Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

Brother Wu brought Zhuang Xing a bowl of braised pork noodles, while his younger sister ate a red bean rice dumpling in small bites. The Wu family's tea eggs were very good and flavorful.

Zhuang Xing and his younger sister sat at a table in the teahouse to fill their stomachs. Outside the shop, there was a group of people dressed in red, carrying flags, with drums at their waists and a gong leader. They were playing drums and gongs, and behind them were people holding bamboo poles and dancing the dragon section by section.

After they finished dancing, they bowed and offered their congratulations. The Wu family greeted them with smiles, and the parents took out a small half-string of cash and handed it to the leader.

The leader offered a few more loud congratulatory words, then, banging a gong and beating a drum, went to the next shop.

These people did not linger in front of ordinary people's homes, but only went to the homes of people with shops to perform dragon dances and offer congratulations.

It seems the Wu family is used to their arrival. This must be a tradition; singing opera, saying nice things, and playing drums and gongs can attract some onlookers and help them attract business. The host is willing to give them whatever they want, and there is no pressure.

But usually, if someone asks for good fortune, they won't give nothing at all; they'll usually give two or three hundred coins.

Zhuang Xing found it interesting, and Xiao Mei also applauded the opera troupe; it was the first time either of them had ever seen this kind of tradition.

After the opera troupe left, some of the onlookers headed towards Wu's teahouse. Wu's shop assistant greeted them, and Zhuang Xing and his younger sister, having finished their meal, stood up to avoid taking up a tea table.

He explained to Brother Wu that he was going out to deliver a message, saying that he might not return with his younger sister until night.

Brother Wu was willing to act as Zhuang Xing's tour guide, but Zhuang Xing politely declined. The tea shop was already too busy to bother Brother Wu, as he knew the way.

"Although I don't come to Yidu often, I have stayed here for a while. I'm just going to deliver a message and show my little sister around. There's no need to trouble Brother Wu," Zhuang Xing declined.

"This..." Brother Wu was not as eloquent as his second brother. Faced with Zhuang Xing's words, he was a little unsure how to respond. He felt that the Taoist priest was his benefactor, and since his benefactor had come, he should naturally show him the hospitality of a host.

While he hesitated, Little Jasmine stepped forward.

“Taoist brother, elder brother, let me go,” she said. “Anyway, I can’t help much at the shop. I’m free, so I can show Zhuang Ming and the Taoist brother the way.”

Chapter 278 Heart Disease

Brother Wu hesitated for a moment. The shadow of his sister going missing that year still lingered in the hearts of everyone in their family.

Outsiders may not know, but he does.

The one who cast the biggest shadow was not his elders, but his sister.

Although they went through many twists and turns and finally found their lost sister and brought her home, she developed a heart condition. In crowded places, she would feel dizzy and have a tightness in her chest. She was fine in the family teahouse. Although the teahouse was noisy, it was the place she was most familiar with and she had her family with her, so she never showed any signs of discomfort.

But once she steps out of the teahouse and into the outside world, she starts acting strangely.

It wasn't very noticeable when there were few people around. With someone taking her, she could go out for a walk. But during the temple fair a few years ago, she felt short of breath just by stepping out from under the eaves and almost fell to the ground.

They invited a famous doctor from Yidu to their home to examine her and she drank some herbal decoctions, but none of them worked.

The doctor said it was a psychological problem, and it would be difficult to cure in a short time. He said he could only wait for her to adapt slowly, and not to upset her. He would let things take their natural course and, given time, once she forgot her pain, she would be able to leave home.

However, several years have passed and the symptoms have not improved. Although the younger sister tried very hard to overcome her mental illness and tried many times to ask her brother and parents to take her out, the illness was beyond her control.

Think about it and you'll understand. Her family was just worried about her, but she herself had actually been drugged by the thieves, her hands and feet were bound with ropes, her mouth and nose were covered with a white cloth, she was put into a dark and suffocating wooden box, and taken to a damp and gloomy dungeon.

As relatives of the victim, Brother Wu and Brother Wu Er both checked the case file containing the thief's confession. By the time they found their sister, the thief had already been beheaded and his head displayed to the public.

But the files left behind by the thieves recorded everything they had done.

The official said that the lame and blind thief coldly and calmly recounted how they abducted children and how they made them obey.

