Clouds and Rain

Su Qing naturally understood Su Yudie's suffering.

But understanding was one thing; what needed to be learned was another.

Yudie couldn't even think of escaping her lessons.

After all, her handwriting was indeed far too unsightly.

If they were back on the mountain, Su Qing might have let it slide, being too lazy to care how messy the girl's characters were.

But unfortunately, they were not on the mountain.

They were in the mortal world.

Therefore, there was no escaping the practice of calligraphy.

"Practice diligently. I'm going downstairs to take a look... I will be checking your progress when I return," Su Qing said plainly, her gaze fixed on Yudie. "Also, don't you dare fall behind on those arithmetic problems!"

"Ah...? Do I really have to do them?" Yudie's expression soured even more upon hearing this.

If practicing calligraphy was a strain on her hands...

Then arithmetic was truly the death of her.

It wouldn't have been so bad if it were just ordinary arithmetic.

But it just so happened that the problems her mother set were far from ordinary. They were bizarre and terrifying.

For example: if a pool is being filled while it is also being drained, how long will it take for the pool to be full?

Or the one about chickens and rabbits in the same cage...

Each problem was more abnormal than the last.

Sometimes, Yudie suspected that her mother's purpose in coming up with these strange questions was purely to torment her.

After all, these scenarios were just too odd...

Who on earth would fill a pool while draining it at the same time?!

Seeing Yudie's depressed expression, Su Qing smiled faintly and shook her head. "What do you think? How could I possibly let you skip them?"

In truth, Yudie wasn't entirely wrong.

While the calligraphy practice was because of her poor handwriting...

The arithmetic was indeed Su Qing's way of intentionally teasing her.

After all, now that she was a teacher, she had to let her student experience the same agony she once felt during her own school days!

It was interesting, though; she had forgotten almost everything else, but certain memories returned instantly with a little effort.

For instance...

Those scalp-numbing arithmetic problems.

Upon hearing Su Qing's response, Yudie felt as if her world had gone dark. She looked quite miserable.

She knew she couldn't escape, but facing the reality still made her feel rather gloomy.

"Take your time. There's no rush. Just write bit by bit, and you'll be finished before you know it."

Seeing her like this, Su Qing couldn't help but smile as she patted Yudie on the head.

"You're so clever, Yudie. How could these simple problems possibly stump you? Mother believes in you. You'll finish them in no time. Good luck!"

Yudie: "..."

At times, Yudie really wanted to claim she was a fool.

She watched her mother walk out of the room and let out a long, wistful sigh...

Regardless, whatever tasks her mother assigned had to be completed.

Downstairs.

The area before the stage was already packed with guests.

These patrons were exceptionally quiet, their eyes fixed intently on the actors performing on stage.

Only during the most brilliant parts of the performance would applause erupt, followed by continuous shouts of praise.

Up on the stage, the actors performed with incredible dedication.

It was as if they themselves were the characters in the play, having truly lived through those experiences.

It was hard to tell if they were merely singing someone else’s story or using the opera to recount their own pasts.

Watching this from afar, Su Qing nodded in satisfaction.

"It seems today’s opening is off to a very good start," she thought to herself. "I hope this smoothness continues."

Su Qing smiled, then walked to a corner and stayed to listen to the entire performance.

Time flickered by.

In the blink of an eye, the sky outside had darkened.

The performance on stage had concluded long ago, and the audience had dispersed.

In the backstage area of the opera house,

Su Qing offered generous praise to the performers who had sung today...

Of course, no amount of praise could compare to the effectiveness of a tangible reward.

After she finished her compliments, she distributed 'festive bonuses' to everyone.

The leader of the old opera troupe took the bonus, his aged face lit up with a beaming smile. "Ah, thank you, miss!"

"You all worked very hard today."

"It was nothing at all, truly! This is our livelihood. Being able to perform is a blessing for us. And really, it's all thanks to you, Miss. If not for you, our troupe would have disbanded long ago."

The troupe wasn't something Su Qing had trained herself; she had only been in the mortal world for four or five years.

How could she possibly have trained such a large troupe in that time?

This troupe was one Su Qing had essentially rescued... Her original intention was to open an opera house and recreate some of the classics from her past life.

However...

Thus far, she had only achieved the goal of opening the opera house itself.

