PCJ – Chapter 174 Reason

“Changjun, don’t you think today’s events seem a bit strange?” Luo Yongming walked out of Old Xiao’s ward. Old Xiao’s condition wasn’t too serious, but the burns on his head were troublesome, and his respiratory tract was scorched. However, none of it was fatal, thanks to Luo Yongming’s timely rescue.

“It is a bit strange. When I sent Jiaohua home, he said he saw Old Xiao’s shop on fire and someone running out of the fire. At the time, I thought Jiaohua was just imagining things. I didn’t expect that by the time I got back, Old Xiao’s house was already on fire. By the way, Jiaohua insisted I put the amulet on you.” Luo Changjun recalled and felt a chill down his spine.

Luo Yongming opened the bag, but the amulet was nowhere to be seen, only some ashes remained.

“The amulet is gone. It seems that it saved my life. Otherwise, both Old Xiao and I would have perished in the fire.” Luo Yongming also felt a bit scared now. At that moment, he had acted impulsively, not thinking too much, and rushed into the fire. Looking back now, it was frightening. However, the situation in the fire was strange. The fire was so intense, and upon entering, a heatwave almost suffocated him, but suddenly, a cool sensation enveloped him, separating him from the flames. He became much clearer-headed, which allowed him to quickly find Old Xiao and carry him out of the fire. Upon exiting, he found himself unharmed.

“Jiaohua is indeed an extraordinary child. The last time, he cured my yingzi instantly. I felt he was different from other children. I didn’t expect he had such abilities. When he gave me the amulet, I didn’t take it seriously. If it weren’t for his good intentions, I might not have accepted it. Fortunately, I didn’t refuse. Otherwise, things would have turned out differently.” Luo Changjun was still in shock.

“From the first time I met Jiaohua, I knew he was different.” Luo Yongming recounted the incident at the market.

“So, those ruffians were made a mess by Jiaohua’s tricks. Such abilities at such a young age. Fortunately, he has a kind heart. If someone with ill intentions had his abilities, it would be disastrous.” Luo Changjun sighed.

“By the way, since he repeatedly reminded you to wear the amulet, he probably sensed something. Make sure to keep it on at all times, and be extra cautious in the coming days.” Luo Yongming suddenly remembered that Zhang Jiaohua had repeatedly advised Luo Changjun to keep the amulet on.

“Should I go to Meizi’ao Village and ask him what’s going on?” Luo Changjun felt uneasy.

“No need. If he could tell you, he would have already. Some things lose their effect if spoken. Whether it’s a blessing or a curse, it can’t be avoided, only resolved.” Luo Yongming shook his head.

“Who is Xiao Laisheng’s family member? The patient is awake.” A nurse from Gezhuping Town Hospital came out of Xiao Laisheng’s ward and called out loudly.

“Here, here. We are Xiao Laisheng’s neighbors. His children are away; we just sent them a telegram. They are on their way back. Whatever it is, tell us first.” Luo Changjun stepped forward quickly.

“Director Luo, the patient just woke up and is very agitated. He is asking for some kind of iron box. You should go in and check on him.” The nurse looked worriedly into the ward.

“This miser!” Luo Changjun shook his head helplessly and walked toward Old Xiao’s ward, carrying Old Xiao’s iron box.

“Changjun, Changjun, I want to report a theft. My money is gone. The money I risked my life to retrieve from the fire is missing!” As soon as Old Xiao saw Luo Changjun, he anxiously said.

“It’s here. It didn’t get lost.” Luo Changjun raised the box for Old Xiao to see.

“Why is it in your hand?” Old Xiao asked, puzzled.

“You couldn’t possibly take an iron box into the emergency room, could you? Don’t worry, not a single cent is missing.” Luo Changjun found Old Xiao’s behavior truly irritating. Poor people often have traits that make them unlikeable. His first reaction upon waking up was not to thank his rescuer but to find his money.

Old Xiao didn’t realize this and grabbed the iron box with both hands, trying to snatch it from Luo Changjun.

Luo Changjun pulled his hand back, “I didn’t touch a cent of your money, but we used some of it to pay for your hospital deposit.”

He then let go of the box, allowing Old Xiao to take it.

Old Xiao’s old face reddened as he opened the box. Inside were stacks of large bills and some smaller denominations. The money was indeed missing one stack, about three to four thousand yuan.

“Don’t worry. Several people were present at the time. You should know the total amount in the box. Later, you can check the hospital bill to see if I took any of your money.” Luo Changjun was very dissatisfied with Old Xiao’s attitude.

“No, no, I didn’t mean that.” Old Xiao’s face turned even redder, and he hurriedly explained.

Night fell, and Meizi’ao Village’s evening was bustling. People had finally fully recovered from the wolf disaster of the winter, no longer rushing to close doors and windows before dark. At this time, chickens returned to their coops one by one, and flocks of ducks waddled leisurely down the road, returning home in a line.

Zhang Jiaohua was carefully preparing to plant rice seeds. As a rural child, he naturally knew how to plant rice. The first step was to cultivate rice seedlings before transplanting them. If you plant the seedlings directly after they sprout, skipping an intermediate step, it simplifies the process. However, this method makes it difficult to control the quality of the seedlings. The temperature during the seedling period is not very high, so direct planting in the field is not conducive to keeping them warm. The seedlings need a simple ground cover with transparent plastic to create a simple greenhouse, providing warmth.

But Zhang Jiaohua planned to skip the seedling cultivation step entirely and plant the rice seeds directly before they sprouted.

In the evening, Zhang Jiaohua and his friends set out, each carrying a wooden pole with sharp ends on both sides (a longer version of a carrying pole, used for lifting bundles of grass, with sharpened ends for piercing and lifting the bundles). These poles had another use: during planting, you could use one end to make a hole in the field, and when you pulled it out, it left a hole for planting seeds. This was a method for planting beans, but Zhang Jiaohua planned to use it for this season’s early rice.