star hunter

After getting off the mine, when he looked up, he found that it was snowing again, and a snowflake happened to fall into his eyes, which melted coolly in his eyes.

He blinked, waited until the uncomfortable feeling passed, and then looked around, all he could see was a vast expanse of white snow. His sense of direction was not good, and he was a little dizzy for a while.

He wasn't in a hurry to hurry, to be honest, he hadn't figured out which gate his next destination would be, and planned to ask someone for directions later.

He found a relatively clean place, sat on the floor, and took out a piece of steamed bun left over from the morning. The steamed bun was already cold and hard, but he didn't dislike it. When he was about to start eating, he suddenly found someone beside him A pair of peeping eyes.

Having been tricked once, he was very vigilant, subconsciously clenched the steamed bun, looked over guardedly, and saw a skinny girl curled up not far away.

She seemed to have suffered severe burns or electric shocks, and her skin had obviously been severely injured. Although the wounds seemed to have healed, the exposed skin on her face, neck, and arms left large scars. The uneven shades are scary to look at.

Weird.

After the girl was discovered, she looked away in a panic.

Zhong Yuncong also withdrew his gaze, and tried hard to suppress his compassion. He kept saying to himself: You are pitiful enough now, and you are not qualified to sympathize with others.

After he convinced himself, when he took out the steamed bun and was about to bite it, he found helplessly that the girl was peeking at him again.

Strictly speaking, he was peeking at the buns in his hand.

He turned his head and smiled at her: "Is it so pretty?"

The girl was caught again, her face froze, she quickly lowered her head, Zhong Yuncong looked at her shamelessly red earlobes and scarred skin, and finally gave in to her heart—come on, let’s eat less I can't die of hunger.

He broke off most of the steamed buns: "What's the use of looking at them? Come here, I'll give you half."

The girl was motionless, like a frightened rabbit, Zhong Yuncong had to repeat it a second time before she raised her head anxiously and timidly looked towards him.

Zhong Yuncong pointed to the steamed bun in his hand: "That's right, it's for you."

What he never expected was that as soon as the words fell, the little white rabbit turned into a hungry wolf—the girl rushed over at a speed beyond his expectations, and snatched the steamed buns in his hand with lightning speed. Just put it in your mouth.

Her fierce tiger predation made Zhong Yuncong wonder if he had made a mistake in his judgment, maybe she was not as weak as she appeared on the surface?

She devoured the steamed buns, and Zhong Yun couldn't help but think of the confused and helpless self on the street in the morning.

He and she are pretty lucky, aren't they?

Probably because she ate too hard, the steamed buns were dry, the girl choked and coughed so hard that Zhong Yuncong was frightened, so he quickly patted her on the back to help her breathe.

After a while, she finally calmed down.

"Eat slowly, and no one will grab you. There is no saliva here. If you choke to death like this, it's not worth it?" He couldn't help but muttered a few words, the girl still had food stuffed in her mouth, Her cheeks were swollen like a goldfish, and she looked at him with a masked face.

After a while, she swallowed the steamed bun with difficulty, and apologized cautiously: "I'm sorry..."

Zhong Yuncong was amused by her dazed appearance, shook his head and laughed: "What a silly girl."

The girl glanced at him timidly, then tentatively took a small bite of the steamed bun, seeing that he was not in danger, she began to eat it with confidence.

Seeing this, Zhong Yuncong also ate half of his steamed bun. It was cold, dry and hard, but after chewing for a while, he could still taste the sweetness.

The girl removed half of the steamed bun like a whirlwind, and then licked off the crumbs on her fingertips. Zhong Yuncong saw it and sighed secretly: I don't know how long this child hasn't eaten.

She seemed to have a feeling, and turned her face to look at him. She wondered if her face was too thin, and her eyes seemed a little too big. Zhong Yuncong was startled when she saw him like this: "What's wrong? Didn't eat enough?" ?”

The girl blushed slightly, shook her head, and said softly, "I'm full...thank you."

Her voice was dry, and her articulation was a little slow. It seemed that she hadn't spoken for a long time.

Zhong Yuncong tilted his head and looked at her for a while, and then, under the bewildered eyes of the other party, he reached out and patted the broken snow off her shoulder: "You're welcome, I'm just borrowing flowers to present to Buddha."

The girl blinked suspiciously, as if she didn't quite understand what he meant.

Although she doesn't seem like a talkative person, Zhong Yuncong was lonely for a long time, and she was very happy to finally have someone to accompany her. She stuffed food into her mouth and asked curiously: "Hey, what's your name?" ?”

The girl froze for a moment, looked in the direction of a certain mountain, and said in a low voice, "Xiao Tao."

"Peach's peach?" Zhong Yuncong's mouth was full of scumbags, and his voice was slurred, but the girl nodded her head, acquiescing.

