1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 246 The Lonely Gun (9k Part 1)
The notification sound that suddenly rang in Zhou Yan's mind made him sit up straight.

[Fragments of Song Changhe's Memories]!
Zhou Yan's eyes lit up immediately.

Mr. Song learned martial arts in his childhood and spent half his life in the military, making him a true legend.

Zhou Yan pieced together some fragments of information from Song Wanqing, but still couldn't glean any clues about what kind of person he really was.

As a master of the Emei spear, why was he so reluctant to take on disciples?

He had always been curious about this, and perhaps he could glean some clues from the fragments of his memory.

Zhou Yan got up, locked the door, lay down on the bed, and decisively chose: Yes!

Darkness enveloped him, and when Zhou Yan opened his eyes again, all he saw was a vast expanse of snow.

"Mother! Father!" A heart-wrenching cry rang in my ears.

Zhou Yan looked closely and saw that he was in a small courtyard covered with a thin layer of snow. A thin, half-grown child, dressed in thin coarse cloth clothes, was kneeling in front of the main room.

The interior was a mess, with two corpses lying in a pool of blood. The woman's clothes were disheveled, and the man's head had rolled to the side.

The scene was incredibly bloody.

Zhou Yan was lying on his warm bed just a second ago, but when he opened his eyes and saw this scene, his heart started racing, and he felt nauseous and dizzy. If he could have vomited, he would probably have been in an even more embarrassing situation.

There were many messy footprints in the courtyard. A middle-aged man with a square face and a burly build stood at the gate, holding a red-tasseled spear. He looked at the child kneeling in front of the gate with a look of pity. After a long while, he sighed and said, "Go dig a hole in the back and bury your parents. These bandits are vicious. You are lucky to have survived by hiding in the water vat."

The child turned around, tears streaming down his face, his eyes bloodshot, and kowtowed heavily to the man: "Great hero! Please take Changhe as your disciple! I want to avenge my parents!"

Boom!Boom!Boom!
His head pounded against the snow with a loud thud, and his forehead quickly turned red. When he hit a small stone, blood flowed freely.

Zhou Yan subconsciously clenched his fist. This... is young Song Changhe!

A date displayed on the adjacent courtyard wall reads: January 9, 1919.
Unexpectedly, his parents were killed by bandits when he was young, leaving him an orphan in the chaos of war.

That middle-aged man must be Song Changhe's master, the legendary Emei Spear King Li Lingfeng!

Li Lingfeng suddenly planted his spear in the snow, bent down and helped Song Changhe up, rolled up his sleeves to wipe the mud and blood from his forehead, and said in a deep voice, "If you want to learn martial arts to seek revenge, I will never accept you as my disciple."

He turned around, picked up a hoe from the side, left the yard, and walked towards the back mountain.

Song Changhe picked up another hoe and followed along, somewhat unsteadily.

The two dug a large pit on the back mountain, wrapped the body in a straw mat, and put it into the pit.

A mound of damp earth formed a grave.

Li Lingfeng broke off a piece of wood, wrote the names of the two people on it, stood in front of the grave, took a gourd from his waist, and poured it in front of the grave.

Song Changhe knelt before the grave, weeping uncontrollably.

Li Lingfeng grabbed a handful of snow, rubbed the blood off his hands, and stood silently to the side.

The mountain wind howled, and it was exceptionally cold.

Zhou Yan stood aside, feeling the same way.

Li Lingfeng asked, "Do you really want to learn martial arts from me?"

Song Changhe turned around while kneeling, wiped the tears from his face, and nodded heavily: "Please, great hero, accept me as your disciple!"

"When you learn martial arts from me, remember these three ironclad rules: First, never bully the weak; second, never kill the innocent; and third..." Li Lingfeng's spear tip pointed at the new grave, "...you must not use revenge as the purpose of practicing martial arts!"

"Upholding martial arts and morality, cultivating one's character and temperament, these are the foundations of my Emei spear technique. Can you achieve this?"

Song Changhe glanced back at the new grave behind him and nodded emphatically: "I can!"

"Let's go back to the martial arts school." Li Lingfeng bent down and helped Song Changhe up.

"Master...Master?" Song Changhe asked timidly.

