Chapter 1: Childhood Chapter 1: Mischievous

  Later, Yuan Hua and the others saw Wang Xiangyang, seeing that he was bandaged, they were all puzzled. What's wrong with this kid? Could it be because of the 300 yuan that was missing, did his mother, a tigress, open him up?

  Come on, it's not that serious, you're a couple now, is it necessary to be so cruel? I didn't even think that was Wang Xiangyang's own store.

  Then we have to go to visit our master, we can't just go empty-handed, right?

  These two days Yuan Hao has been thinking about this matter.

  Right, we need to prepare a gift. But I don't know what to prepare yet.

  At that time, gifts were generally wine, cigarettes, and local specialties. There was nothing more advanced than that.

  This matter has really made him rack his brains.

  Forget it, I couldn't figure it out by myself anyway. Let's go ask Da Gou and them for advice.

  "Big dog, look at us this time going to pay respects to the master, what should we give as a gift?"

  The big dog thought for a moment and said: "I think we don't need to deliberately buy something. After all, we have already prepared 300 yuan. This is not a small amount of money."

  Secondly, what's important in paying respects to a master is our sincerity and predestined affinity, not the gifts we bring.

  Finally, last time I also carefully observed Mu Grandfather and found that he is not a person who covets these gifts, but rather a strange person.

  "So my suggestion is just prepare what we can and don't worry about the rest."

  Yuan Hao listened to Da Gou's analysis and also recalled the scene of seeing Mu Grandfather that day.

  Indeed, just as Big Dog said, Wooden Grandfather looked like a transcendent being who wouldn't be troubled by these gifts for the few of them.

  "Alright then, I'll prepare the gifts. You two wait for me and Da Shuai for two days, and in two days' time, we'll go to pay our respects to our master!"

  Two days have passed in the blink of an eye.

  "I'm asking, bro, when are we going to find a master to learn from?"

  "What's your hurry? Let's go find Brother Hao later and see when he's going."

  "Alright, let's go after we have lunch."

  By noon, Da Gou and Er Gou arrived at Yuan Huan's home. As soon as they entered the door, they saw Huan's mother washing clothes. Da Gou asked: "Auntie, is Yuan Huan at home?"

  "It's Dogzi and his brothers who have arrived, Yuanhao is not at home, he went to the river with Dashuai to catch fish, saying that there's something important today, they need to go to the river to catch a few big fish. You guys go find them by the river, tell him for me to be careful, after all it's dangerous in the river, and let him come back early."

  "Alright, I've got it, Auntie. Then 2 Dogs and I will be off. You can come visit us at home sometime."

  "You're such an understanding good kid, I'll go, bring a good gift for your dad and let him come home to sit, big sister has been away for so many years, your dad is both father and mother alone, it's not easy, neighbors still need to visit more often."

  Mentioning their mother, the two brothers felt a pang of sadness. It's been so many years since mom passed away, and it's not easy for dad to raise us on his own. We must work hard to master our skills, so we can repay our father's kindness in the future.

  When I arrived at the riverbank, Yuan Huan and Da Sha were already wearing only their underpants, using a fishing spear to catch fish in the river. Their clothes were placed on the riverbank, along with a fish basket. Looking into the fish basket, there were already four or five fish inside. It seems that these naughty kids haven't been idle lately.

  "Hao Ge, we're here, we've come to help."

  "Dogzi brothers, come on over, you can just wait there, no need to come down. I think it's almost enough, if I catch one more big one, that'll be about it. You guys just wait a bit and we'll head to Pojiao Village to find Mu Tou's old man to become his apprentices."

  "Alright, I and Er Gou will wait for you here. You guys be careful on your way back. Your aunt asked me to remind you to be careful, after all the water has risen."

  "It's okay, I'll be careful."

  After waiting for nearly ten minutes, Yuanhao and Dashuai walked from the river to the shore, still holding a big fish of five or six kilograms in their hands.

