Cheng Mingxuan stayed at the old man's house for half a month and developed a good skill in cutting and raising wheat.

He didn't hear any news that there was a war in the south, or that there was no war. Anyway, he couldn't stay any longer, so he said goodbye to the old couple.

As soon as he said he was leaving, the old lady burst into tears.

Her crying made Cheng Mingxuan feel very uncomfortable.

The old man hit his wife with his arm and said to Cheng Mingxuan pretending to be relaxed, "Don't worry about her. Your aunt loves to cry. She cried when the eldest son left. She also cried when the second and third sons left. This

No, I’m used to it!”

The old lady wiped her tears, turned around and went into the inner room, packed a bag, which contained a few changes of clothes and dry food, and stuffed it into Cheng Mingxuan's arms, "You can leave if you want, everyone has a family, and everyone has an old family."

Young man, we know in our hearts that when the war is over, we will come back and look at our old bones."

Cheng Mingxuan nodded repeatedly and started on his way home again under the reluctant eyes of the couple.

After walking south for who knows how many days, Cheng Mingxuan finally heard the deafening sound of gunfire.

The artillery fire burned the western sky red. With his short and incomplete experience as a soldier, he could barely tell that a fierce battle was happening less than three miles away from him!

There was no moon in the sky, and the continuous artillery fire in the distance made the dust everywhere, so he couldn't tell what time it was or where it was! He had to find a relatively safe place to hide first and wait until daybreak for the troops to withdraw.

Intend!

Cheng Mingxuan knocked on the doors of several houses, but most of them didn't dare to answer. There were two houses that heard the knocks and answered a few times. When they heard that they were staying overnight, they called him through the crack in the door to leave quickly! He had no choice but to obey.

I continued to feel my way along an alley, thinking that I could find a hiding place, such as a sheep pen or a straw pile. If that didn't work, I would sleep under the bridge.

However, at the end of the alley, he saw the gate of a small courtyard wide open, with several red lanterns hanging at the door.

Cheng Mingxuan walked into the door cautiously and found that the courtyard was small but very neat. He walked lightly into the courtyard, but before he had taken two steps, a soothing and clear Jiangnan tune suddenly came from the main hall!

That voice seemed a little familiar. Perhaps, being so close to my hometown, the local accent seemed particularly friendly! But when I thought about it, I couldn't help but wonder, who could this be? On a night of heavy gunfire, they still spoke

Can you sing a ditty leisurely?

"Who?" It was a girl's timid voice.

A girl suddenly appeared from one side of the wing. Soon after speaking, Cheng Mingxuan rushed over and covered the girl's mouth. He took her into the wing next door and said to her, "Don't be afraid, little one."

Sister! I am not a bad person. Seeing that there is a war ahead, I just want to stay overnight and leave early tomorrow morning!"

The little girl, only twelve or thirteen years old, was very handsome. She nodded to him, and Cheng Mingxuan let go of her with relief. "There is a war outside, but your family still dares to open the door. Aren't you afraid?"

"This is Miss Jiu's house!"

The girl said confidently that when she looked at Cheng Mingxuan, there was no trace of fear in her eyes. Instead, she said in a relaxed tone, "At first glance, you look like a beggar. Our nine girls have always been kind-hearted, so I will simply keep you."

!”

"Which Ninth Girl?" Cheng Mingxuan asked with a frown.

"Nine girls on the Qinhuai River! She used to be the number one at Huayuefang!" the girl said proudly, and then made a "shhh" gesture and said mysteriously, "Hey, don't make any noise.
Chapter completed!