Jia Mo

It's raining.The rain line draped down along the fish-scale tiles, weaving dense stitches on the bluestone tile floor.It was just dawn, and it was raining again, and it was hazy everywhere.On the eaves of other people's houses, there is a gray-white moon shadow, a very dim and missing circle, as if it will disappear in the blink of an eye.

Qi Yin woke up to the sound of "duk tuk", and when he glanced away, he saw raindrops dripping in from outside the broken tiles, hitting the wooden floor and getting wet.He sat up, dragged out a wooden basin from under the bed and placed it under the drain, and the water dripped into the basin.He slept in the attic, and there was a strong wind the day before yesterday, and several tiles were blown away, and there was no time to repair them.While rustling his clothes, he wanted to say something to his aunt when he had breakfast later.He will mend the roof himself, as long as he has the materials.

Going down the stairs, the family members were still asleep, and everything was very quiet, except for the rustling of raindrops pouring in the gray courtyard.He went into the kitchen, cut wood, lit the fire, and made breakfast, which was the work he had to do every morning.He is a person without parents. He depends on others, so he has to be a little self-conscious.

I heard from my aunt that he lost his mother when he was five years old, and was dragged away by a water ghost while washing clothes by the river one day.Five years old is too young, he can't remember anything.My aunt said that at that time he was playing with water floats on the edge, and when his mother fell into the water, he thought she was going to eat water, and happily asked his mother to catch fish for him to eat.However, his mother never came up again.

He is the sinful son of his mother who was conceived out of wedlock. It is said that his biological father is a sword fairy from some fairy mountain.The only thing left behind is the eighteen beads of colored glaze on his wrist. Each emerald colored glazed bead has deep and shallow golden runes, which are said to be able to ward off evil spirits and keep safe.

Immortals don't stick to trifles, and it seems that they can be understood if they don't marry his mother.Since he was a child, he knew how to make excuses for his father, whom he had never met. He guessed that his father just wanted to seal a monster that would destroy the world, so he couldn't come back to pick him and his mother back to Xianshan.He convinced himself that it was true, and he used this reason to explain why his father didn't come to pick him up, showing off his Liuli Eighteen Sons to the sniffling little neighbor and the classmate who beat his palms and boarded the board together.His aunt also held this hope, hoping that one day in the future his father would descend from the sky and take him away, and by the way he would bring his cousin along to repay his aunt's kindness in nurturing him, and the two brothers happily cultivated immortality together.

It's just that his father has sealed the monster for 18 years, and there is still no sign of it.A few years ago, my aunt entrusted an old traveler to send a message to Wufang Mountain, but there was no response.Everyone gradually understood that Qi Yin was an illegitimate child, and his mother would have died long ago and his father would not want him.

His aunt's attitude towards him has gradually changed. She used to sleep with her cousin in the upper room with a moon window.Now he can only sleep in an attic with a broken roof.If it weren't for the fear of gossip from the neighbors, I'm afraid he wouldn't even finish his elementary school.His aunt kept him purely because of the cost of buying a servant. The family bought a maid to come in at the beginning of the year before last, and she felt distressed for a long time because of this, and wished to split the maid into two servants.

Qi Yin had no idea, ever since he recognized the fact that he had no father or mother, he became a servant of his aunt's house seriously.He was just such a person, he didn't have the opportunity to cultivate into a fairy, and he didn't have the brains to take the imperial examination.

He heated up the firewood, put donkey-hide gelatin cooked rehmannia glutinosa into the medicine sling, and poured water on it.This is the nourishing soup that his aunt would drink every morning and evening. His aunt is getting old but she doesn't accept her old age. The thing she hates the most in the family is not Qi Yin but the maid Xiaoyuan.Xiaoyuan was 13 years old when she entered the house, a skinny little girl, as wilted as weeds on the side of the road, after staying at home for three years, she turned into a big girl with red lips and white teeth, with a white neck and round shoulders, when walking A three-inch golden lotus the size of a bamboo shoot was exposed, and the men in the family all stared at her, except Qi Yin.

"Wake up so early?" A pair of peony red embroidered shoes stepped into the threshold, Qi Yin turned his head and saw Xiao Yuan smiling at him.

Qi Yin scratched her head and said, "Decoction. My aunt gets up early recently."

The medicine hanger was burning, making a gurgling sound.He turned around to get the steamer to steam the buns, and when he lowered his head, he saw the two butt marks printed by soot on the stove.The seal is fat and round, and it can be seen that its owner is very plump.Unconsciously, she aimed at Xiaoyuan beside her. She was kneading the dough, and she wore a black rattan bracelet on her wrist, which was tightly attached to the flesh, and even the veil could not be tucked in.

Xu Shi noticed Qi Yin's gaze, and Xiaoyuan turned to look at him, with a teasing smile in her eyes.Qi Yin withdrew his gaze in embarrassment, wiped off the marks silently, and put the steamer into the stove.

"Hey, I'm sweating, my hair is sticking to my neck, please brush it for me." Xiaoyuan said.

