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

Lin Chu was sitting under the locust tree, flipping through a book in her hand, but her gaze was wandering far away.

He is already fifteen years old.

In this world, many boys of this age have already participated in the provincial examinations, and some have even passed the preliminary examinations.

Mr. Chen mentioned this a few days ago, saying that he has almost finished his homework and can try it next spring.

Lin Chu responded with a "okay".

He has been here for five years.

From the age of ten to fifteen, he transformed from a young man who was frustrated in his career into a country boy who spent his days reading, growing vegetables, and fishing.

Sometimes he would feel disoriented, as if he had always belonged here.

The events on Earth, the events in Shenzhen, those days in cubicles and working overtime—it all feels like something from a past life.

He would even occasionally forget that he came from another world.

The Book of Myriad Realms remained quietly deep within his consciousness, occasionally turning a page, but without making any noise.

The quest prompt for "Fish Leaping Over the Dragon Gate" is the same one from several years ago.

It hasn't rung since.

Lin Chu wasn't in a hurry.

He knew that some things couldn't be rushed.

I closed the book, leaned back in my chair, and stared blankly at the locust tree leaves overhead.

Can a carp that leaps over the Dragon Gate truly become a dragon?

He didn't know how long this step would take, nor did he know where Cang Yao was at.

When she arrived, she was the little girl wearing a pale yellow shirt, holding the Book of Songs, and swinging her legs on a swing.

It seems like she really is just an ordinary girl from the mountains.

Lin Chu suddenly smiled.

He remembered what the village chief had said: "Some things can't be rushed."

Also.

He put down the book, stood up, and walked towards the stream.

In the past two years, Lin Chu has gone to the stream less often, but the path is still just as familiar—after passing the old locust tree at the village entrance, going through a patch of low bushes, and then going down a gentle slope, you can hear the sound of the stream.

He had just reached the gentle slope when he saw a figure hopping and skipping across from the opposite side.

She wore a light red shirt, held a book in her arms, and walked with light steps.

Cang Yao saw him too.

Her eyes lit up, and she seemed to be illuminated by something, and she ran over.

She stopped abruptly when she reached him, looked up at him with a smile.

"Lin Chu! I was just about to come find you!"

Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the sun, there was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and her breathing was a little rapid, but the smile in her eyes was almost overflowing.

Lin Chu looked at her and gently rubbed the top of her head.

This action has been repeated countless times over the past few years.

It seems that ever since he started to grow taller, his hands have automatically learned to put on her head out of habit.

Beneath my palm were fine, soft strands of hair, warm from the sun and carrying a hint of the scent of a stream.

Cang Yao squinted her eyes as he pressed her down, like a cat whose fur had been stroked. She stood obediently in place for a while before tilting her head back to avoid his hands.

Why are you touching my head again?

"smoothly."

"You can't keep touching me even when it's convenient," Cang Yao muttered, but the corners of her mouth were still upturned, clearly not really unhappy. "Are you going to fish by the stream?"

Lin Chu shook her head: "If we're not going fishing, let's just go for a walk."

"Want to take a walk?" Cang Yao tilted her head to look at him, then tucked the Book of Songs into her bosom, turned around, and walked side by side with him towards the stream. "Then I'll walk with you."

The sound of the stream was getting closer and closer.

The stream flows down from the mountain, and here it makes a bend, creating a small shallow beach.

Lin Chu walked slowly along the stream.

Cang Yao was a little ahead of him, with her hands behind her back, walking backwards.

She was a little unsteady on her feet, and her toe stepped on a round stone, causing her to sway. But she quickly regained her balance and continued walking backward, laughing and talking to Lin Chu as she went.

"Why did you decide to go to the stream today? You used to say it was too hot in the summer and you didn't want to go out."

I figured it out today.

"Oh." Cang Yao nodded, then took two steps back, stepping on a wet, slippery patch of moss and almost slipping.

She steadied herself in a flurry of activity, then continued backing away as if nothing had happened, her smile undiminished.

The hem of her skirt was slightly damp from the moisture by the stream, and a small patch of dark color seeped into the pale red fabric.

She didn't pay attention, her hands behind her back, tilting her head to look at Lin Chu, her eyes reflecting the light of the stream, sparkling brightly.

"Lin Chu, have you noticed that the wind is stronger by the stream than in the village today?"

"Um."

"The breeze is cool and refreshing, it feels very comfortable."

"Um."

The two walked along the stream for quite a while.

When Lin Chu reached the crooked willow tree by the stream, she stopped.

"Cangyao".

"Hmm?" Cang Yao also stopped, stood with her hands behind her back in the shade of the willow tree, and tilted her head to look at him.

There's something I want to tell you.

Cang Yao's smile faltered for a moment.

She looked at Lin Chu's expression, blinked, and straightened up.

"What is it?"

"I need to prepare to take the provincial examination." Lin Chu's voice was calm, as if she were talking about something very ordinary. "I've already registered and I'll be leaving in a couple of days."

Cang Yao remained silent.

The stream flowed gurglingly, and the willow branches swayed gently in the wind.

She stood under the shade of the tree, her smile gradually fading, like a flower slowly closing its petals.

"How long will it take?" she asked.

"One or two months," Lin Chu said. "By the time I get back, it will be around autumn."

"Autumn," Cang Yao repeated the word, as if tasting it, "that happens when the leaves turn yellow."

"almost."

Cang Yao lowered her head and looked at her toes.

Sure enough, summer is still just as awful.

Lin Chu looked at the top of her head where her head was bowed, and as if possessed, reached out and pressed it down again.

Cang Yao did not dodge.

After a long while, she finally raised her head, and the expression on her face had changed.

It wasn't the disappointed look from before; instead, it was a very serious and sensible expression, like that of an adult who had made up their mind.

"Then go ahead," she said, her voice steady. "The provincial examination is very important."

She thought for a moment, then added, "I'll wait for you to come back."

For some reason, Cang Yao frowned, stretched out her little finger, grabbed Lin Chu's right hand, and hooked her little finger around his.

"You must come back in time."

Her voice was muffled.

She hooked her little finger tightly around his, as if trying to embed the promise into her bones.

"Pinky promise, a hundred years from now."

She read it very carefully, word by word, and then looked up at Lin Chu.

There was a thin layer of tears in her eyes, but she held them back and didn't let them fall.

The wind from the stream blew again, rustling the willow branches.

Lin Chu lowered her head, looking at her little finger that was being tightly hooked by her, and remained silent for a long time.

Then he tightened his fingers and hooked them back around hers.

"it is good."

"must."

Cang Yao looked at him and slowly smiled.

"Then I'll wait for you here in the fall," she said. "This willow tree is my witness."

"Um."

"I'll come as soon as the leaves turn yellow."

"Um."

"You are not allowed to be late."

"it is good."

Cang Yao then released her grip, but she glanced at Lin Chu again, then waved her little finger in front of him, as if reminding him to remember the agreement.

Then she turned around, faced the stream, and took a deep breath.

She stretched out her hands and made a very large circle in front of the stream.

"Then I won't come to the stream for the next two months," she said, her voice becoming cheerful again. "When you come back, there will be so many more fish, so many that you won't be able to catch them all."

Lin Chu stood behind her, looking at the exaggerated circle she made, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"Um."

"I'll herd the fish for you then."

"it is good."

Cang Yao lowered her hand, turned her head, and smiled at him.