Chapter 2 Springtime Romance, A Bond Begins with the Sea Breeze
In the sixteenth year of Tianchen, in June, in the height of summer, in Qingshui City.
As dawn breaks, a gentle breeze sweeps through this seaside town, carrying the unique salty and damp scent of the sea as it passes through the streets and alleys, past quiet homes, and pauses at the bustling morning market.
"Hey, fresh sea fish! Just pulled from the sea, lively and jumping around, so fresh!"
"These white pastries are fresh out of the oven and still warm! Come and see, they're perfect for the kids!"
"Hey, have you heard? We're getting a new city lord."
"Absolutely! That's a big shot from Shengjing, quite impressive—"
"Hey, hey, don't block the way! Everyone's in a hurry to buy groceries!"
At the morning market, many vendors had already set up their stalls and started selling. Soon, the sounds of their calls filled the air. Qingshui City, located by the sea, was the southernmost coastal city in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Few were wealthy or powerful; most relied on the sea for their livelihood, living a peaceful and tranquil life. Even occasional events or lively gatherings didn't disrupt their livelihoods.
"Give me a discount! I came straight here without looking anywhere else!"
"Oh, Auntie, I can't lower the price any further! Look at this fish, it's so fresh, this is the price!"
"..."
Aunt Li, who was buying fish with her child, was negotiating the price with someone across the street. Her daughter wanted to drink fish soup today, and she was planning to buy one at the morning market.
The summer heat was intense, even in the early morning. Aunt Li, holding her daughter's hand in one hand and groceries in the other, was haggling enthusiastically with the fishmonger. Before she knew it, her little girl had wandered off somewhere else—
Actually, it wasn't a big deal. Everyone here knew each other, so Aunt Li simply called to her daughter, "Don't go too far. We'll be home soon!"
"good!"
The little girl nodded. She was six or seven years old and often played here. She knew every alley and corner of the place very well. The child swayed her head and walked past the noise and vendors. Suddenly, she saw something emitting a very beautiful light.
What is it? she wondered.
She blinked, and the little girl walked quickly. In no time, she reached a small alley where the light became more and more obvious. She squatted down and unconsciously began to look.
Are they pearls? They're so beautiful...
"So beautiful..."
She slightly opened her mouth and made a "wow" sound. Just as she squatted down to reach out, she felt a sudden chill on the back of her neck. The little girl involuntarily looked up and was hit by a foul stench!
A clam shell the size of a water tank hung overhead with its huge mouth wide open, and sticky saliva dripped onto her hair, making it disgusting, repulsive, and incredibly frightening!
"Ah—ah—"
She fell to the ground, her eyes wide with terror, her mouth opening and closing but unable to utter a word. Just as the monster opened its massive jaws to swallow her, a sharp yet refreshing gust of wind swept in!
"Whoosh!"
As the wind rose and flowers fell, the woman in red landed lightly at the alley entrance. It seemed that only the wind heard her attack. A petal flew from who-knows-where and turned into a flash of red light. The clam demon made a crisp "crack" sound, and the entire clam shell split in two!
Before the little girl could react, she was gently lifted up by a sleeve that carried the scent of flowers and the sea breeze. She looked up at the unfamiliar yet beautiful older sister, her heart pounding. She wanted to speak, but she hadn't yet recovered from the fear she had just experienced...
In what seemed like an instant, the giant clam monster transformed into a strange gust of wind and entered the woman's hand. The girl stared blankly as the woman in red placed her on the ground and then gently patted her head.
She smiled, leaning slightly forward. A delicate floral fragrance wafted by as she touched her forehead, her expression gentle and smiling.
"It's too hot, so you just didn't sleep well and had a bad dream."
Gently, the fragrance of flowers brushed against the girl's face. She involuntarily followed the words of the woman in red and closed her eyes, calming her racing heart and trembling body. Even in the darkness, the scent was incredibly sweet… Was it all a dream…?
In the distance, she seemed to hear her mother's voice—
"Xiaoman! Xiaoman! Oh, where have you run off to! Your mother was so worried about you!"
The little girl opened her eyes in an instant. What she saw was not a big monster, nor a pretty older sister, but her anxious mother in the alley.
Aunt Li was sweating profusely with anxiety. Fortunately, she had found her daughter. She hurriedly led the girl out of the alley, saying, "What happened to you! Why did you run into this alley? Do you know how long your mother has been looking for you? Don't do this again! Do you hear me!"
"Hey, come home, come home. We're still busy today. Didn't you want fish soup? Mom bought some. Come on, let's go home and make some for you..."
"You can't run around like that next time, I have to talk to your dad..."
Her mother spoke one sentence after another, and the little girl could only nod in agreement. For some reason, she suddenly felt a little confused. She looked up at Aunt Li and said...
"Mom, I think I had a scary dream last night..."
"Oh, dreams are all just illusions, don't be afraid, your mother is here."
"Hmm...I'm not afraid!"
She remembered that a very beautiful and powerful older sister hugged her... It's strange, she can't remember clearly, but she just felt that she wasn't scared anymore.
