Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

She thought that if Miss Yan really didn't want to play chess with her son, she would just not open the door, just like when someone came to visit in the morning.

She would definitely like to see her son and Yan Huai'an get closer, even if it's just to become acquainted, so she didn't try to persuade her son to come back.

That morning, Zhuang Xing simply played chess with Miss Huai'an.

When it was time for lunch, Zhuang Xingcai packed up the chessboard and went outside.

That noon, my mother stewed the big rooster that the village chief had sent over.

Zhuang Xing felt that this rooster was really unlucky. If the heroine hadn't come, it could have enjoyed more of its life at the village chief's house, and at least it could have continued to reproduce with the hens for a while longer. It was just bad luck to be born at the wrong time. Perhaps this was the price of enjoying a harem life.

The old hunter brought a pork ham, which my mother chopped into a large piece, cooked, sliced ​​into pieces, and served with homemade rice wine to Yan Huai'an's house.

I tried the rice wine at the shop; it had a very low alcohol content. It was more like a beverage than a wine. It was sweet and mellow, and my mother would only serve it to guests during festivals.

As for the pork ham, this was the first time Zhuang Xing had ever seen it. In previous years, his family only made some cured meat. Such a large piece of ham required a lot of salt just for curing. After that, it was left to sit for two years and fermented for twenty-four months, which indeed brought its flavor to a new level.

I don't know if the old hunter made this ham himself or asked someone in Yidu to help him get it. When my mother gave Zhuang Xing a small piece to try, he even thought about cutting off a pig's hind leg to make it himself this year.

But the thought of waiting two or three years seemed too troublesome; if things weren't handled properly, the best leg meat would be wasted.

He could only look at the ham with a bit of longing. Things were not what they used to be. Back then, his mother was unable to earn money and had to support the family business, so he had to share meat with Miss Huai'an.

Now that they have enough to eat and enough money to spare, there's no reason for them to secretly share the meat that the village chief and the old hunter brought them.

The village chief and the old hunter were giving the gift to the heroine, not to them.

In short, both at home and in the village, Yan Huai'an was treated with utmost hospitality.

In the afternoon, Yan Huai'an did not stay in the house and did not go out.

When Zhuang Xing carried his little sister out to get some fresh air, she brought over a stool and sat down next to him.

The little sister woke up, grabbed Zhuang Xing's finger, and cried out. A swallow flew to the eaves and built its nest there sometime during the night.

With the spring breeze blowing, Zhuang Xing felt a sense of peace and thought it was good that he had come down the mountain to go home.

Chapter 119 Looking Back (Part 2)

Three days passed after Yan Huai'an settled in Zhuang Xing's house.

After it rained that day, the weather was fine and sunny all day.

Zhuang Xing saw Bai Yu and the others running around the village with great enthusiasm, and their bamboo house seemed to be entering its final stages of completion.

There are still three seasons until winter. Before that, there is no need to worry about keeping warm. However, sleeping on a straw mat in a bamboo house like that always feels like a primitive tribe.

However, such a room is sufficient for sleeping.

Judging from their appearance, it seems they plan to run around outside every day until winter, and only go back to rest when they are really too tired to continue.

Seeing that they were settled in well, Senior Brother Lingwei set a date for their return to the temple: February 12th. They packed their things and went back to the temple.

The day we set off was the beginning of spring, which was the twelfth day of the first lunar month. If we returned on the twelfth day of the second lunar month, it would be exactly one month since we descended the mountain.

Today is the ninth day of the second lunar month, which means I can stay at home for two more days. The day after tomorrow, I will be leaving.

Excluding travel time, Zhuang Xing rested at home for about half a month. He was definitely reluctant to leave, but considering that he hadn't yet taken leave to visit his family, he felt relieved. At the latest, he could come back next year.

Tomorrow is the tenth day of the second lunar month, which is Yunling's tenth birthday. Her second uncle and aunt plan to hold a birthday celebration for her at home according to tradition.

Only children who have just turned ten and people over sixty years old celebrate their birthdays.

Because they weren't a wealthy family, they didn't hold banquets everywhere; they only invited relatives and close friends, and the Zhuang family also received an invitation.

On the tenth day, the mother prepared a meal for Yan Huai'an in advance, explained the reason for the matter, and then the family went out.

During her time in the village, Yunling mostly stayed at her second uncle's house. Except when they went to work in the fields together, she didn't visit Zhuang Xing very often.

When we arrived at their house that day, the courtyard was bustling with activity. There were two tables set up, with meat and vegetables on them. The cured meat and sausages were all cut up and placed on plates. Yunling's second uncle poured wine for the guests, and her aunt served rice to the guests.

In these times, this is a rare treat.

For many people, a birthday celebration like this is something they might only have once in their lifetime, around the age of ten, and they'll never again experience such a lively celebration just for themselves.

Congratulations on turning ten!

The visitor addressed Yunling with these simple words of blessing.

In this world, being able to grow up to ten years old is something to celebrate.

