Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

Zhuang Xing then picked her up, placed her on the bed, and covered her with a blanket.

Zhuang Xing's bed was made up early on.

He was covering his little sister with a quilt when he felt something emerge from the soil. It was a familiar scent. Something touched his foot, and when he looked down, he saw, unsurprisingly, a white rat.

The white mouse was his old friend. Perhaps the white mouse had been living too comfortably lately, because it had gotten even fatter and was now as round as a ball. He wondered how it had managed to crawl out of the mud. Wouldn't it get stuck at the entrance of its burrow if it got so fat?

However, its shape makes it more suitable as a pillow.

I imagine it would be very comfortable to place its plump, soft body under my head; it would definitely be a pleasure.

He picked up the white mouse, but he didn't really have any idea about making it a wheel so it could run two laps in the morning and two laps in the afternoon.

It's not that he's biased; after all, the white rat isn't his employee, and he has no employment relationship with it. He doesn't pay the white rat a salary, so there's no reason for him to ask it to do this or that.

Moreover, judging from the layman's diary, the platinum rat is round and plump, which means it is well cared for. A platinum rat should be a little fat to be suitable as a pillow.

Zhuang Xing touched the large piece of fat on the white rat's belly and wondered if the rat had gotten fat in middle age. This guy had found a wife and had two babies, so in terms of a rat's life experience, he could be considered a middle-aged rat.

Zhuang Xing grabbed a handful and found that it seemed to be losing some fur. He wondered if it would eventually become bald and turn into a stereotypical bald fat rat.

Is this the curse of middle age? Zhuang Xing touched the white mouse's ears, thinking to himself that he didn't want to become like that in the future.

He sat on the edge of the bed and interacted with the white mouse for a while. It seemed that the mouse didn't have anything special to say to Zhuang Xing; it was just showing up to make its presence known.

Only one mouse came; his wife and children didn't come.

It still remembers its old friends and knows to come out and check on the farm.

Zhuang Xing looked back and saw that his younger sister was already fast asleep in bed, her breathing calm.

She really had a blast during the day; kids can be really wild when they're having fun. But once she was exhausted, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

This meant Zhuang Xing didn't need to coax her to sleep. He simply went quietly and fetched two bowls of rice wine, sharing one with Bai Shu.

Drinking with mice in the wind and snow has a unique charm.

Unfortunately, the white mouse couldn't talk and couldn't chat with Zhuang Xing. It just lay next to Zhuang Xing and drank small sips of wine.

Zhuang Xing stroked its fur, and felt a sense of warmth.

Sometimes, when friends get together, they don't need many words. Just seeing familiar faces and feeling that you're sitting together at this moment is enough.

The man and the mouse finished their two bowls of wine and then parted ways.

The white mouse returned to its burrow in the same way it came, going back to its underground nest.

Zhuang Xing washed the wine bowl clean and went back to bed.

He slept soundly that night, without having any dreams, and woke up the next day full of energy.

My younger sister woke up early too; she goes to bed early and wakes up early as well.

These days, few people suffer from sleep deprivation. Without electric lights, it's difficult for unscrupulous bosses to get people to work overtime once it gets dark, as oil lamps are more expensive than workers' wages.

So once the sun goes down, everyone except those with insomnia goes back inside to lie down. Those with wives do some pre-sleep exercise, and those without wives just fantasize. It doesn't take much time, and you're guaranteed to get eight hours of sleep.

Zhuang Xing opened the window and looked at the sky. It had snowed last night, and the dark clouds had dispersed, so today would be a sunny day.

He thought it best to send the old Taoist's letter to Yidu as soon as possible, otherwise it would be even more difficult to travel when the weather got colder later.

There's no time like the present, so let's just do it today. Traveling under the sun will make us feel more relaxed.

Chapter 265 Get on the ship and leave

The winter sun felt warm on their skin. Zhuang Xing led his younger sister to the ferry at the edge of the village, intending to take a boat to Yidu.

He originally planned to deliver the letter alone, but his younger sister insisted on coming with him, otherwise she would cry and make a fuss.

