[Comprehensive] Natsume Reiko's trip

On the next day, on the way to the residence of the descendants of Umbrella Nine, the Tang Paper Umbrella Demon temporarily changed back to the appearance of an ordinary umbrella, and was carried behind Reiko's back.

The mother-in-law had told Reiko that the only surviving woman was called Eleven. Reiko thought this name was very strange at first, but now that she thinks about it, it must be the generation of Shan Jiu's granddaughter.

Even though umbrellas are no longer made, this tradition is still maintained. Perhaps, one day on November, I also look forward to being able to become attached to umbrellas again.

Qingming did not go to teach Kagura today, but followed Reiko step by step. It can be seen that Qingming is also very interested in this matter.

"Aren't you working today?" Reiko asked suspiciously.

"It's okay to go later, I want to know how you will deal with the Tangzhi Umbrella Demon in the end."

For Seimei, the way to deal with monsters is nothing more than directly destroying them or sealing them up. If you encounter monsters that accidentally break into residents' homes, you will drive them away. As for what the monsters are thinking, and why are they That's why he came here, Seimei never considered these things.

Seimei doesn't hate monsters, and can treat monsters as equals, so no matter Xiaobai, boys and girls, they all like and respect Seimei very much.

But he has never tried to understand monsters like Reiko. It seems that in Reiko's eyes, no monster is really evil. I didn't realize it myself.

So Seimei didn't want Reiko's tenderness to be hurt.Although he knew that even if Tangzhi Umbrella Demon really had malicious intentions towards Reiko, Reiko was capable enough to deal with it, but he wanted to protect Reiko.

There was moisture in the air after the rain, and the stone-paved ground was still a little slippery. Seimei and Reiko followed the address given by their mother-in-law and came to a small residential house.

Two boys were fighting each other with a bamboo pole in front of the dwelling. When the bamboo poles collided with each other, they made a clear "dong dong dong" sound. They laughed together, and their thinner voices scared away a few birds. .

A young woman knelt on the straw mat at the door, watching the child's play with a smile while fiddling with a paper umbrella in her hand.

"Excuse me, are you eleven?" Reiko strode forward and asked politely.

When the boys saw Seimei and Reiko, who were exquisitely dressed, they couldn't help being a little scared, and they all hid beside the woman. The woman touched their heads and saluted Reiko: "Yes, adults are here. An umbrella repairer?"

Eleven keenly discovered the umbrella behind Reiko. Although no big shots had come to her to repair the umbrella, Eleven was very confident in her craftsmanship, so she treated Reiko with a neither humble nor overbearing attitude.

"I thought you stopped making umbrellas."

Reiko saw five or six paper umbrellas placed in the room behind Eleven. These paper umbrellas were divided into two parts, one part looked a little worn out, and the other part looked clean and new—these were probably just repaired of.

Eleven was stunned when he heard this, brushed his hair, and showed a smile of enlightenment: "I think the adults know my grandfather. The umbrellas made by my grandfather are very exquisite, and some of them are said to be treasured by nobles. "

It turns out that since the umbrella clan was almost wiped out by robbers, the 5-year-old Shanjiu became the only male in the umbrella family. He vowed to pass on the craft of making umbrellas and was obsessed with all kinds of paper umbrellas all his life. .

However, the result of being immersed in the craft of umbrella making for a long time is to neglect the cultivation of offspring. When Umbrella Nine came to his senses, his son had become an idler and was hopeless.

During the Heian period, some family crafts were passed down from male to female, but Umbrella Nine’s son had no interest in inheriting the family business. Instead, little Eleven watched his grandfather make umbrellas every day, and was familiar with the process of making umbrellas by heart.

Umbrella Nine’s umbrella house is like a dreamlike paradise to Eleven.She likes to watch the ugly knots of bamboo being reborn under the hands of her grandfather.Bamboo chips are flying, ink is fragrant, from the umbrella bone, to the umbrella paper, and then to a complete umbrella, what a magical process it is!

"Umbrella making is a craft that has been around for decades. Although I know the process, I haven't practiced it very much. After I got married, I even let go of this craft." Seeing Reiko curious on Shishi, she gradually talked about herself experience.

"I didn't expect that after I settled here, the neighbors nearby heard that I was a descendant of the umbrella family, so they came to ask me if I would repair umbrellas. I had nothing to do, so I agreed. Unexpectedly, the person who asked me to repair umbrellas would more and more."

It is not convenient for women to show their faces in this era, but Shiyi's husband is a reasonable person, and he supports Shiyi to do what she wants to do.

Reiko took down the Tang Paper Umbrella Demon from her back, and the moment she touched the umbrella demon, she already understood Tang Paper Umbrella Demon's intentions.

She handed the umbrella to Eleven: "Can this umbrella be repaired?"

In order to prevent the Tang Paper Umbrella Monster from scaring others, Reiko recited a spell to cover up her image under Seimei's guidance. Therefore, in the eyes of ordinary people, the Tang Paper Umbrella Monster is just an ordinary umbrella.