"I'll hold a formal apprenticeship ceremony for you in a few days. You can call me master after you've officially become my disciple," Li Lingfeng said, picking up his red-tasseled spear and turning to leave.

On the return journey, amidst a blizzard, the boy stumbled and followed.

Li Lingfeng suddenly threw the red-tasseled spear at his feet: "Carry it! This spear can bear the weight of a chaotic world, but not personal grudges!"

Song Changhe stared blankly at the trembling spear tip for a moment, then gritted his teeth and pulled the red-tasseled spear, which was two heads taller than him, out of the snow. He hoisted it onto his shoulder, his body swaying as he barely managed to stand.

Li Lingfeng reached out and brushed the snow off the boy's shoulder, looking at him and saying, "Snow can break bamboo but not kill it, and a person should not bend their spine when they suffer great calamity! In this chaotic world, you must be a tough guy to earn respect and fear."

Song Changhe looked at her and nodded emphatically: "Disciple understands!"

“Let’s go. It’s another two hours’ walk back to the mountain. If you keep dawdling like this, we won’t get back before dark.” Li Lingfeng turned and walked away.

Song Changhe hurriedly jogged to catch up, his spear going from being carried to being dragged, his steps growing heavier and heavier, but he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a single word of complaint about being tired.

While walking down a mountain path, the boy suddenly lost his footing, everything went black, and he fell forward, crashing into a rock.

Li Lingfeng, who was walking in front, turned around, grabbed his collar, and lifted him up.

The boy's lips were pale, and he had already fainted, but he still gripped the red-tasseled spear tightly in his hand.

Li Lingfeng laughed, took off his outer robe and draped it over him, then carried it on his back. He picked up the red-tasseled spear and continued climbing up the mountain, his steps as light as the wind, leaving a trail of shallow footprints in the snow. His speed was much faster than before.

The wind and snow blurred Zhou Yan's vision.

In the blink of an eye, they had arrived at a room.

There was a brazier in the room, and a crack was left in the wooden window.

A group of boys of varying ages and a little girl with braids were gathered around the bed. They watched as a woman dressed in coarse cloth sat on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl, and fed Song Changhe, who had his eyes closed, hot ginger soup.

The woman was about thirty years old, with a beautiful face, and bore a resemblance to Song Wanqing.

After drinking a bowl of ginger soup, Song Changhe, though still unconscious, gradually regained his rosy complexion, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"You too, in this cold weather, what are you testing such a young child for? What if he gets frostbite?" The woman put down her bowl and turned back to glare at Li Lingfeng reproachfully.

"Since he wants to become my disciple, I have to test his character." Li Lingfeng scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Father! If you take him as your disciple, then I'll have a junior brother?!" Upon hearing this, the little girl turned around, her bright eyes fixed on Li Lingfeng.

The little girl looked to be about eight or nine years old and resembled Song Wanqing somewhat; she must be her grandmother.

"Susu, your father never said he would take you as his apprentice." The woman smiled and patted the little girl's head, saying with a hint of teasing, "The Emei Spear technique is passed down from father to son, not to daughter. It's a rule passed down from our ancestors."

"Hmph! I don't care, I'm going to learn!" Li Susu snorted, staring at Li Lingfeng: "Father! Tell me, am I your apprentice?"

"You're my good daughter. I'm going to take a shower first, then we'll have dinner later." Li Lingfeng turned and left.

"Hmph! You still won't tell!" Li Susu stomped her feet in anger.

"Junior Sister, don't be angry. Even if Master doesn't acknowledge us, we will," the tallest boy said gently.

"that is!"

"You are our junior sister!"

The other boys joined in the laughter.

A smile finally appeared on Li Susu's face.

"Alright, stop crowding around. You've all finished practicing and are covered in sweat. Your bodies should be cooled down by now. Your master's wife has boiled some hot water for you. Go and take a bath." The woman waved her hand and said with a smile, "I'll cook two more dishes. Today is Laba Festival, so I've made Laba porridge for you and also some braised pork belly. When your master comes back from the mountain, you can have a good meal."

"Salted braised pork belly! We're having meat again today!" The boys' eyes lit up at the news, and they ran off to take a bath with great excitement.

