into her mouth and took a bite. Everyone understood what Ding Yao meant and smiled as well. Song Xiuyan looked at Ding Yao with a completely different expression. This was his wife. She was good-looking and had dimples when she smiled. Although she was mute, she had a good personality, was smart, and was kind. Most importantly, she had helped him change his fate.
After eating, Song Yang looked at Ah-jie guiltily and said, “I’m sorry. I wasted a day of your time. You didn’t catch anything. At least I caught a rabbit in the trap. I’ll give you the rabbit.” If Ah-jie hadn’t found out that something was wrong with him, he would have died if he hadn’t called his big brother and sister-in-law in time. Ah-jie was also his savior.
Ah-jie rolled his eyes. “You’re arguing with me about this? Do you still treat me as a buddy? If I take your rabbit, am I still human?”
Song Yang said, “Of course you’re my buddy. We’re good buddies for life!” After saying that, Song Yang understood that Ah-jie didn’t want the rabbit, so he could only drop the topic.
Song Yang looked very optimistic. He didn’t realize that someone was trying to harm him. Ding Yao tugged at Song Xiuyan’s sleeve and moved her lips. She meant, “I’m going to dig for medicinal herbs. The snake venom in Song Yang’s body needs to be completely removed by drinking soup and medicine.”
“I’ll go with you.” After Song Xiuyan said that, he turned around and repeated it to Song Yang and Ah-jie. At the same time, he asked Ah-jie to take care of Song Yang.
Ah-jie naturally agreed. “Don’t worry. I’m here.” They just had to wait for the Snake Swallow Stone to turn black before taking it down and replacing it with another piece. The matter was very simple.
Ding Yao didn’t expect Song Xiuyan to go with her. Although she felt that Song Xiuyan was a bit of a hindrance, she didn’t object and took the lead to climb up the mountain. After walking for a while, Song Xiuyan suddenly said, “The spices on my second brother’s clothes attracted the cobra to attack him, right?”
Ding Yao nodded and answered with her mouth, “It’s possible. Do you have any enemies?”
Unknowingly, Song Xiuyan’s hands clenched into fists again. If there were enemies, they were the people who schemed against him behind his back after he made a name for himself in the business world.