Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

The two changed into light sportswear and then set off.

Hundreds of years ago, there was a large plum grove on the back mountain of Qingxinju. In winter, you could smell the fragrance of plum blossoms as soon as you opened the window.

Unfortunately, it was later caught in the chaos of war, and most of the back mountain was razed to the ground, and the plum grove was completely destroyed.

For Jingyuan, with the passing of his master who could make plum blossom wine, replanting plum trees was meaningless.

Since the simulated climate of Jinhong Cave is not in winter, the two have to go elsewhere to find raw materials that meet the standards for brewing plum blossom wine.

On the celestial boat, countless wondrous sights unfolded.

During his second life running Qingxinju, in order to brew high-quality plum blossom wine, Qi Zhimu traveled to many places and recorded several grottoes in plum groves.

But as hundreds of years have passed, he wasn't sure if his memories from back then would still overlap with the present reality.

The two boarded a starship and arrived at their first destination.

Qi Zhimu looked down.

The heavy metal buildings stretch for miles, with countless cargo rafts shuttling through them...

Unexpectedly, hundreds of years later, this place has become a center of heavy machinery industry, and there is no trace of Merlin anymore.

Without lingering, he immediately changed course and headed to the next cave.

Good news, there are plum trees.

The bad news is that, looking around, most of the plum tree branches are thin and weak, with sparse flower buds on the branches, giving off a lifeless and dejected feeling.

Qi Zhimu brushed away the snow on the ground and rubbed the soil between his fingertips.

The soil has suffered severe nutrient loss, so the plum blossoms grown in this soil will inevitably not taste very good when used to make wine.

After two failed attempts, Qi Zhimu's expression showed a hint of helplessness.

The Starship's engine restarted, and it headed towards its third destination at the maximum speed limit.

However, the third cave still brought them disappointment.

The natural environment is not bad and the climate is suitable, but when you enter the plum grove, you can only see broken petals scattered all over the ground.

A gentle breeze swept by, making the bare branches appear particularly desolate.

"We're too late."

Looking at the fallen petals covering the ground, Qi Zhimu sighed with regret.

The best time to pick them has passed, and the remaining plums are almost completely devoid of fragrance and do not meet the standards.

He visited three different grottoes in a row, but couldn't even pick a decent plum blossom.

"I'm sorry to have made you run around all this time without any results."

Back on the Starship, Qi Zhimu placed his hands on the rudder and slowly ascended into the air, his voice tinged with apology.

Ruan Mei turned her head and gazed at his angular profile, a barely perceptible curve appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"It's okay, I have all my time available today."

She wasn't lying.

Before she even set off, she had contacted Tingyun to tell him that she had a very important personal matter to attend to that day.

We'll postpone helping Tingyun recover her lost memories until tomorrow.

Tingyun had no doubts about her decision, nor did she have the standing or the right to question her benefactor.

It has been thousands of years since Qi Zhimu spent time alone with Zuo You and Zuo You.

Whether it's a futile effort or nothing at all, it doesn't matter.

As long as I can accompany him throughout the whole process, the emptiness in my body seems to be gradually filled by the warmth overflowing from him.

Ruan Mei discovered that she is now easily satisfied.

Perhaps... it's because they dare not easily ask for more...

The star raft sailed smoothly on the waterway for about 15 minutes, then passed through the boundary of the cave and entered a cave called Suihan.

Snowflakes filled the sky.

This area is covered in snow all year round, and the simulated climate temperature will not exceed 5°C at most, and will drop to around -15°C at the lowest.

The Starship landed smoothly in the designated parking area.

Qi Zhimu stepped off the star raft and, following the distant memories in his mind, led Ruan Mei through the pine forest covered in white snow.

After walking for a short while, a vast plum grove came into view.

The plum blossoms are in full bloom.

Hundreds of plum trees stand tall amidst the pristine white snow.

The cold wind swept through the forest, carrying with it a delicate, unique, and penetrating fragrance to our noses.

Just a shallow breath can invigorate one's spirits.

"Finally found a good place."

Qi Zhimu walked quickly to a sturdy plum tree and, following the same pattern, picked up a small handful of soil.

Yes, the soil is very fertile, even better than when I came hundreds of years ago.

It seems that the managers of Suihan Cave are very responsible and have done an excellent job in environmental protection.

Using plum blossoms from this area as ingredients ensures the quality of plum blossom wine.

Qi Zhimu took out his harvesting tools, only to find that there were four bamboo knives but only one bamboo basket.

Before he reunited with the Black Tower in this life, he spent nearly a hundred years picking plums and making wine all by himself.

Having been alone for so long, my thinking had become ingrained, and I completely forgot to prepare an extra bamboo basket for Ruan Mei before setting off.

Qi Zhimu staring blankly at the bamboo basket did not escape Ruan Mei's notice.

"What's wrong? Did you forget your tools?"

Ruan Mei took two steps closer, her gaze falling on the lonely bamboo basket. She immediately guessed his concerns and made a gentle suggestion.

"It's alright, we can share one bamboo basket."

Qi Zhimu nodded; this was the only arrangement they could make for the time being.

Moreover, the bamboo basket is quite large in order to hold enough plum blossoms.

When carrying a bamboo basket on your back, the wide bamboo weave edges will cover your entire back.

From behind, you can barely see the head and the part below the knees.

The image of Ruan Mei carrying such a massive creature on her back while trekking through the snow is too incongruous and inappropriate; it would definitely attract 100% of onlookers' attention.

The two walked through the plum grove and picked plum blossoms.

Qi Zhimu's bamboo knife moved swiftly and skillfully.

During the process, Ruan Mei would occasionally glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

The fourth incarnation of Qi Zhimu has undergone significant changes in physique compared to the first incarnation, when he was a young man who always wore a gentle smile.

His figure was taller and more upright, with broad shoulders, and the muscle lines of his arms were faintly visible under the sportswear.

His temperament has lost some of its gentleness, but gained a more masculine and rugged quality that comes with the passage of time.

In more colloquial terms, it means: very manly, full of masculinity.

If it weren't for their almost identical appearances and only slight differences in facial features due to different life experiences, it would be almost impossible to associate him with the young man who was always quietly by her side and respectfully called her teacher.

This is also why I couldn't recognize him when I accidentally saw his arm and half of his body through video communication at the Black Tower space station some time ago.

But Qi Zhimu's habit of picking plum blossoms is still a shadow of that time.

They were not much different from the young people who, back then, would carefully select each petal even with their noses red from the cold, braving the frost and snow to make plum blossom cakes and brew plum blossom wine for their teachers.

……