Besides, that village doesn’t belong to us. Whoever wants to live there can go, it’s not a great place anyway, not even a roof.”Gu Hanyi stared at him expressionlessly, "Continue."Xu Huaiyi curiously...The next day, Xu Huaiyi finished his meal and took Wei Liang out, also bringing Gu Xiaoyu along. "Even though he's young, he's still a man. What good is staying home all day He won't amount to anything! He can't even read properly, just locking himself up to study, he'll end up being a fool. It's better to go out more, broaden his horizons and gain experience. That's why they say, 'Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.' Come on, let's go out and have some fun together..."

It's time to go grocery shopping!

He didn't think that buying groceries could broaden one's horizons, but Gu Xiaoyu just symbolically protested before obediently climbing onto the mule cart and sitting down.

After Gu Huanxi waited for them to leave, she took her daughter for a stroll in the vegetable garden. The spinach, cilantro, and winter mustard had all sprouted, thick and close together, growing well. She had also planted some bok choy and kale, wondering if these varieties were common nowadays. Right now, they looked indistinguishable as seedlings. When they grew larger, anyone who inquired, she could simply attribute them to the original owner and her father, claiming they had travelled south and brought back seeds from their journey that were unfamiliar in their region.

After leaving the vegetable garden, she went for a walk by the lake. The gentle breeze was refreshing and she didn't feel cold at all. She especially felt happy and lighthearted looking at the serene and beautiful scenery on the lake.

This lake is called Yuelang Lake because of its moon-like shape. It is said that in summer, you can see fields of lotus leaves and swaying lotuses, which are elegant and beautiful. Even now, without the charming greenery, reeds sway along the shore, showcasing the unique charm of autumn.

He was so engrossed in watching that he unwittingly walked far away.

"Madam, there seems to be someone ahead..."

Hearing Wei Ci's nervous and hushed reminder, Gu Huan stopped abruptly, raising her eyes to look past the reeds. Sure enough, behind a clump of reeds, two figures could be faintly seen, one sitting and one standing, both men. Moreover, they seemed to be quite old. In addition, there was a layer of bamboo mat on the ground, with a teapot and teacups placed on top.

This shouldn't belong to Xujiacun. The villagers are still struggling to make a living, none of them would have the leisure to come by the lake for tea and scenery.

What about Yuan Hutou Village

Gu Huan hesitated, she wanted to keep shopping, but this wasn't the modern world. Women shouldn't be seen in public, especially with men. If she was caught, rumors would spread like wildfire. So she wavered, deciding to turn back. But her daughter wouldn't cooperate. She still had fun to be had! She wriggled in Gu Huan's arms, protesting with little kicks and shouts of "ah ah," determined to continue playing.

This commotion quickly drew the attention of the two people.

Upon seeing each other face-to-face, they both froze for a moment.

The other party was probably not expecting to be a young woman with a child, and this young woman was quite brave. She wasn't at all panicked or flustered. Instead, she met their gaze with a calm and composed expression, even nodding in greeting as a friendly gesture.

Gu Huan nodded in greeting, it was purely a matter of courtesy, especially for these two. At first glance, they seemed like master and servant. The old servant bowed slightly, giving away nothing, but the air about his master was unlike ordinary people. Even though he wore plain hemp clothes with no adornments, one couldn't help but feel intimidated.

Especially those eyes, wise and profound, as if they could see through everything.

She was a bit of a social introvert, so after saying hello, she wanted to move past them and continue on. However, her best friend ruined the moment by suddenly reaching out for a hug and flashing a big smile at the person.

Gu Huanxi, "…"

This must be Xu Huaiyi's own daughter, a little socialite.

The other party hesitated for a moment, then reacted. He couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth, but he kept to etiquette and didn't want to be presumptuous. So he politely declined, "This old man has been unwell lately, I'm afraid I might pass on my illness to you. It's truly a shame..."

Gu Huanxi hurriedly said, "It's my daughter who is being disrespectful and has troubled you."

"The other party shook their head and smiled, saying, 'Miss is intelligent and lovely, making people happy to see her. How could this be an annoyance'"

"After speaking, he picked up a small woven basket made of reeds from beside him and gestured to the old servant to hand it to A Li. "This is something I wove myself. If you don't mind, please take it as a gift," he said with a smile."

"How could you..." Before she could politely refuse, she saw her daughter reaching out and grabbing it tightly. The words following got stuck in her throat.

Ari leaped forward and shouted "Ah ah!" a few times, her smile radiant as if thanking them.

The other person laughed happily.

Gu Huanxi chuckled and said, "Thank you," wiping her daughter's mouth. She didn't want to shop anymore, so she bent down and quickly turned to leave.

If she stays here any longer, she's going to be socially humiliated.

After the two left, the old man stroked his beard and said, “These must be the wives and daughters of those new villagers To have escaped successfully from Qingzhou all the way here, they certainly have some courage.”

The old servant bowed respectfully and said, “I heard that the people from Xujiacun also encountered several crises along the way, including wolf packs and bandits, but they all resolved them successfully with no harm done. When they settled in Hutudun Village, each household brought their own provisions and supplies, and they didn't seem to have lost anything. The villagers’ spirits were also high...”

The old man seemed thoughtful. "There are capable people in this village after all."

The old servant said, “I’ve heard that his name is Xu Huaiyi, a young man who has helped out of several crises. Everyone in the village trusts him, and now they rely on him for their livelihood. The house on the lake was bought by him, and even Headman Hu favors him.”

The elder perked up at the sound of this, “Tell me more.”

The old servant then said more in detail.

The elder, after hearing this, suddenly said, “You say, could that night’s manifestation of the Buddha have been related to him Could this so-called divine miracle be a means he used to cleanse Lake Village’s ominous reputation”

The old servant was stunned. “It shouldn’t be possible, right How could he possibly manage that Master, didn’t you see through him How could he…”.

The old man laughed and said, “Your grandfather isn't omnipotent either. There are mountains outside of mountains, and people outside of people. It's perfectly normal that there are things I don't understand that others do.”

The old servant was still half-believing, half-doubting, and lamented, "If I had known that night, the slave should have come out to have a look."

He didn't take it seriously at first, and as a result, he missed it. When he finally came out to investigate after noticing the light and hearing the sound, it was too late; there were no clues left.

The old man comforted, “Don't worry, if it is really related to him, we will find the opportunity.”

Gu Huanxi, who probably had been noticed by someone, wasn't paid any attention to when she walked away. She couldn't help but scold her daughter a few words, but the girl was only playing with that thing and ignored her.

What can she do She can only get used to it for now.

Thinking she couldn't come all this way for nothing, she asked Wei Ci to break several bundles of reeds and bring them home. She put one vase in Gu Xiaoyu's room, another in the main hall, and another in a large black pottery jar placed in the room with the kang stove.

Now that the kang is dry, it's ready to use. The only thing missing are properly sized mats and quilts. Xu Huaiyi has already asked villagers to weave some.surely these modern people haven't forgotten it"Ma Zicheng gasped, his eyes widening. This kid was really bold! He looked like a naive youth, relying only on righteous indignation, unaware that the ma...