mesbooks Chapter 461 Peace Lock
Chapter 461 Peace Lock
"Do you think it's possible that he remembered all the terrible things you did when you were acting like a fool?"
Old Lu said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, A-Yue recalled the embarrassing incidents that had happened to her before.
This includes, but is not limited to, always chasing after the pigs raised by the butcher and calling them "Mother," or directly pulling the family's dairy goats to drink their milk...
There are countless examples like this.
A-Yue covered her face, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground; her ears were so red they looked like they could bleed.
"Don't even mention it, Master, please give me some face!"
Ah Yue said with a sense of despair, she could already foresee that in the future, whenever she thought of these things, she would want to curl her toes and groan.
Old Lu snorted, not refuting her address as he had done before.
Several people were talking quietly in a side room of Guiyan Courtyard when the faint sound of reading outside the window was gradually replaced by a loud, boisterous noise that came from afar.
It was a lot of noise, all the sounds of children playing and making noise.
"The academy has let out for the day."
A-Yue stood up with a smile, patting the wrinkles on her clothes. "It's almost lunchtime, and these little monkeys can't sit still for a moment."
She turned to Xu Yiyi and Lao Lu and smiled, "Let's go! I'll take you to see Duoyu, I guarantee you'll be in for a big surprise."
As she spoke, she led the two through the corridor and into the courtyard.
By now, many children had flooded into the courtyard, playing and frolicking like birds released from their cages.
A-Yue's gaze searched through the crowd for a moment before settling on a figure, and she pointed in that direction.
"Look, that's Duoyu."
Xu Yiyi looked in the direction she pointed and saw A Yue do a clean somersault and land steadily, which drew cheers from several children around her.
The little girl was dressed in a well-fitting outfit, her hair tied in a simple bun, with a few strands of hair falling around her cheeks from her earlier movements, and her face tanned a healthy wheat color.
She almost didn't recognize herself.
Now, Duoyu seems to have undergone a complete transformation.
Not only had he grown taller, but his figure had also become more upright and well-proportioned. More importantly, his eyes were bright and sparkling, radiating a confidence and brilliance he had never shown before.
"More fish!" A-Yue shouted.
The little girl turned around at the sound, and when she saw A-Yue and Xu Yiyi, her eyes lit up and a big smile bloomed on her face, revealing two little tiger teeth. She ran over in three steps, her movements as light as a deer.
"Sister Yi-yi! Sister A-yue!"
Her voice was clear and cheerful, like a child's joy. She ran over and glanced curiously at Old Lu, who was chewing on a blade of grass and watching the spectacle with amusement.
Looking at her flushed, sweaty face, Xu Yiyi couldn't help but reach out and tidy up the messy hair on her forehead.
"You've grown so much taller, I almost don't recognize you."
Duoyu smiled shyly, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.
Ah Yue added proudly from the side, "It's not just about growing taller! This little girl practices martial arts like she's risking her life. In such a short time, she's already mastered a set of staff techniques quite well. Even the instructor praised her for her good physique and hard work!"
"Sister Yi Yi! Has Si Hai come to the prefectural city yet?"
Duoyu looked around behind her, but couldn't see Sihai, so she lowered her head in disappointment.
"Sihai is at home. I'll bring him to visit you when I have the chance."
Duoyu nodded quickly and said with a grin, "Yes, yes, I not only want to play with Sihai, I also want to spar with him in martial arts."
Old Lu said smugly, "Hmph! There's no need for a sparring match. Sihai is my apprentice; he's definitely better than you."
Duoyu looked at Lao Lu with a skeptical attitude.
"Don't you believe me..." Old Lu said, beckoning his chin to A Yue, "Call me Master and let me hear it."
Xu Yiyi shook her head helplessly. How could someone of their grandfather's age still be so fond of arguing with children?
A-Yue smiled and said, "Master."
"Master...Master?"
Duo Yu murmured, and those two words struck him like a thunderbolt, hitting him squarely on the head.
She turned her head sharply, her eyes wide with disbelief, and looked at the old man leaning against the pillar, standing awkwardly with a blade of grass in his mouth, who seemed unreliable no matter how she looked at him.
It was as if I could hear the sound of Tianfang Moon Lake.
[Sister Yue... how could someone so amazing call this slovenly old man 'Master'?]
In her young mind, the word "master" was incredibly sacred, and should belong to the image of a sage with an otherworldly air, or at least a majestic and extraordinary figure.
