Dual-wielding! 100x proficiency, I'll grind my way to godhood!

Chen Mo drove slowly, and it wasn't until the afternoon of the next day that the car exited the highway.

As the sun sets, its afterglow casts a warm golden glow on the rolling green hills.

Su Wan woke up from a light sleep, rubbed her eyes, and looked out the window.

Terraced fields line both sides of the road, the rice paddies are lush and green, and wooden and brick houses are scattered on the hillside in the distance, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys.

"Are we almost there?"

Her voice still had a soft, sleepy quality.

"Hmm, about half an hour more."

Chen Mo glanced at the navigation; the mountain road was winding and slow, making it difficult to pick up speed.

Su Wan quietly watched the scenery passing by outside the window.

This scene reminded her of her hometown in Yunnan, where there were similar mountains and fields, only the architectural styles were different.

"This mountain area... seems quite peaceful."

"It's just peaceful."

Chen Mo turned the steering wheel, and the car smoothly rounded a sharp bend. "If you really move in and work in the fields, life will be very hard."

He spoke calmly, but Su Wan could hear the underlying meaning in his words.

She turned to look at his profile; his features appeared clear and strong in the twilight.

This man also emerged from these deep mountains, step by step.

The cement road turned into a narrower side road, barely wide enough for one vehicle to pass. The road surface had some cracks, and moss grew along the edges.

Paddy fields lined both sides, and the croaking of frogs rose and fell in waves.

Dozens of households are scattered in the distance, with wooden buildings and brick houses mixed together, nestled in the mountain valley at varying heights.

The village is small, and Chen Mo's house is located at the very back.

A somewhat old black-tiled wooden house, with a low mountain and dense forest behind it;

In front of the gate is a courtyard paved with bluestone slabs, with several fruit trees planted on the side;

Further ahead, there was a paddy field, and further away, the sound of a stream flowing could be heard.

The moment the car was turned off and the engine stopped, the silence of the mountains enveloped us.

Before returning, Chen Mo sent a WeChat voice message to his mother to let her know.

As I stepped out of the car, the air was crisp and clear, carrying the scents of bamboo leaves, earth, and moisture, along with a faint smell of pine smoke from someone burning branches.

The door to the main room creaked open.

A woman wearing an indigo apron leaned out; her hair was gray and tied in a bun at the back of her head.

Upon seeing Chen Mo, she paused for a moment, then quickly walked out, wiping her hands repeatedly on her apron.

"mom."

Chen Mo went to greet him.

"Oh, I've finally arrived!"

Zhang Xiuying took her son's hand and looked up at him carefully.

"You've grown taller and thinner. You must be tired from the journey!"

"Not tired."

Chen Mo let his mother look him over, and her gaze softened.

Zhang Xiuying then turned her gaze to Su Wan behind Chen Mo, her eyes brightening: "And this is...?"

Hello, Auntie.

Su stepped forward that evening, a polite smile on her face, carrying gifts she had bought along the way.

"I am Su Wan. I came in a hurry, this is just a small token of my appreciation, please don't mind."

"Oh dear, you're here, why did you bring anything!"

As Zhang Xiuying spoke, she had already taken the gift. She then grabbed Su Wan's wrist, looked her up and down, and grinned from ear to ear, "This girl is so pretty! Come on, come inside!"

The main room was simply furnished, but kept clean.

In the center is an eight-immortal table, and against the wall is a shrine where incense is offered.

A man wearing a faded blue cotton shirt slowly walked out of the inner room. He was very thin, and his complexion was an unhealthy yellowish-white, but he tried his best to straighten his back.

"dad."

Chen Mo walked over.

"I'm back."

Chen Jianguo smiled, patted his son on the shoulder, turned his gaze to Su Wan, and nodded.

Hello, Uncle.

"well."

Chen Jianguo's voice was a little hoarse as he sat down on the bamboo chair by the table, his movements slow but steady.

Chen Mo glanced at his father's complexion and turned to his mother: "How's Dad's been lately? Have you been going to your dialysis appointments on time this month?"

"I've gone, I've gone, not once in a while."

Zhang Xiuying lowered her voice, but the room was quiet and everyone could hear her, "The money you sent last time has been used to pay back our relatives, and the rest will last a long time. The medicine he's using now is a good brand recommended by the doctor, with fewer side effects, and your dad's spirits have improved a lot this month."

As she spoke, Zhang Xiuying deftly turned on the lights in the main room and then turned to go into the kitchen to serve the dishes.

Before long, the table was full.

Stir-fried cured pork with houttuynia cordata, river fish cooked in sour soup, a large pot of stewed local chicken until tender, and several dishes of wild vegetables from the mountains.

"Wanwan, sit here."

Zhang Xiuying warmly pulled out a chair for Su Wan, placing her next to herself, saying, "There's not much good food in the mountains, so just make do with this."

"Auntie, you're too kind. This is already very kind of you."

Su Wan sat down with a smile and naturally handed Chen Mo a pair of chopsticks.

Zhang Xiuying watched this unfold, her smile deepening as she kept piling food onto Su Wan's plate: "Wanwan, where are you from? Are your parents in good health?"

"Auntie, my hometown is Zhaotong, Yunnan, which is also in the mountains."

Su Wan put down her chopsticks and answered seriously.

"It's just my mom at home, and she's in pretty good health."

Chen Mo naturally replied, "It's not easy for her to work alone outside."

