After the spiritual energy was restored: Goddess girlfriends came knocking.

Cang Yao squatted in front of Aunt Wang's grave for a while, pulling out the last few weeds from the grave mound before standing up.

Footsteps came from down the hillside, unhurried, accompanied by the creaking sound of a bamboo basket swaying.

She looked up.

A woman carrying a flower basket walked ahead, followed by a young woman in her early twenties.

The woman was wearing an indigo blouse, her hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, and there were already some white hairs at her temples.

She walked to the corner of the hillside, looked up and saw a woman in red standing in front of the grave, and suddenly stopped in her tracks.

The flower basket slipped from her hands, scattering the paper money and incense sticks all over the ground.

"...Fairy sister?"

His voice trembled, as if it had risen from a very, very deep place.

Cang Yao stared blankly at her, at that face etched with the lines of time, and her lips moved slightly.

"Moon?"

Lin Yue's eyes immediately reddened.

She took three steps at a time and stepped forward to grasp Cang Yao's hand.

"It really is you." Lin Yue's voice was hoarse. "I thought I would never see you again in this lifetime."

Cang Yao looked down at her hands, which had become much rougher, and then at the white hair at Lin Yue's temples. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

"You're still the same as you were back then." Lin Yue was also looking at her, from head to toe, tears welling up in her eyes. "You haven't changed at all, you're still so beautiful."

Cang Yao shook her head and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Lin Yue's eyes.

Lin Yue turned around and pulled the young woman behind her to the front: "This is my daughter, Ya'er."

Ya'er stared at Cang Yao with wide eyes.

She had heard her mother tell countless stories about "Fairy Sister" since she was a child, but when she actually stood in front of her, she still felt that those adjectives were too pale.

She bowed respectfully and said, "Hello, sister," but Lin Yue patted her on the arm and said, "Why are you calling me sister? Call me aunt."

Just as Ya'er was about to change her words, she suddenly seemed to remember something and frowned.

She looked at Cang Yao, her gaze shifting from curiosity to scrutiny, and then from scrutiny to a hint of barely concealed resentment.

Her voice suddenly hardened, "The person Grandpa Lin Chu has been waiting for is you?"

Lin Yue reached out to pull her daughter, but Ya'er took a step to the side, her voice even louder: "Do you know how long Grandpa Lin Chu has been waiting for you? My mother said he's been alone since he was young, and he's still alone now. He's almost seventy! If you're a deity, why don't you come to see him?"

"Ya'er!" Lin Yue called out.

Ya'er bit her lip, and her eyes reddened.

Looking at her daughter's stubborn expression, and then at Cang Yao, Lin Yue could only sigh in the end.

"Over the years, Brother Lin Chu's reputation has grown ever greater. He's become the Marquis of Anji, the Minister of Works, and the current Prime Minister. He's known for his reforms and flood control. Everyone in the world calls him a saint." She paused, her voice softening, "But he has never married and has always been alone."

Cang Yao stood still, her figure swaying slightly.

She lowered her head and looked at the ring on the ring finger of her right hand.

"Fool," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Ya'er stood behind her mother, watching this unbelievably beautiful woman standing there with her head down. She muttered "fool" and tears streamed down her face.

She suddenly realized that she might have been too harsh with her words.

But then I felt that I hadn't said anything wrong.

Lin Yue picked up the flower basket and patted the dirt off it.

“He used to come back almost every year,” she said. “He would arrive on New Year’s Eve, leave on the third day of the Lunar New Year, and then sit on that rock by the creek for the whole afternoon.”

Cang Yao raised her head upon hearing this.

……

Meanwhile, in Baisha County, which is next to Qinghe Village, the city gates were wide open.

The county magistrate, surnamed Wang, was in his forties. Before dawn, he and his entire staff from the county government were already waiting at the city gate.

The advisor rubbed his hands together beside him: "My lord, the Prime Minister's carriage won't arrive for at least another half hour. Why don't you sit down and rest for a bit?"

"What are you resting for?" Magistrate Wang said without turning his head. "Stand still!"

The main street was packed with people.

Those who came on their own, not organized by the government, all stood on tiptoe and peered towards the end of the official road.

The existence of Lin Chu, the most revered teacher, brought pride to the people of this entire region.

A voice came from the end of the official road: "They're here! They're here!"

Magistrate Wang jolted awake, straightened his clothes, and cleared his throat: "Gentlemen, please pay attention!"

An old horse-drawn carriage slowly approached from the end of the official road.

There were no ceremonial guards or escorts, and the driver was an elderly servant whose horse's mane was somewhat gray.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and an elderly man with a full head of white hair slowly stepped out of the carriage.

He was wearing a slightly worn blue robe, and although he was thin, he stood ramrod straight.

His full head of silver hair gleamed in the sunlight, and his face was etched with wrinkles, but his eyes—those eyes were still bright, gentle yet exuding an aura of authority that made people afraid to look him in the eye.

The whole street erupted in excitement, but the excitement was restrained, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Magistrate Wang strode forward, bowed deeply, and said, "Your humble servant, Wang Wenyuan, Magistrate of Baisha County, respectfully welcomes Your Excellency the Prime Minister back to your hometown!"

Lin Chu reached out and helped him straighten up. "Lord Wang, there's no need for such formalities." He glanced at the dense crowd on both sides of the city gate, then at the row of nervous, sweating gentry behind Magistrate Wang, and smiled. "I'm just an old man who's retired to his hometown; how could I trouble so many people?"

Magistrate Wang repeatedly said, "Of course, of course."

Lin Chu turned around, straightened his clothes, and bowed to the people on both sides of the street.

No one dared to accept such a gesture, and they all stepped aside. An old man in the crowd shouted, "Your Excellency, you mustn't do this!" His voice was distorted.

Lin Chu straightened up, her gaze passing over the crowd and the city gate, landing in the direction of the distant village.

"I appreciate the people's good intentions." His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him clearly. "But this old fellow is a bit homesick, so I won't bother you any longer."

Magistrate Wang tried to persuade Lin Chu to stay a few more times and, being sensible, offered to have someone escort Lin Chu to Qinghe.

After declining, Lin Chu continued on her way.