But the person in front of me... there wasn't a single thing about him that had anything to do with the word "master".
She clutched the hem of her clothes, and after a long while, she repeated blankly in a sleepwalking tone, "...Master?"
"That's right, that's right, now you know how powerful I am, right? Do you want me to teach you a few moves? You don't even need to wait for Sihai to come looking for you, you can go back to Ping'an Town and spar with Sihai."
Upon hearing this, Duoyu immediately turned to look at Ayue, who nodded firmly.
"Really...really? I'm willing."
Unfortunately, the child's joy didn't last long, and he soon became somewhat disappointed.
"It's a pity I can't go home now. My brother-in-law came to see me a while ago and said that my older sister gave birth to a little nephew who is very cute. I haven't even met him yet."
Duo Yu pouted and said.
"Your older sister gave birth?"
Xu Yiyi sounded somewhat surprised. Although she had been busy lately, she hadn't counted the days and Hao Siqing's due date was still far off!
"Yes, his name is Song Jianian, and his nickname is Niannian. However, he cannot be exposed to the wind yet. My brother-in-law said that when he is a little older, he will bring my sister to see me."
Duo Yu's tone was filled with anticipation. She was happy to stay here, but it would be even better if she could go home from time to time.
"Is your mother still looking for you?" Xu Yi asked with a hint of doubt.
It's been so long, why aren't you giving up?
Duoyu shook his head: "It's not Mother, it's Grandma."
Duoyu's mother disliked her. After learning that she had been swept away by the waves, she felt it was bad luck and soon forgot about her.
Her grandmother, however, did not believe it and searched for a long time.
Later, they discovered that Hao Siqing, despite being heavily pregnant, was leaving Ping'an Town every day, so they guessed that Duoyu must still be there, and they led people to cause trouble at the Song family several times.
This caused the young couple to be separated.
Hao Siqing's premature birth was also caused by her grandmother's disturbance, which led to her sudden heart attack and premature birth.
“My brother-in-law said he would take me home to visit at the end of last month, but when he came back this month, he said it was not possible.”
Her grandmother is making a huge fuss right now.
“But it’s okay if I don’t go back. My brother-in-law will come to see me every five days. Once my older sister has finished her postpartum confinement, she can come along too.”
As Duoyu spoke, she suddenly thought of something and her eyes lit up: "Sister Yiyi, wait for me."
As he spoke, the child ran off with his short legs and went back to his big room.
Not long after, she came running back, panting, and carefully stuffed something wrapped in a handkerchief into Xu Yiyi's hand.
Xu Yiyi released one hand and opened the handkerchief, inside which was a very exquisitely crafted silver lock, engraved with auspicious cloud patterns and the words "Longevity and a Hundred Years," with several small bells attached below, and it looked quite heavy.
Duoyu looked up with her little face full of expectation and said softly, "Sister Yiyi, this is the money I saved up. After my brother-in-law came home last time, he specially asked the uncle in charge of purchasing in the kitchen to have it made at the silver shop. It's...it's for my eldest sister's newborn nephew."
She paused, her tone pleading, "When you go back, could you please give this to my older sister? I'll give this to my nephew to wear, to bless him so he can grow up safe and sound."
The little girl spoke earnestly.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely get it for you."
Xu Yi smiled and gently rubbed Duo Yu's little head. Just as she finished speaking, Wu Yuan, who had been quietly in her arms, became unhappy.
"what--"
When Wu Yuan shouted, all three of them looked at him in surprise.
Unbeknownst to him, he was still angrily holding her hand and refusing to let go.
A-Yue was the first to react, pointing at Wu Yuan in surprise, her voice rising: "This isn't... it can make a sound? Did I hear that right? Did it just make a sound?"
Old Lu suddenly became interested, tilted his head to spit out the grass in his mouth, and came closer.
"Kid, call out again."
Old Lu tapped the chubby cheeks of Wu Yuan.
The child glanced at him, then hugged his older sister's hand tightly, turned his head and buried himself in Xu Yiyi's arms, leaving Lao Lu with only his fluffy, round head.
Xu Yi stared blankly at Wu Yuan, who was filled with jealousy in her arms, and then glanced at Duo Yu, who looked completely bewildered, and immediately made a guess in her mind.
She suppressed a laugh and reached out to touch Duoyu's head once again.
Unfortunately, before she could even touch him, the child in her arms sprang up like a lit firecracker, looking pitiful and crying out in anger.
