Zhang Qiuyu wasn't exaggerating; her husband's firewood-stove iron-pot stew was truly delicious.
Cured pork ribs were chopped into pieces and stewed with green beans, potatoes, and dried eggplant. A large, piping-hot pot was prepared, served with a bowl of steamed rice that had a bit of a crust from the stove. It made Nan Zhi feel like she had traveled back to her childhood.
“Of course. Back then, I only agreed to be with your brother-in-law after eating several meals he cooked...”
Zhang Qiuyu chewed her rice, her eyes meeting her husband's in a sweet moment. But a second later, just as she was about to advise her friend to find a partner, she saw the hood of Nan Zhi's sweatshirt wiggle. A small, furry head popped out.
It was chubby and golden, with eyes the size of mung beans that blinked adorably.
Zhang Qiuyu was speechless.
Her husband yelped, “Holy crap! Sis, are you raising a rat on your body?!”
The man's scream clearly startled the treasure-seeking mouse. It wiggled its chubby bottom, shot him a look of utter disdain, and hid back inside Nan Zhi's hood.
“Ahem, this is my pet, Corn. I didn't want to leave him home alone during the seven-day National Day holiday.”
Nan Zhi reached back and poked the treasure-seeking mouse's rear, calmly catching him and placing him on her shoulder. She then explained to Zhang Qiuyu and her husband, who was currently clinging to his wife like a giant, frightened bird:
“Our Corn is a Syrian hamster. He's very gentle and doesn't bite. He usually just eats grains and seeds, so there's no need to be afraid.”
Having been caught, Corn let out a reluctant “squeak” as a greeting, though the sound seemed forced no matter how one heard it.
Zhang Qiuyu’s husband looked pale.
No matter how cute it was, it was still a rodent.
And did that rodent just make an expression?
Besides, what kind of normal person quietly keeps a mouse on their person?
This best friend of his wife’s was looking more and more eccentric.
“He’s so cute! I wanted to visit your place to see him when you showed me the photos, but you’ve been obsessed with that game lately.
“It’s good to have a pet. Since you live alone, the house often feels empty without another living thing around.”
As for Zhang Qiuyu, she wasn't afraid at all. She grabbed Corn and doted on him with delight for a while before a question suddenly occurred to her:
“Wait, how on earth did you get him through security?”
Nan Zhi remained silent.
How could she tell her that she had used a small, clever spell to exploit a loophole in the security check?
If you don't ask, we can still be friends. Truly.
...
...
The night was as still as water. Nighttime in Xixiang had a unique charm, especially in Mulian Village at the foot of Qingmeng Mountain. Unlike the suburbs where over-urbanization blocked out the stars, the lights in the village flickered out one by one as night fell until the entire wooden village sank into sleep.
The stars in the sky were strikingly bright, and a thin crescent moon was quietly embedded in the night sky. Moonlight spilled down, spreading gently over the lake. Occasionally, the sound of dogs barking drifted from the distance, only for the silence and peace to return a moment later.
Nan Zhi stood under the locust tree, looking up at the moon.
Even without a light, she could clearly see everything in the courtyard.
Crickets chirped in the overgrown grass, faint green specks of light danced through the branches, and milky-white moonlight poured down.
This was a beauty many had never seen.
【Earth Mud Art】
Following Nan Zhi’s movements, the large locust tree suddenly stirred—the flat ground began to churn like a pot of hot oil. The dry surface soil sank, and as if possessed by life, the earth “arched” up the objects hidden beneath the tree.
The process was silent; even the tired birds resting in the tree were not startled.
It was a large, rusted iron box, wrapped in several layers of red plastic bags.
Nan Zhi had excellent vision and recognized the object buried under the tree immediately. She didn't make a sound, quietly carrying the box back into the house.
The windows of the side room were tightly shut, and she could hear snoring that seemed to grow louder with each breath.
Once inside, Nan Zhi turned on her flashlight and carefully examined the things her Grandma had left her.