The woman instructed Li Susu, "Susu, you stay here and watch over him. If he wakes up, take him out to eat. If he feels unwell, come and call your mother."

"Mother, don't worry, I'll take good care of Junior Brother!" Li Susu nodded, her little braid swinging back and forth.

The woman smiled, patted her head, and turned to leave.

Li Susu moved a stool to the bedside and sat down, resting her chin on her hands and staring intently at Song Changhe. Suddenly, she noticed a piece of withered grass on his head, leaned forward and reached out to pick it, but the boy suddenly opened his eyes.

Their eyes met, and they both paused for a moment in surprise.

"Ah! You're awake!" Li Susu's eyes lit up. She casually picked the grass off his head and said happily, "I'm your senior sister, Li Susu."

"Senior sister?" Song Changhe looked around in confusion. "Where is this? I... how did I get here?"

“This is the Li Family Martial Arts School, located halfway up Mount Emei. My father brought you up the mountain, have you forgotten?” Li Susu said with a smile.

Song Changhe's eyes lit up as he remembered everything. He looked around and exclaimed, "It's that great hero! Where is he?"

“My father went to take a bath, and my mother went to cook. Tonight we’ll have Laba porridge and braised pork belly. Are you hungry?” Li Susu asked him.

"I..." Before Song Changhe could speak, his stomach started growling.

The bandits came last night. He hid in the water vat all night and didn't dare to come out. He then dug a pit to bury his parents and followed his master for several hours along the mountain path.

The mountain path was already difficult to traverse, and it was covered in snow. He trudged along, sinking deep into the snow and then sinking into the water. He must have eventually fainted from hunger.

Upon hearing about braised pork belly and Laba porridge, Song Changhe couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Here, have another bowl of ginger soup, and I'll take you to eat." Li Susu smiled and brought over another bowl of ginger soup from the table next to her. "My mother put brown sugar in it for you, so it's sweet and not so spicy."

Song Changhe picked up the ginger soup and gulped it down. His complexion became a little rosier. He put down the bowl and said timidly, "Thank you."

"Call me 'Senior Sister' and let me hear it," Li Susu said, taking the bowl and staring at him.

Song Changhe blushed slightly under her gaze and stammered, "You...you look younger than me."

"So what? Although I'm younger than you, I've been at the martial arts school for eight years and have been learning martial arts from my father for four years. Don't you think you should call me senior sister?"

Song Changhe scratched his head, unsure how to respond.

Watching this scene unfold, Zhou Yan couldn't help but smile slightly. This must be the first encounter between Song Changhe and Li Susu.

Li Susu said sweetly, "Hurry up, call me and I'll take you to eat. My mother's salted braised pork belly is so delicious! It's served on a bed of pickled mustard greens. Not only is the meat delicious, but the pickled mustard greens mixed with rice are also very fragrant."

Starving, Song Changhe finally gave in and whispered, "Senior...Senior Sister."

"Hehe! That's right! Junior Brother." Li Susu smiled happily, pulled him out of bed, and took a thick coat from the side to put on him. "Come on, let's go eat!"

Song Changhe followed Li Susu out the door. There was a large courtyard outside, paved with bluestone slabs. The snow had been swept to the side, but it was still falling and had now accumulated into a thin layer.

Several teenagers of varying ages had just finished showering and came out wearing only a single layer of clothing, their heads steaming. When they saw Song Changhe, they swarmed around him.

"woke up!"

"Junior brother, are you alright? I'm your second senior brother, Lu Feiyang!"

"I am your third senior brother, Gao Yuan!"

"I am your fourth senior brother, Zhao Hui!"

Everyone chatted and laughed, clearly enjoying themselves.

"Alright, don't scare him." The tallest boy among them stopped the crowd, put his hand on Song Changhe's shoulder, and said gently, "Junior Brother, I am Xie Hong. From now on, we are fellow disciples. You can call me Senior Brother."

The boy had an ordinary appearance, but his gentle demeanor made him very approachable.

Song Changhe, who had been somewhat flustered, calmed down a bit and nodded, saying, "Okay, Senior Brother, and all the other senior brothers."

"Come on, let's go eat!" Xie Hong put his arm around Song Changhe's shoulder and walked towards the kitchen with a smile. "You must be hungry too, right?"

