In ancient times, they secretly became gods in the deep mountains.

Chapter 15 Gou Sheng's Mother Returns to Her Parents' Home
As soon as Gou Sheng's mother arrived at the village entrance, she saw Uncle Zhou sitting under the pear tree.

She asked in surprise, "Third Grandpa, the sun is so strong, why are you squatting outside?"

The drought and scorching heat are like a cruel stepmother, tormenting people. Staying at home is the most comfortable thing to do under such circumstances.

A familiar voice reached his ears. Grandpa Zhou squinted and looked over. He saw a woman in a coarse cloth dress in front of him. It was Zhou Dayu's younger sister, Zhou Yueniang, who had married into Peach Blossom Village.

"Yue Niang?"

His voice was dry from thirst.

"Third Grandfather, I've come to see my mother and two nephews. I wonder how they are doing." Gou Sheng's mother was sweating profusely as she rushed over, wiping her sweat with her sleeve as she spoke to Third Grandfather Zhou.

Grandpa Zhou urged her hastily, "Moon Lady, you've come at the right time! Hurry home and comfort your mother. Erzhuzi has fainted, and your mother is very worried about him!"

"Alas, it was clear that the child was doomed. He died of thirst. Heaven is blind; three years of drought, how can anyone survive?" As he spoke, Grandpa Zhou's eyes reddened.

Gou Sheng's mother panicked upon hearing this: "What? Er Zhu Zi is in trouble? I'm going home to check on him right now!"

She hurriedly walked towards her parents' home.

The bundle behind her was bulging, and Zhou Taiye thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He thought he saw a damp patch on Zhou Yueniang's bundle.

"Mother!"

Gou Sheng's mother entered the house crying.

Grandma Zhou was crying anxiously for her grandson when she heard a familiar voice and was somewhat stunned.

Is that Yue Niang's voice? Has her daughter returned home?
She went outside and saw that it was true.

"Oh, Moon Goddess!"

"Mother!"

The mother and daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly.

It's been three years; they haven't seen each other for three years.

The world is in hardship, plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities.

With the men in the family conscripted into the army and the frail children needing care, Gou Sheng's mother hasn't been back to her parents' home even once in the past three years.

It wasn't that she didn't care about her own mother, but her young son and daughter couldn't be separated from her.

The two embraced and wept for the hardships they had endured.

It took them quite a while to separate.

Gou Sheng's mother hurriedly asked, "Mom, I ran into Third Grandpa at the village entrance. He said something happened to our Erzhuzi. How is he now?"

Old Mrs. Zhou burst into tears, her eyes wide as she said, "How am I going to explain this to your older brother? The river has run dry, and Erzhuzi has fainted from thirst. He's barely clinging to life now. Heaven is not letting anyone live!"

Gou Sheng's mother pushed her mother into the house: "Mother, come in first."

Once home, I closed the door.

She opened the bag she was carrying.

There are three earthenware pots inside.

She quickly lifted the lid of an earthenware pot and presented it like a treasure, saying, "Mother, this is water! Quickly give Erzhuzi a sip."

Old Mrs. Zhou was taken aback.

"Where did you get this water? Has the water in Peach Blossom Village not dried up?"

"Mother, this is water bestowed by the Golden Saintess of Qihuang Mountain."

Gou Sheng's mother recounted to her mother the earth-shattering events that had recently occurred in their Peach Blossom Village.

Grandma Zhou was stunned when she heard this.

She touched Gou Sheng's mother's forehead: "Daughter, are you out of your mind? There are no gods in this world."

Gou Sheng's mother argued vehemently: "Mother! How could I lie to you about this? Otherwise, if all the rivers at the foot of Qihuang Mountain dried up, where would I get the water?"

"That's true."

Could it be that there really are gods in this world?

Old Mrs. Zhou had lived at the foot of Qihuang Mountain her whole life, and she had never heard of any immortals living there.

But how do we explain the water our daughter brought? Gou Sheng's mother shoved her mother: "Never mind anything else, quickly give Er Zhuzi some water to try."

"Good good."

Grandma Zhou poured a bowl of water like a precious treasure and fed it to her grandson who was lying on the bed in the inner room.

