My gorgeous wife Chapter 2276 - 2244: Fool

Distant Mountain Village has become much livelier since Cui He picked up a child last year.

The child seemed to be two or three years old, but appeared somewhat bumbling and foolish, and did not speak. What the villagers loved most was to tease this silly little kid.

It had been ten years since Distant Mountain Village welcomed a new member, and the youngest had always been the little girl Cui He.

But since this child appeared, Cui He finally became the second youngest in the village.

However, what puzzled the villagers was that although the child looked only two or three years old, he was able to run all around the village and had not fallen despite occasionally running with unsteady steps.

A child born with such strength and who is obedient and sensible, no one knew which heartless parents abandoned him.

Cui He was also a sensible and obedient child from a young age. When she picked up Little Tu, she initially had her parents’ care, but later, her parents went up the mountain to gather herbs, seemingly encountered a fierce beast, and never returned.

Since then, this ten-year-old girl had been relying on herself to live, even caring for a younger Little Tu.

In the early days, the villagers would help this young girl, but after just a year or two, Cui He could do everything on her own, and picking up this child might be due to a shared plight, thus treating him as her only kin.

However, in such a chaotic time, adding another mouth in the household was not a small burden for Cui He. Over the past year, her frequency of going up the mountain had noticeably increased.

The bumbling and foolish child enjoyed nothing more than squatting at the village eaves, gazing at a tree whose planting origin was unknown.

After more than a year, a sapling taller than the child had already appeared, and nobody in the village knew who had planted it.

This foolish child did not enjoy wild antics but frequently squatted at the village eaves, staring at the sapling, never tiring of it.

"Cui He is back too." At this moment, elderly people at the village eaves saw Cao He returning, her pack full of various mountain herbs, and said smilingly.

Whenever this moment arrived, the child squatting at the village eaves watching the sapling also lifted his head and showed to Cui He a sweet smile within her view.

For some reason, whenever she saw the child’s smile, Ci He’s fatigue from a hard day’s work would inexplicably vanish.

And waking up the next day, she would always be full of energy.

In Cui He’s heart, she believed this was the power of faith.

Having thoughts naturally makes one stronger.

Looking at the chuckling child, Cui He revealed a big smile.

The villagers were mostly uneducated, and children’s names were randomly given, although there was some logic: giving a humble name meant easier upbringing.

After the child appeared, the villagers gathered and pondered for months before thinking of an unused name for the child.

Names like Dog Egg, Iron Root, and Iron Egg had long been taken.

Finally, the child was named Little Tu.

Since Cui He’s surname was Li, ultimately the child’s name became Li Xiao Tu.

"Little Tu, I’m back."

Returning to the village entrance, Cui He reached out to touch the child’s head, and the child did not resist, only smiling foolishly at her.

Though the child was foolish, he knew who treated him well.

Cui He regretfully withdrew her hand; Xiao Tu couldn’t speak, and perhaps this was the only regret. She tried teaching Little Tu to speak, but no matter how, Little Tu wouldn’t open his mouth.

"Go back home early, don’t forget to eat after dinner." Cui He said with a smile, then skipped back into the village.

After all, she was still just a child, and today seemed like a harvest day, her good mood couldn’t be concealed.

Little Tu watched Cui He return to the village with a foolish smile, then turned to continue staring at the sapling, as if it were the most beautiful thing in the world, never tiring of looking even a lifetime.

Spring passed, autumn came.

In the second year after Little Tu arrived in the village, four children were born. The third year saw the arrival of five more youngsters.

For Distant Mountain Village, it was like a joyous gift from Heaven, the entire village began to celebrate.

With new members, the village didn’t have to worry about disappearing due to complete aging anymore.

And Little Tu was regarded as a lucky charm by the villagers, for with his arrival came so many new members, prompting the villagers to embrace him rather than feel burdened by more children.

However, the foolish Little Tu still didn’t speak, only continued to stare at the gradually growing sapling day after day.

This lifestyle persisted for nine years.

Over nine years, Little Tu grew rapidly. Though initially appearing only two or three years old, eight years later he was taller than Cui He, seeming to be of comparable age to nineteen-year-old Cui He.

Regrettably, Little Tu was still the Little Tu who only stared at the sapling, still mute.

By now, the villagers understood: Little Tu truly was a fool.

Even when village children played and hurled stones during antics, he would not get angry, only foolishly laughing.

Yet Cui He paid no mind to all this.

Nine years ago, when she picked up Little Tu, she had already made up her mind.

No matter what, since the child was picked up by her, she had to look after him!

"Cui He, the village chief arranged a marriage for you, a lad from the neighboring village, would you consider it?" Nineteen-year-old Cui He had grown slim and graceful, although her skin had the unique tanned shade of a mountain girl owing to frequent herb gathering and chores, she was indeed pretty. Two or three years ago, villagers had mentioned this to Cui He.

"Thank you, Aunt Wang, but I still need to care for Little Tu." Cui He smiled shyly, yet her attitude was firm.

Aunt Wang frowned, "Cui He, we all like Little Tu, but you cannot let him delay your life, after all..."

Saying this, Aunt Wang glanced at the village eaves and remarked softly, "After all, Little Tu is a fool, surely you don’t intend to care for him lifelong?"

Cui He’s face darkened a bit, "Aunt Wang, I’ve said long ago, since I picked up Little Tu, I have the responsibility to care for him."

"You..." Aunt Wang looked at this stubborn, silly girl, shook her head and sighed, then spoke no more, turning to leave.

Only when Aunt Wang left, did Cui He gaze toward the village eaves with gentle eyes.

She wasn’t foolish; she simply understood treasure better than others.

Nine years ago, while atop the mountain gathering herbs, she encountered a striped black Tiger, and at the moment, fear paralyzed her.

And just then, Little Tu descended from the sky, striking the Tiger dead and smashing its brain into pieces.

She hadn’t disclosed this incident.

To others, she found Little Tu, she saved him.

But to her, it was Little Tu who had saved her during her hopeless moment.