He'd only been back for a day, barely had time to settle in before he was about to run off again. His little sister grabbed his hand, her eyes brimming with tears, saying that her brother wouldn't be back for a very, very long time.

She was terrified that Zhuang Xing would abandon her and disappear in the blink of an eye.

Even when Zhuang Xing tried to coax her, telling her that he would come home in two or three days at most, she still wouldn't listen. She stubbornly clung to Zhuang Xing's hand, with an expression that said, "You have to take me with you even if you take off your pants to poop."

The mother then suggested that Zhuangxing take his younger sister to Yidu for a trip. The parents had great confidence in Zhuangxing and trusted him completely, believing that he would be able to take good care of his sister.

Zhuang Xing thought for a moment. His little sister had grown up so much. She was six years old. Although she was still a little kid who didn't know anything, at least she could dress herself, go to the toilet by herself, and go home by herself. It was a rare occasion for her to come back, so there was nothing wrong with taking her out to play.

Although the village has developed well in recent years, it is still far behind Yidu, which has a history of thousands of years.

After delivering the letter, you can take your sister to the market. There are teahouses there with opera performances, and maybe even street performers. Even if there aren't any, it's still worthwhile to eat and drink there. Yidu is a big city, and there are many places he hasn't visited yet. It's an ancient city, so it would be nice to go and appreciate its culture.

So he brought his little tagalong out with him, and canceled his original plan to ride the black horse at full speed to Yidu. Since he was taking his little sister out to play, there was no need to rush. Although he could let his little sister ride on the horse's back and gallop all the way, the little girl's bottom was very delicate, and if he was not careful, her little bottom would shake into four pieces.

Letting her walk is even worse. With her short legs, she'll definitely be exhausted after walking for a short while. Don't be fooled by how energetic children seem; their bodies are still developing, so they can only unleash their energy for a short time. Running a hundred meters is fine, but when it comes to long-distance marathons, her lack of stamina will be immediately exposed, and Zhuang Xing will have to carry her.

She'll definitely complain about how far it is, and every now and then she'll ask, "Brother, how much longer until we get there?"

Taking a boat is better. Although it's slower than riding a horse, you can hide under the boat canopy, warm yourself by the fire, and enjoy the scenery along the way. It's perfect for traveling with children.

Zhuang Xing then took his younger sister and went to the ferry crossing to find a good boat.

Early in the morning, the ferry crossing was crowded with people, mostly coal merchants transporting goods. With winter approaching, the demand for coal has surged, and they have to get as much coal as possible to Yidu before the river freezes over.

It wasn't just transported to Yidu. Yidu itself is a transportation hub for waterways. The city prospered because of that ferry crossing. Coal merchants could use Yidu's convenient transportation to transport coal to other prefectures and counties.

The earlier and the more they ship, the better, so they can earn the maximum profit.

Coal merchants wanted to cram every ship full of coal; in their eyes, those dark stones were no longer stones, but shining gold.

In recent years, Dayu has also had preferential policies for coal merchants. Many coal mines are state-owned enterprises, and most of the boats at the ferry crossing are cargo ships, while there are relatively few passenger ships.

Zhuang Xing looked around at the ferry crossing and chose a ferry he liked. It was a covered boat, neither small nor large. An old man was standing at the bow, wearing a straw hat and a raincoat, while several people were already sitting inside.

The passengers on the boat sat around the small stove, where tea was also provided.

Manggu Village is a terminal station for crossing the river. The boats here all go towards Yidu, and you can hardly see any boats going elsewhere.

The old man was also calling out to attract customers at the bow of the boat: "Anyone going to Yidu? Thirty yuan per person, get on the boat and we'll leave, hot tea included!"

It's possible to travel from the village to Yidu before dark, and the fare is 30 yuan for a day's ride, which is quite reasonable.

The little girl looked around excitedly. She had been like this ever since Zhuang Xing agreed to take her out to play. She had never been on a boat before, let alone been to Yidu. Everything outside was new and exciting to her.

"How about we take this boat?" Zhuang Xing picked up his little sister so she could see further and more clearly.

The little girl opened her eyes wide, craning her neck to peer through the shed.

“Brother, do we really have to sit here?” she asked.

