I have ten trillion licking dog gold

"Xiao Jiang, this place is nice. Frog Good."

While slightly tipsy, Wu Guangjiang's speech was somewhat slurred, but his satisfaction was evident on his face.

Following the music outside, he slapped his thighs and kept time, occasionally picking up a bottle of Longjing tea from Kebi Gold and taking a leisurely sip.

Tsk.

Say something.

They're practically gods!

Having gotten used to this kind of life, why would I want to go back?

In addition to tea and snacks, Jiang Chen also specially ordered that melon seeds and peanuts be sent over.

"Brother, why don't you guys play? I'm leaving first."

Having drunk about two ounces and probably vomited most of it, the Martial Saint should be almost sober by now. Upon learning that this place was actually his older sister's property, the paradise on earth was instantly filled with black mist, its appearance drastically changed, and it became the eerie and terrifying Spider Cave.

The ancient-style beauties wandering outside, seemingly beyond compare, reveal their true nature: they are clearly pink skeletons in human skin!
To look at skeletons is like looking at a beautiful woman.

It makes me fearless.

To look at a beautiful woman is like looking at bones.

It makes me devoid of desire.

The Martial Saint's understanding has been elevated, and he has achieved enlightenment in an instant. Undisturbed by worldly temptations, he decides to flee.

"You're the birthday person, how can you leave?"

Jiang Chen stopped them, then glanced at the time, "I'll have them serve a bowl of longevity noodles later."

Longevity noodles?
The Martial Saint was shaken to his core.

Needless to say.

They were definitely drunk.

"Brother, if my sister finds out, someone will die."

He reminded him in a low but impatient voice.

Jiang Chen didn't take it to heart, gently waving his folding fan. "Don't scare yourself. We're just here to enjoy tea and music, which is perfectly reasonable and legal. Even if your sister finds out, what can she say? This is her shop, and we're here to support her. Is that wrong?"

The Martial Saint was certain that the other party was definitely drunk. If he had known this would happen, he would have been better off taking a bath and getting a massage; he would never have come here even if he were beaten to death.

The martial arts master felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, walking on thin ice. He kept glancing at the door, afraid that, just like when they ate at the Peace Hotel before, his older sister would suddenly barge in. He wished he could drink another two ounces of alcohol and get himself completely drunk.

"This young girl is quite skilled and very professional."

Wu Guangjiang squinted his eyes in enjoyment, completely unaware that he was sitting on his daughter's turf, praising the pipa player's skill.

“Of course. Uncle, you may not know this, but the performers here have all undergone professional and rigorous training. Their level in their respective fields is in no way inferior to the so-called masters outside.”

"real or fake?"

Wu Guangjiang reluctantly turned his gaze away from the window and said, "Learning such a classical instrument requires perseverance and a spirit of hard work. These young girls are so beautiful and so young, are they willing to endure this hardship?"

Whether or not someone is willing to endure this hardship depends on whether the effort and reward are proportional. If Uncle knew their income here, he certainly wouldn't have asked that question.

Wu Guangjiang nodded thoughtfully, "Hmm, just by looking at the decor here, you can tell that the people who come in are definitely not ordinary people. They're either wealthy merchants or high-ranking officials."

Jiang Chen put down his folding fan, picked up a peanut, and smiled without saying a word.

Wu Guangjiang did not press the matter further, asking whether these girls were selling their art but not their bodies.

He's so old, just like the time of day, he's nearing the end of his life. Even if this is his first time here, he still knows what this society is all about.

"Xiao Jiang, do you remember that play you performed in our village back then?"

"Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai".

Jiang Chen answered.

Wu Guangjiang laughed and said, "I was wondering back then, how come you performed so well after only a few days of rehearsals? Turns out you have an artistic talent."

Jiang Chen remained expressionless. "Uncle, this is actually my second time here."

Wu Guangjiang didn't respond, giving him a knowing look that said, "I understand without explanation." He took a sip of tea, let out a comfortable sigh, and then stood up, supporting himself on the table.

"Go to the bathroom."

"What are you thinking?"

Jiang Chen casually tossed a peanut into his mouth and turned to look at the Martial Saint.

The Martial Saint was uneasy, feeling his eyelids twitching incessantly, especially his right eye.

"Brother, listen to my advice, I have a bad feeling about this, let's go quickly."

Jiang Chen cracked open some peanuts and said, "When your dad comes back, tell him that if he says we're leaving, then we'll leave."

The Martial Saint felt a little relieved, picked up the purple clay cup and took a sip of water, but to his surprise, not only did his eyelids not stop twitching, but his left eye also started twitching.

five minutes.

ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes passed.

Wu Guangjiang has not returned yet.

