Xu Yuan and Xu Erlang

The woman raised the washboard, ready to storm out. Xu Yuan quickly said, "I came back on my own."

The woman stopped and said, "You came back on your own..."

After more than half a month, you came back on your own. Couldn't stand the hardships of the countryside? Ran back by yourself?

But if he really couldn't stand the hardship and ran back... that meant the child had already suffered, so how could she bear to blame him?

The woman put down the washboard and muttered, "Qiao Zi'ang really uses our family's young man as a laborer."

Then she said, "Fine, if you're back, you're back."

She wiped her hands on her apron. "Did you eat lunch? I'll make something for you."

"I've eaten," Xu Yuan said, his words carrying a double meaning.

The Stepmother's heart stirred, and she realized something. "You've eaten... you really ate?"

Xu Yuan nodded. "I'm already a Fate Cultivator."

Then he smiled and looked at his Stepmother.

The moment he saw his Stepmother, Xu Yuan realized she was the first person he had met with a "Fate Imprint" since becoming a Fate Cultivator!

Her Fate Imprint was a brilliant golden color, named "Jade Hidden in Green Robes."

It was originally a piece of peerless jade, with excellent talent, but it had suffered many hardships, and its reputation was not well-known. Fortunately, it had deep blessings and could always turn misfortune into good fortune.

What was sought would be obtained, but the process would be arduous.

What was planned would be achieved, but there would be many twists and turns.

The Stepmother froze for a moment, then suddenly walked quickly into the main hall without a word.

Xu Yuan followed her in and saw that on the table in the center of the main hall was his father's memorial tablet. The Stepmother was bowing respectfully and offering incense.

Xu Yuan's eyes felt a little sore, and he also bowed to his father's memorial tablet.

The Stepmother stood blankly by the memorial tablet for a long while before sitting down beside it and slowly saying, "I did get the news about sending you to Qihetan Town. The June Bug was going to appear in Ghost Witch Mountain. I originally just wanted you to try, I didn't expect you to actually succeed!"

When she said "succeed," she was still a little emotional.

As for the hardships she went through to obtain the "Old Year Grain," there was no need to tell Xu Yuan.

She paused for a moment and then said, "Even though you've become a Fate Cultivator, don't let your guard down. The early stages of this path are slow..."

"I'm already an Eighth Stream Fate Cultivator," Xu Yuan interrupted.

Stepmother: "What did you say?"

"I'm already an Eighth Stream Fate Cultivator, an Eighth Stream Pill Cultivator."

The Stepmother opened her mouth, finding it difficult to speak. "You only went for a few days, and you became Eighth Stream so quickly after eating the June Bug?"

Xu Yuan then recounted his entire experience in Qihetan Town to his Stepmother like a torrent of beans.

After all, Xu Yuan was only a sixteen-year-old boy. He had been calculating everywhere for these past few days, and had skirted death several times. The exhaustion in his heart was unimaginable.

Now that he had met the only relative in this world whom he could completely trust, he felt a great sense of relief after pouring out his heart without any reservations. He felt much more relaxed, inside and out.

After Xu Yuan finished speaking, he patted his chest with a manly air. "I'm an Eighth Stream Fate Cultivator and an Eighth Stream Pill Cultivator now. Is this strength enough? Can you tell me about the family matters now?"

The Stepmother listened without saying a word. When Xu Yuan looked at her, he immediately grinned. "Lin Wanmo, are you feeling sorry for me? You look like you're about to cry, hahaha."

The Stepmother's eyes were red; she was indeed feeling sorry for him:

For more than half a month, he was a servant for that damned Qiao Zi'ang, doing rough labor, and he had been to the gates of hell and back... When did my child ever suffer like this?

But with Xu Yuan's mocking laughter, the Stepmother's overflowing pity immediately vanished.

"Your skin is itching!" the Stepmother grumbled angrily.

If it were in the past, she would have grabbed a broom and chased the boy all over the courtyard.

But this time, she still felt a bit of heartache and couldn't bring herself to do it.

Well, let him sleep tonight, and she'd beat him tomorrow!

