Chapter 371 Verification of Life and Death
Jiang Lin took one step forward and was on the street in an instant.
The place is still bustling with people, busy with traffic, and very lively.
However, what made Jiang Lin tremble was that in the dark alley, he saw the old man he had met decades ago walking out carrying candied haws on his shoulders.
There were still a group of happy children around them, stretching out their hands and standing on tiptoes.
The old man pulled off a bunch of candied haws and divided one hawthorn into each person.
His movements, expressions, and even eyes were exactly the same as they were decades ago!
Jiang Lin couldn't help but stepped forward, reaching out to get the candied haws like he did when he first came here.
The old man also grabbed his wrist again, but instead of giving him a gift in a harmonious manner, he frowned: "Why are you so rude, little friend? Are you trying to get this advantage in broad daylight?"
Jiang Lin looked at him. The old man didn't seem to be hypocritical. He was really angry with the young man in front of him for his lack of shame.
How could someone with such a tall physique do such a vulgar thing!
Jiang Lin did not force himself to take the candied haws. He retracted his hand, looked at the old man, and asked, "Do you know me?"
The old man said: "How come I don't know you? Aren't you the apprentice of Blacksmith Ma? No one in the whole city knows you now."
Jiang Lin frowned even more. He lowered his head and looked at the children around him. He was sure they were exactly the same as those decades ago.
Why is this happening?
"I'm sorry."
Jiang Lin handed over his hands and turned to leave.
The old man behind him watched him leave and couldn't help but muttered: "No wonder they say he is stupid, it is true."
Jiang Lin walked along the street, and after a while, he stopped at a bun shop.
He thought he had seen this bun shop three times, but in fact, he had only passed by it once since he came to this world.
The bun vendor was waving his hands as if seeing him for the first time, beckoning passers-by to try the buns.
"These are delicious and big steamed buns, come and try them."
There is no change in movements, postures, or expressions.
Seeing Jiang Lin standing motionless in front of the stall, the vendor said, "Are you Master Hong?"
Jiang Lin asked: "Do you know me?"
"How come I don't know you? Aren't you the apprentice of blacksmith Ma? Now, no one in the whole city knows you." The vendor said with a smile.
This sentence is exactly the same as what the old man selling candied haws on a stick said.
Jiang Lin didn't answer, turned and walked away.
The hawker's cry came from behind: "Big, fragrant buns. If they don't taste good, you don't have to pay for them."
Jiang Lin looked back at the vendor, feeling vaguely that something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was.
He walked back and forth on this street, but he couldn't find any other problems except the people he had met decades ago but had never changed.
Finally, he stopped in front of the bun shop.
Looking at the hawker who had not changed for decades, Jiang Lin stared at him and asked: "Do you know about immortality?"
"Immortality?" The vendor was startled when he heard this, and then laughed and said: "Master Hong, this question is really weird. If I knew what immortality was, why would I be selling steamed buns here?"
Jiang Lin looked at him for a moment, then turned and left.
The hawker's cry came from behind: "Delicious buns, very fragrant."
This voice made Jiang Lin turn around, but he saw that the vendor's movements, demeanor, and words were all different from before.
He frowned tightly, always feeling like he had caught something, but it was not clear.
After returning to the blacksmith shop, Jiang Lin opened the furnace and started the fire as usual, put in a large piece of iron, but just stared at the fire in confusion.
I don’t know how long it took, but a voice came to my ears: “Grandpa Hong, the fire is out.”
Jiang Lin looked up and saw that the flame in the furnace had indeed gone out.
He turned his head, and beside him was the little girl Ma Ningyan.
She was wearing a long turquoise dress and seemed to have grown up a bit compared to when they first met.
A faint breath rose from her body and continued to flow into Jiang Lin's heart.
Looking at this little girl who had developed a certain connection with him, Jiang Lin asked in a strange way: "Do you know why a person can remain unchanged for decades?"
Ma Ningyan, who was only nine years old, was a little confused and said subconsciously: "It has not changed for decades? Are you like Grandpa Hong? But I have never seen what you were like before, so I don't know if you have changed."
This answer sounds meaningless.
Jiang Lin turned back, picked up the tongs, and was about to take out the extinguished charcoal in the furnace, when an idea flashed in his mind.
He suddenly turned his head to look at Ma Ningyan: "You just said that you have never seen what I was like before, so you don't know whether I have changed or not?"
Ma Ningyan was startled by him and timidly said: "Yes, I have never seen it before..."
The confusion in Jiang Lin's eyes dissipated a lot again, and he murmured to himself: "I haven't seen them... so they haven't changed. Yes, I haven't seen them, so how can they change. But I have seen them..."
"No, I have never seen them in these years."
Ma Ningyan looked at Jiang Lin who was muttering to himself, feeling a little at a loss.
Did you say something wrong?
The little girl tried to think back, but she couldn't remember what she said wrong.
In the end, she couldn't help but said: "Grandpa Hong, what's wrong with you? Did I say something wrong? Can I apologize to grandpa?"
Jiang Lin seemed to have come back to his senses. He stared at Ma Ningyan with a faint smile on his face that no one had ever seen before.
Raising his hand and gently touching the little girl's head, Jiang Lin said: "You didn't say anything wrong, you were right."
