A thin, scrawny man stepped in front of the mule cart. Despite his small stature, his eyes shone with an unusual brightness.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The father and daughter looked at him, utterly bewildered.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chang''an truly didn''t recognize the man in front of them, while Old Gu Six thought he looked familiar but couldn''t be certain if it was who he thought it was.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The man, upon seeing Old Gu Six, became overjoyed, which only intensified his stutter.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"O-o-o-old S-s-s-six, it''s-it''s-it''s m-m-me!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Gu Six only knew one person who spoke with such a distinctive stutter, so he asked, "A-a-are y-y-you A''qing?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chang''an: Why are you imitating his way of speaking?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Gu Six: It makes me seem friendlier.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chang''an expressed doubt: Doesn''t that make you more likely to get punched?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing''s already bright eyes lit up even more when he realized Old Gu Six had recognized him.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
He said, "Y-y-yes, it''s A-A''qing."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Gu Six''s sharp eyes instantly brightened, and his face crinkled with joy.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing was from Liu Family Vige, next to Qingfang Vige. He was an orphan, and the vigers often bullied him because of his stutter.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
He was two years older than Old Gu Six, and when they used to beg together, A''qing would always protect him. Sometimes, when Old Gu Six couldn''t get any food, A''qing would share his own.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Later, when Old Gu Six was adopted by an old hunter, he stopped begging.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
He would secretly save some of his own food rations to give to A''qing, but A''qing never epted them. He was afraid that if Old Gu Six did this, his adoptive family might throw him out, forcing him to beg again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The old hunter always knew about Old Gu Six''s hidden food stash. He never exposed him, but would quietly prepare extra food so that Old Gu Six could help A''qing without going hungry himself.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Gu Six threatened A''qing, saying if he didn''t ept the food, he would never speak to him again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
And so, with the old hunter''s silent help, Old Gu Six supported A''qing for five years. Later, A''qing left Liu Family Vige; vigers said his aunt had taken him in.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Unexpectedly, after seventeen or eighteen years, A''qing had recognized him at a nce.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing said with a smile, "Y-y-you w-w-were g-g-good-looking as a ch-ch-child."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
In fact, Old Gu Six had only grown more handsome with age, his features maturing without bing unrecognizable.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"How have you been?" Old Gu Six jumped down from the mule cart and gave him a big hug.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"G-g-good. M-m-mother t-t-treats me v-v-very well."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
From the day he returned with his aunt, he had started calling her "mother."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing looked at Chang''an standing next to Old Gu Six. He seemed momentarily confused, then appeared to realize something.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
He asked, "Is-is-is th-this y-your d-d-daughter?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Yes, this is my daughter Chang''an. Darling, this is your father''s benefactor. Quickly, greet Uncle A''qing," Old Gu Six said, patting Chang''an''s head.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chang''an stepped forward and gave A''qing a respectful bow, as befitting a younger generation. "Chang''an pays her respects to Uncle A''qing."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"G-g-good," A''qing said, helping Chang''an up.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Then he said to Old Gu Six, "C-ce, l-let''s g-g-go s-sit at m-my h-h-house."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Gu Six nodded, "Alright."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing''s home was at the end of the vige - four thatched huts with a clean courtyard. The chickens were penned in a corner of the yard, not allowed to roam freely and defecate everywhere.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
His family was small: just an elderly mother, a wife, and two children - a son and a daughter.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing''s mother was out visiting neighbors. His wife was busy with housework when she saw guests arrive. She quickly put down what she was doing and came to greet them.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She first carefully looked at Old Gu Six and Chang''an, then noticed the mule cart parked outside the yard.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Though the father and daughter weren''t dressed in the finest clothes, theymanded attention just by standing there.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing''s wife was an ordinary, illiterate farm woman. She wouldn''t describe the father and daughter pair in the way a schr might.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
In her words, they were exceptionally good-looking, as if they glowed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing happily introduced them to his wife, "M-m-mother, w-w-wife, th-this is m-my ch-childhood f-f-friend, Old G-Gu S-Six, and h-his d-daughter."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing''s wife felt somewhat awkward, momentarily at a loss for what to do.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She smiled nervously, "Wee, sir, miss. Please,e in and have a seat."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Gu Six spoke gently, "Sister-inw, please call me Old Six. This is my daughter Chang''an."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Greetings, Aunt A''qing," Chang''an stepped forward and gave another respectful bow.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Oh, please," A''qing''s wife hurriedly helped Chang''an up.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She thought to herself, goodness gracious, this youngdy is truly beautiful, so soft and polite.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Then she thought of her own daughter, who was probably running wild in the mountains with her brother right now, and her hands began to itch.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
As if on cue, the children she was thinking about returned home.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Mom, Mom, look what my brother and I found!" a voice called out before they even entered the yard. They paused at the gate, confused. "Huh? Brother, do we have guests?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Looks like it."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The siblings ran into the courtyard. The little girl was carrying a wild pheasant, while the boy had a basket full of fresh mushrooms.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The first thing they saw upon entering was Chang''an and Old Gu Six.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The siblings exchanged a nce, both wondering when their family had ever had such good-looking guests.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A''qing went over and lightly smacked the back of their heads. "Th-this is U-Uncle Gu and Ch-Chang''an."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
He then introduced them to Old Gu Six: "Th-these are m-my s-son and d-daughter, D-Da..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Seeing his father struggling with the introduction, A''qing''s son took over: "Uncle Gu, I''m Dazhu, and this is my sister Qingqing."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Hello there," Old Gu Six greeted them with a warm smile.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Dazhu felt a bit shy, though it wasn''t obvious due to his sun-darkened skin.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Qingqing kept hiding behind her brother, stealing nces at Chang''an. This girl was fair-skinned and beautiful, with lovely clothes and embroidered shoes she had only seen in city shoe shops.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She looked at her own rough, bony hands, then down at her cloth shoes with toes peeking out. Her big toe twitched ufortably as she tried to tuck it back in.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She tugged at her coarse, patched-up clothes. Living in the vige, she had never felt different before, but suddenly having someone so unlike her in their home brought unfamiliar feelings.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
For the first time, she experienced a sense of inferiority, feeling an unprecedented embarrassment.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Two girls of simr age, yet they seemed to inhabitpletely different worlds.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
One radiant and refined, the other worn down by the hardships of life.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
No one noticed Qingqing''s silence. A''qing''s wife asked the children to go tell their grandmother that they had guests.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The siblings put down their findings and left together. On the way, Dazhu noticed something was off with his sister.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Qingqing, what''s wrong?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"It''s nothing, brother. Say, what do you think the outside world is like? Is everyone as beautiful as that girl?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The young boy was perceptive enough to understand why his sister was feeling down. He affectionately patted her head.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Grinning, he said, "Qingqing, one day I''ll earn lots and lots of money. I''ll buy you the prettiest house, the most beautiful clothes, and the most delicious food."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0