Chapter 352 Hmm?

Song Chunxue chatted with her senior brother as they walked north.

The carriage swayed and climbed up and down the winding mountain road, arriving at my second brother's house near noon.

"We've arrived so quickly?" Song Chunxue exclaimed in surprise. "It feels so good not having to drive the carriage myself."

The Taoist priest swiftly jumped off the carriage, casually tossing his whisk aside. "Can a donkey run as fast as a fine horse?"

"Woof woof woof!"

"Woof woof woof!"

The guard dog tied up at my second brother's door kept barking, and people inside came out of the house.

"Fifth Brother?" Song Zhizhu almost didn't recognize Song Chunxue when he saw her. "Why are you wearing a Taoist robe?"

Turning his head and seeing the Taoist priest, he was surprised again, "You came with the Taoist priest, could it be...?"

"Second Brother, Senior Brother happened to have some business to attend to nearby, so we came together. Taking a carriage is better than walking." As soon as Second Brother opened his mouth and glanced at her, Song Chunxue knew what he wanted to say, so she quickly explained.

"Oh, I see." Song Zhizhu looked disappointed and quickly walked up to the Taoist priest. "Taoist priest, please come inside. We had a very pleasant chat when you came last time, but we didn't have enough wine, so we didn't feel like we had enough fun."

As he spoke, he pulled the Taoist priest's arm and led him inside, saying, "This time I have prepared plenty of wine, so please stay a few more days before you leave."

"Second brother, what about me?" Song Chunxue said irritably, "I came here specifically to bring you wine and meat."

She took two jars of wine and two roast chickens from the carriage, carrying a heavy bundle on her back, and looked at him with displeasure.

Song Zhizhu laughed, "You're family, why do I have to invite you in? It's the same if your second sister-in-law invites you."

As he spoke, he led the Taoist priest into the courtyard.

"Fifth brother, come inside quickly. Your second brother treats you like family, and you know his temper." Second sister-in-law smiled and took the things from her hands. "You're here, why did you bring so much stuff? Is there some special meaning behind this wine?"

Song Chunxue smiled and said, "Second sister-in-law has a good eye. Sanwa is getting married, and I came here specifically to invite you."

"Oh right, Sanwa should be getting married this year too. Come inside quickly." Second Sister-in-law said to Nengneng, "Go and gather some more firewood. I'll cook two dishes, and we'll make minced meat noodles."

"Okay, I'll go make the noodles." Nengneng said as she went to the kitchen.

Song Chunxue laughed, "It's been three years since we last met, and our Nengneng has learned how to make long noodles?"

"Isn't it all thanks to Lao Wu? You've given us more opportunities to eat white noodles. Neng Neng has been learning and learning, and now she can cut white noodles into thin and long pieces. The dough she kneads is also very chewy, and the meat sauce she makes is better than mine. You'll know once you try it today."

Second Sister-in-law led her into the house, saying, "Fifth Brother, have some tea first. I'll go outside, tie the horse to the donkey pen, add some hay, and fetch a bucket of water."

Song Chunxue stood up. "I'll go with my sister-in-law."

Song Zhizhu cursed, "Just let your sister-in-law go. She just got back and should rest for a while."

“Walking a few steps won’t make you tired. Second Brother, you should stick with the Taoist priest. I have something to talk about with my sister-in-law, so don’t worry about it.”

She stormed out of the house, seemingly angry, but Song Zhizhu burst into laughter.

When family members meet, saying "I miss you" is too cheesy; a little banter is much more endearing.

"Where's the boss?" Song Chunxue asked.

“The eldest brother went to school. He didn’t want to study before, so he took a two-year break. After your second brother had some money, he asked him if he wanted to study again, and he said he would try for another two years.”

The second sister-in-law said with relief, "Your third son has finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Before, while everyone else was studying, he was herding sheep. Now everyone is making a living on their own, and he's the only one studying. I hope he can cherish this hard-won opportunity."

"Yes, Sanwa is also very promising. The teachers all praise him. As long as he is willing to study, I can support him for the rest of his life."

