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

Chapter 65 Husband, you're back!

Bai Ruxue slowly turned around.

Not far from the woman stood an elderly man with white hair.

Looking at the person in front of her, Bai Ruxue's red lips parted slightly, trembling a little.

Her long legs emerged from beneath her skirt, and Bai Ruxue walked towards him step by step.

Bai Ruxue dared not walk too fast.

She feared that when she got close to him, she would find that he was just an illusion.

She was afraid that if she got close to him, he would disappear.

Finally, even when the woman stopped and stood in front of him.

Bai Ruxue even doubted whether she was dreaming, whether all of this was real.

She reached out her hand, wanting to touch him, but every time she was about to touch him, Bai Ruxue would fearfully pull her hand back slightly, repeating this several times.

Finally, when Bai Ruxue mustered her courage and touched his weathered face with her soft palm.

The real touch from her palm told the woman something.

This is not a dream.

He was truly standing in front of me, truly existing.

Bai Ruxue gently stroked his rough face.

Look at the wrinkles on his face.

Look at the spots at the corners of his eyes.

Looking at his full head of white hair.

Tears blurred the woman's vision, silently streaming down her cheeks and shattering on the green leaves at her feet.

Every time she tried to speak, all those words stuck in her throat.

Seeing Bai Ruxue's blank, tearful expression, the old man reached out and gently stroked her cheek, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

He spoke slowly, his voice tinged with the weariness of time: "Fool, I'm back now, aren't I? Why are you crying?"

Bai Ruxue stared at him intently, as if she couldn't bear to look away.

She was afraid that if she looked away, he would disappear.

"Have you seen...have you seen Lord Zhang?" the woman asked, looking into his eyes.

The white-haired old man nodded: "I saw him."

"How is Mr. Zhang's personality? Is he alright?" Bai Ruxue asked, like a wife concerned about her husband.

"Mr. Zhang is unpretentious, refined, decisive, and a very good person," the old man nodded in reply.

"Did you give me the honey? I hope Lord Zhang didn't find it offensive?" the woman asked again.

The old man smiled and said, "He didn't mind at all. Lord Zhang really liked those two jars of honey. He even said that if I had any left over in the future, I would give him two more jars in exchange for some good wine."

Bai Ruxue nodded silently: "So how did you do on the exam this time? Was it alright? Were the questions difficult?"

"Not bad, I got the top score in the exam." The old man's tone was slightly proud, like a young man's. "You got the top score, isn't that impressive?"

"Hmm, but I heard that when the results are announced, people will try to find a husband for their son-in-law. You weren't caught, were you?"

"No, I run very fast. By the time they noticed me, I had already disappeared in a flash," the old man said with a smile. "Besides, Mr. Zhang had Miss Zhang and some people guarding outside my inn, so they couldn't catch me."

"You should be arrested."

Bai Ruxue could no longer hold back, gripping the old man's collar tightly and pressing her forehead against his chest.

The woman wept uncontrollably: "Forty-eight years! Forty-eight years! Why haven't you married yet? Who has taken care of you while I've been gone? You always say I'm foolish, but why are you so foolish too?"

Looking at the woman sobbing uncontrollably before him, and seeing her trembling shoulders, the old man reached out and gently patted her back: "Silly girl, it was because I was waiting for you. Look, I've waited for you, haven't I?"

The old man's words were like a sharp sword, piercing the softest part of the woman's heart.

The woman's sobs grew louder and louder, her tears soaking his collar and lining.

The old man simply patted her back gently and quietly stayed with her.

"Alright, stop crying. I'm back. Shouldn't you be happy?" After a long while, the old man slowly said, "Besides, you haven't officially welcomed me back yet."

Hearing the old man's words, Bai Ruxue gradually stopped crying, but her eyes were already red.

The woman wiped her eyes with her sleeve, took two steps back, and took a deep breath.

Her slender hand slowly emerged from her sleeve, the four fingers of her right hand like budding orchids, quietly overlapping her left hand, her palm slightly turned inward, forming a subtle and graceful arc, gently resting against her waist and sinking slightly, her knees not bent hastily, but rather with great care.

The young woman curtsied and smiled brightly: "My husband, you're back!"

A gentle breeze blew against the old man's worn-out blue robe and clung to his upright figure, which was as straight as an old pine tree.

The old man named Xiao Mo was slightly taken aback, but a smile appeared on his face like that of a wanderer returning home.

"Well, I'm back."

Tianxuanmen Wanli Lake.

A woman dressed in Taoist robes stood in the pavilion by the water, looking at the koi carp of all sizes in the lake.

Every now and then, the whisk would drop the bait in its hand, and the koi would huddle together, vying for it.

Red, white, and green koi carp swam toward the direction of the whisk.

"Master."

A woman whose bone age was over sixty but whose appearance was like that of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl walked up to the whisk and bowed.

"Hmm." Fuchen nodded. "What is it?"

"Prime Minister Xiao Mo of Qi has retired and returned to his hometown. He and Bai Ruxue have already met again," said the woman named Li Sisi.

The delicate hand that was about to cast the bait froze in mid-air.

