Two subordinates who had been staking out the place escorted Qin Ningyi and his group to Huo Rou's small courtyard and then disappeared into the darkness.
Liu Dazhi, holding a flashlight, led Qin Ningyi and the others towards home.
As soon as they stepped through the door.
"Dad!" Liu Fang, who had been waiting in the main hall, rushed out the moment she heard the gate open. "How is Zhaodi sister?"
She had known about Zhaodi sister being injured and taken to see a doctor when she was brought back, so her immediate concern was for her.
Seeing Liu Fang bounce out, Li Zhaodi's eyes were also filled with smiles. Although her family couldn't provide her with warmth, warmth still surrounded her elsewhere.
"Creak—"
Liu Dazhi pushed the main hall door wide open and called for his wife to prepare the bedding.
Inside the main hall, the furnishings were old, but they were still arranged in an orderly fashion.
Liu Dazhi scratched his head and took a blanket to cover the peeling sofa. "Brother Qin, and you, brother, please come and sit."
He was feeling uneasy. He looked up at Qin Ningyi and his subordinate and saw that their expressions were natural, with no hint of disdain, and he finally felt relieved.
The late-night snack was brought by Qin Ningyi's two subordinates.
After they had eaten their fill, Qin Ningyi patted Liu Dazhi on the shoulder and finally asked the question that had been bothering him the entire journey.
"Brother Liu, about that poem A'Rou wrote in the snow you mentioned earlier, I'd like you to continue talking about it."
Liu Dazhi, having drunk a few cups of wine poured by Qin Ningyi, now considered him a brother. Hearing this, he patted Qin Ningyi on the shoulder. "Talk! Brother Qin, you're a good person! You're like my own brother, Liu Dazhi! Ask me whatever you want to know!"
Qin Ningyi smiled even more genuinely. "I'd like to hear about the phrase 'Old age can still be vigorous, with a heart that remains unchanged in old age.'"
"This one!" Liu Dazhi slapped the table with his large hand, making the bowls and chopsticks rattle.
"It snowed heavily that year. Sister Huo Rou was probably still pregnant with An'an. She had a good constitution and wasn't afraid of the cold. The year she taught me this poem was the year she wore the most clothes," Liu Dazhi recalled. "For An'an, Sister Huo Rou was being managed by a divine doctor and dressed like a ball."
Once the beginning was recalled, all the scenes replayed in his mind.
"Back then..."
Huo Rou had not been in the village for long, and everyone was not familiar with her, only knowing she was pregnant. Because she was beautiful, some people in the village had secretly speculated if she was the concubine of someone, hiding from their main wife and coming to this poor, remote place to give birth.
Because of such rumors, the villagers were initially reluctant to interact with her. As her neighbor, whose wife was also about to give birth, he visited her regularly.
Huo Rou suffered from severe morning sickness. When his wife learned of this, she asked him to send over some pickled vegetables from home. In return, Huo Rou would give them some essential oils and prenatal care medicine. It was the same on the day she taught him the poem...
"I also heard Sister Huo Rou talk about patriotism, but I didn't remember that," Liu Dazhi chuckled a couple of times. He only remembered that one line because Huo Rou had written it extensively, so he had looked at it a few more times and asked about it.
Li Zhaodi, who had just finished helping with the kitchen chores, heard this. She pinched her fingers and softly asked, "Uncle Dazhi, is it recited like this?"
"Mengchang was pure and noble, with only patriotism left; Ruanji was wild, how could he imitate the sorrow of the end of the road..."
"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" Liu Dazhi nodded frantically. He looked at Qin Ningyi. "It's this line! I remembered it as soon as I heard it."
Li Zhaodi smiled and explained to Qin Ningyi, "Back then, Aunt Huo was pregnant with An'an and couldn't sleep well every day. When I went out to find pig feed early in the morning, I occasionally met her out for a walk, and she would always be reciting the 'Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng.'"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Liu Dazhi continued to nod furiously. "She seemed to have mentioned it to me."
Liu Fang poked her head out of the room. "Dad! Is that the only line you know?"
"Ah, yes, yes, yes!" Liu Dazhi continued to nod frantically, picking up on Liu Fang's words.
Liu Fang and Li Zhaodi exchanged a look, both understanding what the other was thinking, and let out a suppressed laugh.
Only Qin Ningyi's mind was in a fog, almost unable to comprehend.