He swallowed the steamed buns with difficulty, wiped his mouth, and said with a smile: "It's a cute name. Oh, by the way, my name is Zhong Yuncong, the clock of the clock, the cloud in the sky, Cong is the one that two people get together Speaking of it, it really fits the occasion, haha!"

He chattered a lot, but before she could reply, he asked again, "How old are you?"

Xiaotao hesitated for a moment before replying, "Twenty."

It was only then that Zhong Yun realized that he had asked too many questions. Although he helped her, but after all, they met by chance, and the other party was a single girl, so he couldn't help but think too much, so he hurriedly explained: "Don't get me wrong, I don't mean anything else...just, I want to talk to someone."

Xiaotao quickly waved her hand: "No... I'm ugly... Everyone doesn't like me, and they don't even want to get close to me. I'm very happy that you are willing to talk to me."

"What? Who said you're ugly?" Zhong Yuncong was indignant, "Tell me, I'll take him to the ophthalmologist at the hospital!"

She touched her face, looked at the scar on the back of her hand, and sighed: "You don't need to comfort me, I know that I am terrible now."

Zhong Yun didn't know how to answer the question for a while, and finally reached out and patted her on the head: "It's nothing, don't listen to those people talking nonsense."

Xiaotao pursed her lips and smiled, showing two dimples on her lips. He saw it, and felt even more regretful, wondering what kind of suffering she had suffered to become like this.

"It's okay, I'll be fine in a few days." He heard her say this, but he obviously didn't take it seriously. Unless skin grafting is done for this level of skin damage, even if the injury heals, it will leave a permanent scar of.

He took it for granted that the other party was comforting him, and he didn't want to continue to expose people's scars, so he changed the topic to a lighter one: "Hey, you just said that you are twenty? Why don't I believe it, you look seventeen or eighteen Right? Minors, don’t pretend to be adults.”

Xiaotao's expression was very serious: "I didn't lie to you, it's true."

Zhong Yuncong couldn't help laughing: "Then you really look small, so you can take advantage...By the way, why are you alone?"

The last sentence was somewhat self-deprecating, but Xiaotao definitely couldn't hear it, she lowered her eyelids: "I... I ran out by myself."

Zhong Yuncong was stunned: "Run away from home? Did you have a conflict with your family? Hey, this is true. I was also very rebellious when I was a teenager. I quarreled with my old man every day and wanted to run away from home. As a result, Just after running five meters, I was dragged back and beaten up. It still hurts to think about it now... It seems to be far away. In short, what I mean is that it’s okay to have a dispute with the family, they will not hold you grudges Yes. If you run out like this, they will be very worried. Well, tell me where you live, and I will take you back. "

Xiao Tao's complexion became a little weird, she turned her face away, avoiding his gaze, and said in a low voice: "It's not what you imagined... the place I ran out of is not home, and I... will never go back gone."

Zhong Yun never expected such an answer. After a brief shock, he stammered an apology: "I'm sorry, I took it for granted..."

The girl shook her head without speaking.

He sighed almost inaudibly: It seems that she is also carrying some unspeakable secret.

He stood up and patted the dust on his coat: "Hey, it's time to find a job after eating. What about you? What are your plans?"

The girl also stood up, she was very slender, with slender arms and legs, and she was wearing very thin clothes, which made her look even weaker.

She opened her mouth in a low voice: "I want to find someone."

"Oh?" Zhong Yuncong was a little surprised, "Who are you looking for?"

"Brother, and sister."

"Where are you going to find it?"

Xiaotao shook her head again: "We made an appointment, but I don't know where it is." Her eyes were full of blankness: "I don't know a single way."

Zhong Yuncong also became distressed: "I don't really know the way... But you can tell me where that place is. If it doesn't work, let's find someone to ask."

Xiaotao was silent, she lowered her eyes, her trembling eyelashes revealed a very pitiful look, Zhong Yuncong has always been a sympathetic master, seeing her like this, asked with concern: "Is it cold?"

She flinched unconsciously, touched her arm, but shook her head: "It's okay."

"You wear so little, how can you not be cold?" He muttered, and began to unbutton his coat, "Wait a minute."

Halfway through unbuttoning, he suddenly remembered that the clothes were given to him by Su Xian. When he left, he forgot about it and put on the clothes too.

Still have to find a chance to pay him back, right?

...Why are you thinking about this now?I don't know if I will see you again.

He grinned, and after taking off his clothes, he was about to put his coat on the girl, when he suddenly remembered something, he reached out and searched the pockets of the coat, wanting to see if there were any personal belongings he had forgotten, but there was nothing. Thinking about it, it really made him touch something.

Feeling like a piece of cloth, Zhong Yuncong was a little surprised, and wondered if it belonged to Su Xian?

