We said we would experience life, fairy, how did you become real?

"You passed the exam, but the official appointment from the capital won't be announced for another two months."

"He really passed the exam? That's incredible! That's amazing! Our Shiqiao Village is going to produce a high-ranking official!"

“Ru Xue has been taken away by an immortal to become a fairy, and you have become a high-ranking official. Our Shiqiao Village has truly become a treasure land!” Aunt Wang said happily.

"Aunt Wang, you said Ru Xue was taken away by an immortal?" Xiao Mo wondered if he had misheard.

"Hey? Didn't you tell me that Xiaoqing didn't write a letter to Mo-ge'er?"

"No, not at all." Xiao Mo lowered his head, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Just as Aunt Wang was about to say something, Grandma Qian took Aunt Wang's hand and said to Xiao Mo, "Mo'er, you should go back first. Xiao Qing should be waiting for you at home."

"Okay, Grandma Qian, Auntie, I'll head back now." Xiao Mo bowed and walked towards the courtyard.

After Xiao Mo walked away, Grandma Qian scolded Aunt Wang: "You're such a chatterbox."

"I wasn't being nosy," said Aunt Wang, her face showing worry. "How could Brother Mo not notice when a grown man has passed away? We should at least have given him some warning."

Aunt Sun stepped forward: "It's a good thing that Ruxue has become an immortal, but I've heard that immortals and mortals are separated. Even if Brother Mo becomes a high-ranking official, I'm afraid it won't be the end for the two of them."

"Sigh," Grandma Qian sighed, "There's nothing we can do, nothing we can do."

"Fortunately, Miss Bai has a younger sister, and I think Xiao Qing is one too."

Grandma Qian glared at Aunt Qin: "Don't talk nonsense about this!"

In less than half an incense stick's time, Xiao Mo returned to the courtyard.

In the courtyard, a young girl in a blue dress rolled up her sleeves and was hanging clothes and bedding in the room to dry.

But that white-clad figure had vanished.

"Xiao Qing," Xiao Mo called softly.

Hearing Xiao Mo's voice, Xiao Qing was startled and turned around happily: "Brother Xiao! You're back!"

"Hmm." Xiao Mo nodded, walked into the courtyard, and smiled, "Where's your sister? Did she go to buy groceries?"

"My sister..." Xiaoqing's eyes sparkled, "A celestial being said that my sister has talent and took her to cultivate. That celestial being said to be Elder Fuchen of the Tianxuan Sect. My sister said that you also know Brother Xiao."

“No, she won’t.” Xiao Mo stepped forward and shook his head. “Your sister won’t leave.”

Xiaoqing: "."

"Xiaoqing, just tell me the truth. Has something happened to your sister?" Xiao Mo asked calmly.

The girl lowered her head, her fingers clenched tightly.

[Miss Xiaoqing, you don't need to hide from him or deceive him. Xiao Mo already knows that Miss Bai and you are both from the demon race.]

Just as Xiaoqing's eyes were filled with hesitation, the words that Fuchen had said to her suddenly echoed in her mind.

Taking a deep breath, Xiaoqing looked up at Xiao Mo and said, "Brother Xiao, let's go up the mountain."

Xiao Mo paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

After locking the door, Xiao Mo and his companion left the courtyard and headed up the mountain.

"Brother Xiao, you know... you know that my sister and I get sleepy in winter, right?"

Walking along the mountain path, Xiaoqing nervously looked at Xiao Mo's profile.

"Yes, I know. I've known for a long, long time. When your sister was still a girl."

Xiaoqing lowered her head: "As expected, Brother Xiao knows that my sister and I are..."

“What you and your sister are is not important.” Xiao Mo shook his head. “In my eyes, you are my family.”

Xiao Mo stopped and looked intently into Xiao Qing's eyes: "So Xiao Qing, no matter what it is, I hope you will tell me directly."

Xiaoqing pursed her thin lips tightly.

Xiao Mo wasn't in a hurry; he simply waited for her answer.

After a long while, Xiaoqing slightly parted her lips:

"My sister started feeling sleepy in early November last year."

My sister is at a higher level than me. I'm not sleepy at all, but she is. This is not normal.

I kept urging my sister to go to sleep, but she said she felt this hibernation was different, and she was worried that if she fell asleep, she wouldn't wake up.

So my sister kept enduring it.

A few days after you left, Brother Xiao, a female Taoist priest arrived. Her name was Fuchen.

Xiaoqing recounted everything that had happened during this time to Xiao Mo, word by word.

The two of them walked step by step up the mountain.

The girl spoke, and he listened quietly.

As soon as Xiaoqing finished speaking, the two of them arrived at the cave that was blocked by a huge rock.

"My sister fell asleep inside." Xiaoqing lowered her head, her eyes filled with loneliness and desolation.

"Ah."

Xiao Mo looked at the huge rock blocking the entrance to the cave.

Looking at Brother Xiao's appearance, Xiao Qing felt a pang of pain in her heart.

Although Brother Xiao and his sister were only a few feet apart, they could not see each other.

“Brother Xiao, it’s not that your sister didn’t wait for you. If you want to blame someone, blame me,” Xiao Qing said, raising her head.

"It's not your fault, Xiaoqing. If it were me, I would have done the same." Xiao Mo patted Xiaoqing's head as if comforting his younger sister. "You did the right thing."

Xiaoqing lowered her head, clenched her fists, and tears had already wet her eyes.

In fact, Xiao Mo knew that Xiao Qing must have been blaming herself for the past few months, blaming herself for making the decision for her sister and breaking the promise between her sister and me.

"Did Elder Fuchen say when Ruxue will wake up?" Xiao Mo asked, changing the subject.