Ma Ningyan was a little stunned. Could Grandpa Hong also laugh?
The next day, Jiang Lin went to the street again.
He first glanced at the old man selling candied haws on a stick. The old man was no longer surrounded by children from the alley, but was selling straw sticks full of candied haws on his shoulders on the street.
Jiang Lin looked at it for a while, then went to the bun shop again. The hawker's cry today was very high-pitched: "Delicious big buns, delicious and cheap!"
After just watching for a while, Jiang Lin came to the end of the street, which was a restaurant.
Business is very good and the boss is very down to earth.
After staring at the restaurant for a while, Jiang Lin returned to the blacksmith shop.
From that day on, he would go to the bun shop to buy buns once a day. If he met an old man selling candied haws, he would buy another bunch of candied haws.
As for the restaurant far away at the end of the street, I have never been there again.
There is a faint aura rising from the straw sticks of the old man and the steamer of the bun shop, which are connected with him.
The same goes for some other homes nearby.
The days passed like this, and in the blink of an eye, more than ten years passed.
When Jiang Lin returned to the bun shop, he saw a beautiful young woman standing there waiting for a long time.
Seeing Jiang Lin come back, the woman hurriedly ran forward, hugged Jiang Lin's arm, and said with a smile: "Are you going to buy buns again? You don't know what to do. Every time you buy it and don't eat it, you just If you put them there, they would pile up into a mountain.”
Check out the 16-9 book bar and see the correct version!
This is true. Jiang Lin only buys one bun every time but never eats it.
Stored in the house, it is almost full.
Jiang Lin didn't answer the question. He calmly took his arm out of her arms and asked, "Why are you here again."
"What do you mean, I'm here again? It's like Grandpa Hong doesn't like me coming."
This woman is the grown-up Ma Ningyan.
Seeing that Jiang Lin didn't answer and was walking back to himself, Ma Ningyan stomped her feet slightly, chased after her, and kept chattering: "You're not my father yet, what are you saying about men getting married, and women getting married?" I'm married. I'm so annoyed by him that I came here to hide in peace."
Ma Ningyan has grown up like a fish and a wild goose now. I heard that the people who come to propose marriage range from high-ranking officials to wealthy people, who are well-read in poetry and books, or have great martial arts skills.
But she was not interested in these people or these things. Instead, she was very familiar with Yu'er's adopted sons and daughters, and she would sneak around with them all over the world when she had nothing to do.
Beautiful his reputation, well-informed, and caring about the world.
The Ma family didn't dare to disturb Jiang Lin's blacksmith shop. Only Ma Ningyan had been familiar with him since she was a child and would come here when she had something to do, especially when she was forced to get married by her family.
"Grandpa Hong, I haven't eaten yet. Do you want to eat this bun?" Ma Ningyan asked.
"Eat it." Jiang Lin handed the bun over.
Ma Ningyan took it in her hand. Although she looked careless, she actually ate like a wealthy family.
He took off a small piece and put it into his mouth, chewing it slowly, not even seeing his teeth.
After the whole bun was swallowed, she ran to the blacksmith shop. Regardless of the high temperature brought by the rising fire, she asked curiously: "Grandpa Hong, the taste of this bun is not very good. Why do you go there every day?" Buy? ”
"I want to verify something." Jiang Lin said.
"Verify what?" Ma Ningyan became even more curious.
In her opinion, Jiang Lin seemed not interested in anything under the sun.
In addition to burning paper to worship Ma Tiejiang and his wife, Yu'er, and Ma Lu every year, they only leave here when buying steamed buns.
Jiang Lin pounded the iron block in his hand and said without raising his head: "I might have to leave."
Ma Ningyan was stunned for a moment, and then a look of obvious panic appeared on her face: "Where are you going?"
"Go where I should go." Jiang Lin said.
"Where you should go? Isn't it here?"
"No."
Ma Ningyan looked panicked. After Malu's death, she spent more than half of the time in the blacksmith shop.
Only here will you not be disturbed by anyone.
She relies on Jiang Lin far more than her father and siblings.
Now that I heard that Jiang Lin was leaving, how could I not panic?
Ma Ningyan lowered her head and asked, "Then... when will you leave?"
Jiang Lin paused for a moment, then said: "Not sure yet, maybe a few months, or maybe decades."
In the past ten years, the old man who sold candied haws on a stick has disappeared and is said to have passed away.
On that street, many vendors have also changed.
As for the bun shop...
The once young hawker is now middle-aged. He seems to have contracted lung disease and keeps coughing all day long.
Hearing this, Ma Ningyan breathed a sigh of relief. If he didn't leave right away, that would be okay.
"It's time for you to go back," Jiang Lin said.
"Ah? Why are you driving me away? I won't disturb you." Ma Ningyan pouted.
She is already in her twenties and should have been a mother in this world, but now she is still like a child.
"Go." Jiang Lin's attitude left no room for doubt.
Ma Ningyan knew his temper. Although she rarely got angry, she always spoke the truth.
She had no choice but to lower her head and leave the blacksmith shop.
Watching the granddaughter get into the carriage, she slowly disappeared from sight.
Jiang Lin stopped exercising and looked up ahead. He seemed to be able to see Yu'er's home through the walls.
"Is it because I'm here... that you will die?"
(End of chapter)