"Could they have fallen into a pit?"

The Martial Saint chanted.

"Could it be that they just couldn't find the place?"

Jiang Chen suddenly slapped his forehead, "Isn't there a toilet right inside!"

That's right.

Nowadays, even slightly upscale foot massage parlors have bathrooms in the rooms, let alone places like this.

Just as Wu Guangjiang said, people who come here to play, regardless of their status, whether they are wealthy merchants or high-ranking officials, definitely care about their privacy and do not want to be seen by others.

If you accidentally bump into someone you know in a public restroom, should you greet them or not?

"Brother, I knew you were pretty drunk. Let's go quickly."

The Martial Saint was speechless.

"Find your dad first."

The Martial Saint, feeling that this place was not suitable for lingering, was about to get up when he suddenly stopped and looked out the window.

have to.

Keep the change, please.

His father didn't get lost, nor did he fall into the toilet; he actually ran off to the stage.

"My family lives in Danyang. My name is Dong Yong. Both my parents are deceased and I am all alone."

Because her father died without a coffin, she sold herself into slavery to bury him.

My heart is filled with endless sorrow, I can't stop sighing, I've suffered three years as a farmhand.

The dramatic opera singing drifted into his ears, and Jiang Chen couldn't help but look towards the stage. He was surprised to see Wu Guangjiang performing with such skill and precision.

"Your dad has this talent?"

"What's wrong with this drunken madman!"

The Martial Saint was furious but helpless. At this moment, he rushed out and dragged him back.
He couldn't afford to lose this man.

"This is... Huangmei Opera?"

Jiang Chen asked uncertainly.

"Yes, it's the Huangmei Opera 'Encounter on the Road' from the story of the Fairy Couple."

Jiang Chen turned his head and looked at the Martial Saint who had easily discerned the source of the information, without finding it strange.

After all, the village where the Wu family lived had great respect for traditional opera culture.

Can you believe there's a theater still operating in a rural area?
Jiang Chen picked up the folding fan again, shook his head, and rhythmically tapped the table in agreement.

Since it's a match made in heaven, it's definitely not a one-man show by Wu Guangjiang.

At Qinyuan, customers may not be gods, but reasonable requests will always be met.

Singing a segment of Huangmei Opera is certainly within the scope of being "reasonable and appropriate".

Therefore, a slender, classically beautiful young woman is chosen as her partner.

"Brother, don't shed tears. I have some advice for you."

You are like a willow struck by frost, yet you sprout green again in spring. I, too, have my sorrows; we are both born of bitterness.

I originally lived in Penglai Village, and have traveled a long way to visit relatives.

Who knew that friends and acquaintances had vanished without a trace, leaving only a desolate, drifting existence.
"As long as you don't mind, I'm willing to marry you."

Just as the three men were pursuing elegance in Qinyuan Garden.

Lan's mother was already seated on the highest level of the Eastern Star Pivot.

"Honghong, have you been living in a hotel all this time?"

Like the suspended glass suites of the Oriental Pearl Tower, this place also offers a panoramic view of the East China Sea. However, Lan's mother did not show any joy or excitement; instead, the wrinkles around her eyes became more pronounced, and all she could see was heartache for her daughter.

No matter how high-end, luxurious, or extravagant a hotel is, it's still just steel and concrete without a soul, merely draped in a cold, glamorous coat, unable to bring warmth.

"How many days do you plan to stay?"

Lan Peizhi avoided answering, which was truly remarkable. The first three were already out of their minds, but she showed no signs of being dizzy at all.

Lan's mother opened her mouth, then smiled slightly and said softly, "Your father and I came just to see you and your brother. Now that we've seen them, we can leave tomorrow."

Lan Peizhi remained silent, made a cup of tea, placed it in front of her mother, and then sat down on the single sofa.

"Thank you."

Between a mother and daughter, is there any need for thanks?
“Honghong, don’t blame Xiaojiang. Xiaojiang didn’t mean any harm. Mom is a country girl and doesn’t have much experience. I can’t compare to you, but I think this child is really good.”

"Including today, this is the second time you've met."

The Way of Lanpei.

"Mom didn't know him for long, but understanding a person isn't necessarily related to the length of time spent together. Some people you can spend your whole life with and still not see them clearly."

"When giving advice to others, you should first consider your own qualifications. Are you doing well?"

A heroine among women is a heroine among women.

He was so outspoken even when facing his own mother.

wrong.

Perhaps for her, this was already a tactful way of handling things.

For example, "qualifications".

If we use "qualifications," it would be more appropriate, though it would also be a bit more pointed.

Lan's mother was not embarrassed. She lowered her eyes and looked at the steaming cup of tea.