"Senior Brother! I was here first, and he just called me Senior Sister!" Li Susu followed along excitedly.

"Really? Junior sister has become senior sister now."

“Fun and interesting!”

The boys chatted and laughed, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

Song Changhe, thin and small, was wrapped in an overly long coat and surrounded by people, creating a heartwarming scene.

Zhou Yan was pushed forward by an invisible force, and his gaze turned to the kitchen.

The kitchen was large, with a large square table in addition to the stove. There were already many dishes on the table, including four plates of steaming braised pork belly, which smelled delicious.

In addition, there are sliced ​​cured meat and sausages, and a pot of pork ribs stewed with radish.

The table was filled to the brim, and it looked quite abundant.

Li Lingfeng was already seated in the upper seat, while Huang Chuyu was scooping Laba porridge with a spoon.

"Father! Mother! Junior Brother is awake!" Li Susu called out as soon as she entered the room.

Li Lingfeng looked at Song Changhe and nodded slightly.

Huang Chuyu immediately put down the spoon in her hand, stepped forward and used the back of her hand to touch Song Changhe's forehead to test his temperature. She breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "It's good that you don't have a fever. Sit down, your teacher's wife will scoop you a big bowl of Laba porridge."

Song Changhe looked up at his teacher's wife, his eyes misty, and was pulled down to sit by Li Susu.

"Junior brother, what's your name?" Xie Hong sat down and asked, looking at him.

“Song Changhe,” Song Changhe said.

"Changhe, what a grand name!" Xie Hong nodded with a smile and went to help serve the Laba porridge.

The boys ate from large earthenware bowls, each one bigger than their heads, and the Laba porridge was served to the brim.

This bowl of Laba porridge is quite thick, with a rich variety of ingredients including rice, red beans, radish, cabbage, and vermicelli. You can even see diced cured meat. Finally, when it's done, add a handful of finely chopped garlic sprouts. Stir it with a spoon, and the aroma is irresistible.

Even Zhou Yan couldn't help but swallow hard.

Unlike the Laba porridge made from a bunch of various beans, this Laba porridge looks especially delicious.

"Eat, child. You must be starving after walking all this way," Huang Chuyu said gently, placing a spoonful into Song Changhe's bowl.

Song Changhe picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of Laba porridge and put it in his mouth, but tears started streaming down his face.

"What's wrong? Did you burn yourself? Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Li Susu looked surprised, but also concerned.

"Here, have some water." Xie Hong handed over a glass of water.

Song Changhe swallowed the Laba porridge in his mouth and sobbed uncontrollably: "My mother soaked all the red beans in a basin last night, but I will never be able to eat her Laba porridge again... I have no mother."

The kitchen fell silent immediately.

Li Susu opened her mouth, but she was still young and didn't know how to comfort him.

The other teenagers were also stunned, their expressions a mixture of shock and pity.

Huang Chuyu stepped forward, wiped away Song Changhe's tears and snot, gently hugged him, and said softly, "Child, this is your home from now on. Your master's wife will make Laba porridge for you."

"Master's wife..." Song Changhe cried uncontrollably, finally releasing all the emotions he had been suppressing.

Li Lingfeng picked up the wine glass on the table, took a sip, and a smile appeared in his eyes. It's better to let it out than to keep it inside.

Song Changhe hugged his teacher's wife and cried for a while, then his emotions gradually stabilized.

For a ten-year-old child to experience something like this, the fear and anxiety they must feel is unimaginable.

"Eat up, you'll feel better once you're full." His wife put the spoon in his hand and put a piece of salted braised pork belly in his bowl. She said gently, "Try my salted braised pork belly. It's made with Yibin pickled mustard greens at the bottom. You've definitely never had it before."

Zhou Yan glanced at it.

[An exceptionally good braised pork belly with pickled mustard greens]

Zhou Yan: ?
This identification is really effective; it can even be used in memory fragments.

However, the salted pork belly made by the master's wife was so authentic that it actually received a "very good" rating.

No wonder Song Changhe remembered it for so many years. Song Changhe took a spoon, fed the meat to his mouth, and his eyes brightened noticeably.

