28: Chapter 30: The terrain and waters of a place nourish its people.

28: Chapter 30: The terrain and waters of a place nourish its people.

Li Xiaoqiang approached Liu Mantao and teased, “My, Auntie Liu, you seem even prettier since I last saw you.”

Hearing this, Liu Mantao placed her hands on her hips and said, “Xiaoqiang, you dare to mock your Auntie Liu?

Don’t think just because you’re grown up now that I’d be afraid of you.” Finishing her statement, her cheeks trembled with laughter.

Just then, Liu Mantao moved closer to Li Xiaoqiang, and he surrendered, “Auntie Liu, please don’t do this.

If my mom sees this, she’ll skin me alive.”

Liu Mantao nodded with a smile, “Haha, I’m just teasing you.

If your little girlfriend saw this, she’d be up on my roof, tearing off tiles.”

“Ah!” Li Xiaoqiang sighed, “I broke up with Liu Lulu.”

“No…no way?” Liu Mantao expressed disbelief.

Li Xiaoqiang shrugged and said, “I thought it was impossible too, but that’s the truth.”

Liu Mantao shook her head, “Oh dear, those ungrateful girls from the Liu Family.

Thinking back on how much your grandfather helped them, and they dare to break up with you, utterly heartless and ungrateful.”

Li Xiaoqiang smiled and said, “Auntie Liu, it’s their freedom, and besides, she hasn’t married into our family yet.

We don’t have the right to dictate their actions.”

Liu Mantao tiptoed, looked around, and leaned her face closer to Li Xiaoqiang.

Li Xiaoqiang quickly asked, “Auntie Liu, what…what are you doing?”

In Gancha Town, Li Xiaoqiang didn’t dare to act rashly.

If the villagers saw, he might not care about losing face, but his mother and grandfather certainly would.

Liu Mantao beckoned to Li Xiaoqiang, “Xiaoqiang, don’t hide from me.

Auntie wants to tell you a secret, and you must help me with this favor.”

Li Xiaoqiang raised his eyebrows, tilted his head slightly, and asked with curiosity, “Really?”

Liu Mantao nodded firmly, “Why would I lie to you?

But you have to promise to keep it a secret for Auntie, okay?”

Li Xiaoqiang hesitated for a moment before responding, “Well, let’s hear it first.”

Liu Mantao looked around guiltily with no one nearby; her face turned a bit red as she whispered, “Auntie seems to have caught that…what’s it called?”

Li Xiaoqiang blinked in surprise and choked out, “Uh…gynecological disease.”

Liu Mantao hurriedly nodded, took a deep breath of relief, and entrusted Li Xiaoqiang, “You must keep this secret for Auntie, how could I go on living if others heard about it?

And you have to come treat me.”

Li Xiaoqiang nodded, “Auntie Liu, don’t worry, I’m a doctor, maintaining confidentiality is a basic professional duty.”

Liu Mantao smiled and said, “Xiaoqiang, you’re the best.

You’ve inherited the Immortal’s legacy, and I’m too embarrassed to tell the Immortal about my illness since he doesn’t practice medicine anymore.

You must cure Auntie Liu’s ailment; it makes my nights miserable.”

Li Xiaoqiang frowned, “Auntie Liu, but Uncle Liu is so fierce.

I’m afraid he’ll drag a kitchen knife and chop at me like he did that time.

I’m really scared.”

Taking a deep breath, Liu Mantao thought for a moment and said, “Then do this—late at night, I’ll quietly leave the back door open.

When my father is asleep, you can come over to treat me.

How’s that?”

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoqiang felt like he was plotting some shady scheme.

What the hell kind of situation was this?

Li Xiaoqiang took a deep breath and said, “Alright…”

Liu Mantao gratefully said, “Xiaoqiang, you’re truly kindhearted, a lucky star for Auntie Liu.

Remember to come tonight, don’t fail me.”

Li Xiaoqiang laughed, “Definitely, definitely!”

Immediately after, Li Xiaoqiang headed towards the tea plantation halfway up the hill, where his mother Wang Chunmei was picking tea.

Li Xiaoqiang’s mother’s hair had started to show signs of greying.

Seeing her son awake, Wang Chunmei came up to him and circled around, inspecting him from left to right, fearful that her son might have been injured.

Wang Chunmei breathed a sigh of relief, “Xiaoqiang, you’ve finally woken up, you scared me to death.”

Li Xiaoqiang chuckled, “Mom, I’m fine.

Let me help you pick tea!”

Wang Chunmei promptly stopped Li Xiaoqiang’s actions and said with concern, “Son, you’re meant for bigger things, how can you do this kind of domestic work?”

Li Xiaoqiang felt warm inside facing his mother’s doting love.

Wang Chunmei told Li Xiaoqiang, “Your brother said you were a bit weak, so he’s gone hunting in the mountains.”

Hearing this, a look of joy appeared on Li Xiaoqiang’s face, and he excitedly said, “Mom, then I’m going to find Xiaopin!”

Watching Li Xiaoqiang running off, Wang Chunmei laughed and nodded her head, “Be careful!”

“Sure thing!” echoed Li Xiaoqiang’s cheerful voice through the valley.

Behind Gancha Town were the dense forests of the mountains, and Li Xiaoqiang had heard from his grandfather that for thousands of years, no human had set foot there.

Not only were rare and exotic herbs found there, but also ferocious beasts prowled within, according to an old man from Gancha Town.

The old man had once seen a python, five zhang long, in the depths of the mountains, which swallowed a wild boar whole.

That sight so terrified him that it took him a full year to recover.

Because of these stories, those deep mountains behind Gancha Town became the villagers’ forbidden zone, with one exception: Li Xiaoqiang’s brother, Li Xiaopin.

Consequently, the Li family enjoyed the highest standard of living in Gancha Town.

With a constant supply of wild meat and natural food, whenever Li Xiaopin worked at the construction site in the county, he always made sure to bring back enough to prevent his family from going hungry.

However, there’s a saying that holds true: you can’t tread water without getting your feet wet.

Li Xiaoqiang recalled during his second year of university when Xiaopin came home covered in blood.

He mentioned encountering a pure white fox that was so fearsome it surpassed his understanding!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep