My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 191 The Source of Family Troubles

Children tend to have very short memories, especially of farewells that haven't happened yet and are beyond their control.

Especially Zhao Moli, who has never experienced separation, remains a carefree and cheerful little firecracker.

It was another Saturday, and the weather was fine.

Early in the morning, Lu Yang's doorbell was rang loudly.

Chen Xiaomiao opened the door with a yawn, and Zhao Moli was waiting outside.

"Godmother! Is Yangyang awake yet?"

The little girl's voice was clear and loud.

Since developing a habit of exercising, she seems like a completely different person, with boundless energy every day.

"Get up, get up, I'm washing my face."

Chen Xiaomiao yawned and stepped aside to let her in: "Oh my, girl, how come you're so energetic every day now?"

Zhao Moli changed into slippers and ran to the bathroom door as if she knew the way well. She peeked her little head in through the door frame and said, "Yangyang, hurry up, hurry up."

Lu Yang was standing on a small stool, slowly wiping his face with a towel. Hearing this, he glanced at her in the mirror and asked, "Why do you suddenly want to go hiking?"

"Teacher Sun said that I performed exceptionally well this month, and my core strength and cardiopulmonary function have improved a lot. She said she would reward me!"

Zhao Moli puffed out her small chest, her face full of pride.

Lu Yang put down the towel and asked again, "Did you call Qing Tong?"

"I called, and she said she's going too!"

Half an hour later, the three children met at the entrance of the residential area and rode with Sun Wan in Lu Yuan's nanny car to the suburbs.

Fu Niu Mountain, located in the southern suburbs of Jiangcheng, may not be considered a famous scenic spot, but it is a rare green lung around the city.

The mountain slopes are gentle and the stone steps are well-maintained, making it a perfect place for families to take a walk on the weekend.

The driver parked the car in the parking lot at the foot of the mountain, and Sun Wan took out a thermal lunch box and a large water bottle from the trunk.

"Come on, kids, have something to sit on first."

Sun Wan unscrewed the lunchbox, inside were steaming hot tea eggs and several white steamed buns: "Climbing mountains is tiring, you won't have the energy if you don't eat your fill."

Zhao Moli immediately came over, grabbed a still-warm steamed bun with her little hand, and took a big bite, stuffing her cheeks full.

Zheng Qingtong politely accepted a tea egg and peeled it in small bites.

"Eat slowly, don't choke."

Sun Wan handed her another bottle of water.

After breakfast, the three of them set off into the mountains. Sun Wan followed behind the three children, keeping an eye on their safety and not disturbing them too much.

In the early spring mountains, a lingering chill remains, mingled with the fresh scents of earth and vegetation.

Zhao Moli was extremely excited.

Nearly a month of training had greatly increased her physical strength, and she was running ahead, hopping and skipping, leaving Zheng Qingtong and Lu Yang behind.

"Yangyang, look, this tree looks so strange. Doesn't it look like a giraffe's neck?"

"Qingtong, look! There's an ant moving house here!"

Her clear voice echoed along the quiet mountain path, startling several unidentified birds in the woods.

Zheng Qingtong simply followed quietly behind, occasionally chiming in with a few words, her gaze mostly fixed on the stone steps beneath her feet or gazing into the hazy mist of the mountains, lost in thought.

However, children's physical strength is limited after all.

In less than twenty minutes, Zhao Moli, who had been far ahead, began to slow down, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her breathing became heavy.

She leaned against an old tree, her little face scrunched up, and began to back down: "Yangyang... I can't walk anymore... Let's go back."

Lu Yang walked slowly to her side, handed her a water bottle, and said calmly, "You've only gone less than a quarter of the way. Have you forgotten the breathing method that Teacher Sun taught you?"

"I...I haven't forgotten..." Zhao Moli gasped for breath, pouting sadly, "But I'm so tired."

"See that pavilion over there?" Lu Yang pointed to the eaves at the corner of the stone steps not far away: "Let's rest there for ten minutes."

With a clear goal in mind, Zhao Moli finally mustered up her strength again and, dragging her two legs, moved forward step by step.

Zheng Qingtong maintained her own pace, neither too fast nor too slow.

She came to Zhao Moli's side, took out a piece of candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and handed it to Zhao Moli.

"Jasmine, eating some candy will make you feel better." "Thank you, Qingtong."

Zhao Moli put the candy in her mouth, and the sweetness melted on her tongue, making her feel a little less tired.

The three of them finally made it to the "Wenfeng Pavilion" halfway up the mountain.

After a short rest, we continued our journey.

The second half of the journey was significantly steeper.

Zhao Moli was completely exhausted and could only keep up by being supported by Lu Yang and Zheng Qingtong on either side, muttering to herself incessantly.

"Yangyang, I never want to climb mountains again..."

"Yangyang, when will we reach the top of the mountain?"

"Yangyang, I want to eat two fried chicken drumsticks when I get back, no, three!"

Lu Yang was getting a headache from her nagging, but he still patiently said, "Almost there, just hang in there a little longer. Look, we can already see the TV tower on the mountaintop."

Around 10 o'clock, three small figures climbed to the summit platform of Fu Niu Mountain.

The wind at the mountaintop was much stronger than at the foot of the mountain, making people's clothes flutter.

Standing here, you can take in the view of most of the city.

"Wow--"

Zhao Moli instantly forgot all her fatigue, opened her arms, and excitedly ran around on the platform.

Lu Yang walked to the railing at the edge of the platform, and Zheng Qingtong stood beside him, gazing at the distant city skyline.

"Yangyang, do you think that if you stand high enough, all your troubles will seem smaller?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Look, that's the most expensive building in Jiangcheng."

Zheng Qingtong pointed towards the city center: "My mother said that people who can stand on the top floor of a building will not have any worries."

Your father is very capable; he has such a high social status, so your family is happy every day, and your parents never argue.

Under Gao Rong's long-term influence, Zheng Qingtong subconsciously felt that happiness seemed to be most directly related to a family's social class and wealth.

"Not entirely. My dad has his own worries, and sometimes he looks gloomy, but my mom is happy every day."

"why?"

"My mother told me that her greatest strength is that she knows how to be content."

Lu Yang paused briefly, looking into Zheng Qingtong's clear eyes, and continued, "Actually, Uncle Zheng has already made a lot of money, even more than most of the fathers in kindergarten. Your family's situation..."

The wind on the mountaintop ruffled the stray hairs on Zheng Qingtong's forehead, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she lowered her eyelids, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes.

"You think it's my mother's fault, right?"

Lu Yang didn't answer, but instead reached out and pulled the zipper of her tracksuit up a little higher to block the wind from getting into her neck.

"Don't think so much."

He withdrew his hand, his tone returning to its usual calm: "It's windy at the top of the mountain. Let's rest in the pavilion for a while and then prepare to go down the mountain."

Zheng Qingtong hummed in response and said nothing more.

The way down the mountain is always easier than the way up.

At the foot of the mountain, Chen Xiaomiao happened to be passing by and came to pick up the children herself.

Zhao Moli was so tired that she didn't want to talk. She just threw herself into her godmother's arms and asked for a hug.

Zheng Qingtong stopped in front of the two and greeted them reservedly.

Hello, Aunt Miao!

Although she and Lu Yang would occasionally hang out together, the two families living upstairs and downstairs interacted less and less, and they even stopped visiting each other during the Chinese New Year.

The root cause was her mother, Gao Rong.

"Hey... Hello, Qing Tong!"

Chen Xiaomiao responded with a smile, but the unease in her heart resurfaced.

She still can't understand why she doesn't want to get close to this beautiful, smart, and sensible girl...

(End of this chapter)