Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

Chapter 109 Returning Home

Three more days passed.

Jiang Xiaochuan's doubts and curiosity about the mysterious woman by the river did not dissipate with time; instead, they grew quietly like vines.

Who exactly is that woman?

What's the deal with that tall man who called him "Dad"?

Are they really just casual acquaintances passing by?

Yet that inexplicable sense of closeness and comfort felt so real.

He decided to go to Heyang City again.

He didn't tell anyone, just himself.

Go and try your luck, see if you can run into her again.

If I happen to run into her, I should at least... treat her to a meal and thank her properly.

If not, then consider it a way to relax.

He told himself this.

He made up an excuse, saying he wanted to go down the mountain to buy some materials for making talismans.

Tian Buyi waved his hand and agreed, only telling him to come back soon.

Lu Xueqi glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Biyao hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not stop her.

Tian Ling'er wanted to follow, but Su Ru stopped her.

Little White... Little White has gone off somewhere to sunbathe.

Jiang Xiaochuan breathed a sigh of relief, mounted his Snow River Sword, and quietly descended the mountain.

Unbeknownst to him, the moment he left the area of ​​Dazhu Peak, a cold, azure sword light silently rose from the other side, following him closely from a distance.

Lu Xueqi stood on Tianya, her clothes fluttering, her clear, cold eyes fixed on the somewhat furtive figure in front of her, her lips pursed almost imperceptibly.

Meanwhile, in a secluded forest outside Heyang City, Biyao crushed a communication jade talisman in her hand. A cold glint flashed in her eerie green eyes as she coldly commanded the void:

"Jin Ping'er, take a few trustworthy sisters and clean up those pesky pests around Heyang City, the Ten Thousand Bat Cave in Kongsang Mountain, and the main roads leading to Qingyun Mountain. Take care of the remnants of the Blood Refining Hall, the spies of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, and any other miscellaneous factions, especially those that are alone. Be thorough."

A respectful yet slightly excited voice came from the jade talisman:

"Yes, Senior Sister! I understand! I will definitely not let those scoundrels disturb Senior Sister and...Young Master Jiang's peace and quiet!"

Biyao cut off the communication, looked in the direction of Heyang City, and bit her lip.

She changed her strategy; she stopped forcing things but instead cleared away all possible obstacles.

At least... no one should be allowed to disturb her and him.

Jiang Xiaochuan arrived in Heyang City with familiarity with the place. He strolled around the city and made a special trip to the willow tree by the river where they had met last time.

The bluestone remains, the weeping willows remain, the river flows gently, but the beauty is nowhere to be seen.

He was a little disappointed, but also felt it was only natural.

It's not that easy to meet again.

He wandered aimlessly through the city and unknowingly came to a relatively quiet alley.

Deep in the alley, a new small restaurant has opened. The storefront is not large, but it is very clean and elegant. Two neat characters are engraved on the wooden signboard: "Return Home".

There were also two potted green plants of unknown name placed at the entrance, full of vitality.

Jiang Xiaochuan hadn't paid any attention and was about to walk past when he smelled an extremely tempting aroma of food wafting out of the small restaurant.

The aroma was unique, homey, yet it carried an indescribable, mouthwatering warmth.

He paused, his stomach growling loudly.

Forget it, since we can't find anyone, let's fill our stomachs first.

He lifted the bamboo curtain and went inside.

The shop is small, with only four or five wooden tables, which are polished to a shine.

It wasn't mealtime, and there wasn't a single customer in the restaurant.

Behind the counter, a familiar figure stood with his back to the door, seemingly tidying up the dishes.

A simple, moon-white dress, a slender figure, and a faint, ethereal fragrance reminiscent of the deep mountains after rain.

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "Miss?!"

The figure paused, then slowly turned around.

Her face was still veiled by that light gauze, revealing only a pair of eyes that held the galaxy of stars. At this moment, a genuine smile appeared in those eyes, as if she had known he would come.

"Young master, we meet again." Linglong's voice was still clear and ethereal, with a calming rhythm. "What a coincidence."

"What a coincidence?" Jiang Xiaochuan thought to himself. "This is too much of a coincidence!"

But he didn't think too much about it; his surprise had already outweighed his doubts: "It really is you! I thought... I'd never see you again."

Linglong's smile deepened: "I said, if we're destined to meet, we will. Are you here for a meal, young master?"

"Yes, yes!" Jiang Xiaochuan nodded quickly, then looked a little embarrassed.

"Um... thank you so much for your understanding last time. I've been wanting to thank you properly and treat you to a meal. I didn't expect... your family owns a restaurant? That's perfect, I'll eat here!"

Linglong gently shook her head: "It's not my family's business. I'm just... staying here temporarily, and since I have nothing else to do, I just make some food. If you don't mind, young master, you might as well try my cooking."

"No problem, no problem!"

Jiang Xiaochuan quickly waved his hand, but in his heart he thought, "This woman has such an outstanding temperament, how could she cook herself?"

Judging from the aroma, the craftsmanship must be quite good.

"Please sit down." Linglong led him to a table by the window, her movements elegant and natural.

She turned and walked towards the kitchen. As she lifted the curtain, Jiang Xiaochuan caught a glimpse of a tall, handsome man squatting beside a large basin, intently... washing vegetables.

The scene looked incredibly eerie.

A tall, handsome man, over two meters tall, was washing vegetables like a timid young wife.

Seemingly noticing Jiang Xiaochuan's gaze, Long Nianchuan raised his head, his glassy eyes instantly brightening, and opened his mouth as if he wanted to shout something again.

Linglong reacted quickly, gently patting the back of his head and whispering something.

