In the cold winter of March 9th, the vegetation is drying up.
There was also heavy snowfall, which roared continuously for seven days. The ice was biting and the birds and animals disappeared.
At dusk, a thin boy wearing thin clothes knocked on a wooden door in the cold wind.
He kept breathing, his hands warm and red.
"Who?"
After a long time, the sound of footsteps finally came from the yard.
The little boy was so happy that he quickly responded: "Second uncle, it's me."
Soon, the courtyard door was opened, and a slightly tanned middle-aged man poked his head out of the crack in the door.
"Xiao Hao, it turns out it's you. The snow just stopped. Why did you run out if you didn't stay at home?" the middle-aged man asked.
"Second uncle, grandpa has caught a cold and there is no money at home. I want to borrow some from you to buy medicine for grandpa. Don't worry, I will definitely pay you back when spring comes and I can go up the mountain."
The boy Xiaohao said with some embarrassment.
"It's such a snowy day, I don't know how to be more careful. You need to buy medicine, but I don't have any extra money at home."
The man hesitated for a moment and then said: "Otherwise, there are some dried herbs at home. You can take them back to grandpa."
"Thank you very much, uncle."
Xiaohao was very disappointed and managed to squeeze out a smile.
"Then just wait here, don't disturb others." The middle-aged man warned, turned and walked towards the yard.
Xiao Hao nodded repeatedly and tightened his tight-fitting cloth to drive away the cold wind that had just poured into his clothes.
"Xiao Hao!"
Not long after, a middle-aged man came over with a broken bottle and handed it directly to the little boy.
Xiao Hao took it and saw that there were seven or eight kinds of dried herbs in the bottle. Although it was fragmentary, it was enough for two or three uses, and he smiled immediately.
"Thank you, uncle. After taking the medicine, grandpa will get better."
"Why are you being so polite to your second uncle? Take it and go back and give it to grandpa to eat." The middle-aged man smiled honestly.
"Master, who are you talking to outside?"
At this moment, a strong woman stepped out.
Seeing the woman, the little boy's expression suddenly changed, and he instinctively took a step back and hid the bottle behind his back.
"Second...Second aunt!"
Xiao Hao called out in a pleading voice.
The second aunt would never help them, and would only scold him when she saw him. During the autumn harvest, she would also steal a large amount of food.
"Grandpa is sick, Xiaohao came to borrow some herbs. When spring comes, he will return them to us." The middle-aged man said brightly.
The woman did not respond. She rolled her eyes at the middle-aged man, then looked at the bottle behind the little boy, and frowned.
"Qi Hao, these herbal medicines are all inferior and have no medicinal properties. There is no use in taking them back."
"Second, second aunt, the herbs are fine. When spring comes, I will go up to the mountains to dig up the herbs and return them to you."
Xiao Qihao held the bottle and instinctively took a few steps back, fearing that the herbs in his hands would be snatched away again.
"We are all a family, why are you talking about this? Grandpa is old, these herbs may not be useful. There are some good medicines stored at home, I will go get them for you."
The woman turned away and soon came back with some relatively complete herbs, which she gave to Qi Hao.
Xiao Qihao and the middle-aged man were stunned at the same time, looking at the woman.
After a long time, Xiao Qihao held the copper plate tightly with tears in his eyes.
"Second Aunt, I will definitely return these herbs to you when spring comes."
"Why don't you pay back the money? If you are serious, why not go up to the mountain and get two pheasants? Your brother is clamoring for them every day." The woman showed a weird smile.
"Second Aunt, I will go up the mountain to catch you tonight."
Xiao Qihao nodded in agreement.
"It's so dangerous at night, let's do it tomorrow. Xiaohao, have you eaten?" The second aunt asked with concern.
"I..."
Just as Xiao Qihao was about to speak, his stomach let out a series of unsatisfactory growls.
"Just wait. There are still some steamed buns at home. You can take them back to eat with grandpa."
As she spoke, the woman swung her fat buttocks and walked back.
"Mom, I want to eat roast chicken."
At this time, a plump boy came out.
"Tomorrow your brother will go up the mountain to catch pheasants for you. It's cold outside, go back quickly."
The woman hugged the boy sadly and walked quickly into the house.
When the woman appeared again, she had four beige buns in her hand.
When the boy saw the steamed buns, he swallowed unconsciously and his stomach growled even louder.
He glanced at the middle-aged man, who nodded: "Take what aunt gave you, and eat it with grandpa."
Xiao Qihao nodded heavily.
"That's right, you must take good care of grandpa. It's cold these days, so you must cover grandpa with a quilt. Don't let grandpa freeze again."
The woman stuffed the buns into the little boy's arms and gave a few more instructions.
"Xiao Hao, you should go back early. It's cold outside, so don't get frozen."
The middle-aged man smiled innocently at Xiao Qihao.
"Thank you, uncle and aunt."
Xiao Qihao bowed heavily and did not leave in a hurry until the door was closed.
The wind and snow continued to beat Xiao Qihao, as if trying to destroy his life.
"With herbs and steamed buns, grandpa's cold will definitely get better. I will be thirteen next year, and I must save some money to buy a cotton-padded jacket for grandpa."
Xiao Qihao tensed his cheeks and trudged forward in the snow step by step.
Behind him, two rows of footprints, one deep and one shallow, spread far and far...
Squeak...
In front of the dilapidated little mud house, the little boy opened the wooden door.
"Xiao Hao, where did you go during the snowy day?"
As soon as he entered the door, there was a voice full of reproach and concern.
"grandfather!"
Xiao Qihao responded, quickly walked into the bedroom with a bunch of things in his arms.
A stream of hot air blew on my frozen cheeks, which was very comfortable.
As for the bedroom, there are only two beds made of wooden boards, with exposed cotton quilts on top.
An emaciated old man was huddled in front of a brazier, warming himself by the fire.
"Grandpa, I went to my second uncle's house to borrow some herbs. My second aunt gave me some money and asked me to buy more medicine for grandpa. There are also some steamed buns."
Xiao Qihao carefully placed a few things next to the brazier.
"Your second aunt gave it to you? Okay... ok..."
The old man nodded with a smile, and his cloudy eyes dimmed a little more, until they fell on the little boy, and then regained some of their luster.
"Yes, Second Aunt is having a great day today. Grandpa, I will cook some wild vegetable soup and bake the buns to eat. Grandpa's illness will soon be cured."
Xiao Qihao said happily while getting busy.
The old man looked at Xiao Qihao's busy figure, his eyes already dim.
"Xiao Hao, you have really suffered these years following your grandfather. If you didn't have your grandfather dragging you down, you might live a better life."
"Grandpa, Xiao Hao is not miserable. Xiao Hao is very happy to be with grandpa. Xiao Hao will always be with grandpa and take care of him."
Xiao Qihao, who had soaked the herbs, raised his head and smiled happily at the old man.
Under the firelight, Xiao Qihao's smile was particularly cute.
"Silly boy, you are so stupid..."
The old man talked to himself for a long time, and suddenly his eyes became brighter.
"Xiao Hao, have you ever heard of immortals?" the old man suddenly asked.