Chapter 238

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Chapter 238: Love and Hatred of Life

"Ah, it’s refreshing! This wine, such a fine wine!" Uncle Liu tilted his head back and drank the Daughter’s Red. "It took decades to have a sip of this. The last time I drank Daughter’s Red was in the previous time, when my sister got married."

Bai Wei also drank Daughter’s Red.

This is not the cellar-aged Daughter’s Red, but the one bought from a store.

The truly cellar-aged Daughter’s Red is still buried under the tree, waiting to be opened on the day Liu Xiaowan sets off. It will be given as a dowry to her husband’s family, and she will personally pour three bowls of wine for her father, father-in-law, and husband.

After Liu Xiaowan brought the Daughter’s Red, she went into the house to read, leaving only two men in the courtyard outside.

Bai Wei asked, "Is this Daughter’s Red?"

"Yes, Daughter’s Red, but it’s not the most authentic one. The most authentic one is still buried under the tree, waiting to be unearthed when Xiaowan marries you."

Uncle Liu sipped the wine from a bowl, not a cup, as if a bull chewing on a peony.

He glanced at the girl’s back in the house and then said, "It’s almost time, maybe in one or two months, it will be the big day."

"Huh?" The wooden-head asked, confused. "What big day?"

"Getting married, you fool!" Uncle Liu slapped the boy’s head.

"Ah? But I’m only sixteen."

"A sixteen-year-old girl is not young anymore. Several sixteen or seventeen-year-old girls in the town are already pregnant," Uncle Liu stared. "How long are you planning to wait? Seventeen? Eighteen? Do you dare say that I won’t hit you with a stool?"

Bai Wei thought to himself, even twenty years old is considered young, not yet the age to get a marriage certificate.

He shook his head, indicating that he had no common ground with this group of ancient people who married and had children at a young age.

"In my Liu family, there is only one good daughter like Xiaowan, the rest are all liabilities. Don’t you dare say you don’t want her," Uncle Liu said.

"I…didn’t say that," Bai Wei also didn’t expect the girl who used to stick to him would become a grown woman so quickly. In the blink of an eye, nearly ten years had passed, which he didn’t consider to be a long time, but in reality, it was long enough for someone to go from black hair to white, from innocence to maturity, from normal to abnormal.

"Hey, be honest. Xiaowan is knowledgeable, sensible, and good at managing the household. She perfectly inherits the good qualities of her parents," Uncle Liu flattered his niece.

"But she also has a lot of shortcomings," Bai Wei said, "Her stubbornness is too dominant."

"Having a strong-willed wife is good," Uncle Liu laughed. "Isn’t it a perfect match for your wooden head?"

"I…" Bai Wei scratched his head. "I’m going to set out and explore when I turn eighteen."

"Exactly, that’s why you should get married first." Uncle Liu took a sip of his drink. "It’s normal for a man to go out and explore. You’re talented in both literature and martial arts, and you’ve been mature since childhood. I won’t discourage you from staying behind to take care of your wife and children. I also know that this small town can’t hold you back. But do you think Xiaowan from my family would hold you back? No, she will definitely become your wise and supportive partner, sharing your worries and helping you overcome difficulties."

Bai Wei fell silent. "You yourself aren’t married."

Uncle Liu replied, "Damn it, I had such a perfectly matched childhood sweetheart. How could I still be single?"

Bai Wei didn’t understand. "Master, it’s easy for you to find a wife, you’re just making excuses."

Uncle Liu turned his head. "Don’t call me Master, call me Uncle Liu!"

Bai Wei rolled his eyes. "You’re not married yourself, yet you’re trying to arrange things for me."

"You don’t understand," Uncle Liu sighed, putting his hand on his forehead and taking a sip of his drink. "You don’t understand."

"How would I understand if you don’t tell me?"

"If you understood, I wouldn’t have to say it."

"Just tell me, let me see if I understand."

"You won’t understand anyway, so it’s useless for me to say it."

"Well…"

"Alright, it’s settled. There’s nothing more to say." Uncle Liu glared at Bai Wei. "Could I possibly harm you? Get married to Xiaowan as soon as possible, even if you don’t have children. That way, when you venture out, you won’t have any worries in your heart. You’re like a kite, without a single string to hold you back. You would have flown to the heavens long ago, you brat. Am I making sense?"

Bai Wei had nothing to argue about this time.

For a reincarnator, it’s easy to become familiar and accustomed to this world, but in order to truly recognize oneself as a part of this world, one needs a connection. Falling in love with someone, thus falling in love with a city, loving everything associated with it.

Bai Wei is a kite, and his string is held by Liu Xiaowan.

There was nothing to argue about.

Bai Wei scratched his head and took a sip of rice wine.

"That’s what I’m talking about, my good disciple! Tonight, we won’t stop until we’re drunk. Let’s go! Uncle Liu will show you a trick called ‘bottoms up’!"

The two men clinked their cups, while the girl hiding inside blushed and tears welled up in her eyes.

She was very happy, wiping away her tears and turning them into a smile. After sorting out her emotions, she happily walked into the kitchen and cooked two dishes as accompaniments.

