Not long after, Tang San returned with a basin of water, quickly walked to Xiao Wu's bedside, and placed the basin on the ground.
Having been in a state of intense passion for so long, he was somewhat weak, and just fetching some water made him break out in a cold sweat.
"Xiao Wu, I've brought back the water for washing your feet!"
"Thank you!" Xiao Wu's voice was crisp, without even glancing at him.
"It's nothing, as long as you're happy."
Facing Tang San's affectionate gaze, she showed no reaction; instead, she felt a little nauseous at this jerk staring at her feet.
Tang San waited nearby.
Xiao Wu's little feet slowly touched the water's surface and then abruptly withdrew.
"Hiss~ You rascal! Hey!" She glared at him angrily.
"Huh? What's wrong, Xiao Wu?" Tang San, who had been engrossed in watching, was jolted awake.
"Why did you bring cold water? What if you get sick?" Xiao Wu removed her little feet and put them back in the blankets.
"It's okay, I'll take care of you if you're sick."
"So you mean you deliberately got cold water?" Xiao Wu frowned, looking at him coldly.
"How could I? I'll go get some right now!" Tang San realized he had misspoke and quickly tried to make amends.
"Hmph, go ahead then." Xiao Wu lay down and stared at the ceiling.
The second time, she got hot water, but Xiao Wu was still dissatisfied.
She said it was too hot.
And when she put on her shoes and said she wanted to do it herself, Tang San objected.
"I'll go, I'll go!" He said he also wanted to get some water to soak his feet, so he could do it on the way.
Without further delay, he set off again.
After he had gone some distance, Xiao Wu's voice rang out.
"Wang Sheng!"
"Hey, Sister Xiao Wu, what's up?" Wang Sheng smiled somewhat obsequiously, after all, even his third brother was weak-willed, let alone him.
"When he comes back, tell him not to bother me, I want to sleep. Also!" Xiao Wu paused, looking at Wang Sheng strangely.
"Also what?" Wang Sheng was confused.
"Also, didn't you smell a latrine odor on him? Tell him to wash himself clean later, or he won't be allowed into Dormitory Seven! Understand?"
"Understood, understood!"
After giving all the instructions, Xiao Wu covered her mouth with her hand. She was really sleepy. Anyway, Tang San couldn't escape, so she would slowly torture him.
Holding the quilt Ye Qiu had bought for him, she slowly closed her eyes.
This time, Tang San was smarter. When he came back, he carried one hand of cold water and one hand of hot water, so he could adjust the temperature as he pleased.
Unfortunately, Xiao Wu had already fallen asleep.
After learning of her instructions before going to bed, he didn't resist at all. After all, it was true. When he went to the teacher's cubicle in the evening, the scene almost made him helpless.
Xiao Wu telling him to wash himself clean was also a way of showing her concern for him, wasn't it?
That day, Tang San slept very late but was happy to. However, little did he know, this was only the first night!
...
The starlight did not fail the traveler
. In the middle of the night, when no one was around.
At this moment, aided by the speed of the ten-year-old soul beast Iron Hoof Horse, Ye Qiu had already arrived at the entrance of Biyou Village.
He dismounted, his martial soul appeared, and the Iron Hoof Horse disappeared into the vortex.
Looking at the familiar village entrance before him, Ye Qiu didn't linger. He walked and looked around, surprised to find that almost three years had passed since he left.
The stone house at the end of the village wasn't as dilapidated as he had imagined; perhaps the village chief, Old Man Zhang, often came to maintain it. He
lingered under the peach tree for a long time before finally opening the door and going inside.
There wasn't much dust inside, and the layout was almost exactly the same as when he left. The wooden horse he had made for Xiao Wu was still in its original place.
He took a blanket from his divine space, placed it on the bed, and made do for the night.
"Hey, old Ye, it's me, Old Zhang, here to see you again. I wonder how your grandson is doing in Notting City?"
Early in the morning, Ye Qiu was awakened by an old voice outside—it was Old Zhang's voice.
*Click!* Ye Qiu got up and opened the somewhat dilapidated wooden door, seeing Old Zhang outside.
He was sitting cross-legged under a peach tree, drinking his homemade fruit wine, sip after sip.
"Grandpa Zhang!" Ye Qiu called out.
"Huh? Old Ye, did you hear your brat's voice? Am I drunk?" Looking at the wine bottle in his hand, although he hadn't drunk in a long time, it shouldn't be that bad, right? "
Grandpa Zhang, you're not drunk! I'm really back!"
Ye Qiu crossed his arms, leaned against the doorframe, and smiled at Old Zhang sitting on the ground.
"Hey!" Old Zhang turned around, rubbed his eyes hard, and even forgot to pick up his cane from the ground. He staggered towards Ye Qiu.
"Ye Qiu, you're really back?!"
"Of course I am!" Ye Qiu walked over and reached out to help him.
"Haha, you've grown quite a bit taller! And you've become much more handsome." Old Zhang pinched his arm and shoulder, looking him up and down.
Unfortunately, before he could finish his compliments, he started complaining again, "Speaking of which, when did you get back? Didn't you even bother to come in and sit down? Did you think this old man was too good for you?"
"Grandpa Zhang, why do you still like to say these things? I arrived in the middle of the night, how could I disturb you?"
Ye Qiu was sweating profusely. After he stood still, he walked to the side, bent down to pick up the cane that he had dropped, and put it back in his hand.
"Alright, then you've passed the test." He tugged at his gray beard.
Ignoring Ye Qiu's eye roll, he pulled him towards home, "How about we go to my house for breakfast now? I'll get you something good."
"Of course!" Ye Qiu patted his stomach; he hadn't eaten dinner yesterday and was indeed hungry.
"Then you should pay your respects to Old Man Ye first. I'll go back and tell your aunt."
"Okay, be careful, take your time."
Watching the old man slowly walk away with his cane, Ye Qiu couldn't help but smile. Everything was still so familiar—the taste of home!
After finding a few sticks of incense in the stone house,
Ye Qiu knelt down, taking over Old Man Zhang's seat, and raised the incense sticks above his head, offering one stick with each bow.
Then, leaning against the old peach tree, he softly recounted his experiences over the past few years:
"Grandpa! In these past few years, I
... I met a girl, very cute and well-behaved
. I met Jerry and his wife, very kind and compassionate
. I met the Tang family father and son; it was dangerous, but safe
. I became a Soul Master, though weak, but growing."
Ye Qiu spoke at length, and quite some time passed before he got up and headed towards the village chief's house.
Old Man Zhang and his wife were very hospitable; although it was breakfast, the meal was exceptionally lavish.
Of course, it would have been even better if there hadn't been braised rabbit meat.
"Little Qiu, come on, come on, eat more meat. Look at your little arms and legs!" Aunt Zhang said enthusiastically, placing the best rabbit leg in his bowl.
Ye Qiu smiled politely and didn't refuse.
"Hehe," Old Man Zhang chuckled happily.
"It's quite a coincidence, isn't it? Today is the same day nine years ago when Old Ye found you. Your aunt found out, and she specially slaughtered the rabbit she just bought yesterday to celebrate your birthday."
"Thank you, Aunt." Ye Qiu's eyes were a little moist. These so-called lower-class commoners from the mainland made him feel the warmth of home.
"Dad! Why are you saying all this? Go drink your wine."
...
(End of this chapter)