Chapter 321: Hidden Water

However, how many people knew about people living in such an environment in such a flourishing world?

Fangzheng heard an elder sobbing when he passed by a household as well as He Ming’s comforting voice. Although Fangzheng had never learned the local dialect, he was able to understand the speech of all biological creatures. Dialect was naturally included.

“Team Leader He, my husband was so unlucky to die that way… Sob… Tell me, how could he just depart like that? He has been climbing that stairway his entire life but… Sob…”

He Ming whispered, “Auntie, don’t cry. Uncle may be gone, but aren’t we still here? We will come often to accompany you. Look, this is a hairpin we brought for you. Look how pretty it is. When your granddaughter returns, you can give it to her.”

“Thank you, thank you Team Leader He. You are a good person, but please don’t come again.”

“Why?”

“That path is not for humans. Good people should live a long life.”

Upon hearing that, Fangzheng’s heart winced. Red Boy fell silent as well.

As he continued forward, Fangzheng heard a series of maniacal laughter. Upon hearing the voice that continued on like a machine gun, he was certain that it was Yao Yuxin. Against this woman that was a little deranged and did things without running them through her head first, Fangzheng had the intention to avoid her. However, when he heard an elder’s laughter, he turned curious. What was the lass doing that made the elder so happy?

He secretly approached with Red Boy in tow. He lied on top of a wall and looked inside and happened to see Yao Yuxin jumping around while gesturing. She was recounting a story with spit flying everywhere. She had an exaggerated expression, and her actions were pompous, but the elder was chuckling nonstop.

“Venerable One, what are you doing?” At that moment, an inquisitive voice sounded behind them, nearly causing Fangzheng and Red Boy to fall to the ground in fright. When they turned around, it was the male dancing teacher who wore glasses. His name was Ma Haomiao.

“Patron Ma, This Penniless Monk is watching Patron Yao. Well, her actions are strange,” Fangzheng was unsure how to describe it.

Red Boy said straight to the point, “She had actions that looked like a madman’s.”

Ma Haomiao immediately laughed when he heard that, “Yao Yuxin, she’s…” Upon saying that, he sighed as his expression turned a little solemn, “In fact, she wasn’t like that in the past.”

Fangzheng was stunned as Red Boy asked curiously, “How was she like in the past?”

“Let’s talk as we walk. I’ll be in trouble if she hears it.” Ma Haomiao walked off with Fangzheng and Red Boy. “I heard this from Team Leader too. In the past, Yao Yuxin was like Sis Liu, an extremely quiet girl. Later on, something happened to her family. Her granny who loved her the most passed away. From then on, she turned dejected. When Team Leader He saw her in that state, he invited her to join our volunteering team. Perhaps, she treats the elder inside as her granny. She said that she owes her late grandmother companionship and laughter. That’s why she would do her best to accompany these elders every time she’s here. She chats with them and tries to make them laugh.

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And there are some elders who are really advanced in age. Their ears aren’t that well. So she tries her best to speak very loudly. Some of the elders have poor eyesight, so she tries her best to exaggerate her smiling. She even specially went to school to learn drama performance.

In order to always have a topic of conversation without entering an awkward silence, she maintains her garrulous way of talking. After three months, she has changed completely as a person. To be honest, her past self I did not know seems fine. But having met her already like this, it’s difficult to put the two of them together. In the past, she apparently spoke softly and never showed her teeth when smiling. She was easily embarrassed. But now… She’s like a tough woman, like she’s one of the boys,” said Ma Haomiao with a wry smile.

On the way back, the way Fangzheng and Red Boy looked at Yao Yuxin changed. They avoided her when they first came to the village since it was as though she had a screw loose. After all, she babbled on incessantly with pompous gestures and was even quite a busybody. They were afraid of being targeted by her. But on the way back, their experiences with her no longer colored their view of her. At least, they believed that she was a woman worthy of respect, a woman filled with warmth.

After returning to Daili Village, the volunteers’ last stop was Daili Hope Primary School in the village. The primary school had been built with donations, but no one knew who the benefactor was. The school was not large, with it only having two classrooms and one teacher’s residence.

The volunteers delivered the last batch of water to the school. The students were in most need of water as they attended classes every day.

There were a total of twelve children, with each person receiving one bottle of water. That was today’s quota.

Fangzheng stood to the side, looking. The volunteers were clearly familiar with their jobs. They chatted and played with the children like they were friends before giving them the water. It did not feel like they were handing out alms but like they were gifting something to a friend. Upon seeing this, Fangzheng could not help but give a praising sigh, “This is what it means to do community service.” Upon saying this, Fangzheng recalled Jing Yan. Back then, the lass did not know how to do community service. She was in no way professional!

However, Red Boy was the most tragic. He was pulled to join the children by Yao Yuxin as they began playing Duck, Duck, Gray Duck and hide and seek. Red Boy did not appear grown up but he was, in fact, not young. He almost had a mental breakdown from playing such games! However, he had to play or the darn baldy might suddenly have scripture recital inspirations! He was once again the person who suffered in his master’s stead.

Fangzheng sat by the side and watched the scene chuckling. But soon, Fangzheng saw the children secretly hide away the water. For example, Dachen and Erhu, as well as the young girl that had climbed up the mountain first, secretly hid the water in their tiny cloth bags.

“Erhu, your lips are already parched. Why aren’t you drinking?” the meticulous Sis Liu asked in concern.

Erhu shook his head and said, “I have drunk some. I’m just like that. My lips easily crack.”

“Dachen, Qiuqiu, what about the two of you? Are your lips also prone to cracking?” Sis Liu asked somewhat peeved.

Being older, Dachen was thick-skinned as he nodded immediately, “That’s right.”

Qiuqiu had clearly never lied. He turned slightly nervous and afraid.

Sis Liu purposefully made her tone a little harsh as she went forward, “Qiuqiu, tell me. Why aren’t you drinking the water?”

Qiuqiu believed Sis Liu was reprimanding him as he burst out into tears and said sobbingly, “Auntie Liu, I was wrong. I… I only wanted… Granny doesn’t have water to drink. I wanted to give her some to drink.”

Sis Liu could not stop her tears from flowing when she heard that. She patted Qiuqiu on the shoulders and said, “Good boy. You just need to drink your water. Auntie and the rest of us have delivered the water to your granny.”

“Auntie, our grannies are always unwilling to drink water, saying that our family’s water is precious. We also wish to save some water for her. That way, she will have more to drink,” Qiuqiu’s brother said as he tugged at his sleeves.