Chapter 32: Peach Leaf

Chen Ping'an, having fetched water, returned to Liu Xianyang's courtyard and poured it into the water tank in the kitchen. He then ran to the door and called out, "Liu Xianyang, may I use your firewood, oil, and salt? I want to stew some fish soup for Ning-guniang to nourish her body. Is that alright?"

Liu Xianyang, jolted awake from his blissful nap, roared, "You damn Chen! Can't you leave me alone? I just dreamt that Zhigui smiled at me! You owe me a Zhigui!"

Chen Ping'an shook his head, recalling something. With an apologetic tone, he said, "I actually ran into Zhigui by the Iron Lock Well just now, but Mama Ma interrupted, and I forgot to pass on your message. When I go to deliver the fish soup to Ning-guniang later, I promise to relay it."

Liu Xianyang sprang up, quickly dressed, and sat on the doorstep outside the main hall, watching the slender figure bustling in the kitchen. He chuckled, "I'll go with you to deliver the fish soup later. By the way, did Zhigui wear that big red pomegranate skirt today? Or the light green one? Alas, once I save up another two hundred coins, I'll be able to buy that hundred-plus finely-milled dragon silver powder box. I know she's wanted it for a long time but is reluctant to buy it. It's all that stinking, poor scholar Song Jixin's fault! He's so stingy! He dresses like a stray cat or dog from Fortune Street himself, but poor Zhigui barely has any new clothes all year round. If I were her young master, I'd make sure she could buy whatever she wanted, making her even richer than the daughters of Fortune Street, a true ten-thousand-gold young lady!"

Chen Ping'an ignored Liu Xianyang's daydreaming. He couldn't understand why Liu Xianyang was so fond of Zhigui. It wasn't that he looked down on her for being Song Jixin's maid or that he thought Zhigui was unattractive; he just felt that she and Liu Xianyang seemed an unlikely match.

Chen Ping'an asked curiously, "Why do you call her Zhigui now, instead of Wang Zhu?"

Liu Xianyang grinned, "After knowing that you didn't even know how to write the characters for 'Zhigui,' I didn't care anymore."

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "What's the point of comparing yourself to me? Compare yourself to Song Jixin. Zhigui isn't my maid."

Liu Xianyang scoffed, "That guy isn't better than you in everything. For example, has he ever called anyone 'Father' or 'Mother' in his life? No, right? So, he's not as good as you, Chen Ping'an! No wonder Gu Can's mother and the other gossiping women like Mama Ma have such venomous tongues. Song Jixin never came from a truly respectable family anyway. Otherwise, why wouldn't he live openly in the official residence and instead have to live a hard life in your Mud Bottle Lane? That guy even dares to look down on people, so he deserves to have dirt thrown on him and be called a bastard."

Chen Ping'an stood up and walked to the kitchen door. "Liu Xianyang, although Song Jixin and I aren't exactly friends, for you to say that about him..."

Liu Xianyang quickly raised his hands, determined to prevent Chen Ping'an from continuing his nagging. He said cunningly, "I won't say it anymore, alright? Chen Ping'an, where did you get this stubbornness? My grandfather said your parents were both very easy to talk to, especially your mother. She spoke softly and liked to smile, with a temper that was truly amazing. My grandfather also said that in her early years, Mama Ma scolded almost everyone in the nearby alleys, but whenever she saw your mother, she not only wouldn't find fault but would even offer a smile."

Chen Ping'an grinned from ear to ear.

Liu Xianyang waved him away. "Hurry up and stew that soup for your little wife."

Chen Ping'an rolled his eyes. "Why don't you say that to Ning-guniang's face?"

Liu Xianyang chuckled. "I'm not stupid."

Soon after, Chen Ping'an carried out a small pottery pot. The two locked the house and courtyard gates and walked together toward Mud Bottle Lane. When they reached the entrance to Chen Ping'an's courtyard and saw him foolishly knocking on the door, Liu Xianyang realized that this guy had left all the house keys with the black-clad maiden. Liu Xianyang felt that this guy was truly beyond saving.

The black-clad maiden didn't wear a veil when she was at home. When she opened the door, she revealed a clean and refreshing face. Liu Xianyang felt a bit afraid of this unsmiling maiden. The tall teenager didn't even know the reason. As for being cold, Zhigui next door was more so. But Liu Xianyang still had the guts to pester her shamelessly. And as for the black-clad maiden wearing swords, that wasn't the reason either. When facing the sons of wealthy officials from Fortune Street, even if he had been chased and cornered several times, fleeing like a stray dog, the teenager hadn't been intimidated from beginning to end.

But he was just a little afraid of the foreign maiden named Ning Yao.

