Mortal bone

"Bang, bang, bang..."

In the howling cold wind, a little boy in thin clothes tremblingly knocked on the courtyard door of a family.

It was New Year's Eve at this time, and laughter sounded from time to time in the courtyard.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

After waiting for a long time without any response, the little boy raised his hand to grab the door knocker again, and knocked lightly a few times.

"call……"

It was too cold, after knocking on the door, he immediately put his hand to his mouth and let out a breath to warm himself up.

Not only his hands, but also his feet, which were only wearing straw sandals, were almost numb from the cold.

"Who?"

Fortunately, at this moment, the people in the yard finally responded.

The little boy was overjoyed.

"Second uncle, it's me."

He quickly responded.

"Squeak..."

Not long after, the courtyard door was opened, and an honest-looking middle-aged man poked his head out from the crack of the door.

"Oh, it's Taiping, it's so late, what's the matter?"

The middle-aged man asked the little boy.

"Second...Second uncle...the charcoal at home is finished, I think, I want to borrow a few catties of charcoal from you, second uncle, and I will pay you back when I can go up the mountain to cut firewood in the spring of next year."

The little boy dodged his eyes in embarrassment.

"How much is a few catties of charcoal worth? Just wait here, and uncle will get it for you!"

The man waved his hand and agreed.

"Taiping, have you eaten yet?"

After walking a few steps, the man suddenly stopped and turned to ask the little boy.

"I, I... I ate... Grandpa... Grandpa didn't eat..."

The little boy clutched the corner of his clothes tightly with his hands, and when he reached the end of his words, his voice was inaudible.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man sighed lightly, then grinned again and said:

"Taiping, you wait, Second Uncle will come as soon as he goes."

"Ah."

The little boy nodded slightly.

At this time, another gust of cold wind blew, and the little boy shivered from the cold, but his heart was not so cold anymore.

"Peace!"

Not long after, a middle-aged man came out with a dustpan in his hand.

"Take it."

The second uncle, who was breathing white, walked quickly to the gate of the courtyard, and stuffed the dustpan into the little boy's arms.

The little boy looked down and saw that in the dustpan, besides a few catties of charcoal, there were four steaming white flour buns.

"Second uncle, I..."

Looking at those big white buns, the boy was a little apprehensive, but he, who hadn't eaten all day, swallowed his saliva reluctantly after seeing those white flour buns.

"Take it!"

The middle-aged man smiled honestly.

"Er Niu, why are you still dawdling in the yard?"

At this moment, a rather burly woman walked quickly to the gate of the courtyard.

Seeing this woman, whether it was a little boy or a middle-aged man, their expressions changed.

"Taiping...Taiping, let me borrow some charcoal."

The middle-aged man smiled at the woman, his eyes were dodgy and full of fear.

"Second...second aunt."

The little boy called the woman.

The woman first rolled her eyes at the middle-aged man, then looked at the little boy, and finally landed on the dustpan in his hand.

When she saw the white-faced steamed buns placed on the charcoal, her face suddenly pulled down.

"I left this white flour steamed bun for Xiaohu, and I can't bear to eat it myself. You are so rich!"

The woman gave the middle-aged man a hard look, and then angrily grabbed two white-faced buns with one hand.

"Mom, is the roast goose ready? I want to eat roast goose, not white buns!"

At this time, a chubby boy in a new padded jacket came out of the house, and when he saw the white-faced bun in the woman's hand, he immediately looked displeased.

"Son, what are you doing out here, it's cold outside, go inside quickly, don't freeze."

Seeing this, the woman walked towards the fat boy anxiously.

"Mom, I don't want white buns, I want roast goose!"

The chubby boy stomped his feet with displeasure, as if he was about to cry.

"Okay, okay, okay, the roast goose will be ready soon, these buns are for Ah Huang to eat."

While coaxing the chubby boy dotingly, the woman threw the two white-faced buns into the dog cage under the eaves.

"Ugh……"

Seeing this scene, the middle-aged man frowned, and then sighed helplessly.

The little boy looked at the white-faced buns that had been bitten by the dog and bit his lips, then hugged the dustpan filled with charcoal tightly in his arms, looked up at the middle-aged man and said with a smile:

"Second uncle, thank you, I'm leaving."

"Be careful on the road, burn charcoal at night, remember to leave the window open, and help you cover the quilt."

The middle-aged man waved his hand.

"Xu Erniu! If you don't go back to the house, don't even think about going to my mother's kang tonight!"

The woman's cursing voice came from the house again.

"I'm coming!"

The man quickly responded, smiled at the little boy, and then closed the courtyard door.

After the courtyard door was closed, the last ray of light in the snow disappeared, and the whole world was once again engulfed by night, except for a small light in a thatched cottage not far to the east.

"With these charcoals and two white flour buns, grandpa will definitely get better."

The little boy in the night didn't feel scared, he shrank his head, muttered to himself with a smile, then hugged the dustpan of charcoal and the two white-faced buns tightly, and walked quickly towards the night. Walk to one of the small earthen houses with lights on.

……

In front of the small soil house.

"Squeak..."

The little boy opened the door.

"Taiping...is that you?"

As soon as he entered the door, an old, hoarse and somewhat weak voice came from the lit room.

"It's me, Grandpa."

The little boy rubbed his frozen face vigorously, trying to squeeze out a smile, then walked quickly to the door, opened the curtain and walked in.

As soon as you enter the room, a strong herbal smell hits your face.

Because there is no fire, the indoor temperature is no different from the outdoor temperature.

In the innermost part of the room was a bed made of several wooden planks. Under the quilt that was so worn out that the cotton wool was exposed, an old man who was so skinny was curled up in it.

"Grandpa, my second uncle lent me a few catties of charcoal and gave me two white flour buns. Let's bake them later."

The little boy Taiping poured the charcoal into the furnace, and said to the old man on the bed with a full face of joy.

"well……"

The old man smiled and nodded.

Although the old man exuded the air of twilight all over his body, his cloudy eyes suddenly regained their brilliance after seeing the little boy's peace.

"Taiping...the past few years...following grandpa...it's been hard for you."

The old man looked at Taiping with loving eyes, and muttered with difficulty.

"Grandpa, I'm not bitter, not at all."

Taiping, who lit the charcoal stove, raised his head, grinned at the old man and shook his head.

"Stupid boy, what a silly boy... If you hadn't taken care of me these past few years, grandpa might have left long ago..."

The old man reached out and touched Taiping's little head, and sighed with pity.

"Grandpa, don't say these unlucky words, you will surely live a long life."

Taiping shook his head vigorously while baking steamed buns.

"Taiping, have you heard of immortals?"

The old man suddenly asked Taiping.