Xu Yiyi's hand froze in mid-air.
A-Yue opened her mouth wide.
Old Lu raised an eyebrow.
After a long pause, Old Lu clicked his tongue, his tone filled with disbelief and admiration: "...Good heavens, this little brat has such a temper?"
Unexpectedly, it was this overwhelming jealousy that, by a twist of fate, made him speak again.
No need to take medicine anymore.
Xu Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the voice.
"See, I told you, he was just scared... he just..."
Overjoyed, she wept, choking back tears and barely able to speak.
A-Yue went up and hugged Xu Yiyi, "It's okay, it's good that you're better, we should be happy!"
Xu Yi nodded, feeling that she was too pathetic.
Wu Yuan, who could speak again, kept chattering away, still the same little chatterbox.
Old Lu sipped his wine with a satisfied smile: "I'm serious, before we go back, I need to transfer my big house to you as soon as possible, otherwise I don't know when I'll be able to come back again."
When I went to see it yesterday, the house was already very old.
If it's not repaired in time, it will definitely collapse in another typhoon.
Xu Yiyi was in a good mood and started chatting with Wu Yuan.
"Let's talk about it later. There's not enough time. We'll have to stay here for a few more days to deal with this. Sanchuan Sihai is still at home."
Although there are elders at home helping to take care of her, she is still worried.
Upon hearing this, Lao Lu sighed in dissatisfaction.
"However, I asked Ah Yue to invite someone, and by the time I come next time, the house should have been repaired."
Xu Yiyi changed the subject and brought up the matter she had just entrusted to A Yue.
Upon hearing this, Lao Lu was satisfied: "Then it's settled. We'll get the transfer done as soon as we come to the prefectural city next time."
Before she could respond, the old man immediately stood up, carrying his bundle.
"Let's go! The cargo ship is already loaded."
Xu Yiyi followed his gaze and saw that the cargo ships on the dock were ready.
There were passenger ships that carried passengers, some from merchant caravans in Qingshan and some from government agencies, making one round trip a day.
They've probably already left Ping'an Town and are heading back towards the prefectural city by now.
They missed the return ship, and if they wanted to go back now, they could only take a ride on a merchant ship.
The two walked up the escalator onto the ship.
As soon as the ship left the port, a noisy commotion arose behind it.
Xu Yiyi curiously ran back to look.
Good guy.
Jiang Qinshui somehow knew their whereabouts, and now she was cursing and swearing like a madwoman.
Old Lu spat out the grass stem in his mouth in surprise, his lips twitching slightly.
"Goodness, her temper has gotten worse after all these years!"
Although Jiang Qinshui had a strange temper sometimes, she always felt that he had wronged her, and she would start to feel resentful whenever this happened.
Even so, she only cried; she had never acted like a shrew before.
this is too scary.
Time is a cruel mistress, turning them into something neither human nor ghost.
Old Lu could only sigh with regret.
In no time at all, the figure became invisible.
"This boat is much faster."
Xu Yiyi stood on the deck and looked down. Lao Lu was lying leisurely on the cargo.
"We definitely have to hurry! It's already November, and it gets dark early. If we don't hurry, it will be difficult to travel once it gets dark."
The cargo ship sailed smoothly with the current at first.
Just as Lao Lu had predicted, the sky began to change more than an hour after the cargo ship left the prefectural city.
As the last rays of sunset were swallowed up, the cargo ship was already approaching the waters of Lingxi County.
The light suddenly dimmed, and the ship slowed down.
The captain and crew were no longer as relaxed as before; they were all on high alert, keeping a close eye on the narrow waterway that the lights could barely illuminate, for fear of hitting a reef or shoal.
The sea breeze became cool and refreshing, carrying the scent of night dew as it brushed against my face.
Xu Yiyi didn't dare to linger outside. She carried Wu Yuan back into the cabin, while Lao Lu remained lying on the sack, no longer chewing on a blade of grass. He slowly sipped his wine and chatted with the boatman from time to time.
The cargo ship sailed for a long time in the stagnant night until it approached the Bichao Bay Wharf, where finally a few faint lights appeared ahead.
As the ship slowly approached, the points of light gradually merged into a patchwork, converging into the unique, lively, and bustling halo of light characteristic of Ping'an Town.
……
Other fishing boats and cargo ships that returned late are also gradually returning to port.
The boatmen shouted to each other in loud voices, and the sounds of throwing ropes and setting up gangplanks rose and fell.