Imagine you were happily going out for a trip with your brother, but suddenly you lost consciousness. When you woke up, you found yourself surrounded by strange and fierce men. They had locked you in an underground cage, your bed was covered in hay infested with rats and cockroaches, your food was leftovers, the water was unclean, and it was pitch black all around you.

Strangers with bloodstained sticks tell you that if you disobey, they will use these to discipline you. All around you are children with lifeless eyes, just like yours. You see with your own eyes those children who dare to resist being dragged out by their hair, and you hear their shrill screams in the darkness through the wall.

So you held back your sobs, forcing back your tears under the harsh rebukes of those strangers. Only after they left did you burst into uncontrollable tears, calling out for your brother and parents, hoping someone could take you back, take you back to your original, warm place.

But no one comes to save you. You can't even manage to go to the toilet on your own. You can't even distinguish between day and night. When you wake up, you will feel something crawling over your feet and body. The only thing you can do is cover your ears, close your eyes tightly, and pray that the thing leaves quickly.

This didn't just happen for a day or two; it lasted for several months.

What kind of fear was that...?

Moreover, Brother Wu also knew that his sister was almost bitten to death by a monster. His three-year-old sister had witnessed the bloody scene of the white-tailed dog tearing people apart.

Having had such an experience, it's understandable that my sister could never overcome this mental illness in her entire life.

But today, my sister said she wanted to go out and lead the way for Master Zhuang Xing.

Brother Wu's heart tightened, knowing that this year's temple fair was even more lively and crowded than in previous years.

He was deeply worried, fearing that his sister had been traumatized.

But the younger sister looked at her older brother with determination. She really wanted to take this step, even more so than her brothers and parents.

"Yueling..." Wu's mother called her daughter's name, her tone filled with worry.

Zhuang Xing sensed that something was amiss. Wu Erge whispered a few words in his ear, and he learned that Xiao Moli was suffering from this kind of mental illness.

He had never heard the Wu family mention this before. When Xiao Moli was in the yard, she seemed cheerful and lively, and it was impossible to tell that she had this mental illness.

"Yueling, there are too many people outside, you should stay at home," Wu's father said.

Little Jasmine pursed her lips and lowered her head, looking a little disappointed.

Seeing her like this, Zhuang Xing felt a pang of pity.

He felt that at least they could give it a try. If they didn't even make a start, how would she ever be able to leave this house in the future?

When she talked about the scooter she had drawn, she clearly longed for it; when Zhuang Xing answered her questions, she was clearly overjoyed.

As she sits under the eaves day after day, watching the swallows bring twigs to build their nests, go out to catch insects in the morning, take shelter in their nests when it rains, and then one autumn day, spread their wings and fly high into the blue sky and white clouds, heading towards the edge she cannot reach, what is she thinking?

She might also want to become a swallow, to grow wings, and to fly high.

Little Jasmine has indeed grown up a lot, but at this moment, she has become just like she was back in the Taoist temple.

Zhuang Xing remembered that after Bai Yu went down the mountain, she often sat alone under a pavilion, gazing at the clouds outside the mountain with her chin in her hand.

Her little face was full of worries, but she never said a word about them.

At least take this step and try. Today she chose to back down because there were too many people outside, and tomorrow she will retreat because of the bad weather. There are always all sorts of reasons to convince herself not to take that step. If she doesn't try today, then she won't have to try in the future.

Perhaps it was because Zhuang Xing was the one who saved her from the jaws of the white-tailed jackal, the one who, amidst blood and fire, told her that she no longer needed to be afraid and that she could rest assured.

Perhaps it was because Zhuang Xing was right in front of her today that she mustered up the courage to take this step.

Zhuang Xing stepped forward and, just like when they first met, patted Xiao Moli's head.

"Uncle, Aunt, please let Xiao Moli take me out for a walk," Zhuang Xing said. "Don't worry, I will take good care of her."

"this..."

Mr. and Mrs. Wu exchanged a glance, then looked at their youngest daughter.

Little Jasmine looked up, and Zhuang Xing's smile appeared in her eyes.

"Father, Mother, I want to go out." She made up her mind.

Although she hasn't taken that step yet, the gloom in her heart has disappeared, because the sun has dispelled the darkness.