Despite being wrapped in plastic, the iron box was still rusted. The items inside were wrapped in even more layers of plastic and pressed together carefully:
A tattered, handwritten ancient book; a thumb-sized purple-red cricket jar; a palm-sized cauldron with an ancient and exquisite design; a bundle of banknotes wrapped multiple times and tied with a rubber band, yet still riddled with insect holes; and a sheet of school exercise paper carefully taped together.
【《Ten Years of Gu Records》 (Green Quality): This appears to be a Gu master’s personal handbook. Reading it may be helpful to a cultivator.】
【Gu Jar (Blue Quality): The Miao are skilled with Gu, especially in using them to kill. By placing the five venoms in the jar, one can obtain a Gu among Gu, the Mother of Ten Thousand Gu.】
【Chixia Cauldron (Purple Quality): With the great changes in the world, treasures hide their luster. This appears to be a precious cauldron used for alchemy. (Note: There seems to be some elixir residue left inside the cauldron.)】
Even though the purple artifact she wanted most was right in front of her, Nan Zhi’s entire focus was on the sheet of exercise paper taped together with adhesive.
【Will: My houze only goes to my good girl Nan Zhi. No one else gets a share. Not the eldest, and the second isn't allowed to grab it. Dao Magu.】
On the paper, the crooked pencil characters were missing strokes here and there, looking strangely comical.
Nan Zhi couldn't help but let out a laugh.
But as she laughed, tears fell without warning.
The little old lady was illiterate; she only knew how to write her own name and her granddaughter's.
She didn't know which child in the village she had begged to teach her how to write this stumbling “will.”
Nan Zhi could even imagine the wrinkled little old lady holding a pencil, muttering about “leaving the house to Zhizhi” while hiding from her second son’s family to secretly write these words and hide them away.
The little old lady must have been crying and muttering as she did it.
So silly.
Why wasn't the little old lady willing to go with her back then?
And all these small bills—how long must she have scrounged and saved to gather them?
Even though she knew there wasn't a trace of a spirit in the courtyard, Nan Zhi couldn't help but look at the old locust tree outside the window.
She could almost see the hunched old lady waving at her, eyes drooping as she started muttering again:
“Who hit our Zhizhi? You eat a few more bowls of rice and hit them back... Who says our Zhizhi is unwanted? Grandma will raise our Zhizhi. When you grow up, you'll go to university outside. If your father dares not to give you money, I'll scold him to death... When you get married, Grandma will sew a few more pairs of insoles for you...”
Tears splashed down, and Corn, who had been fast asleep on the bed, was instantly startled awake. Seeing Nan Zhi's red eyes, he immediately climbed onto her shoulder and squeaked incessantly.
“Squeak squeak squeak! Squeak squeak?!”
“I'm fine. I just suddenly feel like the knot in my chest has loosened.”
Nan Zhi shook her head. Her nose was red, but a smile was on her face—the frustration and mania that had been building up lately had suddenly vanished without a trace.
Ever since she had stepped onto the path of cultivation, everything seemed to have gone smoothly, but in reality, a single mistake could have led to eternal damnation.
The pursuit on Yin Yang Road, her friend being attacked and seriously injured, being wanted by the Demon Suppression Division, and the encirclement in Xingyuan—Nan Zhi seemed indifferent, but in truth, she was starting to feel exhausted.
She was like a drifting, rootless weed, following the current, lost and unsure of what to do next.
But now, looking at this “will” of questionable legal validity, a surge of infinite strength suddenly rose in Nan Zhi’s heart.
She was like a child who had endured everything outside, only willing to cry out loud upon seeing her family at home.
The most precious relic Grandma had left her wasn't anything else; it was “love.”
Humans are not unfeeling objects.
It was because she was loved that she had the courage to move forward.
Thinking of this, Nan Zhi grabbed the treasure-seeking mouse and used its fur to wipe her tears.
That was right. If someone hit her, she would just gather her strength and hit them back.
She had her Grandma; she wasn't some child without a backer.
That monk Huiyuan had better wash his neck and wait.
Rate on N.U.
