Chapter 53: The Scarecrow

Jiu Feng stayed at Lu Qingjiu's house for a meal before reluctantly leaving. I'm afraid that if she hadn't been afraid of Bai Yuehu, she would have stayed in Lu Qingjiu's old house for a long time. Lu Qingjiu went to bed refreshed, and when he woke up the next day he had lost Jiu Feng, and it was still blindingly white outside.

After feeding the two mouths of the family with the chicken noodles in chicken soup left over from the previous day's snake stew, Lu Qingjiu saw that it was a nice day outside, so he let the family's small animals out into the yard and let them roam freely. After all, they had been crouched in the house since the beginning of winter, and it was a bit hard to keep them in for long.

Xiao Hei Xiao Hua rushed into the snow wearing the little cotton jacket Lu Qingjiu had made, leaving a trail of cute little footprints. The little fox was a little more delicate than them and refused to move in Lu Qingjiu's arms until Bai Yuehu reached out to Lu Qingjiu and tried to carry him to him, then he barked twice and carefully jumped onto the thick snow, his furry paws frozen into a ball.

When the snow stopped and the wind stopped, the sun hung brightly in the sky and Lu Qingjiu ran through the snow in his thick clothes, soon sweating, but not feeling the cold. When he saw how happy the little ones were playing, he took a stuffed ball from the house that he used to play with the foxes. The game was similar to walking the dog, he threw the ball and the foxes happily picked it up.

The family had a great time together and the atmosphere was particularly harmonious.

As there were very few people outside in winter, Lu Qingjiu let them out of the courtyard, telling them to move around the courtyard and not to go far, or they would be killed and eaten if they were carried away, and to go home for dinner before dark. After these instructions, Lu Qingjiu left them to play on their own and turned to make dinner.

Yin Xun was amused by this and said that Lu Qingjiu was acting like a mother. Lu Qingjiu: "That's how you talk to your father"

Yin Xun: ""You're tough

Most of the food we eat in winter is rather bland, and when we eat too much of it, we are tempted to try something with a bit of a kick. Lu Qingjiu was also feeling a bit bland, so he decided to make chicken feet with pickled peppers. The chicken feet were already frozen in the fridge, so Lu Qingjiu just took them out to defrost them, while the pickled peppers were taken from Lu Qingjiu's own jar. The cooked chicken feet and the pickled peppers are placed in the same glass jar, to which we add salt and some wine, and the chicken feet are flavoured in a day. In the evenings, when you are sitting on the bed reading a book or chatting, you can eat a few of them, which is not only tasty but also a great way to spend time.

Lu Qingjiu made steamed pork ribs with glutinous rice and cooked a pot of cabbage for lunch

When the rice was almost ready, Lu Qingjiu asked Yin Xun to go out and call the family back, saying it was time to eat.

Yin Xun went out and brought back three little ones, saying, "Called Xiao Hua Xiao Hei the little fox cubs back, but no Bai Yuehu."

"Oh, he's a bit busy and won't be home for lunch today." Lu Qingjiu said, "Let's eat first."

Bai Yuehu has been in a bad mood since Jiu Feng came to their house yesterday, and seems to be thinking about something, and today he went out early in the morning, telling Lu Qingjiu not to cook his lunch and dinner.

This is a rare occurrence, as Bai Yuehu has hardly been out of the house for more than a day since he moved in, and there is no telling what he has been up to.

Xiao Hua Xiao Hei, the little foxes, are already sitting in the living room, their heads tilted up, waiting for Lu Qingjiu to feed them. The three of them are very well behaved, wiping the snow off their paws on the mat by the door before entering and raising their little hooves at Lu Qingjiu when he comes over to show that they have washed their hands properly.

They usually followed Lu Qingjiu and ate whatever Lu Qingjiu made. Lu Qingjiu was a little worried about Xiao Hei and Xiao Hua's ability to eat pork, but after Xiao Hua made it clear that she was not racially related to the pigs, she fed them pork.

