Starting with the flesh-based stimulant

In the end, I only caught a fleeting glimpse of it.

Zhou was not as skilled at navigating the raft as the old man.

Fortunately, the water was calm, and after a few thrusts, it slowly made its way to the shore.

There was also a stake on the bank, which looked like it had been used for a long time.

Zhou tied the raft with hemp rope, hid the knife in his sleeve, and slowly walked into the village. Without asking around, he headed towards the direction of the lacquer master's house, following the location he remembered.

The lacquer master's family is considered a large household, with many children and grandchildren, and they already have three to five households.

For some reason, the Qi family did not split up. They lived together in three or five houses. There were six or seven children, some with long hair and some with yellow hair, chasing chickens and dogs. They were gathered together at the moment, whispering and discussing something.

Zhou He walked up behind them and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture:

"Children, I'm an old acquaintance of your grandfather. Who can pass on a message for me?"

Among the children was an older girl who, upon seeing Zhou and Qingjun, turned away somewhat shyly, ran into the house, and called out from afar, "Grandpa, someone is looking for you."

Before long, a tall, thin lacquer master with a white towel tied around his head came out of the door, holding a pipe in his hand, taking a few puffs as he walked.

"Mr. Qi, it's been a long time."

The lacquer master sized up Zhou He a few times, waved his pipe, and herded his grandchildren, who were pointing and whispering nearby, into the gate. He walked up to Zhou He, took a puff of his pipe, and didn't bother to say anything.

Zhou He frowned.

After a long pause, the lacquer master finally spoke slowly:

"He's still a student after all; this outfit makes him look proper."

Zhou He shook his head and said:

"Master Qi, I've run into some trouble and happened to be in your esteemed place, so I thought I'd come and say hello."

The lacquer master tucked his pipe into his waistband, led Zhou He through the gate, and brought him to a shed on the side.

That shed looked like a stable.

There was no feed trough or horse tethering area.

The old red motorcycle I'd seen before was now parked quietly under the shed.

The mechanic stepped forward, touching the rearview mirror secured by the motorcycle's wire mesh and the bulging part above the fuel tank, and asked:

"Old man Ma, have you eaten?"

Zhou He gripped the knife tightly in his sleeve, then relaxed it, his voice flat and even:

He asked me if I wanted wonton noodles or sliced ​​noodles.

The driver shook his head, walked around to the back of the motorcycle, touched the cargo rack, and remained silent for a while.

A light on the front of the motorcycle slowly begins to shine, like an old horse responding to its owner's caresses.

"This old man from the Ma family, he's been out of town for so many years, yet he still does these dirty things. I told him long ago that if he runs into a strongman, he'll die, but he didn't listen. It's his fate."

Qi Bashi stroked his motorcycle once, without looking at Zhou He, and said in a low voice.

Zhou He was somewhat unsure of his intentions.

But he remembered that from the first time they met, Qi Bashi had been showing him kindness.

He didn't want to suspect anyone for no reason.

In addition, since he came into this world, most people have intended to use him, which has made him somewhat trusting of the few people who do not have malicious intentions.

Whether it's Ga Gouwa, Li Ping, or Qi Bashi, they're all like this.

Zhou He did not offer any explanation, but instead went straight to the point:

"I have a friend who is a cook. He ran into some trouble this time and is starving. He's waiting for me to bring him some food. I was thinking of asking someone to buy him some food, but I didn't expect to run into the old man Ma you mentioned. It was by chance that I found out you were in this village."

The lacquer master nodded, coughed twice as if to calm the motorcycle down, and then led Zhou He into the main house.

The lights were already on in the main house, and six or seven children, along with their parents and older brothers, were sitting around a round table, waiting for dinner.

There weren't many grown women there; they must have already married.

Seeing his father bring in a strange young man, a tall, thin man who resembled Qi Ba Shi stood up, stepped forward, and said in a low voice:

"Dada (Father), who is this?"

The lacquer master instructed him:

"Take your wife to the kitchen and find some steamed buns and cured meat, a lot of them, and bring them back in a basket."

Perhaps because the lacquer master usually had a lot of prestige, the son didn't say anything, and with his head down, he pulled a woman out.

The lacquer master sat down at the round table, picked up a bowl of noodles, added some vinegar, and called the whole family to start eating.

Zhou He stood at the door waiting.

He could understand.

On the one hand, the lacquer master knew that he was a meat vendor, and meat vendors usually did not eat human food.

Besides, the two weren't that familiar with each other, and he had just slaughtered the people in their village. So, no matter what, even if it was Qi Bashi who invited him to eat together, he still had to accept it.

I probably wouldn't take the bowl myself.

It would be better not to call it at all.

This old man is very perceptive.

Zhou He stood at the door. The family members seemed a little uncomfortable eating, so they didn't say anything and finished their meal in silence. It was just a simple dinner, and they finished it off in no time.

Several women cleared away the dishes, and the children, after wiping their mouths, chased each other out again.

Just then, the lacquer master's son came in carrying a basket covered with a red headscarf, making it look quite bulging and filled with a lot of food.

The lacquer master stood up, took the basket from Zhou He, and led him out the door. Standing outside the gate, he coughed and gave him instructions:

"Student, I don't know what you're doing, but there aren't many peaceful places in this world. You should be more careful. If you can settle down, then don't keep running around."

Zhou He nodded his thanks, turned to leave, but then remembered something and asked:

"Hey, driver, I have something else to ask. A friend of mine is interested in driving, and I wonder if you have any travel permits or licenses for getting around?"

The lacquer master pulled a pipe from his waist, hesitated for a moment, and nodded:

"Did Chen Erluzi tell you this? I have some, but it's for my good-for-nothing son, so I'm afraid it's not appropriate to give it to you."

Zhou He slung the basket over his arm, reached into his purse and took out some money, saying:

"Mr. Qi, this item is indeed important to my friend. I don't know the market price, so just name your price."

The sky was already darkening. Qi Bashi took a puff of his pipe, the embers glowing reddish-brown. After a while, he said in a hoarse voice:

"This isn't about money. Here, student, let me show you the way."

Zhou He frowned, remaining silent and waiting for Qi Bashi to speak.

The lacquer master didn't keep us in suspense:

"Our area is called Xia Tuohe Village, and if you go uphill, it's called Shang Tuohe Village. These two villages have about four or five hundred families."

"In Shangtuohe Village, there is a command platform, and next to the platform is a temple. An old man lives in this temple. We call him Tuoziye. He is the one who bestowed upon me my travel permit."