ABPUBALC - Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Crossing Over
“Damn bastards! Can't shake them off!”
Deep in the mountains, the sounds of disordered footsteps and a man’s heavy breathing alternatingly rose and fell. The light from a flashlight kept hitting Gu Qiming, who spat out a curse and didn’t look back as he continued running forward.
A few days ago, he had come to Jiangning on a business trip, and this time the client he encountered was quite troublesome.
That evening, after dinner, the client insisted on going for a night hike. To ensure the project could be negotiated successfully, he and his group had no choice but to agree reluctantly. However, they hadn’t even reached the mountain when they encountered several enemies they had previously offended.
Among his colleagues, who usually worked office jobs, it was only Gu Qiming who had better physical strength. He had thought it would be good to take care of everyone by walking at the back of the group, never expecting that he would end up being captured without anyone noticing.
“You little punk, you’re so full of yourself, aren’t you? Why not keep running now?” A man with a face full of flesh stepped on Gu Qiming's chest, seemingly as tired as him, breathing heavily several times after speaking.
“Cough…”
“Li Biao, if you don’t kill me here today, I won't let you off!” Gu Qiming gasped as the man pressed onto his chest heavily. As he glared fiercely at him, it was Li Biao who, despite the situation, felt a chill.
“Fuck, still daring to stare at me!” Li Biao kicked Gu Qiming two more times, then gripped his chin, “Kill you? You wish!”
“Gu Qiming, you've ruined one of my arms, so compensate with these eyes of yours.”
Laughing, Li Biao took out a knife preparing to make his move. This was the moment Gu Qiming was waiting for. Taking advantage of the dark, he had previously cut the ropes with a piece of broken stone and was only pretending it was still tied. He waited until Li Biao was close enough.
Breaking free from the ropes, he twisted Li Biao's wrist and snatched the knife, aiming directly for his eyes. He then took advantage of the moment while everyone was still in shock to run away. Though it was hard to outrun multiple attackers with injuries of his own.
“Ahhhh...! Damn it, hurry up and chase after him!” Li Biao, having been slashed in the eyes, crouched down on the ground screaming and sweating profusely, still spewing expletives and ordering his men to chase after Gu Qiming.
The pursuers were relentless, and with the darkness in the forest making it difficult to see, the wind rushed by his ears, and his lungs hurt more and more with each breath. It was only when he stepped into emptiness that he realized he might actually be done for this time.
****
“Hey! Wake up, brother!”
In the woods to the east of Linjia Village, Lin Xing came to collect firewood as their household was running out of wood for cooking. He also had to go to the town during the day, so he came early to gather some wood.
Unexpectedly, from a distance, he saw a person lying under a tree and thought that someone had dumped a body in the mountains. Upon checking, he discovered the person was still alive. Although it was not a deep mountain and the chance of encountering wild animals was not high, he couldn’t just leave a living person unattended.
When Gu Qiming opened his eyes, he saw a panicked young man slapping his face. Seeing that he finally woke up, the young man finally relaxed.
Lin Xing asked as he picked up the bundled firewood: “Why are you alone in the mountains? I called you for quite a while with no response. Are you alright?”
The person in front of him wore coarse linen clothes that he had only seen on TV, looking to be only seventeen or eighteen years old. The young face was filled with anxiety, making it easy for people to let their guard down.
After pondering for a moment, Gu Qiming hoarsely voiced: “My name is Gu Qiming. My family has met with a disaster, and I came here seeking refuge with relatives. But they were unwilling to acknowledge me. I was just passing by, hoping to find something to eat in the mountains, but I passed out from hunger.”
When he had opened his eyes, Gu Qiming quickly realized that he was no longer in the same world. The trees in these mountains were tall and reached into the clouds, not at all like the mountain he had been on.
He had entered this place unexpectedly, and merely surviving would be a challenge.
Lin Xing understood, it seemed like a person as unfortunate as him had emerged, and he couldn’t help feeling sympathetic.
“My name is Lin Xing, from the Lin family village down the mountain. Do you want to come back to the village with me first? It’s not safe for you to stay in these mountains alone. Come and have something to eat first.”
After securing the firewood he had just collected, which was not much due to the incident and would only last for a few days, he prioritized bringing the man out, knowing it wasn’t good to be hungry.
Gu Qiming stood up with the help of a tree. The young man in front of him, despite being dressed in coarse cloth, could not conceal his handsome figure, and his eyes carried a trace of fierceness, making them appear distant yet at the same time, they were like cat's eyes – round and irresistibly charming, making one want to get closer.