Then she sat on the side, quietly listening to the two intoxicated men talking incessantly.

"Both of you, take good care of yourselves," Uncle Liu said, gripping their hands, repeating, "Take good care of yourselves."

He was drunk and slurred as he advised Bai Wei, "Treat Liu Er well. Don’t be like me, don’t follow in my footsteps. Being able to be with the person you like is a blessing, a huge blessing… Never fall in love with someone you can’t love…"

Uncle Liu passed out on the table before he could finish speaking.

Bai Wei stood up unsteadily, with Liu Er supporting him. They sat beneath the willow tree, looking up at the stars, holding hands quietly, waiting for the sunrise.

Just like when they were children.

…

"What’s next? Is that it? Am I missing out on the continuation of the story with those cat biscuits!" Chao Lu kept urging, "What happens next? Hurry up!"

"What continuation? " The old woman laughed and cried, "What are you thinking?"

"Love, of course!"

"They are not married yet, so they can’t mess around." The old woman shook her head.

"Please skip to their wedding day. I want to witness it." Chao Lu was eager to ship them.

"That’s not possible. The story has to end here, and there’s no way to continue." The old woman shook her head and said, "Did you forget the purpose for which you came here in the first place?"

"To listen to stories?"

"…"

"Just kidding, of course, I remember. But I don’t know what’s outside once I leave this place." Chao Lu said softly, "I’m not sure if I’m dreaming right now or if I’ve entered the cycle well, and once I wake up, I won’t be myself anymore."

The old woman said, "I think, if you leave here, it should be safe outside. You haven’t died yet, and I can sense that."

"Can I come back here next time?"

"I can’t guarantee, maybe you can, maybe you can’t. You might be able to replicate the situation you encountered before…" The old woman half-jokingly.

"I don’t want to be hit by the Soul Devouring Arrow again." Chao Lu sat up straight, "Since I may not be able to come here again, let me finish listening to this story first. Or do you have any hidden secrets?"

The old woman took a sip of apple tea, "Are you really certain you want to finish this story?"

"Yes."

"Even if the subsequent story isn’t as wonderful as you hope?"

"…Yes."

Chao Lu was well aware that the old woman refused to disclose the reason for the continuation of the story, and it was likely that the heartwarming content would end abruptly here.

The next part of the story would undoubtedly bring a huge turning point, definitely not the romantic night she imagined.

But Chao Lu simply wanted to know what would happen next, eagerly awaiting the answer.

Deep down, she had an indescribable impulse, warning her own heart – she should, and must, have an obligation and responsibility to finish reading this story, witnessing it until the last moment, to see the ultimate fate of Liu Xiaowan and Mu Tou.

The old woman no longer insisted, "Fine, I had a feeling you would say that. Curiosity is always like this, unable to control the desire to explore because of curiosity. Since you are mentally prepared, go ahead and search for the next item."

"What is it?"

"Crouching Tiger Sword."

As soon as she finished speaking, in an instant, the old woman extended her finger and gave a gentle push. Chao Lu was caught off guard, lost her balance, and fell into the fish pond, plunging into the water.

The water surged, and in an instant, the view plunged into darkness. The fish pond became too deep.

Chao Lu grasped her balance and struggled to stand up from the water. The scenery in her eyes had already changed.

The peaceful and serene town no longer existed, and flames were burning everywhere.

Houses were burning, roads were burning, corpses were burning, townspeople were killing each other, some with twisted faces, some in bloodthirsty madness.

Crying, screaming, wailing, hoarse, and then silence.

What happened?

Chao Lu was stunned, the scenery made her tremble, in just a moment, she felt like she was in hell, witnessing evil spirits walking among the living, the world ablaze, and the once kind-hearted people turned into red-eyed walking dead, attacking every visible life.

Chao Lu emerged from the pond, crossed the familiar streets, and rushed through the burning houses, hastening her steps towards the Liu family.

Just as she crossed the threshold, the sight before her caused her pupils to contract sharply, her fingertips clenched into a pale white.

Liu Xiaowan stood in the courtyard, a figure stood right in front of her, she sat down stunned, as if turned into a sculpture.

A young man stood inside the house, holding a knife in his hand, blood dripping from the blade, blood dropping, and two heads rolling to the ground.

Liu’s father and mother had red eyes, with fierce expressions, after the heads fell to the ground, they returned to a moment of tranquility and reluctance.

The girl knelt down, pressed herself against the still warm corpse, tears couldn’t even flow, she was just in disbelief, even harder to accept.

The young man averted his gaze, his fingertips couldn’t stop trembling slightly.

"Why?" Liu Xiaowan asked hoarsely, "Why?!"

Bai Wei didn’t listen and didn’t dare to listen, he could only stiffly say, "I couldn’t save them, I could only do this…I’m sorry, Xiaowan."

He turned and rushed into the flames, his figure disappeared in the blaze, leaving the girl alone, sobbing uncontrollably.

The minions of the monster tore apart the peace of the past.

The human world has always been like this, peace is always short-lived.

A grain of sand from the era, falling on one person’s shoulder, is like a mountain.

The lives of two people were swept forward by the tide of the era, the rivers flowed, and the mud and sand were all mixed.