Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

Ever since he got the "little silver" from the river, Liu Xiaohu has cherished it like the apple of his eye.

I found a rough earthenware basin with a dent, cleaned it thoroughly, laid down fine sand I had scooped from the river and a few smooth pebbles, filled it with clear river water, and carefully put the little silver fish inside.

Little Silver seemed to adapt to its new home quickly, swimming leisurely in the basin. However, it would still dart around whenever Liu Xiaohu approached.

When Widow Liu saw how much her son liked it and heard that it was a gift from Lin Feng, she didn't say much. She just told him not to just play with the fish and to remember to help her with the chores.

Liu Xiaohu readily agreed and worked even harder, just so he could finish early and go be with his "Little Silver".

With this shared topic, the relationship between Lin Feng, Zhang Kai, Liu Xiaohu, and Li Qianqian seemed to become closer.

Zhao Mingxuan remained the same unsociable oddball. When they occasionally encountered him, he still acted arrogantly, and everyone had gotten used to it and couldn't be bothered to pay him any attention.

That day, the group of friends shifted their adventure target from the water to the trees—in the old forest behind the mountain, there were several tall oak trees, and it was said that there were newly built magpie nests on them this year, and maybe even bird eggs.

Lin Feng and Zhang Kai are the main climbers, while Liu Xiaohu, though young, is as agile as a monkey and is also a skilled climber.

Li Qianqian resolutely refused to climb the tree; she simply stood under it, looking up at everyone, and also kept an eye on the shoes that everyone had taken off and the small cloth bags that were meant to hold their spoils.

Chen Jing'an still did not participate.

Lin Feng went to call him, but he still shook his head and sat on his own doorstep, as quiet as a small stone statue.

Lin Feng didn't force him, knowing that was just his personality.

The three of them chose an oak tree that looked the thickest and whose branches were relatively easy to climb.

The tree trunk is rough, the bark is cracked, and it carries a heavy sense of age.

"I'll go first!" Liu Xiaohu volunteered, rubbed his little hands together, hugged the tree trunk, and quickly climbed up a section, but only up to his knees!

"Little Tiger, slow down! Hold on tight!"

Lin Feng shouted.

"Okay!"

In the end, Liu Xiaohu went up, filled with excitement.

With a steady hand, he observed the tree trunk, chose a path with protruding knots, and climbed upwards steadily using both hands and feet.

Lin Feng followed closely behind.

His movements weren't as nimble as Liu Xiaohu's, nor as steady as Zhang Kai's, but he had the advantage of being strong and daring, and he climbed quite quickly.

Soon, the three of them climbed to the first large tree branch.

Here, we were already two or three zhang (approximately 6.6-7.6 meters) above the ground, and the view suddenly opened up.

You can see the wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys of Hexi Town in the distance, the winding river, and the layered mountains of varying shades of color in the distance.

The wind blew past my ears, carrying the fresh scent of leaves and the smell of sunshine, making me feel like I was floating.

Wow! That's so tall!

Liu Xiaohu sat on a thick branch, his two little legs swinging back and forth, his face flushed with excitement.

Zhang Kai also leaned against the tree trunk, a rare, relaxed smile on his face.

He usually helps his father process game and repair tools at home, so he rarely has time to play like this.

Lin Feng looked up, searching for traces of the magpie's nest.

Sure enough, high up in the dense foliage, on a branch, I spotted a rather large bird's nest made of twigs and weeds.

"There!" he pointed to the two of them.

"I'll go get it!" Liu Xiaohu was about to move again.

"Wait," Zhang Kai stopped him.

"Check if there are any big birds. If there are, we can't take them, or we'll attract them back."

The three of them held their breath and observed for a while.

The nest was quiet, with no sign of the large bird, only the rustling of the leaves in the wind.

"It seems he's not here," Lin Feng said.

"Shall we go up and take a look?"

Liu Xiaohu was eager to try.

Further up, the branches become thinner and denser, requiring more care to climb.

The three slowed down, reminding each other as they approached the bird's nest little by little.

Finally, Lin Feng was the first to cling to the edge of the bird's nest and peer inside.

Inside the nest, there was soft hay and feathers, and four eggs lay quietly inside!

The eggshell is a light blue-green color, dotted with small brown spots, and is round and cute.

"There are eggs! Four of them!"

Lin Feng lowered his voice and said with delight.

Zhang Kai and Liu Xiaohu also came over to look, both of them smiling. For them, stealing bird eggs was not only a trophy, but also a symbol of a successful childhood adventure.

"How many?"

Liu Xiaohu asked.

Children in the countryside know the rules; they usually don't empty the purse strings, leaving some behind.