Gu Qiming followed Lin Xing, dressed in a jacket. He was much taller than Lin Xing, nearly a head taller, and easily imposing.
Lin Xing had never seen the kind of clothes Gu Qiming was wearing, which didn’t resemble the usual attire of their nation. Probably only trading caravans had seen this style before.
“My house is at the far west side, a bit away from the foot of the mountain. Do you have the strength to walk?” Lin Xing asked.
“I’m good, a bit better after sleeping,” Gu Qiming replied honestly. He had fallen off a cliff but hadn’t broken a bone; except for being a bit hungry, he was fine.
“What are your plans after getting down the mountain?” Lin Xing inquired.
“First, find some work. I’m able-bodied and won’t starve to death. However, my home has been destroyed, and I have nowhere else to go.”
“If you really can’t find a way, you can stay at my place. There’s no one else in my family, so I'll charge you less rent.”
Gu Qiming, wandering alone, felt somewhat uncomfortable, but since he was a newcomer who knew no one, and the young man he encountered first was kind and hospitable, he was willing to take him in.
He didn’t plan to take advantage without contributing. Having spent time in the countryside as a child, he knew that what was most needed there was labor. He might not have many skills, but he was strong and could do the heavy work.
As they chatted along the way, they soon arrived in the village.
Gu Qiming saw quaint thatched cottages and yellow mud walls, lush fields of rice, and found the scenery suddenly enlightening, almost as if he had stumbled upon an idyllic paradise. Since it was early, they didn’t encounter many villagers, and Gu Qiming didn’t want to be seen by too many people to avoid any potential trouble.
Lin Xing pointed to a small compound not far away: “My home is on the far west, marked by the loquat tree planted by my dad at the door.”
Lin Xing’s home was built by his father when he got married, after a fallout with his family. After moving out he lived on his own, and it wasn’t until his father became a carpenter in town that relations with his family improved. Unfortunately, his father met with an accident on a trip to build furniture for a wealthy family in another village and was robbed and beaten to death by bandits, then thrown off a cliff.
“Lin Xing!”
As they approached Lin Xing’s home, they saw two sloppy men standing there. Without even glancing at Gu Qiming, they addressed Lin Xing: “You're finally back. You would’ve missed seeing your own door if you were any later.”
Cursed by timing, Lin Xing noticed his two good-for-nothing brothers at the door. Although he cursed inwardly, his hands hidden in his sleeves trembled slightly.
Suppressing the urge to lash out, he tried to calm himself and asked softly, “What do you want now?”
"We're not up to anything. After all, you are a member of the Lin family. Grandfather sent us to check on you." As he spoke, the man reached to pull on Lin Xing's sleeve, his face twisted into a revolting smile.
"What are you doing!?"
Gu Qiming grabbed the arm of the person who was about to make a move and twisted it hard backward, until a crisp cracking sound could be heard. It seemed that this move directly snapped the person's arm.
"Ah...! Let go... let go quickly!" Lin Hao fell to his knees in pain, cold sweat streaming down his face. He felt like his hand was going to be torn off by the person in front of him.
"I asked once, what are you doing here?" Gu Qiming showed no mercy, grabbing the person's arm and pinching fiercely.
Lin Qing saw Lin Hao being restrained. Although he initially intended to help, he was scared stiff by the ferocious look on Gu Qiming's face and did not dare to act.
Lin Hao could only stutter in response, "I...I am Lin Xing's brother. Our family asked us to come and see him."
Gu Qiming let go of Lin Hao's hand, feeling angry, and kicked him before saying fiercely, "You've seen him, so hurry up and get lost."
Watching the two of them scared out of their wits, he finally found a moment to look back at Lin Xing.
He hadn't expected that as soon as he turned around, he would see the child's eyes red as a rabbit's, with tears swirling in his eyes. Gu Qiming felt as if his heart was being fiercely squeezed.
He quickly went up to comfort him: "Are you okay? I didn't scare you, did I?"
Gu Qiming regretted being too harsh just now. He often acted without restraint, and having gotten into altercations twice in the last two days, he wondered if he had scared Lin Xing.
"No," Lin Xing shook his head, "They are relatives' kids who often come to cause trouble. I've always been at a loss on how to deal with them. Today, I was lucky to have you by my side."
"I'm just glad you're not scared. I'm afraid those two won't give up so easily." Gu Qiming thought of the two of them, and knew they were definitely not easy to deal with.