Chapter 279 is no different

In front of the teahouse, Mr. and Mrs. Wu stared at their youngest daughter, while Mr. Wu's elder brother and second brother were also on tenterhooks.

Stepping out of their home, they knew all too well how difficult it was for this child what would be easy for many.

They stood silently around the child, ready to immediately take her back to the yard to relieve her symptoms should she faint or experience tinnitus.

Zhuang Xing reached out his hand to Xiao Moli, and Xiao Moli placed her hand in his palm.

Six-year-old Zhuang Ming blinked, let go of her brother's hand, ran to the other side, and took Xiao Moli's other hand.

Perhaps she was just imitating her brother, or perhaps she sensed her sister's unease and anxiety and was encouraging her in her own way.

Little Jasmine smiled slightly, took a deep breath, and felt that she was ready.

"Let's go." Zhuang Xing gave her some time.

"Mmm." Little Jasmine nodded.

Zhuang Xing led her out of the teahouse, and as she crossed the threshold, the cold winter wind rushed towards her.

Her heart suddenly raced. She was still under the eaves of the teahouse, and she felt as if the shadow was protecting her like an invisible barrier.

Many unfamiliar people walked by on the street, men and women, young and old, children and the elderly, their noisy chatter reaching her ears.

Her breathing quickened. She felt as if several cold gazes were fixed on her from within the crowd, those eyes hidden behind the crowd, waiting for the moment she lowered her guard, perhaps to suddenly appear behind her, cover her mouth and nose, grab her wrist...

She suddenly felt as if a huge rock was pressing on her chest. The point where the shadow under the eaves met the sunlight outside was a dividing line. As she was about to step over it, cold sweat seeped out of her forehead.

Until Zhuang Xing turned around, until she saw that familiar face.

Without realizing it, she took that step and stepped into the sunlight.

The chaotic noise that had been making her anxious suddenly became clear, as if she had suddenly surfaced from murky water and breathed in a breath of fresh air.

She turned around and looked at her family members: her brother and sister-in-law, her father and mother, all of whom looked at her with concern.

She tried to pull her hand away from Zhuang Xing's. Zhuang Xing sensed her movement and released his hand. The little sister followed her brother's example and released her hand as well.

Little Jasmine took a big step forward and stood at the very front of the crowd. A bright smile appeared on her face. She looked up at the sky and realized that the sky was no different from the sky she had seen in the yard.

...

Yidu, Taipei.

Little Jasmine led her younger sister in front of Zhuang Xing. The two little girls skipped and hopped, looking left and right.

Beishi is one of the largest markets in Yidu. Even on ordinary days, people flock here to buy and trade. Not to mention that with the temple fair approaching, it becomes even more crowded and lively.

It seems that Xiao Moli has overcome her heartache; at least when Zhuang Xing is with her, Xiao Moli doesn't show any adverse reactions.

Zhuang Xing let the two girls run around, following behind them. Whenever he saw something they were interested in, he would take out money and buy it for them. Prices rose a bit during the holidays, but Zhuang Xing was rich and didn't care about buying any expensive jewelry or ornaments, so it wouldn't cost him much money. If he really encountered a rip-off, he wasn't stupid enough to have to pay up.

Besides, my little sister isn't old enough to like shiny things yet. Right now, she's most obsessed with eating and playing. After walking around, she only bought some jujube and fruit pastries and a small wooden top.

As for Xiao Moli, he bought the same things for his sister; he treated both children equally.

However, unlike Zhuang Xing's sister, Xiao Moli is not a foodie. She is not very interested in food, but is more enthusiastic about the sledding last night.

Yesterday's time was too short; Zhuang Xing only explained the basic principles to her. Although she understood the principles, she needed more than just theoretical knowledge to apply them in practice.

After the problem that had troubled her for a long time was solved, she had a thirst for knowledge.

Zhuang Xing did his best to answer her questions. He did know some clever structures for pulley systems. For example, the easiest way to arrange a pulley system consisting of two fixed pulleys and two movable pulleys is to line up the four pulleys in a straight line. However, it is also possible to fix the two movable pulleys and the two fixed pulleys on the same bearing. This would save a lot of materials and make the overall structure of the crane less bulky.

When he and Xiao Moli discussed these things, the little sister would usually nod seriously, like a mood-maker, and occasionally chime in with a few words, "Brother is right, that's exactly it."