He scraped the porridge from the rim of the bowl with a spoon, and the large bowl of Laba porridge visibly dwindled.

"Come on, try the sausages my mother makes! They're absolutely delicious!"

"Here's a spoonful of bean sprouts for you, it's so delicious with porridge!"

"Give me another piece of cured pork, this is delicious too!"

Li Susu sat next to him, serving him food the whole time, treating him well in every way.

A group of young men practicing martial arts insisted on having extra bowls of Laba porridge. The many dishes on the table were completely devoured, and the large pot of Laba porridge was scraped clean.

Zhou Yan was dumbfounded; this person's appetite was at least twice that of his.

The saying "the poor study literature, the rich study martial arts" is not just a random saying.

Just the cost of meat and medicine alone is enormous in a year.

Li Lingfeng's apprentices all looked like they came from wealthy families, and their demeanor was completely different from that of Song Changhe, a child from a poor family.

After eating his fill, Song Changhe's mood improved considerably, and his eyes gradually regained their light.

Li Lingfeng looked at Xie Hong and said, "Xie Hong, you are the senior brother. Changhe is new here, so please take care of him and help him get acquainted with the environment. He will sleep with you tonight."

"Yes, Master." Xie Hong nodded respectfully.

"Changhe, come with me." Xie Hong stood up and beckoned Song Changhe to come out, explaining as he went, "It's getting dark, so I won't take you sightseeing. Tonight, the five of us brothers will share a room, a large dormitory-style bed. It'll be warmer if we squeeze in together..."

Several of his fellow disciples also followed.

"This child has such a hard life," Huang Chuyu sighed.

"His survival shows that he is blessed by the heavens," Li Lingfeng said.

……

Zhou Yan was about to leave when his gaze suddenly shifted.

Two reddish-brown Ganoderma-shaped chairs were placed at the head of the main hall, with Li Lingfeng and Huang Chuyu sitting on the left and right respectively.

Three martial arts masters sat nearby as witnesses.

Song Changhe knelt on the ground, raising his cup to his eyebrows, his back straight, and respectfully recited: "I will serve my teacher as a father, and my loyalty will last a lifetime. I humbly request your permission!"

Li Lingfeng took a sip of tea, placed it on the tea table beside him, and looked at Song Changhe, saying, "Changhe, since you've become my disciple, you must abide by three ironclad rules: 'First, do not bully the weak; second, do not kill the innocent indiscriminately; third, never violate martial ethics!' Can you manage that?"

"I will follow Master's teachings." Song Changhe nodded respectfully.

"Alright!" Li Lingfeng stood up and helped Song Changhe up. He took a red-tasseled spear from Xie Hong and handed it to Song Changhe: "This spear is for you. From today onwards, you will learn the Emei spear technique from me. Remember: wield the skill as you would a blade, and be careful when drawing it."

Song Changhe accepted the red-tasseled spear with both hands, his eyes gleaming, and nodded, saying, "Disciple understands!"

"Okay." Li Lingfeng looked at Song Changhe and nodded with a smile.

……

The scene shifts again, revealing the first light of dawn.

The surrounding trees are lush and green, indicating that summer has arrived.

Time: 1919.6.18
In the courtyard stood rows of wooden stakes as thick as bowls. Xie Hong, Song Changhe, and four others stood shirtless on the stakes, holding their red-tasseled spears horizontally.

Song Changhe held an empty gun, while Xie Hong and the others had stone weights of varying weights tied to the tips of their guns. They were all covered in sweat, and their hands were trembling.

Compared to when he first came up the mountain, Song Changhe has grown taller and gained some weight.

"To practice marksmanship, you must first practice the spear stance. One by one, stand firmly!" Li Lingfeng walked past the crowd, holding a thin bamboo stick in his hand.

Snapped!
The bamboo stick struck Song Changhe's back, immediately leaving a bloody welt.

"Straighten your back!" Li Lingfeng shouted in a deep voice.

Song Changhe gritted his teeth and quickly straightened his back.

Snapped!
The bamboo stick struck Gao Yuan's back, leaving a bloody welt.

"Ouch!" Gao Yuan cried out, and said in a low voice, "Master, what happened? I was standing so perfectly straight."

"You little bastard, you secretly cut one weight out of the two pounds of stone lock! Do you think I should hit you?"

