A stunning mermaid dressed in the 1980s, the whole family lined up to pamper her endlessly.

Chapter 234 Specialty Foods
Mu Lao, whose given name was Mu Zhen, was a carpenter and a renowned carving master. His ancestors had studied mechanical arts and had even participated in the construction of imperial tombs, where they were responsible for setting up the tomb's mechanisms.

He could be considered a royal craftsman.

However, as the dynasty declined and war broke out, fewer and fewer people were skilled in mechanical arts, and the lives of people in this profession were greatly threatened.

Because it was a really chaotic time, you could easily lose your life if you weren't careful.

When he was 27 years old, during the Republic of China era, a military officer discovered a tomb from the Tang Dynasty and speculated that it contained many burial objects.

The officer wanted to seize all the treasures inside, so he didn't tell his superiors and instead hired people to rob the tomb himself.

But he lost a lot of manpower during his first tomb raiding, so he went around asking around to catch those who specialized in tomb raiding or who knew how to use traps.

Mu Zhen was one of them. Although he never revealed that he knew mechanical arts, the officer found out that his ancestors knew them, so he arrested him regardless of his wishes.

Mu Zhen was very talented in mechanical arts, and with the help of some handwritten notes passed down from his ancestors, he managed to survive in the tomb and escape.

But when he returned home after surviving the ordeal, he discovered that his wife and children had been murdered.

That officer was ruthless; he wouldn't allow any surprises, so he slaughtered everyone who knew the truth, as well as their families.

Overwhelmed with grief, Mu Zhen disguised himself as a beggar and went into hiding until he finally found the officer's superior and told him everything.

The officer eventually received his due punishment, but his family never returned.

He later learned that all those who had been captured by the officers were dead.

Some died in the graves, while others were all slaughtered by the ruthless officer.

He was the only one who managed to escape.

But after escaping, he faced the tragic fate of his entire family dying, with only him surviving.

In a daze, Mu Zhen buried his wife and children, but he didn't want to stay in this sad place. He packed up briefly and left.

Later, after many twists and turns, they finally settled down in Bailong Village.

…………

My daughter was about your age back then.

Even such young children were murdered.

That's why Old Master Mu especially liked Yun Jiao; it was partly because he transferred his affections to her.

Looking at Yun Jiao, he vaguely felt that if his poor daughter were alive, she would be just as vibrant.

"Alright, you should go back to sleep now. Staying up late won't help you grow taller."

Yun Jiao obediently replied with an "okay".

"Grandpa Namu, you should go to bed early too."

Grandpa Mu exuded an aura of sadness, and Yun Jiao thought for a moment before patting his head.

"Grandpa Mu, have sweet dreams."

After that, she got off Old Man Mu and left.

Old Mu pulled Old Wu to drink: "Come on, bottoms up."

Although she was smiling, a tear fell into her drink.

When he went to bed that night, the already tipsy old man Mu pulled out a mechanical box from his luggage.

The wooden box looked perfectly fitted, as if it were a single, seamless piece.

But as he moved his hands, the seemingly seamless box slowly unfolded.

Click...

He pushed open the lid of the wooden box, inside which were several photographs.

One of them is a wedding photo of him and his wife.

A family photo of him, his wife, and their son.

There's another family photo, which includes the three of them and their daughter.

These photos have yellowed, but he has preserved them very well.

It was also his most precious possession.

He hadn't dared to take it out for a long time; he was afraid.

But this time, he really missed them so much.

Suppressed sobs could be heard coming from inside the room.

He cried for a long time while holding the photo, and then Old Mu fell asleep.

This time, to his surprise, his wife, who had never appeared in his dreams before, actually did.

His hands trembled as he stared intently at the figure, too afraid to even touch it.

But in his dream, the person touched his face. "You've grown old."

Old Mu cried, saying he was sorry to them.

"Neither my son nor my daughter has ever blamed you; you've never been the one in the wrong."

Old Mu always thought that his wife and children blamed him, which was why they had never appeared in his dreams.

In the dream, two people appeared beside his still young wife: his son and daughter from his memories.

The two of them happily called him "Father".

His wife smiled and said, "We're leaving now, Ah Zhen. Look ahead and show us more of the world."

The three waved to him, as if saying goodbye.

Old Mu couldn't bear to part with it, so he rushed over but only managed to hug empty air.

He cried, but he also laughed.

From now on, the gloom that has been building up in my heart will be dispelled because of this dream.

next day...

Old Wu had breakfast delivered to him.

Soy milk, fried dough sticks, scallion pancakes, and the roast duck that Yunjiao and the others had been longing for.

I ate too much last night, so I didn't get to eat the roast duck.

I did prepare for it this morning.

Old Wu introduced it to them with a mysterious look: "This is our local specialty, douzhi (fermented mung bean juice). Try it."

Hearing him say that, no one doubted it, and they picked up their bowls and took a bite.

then……

Ugh...
After drinking it, everyone vomited it up, their expressions contorted.

Yun Xiaowu was the unluckiest.

This reckless guy gulped down a large mouthful, and quite a bit of it ended up in his throat.

Ugh ugh ugh ~~~
Old Wu laughed heartily.

Yun Jiao: I've never eaten anything so awful!
Several pairs of eyes at the dining table were staring at him with resentment.

"Ahem... Don't look at me like that, this is indeed a local specialty."

Yun Xiaowu drank several mouthfuls of water before feeling much better.

"Grandpa Wu, you're kidding us! This thing is more like poison than a delicacy!"

He's still feeling unwell.

Old Wu took a sip in front of them, which made the expressions of the people at the table turn into grimaces.

"You get used to this stuff; it's quite nutritious."

"And besides, it used to be a daily drink for royalty."

The Yun family members all looked incredulous.

"People who have lived here for a long time are used to it, but you outsiders are not used to it at first."

"Try something else, I'll teach you how to eat Peking duck."

Yun Xiaowu looked wary: "This Peking duck can't be the same as douzhi (fermented mung bean juice), can it?"

Old Wu confidently declared, "It will definitely taste delicious to you too."

Peking duck is indeed delicious. Sliced ​​duck meat is dipped in sauce and placed in a nearly transparent round pancake. Then, some shredded scallions and cucumber strips are added, wrapped up, and taken a bite. The duck skin is crispy, the meat is tender, and the slightly sweet sauce elevates the flavor of the duck.

The shredded scallions and cucumber strips add aroma and cut through the richness.

In short, this is completely different from douzhi (fermented mung bean juice). The unique way of eating and the taste of Peking duck are truly refreshing.

"good to eat!"

Unsurprisingly, everyone fell in love with the dish.

Among them, Yun Xiaoliu's eyes are the brightest, and if it had a tail, its tail behind its rear end would probably leave afterimages.

This breakfast was delicious, except for the soy milk.

Everyone disgustedly pushed the soy milk far away.

Old Wu shook his head, saying they didn't know how to enjoy life.

(End of this chapter)