Wang Yongzhu knew that Song Chongjin had connections with those hunters, so when Song Chongjin took the initiative to volunteer, he conveniently passed the task to him.
When Yang Zongbao was wandering outside until dusk, and wild beasts were roaring in the distant mountains, he finally mustered the courage to return home with a bunch of wild mountain mushrooms, wild vegetables, and a few bird eggs.
Song Chongjin quickly took the items, letting Yang Zongbao sit down: "Uncle, you rest for a moment, I’ll take care of dinner!"
Wang Yongzhu wanted to get up and help but was stopped by Song Chongjin: "It’s already dark, and there are snakes outside. You stay with Uncle, I’ll handle it soon."
With that, he carried the items to the river to clean and sort them.
Wang Yongzhu then sat down and poured a cup of tea for Yang Zongbao.
Yang Zongbao noticed that Wang Yongzhu seemed to have something to say and quickly gestured, asking what was on his mind.
Wang Yongzhu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Uncle, has the poison in your body been purged? Can your throat never be healed?"
Yang Zongbao was stunned, not expecting Wang Yongzhu to ask this.
After a long pause, he hesitantly gestured to tell Wang Yongzhu that the poison had long been cleared, but his throat would never speak again; countless doctors had told him he had aphasia.
Wang Yongzhu was momentarily surprised; indeed, doctors of this era should not be underestimated. Aphasia, isn’t that what Xiao Tiantian mentioned, where one can’t speak due to psychological reasons?
He was about to say something but was stopped by Yang Zongbao’s gesturing hands.
Yang Zongbao’s gaze was filled with love and gentleness as he looked at Wang Yongzhu; he knew Yongzhu truly cared for him and genuinely hoped for his well-being.
But he could only refuse, and his gesture’s meaning was very decisive.
The gist was that although his body was no longer poisoned, his life had been completely ruined the year he was betrayed, and his parents passed away one after another.
Though he had avenged them, he could never retrieve his parents or his youth.
He lived on, partly for the warmth he still felt back then, but mostly for redemption! To spend his life warning and punishing himself.
For it was his youthful arrogance that led to the deaths of his dearest ones.
Of course, he didn’t tell Wang Yongzhu that, having gone through all that, he now recoiled from intimacy with women.
Over the years, he had tried, but without exception, he had failed.
He had completely given up and accepted that he would be alone for the rest of his life.
Now being able to acknowledge an adopted sister, niece, and niece’s husband was already a small blessing from the heavens.
He dared not hope for much more. Having lived extravagantly yet fallen into the abyss and struggled for so many years, this small warmth was his salvation!
It was the heavens finally showing him a bit of mercy.
If he were greedy and asked for more, he feared the heavens would take even this bit of comfort away.
Wang Yongzhu didn’t know Yang Zongbao’s thoughts, but seeing his resoluteness, he knew it was pointless to continue, so he remained silent.
He simply expressed a fleeting regret: "Uncle, you’ve traveled far and wide for so many years, seen countless interesting things. I’m just stuck in this village, having no idea what the outside world looks like. How wonderful it would be to hear about your experiences—"
Yang Zongbao’s eyes lit up, a thought suddenly occurring to him as he saw the expectant look in Wang Yongzhu’s eyes, and he made a silent resolve.
Only hearing the last sentence, Song Chongjin entered just then, tossing the cleaned mushrooms and wild vegetables into a cleaned clay pot, added some water, and sat on the stone while tending to the fire, saying: "How hard can that be? After the autumn examination, regardless of the result, we can take mother and uncle to travel around and have some fun—there are so many places in the world we can go."
Wang Yongzhu’s eyes lit up immediately, looking at Song Chongjin with great anticipation.
Suddenly, Yang Zongbao found this son-in-law, who had seemed absolutely pleasing to his eyes, becoming rather unpleasing now.
He decided he would have to step up his plans and ideas!
No more words were exchanged through the night, and the three set off down the mountain early the next morning in the dewdrops.
Passing the place where they had found turmeric the day before, Yang Zongbao didn’t forget, instructing Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu to dig while he cut some bamboo, twirling his dagger deftly with his fingers.
The bamboo quickly became thin strips in his hands.
Yang Zongbao sat cross-legged on a stone, weaving the strips swiftly into a bamboo basket.
The rim needed to be crafted from bamboo that’s neither too old nor too young, heated over a fire and bent into a circle before being secured with the strips.
However, Yang Zongbao took a shortcut, using a flexible vine to form the basket’s rim.
He then filled the basket with the dug-up turmeric.
Ready to descend the mountain with the basket on his back.
Song Chongjin wouldn’t let Yang Zongbao carry the heavy load, attempting to take it, but mid-hand off, Wang Yongzhu effortlessly lifted the basket with one hand and walked off. By the time Song Chongjin realized, he hurriedly chased after her.
Yang Zongbao’s usually calm face cracked a little.
He stared at Wang Yongzhu’s back for a while, seeing how effortlessly she carried the basket, he could only shake his head, smiling, and followed her down the mountain.
Upon returning to the village, the villagers came up to greet them.
"Yongzhu, is that your uncle?"
"Is the Scholar Master back again?"
"Scholar Master, how long are you staying this time? Come visit our home."
As soon as Song Chongjin set foot in the village, he donned his serious face once more, nodding curtly to the villagers’ greetings.
Which was enough to greatly please them.
Wang Yongzhu heard it and wondered who had spread their family matters, but having decided to acknowledge Yang Zongbao, she wasn’t going to keep it hidden.
So she said straightforwardly: "Yes, this is my uncle! He usually lives in the city, just came to stay with us for a few days."
Hearing that he was from the city, the villagers looked at Yang Zongbao with new eyes.
Originally thinking his clothes were shabby, they now felt this city man was quite nice, with none of the city folks’ airs, just like a countryman.
A nosy villager inquired: "Yongzhu, you’ve certainly improved your days; not only is your own life better, but even your uncle is from the city."
"Indeed! But didn’t I hear that your mother severed ties with her family? What’s the story with this uncle?"
Wang Yongzhu pretended not to hear such probing questions.
The inquirer, realizing no one was answering, had to sullenly fall silent.
With the villagers chatting around them, they returned home.
Old Granny Zhang saw them back safely and was finally relieved, inviting them to dinner. She heated some water, urging them to bathe and soak their feet before resting.