“Honghong, although your dad has many flaws—traditional, narrow-minded, vain, and flamboyant—he has been a pretty good person to his mother all his life.”

"Yeah."

Lan's mother reached out, picked up the cup of tea, and held it in her palm. "Everyone's requirements are different, so their feelings will be different. Mom... is quite content."

If the Martial Saint were here, he would have already slammed his fist on the table and jumped up, tearing his father to shreds. But Lan Peizhi simply nodded indifferently.

"You live your own life. As long as you're satisfied, that's enough."

Lan's mother raised the blue and white porcelain cup, took a sip of tea, and the warm tea flowed down her throat, spreading warmth throughout her heart.

"Of course. Your dad can't compare to Xiao Jiang. In every aspect, Xiao Jiang is far superior to your dad."

Lan's mother definitely meant well.

There is no doubt about this.

However, I'm not sure if this analogy is appropriate.

Lan Peizhi's lips curled slightly, a half-smile playing on her lips.

"He probably wouldn't be happy if he knew he was being compared to Wu Guangjiang."

Lan's mother was taken aback for a moment before realizing what she meant, and said somewhat awkwardly, "What I mean is, Xiao Jiang is a man worthy of being entrusted with my life."

Yeah.

Is he a married man worthy of trust?
Lan Peizhi was still too reluctant to say more. If she told the truth, the carefully crafted image of someone would be ruined. But she said nothing.

"Just tell me where you want to go in the future. There are many beautiful sights in this world that are worth seeing."

Mr. Jiang's hundred squats were not in vain.

What he said in the mother and baby room still touched this indifferent Guanyin to some extent.

Caught off guard, Lan's mother looked at her daughter with surprise, even shock, and wondered if she was hallucinating.

"You've lived in that village your whole life, don't you get tired of it?"

Lan Peizhi proved to her that what she had just heard was not a hallucination.

Lan's mother was overwhelmed with emotion. What might seem insignificant to other families was, in fact, a fact that only she truly understood how hard-won her family had been.

She didn't even dare to ask her daughter if she still blamed her.

"Mom is all alone, she doesn't understand anything, where can she go?"

"Can't you live without Wu Guangjiang?"

Lan's mother gave a bitter smile.

"Your father and I have been together for most of our lives, nearly fifty years. We're like a pair of chopsticks; neither of us can live without the other."

"Have you ever considered that perhaps this is just your opinion?"

Lan's mother gripped the teacup tightly, hesitating and struggling, but finally mustered her courage.

"Honghong, your father, he already knows he was wrong. If only time could turn back..."

Lan Peizhi did not stop her, because Lan's mother herself could not continue speaking.

Not every mistake can be made up for.

Just like there is no time machine in the world.

"After celebrating your brother's birthday, we'll go back. Your father and I are more than satisfied with our trip to Donghai and seeing how you all live. Honghong, I appreciate your kindness and am very grateful. You can see the world's wonders for us, which is just as good. I have no regrets about being able to grow old with your father in the village. I'm very content, truly."

After Lan's mother finished speaking with a smile, she sipped her tea, and every wrinkle on her face, like a field ridge under the moonlight, exuded peace.

Lan Peizhi did not speak.

Sudden.

The quiet atmosphere was broken by a ringing phone.

Lan Peizhi picked up her phone, pressed the answer button, and held it to her ear.

I don't know what was said on the other end, but after a short while, Lan Peizhi put down the phone.

Do you know where Wu Guangjiang is now?

She asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

Lan's mother, a model of traditional rural women, was naturally clueless and subconsciously replied, "He should... go back to Oriental Pearl Tower to rest, right?"

Lan Peizhi remained noncommittal; his face was like a deep pool, devoid of any ripples, yet chilling to the bone.

"Take some rest first."

Seeing her daughter get up, Lan's mother, who was of one mind with her daughter, had a strange premonition and quickly put down her teacup.

"Honghong, has something happened? Could it be your dad...? He drank so much...Aren't Martial Saint Xiao Jiang and the others there?"

Lan's mother subconsciously associated the idea with something negative.

Ok.

A bad direction.

Lan Peizhi, who had originally planned to leave on her own, looked at her mother, whose face was full of worry, and remained silent for a long time.

Lan's mother became increasingly uneasy, and her brainstorming led her to think of the tragic accidents caused by drunkenness in the news.

A person's imagination is determined by their temperament.

"Honghong, what happened?"

Lan's mother's eyes trembled; she wanted to know what was going on, yet she was also afraid to know.

Want to know?

"I'll take you."

Lan Peizhi walked outside.

Lan's mother clenched her fists, hurrying after him step by step. (End of Chapter)