Chapter 987 Don't disturb their flirting.

"Since Lord Zhao is so sincere, after washing it, you can rub it with salt, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and five-spice powder to marinate it, or soak it in soy sauce for a while, so it will be easier to swallow."

Master Han's voice was flat, and he looked at Lord Zhao with a serious expression, adding, "If you are more sincere, I don't mind knocking you out and chopping you into small pieces so you can swallow them more easily. Otherwise, I'll have indigestion for ten days."

"..." Lord Zhao was speechless, staring blankly at Daoist Han. Except for his eyes, his whole body looked like he was dead.

Master Zhang rested his head on his arm, and bent the index finger of his other hand and bit it in his mouth, afraid that he would make a sound and then he would be the one to suffer.

"Go ahead, why aren't you going?" Master Han looked at him leisurely, his body still in the form of a snake. "Where has your sincerity towards me gone?"

Lord Zhao then came to his senses, turned around and rested his head on his arm like Zhang Chengxuan, "Let's wait a few more years, I want to live a few more years. This is a beautiful day, and so many of us are traveling together. If one of us is suddenly missing, my two disciples will definitely cry and make a fuss. Let's wait a few years before we talk about it."

With his back to Master Han, he said in a low voice, "I suddenly feel extremely sleepy, my eyelids are so heavy, let's go to sleep."

Master Han brought his gaping maw close to his face.

"Master Han, go to sleep. This heated kang is very warm. Don't disturb your enjoyment."

"Slap!" It looked like Lord Zhao had been slapped.

"I'm not sleepy anymore. I just want to have a good meal and ascend to immortality. Doesn't Lord Zhao like to help others achieve their goals? Go quickly." Master Han grabbed his neck and said, "I don't care about anything else. If you don't let me swallow this tonight..."

Unable to bear it any longer, Master Zhang spoke up softly, "How about I go out to sleep? I don't want to disturb your flirting?"

"..."

"..."

This time, there was no sound.

Master Zhang clenched his fist tightly, and it took him a long time to relax it.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, he was still alive.

...

That night, Song Chunxue chatted with her sister until very late. Her second sister kept yawning and eventually fell asleep, unable to keep up with her conversation. Only then did Song Chunxue close her eyes contentedly.

After having a simple breakfast of steamed buns and egg soup, Song Chunxue, along with several young disciples and Taoist Zhang, went up the mountain to burn paper money for her elder sister.

Master Zhang understands these things and knows when it's appropriate to burn the incense.

"Bring some food. After we've offered it, we'll eat in the mountains once our eldest sister has eaten her fill," Song Chunxue said. "Bring some water and potatoes too, we'll roast potatoes on the mountain."

"Are you going on a picnic?" Lord Zhao didn't want to stay with Taoist Han. "Is it far? Are we going to come back?"

“It’s quite far, it takes an hour to walk,” Song Chunxiang said. “If you’re in a hurry, you can take the carriage with you, and you can also play around on the mountain along the way.”

As she spoke, she put down the basket in her hand. "Wait a moment, I have something to give you. It's rare for Lao Wu to come here, and I don't know when he'll be back next time."

As she spoke, Song Chunxiang sighed, "My legs are getting worse and worse. Sometimes when it's cold, I can't even get off the kang (heated brick bed). I probably don't have many years left. Fifth brother, you must take good care of yourself and try to live to be a hundred years old."

Song Chunxue's eyes reddened as she held her second sister's hand and said, "Sister, don't say that. Let your senior brother give you a couple of acupuncture treatments and prescribe some medicine. Don't be stingy with the medicine. Everything else is secondary. Taking care of your health should be your top priority."

Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably as she hugged her second sister sadly, saying, "I still want to see you hold your great-grandson."

Song Chunxiang patted Song Chunxue's shoulder, took out her own handkerchief, and then put it back. "My handkerchief is dirty, you can use your own to wipe yourself. Don't cry, what are you crying for? I'm older than you, and I'll live longer than our parents, I'm content."

They never got to see their five daughters get married.

“Second sister, come with us. Anyway, there’s not much of a rush with the work at home,” Master Zhang suggested. “It’s rare for us to see each other, so let’s go back to your parents’ home together.”

“Yes,” Tu Dan’er had begged for food here before and knew their living habits. “Second Aunt, would you like to change your clothes? Shall we go and join in the fun?”

Song Chunxiang turned to look at her husband and son; she hadn't originally planned to do this.

"Go ahead, don't worry, we won't starve even if we stay here for ten or fifteen days. Besides, your daughter-in-law will be back in a couple of days. It's rare for you to see her, so go back." Liu Tong said with a smile, "You brought so much stuff. I even saw a pig's leg just now. Fifth Brother is so generous."

“If my brother-in-law is happy, that’s fine,” Song Chunxue said, pulling her second sister along. “Then I’ll let my second sister stay a few more days.”

"Alright, alright, if she doesn't want to come back, I'll pick her up." Liu Tong, who was also getting old, handed over a large bundle of mugwort. "Your fourth sister always says that the mugwort in their yard doesn't grow well, so we cut several bundles last year and brought them to her."

"Alright, alright." Master Zhang took it with both hands and examined it carefully. "This mugwort is growing really well. When was it harvested?"

"Do you want some harvested on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, or some harvested during the hottest days of summer?"

“The best is the one for the Dragon Boat Festival,” Master Zhang said, tucking the mugwort under his arm. “Then we’ll be going now, and we’ll come again later.”

"Okay, okay, come often in the future."

Liu Tong and his son watched them get into the carriage and drive further and further away, their smiles never fading.

It's another case of offering favors like thighs and chickens; the child's fifth aunt is doing better and better.

Fortunately, she didn't see Zhou Zaibang back then.

Song Chunxue was sitting in the carriage when she saw a figure standing not far away, staring at them.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an acquaintance, Zhou Zaibang.

The bachelor that my second sister set up with back then.

"Song Chunxue? Is that you?" Zhou Zaibang stood by the roadside, holding a cane, his face looking much older than before.

Song Chunxue stopped the carriage. "It's me. Are you in good health?"

"Not bad, not bad," Zhou Zaibang said, watching her sit in the carriage driving the horses, with two more carriages following behind. He couldn't help but ask curiously, "Are you going to see your third and fourth sisters?"

The second sister poked her head out and asked, "You didn't go to the fields?"

“I didn’t go, but you should have come too,” Zhou Zaibang waved his hand. “You guys go ahead with your work, as long as you’re doing well.”

"I'm fine, take care." Song Chunxue gently patted the horse's back with her whip. "Let's go."

After the carriage had driven away, Lord Zhao asked curiously, "Junior brother, why did they ask you specifically?"

"What else could it be but missing my fifth son?" Song Chunxiang laughed. "When my fifth son came to visit me a few years ago, I tried to match them up, but it didn't work out. Three years later, Zhou Zaibang married a woman five years younger than him, and they're doing quite well now."

"Look at the result, the fifth brother looks even younger than he did back then, but Zhou Zaibang has aged. Not only has his body deteriorated, but he also keeps forgetting things."

Lord Zhao laughed and said, "It seems your fifth son is quite popular."

"Yes, back then, life was tough for widows, but many people cared about them. But none of us expected that the fifth son would be so strong, raising five children all by himself, which is more capable than us couples who farm together."

Song Chunxiang looked at Song Chunxue with unspeakable heartache in her eyes, "Now we can say that our suffering has finally come to an end. We older sisters can go down and face our parents with a clear conscience."