"Take two, one for Qianqian and one for Xiaohu," Lin Feng said.

"Leave the rest to the big bird."

Zhang Kai nodded in agreement.

Lin Feng carefully took out two eggs from the four eggs. Holding the warm, round eggs in his hand felt wonderful.

He handed the egg to Liu Xiaohu, who carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief and tucked it into his pocket.

Having completed their mission, the three did not immediately descend, but instead sat high in the tree, enjoying the unique tranquility and vastness that belonged to the treetop.

"Brother Feng, where do you think we'll go when we grow up?"

Liu Xiaohu suddenly asked, his little face showing a hint of confusion.

He came from a poor family, and his future seemed predictable.

Lin Feng gazed at the undulating mountains in the distance and pondered for a moment: "I don't know either. Maybe... like my father, living a simple life in town? Or like Uncle Zhang, hunting in the mountains? Or... going out to see the world?"

He remembered what Zhang the hunter's son had said about the big city and flying ships outside, and a vague longing arose in his heart.

Zhang Kai was silent for a while, then said, "I want to be a good hunter like my father. Life in the mountains is tough, but it's free."

He paused, then looked at Lin Feng.

"Brother Feng, you're a good student. Maybe you'll be able to do great things like Li Qianqian's brother in the future."

Lin Feng scratched his head: "My studies are just so-so... My teacher said I need to work harder. Besides, once I leave, I won't see you all, my dad, Aunt Yao, or Uncle Xiao Hei anymore."

He was actually a little reluctant to leave all the familiar things in Hexi Town.

Liu Xiaohu nodded vigorously after hearing this: "I don't want to leave my mother either, and Xiao Yinzi!"

The three of them fell silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

The wind whistled through the treetops, making a whistling sound, as if singing a song about growth and parting.

Just then, Li Qianqian's anxious voice came from under the tree: "Brother Feng! Brother Kai! Xiao Hu! Come down quickly! Zhao Mingxuan is coming this way with his men!"

The three were startled and looked down.

Li Qianqian was standing under the tree, looking out of the woods with a nervous expression on her face.

Following her gaze, they indeed saw Zhao Mingxuan, dressed in an eye-catching silk robe, leading his two servants, strolling leisurely towards the woods, pointing and gesturing as they walked, seemingly commenting on something.

"Why is he here?" Liu Xiaohu frowned.

"They must have seen us enter the woods and followed us here to cause trouble."

Zhang Kai said in a deep voice.

Zhao Mingxuan had always disliked them, and this kind of outdoor setting made it easier for him to use it against them.

"Get down here quickly!" Lin Feng made a decisive decision.

It's not good to be blocked by a tree.

The three of them quickly climbed down.

Climbing down a tree requires more skill and caution than climbing it, so it's naturally slower.

When they were still more than a meter above the ground, Zhao Mingxuan had already led his servants to the foot of the tree.

Zhao Mingxuan, with his hands behind his back, looked up at the three people climbing down the tree. He especially noticed Liu Xiaohu's bulging arms and a mocking smile played on his lips. "Oh, who do we have here? It's just you guys. Climbing trees like monkeys in broad daylight? Aren't you afraid of breaking your legs and becoming a cripple? Then you won't even be able to be a peasant anymore."

The two servants behind him let out a few snickers in unison.

Lin Feng ignored him and continued reading.

Zhang Kai and Liu Xiaohu also kept a straight face and remained silent.

Seeing that they remained silent, Zhao Mingxuan assumed they were scared and became even more smug: "Climbing so high to steal bird eggs, huh? You're really pathetic. The thrushes and parrots I keep in my garden are a hundred times better than these wild birds. If you want one, just beg me, and maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll give you one to play with."

At this moment, Lin Feng had already jumped down from the tree, dusted himself off, looked at Zhao Mingxuan, and calmly said, "Zhao Mingxuan, we're just playing our game, are we bothering you?"

"An eyesore."

Zhao Mingxuan was not polite at all.

"Although this back mountain doesn't belong to anyone, your shouting and climbing around here are ruining my enjoyment of the scenery, which is getting in my way."

This is just picking a fight. Li Qianqian's face turned red with anger: "Zhao Mingxuan, are you being unreasonable! This forest is so big, how have we gotten in your way?"

"I said it's in the way, so it is."

Zhao Mingxuan raised his chin.

"What, Miss Li, are you going to stand up for these peasants?"

Li Qianqian was speechless, choked by his words.

Zhang Kai also climbed down from the tree and silently stood next to Lin Feng, his eyes filled with vigilance.

Liu Xiaohu was the last to jump down, and subconsciously clutched his chest.