She shook her head and said, "Alright, it’s late. I should head back. You all should rest early too! There's another performance tomorrow!"

Leaving Mingyin Hall, Su Qing took Yudie back to their private schoolhouse.

In truth, while it was called a private school, it was really just a typical courtyard residence.

A room had been cleared for teaching, becoming an exclusive classroom for Yudie and a few others.

There was no helping it; she was quite a leisurely teacher.

However, the courtyard's location was excellent.

The environment was tranquil and secluded, making it difficult for others to disturb them. Furthermore, a small stream flowed not far behind the house—a perfect place for quiet cultivation.

Unfortunately, while in the mortal world, Su Qing could neither refine pills nor forge artifacts. Even the process of drawing in spiritual energy for cultivation couldn't be done deliberately; it remained purely a subconscious instinct.

Because of this, Su Qing found herself quite idle in her daily life...

Aside from teaching Yudie every day,

The only thing she could practice was drawing talismans.

Coincidentally, talismans had always been her weak point. Using her free time in the mortal world to practice would ensure they wouldn't remain a shortcoming when she needed them in the future.

Returning to the courtyard, Su Qing took a deep breath.

She could clearly feel that the air inside the courtyard was sweeter and the spiritual energy denser than outside.

She turned her head to look at the Bodhi tree standing tall in the courtyard.

She couldn't help but smile. The concentration of spiritual energy was naturally thanks to the Bodhi tree.

As promised, she had brought the Bodhi tree down from the mountain.

Looking at the tree, she said with a chuckle, "I’m back~"

The Bodhi tree, of course, did not respond. It simply stood there quietly, absorbing spiritual energy from the earth and continuing its slow growth.

However, now that it had left the vicinity of the Ancestral Vein,

The amount of spiritual energy it could absorb had significantly decreased.

Su Qing could clearly sense that its state was not as vibrant as when it lived atop the Ancestral Vein...

Fortunately, they wouldn't be staying at the base of the mountain forever.

Once the Three Calamities had been bypassed...

Then, naturally, they could return to live on the mountain.

Seeing the Bodhi tree ignore her didn't upset Su Qing. She merely gave a graceful smile and pulled Yudie along to prepare dinner.

Su Qing's courtyard wasn't very large, so there was no need to hire maids.

She was more than capable of managing the property on her own.

Moreover, with Yudie by her side, the girl could help out with daily chores.

As for Leng Xiang...

She was currently staying on the mountain to manage various affairs on Long Mountain while Su Qing was away.

Although Leng Xiang's methods were a bit crude at times, they were practical enough.

The day passed quickly.

Soon, it was the next morning.

As the first rays of the dawn sun began to spread, the gate to Su Qing's courtyard was knocked upon.

She frowned slightly, wondering who would come calling so early in the morning.

Nonetheless, since someone was knocking, she had to go open the door and see.

She rose, dressed herself in her robes, and called Yudie to follow her out.

Pushing the courtyard gate open, Su Qing realized who it was.

It was the father and daughter pair, Xu Chang and Xu Xuan'er, whom she had spotted from the upper floor of the opera house the previous day.

Su Qing stifled a yawn. Seeing Xu Chang rubbing his lower back, she raised an eyebrow slightly.

She could see that Xu Chang was riddled with ailments, the worst being a back injury—likely a chronic issue left over from his younger days.

Su Qing didn't pry. He knew his own body better than she did, and if she told him he was sick in front of his daughter, she might easily be taken for a madwoman.

"Ah, Mr. Xu! To what do I owe this early visit?" Su Qing inquired.

"Please, don't call me 'Mister,' I don't deserve such a title," Xu Chang said, waving his hands hurriedly. "I’ve come to bring Xuan'er here to study with you! She's been pestering me to let her learn from you, so I’ve brought her to study for a month."

Su Qing was slightly surprised. She leaned against the doorframe and asked, "You really intend to send her here for classes?"

"Hehe, my girl wants to try, so I can't very well stop her from having a go," Xu Chang scratched his head with rustic humility. "Besides, our farm isn't that big. I can manage it on my own."

Su Qing looked at Xu Chang and then at Xu Xuan'er, eventually nodding.

"Since you've brought her, I will take her in," Su Qing said. "However, I assume you know the rules?"