Eleven took over the umbrella demon, and did not dislike its shabbyness, but stroked the ribs of the umbrella inch by inch, with a bit of surprise on his face: "Although this umbrella is quite old, it is the best umbrella I have ever seen." umbrella. The bamboo used to make the umbrella is absolutely carefully selected, and the craftsmanship of polishing and assembling is absolutely impeccable. Is this the umbrella made by my grandfather?"

Reiko smiled: "Yes, this is your grandfather's first umbrella, which represents the umbrella inherited from the family."

Some traditions and rules will gradually be lost with the passage of time, but some spirits will continue to be passed along with the blood and soul. Eleven does not understand how the so-called "first umbrella" is made, but she knows it must be Very very important stuff.

Eleven carefully observed the umbrella again: "It doesn't matter if the umbrella paper is broken, you can replace it with a new one, as long as the umbrella ribs are intact, it's very convenient to replace. But it's so strange, why is the umbrella at the top Will it be so serious?"

Reiko coughed twice in embarrassment, and quickly changed the subject: "Can it be repaired?"

Eleven thought for a while, and finally nodded: "You can cut off a section of the top, and then wrap it with other materials, there is no problem. It will take about ten days to completely repair it. The main reason is that the production of umbrella paper is cumbersome. My lord What kind of pattern do you want?"

Reiko looked at the Tang Paper Umbrella Demon lying quietly on Eleven's hands, and felt that the umbrella demon had become calm again: "I think it's up to you to decide, it couldn't be more suitable."

The umbrellas made together by Umbrella Seven, Umbrella Eight, and Umbrella Nine were finally restored in the hands of their descendants. Is there anything more perfect than this?

Seimei opened the fan to cover his lips, and whispered the spell to seal the youkai in a very low voice.In this way, Reiko carelessly handed over the monster that had concealed its form to the hands of ordinary humans. Although the grievances of the Tangzhi umbrella monster are dissipating, no one can guarantee that it will not suddenly attack humans.

The Tang Paper Umbrella Demon struggled a little, and quickly regained its composure—it didn't care if its movements were restricted, it just wanted to go back to the home where it was made.

Reiko seemed to have noticed something, and looked back at Seimei, feeling annoyed at her carelessness.

Not everyone can accept the existence of monsters, and Reiko knows this better than anyone else.Instead of risking Eleven throwing away the Tang Paper Umbrella Demon out of fear, it's better to let Eleven think it's just an ordinary umbrella.

Ten days passed quickly, and in this gloomy afternoon, Seimei and Reiko came to Eleven's House again.

What reappeared in front of Reiko was a beautiful umbrella with a blue umbrella: beautiful cherry blossoms were outlined on the umbrella paper dyed azure blue; And tightly wound with pink silk thread; the old umbrella ribs have been re-polished and painted, and even the subtle glue has been well maintained.

"It's so beautiful!" Reiko couldn't help admiring.

Shiyi also raised the corners of his mouth happily: "It is the most fulfilling thing for us to be liked by the guests! Because the adult's kimono looks like a cherry blossom on a blue background, so I think you will like it if you make it like this .”

Reiko couldn't help tightening the umbrella when she heard the words. She really likes this pattern, but what would Tang Paper Umbrella Demon think?

Originally, the pattern of the hometown was drawn on its umbrella surface, but now it has been replaced with completely irrelevant content. Will the umbrella demon blame her?

Going to a place where no one is around, Seimei unlocks the seal on the Umbrella Demon.

Reiko gently stroked the cherry blossoms on the umbrella, and said to the umbrella demon with some apologies: "Sorry, I didn't expect that I would draw the pattern on Eleventh, what are your plans next?"

The Tang Paper Umbrella Demon didn't answer, but was still quietly lying in Reiko's hand.

"If you have nowhere to go, how about being my umbrella? I like you very much, not only because of your appearance, but also because of the inheritance you carry."

One eye was opened on the blue umbrella, but this eye no longer shed tears: "All this time, I just wanted to be an umbrella."

"Really?" Reiko showed a big smile, "Then, from now on, please take care of me!"

Tangzhi Umbrella Demon remembered that in the afternoon when it was repaired, Eleven's son excitedly held it up to the sun and opened it.

Fragments of sunlight danced in the air through the translucent umbrella paper, and the child showed amazed eyes and a bright smile: "What a beautiful umbrella! I want to make such a beautiful umbrella in the future!"

That smile was exactly the same as the one on Shan Jiu's face back then.

Look, it is now inheriting the wishes of five generations.

The originally gloomy sky finally couldn't bear the weight of the clouds, and it started to rain.

Reiko touched her somewhat wet hair, and saw the umbrella in her hand: "What a coincidence, isn't it?"

She opened the umbrella and covered her head.

The umbrella paper, which looks very fragile, blocked all the rain, and the cherry blossoms seemed to be swaying in the air.

The happiest thing about an umbrella is that it can protect its owner from wind and rain.