"Uncle Liu, what are you and your grandchild whispering about?"

I turned my head and saw the village chief leading that child to my house.

The village chief smiled sinisterly, and even under the scorching sun, I couldn't help but shudder and take two steps back.

The long-awaited moment had finally come, but suddenly I didn't want to go anymore.

Grandpa Six loudly greeted the village chief, dragging his crippled leg and leaning on the windowsill to stand up, bowing to the child.

My father heard the commotion and rushed over from behind the house, guarding me tightly in front of him, his mouth wide open, yelling at the village chief.

"Ya Ba Xiao, this is a good thing. Since I became village chief, Huanwa is the first young person of his generation to be welcomed to the celestial mountain. Who knows, he may become a god in the future. Don't be reluctant, don't be discouraged. It will hinder the child's future."

After saying that, with a wave of his hand, several villagers came forward and forcefully pulled my father away.

My grandpa Six, leaning on his crutches, reluctantly moved to the doorway, shouting in sadness and anger, "Old crow, don't deceive us. Can the child come down from the mountain? Can he return unharmed? We don't want to become immortals, we just want the child to be safe!"

Old crow was the village chief's nickname, only the elderly in the village could call him that, even children dared not.

"Uncle Six, look at what you're saying. This is going to the immortal mountain, not feeding sea turtles. As human beings, we must not only think about the present but also consider the future. Am I right, Huanwa?"

The village chief turned his head and threw the question to me.

Perhaps it was already too late to say that I wouldn't go at this point. I couldn't guarantee that if I didn't speak up, my father and Grandpa Six wouldn't be implicated. Instead, I decided to take this opportunity to make my father and Grandpa Six live better.

"Immortal chief, I am willing to go up the mountain. It's just that if I go up to the immortal mountain, my father next year..."

Before I could finish my sentence, the child understood and waved his dusting brush, saying, "Your father won't have to feed the giant turtle anymore, and he can receive a monthly supply of rations as compensation."

That wasn't bad at all.

"I'll go with you, Immortal chief." I glanced deeply at my father and Grandpa Six, made up my mind, and turned to leave.

With a "wala" sound, my father broke free from the grip of several villagers and rushed to my side. When they pulled him back again, there was a small cloth bag in the palm of my hand.