However, when he was robbed last night, he flipped through his pockets. There was nothing in it, and it was cleaner than his face. Why is there suddenly an extra piece of cloth?

He was startled, and quickly took out the cloth, and three crooked blood-red characters came into his eyes.

"help me!"

What the hell is this?Blood book?It's also scary.

Zhong Yuncong couldn't figure it out, how did this thing come from, and what did it mean.

mischief?Or warning?Or, just simply asking for help?

He thought about it carefully, the people who had physical contact with him last night - the grandsons of the picket team, Su Xian...and that old man!

The people in the picket team tied him up, so they shouldn't have stuffed him with such an inexplicable piece of cloth; as for Su Xian, he was not the type to make such jokes at all.

Then there is only one person left.

Judging by his situation, he was indeed the most likely one.Zhong Yuncong frowned and thought, since the old man was the target, it meant that the words on the rag meant to ask for help.

But he only saw it now, it seems too late...

He shook his head, came back to his senses, and put the clothes on Xiaotao's shoulders. She was a little surprised, and was about to speak, but she caught a glimpse of the fabric between his fingers and asked, "What is that?"

Zhong Yuncong was afraid that the blood book would scare the girl's house, so he stuffed it into his trouser pocket, and smiled casually: "It's nothing, it's just a small thing... Put on your clothes."

He didn't want to involve the little girl he didn't know before into something inexplicable.

Xiaotao was very hesitant with her clothes on: "Then what about you..."

"It's not that I don't have to wear it anymore." Zhong Yuncong smiled, "Just wear it, so as not to catch a cold."

Xiao Tao still didn't move: "We will be separated soon, I'd better return this clothes to you."

Zhong Yuncong blinked and changed the topic: "Anyway, you don't know where to go, so why not come with me, and you can be a companion...By the way, where is the place you agreed with your family?"

She hesitated for a while, but this time she told him: "Changle Street."

Zhong Yuncong clapped his hands: "So we are destined. It's hard to say about other places. I really know how to get to this place."

Xiao Tao opened her eyes wide in disbelief: "Really?"

He smiled slightly: "Of course. But before we go to Changle Street, we have to find a way to earn some money and buy a bus ticket. Otherwise, I don't know how to get there just by walking."

The girl was very confused: "... how to earn?"

Zhong Yuncong smiled confidently: "Just follow your brother, and you will make a fortune!"

Xiao Tao smiled and nodded slowly: "Okay."

With a companion, Zhong Yuncong felt much better. He found a random way and took the girl away.Although the girl is not good at words, he also enjoys talking to himself alone, at least someone is listening.

"By the way," he was so pleased with himself that he spit all over the place, and suddenly there was a piercing horn honking behind him. He turned around and found an oncoming truck. He hurriedly pulled Xiao Tao back to the side of the road. The truck Booming away, snow and dust were flying, Zhong Yuncong coughed and saw that the truck was full of rocks.

It should be mountain materials.

Xiaotao asked him puzzled, "Aren't you leaving?"

Zhong Yuncong patted her on the shoulder: "Let's follow this car!"

About a quarter of an hour later, along that road, they finally approached the crowded place, a simple but lively rough stone trading market.

>>>

Zhong Yuncong took the child Xiaotao into this crude trading market consisting of shacks. There were many stalls inside, but the goods were only one——the emeralds mined from several nearby stalls. Wool.

The place is dirty and dilapidated, but there are quite a lot of people. Zhong Yuncong mixed in with the crowd and walked past the stalls. Most of the stalls didn’t even have a table. It is full of large and small rough stones, some have been cut in half, some have only a small opening, and some are directly original ecological ores.

Buyers and sellers just squatted like this or even simply sat on the ground, back and forth, bargaining.

Zhong Yun watched the bustle from a fleeting glance, and was amazed all the way. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a large expanse of green, and couldn't help but stop to watch: "Look at that large expanse of green on that cut surface, isn't it beautiful?"

Xiao Tao also took a look at the piece of wool that was cut open, then nodded: "It looks good."

He rubbed his chin: "I just don't know what color is inside."

Seeing his high spirits, the stall owner took the opportunity to sell: "Brother, if you like it, buy it back. Look at this high-quality planting water and this authentic sun green. It's not my bragging. After you walk this street, you can buy it. I can't find such fine wool anymore!"

Zhong Yuncong picked out his ears. It’s fine for such words to go in the left ear and out the right ear. What kind of water and sun green are fooling people, but he is indeed quite interested, so he asked with a smile: “Can you Can't touch it?"

This request is completely reasonable, and the stall owner readily agreed: "Come!"

Zhong Yuncong picked up the half piece of wool, and stroked the surface with both hands carefully. The stall owner was busy greeting other people, and didn't notice that his eyes were closed.

Xiaotao on the side watched his actions, she blinked, puzzled, but didn't make a sound.