Qi Yin looked over, and a strand of black hair fell on her white and greasy neck. For some reason, Qi Yin inexplicably remembered the white pork hanging on the meat rack in the vegetable market.Qi Yin put a stack of wet cloths in front of her, said, "Wipe your hands, and lift yourself." Then she went out.

Xiaoyuan's face froze, and she threw the dough onto the chopping board, "Tch, what are you pretending to be! Wild species."

She didn't deliberately lower her voice, the voice drifted straight into Qi Yin's ears.Qi Yin ignored her and stepped out of the threshold.

He knew that Xiaoyuan and auntie had a head and tail, and during the Chinese New Year this year, the two got mixed up, and the nourishing soup with ingredients helped them make auntie sleep like a pig.The kitchen is just under the attic, and the windows in the attic are not secure, and every time my uncle steals the sound, Qi Yin keeps his eyes open and looks at the roof amidst the suppressed joyful sound.But he doesn't like Madoka not because she is evil, but because he already has someone in his heart.There is a pharmacy across the street, and he likes Fengxian, the maid of that pharmacy.

Every time he helped my aunt get medicine, he would go to that pharmacy, the dark counter, and the medicine drawer tied with a cloud of clouds. When he entered the door, he could smell a light bitter smell, which was very refreshing.Fengxian stood behind the counter, carrying a small scale to carefully weigh the medicine.The shiny black bun was lowered, revealing a poorly made jade hairpin.Below the broken hair are drooping eyebrows and eyes, with a kind of quiet beauty.He suspects that she likes him too, because every time she smiles at him and passes her eyes wide, his legs and feet are sore when he walks out the door.The most powerful proof is that last time she weighed an extra amount of cooked rehmannia glutinosa for him, and he said he didn't want so much, she smiled and blinked, and said, "I'll give it to you."

He has already made up his mind. Over the years, he has saved some money by doing part-time jobs outside, renting a house outside, and then find a long-term job. After saving money for two years, he will go to the door to propose marriage.Fengxian's family is also poor, so the dowry will not be much, he is confident.

It was still raining, but the sky was already shining through the clouds, and it was brilliant gold.Holding the mouthwash, Qi Yin looked at the glistening water on the slate floor and smiled silly.After laughing, he raised his head, and saw his cousin Yao Xiaoshan staring at him like an idiot.

Qi Yin: "..."

"I want to discuss something with you," Yao Xiaoshan squatted beside him thoughtlessly, and took out a stone egg from his arms, "My mother is full and has nothing to do, she always checks my house, so I put this egg in your place. Help me keep it well."

Yao Xiaoshan is his cousin, who was admitted as a scholar at a young age, and his aunt loves him very much, serving him with delicacies from mountains and seas every day.But recently, I don't know what medicine I took wrongly, and I often secretly go to the West Market to fool around, saying that I want to find a fairy.In fact, for ordinary people like them, the chance of cultivating immortality is really very small.There is no trace of Sifang Xianshan, and Wutang Town is a corner, even monsters don't bother to make trouble here, let alone meet sword immortals.

But Qi Yin has always been a nice person, so he didn't hit him hard, just said: "What the hell is this? Last time you put a stack of talisman papers in my room, and they all turned into toads. I was caught all night and was scolded by my aunt. "

Yao Xiaoshan said with a chuckle, "It was an accident last time, an accident." He held the stone egg in front of Qi Yin's nose, and said mysteriously, "This is a unicorn egg. It is said that it can be hatched after 80 or [-] years of incubation." Here comes a little unicorn. I bought it back for collection, maybe in my son’s life, my family will have a unicorn to guard the home.”

Qilin still fucking lay eggs?Qi Yin was speechless.

"If you don't help me, I'll tell my mother that you like Xiaoyuan." Yao Xiaoshan said.

Qi Yin was startled, almost bit his tongue, and stared quickly: "Don't talk nonsense!"

Yao Xiaoshan said, "I saw you two flirting just now, and Xiaoyuan even asked you to brush her hair."

"You!" Qi Yin couldn't even wash himself off by jumping into the river, and said dejectedly, "Okay, I'll help you hide, please don't talk nonsense, it will kill you!"

Only then was Yao Xiaoshan satisfied, stuffed the stone egg into Qi Yin's arms, and swaggered away.

He and his cousin are really enemies. When he was in private school, Qi Yin had to help him copy the Four Books and Five Classics as punishment. At home, he had to help him take the blame. Hidden together to help get beaten.But Qi Yin really has nothing to do, he has to be saddled with others, and consciously live as his aunt's servant, cousin's younger brother.The stone egg was held in his hand, it was icy cold, Qi Yin looked at it for a long time but couldn't see how it looked like a fairy egg.That kid might have been deceived again, Qi Yin sighed, put the stone egg in a cage and locked it, lest it hatch any toads again.