...
East coast.
Qingyu strolled leisurely on the sand, digesting the rare encounter with the clam spirit she had encountered that day. The waves crashed against her, and she looked up at the sky; it was almost noon.
"Qingyu?"
A familiar voice came from behind her, and she turned her head.
The boy was dressed like an ordinary fisherman, with a gentle demeanor and handsome features, yet he lacked any special charm. Carrying a fish basket and vegetables, he truly seemed like an ordinary person.
"You killed a demon?"
Qingyu: "..."
The girl sniffed her sleeve and walked alongside him, asking curiously, "Is there such a strong demonic aura?"
Wen Chuan chuckled, "No, it just smells like seafood."
Upon hearing this, Qingyu lowered her sleeves. She was speechless at first, then laughed and said, "It was a clam demon. I happened to see him eating a child, so I killed him casually... The child was very small, with two little braids sticking up and down on his head."
Wen Chuan smiled, his tone serious yet amused, "Good demon, do good deeds."
Qingyu laughed, "I never said I was a good demon, I just did a good deed."
Wen Chuan: "Hmm, extra meal tomorrow?"
"Okay, what do you want to eat?"
"I'm still thinking about it."
"Then don't think about it—I'll think about it."
"..."
Not far away, the waves rolled, and the summer wind was lively, whistling and stirring up layers of white foam on the sea. They chatted idly until they got home.
Wen Chuan has lived alone in the coastal area outside the city since he was thirteen years old. When he moved away, he specifically chose the less populated eastern area. There are basically no other people coming to this place. Even though Qing Yu lived here for more than a year, no one ever saw her.
It was nearly 9 AM, and the warm sunlight shone into the courtyard house. The house was built of wood and adobe, with layers of thatched roof. Originally, there were three rooms, but since Qingyu arrived, Wenchuan had converted one of them into a bedroom.
Stepping into the courtyard, a reclining chair sits quietly in the corner. The chair is woven from bamboo, and sunlight filters through the gaps, casting dappled shadows. A gentle breeze causes the reclining chair to sway softly. Not far away, a bamboo-woven chicken coop exudes a natural feel. Upon closer inspection, it is very clean inside, and there are even special chicken bowls... but it is empty, with no chickens in sight.
Wen Chuan wasn't too surprised. He was still carrying groceries, so he went straight across the yard and into the kitchen.
The kitchen was located on the right side of the house. Pots and pans were placed on the stove, and firewood was neatly stacked to the side. He first put the vegetables in, then lit a fire to boil some water. There was no rush. The weather was nice today, and Wen Chuan thought he could clean the fish later.
He added firewood to the stove, and as the flames flickered, a pair of slender, fair hands suddenly appeared before him, waving them in front of him with interest.
"I forgot to ask earlier, are you having fish for lunch today? Braised or steamed?"
"Be careful not to get burned."
Wen Chuan said slowly, while Qing Yu chuckled and stopped, feeling it was pointless. Wen Chuan looked up and saw that the girl was wearing a scarlet dress with the hem shimmering in the sunlight. Her black hair was like a waterfall, but it was only decorated with a simple flower hairpin, without any embellishment.
She smiled, a bright and playful smile, but what was most captivating were her bright eyes, looking at him expectantly—she had always loved braised fish.
Wen Chuan picked up the firewood beside him, added more fuel to the fire, then looked at Qing Yu with a calm expression and said leisurely, "Make soup."
"..."
Qingyu's smile vanished instantly, then she slightly pursed her lips, "Oh—"
Wen Chuan's lips curled up, and a hint of amusement appeared in his clear eyes: "Where's Cai Cai?"
Qingyu waved her hand, turned around, lifted her skirt, swayed her feet on the low threshold, and then jumped out, happily leaving the kitchen and entering the yard.
As she walked, she replied, "I was cultivating outside all day and came back with you... I knew you didn't feed it vegetables yesterday, and it must have gotten angry and sneaked away again."
Wen Chuan didn't say anything. Qing Yu fed Cai Cai vegetables every day, which spoiled the chicken. It would be good for it to run away from home for a couple of days to develop its abilities.
Qingyu walked to the recliner, turned around, landed steadily, and leisurely half-reclined on the recliner. She comfortably crossed her legs and swayed back and forth, enjoying the morning sun.
She looked at the sunlight filtering through her fingers, feeling a sense of peace, but her heart also gradually sank. It was now the height of summer, and it had been more than a year since Wen Chuan had saved her last spring... Unbeknownst to her, she had been cultivating in Qingshui for over a year.
Qingyu is the name she gave herself. She is a little demon who grew up in the mountains. She spent a winter floating in the sea. After waking up, she came to Qingshui Fishermen's House.
Perhaps it was truly her destiny to survive. The Cold Snow Poison repeatedly froze her heart and pulse in the sea, eroding her spiritual power time and time again. Under this double stimulation, she fell into a deep sleep in the sea, but unexpectedly made contact with the sea flower. For the first time, she realized that if the soil could nurture a flower, the sea could too, and perhaps even more so.
She was in her element.
