Time Travel: A Fisherwoman Goes to the Sea to Raise a Baby

Chapter 454 Qinshui

Xu Yiyi looked at the subtle tension between the two with a puzzled expression.

Old Lu cleared his throat, picked up the wine jug, and went to the backyard with Fang Zhongyuan.

"My boss!"

Old Lu then explained the truth of the matter.

Fang Zhongyuan snatched the wine pot and mocked, "I knew it! You old codger aren't that good-looking, how could your granddaughter and grandson be so beautiful?"

Upon hearing this, Lao Lu immediately became displeased.

"You're the one who's not good-looking... no, you're ugly, you're uglier than me."

Xu Yiyi paused in feeding Wu Yuan porridge. She hadn't expected that these two, who were already old hands, would still be arguing about who was uglier.

"I was a handsome young man when I was young, unlike you."

As he spoke, Lao Lu's gaze swept over Fang Zhongyuan, and he finally came to an important conclusion, "Hey! How come you were ugly when you were a child, and you're still ugly now that you're old?"

Fang Zhongyuan rolled his eyes at him, "Your mouth is as sharp as ever!"

The two teased each other, then smiled at each other.

"You're not leaving again this time, are you?"

As Fang Zhongyuan spoke, he moved the side dishes his son had brought over to Lao Lu's side.

Old Lu sucked on a roasted peanut and nodded in satisfaction. "Your skills are pretty good, much better than your father's."

Fang Yongshou smiled shyly.

"Why are you still so shy? You're a father now."

Old Lu clicked his tongue. Seeing a burly man smiling like a girl in front of him gave him goosebumps.

Fang Zhongyuan shook his head helplessly, "He spends most of his time in the kitchen and rarely comes out to meet guests."

"You still haven't answered my question. Are you not leaving again this time?"

Fang Zhongyuan looked at Lao Lu with anticipation in his eyes.

"Go! I definitely have to go. If I don't leave, my boss will kill me."

Old Lu paused in his pouring of wine, then teased.

Fang Zhongyuan took a deep breath. "Why not just leave her place? With your skills, you'll find a job anywhere. Why bother working as a waiter in a small eatery?"

Old Lu explained casually, "What skills do I have? I'm just an old man..."

"Even if I come back, I'll still be all alone. Wherever I am, I'll just be drifting along."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhongyuan immediately became anxious, leaning forward: "What are you saying! Do you mean you want to settle down outside? That little girl..."

He gestured towards the front hall with his lip, "And that baby she brought with her, are you really going to be their slave for the rest of your life?"

Old Lu clicked his tongue, his tone casual yet carrying a hint of unwavering certainty: "What do you mean by 'working like a cow or a horse'? Don't put it so harshly. Yi Yi and her younger brothers are all sensible and well-behaved children who will take care of me in my old age."

He paused, then turned to Fang Zhongyuan with a slightly roguish expression. "Hey, Fatty Fang, we've been friends since we were kids, you can't just watch me grow old and become a lonely old man with no one to care for me, can you? That would be too heartless..."

Old Lu originally intended to use this lighthearted remark to gloss over the matter, but Fang Zhongyuan's expression suddenly darkened upon hearing it.

His chest heaved several times, as if suppressing his anger, but he couldn't hold back any longer and suddenly stood up, his finger almost poking Lao Lu's nose.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

"I'm heartless? Lu Jin, you're the one who's heartless!"

Fang Zhongyuan's voice suddenly rose, filled with resentment that had been suppressed for many years.

"Qingshui...Qingshui has been waiting for you for decades! From a young girl to now an old woman, you ran away without a word back then, and she almost cried her eyes out! Now she's in this prefectural city, living alone by running her family clinic. Ask yourself honestly, don't you feel any pity?"

The name Qinshui was like a needle, piercing Lao Lu's ears unexpectedly.

He immediately looked at the furious Fang Zhongyuan with icy eyes.

Before he could even speak, Fang Yongshou popped his head out of the kitchen, and Xu Yiyi, hearing the commotion, also came over carrying Wu Yuan.

He raised an eyebrow and asked Lao Lu a question with his eyes.

"It's nothing. We haven't seen each other for years, we're just too excited. You should fill your stomach first, and then I'll take you to find a place to stay."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Yiyi turned around without hesitation.

Fang Yongshou was also sent back to the kitchen by Fang Zhongyuan.

Once everyone left, Lao Lu's face darkened completely.

"Stop yelling, I won't tolerate your nonsense."

He snorted coldly and looked up at Fang Zhongyuan's old face, which was flushed red with excitement.

"Who the hell told you that Jiang Qinshui waited for me for decades? Did she tell you that?" Old Lu retorted.

"Let me tell you, the second year after I left here, I specially sent someone back with a letter and plenty of money! It was written clearly in the letter that I broke off the engagement with her and told her, Jiang Qinshui, not to wait for me and to find a good family to marry into! That money was the dowry money I prepared for her!"

