CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 57: LOOKING FOR SOMEONE

After Shen Qinglan left the village entrance, she kept walking southward down the road.

By this time, it was already the time of Shen, and the sunlight was a bit intense, with hardly anyone moving along the road.

Only in the grove not far away, a few shepherd boys were cooling off under the big trees.

Seeing her walk by, they all cast curious glances.

Shen Qinglan paused and looked towards the children, asking, "Is Zhou Family Village this way?"

The kids nodded unevenly at her.

A seven or eight-year-old child jumped out and asked, "Sister, are you going to Zhou Family Village?"

Shen Qinglan nodded.

The child smiled and said, "Just so happens I need to go home too, I’ll take you there."

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, "Are you from Zhou Family Village?"

The child nodded, then turned back to the other kids, "Cousin, tell my grandma that I’ve gone home."

One of the kids looked at Shen Qinglan, seeing she didn’t seem like a bad person, nodded and said, "Okay!"

The child, hearing this, turned back to Shen Qinglan and said, "Sister, let’s go."

Shen Qinglan lightly responded, following behind the bouncing child.

"Sister, this is for you, we just picked it in the woods, it’s very fragrant and sweet!"

Looking down, Shen Qinglan saw the child handing her two pomegranate seeds, red and white, with a gentle breeze carrying a faint aroma.

In this era, the best snacks for rural kids were these wild fruits.

Originally, Shen Qinglan didn’t want to accept, but seeing the child’s clear dark eyes filled with anticipation, she couldn’t refuse and took it.

She gently patted the child’s head with one hand and said, "Thank you!"

The child shook his head, smiling, "You’re welcome, Sister, eat quickly!"

Shen Qinglan took a bite, it was indeed fragrant, but not that sweet.

She looked at the child walking backwards while watching her and said, "It’s very tasty."

The child, hearing this, broke into a big smile.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t help but marvel, truly still a child, carefree, innocent and pure.

This innocence was something Shen Qinglan lacked.

"What’s your name?"

Shen Qinglan rarely asked for others’ names.

The child laughed, "My name is Zhou Xiao, you can call me Ah Xiao, Sister."

"Hmm." Shen Qinglan nodded.

Ah Xiao looked at her curiously, "Sister, what are you going to do in our village?"

Shen Qinglan said, "To find someone."

"Find someone? Who?"

Ah Xiao continued walking backwards, still full of curiosity on his face.

Shen Qinglan didn’t lie to the child and said, "Zhou Bo."

"Zhou Bo!"

Ah Xiao frowned and said, "What do you want with him, Sister?"

Seeing his displeasure, Shen Qinglan curiously asked, "You don’t like him?"

"Hmm!"

Ah Xiao nodded, "My mom and grandma both say he’s not a good person."

Shen Qinglan nodded in agreement, "Your mom and grandma are quite right."

Ah Xiao asked, "You don’t like him either, Sister?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Hmm."

Ah Xiao, upon hearing this, smiled happily.

"Then why are you looking for him, Sister?"

Shen Qinglan: "For something."

...

In this manner, the two chatted along the way, and before they knew it, half an hour had passed quickly.

With Ah Xiao around, Shen Qinglan avoided wasting time asking others for directions.

Upon reaching Zhou Family Village, Shen Qinglan asked Ah Xiao for Zhou Bo’s address and bought some snacks for him at a store at the village entrance.

Ah Xiao, eating the rare treat, looked thoroughly satisfied.

He zealously pointed to the other side and said to Shen Qinglan, "Sister, my house is over there!"

Fearing Shen Qinglan might have trouble finding the way, he reminded her again, "Zhou Bo’s house is straight down this road, the one with the elm tree in front, shall I take you there, Sister?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, refusing, she was going to handle important matters, and the scene might get bloody, not suitable for a child.