I am the Odd One Out Chapter 34

Chen Yaowu spent ten days in this village at the foot of the mountain. He slept on the floor of the woodshed. The monk's mother spread a thick layer of straw for him, and gave him a mattress and quilt. The "monk" took off the rope that tied him, and he could walk around several rooms, or he could put his hands in his sleeves and go outside to bask in the sun. He helped the old lady with the work. While the old lady was cooking, Chen Yaowu sat in front of the stove and lit the fire. The old lady taught him how to make a fire. The fire should be warm when cooking and strong when cooking. When the old lady said that the fire was hot, Chen Yaowu quickly picked up some ashes and suppressed the jumping flames; when the old lady said that the fire was warm, Chen Yaowu immediately raised the fire stick and blew it up, blowing the flames high. Jumping up and dancing in the furnace. Every time after cooking, when the flames in the furnace gradually extinguished, the old lady would hand Chen Yaowu a sweet potato and ask him to bury the sweet potato in the dark charcoal fire and roast it. These days at the "monk's" house, Chen Yaowu can still eat a roasted sweet potato after dinner.

That morning, the "monk" and a bandit walked out of the village to collect the ransom, leaving a bandit behind to watch Chen Yaowu. They came back in the afternoon, looked at Chen Yaowu who was squatting in the corner to bask in the sun, waved to the bandit standing next to Chen Yaowu, and walked into the house. After a while they came out, and a bandit walked over and kicked Chen Yaowu who was squatting there, shouting:

"stand up."

Chen Yaowu stood up and saw the "monk" smiling, wondering what they were going to do. The bandit who kicked him said:

"Baby, you've been here for so long, and the family doesn't care about you. We provide you with food, drink, sleep, and sunshine. What's the use of providing for you?"