He walked at the front after he finished speaking, occasionally looking back to see if the passengers were keeping up.
Ning Wei pulled Fu Chengwei, leading the way, with a line of timid passengers trailing behind them.
The path was long, and soon they transitioned from the road to a country lane.
The weeds on both sides grew to their calves, with small insects hopping about.
This was the longest stretch the passengers had walked, about half an hour, before they saw the so-called village entrance.
There stood a giant tree, beneath its canopy sat many elders, and naked children ran around, creating a scene of harmonious simplicity, just like any ordinary village.
The one who led them here was the village chief.
Along the way, the village chief had been introducing the village's affairs.
This village was called "Chaonan Village" and had a history of over a hundred years.
Due to inconvenient transportation, the people here largely relied on nature for sustenance, most choosing to stay on this land, earning their living through hard work.
The village's ancient architecture was well-preserved. Ning Wei and the others were currently posing as history students and a professor on a field trip for research.
They soon entered the village, where chicken and duck droppings littered the ground. Some of the more delicate girls couldn't hide their disgust, unsure where to step.
The village chief, his face etched with wrinkles, smiled as he brushed aside a large rooster blocking a girl's path.
"Don't be afraid, everyone. The livestock in our village are free-range and won't attack people on their own."
The village chief walked at the front, intentionally guiding them through the cleaner areas before arriving at the first house.
From the village entrance to this point, this house appeared to be the finest, with red brick walls, white plaster, and black tiled roofs. The outer courtyard was planted with unknown flowers, and a osmanthus tree was in full bloom.
A gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of osmanthus, enchanting everyone.
The village chief grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth, "Please come in and have a seat, everyone. This is my home."
Someone muttered, "As expected, the officials always have the best houses."
They followed the village chief inside, but due to the large number of people, they ended up taking many plastic stools to sit in the courtyard.
This research trip was arranged by a person named Wang Shunli, who was also the village chief's youngest son.
The village chief explained that Wang Shunli was delayed by some matters and couldn't personally greet them, asking for their understanding.
Among the passengers, the oldest was Mei Nan, in his forties. While not particularly remarkable among the group, he had never encountered danger.
Ning Wei had previously pulled the management uncle towards the lake, Fu Chengwei was the first to take action, and Mei Nan was the second.
Mei Nan's current identity was the dean of the history department, and Song Zhi had also secured a good role as the vice-dean.
Fu Chengwei and Ning Wei remained classmates in the history department.
Fu Chengwei, indignant, approached Mei Nan and complained, "Why is he the vice-dean? He's not that much older than me!"
To appease the simple-minded giant, Mei Nan offered, "Then I'll make you the class monitor now. You'll be the leader among the students, how about that?"
Fu Chengwei was satisfied and provocatively winked at Ning Wei.
The village chief carried a thermos and held disposable plastic cups in one hand.
"We don't have any good tea in the village, it's all picked by my youngest son from the mountains. Please don't mind it."
Behind the village chief followed a hunchbacked woman, cradling a wooden table that seemed about to fall.
Fu Chengwei quickly stepped forward to take the table, "This is too heavy, let me carry it."
The woman remained silent, standing listlessly to the side as the village chief brought out cups, added a small pinch of tea leaves, and poured boiling hot water.
As the hot water hit the plastic cups, the tea leaves unfurled, releasing an aroma, and the water turned a light amber color.
After the village chief finished pouring the tea, she promptly took the thermos and slowly retreated into the house.
Only then did everyone notice that not only was she hunchbacked, but one of her legs was also lame.
When standing, her entire body was askew, her crippled leg unable to straighten.
Fu Chengwei curiously asked the village chief, "Who is this old woman?"
The village chief explained with a smile, "This is my wife. She fell down the mountain decades ago, injuring her back and breaking her leg."
Ning Wei observed that he spoke of his wife's tragic experience without any apparent pain.
Perhaps it was due to extreme age and indifference, or for some other reason.
"Please drink your tea, everyone," the village chief urged.
Mei Nan, as the dean, was the first to reach for a cup.
The quality of the cup was so poor that it burned his hand upon contact.
Mei Nan endured the heat, took a small sip, then quickly placed the cup on the table and said to the village chief, "This is truly good tea."
The village chief replied modestly, "It can't compare to the Biluochun and Da Hong Pao from the city."
Mei Nan readily agreed, "The taste of the countryside is what lingers the most."
The two older men engaged in conversation, starting with tea and eventually moving on to general topics.
Others sat nearby, some listening attentively, while some had already begun to explore the village chief's house.
Fu Chengwei, unable to sit still, was the first to get up and wander around. He was also the first to venture into the village chief's house.
Ning Wei and Song Zhi sat obediently beside Mei Nan, listening to him and the village chief converse while observing the others.
Song Zhi noticed the village chief's eyes blink unnaturally when Fu Chengwei entered the house.
Song Zhi immediately signaled Ning Wei, who nodded slightly and then rose, following inside.
Meanwhile, Mei Nan was still chatting with the village chief. Seeing the group looking around like they were ransacking the place, the village chief's expression soured slightly.
Mei Nan said apologetically, "My students are just too eager for research, it's a professional habit to look around. I hope you don't mind, Village Chief?"
With that said, what else could the village chief retort?
On Ning Wei's side, upon entering, she saw Fu Chengwei sitting in the living room, eating dates from a plate.
Ning Wei deliberately tried to scare him, "It's not even certain if this is meant for humans, and you're eating it so readily?"
To her surprise, Fu Chengwei wasn't fooled. "We've been to so many stations, and you've never said anything can't be eaten. You even dared to eat what the attendants gave, let alone this."
Ning Wei, having no desire to argue, walked directly towards the back.
Behind the living room was another small courtyard. It appeared the house was a two-courtyard structure. Although modern in style, it retained some traditional Chinese customs.