My hometown

Humans are complex, rooted in their multifaceted nature, and are often torn apart by conflicting perspectives.

As Tao Yao's close friend and a disciple of the Jingyin Sect, Lin Yun should have treated her friend with utmost sincerity and been absolutely loyal to the sect. She is now caught in a dilemma: if she chooses the path of truth, given her current limited understanding, can she truly make the correct judgment?

Therefore, she hesitated, suffered, and felt lost.

For a considerable period of time, she firmly believed that having power meant having the right to choose, but it turned out that making choices in the world was far more difficult than she had imagined.

It took her a while to compose herself. She decided to do some research before making a decision. As for the man in black who seemed like both friend and foe, she couldn't completely trust his words; she needed to prepare in advance.

Things have piled up again, and Lin Yunwai couldn't help but sigh, wondering when the peaceful and leisurely life she dreamed of would finally arrive.

Perhaps because she had been sitting on the ground for a long time, a very ordinary white butterfly fluttered down onto the tip of her nose. Sensing her breath, it fled at top speed. Her fingertips traced the spot where the butterfly had been, and what had initially only caused a slight itch was now gone after the touch.

The stunned girl looked up at the sky, estimating the time from the sun's position; it was getting late. She quickly got up from the ground, carefully folded her dew-soaked outer robe, and kept it safe, as it might become important evidence.

Thanks to the man in black and his accomplices last night, this was the first time Lin Yun had entered his own courtyard since returning.

As she pushed open the door, a cloud of dust rushed in, making her sneeze repeatedly.

This time when she returned home, the interior was not as spotless and pristine as it had been when she left the village to search for medicine.

She wanted to get a change of clothes from the closet, but as she passed the table, she saw a map of Shuofeng City, marking the locations of the villagers throughout the city.

How could such a thoughtful arrangement not move people?

After she went up the mountain, she herself didn't know if she would ever come back, let alone anyone else. For the sake of a very small possibility, someone still left her this carefully prepared map, just for that one possibility.

After a quick wash, we set off for Shuofeng City.

I happened to pass by the old site of the post station, where a new post station has been built and the surrounding streets have been opened to the public. Vendors can finally set up stalls nearby, and it's much more lively than before.

Seeing this scenery, Lin Yun realized how she and Sang Zhao had been exposed. After that "Young Master Xiao" arrived, entry to the area around the post station was prohibited, and the surrounding people all knew about it. Thinking about it carefully, her behavior from the pharmacy to the Ant Temple that day was indeed suspicious.

However, before "going home," she had an important matter to attend to—to mail a letter to her close friend Yang Suyue.

Before turning into the Yunlan Post Office, she carefully checked the letters in her arms one last time. This letter to Yang Suyue should have been sent long ago, but unfortunately, the Jingyin Sect had no messengers, and the disciples were not allowed to leave the mountain at will, so it had been delayed until now. Before leaving, she added some content, recounting in detail her experiences in the Jingyin Sect these past few days, and expressing her apologies for not being able to correspond as promised.

When her senior brother Zhou told her about the Qingming Festival holiday, Lin Yunwang had also thought about going to Beijing to visit her close friend.

During the lesson on humanities and local customs, her thoughts were completely dispelled. When Manager Han talked about the capital, he not only described the local customs and traditions, but also the different suppression formations for cultivators in different towns, as well as the rules and regulations governing the conduct of cultivators in different regions.

The use of magic by cultivators is prohibited in the capital and its surrounding areas; even sword-flying is not allowed.

Upon closer examination of the journey, it appears to be an extremely challenging trip.

She promised Yang Suyue that once she was able to take on an outing, she would choose a location in the human world, preferably near the capital, so that they could meet in their spare time.

However, it's hard to say how long this will take. All Lin Yun can do right now is to cultivate diligently.

Let's just do what we can first.

Yunlan Post Office was very efficient. Lin Yun had only been leaning against the wall for a short while when she heard the young man who was serving her call out to her, "Sir, look, that pigeon has carried your letter to the capital."

The two men squeezed in front of the square window and watched the carrier pigeon take flight. Perhaps it was his loud voice that attracted other customers in the shop to look over. A group of people watched the carrier pigeon disappear into the sky, carrying the shop's people's longing and melancholy as it flew into the distance.

Everyone present knew perfectly well that the shop assistant's words were an exaggeration, making them feel that the mailed items would be delivered to the recipient quickly. The next stop for the carrier pigeon, and even the stop after that, was by no means the final destination; it involved a long transit and waiting period.

Perhaps because this is a hopeful wait, everyone tacitly chooses not to expose it.

The village chief's new house was only a short walk from the inn. Lin Yun stood at the alley entrance, feeling a mix of trepidation and excitement as he approached home; his heart pounded in his chest.

She thought that times had changed, and she had some money on hand, so she should buy her grandfather some gifts. As for what to buy, she had already decided. After all, when it came to understanding the village chief's grandfather, Lin Yunwang was second to none.

So Lin Yun turned in a direction as if fleeing, and went to find the general store.

She stood at the alley entrance once again, carrying a bamboo basket and two large bags of pastries.