Zhao Mingxuan, with his sharp eyes, immediately pointed at Liu Xiaohu: "What's hidden in your clothes? Are those stolen bird eggs? Take them out!"

Liu Xiaohu shrank back.

"Zhao Mingxuan, we took the bird eggs, we didn't steal them," Lin Feng said, standing in front of Liu Xiaohu.

"The wild birds in these mountains don't belong to anyone, so there's no question of stealing them."

"I said it was theft, so it was theft!"

Zhao Mingxuan said arrogantly,

"Ah Fu, Ah Gui, go get that stuff for me and smash it! I can't stand this kind of petty theft!"

The two servants responded and were about to step forward.

Zhang Kai immediately stepped forward and blocked Lin Feng and Liu Xiaohu.

Although he was shorter than the servants, he was physically strong from years of running around in the mountains, and his eyes carried the fierceness of a mountain man, which made the two servants pause for a moment.

"What, you want to fight?"

Zhao Mingxuan sneered, "Do you know what happens to those who injure members of my Zhao family?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Li Qianqian was so anxious that she kept stamping her feet.

Liu Xiaohu clutched the bird egg tightly in his arms, his face pale.

Lin Feng felt a surge of anger rising within him.

This Zhao Mingxuan is really going too far! But he also knows that the Zhao family is powerful, and if a conflict really breaks out, his children will definitely suffer.

Just as the stalemate was at its peak, a gentle yet clear voice came from not far away:

"Mingxuan, what are you doing here?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Master Lin had appeared on the path at the edge of the woods at some unknown time.

He was still wearing that faded blue robe, holding a book, looking at them with a calm expression.

Upon seeing Master Lin, Zhao Mingxuan's arrogant demeanor immediately subsided somewhat.

Although he was domineering, he still showed some superficial respect for the only schoolteacher in town, after all, his father, Master Zhao, often said that scholars should be respected.

"Master Lin".

Zhao Mingxuan cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, which could barely be considered a greeting.

"It's nothing, just ran into a few classmates and chatted for a bit."

Master Lin's gaze swept over Lin Feng, Zhang Kai, and Liu Xiaohu, then looked at Zhao Mingxuan and the servants behind him, finally settling on the chest that Liu Xiaohu was clutching, and he understood.

He walked over slowly, his tone still calm: "When classmates gather, harmony is essential. Playing and joking should also be done in moderation; one should not be too noisy, nor... abuse one's power."

He spoke the last four words very softly, but when Zhao Mingxuan heard them, his expression changed slightly.

"The Master's teachings are correct."

Zhao Mingxuan lowered his head, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes, but he dared not refute.

Master Lin then looked at Lin Feng and the others: "It's getting late, it's time to go home. Don't let your families worry."

"Yes, Master," Lin Feng and the others quickly replied.

Seeing this, Zhao Mingxuan knew he couldn't get anywhere with this today. He snorted and waved to his servants, "Let's go!"

With his servants, he turned and slunk away from the woods.

Only after Zhao Mingxuan had walked away did Lin Feng and the others breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Master." Lin Feng said sincerely.

Master Lin waved his hand, looking at them gently: "It's normal for young people to be lively and active. But you must remember to be kind to others and to conduct yourself uprightly. When problems arise, you should persuade people with reason, not force them."

He paused, then glanced at the egg in Liu Xiaohu's arms. "Bird eggs have a spirit; they should be taken at the right time and in moderation. Now that they have been taken, we should treat their lives with care."

Liu Xiaohu nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Go."

Master Lin waved his hand, turned around, and slowly walked away along the path.

The figure in the blue robe quickly disappeared into the shadows of the trees.

"The teacher is truly amazing; he scared Zhao Mingxuan away with just one sentence!"

Li Qianqian patted her chest, her face filled with lingering fear and admiration.

"The Master is a scholar who speaks of reason," Zhang Kai said.

Lin Feng looked in the direction where the Master had disappeared, but he had a vague feeling that the Master had been standing there just now, speaking in an ordinary way, but there was an indescribable, reassuring power about him.

Just like... just like the oldest and biggest tree on the back hill, standing there quietly, it can shelter the grass under the tree from the wind and rain.

"Let's go back too," Lin Feng said.

The group of friends composed themselves, took their spoils and a little bit of lingering fear, and left the woods.

The setting sun cast long shadows of them. The exhilaration at the treetop and the minor conflict beneath it all became a bittersweet memory of this summer afternoon.

Higher up, out of their sight, in the shadow of a leaf, Ao Xiaohei crossed his arms, leaned against a tree trunk, and pursed his lips: "A bunch of little brats... But that pedantic teacher is rather interesting..."

He shook his head, his figure rippled like water, and then disappeared.

It was as if it had never existed.