Senior Sister Bai Yueguang is incredibly strong.

Chapter 62 Falling to Earth (5)

Shen Yan's daily routine became: going to the yamen where Lord Jian worked in the morning to study and help Lord Jian handle cases; going to the bookstore to copy books in the afternoon and going home with Luo Zai Shui along the way; and continuing to study in the evening.

Luo Zai Shui rarely gets to have such a few days of leisure, but she still harbors some anxiety in her heart.

"Lord Jian is such a good man. He not only acted as a guarantor for Ayan, but also redressed the grievances of the people. He is truly a good official. I wonder how he offended the court and was demoted here. What a pity."

As Sister-in-law Shen washed the clothes, she muttered to herself. Luo Zai Shui slowly opened her eyes. She had been meditating here for about an hour, but with little effect.

She sighed softly and replied, "Good people are always blessed. Lord Jian will be back in the capital soon."

Sister-in-law Shen looked at her suspiciously: "Really? Or did you calculate it on purpose? If so, that's wonderful. Lord Jian is a good official, and this is how it should be."

Luo Zai Shui looked at Sister Shen's hands, which were red from the cold river water. In the past, when washing clothes at Xianyun Peak, a simple dust-avoiding spell would have been enough. Now, seeing Sister Shen having to wash so many clothes by herself, Luo Zai Shui felt somewhat guilty.

"Sister-in-law Shen, let me help you."

"Oh, no need. You can rest over there. Your hands are so beautiful. It would be such a waste if they got cold and became red and rough, like radishes. Just rest over there and keep me company."

Sister-in-law Shen never let her help with these things. At most, she would let her assist a little when cooking, and Sister-in-law Shen would still grumble about it.

"Autumn is just around the corner, and it's time to add some warm clothes. Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, so I'll make some more mooncakes and have Ayan deliver them to Lord Jian and the brothers in the yamen. They're the ones who take care of Ayan all the time, so I can only repay them with something inexpensive."

Luo Zai Shui was somewhat dazed; was Mid-Autumn Festival approaching again?

The smiling faces of Su Wusi and the others flashed through her mind, and her nose suddenly felt a little sore. This was the first time she had been away from Xianyun Peak for so long, and she missed home.

Luo Zai Shui stared at the red rope in her hand, squeezing out the last bit of spiritual power in her body and injecting it into the rope. Looking at the unresponsive rope, Luo Zai Shui was somewhat frustrated. Although the spiritual energy in the mortal world was thin, she had not absorbed any spiritual power in such a long time. It seemed that something was blocking her entrance to absorb spiritual power.

"Oh, by the way, Miss Luo, have you been able to contact your family?"

Sister-in-law Shen straightened up, patted her aching back, and asked.

Luo shook her head slightly, a hint of sorrow flashing in her eyes, which she quickly concealed: "It's alright. After a few more days, I'll save up some more money and then I'll go find them."

These days, Luo Zai Shui has made quite a bit of money from her fortune-telling stall, but she gave it all to Sister Shen for medicine and lodging. She has been here for a while now, and Luo Zai Shui has not encountered a single cultivator. She decided to set off to look elsewhere, hoping that with a bit of luck, she could find the entrance back to the cultivation world.

Hearing Luo Zai Shui's words, Sister-in-law Shen was a little stunned: "Miss Luo, are you planning to leave? It's too dangerous for you to leave alone. Why don't you stay here and wait for your family to come looking for you? That way it will be safer. We don't need you to eat."

Luo Zai Shui shook her head: "If I stay here, they may never find me. I have to go back as soon as possible, they will worry about me."

Seeing that Luo Zai Shui was determined to leave, Sister-in-law Shen didn't know how to dissuade her, so she could only ask woodenly, "When does the young lady plan to leave?"

Luo Zai Shui estimated his travel expenses: "Probably after the Mid-Autumn Festival. After that, it will snow, and the roads will be even more difficult to travel."

Sister-in-law Shen nodded, then suddenly raised her arm to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "Don't laugh at me, young lady, but over the years, you are still the only one who is willing to listen to my rambling."

Luo Zai Shui was momentarily at a loss, and hurriedly stepped forward: "Sister-in-law Shen, why are you crying? Isn't Shen Yan still here?"

"Sigh." Sister-in-law Shen pretended to be unaffected and continued rubbing the clothes in her hands. "I'm getting old, and everything makes me sad. Ever since my father-in-law's accident, everyone in the village has been avoiding us. I've gotten used to it all these years, but then, Lord Jian came out to clear my father-in-law's name and vouched for Ayan. And I met you, young lady, who was willing to help me and listen to me. I'm so happy..."

As she spoke, tears fell again.

Luo Zai Shui took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears, comforting her, "Sister-in-law, this is a good thing, you should be happy."

"Yes, yes, it's a good thing, we should be laughing. Look at me, I'm so embarrassing."

Luo Zai Shui knew that Sister-in-law Shen had been wronged for a long time, and she just wanted to vent her frustrations now that someone was finally listening to her.

“Back then, Ayan was only twelve years old, a time when he was very lively. After his father-in-law’s accident, he stopped smiling. While others were playing around, he had already started learning to earn money to support the family.” Sister-in-law Shen’s gaze suddenly softened. “It’s also thanks to you, Miss Luo, that Ayan has regained some of his childlike spirit and is no longer that sullen person.”

Luo Zai Shui thought of Ji Ting Han again. After he was brought back to Xianyun Peak, he was just like Shen Yan, sullen, not liking to talk or move. She and Senior Sister Ji had to try all sorts of ways to coax him to make him laugh a few times. Later, when Jian Mu Yi came to Xianyun Peak, he really made a fuss. Xue Xin and Ji Ting Han couldn't stand him. The two of them chased after him and beat him up. Only then did he have a bit of a lively spirit.

Thinking of them, Luo Zai Shui smiled slightly: "My junior brother was also the kind of person who was quiet and reserved back then. Later, he got a headache from being bothered by my other lively junior brother, and his facial expressions became more varied."

"Really?" Sister-in-law Shen was unconsciously infected by Luo Zai Shui's smile, and the corners of her mouth also turned up slightly. "If only A Yan could have a companion like this."

Luo Zai Shui replied with a smile, "We'll meet again eventually."

When the two returned, a luxurious carriage was parked outside the house, and hearty laughter could be heard from inside. Sister-in-law Shen frowned: "Have we had distinguished guests?"

Stepping into the courtyard, one sees a young man in blue robes intently studying a calligraphy scroll. Other calligraphy samples are also laid out on the table. Shen Yan sits to the side, frowning and looking impatient. "Have you finished looking at it?" he asks.

Sister-in-law Shen put the washed clothes aside and wiped her hands on her waist: "A guest has arrived? Ayan, is this your friend?"

"No."

"Yes."

Only then did the young man in blue realize that someone had entered the room. He quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Greetings, sister-in-law. I am a fellow disciple of Ayan. My surname is Meng and my given name is Tingde. I heard from the master that his calligraphy and paintings are indistinguishable from those of the ancients, so I have come to pay my respects."

Sister-in-law Shen was a little flustered and quickly helped him up: "Get up, get up. Since you are Ayan's fellow disciple, then you are Ayan's friend. Why don't you stay here for dinner tonight?"

Luo Zai Shui caught a glimpse of the man winking at Shen Yan, while Shen Yan turned his head away with a look of disgust. Meng Ting De stood up and said with a smile, "Then I shall respectfully comply."