Zhang Xiuying nodded, her gaze towards Su Wan now filled with genuine pity, and she placed another piece of chicken leg meat on her plate.

"When you're away from home, you need to eat well. Eat more, you're so thin."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Su Wan smiled and began to eat in small bites.

The sour fish soup was very fresh, and the cured pork had a unique smoky aroma—tastes that are hard to find in the city.

After the meal, Su Wan got up to clear the dishes.

Zhang Xiuying quickly stopped her, saying, "You're a guest, how can we let you do it!"

"Auntie, I'm used to doing these things at home, and I feel uncomfortable when I'm idle."

Su Wan smiled softly, but her movements were swift; she had already picked up several bowls. "It would be good for me to learn from you."

Zhang Xiuying didn't insist any further and happily went into the kitchen with Su Wan.

The sounds of water, the clinking of dishes, and indistinct voices could be heard coming from inside.

Chen Mo and his father moved to the fire pit.

Chen Jianguo took out his bamboo pipe, stuffed it with tobacco leaves, lit it over the charcoal fire, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled the smoke.

"This car... looks unusual."

He glanced at the sleek black SUV parked on the yard outside the door.

"Not bad, I made some money."

Chen Mo also lit a cigarette.

"Dad, you and Mom shouldn't skimp on things. Eat well, use what you need; your health is the most important thing."

"We don't spend much money at home."

Chen Jianguo paused, his eyes behind the smoke looking at his son.

"When you're out there, make sure your money comes from honest means. Poverty isn't scary; what's scary is going astray."

"Dad, don't worry."

Chen Mo's voice was steady and strong, "Every penny was clean and honest."

Chen Jianguo looked at him for a long time, his gaze filled with scrutiny and worry, which eventually turned into a calm trust.

He reached out his withered hand and patted his son's arm.

"You're all grown up now. You know what you're doing."

At night, the mountains are completely quiet.

Chen Mo stood on the second-floor corridor, leaning against the mottled wooden railing.

The moonlight was bright, its gentle glow spilling onto the terraced fields in front of the door, the winding stream in the distance, and the dark mountains, like a tranquil ink painting.

My father's illness was like a stone hanging over our home.

Three dialysis sessions a week, the commute to and from the county town, long-term drug dependence... Money can solve most problems, but it can't cure them.

He needs to become stronger, strong enough to find a more fundamental solution.

The sound of footsteps was soft.

Su Wan came out of the shower, her hair still wet and draped over her shoulders. She walked to his side, bringing with her a fresh scent of soap.

"It's so cool here at night."

She spoke softly, looking down at the stream bathed in moonlight.

"Yes, that's how it is in the countryside; it's a completely different world from the city."

Chen Mo put his arm around her shoulder.

Su Wan leaned against him quietly, and after a while, she asked softly, "Your father's illness... must be quite torturous, right?"

"It can be cured. It just takes time and patience."

Chen Mo's voice was calm in the night.

Su Wan didn't ask any more questions, but simply got a little closer.

Her presence was silent yet warm, and felt especially real in the deep mountain night.

The next day, Chen Mo drove his parents to the county town.

I bought a large double-door refrigerator, a 75-inch TV, and added a lot of rice, flour, cooking oil, and other food that keeps well.

Chen Mo also took the opportunity to buy seeds such as super hybrid rice and potatoes, and put them into the bronze ring.

Zhang Xiuying kept complaining about how expensive it was, but her eyes and brows were full of smiles.

It was already evening when I returned from the county town.

After dinner, Chen Mo called his parents into the inner room and took out two stacks of cash.

"Mom, keep this 20,000 yuan for your own use. I'll send you the money every month from now on."

Zhang Xiuying was startled and repeatedly refused, saying, "No, no! We still have plenty of money left from last time! You keep it!"

"Take it."

Chen Jianguo spoke, his voice calm.

"My son's sentiment."

Zhang Xiuying glanced at her husband, then at her son, before taking the money with trembling hands. Her eyes reddened, and she turned away to wipe them, muttering:

"You silly child...we'll save this money for you."

On the morning of the third day, just as dawn was breaking, my mother got up and prepared breakfast.

Zhang Xiuying filled the trunk to the brim with homemade smoked pork and sausages, dried bamboo shoots, a large jar of sauerkraut, several bottles of rice wine, and even a small bag of freshly milled rice.

Just before getting into the car, she held Su Wan's hand tightly, her eyes reddening again: "Wanwan, come back with Momo often when you have time. If he bullies you, tell Auntie, and Auntie will take care of him for you."

Su Wan felt a pang of sadness and nodded vigorously.

"Auntie, he's very good to me. You and Uncle must take good care of yourselves and go to the hospital on time. We'll come back to see you whenever we have time."

The car slowly drove out of the square and rolled over the cement road.

Chen Mo saw in the rearview mirror that his parents were standing in front of the house, supporting each other. Their figures grew smaller and smaller until they were completely blocked by the dense bamboo forest at the bend of the mountain road.

Su Wan leaned back in her chair and sighed softly after a long while.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Mo asked.

"It's nothing."

She shook her head, her voice soft.

"I just feel...it's so nice to have someone waiting for me at home."

Chen Mo didn't speak, but simply reached out his right hand and held her hand completely in his warm palm.

The car drove out of the mountains, rejoined the highway, and drove smoothly towards Hangzhou.

The view outside the window gradually changed from green hills and clear waters to the outline of towns, and finally to an increasingly dense skyline of buildings.