After a long silence, Fuchen sighed softly, sprinkled the bait in his hand, and replied, "I understand."

"Master, I don't understand. Why do you think it's better for Xiao Mo to not see Bai Ruxue?" Li Sisi asked, puzzled.

More than forty years ago, Li Sisi knew that her master cared about the white snake in the State of Qi and would consult the oracle from time to time.

Li Sisi also knew the story of the white snake and the scholar.

In Li Sisi's opinion, it was a good thing that Xiao Mo and Bai Ruxue met again. Even though Xiao Mo didn't have many years left to live, at least Bai Ruxue could accompany him on his final journey.

When Xiao Mo returns to dust, Bai Ruxue should also leave the mortal world, cultivate diligently, and have no more attachment to the human world.

But the master always felt that it was better for the two of them not to meet.

This puzzled Li Si.

"Sisi, have you ever liked someone?" Fuchen asked his disciple.

Li Si thought for a moment, then shook her head: "No, Master. I cultivate on the mountain all day long and see very few people. How could I possibly have anyone I like?"

The whisk turned around, looked at the disciple, and said with a smile, "Since you have never liked anyone, how can you understand the weight of the word 'like'?"

"Some things you like, you can't let go of."

Fuchen raised his head, looking at the misty sky, his eyes reflecting the stars and the moon.

"Perhaps, this is their fate."

Chapter 66 This is the last thing this old man can do for Ruxue.

Xiaoqing was on her way to deliver a letter to Brother Xiao.

But when Xiaoqing flew halfway there, she learned that Brother Xiao had already resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown.

Xiaoqing rushed back to Shiqiao Village to tell her sister the news.

But when Xiaoqing got home, she found that she was still too late.

In the courtyard, an elderly man with white hair was reading a book, while a woman in a white dress was hanging clothes to dry.

Standing outside the courtyard gate, Xiaoqing felt a sense of disorientation.

It felt like I had traveled back to forty-eight years ago.

The older sister took care of Brother Xiao, who studied every day in order to pass the imperial examinations.

The only difference is that Brother Xiao in the courtyard passed the imperial examination and even rose to the highest position, but his hair has turned completely white.

Xiaoqing could sense that although Brother Xiao looked very healthy, his life force was actually very weak, as if it would be extinguished at any moment.

"Xiaoqing, you're back. I'm sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing." Xiao Mo looked up and saw Xiaoqing outside the courtyard. "It's my fault too. I didn't write to you beforehand to let you know I was back."

“It’s alright, Brother Xiao.” Xiao Qing shook her head. “It’s good that Brother Xiao has returned safely.”

Hearing Xiao Mo and the other person's voices, Bai Ruxue turned to look at her younger sister and smiled, "Xiao Qing, what are you doing standing outside the courtyard? Come and help me hang up the clothes."

"Come on"

Xiaoqing walked into the courtyard and came to her sister's side to help.

At noon, Xiaoqing and her sister went to the kitchen to cook.

After asking around, Xiaoqing finally understood that Brother Xiao had returned on the third day after she left, and four days had passed since then.

In the afternoon, Xiaoqing and her sister cleaned the yard together.

Xiaoqing felt as if time had truly turned back to the past.

But in the following days, Xiaoqing gradually understood.

Ultimately, some things have changed.

Many things can never be undone.

The food that my sister cooked for Brother Xiao was easy to chew, and it was always stewed until very soft and tender.

When my sister massages Brother Xiao's shoulders, she uses much less force.

Every evening, my sister would help Brother Xiao back to his room, afraid that he might fall.

Only after Brother Xiao falls asleep will Sister return to her room.

My sister would sit on the edge of the bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time, as if she were thinking about something.

Xiaoqing actually knew what her sister was thinking.

Brother Xiao also knew what his sister was thinking.

After all, she could see that Brother Xiao's life force was weakening, so how could her sister not see it?

As a mortal saint blessed with the fortune of mountains and rivers, how could Brother Xiao not know his destiny?

But no one said it out loud, as if they were all deliberately avoiding this question.

Brother Xiao is back, but Sister still hasn't mentioned marriage.

And isn't it also because there's something more important that my sister wants to do?

A few more days passed.

Half a month after Xiao Mo returned to the village, everyone, no matter how slow they were to react, knew that Prime Minister Xiao and Emperor Xiao had returned.

The villagers of Shiqiao Village were eager to visit this world-renowned sage.

However, they were also afraid of disturbing Xiao Shengren, so most of them just watched from a distance outside the courtyard.

However, Xiao Mo would often leave the courtyard to chat with some of the villagers.

Whenever Xiao Mo went out, a fairy-like woman, as if descended from heaven, would be by his side to support him.

As news of Xiao Mo's return to the village gradually spread, even the prefect and governor took time out of their busy schedules to visit him.

Regardless of the other party's identity, Xiao Mo treated them all the same.

Indeed, there were quite a few people who wanted to gain fame and reputation and wanted to show off in front of Xiao Mo.

After all, although Xiao Mo has retired to his hometown, if someone can be praised by Xiao Mo, they will definitely have a lot of prestige in the court in the future, and some people may even want to become Xiao Mo's students.