Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

At Gao Lian's home.

Gao Yuting was packing her things when she called out to the kitchen, "Mom, I'm going back to Bingcheng with Xia He and the others. Please tell Dad."

Liu Yun peeked out from the kitchen, expressing her full support for her daughter's decision to return to school: "After staying home for so long, it's definitely time for her to go back to school. She can get familiar with the environment sooner, and she can even help her roommates with their sheets and blankets and clean their rooms."

Gao Erzhuang nestled on the sofa and said quietly, "Mom, how could my older sister do such a thing? She went out to play with her senior classmates."

Liu Yun wiped her hands and came out: "Nonsense, your sister went to help her senior brother find a knife."

Gao Yuting nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right, I have important business to attend to."

Gao Erzhuang scoffed, "It's just looking for something, right? First we went to Central Street, then to St. Sophia Cathedral, then to the Songhua River, then to Sun Island. We looked around and around, and a whole day was gone. We didn't find anything, but we had a blast."

Liu Yun patted her youngest daughter: "This child, why are you spouting such blunt truths? Wouldn't it be better to let your sister leave in peace?"

Gao Yuting: "..."

She looked at her mother and sister and slowly began to speak: "I often feel unable to fit into this family because I don't know how to speak properly."

Gao Erzhuang added, "Sis, you're the best at talking. I need to learn from you."

Liu Yun rubbed Er Zhuang's head: "Alright, alright, stop talking, or your sister won't want to leave."

Gao Erzhuang tilted his head: "So what does she want to do?"

Gao Yuting gritted her teeth and grabbed her younger sister, saying, "I want to beat you up."

Gao Erzhuang screamed in agony.

Liu Yun sighed, "See? I told you to stop talking, but you kept spouting nonsense. You really didn't inherit any of your mother's intelligence."

Gao Yuting let go of Gao Yushan.

The two girls, one big and one small, both looked at their mother.

Liu Yun looked completely innocent: "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen your mother before?"

Gao Yuting and Gao Yushan exchanged a glance.

Never mind, never mind.

She really is our mom.

Let her be.

The two of them sighed in unison.

Liu Yun gave each of them a sharp rap on the head: "Didn't you finish your winter break homework? What are you sighing about?"

Gao Dazhuang covered his head: "Mom, I'm in college now, I don't have winter break homework!"

Gao Erzhuang held his head and said weakly, "Mom, I...I'm done."

She looked guilty.

Liu Yun and Gao Dazhuang both looked over.

The second-year high school student was shocked and retreated while covering his head.

Just then, the door opened.

Gao Lian walked in: "I'm back~"

Gao Erzhuang burst into tears and ran to find his father.

Gao Lian quickly picked up his youngest daughter to comfort her, and gave Liu Yun a wink, exchanging a silent message: What's going on?

Liu Yun didn't even bother to pay him any attention, and turned to her eldest daughter with a quiet remark: "See? You still haven't beaten her enough."

Gao Dazhuang glanced at his mother sideways: "Shouldn't you be the one doing this?"

Liu Yun said calmly, "I need to ensure harmony between mother and daughter."

Gao Dazhuang: "..."

She remained silent for a long time before saying, "So, I'm just the lubricant between you two?"

Liu Yun looked at her eldest daughter with affection: "So good."

Gao Dazhuang cried out in his heart: I have a wonderful mother!

Unfortunately, Mom can't hear me.

In the Gao family's living room, the food was already laid out on the table.

Gao Dazhuang put down his chopsticks and cleared his throat: "Dad, I have something to report to you."

Gao Lian picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork without even looking up: "Speak."

"I'm going back to school early tomorrow with Xia He and the others."

Gao Lian paused, looked up at his eldest daughter, and said with a meaningful look in his eyes, "You want to go and join in the fun, don't you?"

Gao Dazhuang's face stiffened.

Gao Erzhuang nodded vigorously beside him: "See, see, even Dad said so. Sister, your excuse is too lame."

Gao Dazhuang turned his head and glared at her: "Shut up, eat your food."

Gao Erzhuang said "Oh" and lowered his head to eat his rice.

She's already been beaten twice today; based on past experience, the third time will definitely be for real. I need to behave well and absolutely not give my older sister a chance.

Gao Lian smiled, picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth: "Go ahead and go, you're probably tired of staying at home anyway."