After opening the pot and smelling the aroma, the black-clad maiden sat at the table, her slender eyes slightly narrowed. She nodded and said softly, "Thank you."

Chen Ping'an, with his keen observation, knew that this must be the cold maiden's way of showing she was in a good mood.

Chen Ping'an first helped her cook a pot of porridge, telling her to pay attention to the heat. Then, he said to Liu Xianyang, "Are you waiting for Zhigui to come out by yourself? I have to deliver a message."

Liu Xianyang was sitting on the doorstep, listening intently to the sounds coming from inside, afraid of hearing any sign of a battle between immortals. The tall teenager, in a terrible mood, said impatiently, "Go do your thing!"

Chen Ping'an left the courtyard. As he was about to run to the entrance of Mud Bottle Lane, he suddenly noticed the view ahead darkening. He looked up and saw a tall man wearing a snow-white robe, his hands clasped behind his back and on his white jade belt at his abdomen, looking into the distance.

Probably realizing that he was blocking the narrow alleyway, the man smiled slightly and actively moved aside to let Chen Ping'an pass.

Chen Ping'an was full of doubts and quickened his pace to leave Mud Bottle Lane. Looking back, the man had already slowly walked into Mud Bottle Lane.

Even in that fleeting glance, Chen Ping'an had seen that the spotless snow-white robe had delicate gold silk embroidery on the chest and back. The faint patterns seemed to depict living creatures swimming in a sea of clouds and mist, which was very strange. Chen Ping'an stopped thinking about it and assumed it was another foreigner like Fu Nanhua, coming to Mud Bottle Lane to seek fortune. After walking past the old locust tree with Mr. Qi that day, the straw-sandal-wearing youth was no longer so worried. He felt that as long as Mr. Qi was in the town, even if something really happened, at least he could seek justice.

As Chen Ping'an jogged past Apricot Blossom Lane, he saw the green-clad maiden he had met last night still sitting at a wonton shop, holding a chopstick in each hand, tapping them lightly on the table. Her chubby, round face, still retaining some childishness, was full of excitement, her eyes fixed on the wontons cooking in the hot pot, completely oblivious to Chen Ping'an, who was just five or six steps away.For the girl in green, no matter what catastrophe loomed, food came first!

Chen Pingan sincerely admired this unfamiliar girl and, without disturbing her, smiled and continued running towards the eastern edge of town.

Some people and events, even roadside scenery, can evoke a sense of beauty with just a single glance.

When Chen Pingan reached the eastern fence gate, the disheveled man was standing on a tree stump, craning his neck eastward as if awaiting someone of importance.

Chen Pingan had overheard old men chatting idly under the old locust tree, recounting the arrival of the current Supervising Envoy. It was a grand affair, with elders from the four surnames and ten clans turning out in force to "greet" him at the east gate. However, after waiting for hours under the scorching sun, an official from the magistrate's office rushed to the east gate, announcing that the Supervising Envoy had just woken from his afternoon nap in the magistrate's residence and would meet them there. The wealthy elders were infuriated, but it was said that once inside the magistrate's gate, none dared utter a complaint, smiling like obedient grandchildren.

Chen Pingan always found it strange how those old men spoke as if they had witnessed it firsthand. When gossiping about Fortune Street and Peach Leaf Lane, they were more convincing than the truth. For example, when discussing the affair between the Second Mistress Lu and the security guard, they even detailed how she frantically covered her ample bosom when the door was broken down. The storyteller seemed to be the security guard himself.

Liu Xianyang would always listen with a gulp, and Song Jixin would occasionally join, without Zhi Gui. He would smile more subtly than Liu Xianyang, but when joining the others in teasing, he was exceptionally enthusiastic, louder than when reciting sacred texts twice a day.

Chen Pingan crouched beside the tree stump, patiently waiting for the town gatekeeper.

The man cursed under his breath, jumped off the stump, and, upon noticing the boy in straw sandals, went to the mud hut without a word to retrieve a stack of letters. Six letters, but he only gave him five copper coins.

Chen Pingan skimmed the addresses and didn't argue. Two letters were for neighbors next to Fortune Street, and he didn't want to take advantage. Of course, if the man had a rare moment of generosity and offered six coins to begin with, Chen Pingan wouldn't refuse.

After planning his delivery route, Chen Pingan casually asked, "Waiting for someone?"

The man glanced at the wide road to the east, his tone sharp, "Waiting for my master!"

Chen Pingan didn't want to be a punching bag and quickly left.

The man chuckled, "Oh, he's got some sense."

He looked at the sky. The rumbling thunder had ceased, and the low-hanging clouds that had seemed to press down on the rooftops were gradually dissipating.