Zhou Erzhu is five years old. He is skin and bones, with sunken cheeks and dark eye sockets.

His lips were chapped and his face was pale.

Grandma Zhou fed water to her grandson, and whether it was just her imagination or not, she felt that her grandson's body wasn't as hot anymore.

"Mother, where's Dazhu?" Gousheng's mother didn't see her eldest brother's eldest son.

"He went out to find hay, and we haven't had any food for today yet," Grandma Zhou replied.

Gou Sheng's mother took out two bunches of lush green wild vegetables: "I brought some wild vegetables, so you and Da Zhu and Er Zhu don't need to eat dry grass today."

"Let me tell you, these wild vegetables are no ordinary wild vegetables. They were bestowed upon us by the Golden Saintess."

“Mother, the village chief of our village, Youhe, said that Lihua Village and other villages should go to Qihuang Mountain to pay homage. We should all worship the Golden Saint Goddess together, so we won’t have to worry about not having water to drink in the future.”

Old Mrs. Zhou was so shocked by the fresh wild vegetables her daughter brought out that she was speechless.

"This...this is wild vegetables?" After seeing withered grass and decaying branches for three years, she actually saw a touch of green today. It felt like a dream.

There are immortals!
There really are gods!
Suddenly, an unprecedented hope arose in her heart, which had been like a barren wasteland.

"Good heavens, the land is cracked from the drought, and there isn't a drop of water. How are wild vegetables growing?" Old Mrs. Zhou asked in a daze.

"My daughter, are the gods really that amazing? They can make wild vegetables grow even in parched land!"

"The Golden Saintess is incredibly powerful and has boundless magical abilities. With a wave of her hand, she can bring three days of torrential rain!" Gou Sheng's mother said with a face full of reverence and faith: "Not to mention wild vegetables, she said that once she solves the drought problem, we can even grow crops."

"Solve the drought problem? Does the Golden Saintess have such power?" Old Lady Zhou asked in astonishment.

Gou Sheng's mother said solemnly, "Golden Saintess was originally a mountain spirit. Although she has only recently awakened, she is a deity with great abilities!"

"Cough cough!"

Suddenly, Zhou Erzhu woke up in bed.

He opened his eyes.

Grandma Zhou hurriedly knelt down in front of her grandson and asked him with concern, "Erzhuzi, how are you?"

Erzhuzi said, "Grandma, I feel much better."

He's not so hot anymore.

"Good, good, good!" Old Mrs. Zhou's eyes were filled with tears.

She knelt down with a thud: "Thank you, Lady Jin Sheng, for saving my grandson's life. From now on, my life, Old Lady Zhou's life, belongs to you."

She kowtowed in the direction of Qihuang Mountain.

Erzhuzi was startled. Seeing his grandmother acting strangely, he felt a pang of anxiety: "Grandma, what are you doing?"

She stood up and said to her grandson with a warm expression, "Erzhuzi, your aunt is here. She brought water and said there are immortals on Qihuang Mountain. We are saved."

Grandma Zhou's voice choked with emotion.

"A deity?" Erzhuzi was completely bewildered.

Seeing her nephew's bewildered expression, Gou Sheng's mother explained, "Er Zhu Zi, the mountain spirit of our Jin Sheng Mountain Range has awakened. She now lives on Qi Huang Mountain. I came here today for two reasons: first, to bring you some water to drink, and second, to tell you this good news. After you pay your respects to the Jin Sheng Goddess, she will bless you."

"See this? This is the water and wild vegetables bestowed by the Empress." Gou Sheng's mother said, pointing to a pile on the table.

On the table, three earthenware jars of water and a pile of green wild vegetables were prominently displayed.

Erzhuzi's lips trembled. Was he dreaming?
Water! It's water!

Grandma Zhou was relieved: "If your aunt hadn't arrived in time, you would have been in grave danger."

"You must remember the kindness of your aunt, and even more so, the kindness of the Golden Saintess."

Old Mrs. Zhou only learned of the existence of the Golden Saintess from her daughter, but she already believed it without a doubt.

Your Majesty, you saved her precious grandson!

(End of this chapter)