As he spoke, Lao Lu let out a cold laugh.

"Didn't she still get married in the end? If I remember correctly, it was Zhao Xun, the guy who runs the woodworking shop at the east end of the street. She took my money and got married in a grand and glamorous way. Her girlfriends were all so envious, right? Everyone knew about that back then. How come, now in your mouth, it's Jiang Qinshui who waited for me for decades, and I, Lu Jin, have wronged her?"

Fang Zhongyuan was dumbfounded, unaware that Jiang Qinshui's dowry money came from Lao Lu.

"But...but she was so devoted to you, and she divorced Zhao Xun just a few years after they got married."

Old Lu sneered, "So what? It's my fault?"

Fang Zhongyuan stopped standing and sat on the stool. "I asked her, and she said she can't forget you and can't live her whole life looking at Zhao Xun's face."

Old Lu tilted his head and looked at him helplessly: "This is her problem."

"Fatty Fang, I'm only telling you this because I consider you a brother. Don't you dare believe everything you hear and bring up those old, trivial matters to rubbish at me!"

Old Lu was so angry that he took a big gulp of wine.

If Fang Zhongyuan weren't so old and I wasn't worried about damaging his brain by hitting him, I really would have liked to punch him.

It's unclear whether he was drunk or if Fang Zhongyuan was just getting old and his mind wasn't working properly.

After a long silence, he finally said something even more infuriating.

"Are you still in love with her because you're so angry? Otherwise, how could you be so old and still not married?"

Fang Zhongyuan seemed oblivious to people's expressions, completely unaware that Lao Lu's gaze had changed again.

He continued talking to himself, "In my opinion, you two are both single now, so why don't you get together and support each other until old age? Anyway, you were engaged before."

Old Lu rolled his eyes. "Do I need to support her until we're old? Are you blind? Can't you see I'm all white-haired now?"

The more I talked about it, the angrier I got. I had originally planned to catch up with my old friend.

I never expected to get so angry.

"I'm leaving! I can't be bothered to talk to you."

Old Lu waved his hand and walked towards the front hall without looking back.

"Hey! We haven't eaten yet." Fang Zhongyuan reached out to stop them.

Lao Lu didn't even turn his head: "I'm already so angry with you."

"At least bring the alcohol..."

Fang Zhongyuan sighed, his tone somewhat disappointed.

The two hadn't seen each other for several years, and hadn't even had a proper chat or a meal together.

The person has left again.

……

"Are you full? Let's go!"

Xu Yiyi paused in her chopsticks, looked up and saw that Lao Lu's expression was not good.

She asked instinctively, "Did you two have a fight?"

Old Lu shook his head helplessly and picked up the bundle that was placed on the chair.

"This isn't arguing, it's me being driven crazy by him all by myself!"

Seeing how angry he was, Xu Yiyi didn't press him further. She silently put down her chopsticks, reached for her purse at her waist, and prepared to pay the bill and leave.

"There's no need to pay."

Old Lu saw through her actions and stopped her with a gruff voice, gesturing with his chin towards the counter.

"I funded the opening of his little restaurant back then. Why would I pay for a meal there? Even if you did, he'd be too embarrassed to accept it."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yiyi stopped what she was doing.

"Yes, yes, no need to pay, come again next time!"

Fang Zhongyuan lifted the curtain and walked in, smiling broadly as he spoke.

She subconsciously turned her head to look at Lao Lu's face, which was still gloomy.

He didn't insist any further and silently put the half-empty copper coin back in.

The money bag was securely hung back on his waist.

Then, he carefully picked up the sleeping Wuyuan, stood up, and followed Lao Lu out the door.

After leaving the restaurant, the sea breeze, carrying the unique scent of the city—a mixture of smoke and seawater—blew over, slightly dispelling the melancholy between Lao Lu's brows.

He took a deep breath, as if to expel all the pent-up frustration from before.

Xu Yiyi followed beside him, looking at Wu Yuan sleeping soundly in her arms, and spoke softly, breaking the silence.

"When I came to the prefectural city before, I always stayed at the Yuelai Inn near the South Gate. The owner was very kind, the price was fair, and most importantly, it was clean."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Or should we stay somewhere else?"

Upon hearing this, Lao Lu turned his head and glanced at her, his face bearing his usual nonchalant expression.

Anyway, he looks really irritating.

He waved his hand, a hint of smugness in his voice: "Why would I need to stay at an inn? You're underestimating me."

Xu Yiyi looked at him with a puzzled expression.

The old man's face lit up instantly: "Have you forgotten? I'm a native of this city! How could I not have a place to call home here?"

As he spoke, Lao Lu led Xu Yiyi through the bustling main street with great enthusiasm, then turned and entered the alley.

Xu Yiyi followed behind, carrying Wu Yuan in her arms.

