Chapter 75: Chapter 75: First Exploration of Bai Gu Mountain Chapter 75: Chapter 75: First Exploration of Bai Gu Mountain If it hadn’t been for Chiang Xiao’s urgent need to go up the mountain, she would definitely have grabbed a handful of sand to stuff into her mouth.
However, although she did not want to entangle with Ho Laidi, it did not prevent her from seizing the opportunity to sow discord between Chiang Songhai and his family.
With a quick glance, she lowered her head slightly and gently tugged on the hem of Chiang Songhai’s clothes, her voice rough and sounding utterly aggrieved.
“Grandpa, would you say Aunt is protecting me, or hurting me?”
Chiang Songhai hesitated, followed by a pang in his heart.
Ho Laidi was a shrewish village woman who could spew filthy words effortlessly, but Chiang Xiao had just left the house, completely unprovoked, to receive such a remark. Wouldn’t that be unfair?
Not to mention she was his grandniece, even if it had been a stranger, to talk to a young girl like that was simply too despicable!
With his elder sister , could he really rely on her to protect Chiang Xiao in the future?
At this thought, Chiang Songhai had to admit that Chiang Xiao was right the night before.
Anger surged in his heart, and his tone grew harsh.
“I suppose Sister-in-law didn’t rinse her mouth out this morning!”
After dropping that remark, he took Chiang Xiao by the hand and left the house, not looking back.
It took Ho Laidi a good half moment to realize what just happened—Chiang Laoer had really given her a piece of his mind!
She immediately slapped her thigh and started howling, “Chiang Laoer, have you eaten gunpowder? You come back here and explain yourself, what do you mean I didn’t rinse my mouth out?”
If it had been before, Chiang Songhai would indeed have stopped and let her scold him for a while, feeling at fault and eventually apologizing.
But this time, Chiang Songhai did not turn back, as if he hadn’t heard her at all, walking swiftly away with Chiang Xiao.
Chiang Xiao felt a wave of exhilaration in her heart.
Being scolded didn’t make her lose a single hair, but being able to help her grandpa gradually see the true colors of the Old Chiang Family was worth it!
It was not until they left the village and walked among the fields that Chiang Songhai’s countenance finally eased.
He sighed, reached out, and patted Chiang Xiao’s head, saying, “Little, you’ve been wronged. Your Aunt, she…”
Chiang Xiao interrupted him, “Grandpa, in my heart, only you and grandma are my family!”
Chiang Songhai was taken aback, suddenly entertaining a thought—he had a son as well, Xiao’s uncle…
But Chiang Xiao did not give him the chance to speak.
With her backpack slung on her back, she ran towards Bai Gu Mountain, turning her head and calling out, “Grandpa, hurry up.”
Chiang Songhai suppressed that thought.
Beneath Bai Gu Mountain was Nameless Creek.
Chiang Xiao was certainly familiar with Nameless Creek, but she had never once approached Bai Gu Mountain.
Past the creek, there was a small hill; you had to walk around this hillock to reach the actual base of Bai Gu Mountain.
This hillock was said to be man-made.
It was said to be from decades ago when the villagers were very superstitious. A sorceress in the village said that Bai Gu Mountain housed too many wandering spirits and was full of yin energy, which should not face the village directly, hence something needed to be built as a barrier.
So all the villagers were called to help, carrying soil from other mountains, creating this small hillock in front of Bai Gu Mountain and planting pear and peach trees.
Over the decades, grass grew on the hillock, turning into what can hardly be called a hill.
The villagers never crossed to this side of Nameless Creek, and with the hillock as a barrier, nobody truly knew what lay at the foot of Bai Gu Mountain on the other side.
Looking up, Bai Gu Mountain was a dense forest with steep cliffs, also invisible, and in their minds, they believed it to be shrouded with a heavy yin energy.
Initially, Chiang Xiao thought that once she got past the hillock, she would see a gloomy mountain, but the view before her was so unexpected that she couldn’t help but widen her eyes in disbelief.