Chapter 698 Returning Home to a Mountain Full of Flowers
Ah Lai accepted it with great joy, just like when he was a child.
"As expected, Fifth Aunt is rich. The Taoist priest has probably spent all his money. He said he would give it to me next time. I've been practicing with a willow stick lately, but it's not very effective."
As he spoke, Alai stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you, Master Song."
Song Chunxue was amused by the address "Master Song" and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"You little rascal, where did you learn that from?"
Ah Lai chuckled, “I’m not stupid either. The Taoist priest also said you like hearing others call you that.”
Yes, she really likes it when people call her that.
It seems she has transformed from that old woman who secretly sheds tears for someone she loves into the invincible Taoist priest Song.
She led the horse towards him and called out, "I'm leaving now, I'll come see you again when I have time."
"Alright, Master Song, please take care."
She walked down the mountain, crossed the river, walked along the narrow path, climbed the riverbank to the plain, and arrived at Lijiazhuang Village half an hour later.
The July wind was quite cool as she arrived at her eldest son's house on the dark road.
The courtyard was quiet, with the faint sound of a child crying occasionally heard, but it quickly disappeared.
It seems that the eldest son's current wife is much more virtuous and gentle than Chen Fengxian, and can soothe the child in a timely and patient manner.
She looked around outside the eldest son's courtyard, and saw his pigsty, chicken coop, and donkey pen; everything was well cared for.
The chestnut horse pawed at the ground with its front hooves and snorted as if complaining about why she hadn't stopped to rest.
Song Chunxue patted his arm and said gently with a smile, "Wait a moment, we'll be home soon."
She then led the horse to the door of Li Dazui's house.
"Wait here for me. I'll go get you a bowl of fermented vegetable soup and a bundle of alfalfa."
Upon hearing that there was alfalfa to eat, the horse excitedly nuzzled her with its heavy head, as if to say, "Go quickly, go quickly!"
The dog outside Li Mengchun's house next door seemed to have heard the voices and started barking in their direction.
Just as Song Chunxue was about to knock on the door, she heard someone open the door in the courtyard.
"Knock knock knock".
"Who?" Li Dazui didn't seem scared at all.
"Do I have anything to eat?"
Before long, Li Dazui opened the courtyard gate, rubbed his eyes, and carefully examined the area.
"Oh my, isn't this Aunt Jiang? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
Song Chunxue raised her hand to cover her lips, "Shh, keep your voice down. You have such a terrible voice, do you want others to hear you?"
"The eldest is asleep. I just got back from a long trip. Do you have a bowl of your homemade fermented vegetable soup?"
Li Dazui nudged the old jacket draped over his shoulders with his shoulder. "Come in, I'll scoop some for you."
"And my horse wants a bundle of alfalfa from you, do you have any?"
Li Dazui laughed, "Since you've asked, I'll go to the field and cut some for you even if I don't have any. Luckily, I cut two bundles during the day, but I haven't had time to chop them yet. I'll go to the shed to get them."
Before long, Ma was eating alfalfa outside the door, while Song Chunxue was drinking fermented rice water and eating steamed buns at Li Dazui's house.
She originally wanted to make a bowl of fermented vegetable soup at home herself, but Li Dazui asked her if she wasn't tired, and suggested that she just eat a couple of bites and take a nap, and cook dinner tomorrow.
Knowing that Song Chunxue was going to the old courtyard, Li Dazui packed her several bowls of noodles, a small jar of cooking oil, a bowl of lard, and a little salt, and put them in a willow basket for the horse to carry.
“It’s rare that you came back and I was the first person you sought refuge with, but I almost didn’t recognize you just now. What have you been doing these past few years? You’re completely unrecognizable from the poor mother who raised five children. If you weren’t so short, I would have thought you were Master Zhang.”
Song Chunxue looked down at her blue Taoist robe and said, "Don't all Taoists look like this?"
Li Dazui looked at her and nodded repeatedly, "Your clothes are about the same, but you are a completely different person now. Cultivation really can change people. It's a pity that I am dull-witted and do not have your courage."
"I'm just lazy. I don't believe you can meditate every day and still not make any progress?" Li Dazui sighed. "Yeah, I'm always busy chatting and haven't taken it seriously. Logically speaking, I'm more free than you. I get sleepy as soon as I start meditating, and I end up lying down and falling asleep."
Song Chunxue put down her chopsticks and took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth.
"Yes, I'm full. Although the bread you made was a little undercooked, it's still edible."
Li Dazui scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "We didn't have enough firewood that day, and I was too lazy to go far, so I just kept it simmering in the pot. It was barely edible."
Song Chunxue clapped her hands to brush away the residue, then took out a handful of candles from her bosom and placed them on the table.
"I'm leaving, you can continue sleeping." She hung the bundle on her body, bent down and stepped out the door.
His yard is small, and the door frame is small, so it doesn't feel too empty for one person.
Li Dazui stood up. "Why leave so many candles? Are you embarrassed to eat my food?"
“I go to bed before dark every day and almost never turn on the light. You can keep it for yourself.”
“I have more. Light a few more when you can’t sleep.” Song Chunxue glanced at the west wall of the courtyard. “You definitely won’t sleep well. If you don’t want to be alone, have your son find a place to stay in the county. This can’t go on.”
“My daughter-in-law is unhappy, but I don’t want to see her sour face. Although it’s a bit lonely here, I’m comfortable.”
But Song Chunxue knew that Li Dazui didn't like being alone either.
“Then find yourself a leisurely job. You’re a man, you can always support yourself. Are you willing to guard the yard for them?” Song Chunxue said casually. “You can’t wait for Cheng’s fourth son’s wife. Old Man Cheng will definitely not agree. You should just give up.”
Li Dazui chuckled dryly, "How did you know?"
“I also know that they will go to other places to make a living with their two children in a few years. With Old Man Cheng gone, this matter will not be settled.” Song Chunxue said gently, “If you go to the county, I will find you a leisurely job. Maybe you can even meet a kind and caring companion.”
In his past life, he guarded this courtyard alone for decades. When his grandson grew up, his son came back and renovated the courtyard, but because he discovered something unclean under the courtyard, his son and grandson were unwilling to come back even for the New Year.
"Okay," Li Dazui said enviously, watching her walk with such confidence. "By the way, do you have someone else on the side?"
Song Chunxue tied the basket to the horse's back, picked up the spread-out alfalfa, and turned around in surprise.
Why do you say that?
Li Dazui exclaimed in surprise, "Really?"
"I guessed it. You seem different from before. That mature air that only people in their seventies or eighties have is gone. It's a bit like how my daughter felt when she fell for her husband. It seems I was right."
"Congratulations! You're living a wonderful life! But why didn't he come back with you?"
Song Chunxue stopped what she was doing, her voice trembling with sadness. "He can't come."
She looked at Li Dazui, "Don't you think I..."
"Don't you think so? You seem quite insightful about other things, so why are you ashamed about your own?"
As if knowing what she was going to say, Li Dazui picked up the reins and draped them over the alfalfa in her arms.
"Now, I think it's perfectly reasonable for you to go anywhere, whether it's heaven or earth. Let alone meeting a man, even if you keep a bunch of them in the fortress, no one will say anything. At most, they'll be jealous that you're rich and can do anything."
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