Chapter 1139 The Returnee's Notes 213

The boatman Liang handed Xie Ning a small food box, saying, "Yu Shu gave this to you to thank you for helping her with punctuation."

The food box contained various pastries, among which the chestnut cake had the strongest aroma.

"Grandma, if only I were a little more capable." Maybe I could have solved the predicament of Qing Shi Town in an instant, but reality is always far from ideal.

She was an insignificant and weak figure among those with profound knowledge and skills, and she didn't have the power to change anything.

"Didn't you say you believed in the country?" Xie Li tossed the black egg into Xie Ning's arms, then sat down with the basket in his arms.

"Yes, I believe you."

She is just one of the many stars, but she will try her best to make herself brighter, even brighter.

The return journey was almost the same as the way there. Xie Ning muttered a few words and then fell silent. Something was hidden in the thick fog and beneath the deep lake.

Perhaps they were left behind a thousand years ago, or perhaps they came from somewhere else.

Speaking of water gathering ghosts, Xie Ning thought of the strange phenomenon that there was no water feature in Senior Fang's house.

Later, she asked Xie Li, and it turned out to be related to the water level here. By not getting wet, one could largely avoid those things.

Because sometimes water is the path for those things.

This is different from a water ghost.

In addition, the house had many disciples and a strong yang energy, and with the addition of the formation, ordinary ghosts dared not come.

Only the ripples from the passing boats on the lake reflected their distorted faces, and beneath these reflections, several other faces were hidden.

The young lady, still dressed in her wedding gown, sat at the bow of the boat, humming an unknown tune. The oil lamp flickered, illuminating the boat's journey.

——

After leaving Qingshi Town, Xie Ning boarded a train heading north.

Because she needed to customize a Soul Umbrella and didn't know how long it would take, Xie Ning asked her advisor for a month's leave. So, it was almost March before Xie Ning returned to school. Instead, she set foot on the land of Beijing with her umbrella.

Xi'er couldn't remember where her original hometown was, so Xie Ning brought her to Beijing.

It seemed like a very long time had passed since she last came here, so long that her memory was somewhat hazy.

Spring breezes roll in from the lush grasslands beyond the Great Wall. Poplars, touched by the spring breeze, sprout green buds, while white fluff dot the willows. Peach blossoms are about to bloom, unlike the lush and vibrant life of Jiangnan, yet it is still enchanting.

Some people feel that spring in Beijing is a bit monotonous because it lacks the vibrant colors of the south and is also very short. Old Beijingers even use the phrase "short spring" to describe it.

Because it comes quickly and goes quickly, it is the tail end of winter and the beginning of summer, passing by like a flying horse in the blink of an eye.

Xie Ning felt that one thing was particularly good about the North: there was no fluctuating temperature or the return of warm, humid weather. In Guangdong Province, at this time of year, her room would always be filled with a faint musty smell, and the walls would always be seeping water.

Spring days are often rainy, creating a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere. It looks beautiful, but it's just too damp. The wet clothes hanging on the porch won't dry, and the dry clothes in the closet are still wet.

She's actually doing alright at home, but the students who live on campus are having a really tough time.

Xi'er stayed under the umbrella, curiously and excitedly observing the crowds hurrying by on the roadside.

Seeing Xie Ning silently put on a mask, Xi'er smiled and said, "This is just like my family. In winter and spring, there are always sandstorms, which is very annoying."

But now she loves it, because she hasn't experienced such sandstorms in a very, very long time.

The gray sandstorm seemed to bring the sound of camel bells.

Xie Ning shook her head helplessly, then walked against the flow of people towards the alley. She was going to stay here for three days, but she didn't want to stay in a hotel. The alley was a unique feature of Beijing's scenery.

She liked the lively atmosphere inside.

Finally, Xie Ning moved into the home of an old lady through the introduction of an agent, who turned out to be the old lady's nephew.

The courtyard was very clean. The old lady's husband had passed away, and she lived alone. When asked about her children, they only said that they had gone abroad, but she did not want to leave home.

What's good to do outside?

She's getting old and has to stay at home.

Xie Ning filled a basin with water to wipe the room that had been uninhabited for a long time, and then went out to buy three meals when it got late.

The old woman sat by the stove with her sleeves tucked in. Seeing Xie Ning like this, she couldn't help but mutter, "The kitchen is right there, with vegetables and rice. Why go out to buy food?"

Xie Ning handed a meal to the old lady and said with a smile, "Since you've come all the way to Beijing, you should definitely try some of the local specialties."

She probably hasn't eaten in a long time.

The old lady didn't refuse anymore. Anyway, her rent was low, and the girl didn't look very old. How could she bully a child?

Besides, there's hardly anyone around here, so it would be nice to have a child to talk to.

Glancing at the two portions of food in Xie Ning's hand, the old lady thought to herself that this little girl had quite an appetite.

She was unaware that the other copy was for Xi'er.

Before going to sleep that night, the old lady deliberately threw another quilt at Xie Ning, saying, "Feng San'er, it'll be cold at night, this quilt will freeze you to death."

Xie Ning was only wearing a thin sweater and didn't feel cold at the moment.

But just as the old lady had said, the day suddenly turned cold, and the windows rattled as the north wind howled, whipping up yellow sand that rushed in.

As the wind subsided, a cold rain began to fall again. Xie Ning, who had been awakened by the cold, silently put on a thicker sweater and crawled back into bed.

Xi'er stood at the window and carefully stretched her hand out through the glass. The rain outside also passed through her palm; it was the rain of winter turning into spring.

She could no longer feel it, but she could see it.

She liked the cold rain that many people disliked.

After the rain comes sunshine. The tender leaves sprouting from the treetops outside the window seem to radiate golden light in the sunlight. Birds hop around in the trees, chirping softly.