  "Let's go, it's almost enough. With the fish we caught earlier, we have a total of six fish now. Today is an important day for us to become apprentices, so let's prepare well. Wooden Old Man shouldn't be too difficult on us, I've heard that people who practice martial arts all have weird temperaments. When we pass by Auntie's small shop at the village entrance later, let's buy a few more bottles of white wine and some peanuts. Don't forget, Big Dog, remind me."

  "En, noted, still thanks to Huang for thinking ahead."

  "It's getting late, let's go, I don't know if today will be smooth or not."

  Like this, the four kids set off towards Poshou Village. When they arrived at the village entrance, they bought three bottles of white wine and four bags of peanuts. At 2 pm, they arrived at Mu Tou's house.

  After the few kids left, my aunt was still puzzled. What were these kids going to do? They bought wine and peanuts... This matter must be told to Fifth Brother at some point, or else if the kids develop a drinking habit, it'll be terrible.

  It's fortunate that I just went to the restroom myself and wasn't in the store, otherwise they definitely wouldn't have sold wine to those few.

  This is just an interlude.

  。。。。。。

  The four of them soon arrived at Mu's house.

  This is a rural quadrangle courtyard, covering a large area. In front of the gate is an open space with a big banyan tree, lush and thriving to the extreme.

  The courtyard is divided into two courtyards in front and back. They are all wooden frame structures, looking antique and elegant.

  In front of the gate there are two red pillars, about 3 meters high and as thick as an adult's arms can reach. A vermilion gate with ancient bronze door handles.

  It should be here, according to the news I heard before, they went in.

  "Excuse me, is this Wooden House?" asked the big dog as he stepped forward.

  "Is that so? This is Wooden House, what brings you kids to look for my grandson?" The speaker was Wooden's grandfather. Since Wooden's father had gone into the mountains today, upon seeing the children, he thought they must be his son's and asked in this way.

  "You must be Old Man Mu, we are friends of Wooden Brother, and we came especially to visit you today. I wonder if Old Man Mu and Wooden Brother are at home?"

  Old Man Mu heard that and said, "Oh, you're friends with that kid from the Wood family? Well, come on in then."

  "Wooden, your friends are here looking for you. You can stop practicing today and go have some fun with them."

  Grandfather Mu was over sixty years old, with white hair, not tall, slender build, and a gaunt face, especially prominent cheekbones, a wispy white beard on his chin, high temples on both sides of his forehead, wearing a white linen shirt, white pants, and a pair of cloth shoes, giving off an otherworldly aura. Perhaps due to years of martial arts practice, he had ample internal energy, and although he was shouting across the courtyard, several people could hear his voice as clear as a bell.

  "Hey, grandpa, I'm coming right away, is it Ah San and those few?"

  "It's not Ah San and the others, I haven't met them before, but they said they know you, today they came over especially to visit this old man, haha, really a few interesting kids, haha."

  "It's not Ah San and them, that's weird, I don't have any other friends left, wait, I'll wash my face and come over."

  After a while, he saw Mu Tou enter from the back door, covered in sweat, with his clothes slung over his shoulder. His muscles stood out especially prominently in the sunlight, and due to his exercise, they glistened brightly, exuding a wild aura all over his body.

  "What's with you guys again? What's going on, are you here to challenge me again today? Didn't I tell you to come back next month? Besides, even if all of you team up, you're still no match for me."

  "Don't get me wrong, we didn't come here to fight you. We came today to pay our respects and learn from you."

  Old Man Mu was puzzled, how did these children know they would have martial arts skills? For so many years, whether it was himself, Wooden Dad, or even Old Man Wooden, they had all forbidden them from revealing their martial arts in front of outsiders.

  "How did you know where I live? And how did you know we practice martial arts?"

  Out of caution, the old man wanted to ask about the doubts in his heart clearly.

  Yuan Hua and his friends told Old Man Wood everything about how they would knock on the wooden door, how they would clash with the wood, and their conjectures.

  Old Man Muo understood what was going on as soon as he heard it.

  "So that's how it is!"

  The work "Life's Ups and Downs" has undergone significant additions and deletions due to plot requirements.

  I hope everyone will like it.

  Wish you all a smooth work and a happy life!