good season

Xiao Zhen, what a damned mouth of mine!
"No, really no, I wasn't bright back then, I didn't understand anything!"

He absolutely had to defend himself; the person in front of him was no stranger, but someone of paramount importance to him.

Zhao Shiqing: "When did you finally understand?"

Xiao Zhen wanted to say that seeing you made her realize things, but then she thought about it again and realized that wasn't entirely true.

He was already over thirty when he died in his previous life, how could he not have become enlightened? It's just that his mind wasn't on this, he hadn't thought about it, and he didn't dare to think about it. More importantly, he hadn't met this girl who was as radiant and warm as the sun.

Once you meet her, you'll want to spend your life with her, watch her laugh and cry, accompany her across mountains and rivers, hold an umbrella for her when it rains, give her a warm room in the dead of winter, warm a pot of wine, invite a few close friends, and watch the wind and snow with her.

Before they knew it, the surrounding atmosphere had become quiet, so quiet that only the two of them could be heard breathing softly.

Xiao Zhen did not answer Zhao Shiqing's question, but when their eyes met, Zhao Shiqing saw tenderness in his eyes, not scorching, but lingering. Zhao Shiqing subconsciously wanted to avoid his gaze, but those eyes were like hooks, making her unable to resist wanting to stay, to stay in his life.

Zhao Shiqing suddenly realized that she could no longer remember Xiao Zhen from when they first met. She could only remember that he was seven parts human and three parts ghost, but she couldn't remember exactly what he looked like.

All she could remember was Xiao Zhen, who repaired the swing for her amidst the desolation of the courtyard; Xiao Zhen, who climbed the wall with Bai Fengcheng; Xiao Zhen, who took her to the Big Stone Threshold for excitement when she was in a bad mood because her Little Sheep Brother had changed; and Xiao Zhen, who, despite being full of scheming, revealed all those innocent past events that should have been kept from her like a young boy.

She said, "I like being free."

Xiao Zhen: "What a coincidence, I like it too."

In his previous life, he had no idea what freedom was after the age of eighteen. Even though he escaped the court's pursuit time and time again, his heart was already sealed by boundless hatred. He couldn't breathe, and his soul was trapped in it, never to be free until his death.

Even if he were reborn, he still couldn't break free or escape.

Until he met Zhao Shiqing, she brought him a light that illuminated his heart and his life, allowing him to see freedom. He realized that freedom was so beautiful, as sweet, as clear, and as warm as her.

She said, "I don't like to compromise or be overly cautious. You don't need to revolve around me, and I don't like to go to great lengths to please you. If we're happy, we'll be together; if we're not, we'll part ways. I have two mountains to rely on. I can be like my master, living a carefree and happy life without getting married. I've taken in many children, and I'm raising them very well."

He could understand Xiao Zhen's earlier words, but what did the last two sentences mean? They meant that if she could raise the adopted child well, then she could also raise her own child well. She could raise her child on her own, just like her master, without getting married.

Yes, her child, her only child, whom she no longer loves, even if she gets married, she can still leave her child behind.

Xiao Zhen
The little girl grew up in the rich and luxurious Liangwang Mansion and the free and unrestrained Baihe Mountain. These two different environments have shaped her into who she is today.

She possesses a strong and confident soul, and she is capable of upholding that confidence.

Xiao Zhen smiled and said, "Then I will try my best to make sure you don't dislike me."

Zhao Shiqing didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said. She and he were both young, and no one knew what the future held. She liked men who were good-looking, but if Xiao Zhen got fatter and fatter, she didn't know if she would find him disgusting.

Miss Zhao the Second has never known what internal strife is, and she speaks her mind whenever she thinks of something.

"I don't like men who are too fat, and I hate men with big bellies the most, except for children and my grandfather."

Xiao Zhen nodded. He remembered. Fortunately, no one in the Xiao family was fat. But things were not always normal, and he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't gain weight in the future. Therefore, he would try his best to maintain his figure and not let himself get a big belly.

Zhao Shiqing: "I don't like people with greasy faces, regardless of gender or age."

Xiao Zhen didn't like it either; he approved of it.

Zhao Shiqing: "I don't like people who are petty and calculating, but I also don't like people who treat being taken advantage of as a blessing."

Xiao Zhen: "Me too."

Zhao Shiqing: "I love spending money, but my money is my money. I can spend money on you, but you can't keep an eye on my money and force me to spend money on you."

Xiao Zhen
"Your money will always be your money, and my money will always be your money."

Zhao Shiqing was satisfied, then slapped her forehead, and remembered something else: "My children must at least have the surname Shi."