Gao Yuan gave an awkward laugh: "Hehe... Master, I misread it! I'll add it right away, please stop typing."

"If you dare to be lazy, I'll send you down the mountain tomorrow," Li Lingfeng said coldly.

"I won't dare! I'll add more right away!" Gao Yuan was shocked and quickly jumped down to pick out a two-pound stone lock, tied it on, and returned to the stake.

Li Lingfeng turned back to Song Changhe's side, tapped the back of his knee with a bamboo stick, and said in a deep voice, "The stake is the root of the spear! If the root is crooked by an inch, the spear will be crooked by ten feet!"

After practicing on the spear poles for an hour, everyone came down from the poles, panting heavily, and sat in a row on the steps.

Song Changhe sat in the corner, looking at the blood blisters on his palm, and skillfully pierced them with a bamboo skewer.

"Are you alright?" Li Susu handed him a water bottle, glanced at his hand, and asked with concern.

"It's alright, they'll be calloused up almost completely." Song Changhe took the water bottle, took two big gulps, shook his head with a smile, and said with burning eyes, "Master said that only when blood blisters turn into calluses can one be worthy of wielding the Emei spear. I'm almost there now."

"You're too hard on yourself. You've mastered the stance in just six months. I practiced for three whole years!" Li Susu looked at him warily. "You don't actually want to be my senior brother, do you? Let me tell you, you still have to call me senior sister. I started practicing much earlier than you!"

"I understand, Senior Sister." Song Changhe nodded, put down the kettle, picked up the red-tasseled spear, and went to the side to practice again. His spear technique was still very rough, but he tried his best to do every movement well.

"Junior Brother is too diligent! Doesn't he get tired?" Gao Yuan slumped on the stone steps, looking at Song Changhe wielding his spear with meticulous precision, his tone filled with confusion.

“If you were as consumed by hatred as he is, you would be just as diligent.” Xie Hong looked at Song Changhe with a hint of pity in his eyes, put down the water bottle in his hand, and walked towards Song Changhe. “Junior brother, you’re doing it wrong. The power of the 'Crushing Spear' technique is like three surging waves—wrist tremor, elbow thrust, shoulder sink! Look at me…”

Zhou Yan squatted down beside him, feeling the exhilarating sensation of knowledge flowing through his mind and leaving no trace.

The scene begins to shift, showing the changing seasons of Emei Mountain, from cold to hot, from autumn to winter, with each season distinct.

Song Changhe's marksmanship became increasingly skillful, and the once thin and weak child had grown into a strong and fit young man.

On the wooden stake, Song Changhe's spear moved like a dragon, thrusting and sweeping, creating a whooshing sound that made the leaves on the trees nearby rustle.

His muscles weren't particularly prominent, but the lines were exceptionally defined.

Zhou Yan glanced at the courtyard wall. Date: June 18, 1927.
Eight years have passed since Song Changhe went up the mountain.

"Changhe!" A girl's clear voice rang out. Li Susu ran over carrying a watermelon and waved to Song Changhe: "Quick! Come and eat watermelon. I chilled it in the mountain spring! If the senior brothers come back later, you won't be able to beat them."

Eight years have passed, and the little girl with pigtails has grown up. She has delicate features, two dimples when she smiles, and looks very youthful and energetic.

She looks more like Song Wanqing now, but shorter and cuter and more playful.

Song Wanqing inherited the best features of her grandparents; she is beautiful and has long legs.

"Here I am!" Song Changhe jumped down from the wooden stake, placed his spear on the weapon rack, walked to the shady eaves, looked at Li Susu and smiled, "Junior Sister, you went to steal watermelons again?"

"Pah, pah, pah! How can you call it stealing when it's something a martial artist does! This is what Grandpa Zhang asked me to pick myself. We helped him chase away the watermelon thief last time, and he was very grateful to us. Every time he sees us, he asks me to pick watermelons. I just couldn't refuse his kindness." Li Susu raised her hand and delivered a palm strike.

Click!

The ripe watermelon split open with a snap.

Li Susu casually broke the piece into three pieces, picked up the largest piece and handed it to Song Changhe: "Call me senior sister, this largest piece is for you."