The three youngsters buried their faces in their little pots and ate their lunch happily.

Lu Qingjiu and Yin Xun were sitting at the table eating steamed pork ribs with glutinous rice when Lu Qingjiu suddenly noticed something and said, "Hey, where's that straw doll?"

At Xiao Hei's feet lies a doll made of straw, the size of a hand and very rough looking.

"The straw doll," Yin Xun mused, "seems to have been brought in by Xiao Hei."

"It was my sister who found it in the snow." Xiao Hua replied next to him. Xiao Hua replied next to him for his sister who was still indulging in food, "She had been arching in the snow for half a day and suddenly came out with this doll in her mouth.

Lu Qingjiu walked over and picked up the doll, finding that the eyes were sewn on with red beans, the mouth and nose were sewn on, and the doll was wearing a fancy coat that looked like a rudimentary toy. At first glance the doll looked very crude, but on closer inspection Lu Qingjiu felt that the doll was in fact very well made, and that its features were vivid and interesting.

"Where did it come from?" Yin Xun took the doll from Lu Qingjiu's hand, looked it over a few times and lost interest, "Did one of the village children lose their doll."

They don't live in good conditions here and don't have much extra money to buy expensive rag dolls in the city, so when children make a fuss about toys it's usually the parents who make them. This straw doll was most likely a toy for the children in the village.

"Maybe." Lu Qingjiu gave the doll back to Xiao Hei, "You can play with it until spring when I will ask the people in the village, if no one wants it, it will be yours."

Xiao Hei grunts happily and hugs the doll happily with her two front hooves, rubbing her face hard against it. She is much later than her older brother Xiao Hua and although she can talk, she is still a child at heart and is naturally very happy to have such a toy to play with.

Lu Qingjiu finished his meal and went to take his usual nap. Yin Xun told Lu Qingjiu to go to bed, saying that he wanted to take advantage of the good weather to clear the snow from the yard again, as there might be a snowstorm in the next few days and it would be better to make preparations in advance so that the doors would not be blocked when it snowed too much.

Lu Qingjiu nodded and turned into the house to go to bed.

Lu Qingjiu slept heavily, usually waking up in an hour or so, but today he slept for the whole afternoon and by the time he woke up, it was completely dark outside. Lu Qingjiu's eyes opened under the warmth of his blanket, and he felt so limp that his mind became a blur because he had slept so long, and it took him a while to recover.

Lu Qingjiu felt that something was wrong. He had slept for so long that Yin Xun would have come to wake him up, but now there was silence outside the house and no one answered his calls to Yin Xun.

"Yin Xun, Yin Xun, are you there?" Lu Qingjiu called his friend's name as he dressed, but there was still no answer.

Lu Qingjiu puts on his thick down jacket and pushes open the door to his room, feeling the bitter cold wind in his face. There is no moon in the sky and the courtyard is dark and terribly quiet.

"Lu Qingjiu's heart began to expand with a bad feeling, he knew something was wrong, Yin Xun would have told him in advance if she was leaving, but now she had just disappeared.

Lu Qingjiu hurried back into the house to find a torch, only to see Yin Xun's jacket on the sofa and his mobile phone on the table as he walked past the living room. It was clear that Yin Xun had not left of his own volition, he had not even had time to take his shirt with him. Xiao Hua Xiao Hei, who had been playing in the yard during the day, had disappeared with him.

"Lu Qingjiu, who had taken his torch, returned to the courtyard, calling Yin Xun and Xiao Hua Xiao Hei by name, and walked towards the backyard to see if they were there. But just as Lu Qingjiu passed the shelf of withered grapevines at the junction of the front and back yards, he suddenly tripped violently over something under his feet.

Lu Qingjiu tripped and stumbled, almost falling to the ground. He shone the light of his torch towards the snow, and his whole expression froze for a moment as he saw clearly what was in the snow.

