Rebirth of a Village Girl

Chapter 1307: 320: After the Dragon Boat Festival, go to Shanghai_3

Ni Yang shook her head. “This ticket is non-refundable.”

Upon hearing that the ticket couldn’t be refunded, Zhao Shuyue finally agreed to go to Shanghai.

This was Zhao Shuyue’s first time flying.

Standing in front of the enormous airplane, she exclaimed in surprise, “When I see planes on the ground, they don’t seem so big, but I never imagined they’d be this huge. How does something this large manage to fly into the sky? It’s truly incredible!”

Ni Yang chuckled and said, “This isn’t even a big one. Large passenger planes can hold three to four hundred people at once — this one only holds around a hundred.”

Onboard the plane, as she gazed out at the clouds in the sky, Zhao Shuyue was full of amazement. She never thought, even in her wildest dreams, that she would get the chance to fly in her lifetime. This was like fulfilling one of her dreams.

The flight didn’t take long; in just over an hour, they arrived in Shanghai.

Over the course of several decades, Shanghai had undergone significant transformations, with towering skyscrapers springing up like mushrooms after a rainstorm.

It took asking several people along the way before Zhao Shuyue finally found the place where she had lived as a child. Now, returning to this land, memories of the past overwhelmed her, and her eyes turned slightly red.

She had come back.

It’s regrettable that some people could never return again.

Before leaving, Zhao Shuyue grabbed a handful of soil from her hometown and slipped it into her pocket.

In the afternoon, Ni Yang took Zhao Shuyue to walk around the ancient town nearby.

Mo Qishen had initially planned to join them, but due to some last-minute matters, he didn’t end up going.

What was supposed to be a walk for three turned into a walk for two.

The ancient town had a beautiful environment, and there was a temple near the edge of town.

Zhao Shuyue said, “When I was young, my mother used to bring my siblings and me to the temple to burn incense and pray on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month. Time flies — decades have passed. I wonder if they’ve been doing well beneath the earth.”

Those memories seemed so close, yet they were as far as the horizon.

Ni Yang looped her arm through Zhao Shuyue’s. “Grandma Zhao, why don’t we go in and burn some incense too?”

“Alright.” Zhao Shuyue nodded.

The two walked into the temple and bought some incense and paper offerings at the entrance.

Though it wasn’t the first or fifteenth day of the lunar month, the temple was still bustling with people.

Ni Yang also donated some incense money, and the abbot gave her a few talismans for peace and good fortune.

“Thank you, Master.”

The abbot pressed his palms together. “Amitabha. Benefactor, you and this elder are truly kind souls. Buddha’s light shall guide and protect the two of you.”

When they left the temple, it was already afternoon.

By fortunate coincidence, Chu Xiangyi was also stepping out of the temple at this time.

Chu Yuehong was the first to notice Ni Yang. “Sister Xiangyi, doesn’t that figure over there resemble Miss Ni?”

Chu Xiangyi exclaimed, “It does look a bit like her. Let’s go check!”

“Alright.” Chu Yuehong nodded.

The two hurried forward and, sure enough, the person was Ni Yang.

Chu Xiangyi called out in astonishment, “Miss Ni!”

Seeing Chu Xiangyi, Ni Yang also showed surprise. “Sister-in-law.”

Chu Xiangyi continued, “Miss Ni, when did you arrive in Shanghai? And who is this elder?”

Ni Yang explained, “This is my family’s grandma. Her ancestral roots were here in Shanghai, so I brought her back to visit. Grandma Zhao, this is Big Brother Du’s wife, Chu Xiangyi.”

With great politeness, Chu Xiangyi said, “Hello, Grandma Zhao. You can simply call me Xiangyi. This is my younger sister, Chu Yuehong.”

“Grandma Zhao,” Chu Yuehong said respectfully, being a polite young lady.

“Hello.” Zhao Shuyue nodded.

Chu Xiangyi remarked, “Yangyang, the remedy you prepared for me earlier worked wonderfully. After a period of using it, my coughing completely stopped. I don’t even know how to properly thank you.”

Previously, she had tried all sorts of medicines to no avail, but Ni Yang’s treatment was miraculously effective.

Ni Yang smiled and said, “We’re family, sister-in-law; no need to be formal with me.”

Chu Xiangyi held Ni Yang’s hand warmly, saying, “Yangyang, since you’re in Shanghai, you must come visit our home. Bring Grandma Zhao along, too.”

If it were anyone else, Chu Xiangyi wouldn’t casually invite them to the Du residence, but Ni Yang was different.

Ni Yang politely declined. “It’s getting late today, so we won’t go. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely visit personally with Big Brother Mo.”

“Then it’s settled.” Chu Xiangyi agreed warmly. “Make sure Grandma Zhao comes too!”

Ni Yang nodded.

Back at the Du residence, Chu Xiangyi changed into a new dress and went to visit the courtyard where Master Du was staying.

After indulging in seven days and nights of drinking, Master Du’s routine had returned to normal, as if the drunken, unruly person from before wasn’t even him.

At this moment, Master Du was sitting at his desk practicing calligraphy.

With one hand holding a brush and the other gripping a string of beads that burned red like fire.

If Chu Xiangyi hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she’d hardly believe that this was the same person.

“Master.”

“Why are you here?” Master Du asked without even looking up.

Chu Xiangyi replied, “Ever since I started taking the remedy prescribed by Miss Ni, my cough has greatly improved. I wanted to host a banquet to properly thank her.”

Master Du paused briefly before saying, “That’s your business.”

Chu Xiangyi glanced at Master Du and added, “I ran into Miss Ni today at Qinglian Temple.”

“Hmm.”

Chu Xiangyi continued, “She said she and Pei Zhi will visit tomorrow.”

“Hmm.”

Judging by Master Du’s calm demeanor, one would never guess that the name Ni Yang was etched deeply into his marrow.

“Then… I’ll head off for now.”

“Hmm.”

Chu Xiangyi lifted her gaze toward Master Du, then turned to leave.

Only when Chu Xiangyi’s silhouette disappeared did Master Du finally set his brush down, turning his gaze toward the window, eyes distant.

After a moment, he pulled his gaze back and wrote the character “忘” (forget) on the paper.

“Thinking of one brings ease; yet forgetting them proves impossible.”

The next day, Ni Yang, Mo Qishen, and Zhao Shuyue arrived at the Du residence together.

Chu Xiangyi warmly received them.

Ni Yang asked curiously, “Why haven’t I seen Sister Jiaojiao?”

Master Du replied, “She went to Shazhou. It’ll probably be a while before she returns.”

“Oh.”

As Zhao Shuyue walked around the Du residence, she leaned toward Ni Yang and whispered, “To preserve this estate so well during that tumultuous era, without a single bit of damage to any of the antiques inside… This Xiaodu must truly be no ordinary person.”

The Du residence had a history spanning over two hundred years, yet not a single object had been damaged or restored. Every brick and tile remained intact, and even items grabbed at random turned out to be cultural relics.

Ni Yang nodded. “Brother Du is indeed impressive.”

Seeming to recall something, Zhao Shuyue murmured, “I just overheard someone calling Miss Chu the ‘first mistress.’ Could it be that Xiaodu has a second mistress too?”