"Then I'll have these two pieces." Song Changhe picked up another small piece of watermelon, took a bite, and nodded with a smile: "So sweet! Icy and refreshing, so nice!"

Li Susu was so angry that her teeth itched. She gritted her teeth and said, "You bastard, I was the one who entered the sect first! You've been calling me senior sister for three years, how can you stop now!"

Song Changhe shook his head: "I'm two years older than you, and my marksmanship is better than yours now. I should be the senior brother."

"If you want to compete in marksmanship, then you should be the second senior brother!" Li Susu snorted.

Song Changhe shook his head: "That's different. My senior brothers have been learning their skills longer than me. There is an order of seniority, and we can't mess up the seniority."

"You're such a hypocrite! I'm so angry, I'm not talking to you anymore!" Li Susu ran off with half a watermelon in her arms.

Song Changhe watched the girl's high ponytail bounce up and down, a smile on his lips, as he continued eating the watermelon in his hand.

Before long, the senior disciples who had gone down the mountain to protect the temple returned, each carrying two watermelons. They were given to them by Grandpa Zhang.

"Master's wife, what are we having for dinner? I'm so hungry!" Gao Yuan put down the watermelon and asked as soon as he opened his mouth.

The boys from back then have now grown into young adults.

A handsome boy of about ten years old stood in the crowd. He put down the watermelon he was carrying and asked expectantly, "Master's wife, Master's wife, what are we having for dinner tonight?"

"Your teacher's wife made bean sprout buns for you, they're already steaming in the pot, you'll be able to eat them in a little while," Huang Chuyu said with a smile.

The master's wife looked much the same as she had eight years ago, with a few more fine lines around her eyes, but she still maintained her slender figure. Every morning she would practice martial arts for half an hour before making breakfast, and the effects of strengthening her body were obvious.

"Wan Shuyu, come here, your senior sister has something good for you." Li Susu beckoned the boy over, took out a bunch of grapes from behind her back, and said with a smile, "Call me senior sister."

"Senior Sister!" Wan Shuyu called out obediently.

"Good boy." Li Susu handed him the grapes, glancing smugly at Song Changhe beside her. "Even if you don't call him, I still have a junior brother!"

"Fifth Senior Brother, have some grapes!" Wan Shuyu took the grapes and presented them to Song Changhe like a treasure.

Song Changhe reached out and picked one, feeding it to her mouth. She smiled and nodded, "Mmm, it's really sweet. Shuyu, you can eat it yourself. Don't let your senior sister's good intentions go to waste."

"Mm." Wan Shuyu nodded obediently, distributed the grapes to all the senior brothers, and then sat down on a small stool to eat them slowly.

This junior disciple was the master's last apprentice, and also his last disciple. He is the youngest son of the wealthy Wan family at the foot of Mount Emei.

Master Wan had a son late in life and cherished him dearly. However, he lived in a chaotic world where warlords and bandits ran rampant, so he spent a lot of money to send his youngest son up the mountain to become a disciple of Li Lingfeng.

I don't expect him to become a martial arts master, I just hope he can learn some martial arts to protect himself, strengthen his body, and have the ability to protect himself in this world.

The brothers and sisters had come down the mountain to guard the Wan family's home. A few days ago, news spread that a group of bandits had their eyes on the Wan family.

Master Wan was frightened upon hearing this, so he sent his servants to invite Li Lingfeng and his disciples down the mountain to guard his house.

Li Lingfeng wouldn't normally take on this kind of work.

Unfortunately, Master Wan gave just too much.

Song Changhe drew the short bamboo stick and had no choice but to stay on the mountain.

"I've really learned a lot this time coming down the mountain..." Gao Yuan talked at length about what he had seen and heard on his trip.

Song Changhe listened attentively, not missing a single word.

"They're ready! Sprout and pork buns, bring your own bowls to serve!" The teacher's wife's voice rang out from the kitchen.

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, and they all rushed towards the kitchen.

The bamboo steamer lid was lifted, revealing plump buns inside. The aroma of stir-fried pickled mustard greens and pork wafted through the thin skin, filling the room with a savory and tempting fragrance.

Gulu.

Someone swallowed very loudly, which made everyone burst into laughter.