Because of inadequate medical care and a lack of supplies, it is very difficult for children to survive the first few years.

Especially in winter, cotton had not spread, and the cost of heating was very high. Wealthier families would fill their quilts and pillows with warm animal hair such as down and wool, while ordinary families could only rely on less warm cloth quilts stuffed with straw and reeds. They had no spare money to buy charcoal or firewood, and when the winter got cold, the children in the family would catch a cold and they could only leave it to fate.

The infant mortality rate has remained consistently high.

However, things are alright in Zhuangxing's village.

Perhaps after the great calamity came good fortune. Since the tiger demon appeared in the village, he had not heard of any children in the village dying in an accident.

After the tiger demon died nearby, Zhuang Xing never heard of any other demons coming, except for the white rat.

After the excitement subsided, Zhuang Xing and Yun Ling prepared to return to the temple.

They were leaving the day after tomorrow, and on the evening of the tenth day of the lunar month, Zhuang Xing was already packing his things.

There wasn't much to take with me. I brought a lot of things back with me when I came, so I'm leaving light.

He had already told the female knight that he was leaving the day after tomorrow.

Playing chess all day long gets boring after a while, so he takes advantage of the time to chatter on and on about his own life.

He said he became a disciple of Xuanqing Temple, practicing swordsmanship on the mountain and exorcising demons on the way down.

I talked about the story of Master Qingxuzi and the story of the mountain demon.

He recounted almost everything except what was related to the white rats.

The female knight listened quietly, rarely responding, but sometimes she would pat his head.

On February 11th, the female knight seemed to be planning to leave. She had stayed that year because it was snowing and difficult to travel, but spring was the perfect time, and she did not intend to stay for too long.

"Where is my sister going?"

"I'm going to Yidu and will stay there for a while."

It seems she originally planned to go to Yidu, and coming to the village was just a side trip.

"Yidu..."

Zhuang Xing had never been to such a big city before; he had only read some miscellaneous books and had a general idea of ​​what it was like.

Before leaving, the female warrior practiced her swordsmanship with Zhuang Xing.

She didn't use a real knife. Yesterday, the female warrior was at home alone, and it seems she was bored, so she made two wooden swords.

She tossed one of the wooden swords to Zhuang Xing and picked up the other.

Zhuang Xing knew she intended to teach him something, so he followed her into the courtyard.

She was actually using the swordsmanship of Xuanqing Temple. Perhaps it was revealed to her by the Taoist Master Qingxuzi, or perhaps she had been to the mountain a few times and seen people practicing swordsmanship, and thus learned it.

Despite using the same swordsmanship, Zhuang Xing was no match for him.

Compared to the masters and elders in the temple, the female knight-errant appeared very gentle. She gently patted Zhuang Xing's joints and body with her wooden sword. When Zhuang Xing attacked, she countered his moves accordingly. By watching how she dealt with him, Zhuang Xing learned a lot.

"You're right."

After the practice session, she struck a pose.

Zhuang Xing felt a strong sense of familiarity with this sword strike; it was the same sword she used to slay the tiger years ago.

However, compared to the sudden, almost imperceptible sword strike of that year, this sword strike was extremely flamboyant.

Before the sword was even drawn, the birds around fluttered their wings and flew away. The sound of his younger sister crying came from inside the house. The sword wasn't aimed at him, but Zhuang Xing felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Zhuang Xing gathers Qi in his eyes and can see the trajectory of the Qi flow.

The female warrior swung her sword at the bluestone at the door, cutting it into two smooth halves. But that was all; the mud beneath it was completely untouched.

"Did you write it down?"

"I've noted it down."

"Give it a try."

"it is good."

Zhuang Xing nodded, recalling what had just happened.

He swung his sword at the blue stone, and the sword energy shattered the stone, leaving sword marks in the soil.

It appears that his sword strike was more powerful, but in terms of control, they were worlds apart.

The female knight looked at the blue stone and patted Zhuang Xing's head.

She said nothing more. In the afternoon, she put on a raincoat, a straw hat, and a bag, and stood in front of the door just as she had come.

"I'll make a cake for my sister again next time."

"Ah."

She touched Zhuang's clothes one last time before leaving.

She took some dry rations with her, and also the ham that the old hunter had given her.

When her mother was cleaning the room, she found the silver on the table. The heroine had no intention of eating and staying for free.

Mother put the money away, saying that she would use it to buy meat when Miss Yan came next time.

She'll probably come again next time...

Zhuang Xing said that he might not be able to go home until winter.

I should be able to see her again, because there wasn't enough flour, and there were so many delicious things that Zhuang Xing didn't manage to make.

In a few years, wheat will be planted in many people's fields, and there will be no shortage of flour.

...

The next day, Zhuang Xing also packed his suitcase.

He went to his little sister's crib. His little sister opened her eyes and looked at him, reaching out her little hand.

Zhuang Xing picked her up, nuzzled her cheek, and gave her a small kiss.