Watching Lao Lu skillfully navigate this alley and disappear into that alley.

After walking for a while, we stopped in a secluded alley.

"Let's go! It's at the very end."

As Lao Lu spoke, he continued walking inside.

What comes into view is an old, dark wooden door with a thick layer of dust covering the door knocker.

Old Lu stood in front of the door, reached into his pocket several times, and finally could only laugh awkwardly.

"I forgot, I didn't take the keys."

As he spoke, Lao Lu reached out and forcefully pulled open the lock.

He reached out and pushed, and the heavy wooden door creaked open slowly inward.

Xu Yiyi paused for a moment. "Is this your home?"

Old Lu snorted: "Heh! Genuine, no doubt about it!"

He glanced at Xu Yiyi helplessly: "Come in quickly! I'm not a thief."

After hearing this, Xu Yiyi stepped over the threshold and went inside. The scene inside stunned her.

It wasn't the cramped courtyard she had imagined; instead, it was an extremely spacious courtyard with large slabs of bluestone paving the ground. Although weeds had grown in the gaps, making it look somewhat desolate, its style and grandeur were still evident.

There is a large pond in the courtyard, and in one corner there is even a small artificial rockery, but now it is also covered by vines.

The residence faces south. Upon entering, one first sees a screen wall, then turns to the front hall and main hall for receiving guests, and passes through the hanging flower gate to enter the inner courtyard.

At the very back of the courtyard is the rear building.

When she came back from her stroll, she realized what had happened.

This is definitely the residence of a very wealthy family, even one that could be described as a rich family.

Xu Yiyi, holding Wu Yuan, stopped in the courtyard.

She looked around, then at the old man beside her, who was wearing faded clothes, had a stubble beard, and exuded a lazy air.

There's just no way to connect the two.

There was a hint of disbelief in her eyes as she murmured, "This is your house? I really didn't realize it."

She didn't say the second half of her sentence, but the meaning was already very clear: I really didn't know you were so rich.

Old Lu snorted.

"What if you figured everything out?"

As he spoke, Lao Lu stood in the center of the courtyard.

His gaze swept around the desolate courtyard, finally settling on the artificial hill, a complex emotion flashing across his eyes.

It's like reminiscing, or like deliberately trying to erase something.

"It's an old house left by our ancestors, and it's been empty for many years."

His tone was very flat, as if he were talking about an old object that had nothing to do with him: "It's just enough to live in, don't expect it to be comfortable."

"Follow!"

After he finished speaking, he picked up the two bundles on the ground and walked into the inner courtyard.

The inner courtyard is quite exquisite, with bedrooms, a study, and a small garden...

If you ignore the dust and cobwebs on it, it's truly impressive.

"I'm not trying to be mean! You do have a place, that's true, but are you sure it's habitable right now?"

As soon as Xu Yiyi finished speaking, Lao Lu skillfully pushed open the door to a bedroom.

In that instant, the dust that had accumulated in the bedroom for decades rose up in the wind.

The spiderweb clung to him without hesitation, gleaming silvery-gray in the light streaming in from the doorway.

A rotten smell, carrying the odor of wood and dust, suddenly filled his nostrils. Old Lu instinctively covered his mouth and nose, but still coughed from the stench.

Upon seeing this, Xu Yiyi quickly led Wu Yuan back.

Old Lu stood there, stunned, covering his mouth and nose and squinting as he tried to see the scene inside the room.

In my memory, the rosewood dressing table by the window, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, had a bronze mirror that was now dim and covered with a thick layer of dust, making it impossible to see any reflection.

The once priceless jewelry box on the stage was half-open, but it was now completely empty.

Not far from the dressing table was a canopy bed that once had a light pink gauze curtain hanging over it.

The bed curtains had rotted away, turning into pieces of dark yellow rags that hung down, revealing the bed underneath, which was also covered in dust.

Beside the bed, an embroidered stool lay askew on the floor.

Old Lu tilted his head and tried to recall carefully. After a long time, he remembered that it was a peacock blue satin embroidered stool, but now it had been eaten away by insects and ants, leaving only a broken skeleton, and it was impossible to see what it should have looked like.

The white-glazed tea set that should have been placed on the kang table by the window was scattered on the floor.

Fragments were scattered all over the ground.

The jade and porcelain artifacts that were originally displayed on the display cabinet have all disappeared without a trace, leaving only a few scattered items that are unrecognizable, submerged in a gray-white curtain woven by cobwebs and dust.

Dust particles danced in the beams of light, creating a scene that should have been beautiful and enchanting, yet instead evoked a sense of desolation.

Old Lu opened his mouth as if to call out something, but his mouth opened and closed again, and in the end he could only make a few hoarse sounds.

Like this bedroom, it has been sealed off by decades of time.

He stood blankly in the bedroom, his mood suddenly sinking.