He saw a tuft of straw, buried in the snow; their family did not grow rice, so naturally there would be no straw, and Lu Qingjiu had walked the path during the day and remembered even more clearly that it had not existed here before.

Lu Qingjiu slowly approached the spot and reached out to pluck away the snow buried in the straw. The snow was getting less and less, and what was buried under it finally revealed its true nature.

It was a huge scarecrow, about a metre and a half, buried in the snow in a prostrate position, but that was not the reason for Lu Qingjiu's dismay, for he saw on the huge scarecrow the clothes that Yin Xun wore during the day.

Yin Xun, turned into a scarecrow.

Goosebumps rose all over Lu Qingjiu's body and it took almost all his self-control to force himself to calm down. He took a deep breath and continued digging hard, soon finding three other tiny straw dolls underneath this scarecrow, two pigs and a fox, all of his family's missing children.

Lu Qingjiu immediately realises that there is something seriously wrong with the straw doll Xiao Hei brought home during the day, but it seems too late to react now that Yin Xun has become the absurdity it is.

Lu Qingjiu wiped his face, dug Yin Xun out of the snow and carried it inside with the other three. He moved the charcoal pot further away from Yin Xun, fearing that he would be set on fire.

By the faint light, Lu Qingjiu and Yin Xun's red bean eyes stared at each other, and only after a long time did they let out a helpless sigh and take out the phone from their arms, dialing a certain number.

After the heavy snowfall, mobile phone reception was intermittent and Lu Qingjiu was not sure if he could get through.

Luckily for him, the phone managed to dial out and was picked up after a dozen rings.

" Bai Yuehu ." Lu Qingjiu calls himself by the name of his tenant.

"Lu Qingjiu." Bai Yuehu responded.

"It was the first time Lu Qingjiu had called Bai Yuehu, but he didn't expect it to be for this reason, as Bai Yuehu had only been gone for a day and already the children at home were playing with themselves. "

"What is it," Bai Yuehu said. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Lu Qingjiu said, "It's Yin Xun who has turned into a straw doll."

Bai Yuehu :""

The call was silent for more than twenty seconds, and it was only when Lu Qingjiu thought Bai Yuehu had hung up the phone that Bai Yuehu's voice came from the other end: "What's going on?"

Lu Qingjiu briefly tells Bai Yuehu about Xiao Hei's straw doll and the change in Yin Xun.

Bai Yuehu pondered for a moment after hearing this and seemed to understand what had happened, saying, "Don't worry, it's not a big deal."

"It's not a big deal," Lu Qingjiu looked at the Yin Xun-like scarecrow, still feeling creeped out, "Yin Xun is not in trouble, right?"

"It's okay." Bai Yuehu said, "He's not in danger, you can wait for me to come back and explain to you slowly, I'll arrive tomorrow afternoon, there might be a guest at home later, just hide Yin Xun's scarecrow."

"Oh." Lu Qingjiu was confused, but since Bai Yuehu said that Yin Xun's life would not be in danger, he was relieved, but what was the guest Bai Yuehu was talking about? Was it the man who turned Yin Xun and the three little ones into scarecrows?

"Then you should come back early." Lu Qingjiu, thinking that Bai Yuehu was the most reliable person in the family, said, "Let's have mutton stew tomorrow."

"Good." Bai Yuehu's voice warmed up too.

After hanging up the phone, Lu Qingjiu hid Yin Xun's scarecrow, just as Bai Yuehu had told him to. There were many empty rooms in the house, so he found one at random and stuffed Yin Xun and the little ones in it. Lu Qingjiu also put a thick layer of bedding on them to prevent them from getting cold.

After finishing up, Lu Qingjiu simply fixes dinner and finds a book to read in the living room. I have to say, it's a bit of a relief to be without Yin Xun, who likes to talk, and Xiao Hua Xiao Hei, who makes a lot of noise. Especially at night when the temperature starts to drop and the wind howls outside, rustling the glass and sounding like a ghostly wail.