The jujube flower cake, wrapped in oiled paper, weighed a full three pounds and was carefully tied with thin hemp rope. Red marks were visible under the rope, highlighting its heavy weight. The most eye-catching item was a small half-slice of pork, placed in a large bamboo basket, with a corner still sticking out.

This bamboo basket was woven by the butcher's family. They gave it to her as a gift because they saw she bought a lot of meat.

The butcher was very welcoming, cutting meat for her while asking who was visiting relatives.

"The Shen family?" The proprietress paused, as if thinking. "Is it Old Man Shen who moved in not long ago? He often mentions his granddaughter and grandson who are studying away from home."

The proprietress had a good memory and deduced Lin Yunwang's identity from the conversations of the people coming and going.

Following the straight road, Lin Yun came to a house. It was mealtime, and the aroma of cooking smoke wafted over from various homes. She could even tell whose food it was from the smell.

After all, he grew up eating food from many different families.

The rows of small courtyards with gray walls and earthen tiles stood quietly in the sunlight. Some mischievous child had broken off a stalk of wheat that hadn't yet formed ears and stuck it in front of their door. The villagers of Shixi Village were all gathered in this area, just as they always had.

The person who arranged the accommodations put a lot of thought into it, ensuring that the villagers could live side by side and choosing an inconspicuous layout.

Lin Yun wanted to take out the map to check it again, but his hands were occupied by gifts and he couldn't free his hands. Just as he was hesitating whether to take the bamboo basket off, a familiar voice came from the low wall next to him.

"Yun girl, you're back?"

It's Aunt Liu.

Aunt Liu had just finished cleaning up the dishes and was carrying a pot to pour water into the yard when she looked up and saw a familiar figure outside the low wall. Instinctively, she called out Lin Yunwang's name.

He immediately put down the pot and ran out to greet her, not forgetting to shout into the house, "Old man, look who's back!"

Having said that, he was about to lead Lin Yun to the village chief's house.

"The village chief has been talking about you every day since you left." Aunt Liu walked briskly, while Lin Yun hurried behind her carrying large and small bags.

"Aunt Liu, please slow down."

Although the woman in front kept grumbling about how "young people these days have terrible stamina," she eventually turned back and took the oil paper package from her hand.

It's hard to imagine that this happened in just a short distance of three zhang (approximately 1.3 meters).

"Village chief, guess who's back?" Aunt Liu's laughter echoed throughout the alley.

Such a simple reunion. There was no enthusiastic tearful outpouring, no embracing and weeping as I had imagined. Just a "Yun girl" and a "Grandpa," and that was it. It had only been a little over half a month since we last met, but it felt like an eternity.

Just as the atmosphere was getting emotional, the village chief's question, "Did they send someone to chase them back?" abruptly shattered the mood, leaving only the laughter of the neighbors who had come out to watch the spectacle.

"Of course not!" Lin Yun said, his face flushed.

Another burst of laughter followed.

Amidst the noisy atmosphere, Lin Yun was taken from his hands and pushed into the house. The furnishings inside were no different from those in Shixi Village back then; his grandfather's favorite rattan chair was still placed at the door, swaying slightly, indicating that its owner had only recently left.

A group of people sat inside for a long time, chatting endlessly and expressing their deep concern for each other.

The house only became quiet as the sun set.

In the space now reserved for just the two of them, a warm atmosphere flowed between them. Both had things to say and many questions to ask, but neither knew where to begin. Lin Yun met his grandfather's loving gaze and spoke first: "Where are Auntie and Xiu Ran?"

She had just carefully looked around the people in the room, and while they were familiar faces, the two of them were missing.

Lin Yun looked intently into his eyes, and seeing sadness flash across them, she heard him say, "Your aunt has passed away..."

A thorn lodged in Yun's throat, rendering her speechless. She listened as her grandfather continued, "They're finally about to have a good life, but alas, she's still so young. She's probably not destined to enjoy it..."

The village chief's voice and the roar of the engines filled her ears. It took her a long time to find her voice, which was hoarse. She hurriedly asked, "Where is Li Xiuran?"

“He went to the capital with Miss Yang.” The village chief’s expression was sorrowful. “I said if he had stayed here, I would have supported him as he grew up, but that boy seems to only want to follow Miss Yang. He probably considers Miss Yang his only living relative.”

Yang Suyue was reluctant to take him to the capital, a place fraught with intrigue and unsuitable for a child from an obscure family. She knew she would be preoccupied with her own needs in the capital, let alone care for him. However, Li Xiuran insisted, and she couldn't refuse him. Furthermore, the official had sent messengers to urge them on, so they had no choice but to hastily set off.

"She didn't take anything with her." Thinking of this, the village chief sighed repeatedly. It wasn't that he didn't trust Yang Suyue, but he had heard that there were many important figures in the capital. If he accidentally offended one... Thinking of this, he sighed again.

"Both Suyue and that child are prudent people, so there's no need to worry too much," Lin Yun reassured her.

"I hope so." The village chief's gaze fell on her hands, and he suddenly said, "Tomorrow you will accompany me to the temple to pray for blessings. I have been feeling uneasy these past few days."