"Oh dear, how could that be?" Gao Dazhuang put down his chopsticks, his expression genuinely sincere. "I haven't had enough of looking at you two yet, Mom and Dad. It's just that this second daughter is so annoying."

Gao Erzhuang secretly made a face and continued eating.

Gao Lian and Liu Yun saw this, exchanged a smile, and didn't expose it.

Gao Erzhuang remembered something and looked up: "Oh, right, my senior brother said he'll come over tonight to teach me a set of techniques."

Gao Lian put down his chopsticks: "Hey, why didn't you two invite anyone over to eat?"

Gao Erzhuang pointed at his older sister: "Ask her, she doesn't understand social etiquette."

Gao Dazhuang: "..."

She opened her mouth, but found that she couldn't refute it, so she took a deep breath and decided not to argue with the little girl.

Liu Yun burst out laughing.

……

The family watched TV at home, from the evening news to Focus Interview, and then watched the weather forecast.

At 8:30, Gao Lian's phone rang.

The three women all looked over at the same time.

Gao Lian picked it up and looked at it: "Oh, it's a call from Master Cheng."

Er Zhuang asked curiously, "Why didn't you just call me, senior brother?"

Gao Lian didn't answer, but answered the phone: "Hello, Master Cheng."

Cheng Mo's voice came through the receiver: "Old Gao, could you please have Erzhuang come to the entrance of the community? I'll take her to practice her martial arts, and then bring her back to her later."

Gao Lian politely said, "Young Master Cheng, please come up and sit for a while before you continue your practice."

"The timing is perfect." Cheng Mo paused for a moment. "I'll come up later; there's something I need to discuss with you."

Gao Lian nodded: "Okay, see you later."

After hanging up the phone, he waved to Erzhuang: "Your senior brother is waiting for you at the entrance of the community, go quickly."

Erzhuang shouted "Alright!" and jumped off the sofa. He ran to the door, quickly put on his shoes, opened the door, and ran out.

……

At the entrance of the residential compound.

Gao Erzhuang saw Cheng Mo and Xia He standing under the streetlight from afar.

She waved her little hand and ran over, calling out, "Senior brother! Sister!"

Cheng Mo smiled and patted her head. Xia He took her hand, and the three of them walked towards the small park next door.

There weren't many people in the park; the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow on the few stone paths.

Finding a flat spot to stop, Cheng Mo stood still, placed his hand on Er Zhuang's back, and slowly channeled a wisp of Qi through her, guiding the Qi within her body through a full cycle.

"Did you remember?"

Erzhuang closed his eyes, sensed it for a moment, and nodded: "I've got it."

Cheng Mo withdrew his hand: "Next, we'll practice the Longevity Technique."

Xia He stood behind Er Zhuang, and pink mist slowly spread out, enveloping the three of them.

Erzhuang followed their movements, raising his hand, turning around, and breathing.

Once, twice, three times.

My movements became increasingly fluid, and my mind became increasingly peaceful.

That sense of peace was a strange feeling she had never experienced before, like being soaked in warm water, light and soft, so comfortable that she wanted to sleep.

After a long while, they finished their work.

Erzhuang stood there, still somewhat dazed.

After a while, she came to her senses and looked up to ask, "Senior brother, what's this called?"

Cheng Mo smiled and said, "Didn't I just say that the Longevity Exercise is paired with the Vajra Exercise? Practice the Vajra Exercise early and the Longevity Exercise late."

" "I'll definitely practice hard," Erzhuang said, savoring the feeling he'd just experienced.

Cheng Mo smiled, a smile that held a deeper meaning: "Of course, of course you'll practice hard."

Xia He chuckled to herself, patting Er Zhuang on the shoulder: "Let's go, I'll take you home."

Erzhuang waved his hand: "No need, I can do it myself."

Cheng Mo said, "I have something to discuss with your father."

Er Zhuang said "Oh," and then said, "Alright, let's go, I'll take you in."

Cheng Mo held Xia He's hand and followed behind Gao Erzhuang.

As they reached the entrance of the residential compound, Erzhuang waved to the security guard: "Brother, this is my relative, he's here to visit."

The security guard opened the gate with a smile, and casually joked, "School's starting soon, Erzhuang, you won't be able to play for much longer."

"It's still early." Erzhuang waved his hand. "Come on, senior brother, sister."

Erzhuang led the two into the residential area and back home.