Xiao Zhen: "Isn't this what we should do?"

The Shi family only has Zhao Shiqing. Zhen Wuduo is determined to end the Zhen family line with him, but the Shi family are all good people and someone needs to carry on this kindness.

Zhao Shiqing was satisfied. The more she looked at Xiao Zhen, the more she liked him. He was indeed the person she had chosen.

But saying it is one thing, doing it is another. And what will happen in the future cannot be imagined by sitting at home; it requires time and effort to get to know.

Xiao Zhen is someone she's willing to try and get along with.

Even marriage is an option. As Aunt Ji once said, you shouldn't listen to what a man says or look at him now to see if he treats you well. You have to wait until you get married and have children to gradually see, and even then, it's only gradually. You can't know immediately whether a person treats you well or not.

Some people are just good at acting, and they can act for a lifetime, but they always reveal their true colors when faced with unexpected changes, which is disheartening.

Even if someone like that wakes up on the spot and kicks you away, what good will it do? You've still been disgusting people for decades for nothing.

Zhao Shiqing has many mentors in life. Besides her master Murong Linlang, there is her adoptive father, her sister, her older brother, the aunts and grandmas in the village, her maternal grandfather, her parents and grandmother whom she has never met, Aunt Ji, Sister Aping, Xiuxiu, and even the chivalrous Yan and the underage Luoluo. In short, she has met many people, good and bad, and she has learned from and remembered them all.

Xiao Zhen watched as the little girl's lips curled up higher and higher until she finally broke into a big smile.

"Xiao Zhen, you must remember what we said today. Don't get fat, don't get ugly, don't become someone we all hate. Otherwise, I'll kick you out. No, I'll kick you out right now, the moment you made me hate you. Don't worry, I'm willing to do it."

Xiao Zhen wiped the smile from his lips, raised his hand and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Xiao Zhen will remember this, and will never forget it in this lifetime."

Zhao Shiqing was satisfied. Today was truly a good day. She had to go back and tell her grandfather, and also tell her sister.

On her way back, Zhao Shiqing was thinking about how to tell her grandfather.

So as soon as she entered the door, she said to Zhen Wuduo, "Grandpa, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

Zhen Wuduo: "Let's start with the good news."

Zhao Shiqing: "Grandpa, I have someone I've officially set my sights on. You can start preparing now."

Zhen Wuduo: So, you weren't really interested in her before, but now you are?
He scoffed, "And the bad news?"

Zhao Shiqing: "That person is Xiao Zhen."

Zhen Wuduo: Whether this news is good or bad, you didn't actually have to tell me.

After announcing these two pieces of news, Zhao Shiqing ran into the house to write a letter to her sister.

My older brother doesn't know Xiao Zhen, so I won't tell him about this yet.

But my sister knows Xiao Zhen and has met him, so I must tell her about this! Zhao Shiqing wrote five whole pages before reluctantly putting down her pen.

Send the message via the loach to the messenger in Liangdu and deliver it to Liang as soon as possible.

She then leisurely went to find her master. Ever since the bean sprout incident, seeing her master reminded her of bean sprouts. Out of respect for bean sprouts, she had decided never to eat them again, whether they were mung bean sprouts or soybean sprouts.

"Master, I have something to tell you."

The pretty, sweet, and soft little apprentice leans against her master. Master smells so good and is so beautiful.

"If it's still about that kid with the fake face, then shut up."

"I can keep quiet, but Master, please remember to add more makeup for me, Master."

Before she could finish speaking, she was thrown out.

Zhao Shiqing got up from the ground, wiped away non-existent tears, and sang loudly, "Bean sprouts, yellow in the field."

A cold voice came from inside the house: "Bean sprouts aren't grown in the ground."

Her master paid attention to her.

Zhao Shiqing darted into the house and hugged her master's arm: "Master, I want to be with him because I like him. If one day I don't like him anymore, I will definitely dump him. I promise I won't keep him for the New Year. Don't worry, I won't wrong myself."

The master sighed, "A son is no longer under his mother's control once he grows up. Besides, I can't give birth to a child as old as you. You should think it through yourself. However, the old man is right. Xiao Zhen has a special status, and none of us want him to be a burden to you."

Zhao Shiqing understood that they were all doing it for her own good, and she assured them, "Master, I know."

Murong Linlang reached out and pulled her into her arms, just like when they were children: "When I get old, you have to take care of me."

Zhao Shiqing: "You're only ten years older than me."

Murong Linlang: "Then you have to take care of me in my old age too."