After settling the horses in, they parked the carriage in the shade and went to help in the kitchen.

The work in the fields, the happy events of the neighboring family, the ugly events of the neighboring family, the big and small matters of the neighbors—these were enough to keep them talking for days and nights.

After the noodles with minced meat sauce were cooked, they sat around the kang table, chatting and laughing as they ate.

After finishing the meal, the Taoist priest got up to take his leave.

"I have to go to the other side of the mountain to do some business, so I won't drink with Brother Song today. We can drink another day when I have time. Anyway, Junior Brother is going to stay for a few more days, so it's not too late to drink before you leave."

Song Zhizhu looked on with regret. "I was just thinking of killing a sheep tonight to entertain the Taoist priest, but he left so soon. Sigh, it seems I'll have to skip this meal again."

The Taoist priest chuckled and said, "I will definitely drink with Brother Song next time."

Song Chunxue was very curious. Wasn't she supposed to have good fortune today? Why hadn't she seen any yet?

The Taoist priest seemed to sense her doubt. "Don't worry, you'll wait."

With that, he waved his hand, "You guys go back, I'll be back when I'm done."

"Senior brother, why don't you take the horse? It'll be faster. It's so sunny at midday, it's too quiet to walk alone." Song Chunxue called out to him, "Anyway, he should have eaten and drunk his fill by now."

"Why are you bothering it? Let it eat its grass. I'm nimble-footed, it'll be over in a few steps," the Taoist priest urged. "You should all go back for your afternoon nap."

Riding a horse is too slow. It's much faster to find a secluded spot, put on an invisibility talisman, and fly on a sword.

As soon as the Taoist priest left, Song Zhizhu revealed his true colors.

As soon as he entered the room, he looked at Song Chunxue meaningfully, sighed twice, picked up the tea canister and continued drinking.

"Second brother, why are you sighing like that? It's creepy. Aren't I doing just fine now?"

She glanced at her clothes and said, "Oh, I can't dress so plainly when I come to your house. It might cause misunderstandings among the people on the estate. I'll go change now."

"Clothes don't matter. The main thing is that the Taoist priest is used to traveling all over the world, but he has stayed in this place for three years. Don't you think we should seize the opportunity?"

Song Chunxue smiled faintly, "What opportunity do you mean by seizing it, Senior Brother? You mean to win him over? Isn't Senior Brother good enough? This relationship is more reliable than anything else."

"Second Brother is still too worldly. If I were to win him over, the benefactor would turn into a peach blossom, and peach blossoms fade easily, but benefactors are hard to find. Besides, I only have respect for my senior brother, and he also treats me as his junior brother. Second Brother is still harboring wicked intentions, which is a bit too much."

"If all else fails, you can find someone else to take him down."

"..." Song Zhizhu took a sip of tea. "Forget it, the Taoist priest is no ordinary person. You are not good enough for him now. We can't let him be an old cow eating young grass."

"..." Senior brother doesn't look old either.

"Take a nap, and when you wake up, go see your fourth sister and Alai."

Song Chunxue climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), only to find that her second sister-in-law and Nengneng had gone to sleep in another room, so she slipped off the kang again.

"Which room is Second Sister-in-law in?"

“You stay in this room, I’ll go to the outer room,” Song Zhizhu said. “I reckon someone will be coming in a little while.”

Song Chunxue grabbed a pillow and didn't think much of it.

She changed into a turquoise coat and fell asleep.

Half an hour later, a commotion came from outside the door, which startled her so much that she got up from the kang (a heated brick bed).

"This carriage is really impressive. Is Song Chunxue really back?"

"I heard she's doing very well now. She even opened a clinic with a Taoist priest in the county and is living a very successful life."

"She's returned home in glory. She's a woman who never married and never spent anyone else's money. I heard she had great luck thanks to a few lucky charms. She can draw lucky charms now too. I'd like to ask for two."

"I'd like one too."

"Me too, I'll buy it no matter how many copper coins it costs."

Song Chunxue wondered, could this be her way to make money?

P.S.: Sorry, sorry, I really am so stupid.