"Come here, Shuyu, bring your basin over here," Huang Chuyu called out, picking up four large meat buns for Wan Shuyu with her chopsticks.

"Thank you, Master's wife!" Wan Shuyu said, carrying the basin to the table.

"Susu," Huang Chuyu called out again.

Li Susu stepped forward with a plate and also packed four bean sprout buns for her.

"Mom, I'm a little hungry today, could you pack me an extra one?" Li Susu said coquettishly.

"Little glutton." Huang Chuyu glanced at her and smiled as she picked up a steamed bun for her.

"Mom is the best!" Li Susu grinned and walked away with the plate.

It started to change with Song Changhe. The large basins were piled up like small mountains, each filled with ten pieces.

Three layers of steamers, all distributed, not one left.

Even Li Lingfeng couldn't get an extra one.

Gao Yuan took a bite of the bun and exclaimed, "The bean sprout and pork buns made by my master's wife are so fragrant! The skin is thin and soft, and it tastes especially sweet when you chew it. The bean sprout and pork stir-fry is even more amazing. The crisp and tender bean sprouts and the soft and glutinous minced meat are a perfect match! It's oily but not greasy, and it's savory and delicious! It's so much better than my mom's! I'll definitely want to eat it when I go down the mountain next year."

Huang Chuyu smiled broadly, picked up her chopsticks and took a bun from Li Lingfeng's bowl and put it into Gao Yuan's bowl. "You have a sweet tongue, here, I'll give you another one!"

Li Lingfeng: ? ?
"Thank you, Master's wife! Master's wife is the best in the world!" Gao Yuan said loudly, glancing at Li Lingfeng with some pride, and took a bite of his steamed bun. "Master, then I won't be polite."

Li Lingfeng looked at him and asked, "Gao Yuan, which leg did you step into the martial arts gym with first?"

Gao Yuan was taken aback. "Left leg?"

Li Lingfeng said, "We'll have an extra hour of spear stance training later! Our master stipulated that you must step into the martial arts school with your right leg first."

Gao Yuan stopped laughing and looked completely bewildered.

No, is this a rule that was just made up by the founder?

The smile didn't disappear, but it moved to the faces of the other fellow disciples.

And on Zhou Yan's face.

After dinner, everyone went to take a bath.

Li Susu called out to Song Changhe, took two quick steps forward, and stuffed something soft into his hand.

"Hmm? Junior Sister, didn't you say you were hungry tonight?" Song Changhe looked at the steamed bun in his hand and handed it back to her: "You eat it."

"Hmph!" Li Susu stomped on his foot and said angrily, "Just take it. You've been practicing martial arts all day, you'll definitely be hungry at night. Don't get up in the middle of the night to drink cold water!"

After saying that, she turned and ran away with a slightly flushed face.

Song Changhe looked at the steamed bun in his hand, then at Li Susu who was running away. He was a little confused, but he still ate the steamed bun.

Zhou Yan couldn't help but laugh. Mr. Song was a straight man when he was young. Teacher Song and Li Susu are somewhat similar.

As Song Changhe passed by the area with wooden stakes, Gao Yuan stood on one of them, holding a long spear, and asked with great interest, "Changhe, did Susu bring you steamed buns?"

“Hmm, she said she wasn’t hungry.” Song Changhe waved the half-eaten bun in his hand.

"You idiot, Junior Sister definitely likes you," Gao Yuan grinned.

"You like it?" Song Changhe was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head: "She's really not hungry."

"Forget it, I can't explain it to you." Gao Yuan sighed, looking at the steamed bun in his hand: "Give me a bite."

"You eat it." Song Changhe handed over half a bun.

Gao Yuan took a bite, smiled, and nodded, saying, "Alright, you can have the rest! It's delicious!"

Song Changhe went back to his room while eating a steamed bun.

Xie Hong called him aside and whispered, "Changhe, this time when we came down the mountain, I found out about the bandits who killed your parents."

Lu Feiyang and Zhao Hui also came over and whispered, "Tomorrow we'll go down the mountain and avenge your parents!"

　Sorry, I overestimated myself. I can't finish writing it all in one day. I'll finish the rest tomorrow in one go.
　　This part will be a bit longer, but it won't be divided into many days.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)