"Of course, of course." Xu Chang nodded quickly, handing over ten copper coins.

Su Qing accepted the coins from his calloused, weathered hand and gave a slight nod.

"I have received your sincerity..." Su Qing smiled. "Come inside! We’re just about to have breakfast. It wouldn't hurt to eat before you head out."

The reason Su Qing insisted on the ten-coin fee wasn't just because of some government regulation.

The true reason was to 'form a connection.'

In a sense, this was also a way to successfully deceive the heavenly tribulations.

By making herself look more like an ordinary mortal, it would be harder for the calamities to find her.

"I... I won't go in. Just Xuan'er is enough," Xu Chang shook his head with a grin. "I've already eaten."

As he spoke, he didn't forget to pat his daughter on the back, signaling her not to say anything more.

Xu Chang didn't dare enter Su Qing’s house to eat for many reasons...

The biggest reason, likely, was the inherent timidness and low self-esteem rooted in his soul.

Su Qing gave him a look but didn't expose his lie. She simply nodded. "Well, if you say so."

With that, Su Qing turned and headed back into the courtyard.

She left the father and daughter alone to have their parting chat.

"You must be extra careful and make sure not to break anything in the Teacher's house," Xu Chang said, stroking Xu Xuan'er's head. "Alright, go on in. I’ll be heading back now. Remember to come home for lunch."

Xu Xuan'er looked at her father and nodded with a smile. "I know, Father! You go back and rest well too! Don't go out into the fields today."

"Hahaha, I know, I know. Don't worry, your father is as fit as a fiddle," Xu Chang laughed. "Go on now! And remember to show the Teacher proper respect!"

Xu Xuan'er nodded and quickly walked into the courtyard.

Once he saw his daughter enter, Xu Chang rubbed his grey-flecked beard and turned to head home.

However, he had no intention of resting.

He planned to head up the mountain to see if he could catch a wild rabbit or something to give his daughter some nourishment.

On the way, perhaps due to the previous day’s labor, his old injury flared up, and his back throbbed with unbearable pain.

Inside the courtyard,

Su Qing found it amusing to watch Xu Xuan'er, who was sitting under the Bodhi tree looking around in curiosity.

Although she had known Xu Xuan'er for a long time, this was indeed the first time she had invited the girl to sit in her home.

"Breakfast is ready, come eat," Su Qing said with a gentle smile. "It’s a simple meal, so I hope you don't mind."

Looking at the food being brought out, Xu Xuan'er shook her head vigorously. "I don't mind at all! This is already much better than what we have at home!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, absolutely!"

"Then eat your fill," Su Qing smiled. "Once you're done, you'll study with Yudie. I'll teach you from the basics."

Hearing the name Yudie, Xu Xuan'er turned her gaze toward the exquisitely beautiful young girl beside Su Qing.

She was stunning...

No matter how many times she looked, Xu Xuan'er always thought so.

She nodded quickly. "I understand."

Su Qing chuckled at this and had Yudie keep Xu Xuan'er company for a chat.

After finishing her own breakfast, Su Qing went to prepare the necessary teaching supplies, including Xu Xuan'er's paper, ink, brush, and inkstone.

To be honest, providing all this for just ten copper coins was effectively an act of charity.

Time flowed slowly.

With her natural sociability, Yudie soon hit it off with Xu Xuan'er. By the end of breakfast, the two had already become good friends.

This speed was a bit incredible even to Su Qing.

But this way, Su Qing could save some worry.

After breakfast, Su Qing began teaching Xu Xuan'er characters as planned.

Her foundation was poor—one might even say she had none. Aside from her own name, she couldn't write almost anything else. Even her name was something Su Qing had taught her recently.

Time passed steadily in this manner.

Before they knew it, another half-month had gone by.

Today, at high noon.

The sun hung high in the sky.

The heat was sweltering.

Sitting beneath the Bodhi tree, Su Qing looked up at the glaring sun, and her brow furrowed slightly.

"It hasn't rained in a month... if this continues, it’s going to turn into a severe drought."

Unfortunately, Su Qing was not a celestial official in charge of clouds and rain.

Whether it rained or not was truly outside her jurisdiction.

Moreover, she was currently avoiding the Great Calamities and could not use magic recklessly.

While she was deep in thought, a knock sounded at the gate.