Zhao Shiqing: "Can't you just have your own child?"

Murong Linlang: "Doesn't childbirth hurt? What if you die? I'm already so old, and you still want me to do such a dangerous thing? Are you at ease with yourself?"

Zhao Shiqing: "You're only thirty, how can you be so old?"

Murong Linlang shoved her away: "I'm not thirty, I'm only twenty-six. Are you saying I look old? Get out of here!"

The master-disciple relationship has broken down today.

Zhao Shiqing was thrown out by her master again. This time she was prepared and stood firmly. She made a face at the house and then happily went to play with Xiuxiu.

Left behind was a sulking old man and a beautiful master who wished she could crawl into the mirror to find wrinkles around her eyes.

The old man's sullenness didn't last long. The grandfather and grandson were the same; if they were angry, they wanted someone else to be angry.

So the old man got into the carriage and went to the Ruyi Pavilion.

Xiao Zhen has decided not to go out for the next two days, knowing that Zhen Wuduo will definitely come to confront him.

Zhen Wuduo arrived as expected, his expression gloomy, his eyes fierce, and his whole body exuding a murderous aura.

At this moment, he was no longer that amiable old man; he was a ruthless sea tyrant who killed without blinking an eye.

Before Zhen Wuduo even entered the door, a group of people surrounded Ruyi Pavilion, making it impossible for Xiao Zhen to escape.

Xiao Zhen hurriedly went out to greet him, bowing respectfully from afar. Zhen Wuduo thought he was seeing things, or perhaps this kid had had his soul replaced?
Is this still the same Xiao Zhen who was so stinky, stubborn, and infuriating?
This kid served him like a son for ten years, and he never showed him the same respect he does now.

However, Zhen Wuduo's sullen mood dissipated considerably.

He entered the Ruyi Pavilion; it was his first time there.

He looked around, his face full of criticism: "What kind of place is this? It's bare, are you so poor you can't even afford to eat? This house already has bad feng shui, and it makes you look even poorer."

He patted his sleeves, as if afraid of getting the bad luck of poverty on him.

Xiao Zhen hurriedly said, "I will redecorate this place according to Qingqing's preferences. She likes lively atmospheres, so I will decorate this place with flowers and make it magnificent."

Zhen Wuduo snorted, his small eyes fixed on Xiao Zhen's face: "My granddaughter loves beauty. She even picks out dogs with shiny fur. Your face is too fake and too ugly."

Xiao Zhen said in a deep voice, "I will not talk about marriage until I can take off this face."

Zhen Wu slammed his hand on the table, his arrogance blaming: "What do you mean? You can never take off this fake face, so my granddaughter has to be dragged along by you for the rest of her life?"

Xiao Zhen bit her lip: "One year. If I cannot restore my original identity within one year, I will never appear in front of Miss Zhao again in this life."

Zhen Wu sneered: "A year is too long. Half a year, I'll give you half a year. If you still can't openly and honestly return to your identity as Xiao Zhen in half a year, then get as far away as possible and don't let me see you, otherwise, hehe!"

Xiao Zhen was taken aback. Six months? That seemed a bit tight, but there was still time.

"Okay, six months it is."

Zhen Wuduo: "Boy, don't think that I'll give you my granddaughter in six months. The six months I'm talking about is when you become Xiao Zhen again within six months. Whether I'll agree to this marriage depends on whether Xiao Zhen is good enough for my granddaughter. I can't expect my granddaughter to marry you after your entire Xiao family is executed, can I? Dream on!"

Xiao Zhen bowed again: "This junior will remember this and will do my utmost!"

Zhen Wuduo's lips twitched. So this is how he calls himself a junior?
What happened to the deep father-son bond we were promised?

He has absolutely no regrets!
The old man was heartbroken. What use were his sons? Even his most promising one was like this, not to mention the other hundred or so. Fortunately, none of them were his biological children, otherwise he would have been furious. He could just let them go. He had his granddaughter and money, and that was enough for him.

At that moment, the old man had a sudden realization.

The old man didn't hide his trip to Ruyi Pavilion from his eldest granddaughter today; he couldn't hide it anyway, so he told her the truth.

"Grandpa set the conditions for you: six months. He only has six months. If he can do it, great; if not, he can get lost. You have an older brother who is a prince, and a wealthy grandfather. You are smart and beautiful. We won't have trouble finding someone better, my eldest granddaughter. You agree, right?"

Zhao Shiqing nodded vigorously. Oh my, that's why they say having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. She only realized today how good her circumstances were.

"Yes, absolutely right!" (End of Chapter)