Early the next morning, when I got up, my grandma had already returned from buying the things she needed. She first lit some cinnabar on the inside of the door. Cinnabar warded off evil spirits. I know this, and grandma usually does this when making amulets for people.
Use a little cinnabar.
Then, grandma asked me to fold a lot of wicker sticks and hang them on the beams of the gate. While I handed her the wicker sticks, I opened my mouth and asked, "Grandma, what are you doing with so many wicker sticks?"
Grandma didn't look back and said, "Block the eyes of Yin Zai so that they can't find the door, and they won't be able to get in."
I said "Oh" and didn't ask any more questions. I glanced over and found Zhuo Jing standing in the yard with his arms folded, looking at us, with a slight displeasure on his face. I knew that he still blamed me for scaring him, because
He heard me when I laughed.
"Jiaolong, what are you looking at?"
"Huh?" I came to my senses and continued to hand the last few wickers in my hand to grandma. "Grandma, is An Qi really the person Zhuo Qilin is waiting for?"
"What's wrong?"
I shook my head and watched my grandma help her down after finishing it. I opened my mouth and said, "I always feel that An Qi is not the person you said. Zhuo Qilin doesn't like her very much."
Grandma looked back at me and said, "I said yes, just because you don't want to see me now doesn't mean you won't want to see her when you grow up."
I nodded and looked at my grandma and said nothing more.
Everyone seemed to have something on their mind that day, and the atmosphere in the room was particularly solemn, especially grandma, who kept chanting during the meal, "Remember, no one is allowed to go out tonight."
Everyone present nodded in agreement. Aunt Xinyun looked at her grandma and asked tentatively, "Auntie, if you survive tonight, how much longer can my mother live?"
Grandma looked at her and said, "If you survive tonight, there will be no problem this year. On the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, you have to go out and burn big paper, seal the land, and have the mouths of all kinds of brats. How many years can be added depends on the individual."
Good luck."
Aunt Xinyun nodded, "Okay, we won't touch that door tonight even if we beat anyone to death!"
Sister Xin stopped eating for a moment and looked at Zhuo Jing, "Xiao Jing, why don't you go back with your uncle later, or else you'll see..."
"Why do you want to go back?" Zhuo Jing replied directly, expressionlessly, "It's good here, the air is good." After saying that, he looked at me again, "I still want to go to the countryside with her.
I’ve never been there, so I don’t know what it’s like.”
I was stunned for a moment, he actually wanted to go to the countryside with me to visit?
Grandma coughed and looked at Zhuo Jing, "It's better for you not to go. The countryside is so dark that it's not suitable for you to go."
Uncle Zhuo on the side nodded repeatedly after hearing this, "Yes, Qilin, your dad asked me to take you out to play for two or three days. You have to do your homework when you get back, so don't run around."
"Brother Qilin, the countryside is not good at all. There are a lot of bugs and the food is not clean." An Qi also looked at Zhuo Jing and said seriously, but Zhuo Jing suddenly changed his face.
Looking at her with cold eyes, "Who told you to call me Qilin?"
An Qi was frightened by his appearance and opened her mouth, "But, didn't you tell Sister Qiaoqiao that she can call her? Why can't she call me?"
"Are you eavesdropping on our conversation?" Zhuo Jing asked back, with an aggressive look in his eyes.
An Qi pursed her lips, "I wasn't eavesdropping, or I happened to hear it... Then, if you don't like it, I won't bark anymore."
I quite admire An Qi for this. She has been defeated after repeated defeats, and she has been made to cry so many times. If I had been so cruel to Zhuo Jing twice, I would have never interacted with her again. But she is
Zhuo Jing doesn’t hold grudges at all.
"Listen clearly, I don't like it." Zhuo Jing said, put down the bowls and chopsticks, "I've finished eating." and then went back to the house.
As soon as they took him away, Aunt Xinyun couldn't stand it any longer. She looked at An Qi and opened her mouth angrily, "Look at your worthless appearance. The more you get up to speed, the more people don't want to see you. You still have the nerve to cry, cry."
Why are you crying!"
After Aunt Xinyun said this, An Qi couldn't bear it any longer, stopped eating, sat down and cried loudly.
Sister-in-law quickly comforted her, "Anqi, don't cry. Your elder brother just doesn't like people calling him by his nickname. My aunt doesn't even dare to call him by his nickname. Be good, don't cry. It's so ugly when you cry."
"
"Yes, An Qi, this is Qilin, isn't it? Uncle will talk to him later." Uncle Zhuo also agreed beside him.
An Qi cried and pointed at me, "Then, why can she call her eldest brother by his nickname and he is not angry yet?"
I'm really lying on my back, you have to ask Zhuo Jing to do my shit, how could I know! I thought to myself, I didn't pay attention to her at all, and just ate my food.
"You have the nerve to ask others, why don't you ask yourself! Stop eating and come back to the house with me!" Aunt Xinyun pulled An Qi towards the stairs of the house angrily, scolding her as she walked.
You are still crying, you are asking for it, you are no match for a rural girl, tell me if you are a coward or not!"
"Hey, eldest sister, you can't say that..." Aunt Xinyun's voice was so loud that we all heard it. Auntie Xinyun stood up and was about to say something, but grandma waved her hand beside her, "It's okay, it's okay, let's continue eating."
Sister-in-law could only sit down and look at her grandma, "Auntie, I'm sorry, my eldest sister is like that sometimes and doesn't listen to me."
Grandma forced a smile, "I know, it's all for the sake of my children. Don't worry, I'll finish this matter and we'll go back tomorrow morning. As for children, it's better to have more contact and familiarity with each other."
Uncle Zhuo nodded and looked at grandma, "But aunt, in fact, Qiao Qiao can go to the city with An Qi by then, and we can make arrangements for them at our house. The learning environment there is much better than the local one."
, In this way, she and An Qi will also be companions. If you agree, I will call my elder brother and let him know. "
"There's no need to go to such trouble. My Jiaolong should just stay with me. She'll be my companion. She's used to being next to me and won't be used to going anywhere else."
Grandma refused as I expected. Of course, even if grandma didn't refuse, I wouldn't go. Although I really want to go to that city, I can't live without my grandma and grandpa.
Seeing what grandma said, Uncle Zhuo didn't say anything more. No one went out during the day. At five o'clock, grandma spread a layer of white flour at the door, then closed the door tightly. After walking in, he looked at the people sitting in the door.
The girl on the sofa frowned and said, "Xinxin, please don't leave the room tonight."
Sister-in-law was stunned for a moment, but nodded, "Well, I won't go out."
Grandma hummed and said worriedly, "I remember." Then she grabbed my hand and said, "Jiaolong, let's go back to the house."
It seemed to get dark very early, and everyone in the family was sitting at the door of their room with their own thoughts. I couldn't sleep, so I could only lie on the bed and toss and turn. It wasn't until about nine o'clock that I suddenly heard someone outside the door.
There was a sound, so he sat up and said, "Grandma, there is a sound!"
Grandma was lying there, "You heard wrong, go to bed quickly."
I pricked up my ears and listened carefully, and the voice became louder and louder. "Xinyun! Why is the door still locked? Is there anyone at home? I am Dawei! Mom! Are you all asleep? I'm back! Who can help me?"
I'll open the door, Dazhi!"
"Grandma, it's someone shouting." I turned around and looked at grandma and whispered, the voice was quite loud, I thought grandma should have heard it.
Grandma also sat up and sighed, "It's a blessing, not a curse. It's a curse that you can't avoid." (To be continued)