明朝崇祯七年，赋税重，内部矛盾激化，灾害饥荒广泛，安定之地少之又少。

宁县，烈日炎炎，酷热难耐！街道上车水马龙，热闹非凡，来来往往的老百姓都忙着准备储存粮食，以防饥荒。

拥挤的人群中，一个十二、十三岁的男孩正坐在地庙旁边，身边堆着几捆半人高的柴草。

少年的头被草丛包围，蓬乱的头发扎成一个凌乱的发髻，衣服上也贴满了补丁，看上去落魄之极。然而，他那张黝黑而年轻的脸上却充满了生机，眼眸中隐隐透露着倔强和执着。尽管满头大汗，他的气质却与周围喧闹的人群格格不入。

“唉！”

叹了口气，青年失望的摇了摇头：“看来今天可能没什么收获了。”

少年名叫李跃凡，今年已经12岁了。他的母亲宁在他出生时就去世了，所以他一直和住在宁镇外山上的父亲李潭生活。他们通常以狩猎为生。

原本两人的生活还算安逸，但在一次打猎的过程中，李倓不小心被毒蛇伤到了右脚，无法正常行走。于是，年仅十几岁的李悦凡就承担起了家庭的责任。当时他只有七岁。

如今，五年过去了，孩子已经长成了一个小男孩。凭借自己的聪明才智和勤奋，李悦凡终于成为一名技术精湛的猎人。可惜内乱持续数年，生活难以安定。为了生存，他不得不来到城市里尝试。

今天，李越凡早早的拎着这些捆柴进城，希望能卖掉，多拿到一些钱，为以后做准备。可惜，半天过去了，依然没有人注意到他。他怎能不失望！

“我们先回去吧，今晚要准备的事情还有很多。”李越凡轻叹了口气，起身拍了拍身上的灰尘，准备离开。

“小男孩，你卖柴火吗？我想全部买下来，等着呢。”

At this moment, someone suddenly called out to him from across the crowd, but it was an elderly man in his fifties.

The old man, wearing a simple blue suit, with white hair and a kind face, pushed through the crowd and arrived at Li Yuefan's side in a few steps.

Hearing that the other person wanted to buy firewood, Li Yuefan suddenly froze and said quickly, "Old man, here are four bundles of firewood for eight yuan. If you want it, I can help you send it back. After saying that, the young man quietly watched the old man, feeling uneasy and nervous.

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"Er! It'll cost eight coins..." The old man calculated in his mind and thought, "This firewood is quite cheap."

After thinking for a moment, the old man nodded and said, "Well, then please help me deliver it to the backyard of the teahouse across the street. My servant is waiting to make tea. Ha-ha!"

"Ok!" Li Yuefan happily picked up the firewood and walked towards the teahouse.

Looking at the thin but straight back of the young man, the old man paused for a moment.

Under the guidance of the old man, the two walked into the backyard of the teahouse, one behind the other.

Li Yuefan habitually looked around the environment. It was not very large, but it looked very simple and tidy overall. In the middle of the yard, there was a lush banyan tree, which was shining in the sun...

It is full of vitality.

The old man looked at Li Yuefan's alert expression and couldn't help but laugh and say, "I like simplicity, but I'm embarrassing the little boy. Ha ha... Little boy, I see that you have a good constitution. Exercise from an early age, because there are fewer and fewer children who are willing to endure hardship like you now. As he spoke, the old man pointed to the small shed next to the wellhead and said, "Just put the firewood in that small shed."

"Hmm."

Li Yuefan nodded, put the firewood in the shed, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and turned to the old man and said, "Is this okay?"

"Oh, that's it." Then the old man took a bowl of water from the well and handed it to Li Yuefan, saying, "It's so hot today. Why don't you take a rest and have a drink of water?"

"I can't just take other people's things..." Li Yuefan looked at the bowl of water, licked his dry lips, hesitated, and finally shook his head and declined.

The old man seemed to understand what the young man was thinking, and said gently, "It's just a glass of water. Consider it a reward for helping me carry firewood."

Although Li Yuefan was not good at socializing, he was not a pedantic person, so he thanked him and took the bowl of water.

The old man stroked his beard with satisfaction and continued, "Actually, I've been watching you for a few days from the teahouse, and I think you're quite interesting.

“我觉得不太有趣。”李越凡皱着眉头，显得有些不高兴。

这是可以理解的。大热天坐在阳光下可不是什么好玩的事。如果可以的话，谁不想呆在舒适的树下纳凉、享受微风呢？

老者犹豫了一下，随后解释道：“年轻人，你别误会，我只是第一次见到像你这样意志坚定的年轻人，有些意外。”

老爷子见岳凡不说话，便转移话题道：“小孩子，你很少进城的吗？”

李悦凡摇头。

“可是你不知道这个时候柴火不好卖吗？”

李越凡点头。

“既然知道了，那你为什么还天天坐在那里卖柴呢？”

“你有没有想过做点别的事情？”

我只能打猎、砍柴！

李越凡默默地看着手中的碗，似乎有很多心事。

当然，他的能力不仅仅只有这些。多年来经历的艰苦生活，让他变得独立。然而，他从小就受到村民的排挤和虐待，难免感到怨恨和孤僻。他只关心自己的家人，不关心任何人，因此不愿意与他人交往。