“If you don’t like this ship, then I’ll go pick another one,” Zhuang Xing said.

The old man over there seemed to have noticed the brother and sister, and turned to look at them.

"Little sister, do you want to go to Yidu with your brother?" The old man was very experienced and knew that he had to persuade the younger one first.

The younger sister was a little shy in front of strangers. She snuggled closer to Zhuang Xing and whispered an "Mmm".

The old man smiled kindly and said, "My boat is fast, it will get you there in half a day. If you don't mind the fishy smell of the river fish, we can even provide a meal on the boat."

If a meal is also included, then thirty coins would be considered quite a bargain.

Zhuang Xing looked down at his younger sister, and his younger sister looked back at him.

"How about it, would you like to take this old man's boat?" Zhuang Xing asked.

"Come aboard," the old man waved.

The younger sister is a bit undecided. She has never had any say in her own home. What time she goes to bed, what time she gets up, and what she wants when she gets up are not things she can decide.

She felt a little uncomfortable that her brother respected her opinions so much.

If her parents were taking her out, they would definitely lead her onto the boat without saying a word.

She thought the boat was nice, and the old man seemed like a good person. However, she didn't know much about boats and couldn't tell the difference between a good and a bad one. The old man waved to her again, and there were several unfamiliar uncles and aunts on the boat, which made her feel a little scared. But when she thought of her brother being with her, she wasn't scared anymore.

"Brother, let's take this boat," she whispered in Zhuang Xing's ear.

Zhuang Xing nodded and carried his younger sister onto the boat.

The old man smiled; he was naturally happy to have secured the business.

Zhuang Xing counted out sixty coins from his sleeve and asked, "When can the old man set off?"

The old man said he'd leave as soon as he got on the boat, but the driver just listened without really taking it seriously. It's like those unlicensed drivers soliciting passengers at the train station entrance; they say they'll leave as soon as you get on the bus, but they won't leave until the bus is full.

But the old man was surprisingly trustworthy; after receiving the money, he stopped hawking his wares.

"Everyone's here, let's go!"

The old man untied the rope tied to the ferry, raised the oar, and the small boat drifted gently away from the shore.

The boat rocked slightly, and the younger sister nervously clung to Zhuang Xing's hand. She looked back at the shore, at the village that was getting further and further away, and then at her brother beside her.

Her rosy cheeks showed no sign of panic.

Chapter 266 A Chance Encounter

The small boat drifted on the river. Zhuang Xing and his younger sister sat down by the stove. Besides them, there were four other people sitting in the boat.

There were two burly men with dark skin, a couple. The men had a lingering smell of coal, their palms were blackened, and their clothes were filthy, making them look like they had just crawled out of a mine.

At a glance, it was clear that they were hired laborers to transport coal. The two men looked somewhat alike, like brothers. They held their packs tightly to their chests. Only after the boat had sailed away from the shore did they gather together, unpack their bags, and take out the contents.

Holding it so carefully, it's not hard to guess what it is—their hard-earned wages.

The two men looked delighted as they counted the copper coins one by one. If Zhuang Xing were to evaluate the great pleasures of life, he would certainly include counting money as one of them.

Zhuang Xing also loves counting money. Money is cold and indifferent, but it feels warm when you hold it in your hand.

The couple on the other side looked at the two brothers' money with envy. The somewhat thin man asked, "Brothers, may I ask where you work?"

The riverbank was crowded with people, which is why the brothers hid their money. They were tall and strong, and they had no suspicion of the poor couple. Besides, they were going to Yidu by boat together, which would take a long time. They could talk and chat with people while traveling to relieve their boredom.

These days, most people are still simple and honest. They revere gods and Buddhas and believe that they should do more good deeds in life so that they won't be dragged into the eighteenth level of hell by Yama.

“They work on the coal mine in the south,” one of the brothers said.

"How much is the monthly wage?" the man asked anxiously.

"Half a string of cash a month," the brother replied. "But the more you dig, the more you earn. My brother and I were introduced to this place, and we only worked there for three months before we earned eight strings of cash. That's when we went home for the Spring Festival."

They wore expressions of pride, and their tone carried a hint of boasting.