Lu Qingjiu warmed himself a cup of tea and held it in his hand to keep warm. He is reading Liaozhai Zhiyi, an ancient Chinese legend that Lu Qingjiu has been actively reading since Bai Yuehu came to live with him, and it is a good way to spend a boring winter's day.

It was after ten o'clock in the evening when Lu Qingjiu did not see the guest Bai Yuehu had mentioned, so he thought no one would come.

The sound was particularly faint over the whistling wind and snow, and if Lu Qingjiu had not been paying attention, he would not have heard it.

Lu Qingjiu carried the lamp to the door and asked through the black iron door, "Who's out there?"

"The poor monk is passing by and would like to stay overnight in your home, I wonder if it is possible", said a young man's voice from outside.

Lu Qingjiu: ""Why the fuck does this look like the beginning of a horror story?

If Bai Yuehu hadn't told him in advance that a guest was coming, Lu Qingjiu would have decisively refused. It wasn't that he was afraid of trouble, but he couldn't tell whether the person at the door was a ghost or a human being, so if he did invite in something unclean, he would be asking for his own death.

But since Bai Yuehu calls this man a guest, he can't be a bad person.

Lu Qingjiu opened the door and saw a monk dressed in grey monk's clothes and a cocked hat. The light was too dim for him to see the monk's face clearly, and he said, "Come in, young master."

The young monk bowed to Lu Qingjiu and carefully crossed the threshold of the door.

Lu Qingjiu led the way with his lamp and guided the monk into the living room. Once in the warmth of the living room, the monk removed the cloak from his head, revealing a very young face. His face was not overly handsome, but it carried a strange charm that calmed one's heart when one looked into his eyes.

"What brings you to Shuifu Village, Little Master?" Lu Qingjiu poured him a cup of hot tea, "It's already snowed in here, and it's dangerous for you to walk in a snowstorm like this."

After accepting the tea, the young master folded his hands and bowed again to Lu Qingjiu, saying, "It was the Buddha who told the poor monk to come here."

Lu Qingjiu laughed and said, "It was also the Buddha who told you to come and knock on the door of my house."

"Every peck and every drink has a destiny." The young master replied.

Although Lu Qingjiu did not believe in Buddhism, it did not prevent him from having a good feeling towards monks. Although this young master came suddenly, his attitude was respectful and polite, which was very pleasing to the eye.

The young master shook his head, "Monk Xuan Yu is fine."

Lu Qingjiu didn't answer and smiled, "Then I'll make you something to eat and go, so young master can stay here and drink tea to warm up."

After saying this, he went to the kitchen and made some simple vegetarian dishes. In this cold weather, vegetables are not easy to preserve, but in the cellar there are still a lot of sweet potatoes and cabbages, so Lu Qingjiu made sweet potato rice and fried a sweet and sour cabbage for the young master.

When it was done, he brought the food to the young master: "These are the only vegetarian dishes left in the house, I'm really sorry."

Xuan Yu smiled: "That is quite enough, thank you, Master."

Lu Qingjiu refills his cup of tea again.

As Xuan Yu ate, Lu Qingjiu watched the monk in front of him, sensing that his identity seemed unusual and that it was not possible for an ordinary man to be present on a stormy night.

After the meal, Xuan Yu thanked Lu Qingjiu again.

Lu Qingjiu said, "I have prepared a room for young master, so you can rest there at night."

Xuan Yu said, "Thank you, Master."

Lu Qingjiu led him to the door of his room and watched him go in before turning back to bed. Lu Qingjiu didn't dare to light the bed because the straw was afraid of fire, for fear of burning his silly son as fuel.

Lu Qingjiu had slept well that night, but when he got up he saw Xuan Yu standing in the courtyard, seemingly observing something.

"Little Master." Lu Qingjiu called him.

"Master Shih." Xuan Yu returned the salute.