After a while, Zhong Yuncong opened his eyes, returned the wool to the stall owner, smiled and shook his head: "Thank you very much."

Seeing that he had no intention of buying, the stall owner didn't waste his time, arranged the woolen materials, and continued to argue with another customer. Zhong Yuncong walked forward with Xiaotao.

The piece just now was completely superficial. After "looking at it", he discovered that the attractive bright green layer was only distributed on the surface of the stone, and it was only a thin layer.

It's completely taking people for granted.

Fortunately, I am not an ordinary person.

He looked around, this place is not big, but there are wools everywhere, it is impossible for him to touch one by one, and depending on the situation, ninety-nine out of ten of these on the stalls are not good goods.

It's just like the rough stone in the piece of gold and jade just now.

If you want to be simple here, it may be more difficult than reaching the sky.

Out of the experience of the rich second generation, he intuited that it is impossible for this kind of jade rough trading place to only provide goods of this grade. There must be a small number of people, so it is usually set up in a venue, separated from these big street goods.

Thinking of this, he decided not to waste time here, and asked someone directly, "Excuse me, where is the good stuff?"

The man glanced at him a few times, and saw that he wanted high-end goods when he opened his mouth, so he couldn't help laughing: "Of course there are good ones, it just depends on luck."

He said and pointed in a certain direction: "If you have capital, go there and try your luck."

Zhong Yuncong looked in the direction he pointed. It was a row of bungalows, that is, very ordinary green brick houses, but compared with the continuous shacks here, it was obviously much more upscale.

On a white wall, there are three large red characters - Gambling Stone Area.

Gambling with stones... He has only seen this kind of transaction in movies, high risk and high reward, very exciting.

Zhong Yuncong touched his heart to confirm that his heart was still healthy and could withstand the stimulation, so he patted the dazed Xiaotao: "Let's go and try our luck."

After entering the stone gambling area, Zhong Yuncong discovered that the bungalows were all connected, in other words, it was a huge room, but it was more like a warehouse than a market.Jade wool materials of different sizes and shapes are piled up all over the corners, and there are more than a dozen machines scattered about. Someone opened the cover of the machine, and the stone inside was split into two pieces. The crowd scrambled around to look at it, and then let out a long and unanimous sigh: "There are too many variegated colors, it will collapse!"

Zhong Yun had never been there to join in the fun, and even though he knew a little about certain jargons, he could tell from the regretful tone of the people that there must be no good things coming out.

His eyes turned around on the piles of wool, all of them were gray and inconspicuous, no different from ordinary rocks.

He really wanted to know which of them had hidden treasures, but he couldn't see them just by looking at them. He walked over, intending to touch them, Xiaotao followed behind him, step by step.

He was squatting in front of a pile of wool, and when he was about to use his hands, someone grabbed his hand. He turned around, and a smiling middle-aged man said to him kindly: "Little brother, the wool here has to be handed over." You can only choose after paying money, and cut it immediately after you choose it, as for after cutting it, it depends on your eyesight."

Zhong Yuncong is very confident in his "sight", but he has no money.

But the stone gamble is not for charity, and there is no money to play high-stakes games.

Zhong Yuncong thought for a while, then reached out and took out something from his underwear, which caused the middle-aged man's eyes to flicker.

It was a limited edition of a famous watch brand, a gift from Zhong Yuncong’s mother on his 20th birthday, with a rose gold case, crocodile leather strap, blue crystal dial, gold three-dimensional hour markers, fashion and retro , the price is definitely not cheap.

Zhong Yuncong's mood is also very complicated. This is the only valuable thing left on his body. The reason why he keeps it close to his body and never shows it to others is naturally because he wants to keep it well and take it out to save his life when the situation is exhausted.

But at this moment, isn't it going to be desperate?

He sighed, clutching the watch tightly in his hand: "I don't have any cash on me, so I'll hold this against it first, and exchange it for a piece of wool. After I cut out something good and exchange it for money, I can redeem this. You must Just keep it for me!"

After all, it was a gift from his mother. He didn't know when we would see each other again, so he still wanted to keep it in mind.

When the middle-aged man heard his inexplicable self-confidence, he couldn't help but sneered: "Your watch is beautiful, but the case is not pure gold, right? Then the value is..."

Zhong Yuncong became anxious: "You don't even know how expensive this thing is, it costs hundreds of thousands, how about a limited edition!"

"Limited edition?" The other party seemed to be a little unfamiliar with this word, Zhong Yuncong knew that he had made a slip of the tongue, and coughed lightly: "In short, it is more than enough for you to exchange a piece of wool."

"Okay!" The middle-aged man was also quite straightforward, nodding his head in response. He took the watch and said with a smile, "If you are not lucky enough, this watch will be mine."

Zhong Yuncong smiled slightly and didn't reply, but he was full of ambition and his words were beyond words.