Early the next morning, Lin Wan and Lu Zheng went to her rented flat to start packing. There wasn’t much, but it still took three trips to move everything to the new home.
“It’s too big, hard to tidy!” Lin Wan sighed.
Lu Zheng replied, “Call a cleaner then.”
“No way!” Lin Wan refused immediately, “No cleaners.”
Lu Zheng blinked, thinking of the wardrobe full of various clothes, and nodded knowingly.
Seeing Lu Zheng understood, Lin Wan gave him a playful pinch.
Lu Zheng chuckled, pulled her close, “New home, let’s go eat!”
…
“You’ll come back when you’re free, right?”
“Yeah, this is our home now, the old place is just a studio.”
“Mm.”
…
On Monday, Lin Wan went to work early, while Lu Zheng travelled back to ancient times.
“Lu Lang.”
“Qingyan.”
Liu Qingyan said, “Lu Lang, you’ve come just in time. Hongxia and I are heading to Peach Blossom Flat today, we were about to look for you.”
“To Peach Blossom Flat?”
“Yes, Sister Shen came yesterday and spent the day with us.”
On the other side, Yan Hongxia’s gaze at Lu Zheng was a bit off.
She hadn’t expected Lu Zheng, despite his decent appearance, to have a fox spirit fiancée and a divine beauty as a close confidante.
Hmm, she also didn’t expect this guy to be so capable, not only practising Taoist arts and flying swords but also excelling in poetry.
But… unlike in the operas… what a rogue! Tsk!
“Alright,” Lu Zheng nodded, “I’ll have Old Huang prepare the carriage. Is Qingquan not coming?”
“Qingquan’s been slacking lately. She failed Mother’s lesson quiz yesterday, so she’s staying home to study,” Liu Qingyan said with a smile, then added, “No need for a carriage, it’s just over ten li. We’ll take the shortcut, faster than a carriage.”
“Uh…” Lu Zheng blinked, picturing Qingquan’s glum face over her studies, and decided to leave her be, “Fine, let’s go!”
The group set off together, heading south of the city.
But near Cong’an Lane, Lu Zheng’s eyes narrowed as he saw an old monk slowly approaching.
Him?
Not only Lu Zheng paused, but Liu Qingyan and Yan Hongxia stopped too.
“Amitabha!”
With a Buddhist chant, the old monk reached them, “This old monk seeks a single copper coin to cast a golden Buddha statue, to pray for the benefactor’s blessings, wishing peace and joy in this life, and passage to the Western Paradise in the next.”
Lu Zheng took a copper coin and gently placed it in the monk’s hand.
“Amitabha, many thanks for your virtue.”
Liu Qingyan and Yan Hongxia each gave the monk a copper coin too.
The monk thanked them and continued his alms-seeking journey.
“Lu Lang?” Liu Qingyan asked softly.
Lu Zheng explained, “I saw this monk the first time I went to Yizhou Prefecture. He asked for just one copper coin then too. Duan Chang gave one, so I followed suit.”
Yan Hongxia nodded, “Hard to gauge his depth, probably a high monk from some temple.”
Lu Zheng glanced back, but the monk had already blended into the crowd.
…
It was just a small interlude. In a world so vast, encounters with cultivators weren’t rare.
The three didn’t dwell on it, left the city, and soon arrived at Peach Blossom Flat.
“Qingyan, Miss Yan,” Shen Ying greeted them, “The weather’s nice today. I’ve brought peach blossom wine and crisp pastries, perfect for a stroll in the peach grove.”
“Really?” Yan Hongxia licked her lips, eyeing the wooden box Xiaocui carried, delighted.
Shen Ying glanced at Lu Zheng with a grin, “I also brought a yaoqin, just right for Lu Lang to entertain us.”
“Sister Shen bought a yaoqin?”
“Bought it in the county a few days ago. It’s not as good as Lu Lang’s phoenix-tail qin, the tone’s lacking, but it’s decent enough.”
“That’s plenty,” Lu Zheng said smugly, “With my skill, I can make up for the qin’s shortcomings.”
“Lu Lang’s quite bold.”
“We’ll await your performance then.”
They strolled through the peach grove. The weather was clear and pleasant, and many locals were visiting the Peach Blossom Shrine to burn incense and pray. Thanks to the poem *Peach Blossom*, the grove had become a popular spot for couples’ outings.
But the grove was vast. Despite the visitors, it wasn’t crowded like Lu Zheng’s modern world, with people shoulder-to-shoulder. The few groups they met kept their distance, leaving each other undisturbed.
Skipping the shrine, they stopped at a quiet spot in the northeast of the grove.
“It’s nearly noon, let’s rest,” Shen Ying said, “Xiaocui, set up.”
“Got it!”
Xiaocui set down the box, spread a large floral cloth on the ground, and took out a porcelain bottle, wine cups, oil-paper-wrapped pastries, candies, and more.
“Young Master, please!” Xiaocui handed Lu Zheng the qin case with a grin.
Lu Zheng took the case, set the yaoqin on it, sat cross-legged behind it, and plucked lightly.
“Zheng—zheng—”
Shen Ying asked, “How’s the tone?”
“Not as good as the phoenix-tail qin,” Lu Zheng nodded, “but fine for casual fun, we’re not performing on stage.”
With that, he played *Spring and White Snow*.
Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying listened quietly, their eyes on Lu Zheng glowing softly.
Meanwhile, Yan Hongxia and Xiaocui… never stopped eating…
“Sounds good~”
“Mm, tasty, no, sounds good,” Yan Hongxia nodded, swallowing crumbs, sipping sweet wine, then patting her chest, saying earnestly, “Plays pretty well.”
“Thanks a lot!” Lu Zheng nodded back, just as earnestly.
Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan couldn’t help but laugh, then noticed half the food was gone after one song.
Lately, Lu Zheng had spoiled their palates. Besides sharing all the wolf demon’s materials, he’d given both families plenty of spices, snacks, and treats.
Even Peach Blossom Village’s peach blossom pastries tasted better than a year ago.
“Oh, oranges too?”
Xiaocui pulled out a few golden oranges from the box, peeled them, placed them on a porcelain plate, and passed them to the women.
“Mm, tasty, much sweeter than wild ones,” Yan Hongxia’s eyes gleamed.
Lu Zheng nodded. Of course, these were the priciest oranges from a high-end supermarket, twenty yuan a jin, not something ordinary folks could afford.
Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan each picked up a few orange segments, eating daintily.
Clouds shaded the sun, a breeze blew gently, the women smiled gracefully, their clothes fluttering. Lu Zheng, relaxed, played *High Mountains and Flowing Water*.