As soon as I went downstairs, I heard a commotion in the upper room, some people threw bowls, and some people cried.Qi Yin heard his aunt's scolding sound coming from afar, "Little bastard, who will show you how to act like a monster! If you dare to seduce my son and disturb his study, I will not peel your skin! If you are a bitch, you will know how to seduce a man." !" Then I saw Xiaoyuan running out, holding the black lacquered tray, sobbing.

"Okay, okay, just scold and scold." It was my uncle who persuaded me.

My aunt was still scolding: "One by one, it makes people worry! And Xiao Yin, look, what's the use of my mother following the immortal? His sword is gone when he slips away, it's not for nothing! Give birth to a son! If you eat plain rice at my house, you will be eighteen, and you will have no future at all!"

"Hey, hey, why is Xiao Yin involved again, be careful when he hears."

Qi Yinli stood in the corridor for a while, then walked into the courtyard silently.The rain is falling down, the rain in the south of the Yangtze River has always been like this, not heavy, but dense, it seems that it will never end.The old lady has also got up, leaning on the drunken chair to embroider flowers.He is an old man, his hair has turned white in large patches, and his early life was too hard, his face was sunburnt yellow, and his face was full of fine wrinkles, like dried sweet potato chips.The old lady is an ordinary woman, she doesn't get close to anyone, and she doesn't interfere with housework very much. She just embroiders some handkerchiefs every day to support her family.Although he has no blood relationship with the old lady, he still calls her grandmother after Yao Xiaoshan.

The scolding in the front yard came faintly, Qi Yin didn't know if the old lady heard it, and wanted to stay outside the back door in embarrassment.The old lady looked up at Qi Yin, waved to him, and patted Maza next to her.Qi Yin sat down, and the old lady stooped into the room and took out a mother-of-pearl box, and put it in Qi Yin's hand.

"Grandmother?" Qi Yin opened the box, and there was a stack of silver bills inside. Qi Yin was startled for a moment, and looked at the old man puzzled.

The old lady looked at him with a smile, "I have saved for many years, and I have at least five taels. It should be barely enough to hire a matchmaker, buy a little gold and silver, and hold a banquet. You save some money and raise a baby in the future." It will cost a lot of money.”

Qi Yin was still in a daze.

"Little Fengxian across the street, do you like her?" The old man winked at him.

Qi Yin's face immediately turned red, and she was so anxious that she couldn't understand, "...You, how do you know?"

The old lady lowered her head to embroider flowers, and poked thin silver needles into the cloth, "Every time you buy medicine, you rush to buy it. I am curious, old lady, so I went back and took a look. Well, she looks good, and her butt is big, so she is very fertile. appearance."

Qi Yin's face was so red that it could bleed, and he stammered: "You are a good person, but you are gentle, and you are virtuous at first glance."

The old lady squinted at him and said, "You have learned to speak for your daughter-in-law before you get married."

Qi Yin wanted to say no, but the old lady pushed him with a smile, "Okay, I'll hide it for good, don't let your aunt know. Go."

He nodded vigorously, trotted back to the front yard, just happened to see a visitor at the door, wearing a black hat and round collar, he seemed to be a postman from the official post.The auntie came out from the upper room to welcome the guests with a smile, Qi Yin hurriedly turned a corner and went back to the courtyard, the old lady pointed to the back door, Qi Yin understood, crossed the threshold and closed the door, and squatted under the stone lion.He wanted to wait for his aunt to go back to the house before going back, so as not to let her find out.

He hugged the small box the size of a book tightly. In summer, it was a bit cold when it rained, but his heart was warm.He remembered that when he was a child, the old lady often took him to the market two miles away to buy vegetables. The little man held the old man's hand, with a basket in his elbow, and said hello to everyone he met.Once he accidentally got separated from the old lady, and stood waiting under the archway with a basket in his arms. Fortunately, because of his usual sweet mouth, passers-by recognized him and led him back home.

He smiled at himself in the puddle, it doesn't matter if his aunt doesn't like him, he still has his grandmother and Fengxian.

A shadow suddenly fell over his head, he raised his head, and saw a man standing beside him, with black hair and black clothes, all soaked, a fat black cat was squatting on his shoulder, dripping water from its fur.He could only see the profile of the man, cold and white, with long eyelashes, beige in the daylight, like the wings of a moth.

Are you sheltering from the rain?Qi Yin thought.

The black cat turned to see him and jumped off the man's shoulder.This black cat is really too fat, it looks like a fur ball when it jumps down.The black cat rubbed against Qi Yin's feet, meowed softly, and Qi Yin stroked its fur with a smile.The man also turned his head, Qi Yin saw his face, handsome eyebrows, big black eyes, reflecting the wind and rain all over the world, and Qi Yin who was squatting on the ground.

"Look at your face, do you come from outside?" Qi Yin asked.

The man didn't seem very used to talking with others, so he looked down at him for a while before nodding.

"Are you looking for relatives? Or are you passing by?" He asked again.

"Here is my bride," the man said, his voice soft and light, like a gust of wind, "I came to him and married."