The man plopped down on the tree stump and sighed, "When immortals fight, mortals suffer."

Of the six letters, one each was for the Lu, Li, Zhao, and Song families on Fortune Street, and two were for Peach Leaf Lane. Coincidentally, one of them was for the kind old man he had seen earlier. Even more coincidentally, the person who answered the door was the old man himself. Recognizing Chen Pingan, he joked, "Young man, won't you come in for a drink?"

Chen Pingan smiled shyly and shook his head.

The old man wasn't surprised. He pulled out a handful of copper coins from his sleeve, handed them to Chen Pingan, and explained with a smile, "There's good news in the family today. This is a token of good fortune for everyone who sees it. It's not much, just a dozen coins, so don't hesitate to take it."

Chen Pingan accepted the coins and smiled, "Thank you, Grandpa Wei!"

The old man nodded and suddenly said, "Young man, lately, when you have time, you can sit under the locust tree. If you see locust leaves or branches on the ground, take them home and keep them. They can prevent ants, insects, and centipedes. How wonderful, and it doesn't cost you a thing."

Chen Pingan bowed to the old man from the steps to express his gratitude.

The old man smiled kindly, "Go on, go on. A year's plan starts in spring. It's always good for a young man to exercise."

The boy ran away from the bluestone streets of Peach Leaf Lane.

The old man stood at his doorway for a long time, looking at the peach trees on either side. A graceful young maid came to his side and whispered, "Old Ancestor, what are you looking at? It's cold outside, don't catch a chill."

Having served the old man for years, the maid knew he had the heart of a Bodhisattva. She respected him but wasn't afraid, so she smiled and playfully asked, "Old Ancestor, are you thinking of the girl you met when you were young? The one who stood under the peach tree?"

The white-haired old man smiled, "Tao Ya, you and that delivery boy are both 'observant'."

The maid was praised and smiled coyly.

The old man suddenly smiled, "A distant relative will be visiting in the next few days. When they arrive, Tao Ya, you should leave town with the other children in the family."

The maid was stunned, her eyes instantly reddening. She said with a sob, "Old Ancestor, I don't want to leave here."

The usually agreeable old man waved his hand, "I'll look at the scenery of the lane for a while longer. You go back first, Tao Ya, be obedient, or I'll be angry."

The maid had no choice but to leave timidly, looking back with every step.

The peach leaves in Peach Leaf Lane were lush, but there were no peach blossoms yet.

The old man exhaled a long breath, stepped over the threshold, and walked down the steps to the nearest peach tree. Standing beneath it, he said sadly, "The peach tree is young and beautiful, its blossoms radiant. Truly, I will never see it again."

The old man glanced back at his house and murmured, "The town's unique blessing is not in accordance with the Grand Dao. The sages forced a change in the world, granting us three thousand years of great fortune. Generations of people who left the town have flourished throughout Eastern Treasure Continent. But heaven is so clever, so it's time to settle accounts and collect our dues. If you children don't leave this place quickly, will you stay here and die with us, these broken and dilapidated old relics? You must know, there are small deaths and great deaths. The death of several thousand people in our town is a great death, one that even ends rebirth."

"So, now that heaven is still turning a blind eye, it's best to have as many people leave as possible."

The old man reached out a withered hand and held onto a peach branch. "Observant people, observant people, I hope heaven will not disappoint them."The reading youth Zhao Yao hadn't noticed when his grandmother, the old crone leaning on her cane, had approached. "Nearing the grave, and still so naive, like an old woman applying rouge, truly a despicable sight. This looming calamity, do you think your meager kindness can alter it even slightly?"

The old man's eyes glazed over. Looking at the equally white-haired crone, he inexplicably uttered, "So, you've come."

The crone was taken aback at first, then immediately flew into a rage. She struck out with her cane. "Shameless old rogue, at your age, still daring to run your mouth?!"

The cane rained down upon him, forcing the old man to flee in disarray, though he laughed heartily as he did so.

The crone stood beneath the peach tree, still seething with anger, regretting her moment of weakness, her inexplicable impulse to walk down Peach Leaf Lane.

Finally, the crone raised her head, gazing at the newly sprouted peach leaves.

Step by step, the crone returned to Fortune and Prosperity Street, her cane echoing against the flagstones with each strike.

This peaceful town, prosperous for a thousand years, never imagined that in the end, all would become pitiful souls without rebirth or afterlife.

Is there truly no glimmer of hope?

The stream grows shallow, the well water chills, the ancient locust grows older still, the iron lock rusts, and the great clouds hang low.

This year, the peach leaves will never see blossoms.