Xiaoqing shook her head: "Elder Fuchen said it might be thirty or forty years, or it might be..."

“It could be my whole life,” Xiao Mo added.

"."

"Xiao Qing, could you go and pick some Qinglong flowers and Ziyang grass for me?" Xiao Mo asked gently.

"Okay, Brother Xiao," Xiaoqing wiped away her tears and hurriedly went to find flowers and plants.

After Xiaoqing left, Xiao Mo sat on the ground, like a traveler who had been tired for a long time and had finally returned home.

Looking at the stone in front of him, Xiao Mo's thoughts drifted away.

"No wonder you, who never eat spicy food, often gnaw on chili peppers and insist that you have no taste in your mouth."

"No wonder you, who are always afraid of the cold, always wash your face with ice water."

"No wonder you never let yourself be idle those days, saying that you would get sleepy if you were idle."

"Fool, why are you doing this?"

The spring breeze brushed against Xiao Mo's blue robe.

This garment, sewn stitch by stitch by her, carries the scent of earth and grass, as well as the delicate fragrance of green plum blossoms.

"Ru Xue, you don't need to wait anymore."

Xiao Mo reached out and stroked the stone.

"I am back."

Chapter 55 Mother, is the top scholar really smiling?

It was the fifth day since Xiao Mo returned to Shiqiao Village.

Magistrate Sun found Xiao Mo.

Magistrate Sun clearly knew about Bai Ruxue being "taken away by an immortal," and he also knew that Xiao Mo, a man of great loyalty and righteousness, would be very upset to see Bai Ruxue missing after returning.

He returned home in glory, but the most important person was no longer there.

“Alas,” Magistrate Sun couldn’t help but sigh for Xiao Mo whenever he thought of it.

Therefore, Magistrate Sun did not come to disturb us in the past few days.

On the fifth day, Magistrate Sun felt that Xiao Mo's emotions had probably calmed down, so he cautiously came to inquire about Xiao Mo's parade through the streets.

As for the phrase "as white as snow," Magistrate Sun naturally didn't mention it at all.

Xiao Mo also knew that the parade of the top scholar was a custom in Qi State since ancient times. If he did not go, it would be disrespectful to the county magistrate, which would have a significant impact on his future political career.

So Xiao Mo naturally agreed.

"Xiao Mo, you don't need to prepare anything. Just leave everything to me, and I'll make sure you have a grand and glorious experience!"

At first, Magistrate Sun thought there was probably no hope left.

Even if Xiao Mo hadn't been paraded through the streets, Magistrate Sun wouldn't have blamed him, since he knew how deep Xiao Mo's feelings were for that Miss Bai.

However, upon hearing that Xiao Mo agreed to the parade, Magistrate Sun was naturally overjoyed!

The next morning, the procession to welcome the top scholar arrived at the entrance of Shiqiao Village.

A little girl dressed in festive attire entered Xiao Mo's courtyard, dressed him in the wedding robes of a top scholar, and adorned him with a large red flower.

The villagers saw Xiao Mo off as he left the village, and then followed behind the top scholar.

Everyone in Shiqiao Village put on their new clothes.

The old village chief was especially happy.

Influenced by Xiao Mo, Village Chief Wang was recruited as a clerk by Magistrate Sun.

When Xiao Mo was brought to Qingshan County, the streets were already packed with people, all eager to catch a glimpse of the top scholar.

"Mom, why does the top scholar look so unhappy?" A little girl, riding on her mother's shoulders, pointed at the top scholar and said.

“No, the top scholar is quite happy, isn’t he? Look, he’s smiling,” the girl’s mother said.

"Really?" The little girl bit her finger and tilted her head. "Was the top scholar really smiling?"

In June, the imperial appointment came down, and Xiao Mo was appointed magistrate of Jianshui County, Liuyun Prefecture, Liangzhou, and took office immediately.

For a top-scoring student, this starting point is indeed a bit low.

But no one believed that Xiao Mo would be neglected.

On the contrary, sending a top scholar to serve as the magistrate of a remote prefecture is a way of first suppressing and then elevating him, and a way of focusing on cultivating him.

"Xiaoqing, are you going to stay here?"

Before leaving Shiqiao Village, Xiao Mo went up Sheshan Mountain and asked Xiao Qing a question.

"Mmm." Xiaoqing nodded. "Elder Fuchen from the Tianxuan Sect taught me some techniques. I want to cultivate here and wait for my sister to wake up."

"Alright." Xiao Mo nodded. "If there's anything, just go to Magistrate Sun and have him inform me."

"Don't worry, Brother Xiao, it's nothing." Xiao Qing nodded.

"I am leaving."

"I'll see Brother Xiao off."

Xiaoqing escorted Xiao Mo down the mountain.

When Xiao Mo left Shiqiao Village, all the villagers and Magistrate Sun came to see him off.

Magistrate Sun patted Xiao Mo on the shoulder: "Xiao Mo, it was Mr. Zhang's idea to appoint you as the magistrate of an ordinary county in Liangzhou."

Xiao Mo's eyes widened slightly, then he nodded: "This junior understands."

"Do a good job, and your future is limitless." Magistrate Sun didn't need to say it explicitly; a smart person would understand immediately.

"Thank you for your guidance over the years, Lord Sun," Xiao Mo said gratefully.

"Have a safe journey. I look forward to seeing you shine in the imperial court." Magistrate Sun looked at the young man with a hint of reluctance.

Xiao Mo bowed deeply, boarded the carriage, and took up his post as the magistrate of Jianshui County.

"Father, why don't you mention my marriage to him?" After Xiao Mo left, Miss Sun walked over with dissatisfaction. "Miss Bai has gone off to cultivate, can't I be the wife of the top scholar?"