"Did you sleep well last night and what do you want for breakfast?" Lu Qingjiu said, "I'll fry you a pancake, it's snowy outside, don't stand outside."

As the night passed, the blizzard did not stop, but the monk stood in the snow and wind, his body thin but giving the illusion of being as hard as a stone carving. It was as if no matter how strong the wind was, he would not budge a bit from it.

Xuan Yu didn't move as he said, "Master, have you ever heard the story of the Buddha giving up his body to feed the tiger?"

Lu Qingjiu was stunned as he said, "I have heard of it."

The story is probably about the Buddha who fed the mother tiger with his own body and saved her and her cubs, with the implication that the Buddha had compassion for all beings and that all beings are equal.

"What do you think," Xuan Yu asks.

Lu Qingjiu frowned: "I don't believe in Buddhism."

Xuan Yu smiled and said, "I know you don't believe in Buddhism, but I just want to know if you will also feed the tiger with your body"

Lu Qingjiu didn't say anything, he didn't really agree with it in his heart, but it was just a bit rude to Xuan Yu to say so, so he changed the subject, "Little Master should come in for the fasting meal."

Xuan Yu then understood Lu Qingjiu's consciousness and, with a slight sigh, he added: "Did you see a small scarecrow yesterday?"

At these words, Lu Qingjiu instantly tensed up and said, "Is that scarecrow yours?

My pet accidentally carried it into the house and after an afternoon, I found that my pet had also taken on the form of a straw." Poor Yin Xun doesn't realise that he has dropped from son to pet status

"It's the poor monk's." Xuan Yu said, "It's just that my scarecrow, it's not a bad thing."

Lu Qingjiu said, "Not a bad thing."

Xuan Yu said, "Can the Master distinguish between people and ghosts around him?"

Lu Qingjiu was stunned.

Xuan Yu said, "Some people can't tell the difference, so the poor monk is there to help them to tell the difference." He looked at Lu Qingjiu, and his black eyes were filled with compassionate compassion, "But since the monk has already made up his mind, it is not appropriate for him to say more."

Lu Qingjiu said, "You mean that the scarecrow is here to tell the difference between humans and non-humans."

Xuan Yu nods.

"All right." Lu Qingjiu said, "I've known all these things for a long time how they can change back"

Xuan Yu said, "You will recover in three days."

Lu Qingjiu, however, thought of something and frowned: "If they were burned when they were turned into scarecrows"

Xuan Yu laughed, "The Master cares so much for them, how could he let them be burnt"

Lu Qingjiu says: "Someone has to give it up."

Xuan Yu said, "Then why don't you ask those people why they are giving up"

Lu Qingjiu understands the meaning of Xuan Yu's scarecrow, who is actually giving humans a choice. They can choose to continue or to end the relationship. The non-human who touches the scarecrow also becomes the scarecrow, and if the human decides to end the relationship, then the scarecrow can be burned.

Dust to dust, earth to earth.

I just don't know if the scarecrow, who was burnt, is still conscious and aware of what is happening around him.

Of course, Lu Qingjiu also understands that not every non-human is as friendly as his own, and that their relationships with humans are even more bizarre, ranging from friends, to lovers, to coercion, and parasitism.

No wonder Bai Yuehu said that Xuan Yu was a guest, for Xuan Yu was putting the power of choice in Lu Qingjiu's hands. Rather, he is a monk of compassion.

Lu Qingjiu laughed.

Xuan Yu asks, "Why is the Master smiling?"

Lu Qingjiu said, "I wonder if the young master has ever heard of the name Fa Hai."

Xuan Yu winked, "Do you know why my master lived to be one hundred years old?"

Lu Qingjiu said, "Why?"

Xuan Yu said, "Because he doesn't mind his own business."

Lu Qingjiu laughed out loud.

The author has something to say: Lu Qingjiu: Xuan Yu is the word of Fa Hai

Bai Yuehu: What a coincidence that my surname is Bai too.

Lu Qingjiu.