Walking

Mǎn Bǎo also wanted to eat.

So she reached out and took one. Bái Èrláng and Bái Shànbǎo had already eaten breakfast, although it was not a formal meal.

They were wealthy and still growing, so they could afford to have a small bowl of noodles or something else every morning.

When they saw Mǎn Bǎo eating, they felt hungry again.

So, the two children squatted down and each chose something they liked to eat.

Mǎn Bǎo also brought a bun for her fifth and sixth brothers. Zhōu Wǔláng and Zhōu Liùláng, the two young men, sat next to the three children, feeling particularly embarrassed.

After eating their fill and drinking a little water from the bamboo tube, Mǎn Bǎo and Bái Shànbǎo felt ready to hit the road.

So, they took the lead and walked toward the village.

Zhōu Wǔláng and Zhōu Liùláng didn't notice anything wrong and happily followed behind. Today, simply accompanying Mǎn Bǎo was enough.

Bái Èrláng followed behind with a drooping head. Zhōu Wǔláng thought this kid was particularly clueless. He had a sour expression even when he came out to play. It is not surprising that there was conflict between him and their youngest sister when she first entered school.

The two individuals who were quietly walking in front, despite their past quarrels and fights, were now getting along well.

As they walked, they arrived at the foot of a mountain. Mǎn Bǎo didn't go up but continued walking forward.

At this point, there was no need for Bái Èrláng to lead the way because there was only one road in this direction, and they just needed to follow it.

After walking for a long time, Zhōu Wǔláng couldn't help but ask, "Mǎn Bǎo, where are we going?"

Mǎn Bǎo exclaimed, "Didn't I tell you?!"

Zhōu Wǔláng asked with a dark expression, "What did you tell us?"

Mǎn Bǎo scratched her head and finally found a reason for herself, "It must be because I'm too busy, so I forgot." "We're going to see our third brother today."

Zhōu Wǔláng thought he had misheard, so he asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Go see our third brother."

Zhōu Wǔláng was almost furious. "Who allowed you to go see our third brother?" "Our village is far from Báimǎguān Town."

"Not far, not far," Mǎn Bǎo thought they didn't understand and proudly explained, "It's closer than going to the county town."

"How is it close?" It's almost the same distance; it's far.

Mǎn Bǎo was upset when she heard him swear and stared, "When you go to the county town, why don't you say it's far?"

"Can it be the same?" "That's going to the county town!" Zhou Wulang said, "What's in the town is also in the county town." What's in the county town may not necessarily be in the town. If you want to have fun, we can go to the big market. By the way, is today market day?

Zhōu Liùláng shook his head, "No, it's tomorrow."

"Then let's go tomorrow," Zhou Wulang said, turning around to lead them back.

But would Mǎn Bǎo obediently listen?

She sat down on the ground and said stubbornly, "I want to go see our third brother." Our third brother has been in the military for several days. "Aren't you worried about him?"

She continued, "It's so cold now, and our third brother still has to work." It's a shame how well our third brother used to treat you. "He always helped you with work, and now you're not even concerned about him."

And then, "Do you think I'm just going to see our third brother?" "I have important things to do."

Zhōu Wǔláng asked, "What are the important things?"

"I want to write an article," she said. "The teacher said to write a world-famous article." Shànbǎo and I have already decided what to write.

Zhōu Wǔláng had never read a book and didn't know that Mǎn Bǎo, a little girl, was not old enough to write articles, so he believed her as soon as she said it.

Since it was an important matter, he didn't want to oppose it.

He scratched his head and said, "Well, you shouldn't have kept it from us. You should have told the family earlier."

"I didn't keep it from you, I just forgot to mention it," Man Bao said. "It's not something important," she said. "We'll be back in the afternoon, so why do we need to tell the family?"

Zhōu Wǔláng felt that something was amiss, but also believed that her words were logical. After all, they would be back in the afternoon, so it shouldn't be a problem whether they told their parents or not.

Zhōu Wǔláng coughed lightly and asked, "Should we go now?" But I'll tell you in advance, I don't really know the way to Báimǎguān Town. "I think I went there once when I was very young with my mother to attend a wedding at that uncle's house."

People from Qīlǐ Village usually went to the big market to buy and sell small items. If they wanted to purchase larger items, they would go directly to the county town.

Zhou Wulang was truly unfamiliar with Baimaguan Town.

Even the slightly older Zhou Liulang was not familiar, let alone Zhou Liulang.

But Mǎn Bǎo and Bái Shànbǎo were very confident and brought Bái Èrláng to the front, saying happily, "We've already thought about it." Look, Bái Èr will lead the way for us.

Bái Èrláng wanted to speak, but Mǎn Bǎo added, "He has eaten our candy and snacks, so it's a deal." "He will definitely lead us well."

Bái Èrláng closed his mouth.

Zhōu Wǔláng and Zhōu Liùláng didn't think much about it and nodded, so everyone set off again.

Soon, they came to a point where they needed to choose one of two roads.

Bái Èrláng stood at the intersection, feeling the four pairs of eyes behind him piercing into his back like knives. He wanted to cry but couldn't. He looked at the two roads and tried to remember whether he had gone this way or that way when his father took him to collect rent in the autumn.

After looking for a long time, he realized that neither road looked familiar. So, he closed his eyes and randomly pointed to one of the roads, saying, "This way!"

So, everyone happily set foot on that road.

Zhōu Wǔláng said, "Before we came, we should have asked the eldest brother." "I don't know if our third brother is in town."

"Didn't they say he's in Báimǎguān Town on duty?" "Then he must be in town."

"That's not necessarily true." Service doesn't just involve digging in one place. Roads need to be built, and water conservancy projects are completed in sections. How could everyone be in Báimǎguān Town?

After saying this, Zhōu Wǔláng hesitated, "Should we go back and ask the village head first, and then go tomorrow?"

They had been walking for a long time, and Mǎn Bǎo felt that her legs were sore. If they went back now, wouldn't it be a waste of walking today?

Thinking this, Mǎn Bǎo refused, "No, we must go today."

But Wǔláng reminded her, and she stopped and reached out, "I'm tired." "I want to be carried."

Zhōu Wǔláng, accustomed to it, squatted down to carry her.

Bái Shànbǎo looked on enviously and also stared at Zhōu Liùláng's back.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhōu Liùláng, thinking that they had eaten a lot of food from other people in the morning, also squatted down and said, "Young master, I'll carry you."

Bái Èrláng immediately said, "I want to as well, I want to!"

Zhōu Wǔláng said, "You're thinking too much." Look at how old you are. Do you have the nerve to ask to be carried? "My nephew was already working in the fields at your age."

Bái Èrláng was ruthlessly suppressed and could only pout as he walked ahead.

After walking for a long time, they still hadn't reached Báimǎguān Town. Zhōu Wǔláng calculated the distance and time and felt that something was amiss. By this time, they should have been able to reach the county town. Why hadn't they seen the town yet?