Long Nianchuan immediately wilted, lowered his head in grievance, and continued to struggle with the vegetables in his hand, not forgetting to secretly glance at Jiang Xiaochuan with a resentful look.

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

He found the "mother and son" (?) increasingly mysterious.

Soon, a few simple yet exquisite side dishes were served.

A plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, vibrant green and crisp; a bowl of perfectly braised pork, glistening and tempting; a pot of fragrant mushroom soup; and a small dish of pickled, unidentified appetizers. All this is accompanied by a bowl of glistening white rice.

The dishes were ordinary, but their color and aroma made Jiang Xiaochuan's mouth water.

He thanked them, picked up his chopsticks, and took a bite.

He was stunned by that one bite.

This taste...it's so familiar!

It's not about a specific dish, but a feeling.

Warm and comforting, it evokes the most cherished taste of home from the depths of memory, carrying a strange and soothing power.

Moreover, he wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the taste... was somewhat similar to the pastries and snacks that Lu Xueqi occasionally made for him, in a way that "soothes the soul."

Of course, Lu Xueqi's pastries are more delicate and sweet, while the food is more rustic and mellow, but the feeling of "just right" and "extremely to one's liking" is so similar.

"What's wrong? Is it not to your liking?" Linglong sat down opposite him and asked softly.

"No, no!" Jiang Xiaochuan quickly shook his head, picked up another piece of food with his chopsticks, stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled a praise.

"It's so delicious! Really! Young lady... your cooking is amazing!"

Linglong watched him eat with relish, the corners of her lips beneath her veil seemed to curve slightly, and her eyes shone with a gentle starlight: "As long as it suits your taste, young master."

Jiang Xiaochuan was really hungry, and the food was just right for his taste, so he devoured it in no time.

While eating, I couldn't help but chat with Linglong.

They chatted about the sights and sounds of Heyang City, some interesting stories about cultivation (of course, it was all very general), and talked about the little troubles in his heart. After their last meeting, he had a strange sense of trust in this woman.

Linglong mostly listened quietly, occasionally interjecting a word or two, but always hitting the nail on the head, making people suddenly understand her vast knowledge.

Jiang Xiaochuan was once again amazed by her unique insights and elegant speech, and his goodwill towards her grew even stronger without him realizing it.

This woman truly seemed like a reclusive sage who had emerged from a secluded valley in the deep mountains, detached from worldly affairs yet knowledgeable about the ways of the world, gentle and approachable.

But... looking at such an outstanding woman, and thinking about his own tangled feelings, Jiang Xiaochuan suppressed the budding affection in his heart.

Forget it, let's not provoke them anymore. I'm already overwhelmed.

As they were finishing their meal, Long Nianchuan emerged from the kitchen with a huge bowl piled high with rice and vegetables. He sat down next to Linglong and began to eat voraciously. Jiang Xiaochuan was dumbfounded by his appetite.

While eating, Long Nianchuan suddenly raised his head again, his glassy eyes staring straight at Jiang Xiaochuan. With his mouth still full of rice, he mumbled, yet perfectly naturally, another call:

"Dad, eat this, this meat is delicious!"

As he spoke, he used his chopsticks to pick up a large piece of braised pork and was about to put it into Jiang Xiaochuan's bowl.

Jiang Xiaochuan froze again, his chopsticks hanging in mid-air.

Linglong seemed helpless as well. She raised her hand and gently tapped Long Nianchuan's hand, then said apologetically to Jiang Xiaochuan, "Please don't be offended, young master. He... here..."

She pointed to her head, her tone filled with pity and apology.

"He was injured when he was a child and isn't very bright. He often mistakes people for others, especially those who are kind to him. He always likes to call them that. It's not meant to be offensive."

Jiang Xiaochuan suddenly realized, "So that's how it is!"

Looking at Long Nianchuan's handsome, almost otherworldly face, yet filled with innocent bewilderment, he felt an overwhelming sense of sympathy.

What a wonderful person, so good-looking and tall, but unfortunately, his brain... sigh.

He quickly waved his hand, "It's alright, it's alright, I understand, I understand. Brother... uh, your son is also very straightforward and adorable."

He really didn't know what to call him, so he just gave a vague answer.

Long Nianchuan didn't seem to understand what they were saying. He just looked at the piece of meat that he had put in Jiang Xiaochuan's bowl, then looked at Jiang Xiaochuan with bright eyes, as if waiting for praise.

Jiang Xiaochuan gritted his teeth and, under that "innocent" gaze, ate the piece of meat, forcing a dry laugh, "Mmm, delicious, delicious."

Long Nianchuan was immediately satisfied and lowered his head to continue eating voraciously.

The meal ended in this strange yet harmonious (?) atmosphere.

Jiang Xiaochuan ate to his heart's content, and his mood improved considerably.

He took out his purse and insisted on paying, saying it was both for the meal and a thank-you gift.

Linglong couldn't refuse, so she had to accept a small amount as a token gesture.

Jiang Xiaochuan paid the bill, thanked her again sincerely, and then got up to take his leave. Linglong saw him to the door, her starry eyes looking at him, and said softly, "If you ever feel troubled again, young master, you are welcome to come and sit here often. My place is simple, with coarse tea and plain food, but it is quite peaceful."

"Definitely, definitely!" Jiang Xiaochuan nodded hurriedly, feeling warm inside.

This girl is so beautiful, gentle, knowledgeable, a great cook, and understanding... Hold on!

Jiang Xiaochuan, what are you thinking about!

He forced himself to look away and was about to turn and leave when he caught a glimpse of a figure standing quietly at the alley entrance.

He wore a moon-white Taoist robe, had a graceful figure, a cool and aloof face, and exuded a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.

Who else could it be but Lu Xueqi?