She woke up on a spring day, determined to fight her way back, but she had to wait until she was strong enough.
With that thought in mind, she grabbed the fishing net that passed by in that instant, holding on tightly and refusing to let go. She struggled in the waves, and in that instant, the sky brightened, and light shone on her. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.
"woke up?"
Wen Chuan's figure came into view. The handsome young man stood in the courtyard, tilted his head slightly, and smiled, "Perfect timing, time to eat."
Qingyu smiled too. The sunlight was so nice that she unknowingly fell asleep on the deck chair.
"I'll go get the dishes!"
The girl got up, went to the kitchen, splashed water on her face to refresh herself, quickly washed the dishes, turned around and went into the main room to eat!
Wen Chuan brought in the last dish of fish soup. He made it simple today: a plate of green vegetables, a braised eggplant, a dish of celery stir-fried with dried squid, and finally a large bowl of milky white and tender crucian carp and tofu soup.
Wow, Wen Chuan, your cooking is getting better and better!
Qingyu, munching on dried squid, praised Wen Chuan with immense satisfaction. It was no exaggeration; although she didn't know what Wen Chuan cultivated, he genuinely loved studying food, especially home-style dishes.
Qingyu sometimes found it strange that Wen Chuan saved her and made a deal with her. He was clearly a very powerful cultivator, yet he grew up alone in Qingshui City, without father, mother, or teacher. Although he was said to be cultivating, he was always busy with mundane matters, eating, drinking, living, and traveling, just like an ordinary person.
"Thank you for the compliment. We'll have fish soup noodles for dinner."
Wen Chuan didn't pay attention to Qing Yu's inner thoughts. The boy simply picked up his chopsticks, responded with a sentence, and then quietly ate his meal.
Qingyu put down her chopsticks and set the table. Her eyes crinkled as she tilted her head to look at Wen Chuan across from her: "Wen Chuan, when I came back, I heard that Qingshui City was going to have a new city lord... and the spiritual energy in the city had also become stronger."
Qingshui City has always been peaceful, and sea monsters rarely come ashore. Perhaps it was because of the increased spiritual energy this time that a clam demon was attracted...
Wen Chuan looked up. "Hmm, so you're leaving?"
Qingyu choked, "No rush!"
Wen Chuan: "Mm."
Qingyu was speechless for a moment. He really did respond to every word. She was originally sitting, but now she bent over again, resting her elbows on her knees, supporting her chin with her hands, lowering her head, and focusing her eyes on the food on the table.
She said softly, "But it'll be soon, won't it?"
Wen Chuan looked at the drooping, dark head, frowned slightly, and said gently, "Before that, remember to wash today's dishes."
"Hiss... Wen Chuan! Is it my turn to wash today?"
"You went out two days ago without telling me, so I cooked too much food and washed too many dishes."
"!!! You didn't tell me you were going out to sea, I almost didn't get to eat!"
"I told you, but you forgot."
"Well, I already said it, you just forgot."
"..."
The midday sun was intense, making the seawater shimmer with golden light. Seagulls cried out, occasionally glancing at the smoke rising from the distant wooden houses, before suddenly soaring into the sky and circling high.
...
Official road.
Several horse-drawn carriages drove by, kicking up clouds of dust.
In one of the carriages, a beautiful woman dressed in a gorgeous dress sat quietly, resting with her eyes closed.
A maid lifted the carriage curtain and respectfully reported to her, "Madam, we will arrive in Qingshui City in one day."
Zhang Ling opened her eyes. The days were getting warmer, and she felt restless sitting in the carriage. "How is Xiao Xuan? I haven't seen him today."
"Reporting to Madam, the young master rode at full speed last night, saying he wanted to get to Qingshui City as soon as possible."
As the maid spoke, noticing Zhang Ling's expression, she added, "Lord Lin accompanied her and went along."
Zhang Ling laughed. He certainly knew how to enjoy life. Oh well, she accompanied her husband to take up his post as the lord of Qingshui City. Zhang Xuan had managed to persuade his father to trouble Lord Lin to travel with them. They arrived in Qingshui, and she wondered what he was trying to do, being so controlled like this.
A note from the author:
----------------------
This story leans towards a plot-driven narrative, but the main theme is a heartwarming slice-of-life story. The pace is relatively slow in the first few chapters, but it will pick up speed after the Qing Shui arc begins.
New author, new story! Please support me if you like it, and feel free to add it to your favorites and comment. This story is complete and will definitely be updated regularly without a rushed ending! [Go for it!]
(Because this is a road trip story, there will be a short train announcement in the author's notes at the beginning of each chapter, which feels like a preview. You can skip it if you don't like it. [Sprinkling emoji])
——
Ding! We've arrived at the South China Sea. Welcome aboard, passengers. This train has traveled through twelve stops, enjoying the beautiful scenery of all four seasons, the gentle breeze, and the bright daylight. We'll simply savor the passing time and journey to the ends of the earth.
...
The summer sea breeze is gentle and pleasant.
Please be seated and enjoy the music before your journey begins.
This station, the starting point, is Qingshui City.
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