Lin Xing opened the door to let Gu Qiming in. His house had a total of three main rooms and two side rooms. Lin Xing had been living in the eastern house, while the western house, originally prepared by his parents for his younger siblings, had been left empty ever since. However, the furniture inside was complete as his father had placed many wooden beds and cabinets in the room. Lin Xing had been cleaning the house all these years, so the interior was still relatively clean.
Lin Xing brought Gu Qiming to this empty room and said, "You clean up first. The room is very clean. I will go to the kitchen to cook. I've been busy all morning and haven't eaten yet."
After speaking, Lin Xing picked up the firewood he collected in the morning and went to the kitchen. Usually, he only ate breakfast around 9 a.m., and then he would have another meal at sunset. This was how the villagers usually lived.
Considering that Gu Qiming has been in the mountains for such a long time, it's estimated that he might be starving. He needs to quickly cook some food.
After Lin Xing left, Gu Qiming took off his backpack and placed it on the table. There were neatly folded blankets in the cabinet. Since it was so hot, there was no need to cover too heavily. Taking out two blankets to air out would suffice. There were already set up bamboo poles in the yard, so he could just air them out for a while before sleeping.
It must be said that ancient houses were much more spacious. Just this one room alone spans dozens of square meters. The room is not heavily furnished, but each piece is made of solid wood, giving off an impression of durability and reliability.
Gu Qiming once thought about retiring and buying a courtyard to live out his old age, but he didn't expect his wish to come true ahead of schedule.
However, the biggest difference from what he had anticipated is that he now has no money.
Since he has arrived, he might as well settle down. It doesn't matter where he is; he can accept it. After all, it's just living in a different environment.
In the courtyard, there is a clothesline made of hemp rope, which Lin Xing usually uses to hang clothes. The open space is quite large, with vegetable plots on both sides planted with cucumbers, eggplants, various greens, and a well next to the wall.
Gu Qiming picked up the quilt and walked outside. The weather today is very nice, it's a sunny day, clean and bright. He has never seen such a beautiful blue sky in his whole life, and the air is refreshing despite being out of the mountains. It seems that this experience is not entirely a bad thing.
Gu Qiming made the bed while Lin Xing was just finishing up breakfast. Lin Xing’s mornings usually consisted of simple fare: a handful of millet was enough to cook two bowls of porridge, complemented by a few steamed cornbread buns, and some pickled vegetables that Lin Xing had prepared himself using fresh produce.
Gu Qiming helped Lin Xing bring the food out and put it on the small table in the yard. It was perfect to eat outside in the hot summer weather. Lin Xing's cooking skills were also very good. Although the taste of the steamed buns was a bit rough, they were sweet and delicious. The pickled cucumbers and garlic were also very crispy and refreshing.
Gu Qiming felt full only after eating three steamed buns in one go.
After dinner, Gu Qiming took the initiative to help wash the pots and pans in the kitchen and Lin Xing did not stop him. While he cooked, Gu Qiming would willingly wash the dishes, and Lin Xing wouldn't refuse. However, he also kept busy by getting water and washing clothes in the yard.
"I will be heading to town after finishing my work, do you want to come along? There is unloading work available at the dock, and dock workers can earn almost ten copper coins a day."
Gu Qiming rubbed his head and replied, "I will not go today."
He felt that his brain was already overloaded today, not to mention that he couldn't go out dressed like this. Who knows, he might be arrested by the soldiers and end up in jail directly.
"By the way, I noticed there are a lot of wooden parts piled up at home. Are you going to apprentice at the carpenter's shop in town?"
Just now, as soon as he walked in, he saw a pile of broken benches and tables by the courtyard wall, as well as saws, chisels, and other woodworking tools. Most households wouldn't have these things, and he also knew that many craftsmen in ancient times took on apprentices.
Considering Lin Xing's age, he estimated that he was likely working with a master craftsman.
"No, that was done by myself at home. There is a shop at home, but it has been rented out long ago. I am going to collect the rent today."
Lin Xing's motions slowed down as he washed the clothes. In truth, selling the shop would be a better option, as the rent he collected was insignificant. However, he wasn't ready to give up just yet. The shop was purchased by his father, who had worked tirelessly, day and night, crafting furniture for others so the family could have a better life. He managed to acquire this small, old store despite its humble beginnings. Even in the toughest times, Lin Xing never considered letting the shop go.
Gu Qiming hadn't expected that he would touch upon a sore spot. Lin Xing was not very old, but the fact that he lived alone likely meant that both of his parents were no longer around. No wonder he was bullied by his brother at home.
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