Lin Wanmo was only four years older than Xu Yuan. Calling her Stepmother was more like calling her Xu Yuan's older sister.

Therefore, when facing Xu Yuan, she always felt an inexplicable bloodline suppression.

From childhood to adulthood, they always bickered.

Xu Yuan was never her match, but he always insisted on provoking her.

You have bloodline suppression, but I have the immortality of facing my elder sister!

Lin Wanmo pondered for a moment and said, "Don't worry about family matters. First, tell me carefully about Second Uncle."

Xu Yuan then shared his speculations and said, "That Zheng Rongkui hasn't left yet. I guess Second Uncle won't give up easily."

The Stepmother's delicate eyebrows furrowed. After thinking for a moment, she said, "You're right. Stay at home for the next few days, don't go anywhere."

"I need to go to Master Qiao's house," Xu Yuan still had his mind on the Cannon Powder that Master Qiao might have stored.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xu Yuan finally asked the long-standing doubt in his heart: "Why didn't my father teach me?"

Xu Yuan's father was an Artisan Cultivator. Xu Yuan had wanted to learn since he was young, but his father never taught him. Instead, he took Lin Wanmo as his disciple, and later married his disciple as his second wife.

Lin Wanmo's Artisan Cultivator skills were all learned from Xu Yuan's father.

Moreover, Lin Wanmo had likely surpassed her teacher, her skills far exceeding his father's.

Lin Wanmo shook her head, "I don't know either. If you have the ability, go ask your father."

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes.

It was obvious she didn't want to tell him, pushing the blame onto his deceased father.

Xu Yuan then secretly plotted to play a prank.

"Lin Wanmo."

"Hm?"

Xu Yuan put on a concerned look and said, "My second uncle has received some news. So, if there's anything suspicious about my father's death, I advise you to turn yourself in at the county yamen as soon as possible..."

The young Stepmother looked confused and didn't understand what he meant at first.

Once she realized, she immediately exploded, rushing over and reaching out with her fair, cold little hands to grab Xu Yuan's ears.

"Are you trying to die! Are you calling me Pan Jinlian by indirection, or calling your father Wu Dalang?"

Xu Yuan ducked his head, slipping past her fingertips, and leaped out the door. Standing in the courtyard, hands on his hips, he laughed triumphantly, "Lin Wanmo, let me tell you, I am no longer the Xu Yuan of old!"

Lin Wanmo gritted her teeth in hatred and pointed into the courtyard, "Go wash the rest of the clothes."

"On what grounds?" Xu Yuan jumped up. "I've risked my life several times, and you want me to wash clothes as soon as I get back?"

Lin Wanmo chuckled, "Aren't you perfectly fine? And..." She held up her hand. "Look, it's so cold today, washing clothes has made my hands red. You're a Pill Cultivator, you have Inner Fire and aren't afraid of the cold, so of course, this is for you."

This twisted logic... was somehow irrefutable.

Xu Yuan refused, "I won't wash them!"

"Wash clothes or cook, choose one," Lin Wanmo said, crossing her arms.

Xu Yuan sighed in resignation, "Wash clothes."

Xu Yuan sat on a small stool, grabbed a piece of clothing from the wooden basin, and scrubbed it on the washboard.

After a while, the Stepmother hummed a tune as she came out of the house. She had tidied herself up again, adding a royal blue satin jacket with a round collar and front opening over her inner shirt. She gracefully walked outside, "I'm going to Aunt Wang's house. I'll be back later to make dinner."

Xu Yuan smirked: Aunt Wang was indeed surnamed Wang!

The Stepmother looked at him strangely, "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing, hurry back. I want to eat stir-fried preserved meat with winter bamboo shoots tonight."

The Stepmother went out, and Xu Yuan washed the clothes in a few quick steps and hung them up.

The Stepmother would definitely regret having a boy wash clothes tomorrow.

The Stepmother washed clothes, applying soap powder to each one, rubbing and rinsing them carefully.

Xu Yuan washed clothes: a large basin, threw in the soap powder, gave the whole basin a Tai Chi push, three circles clockwise, three circles counterclockwise, and done—ready to serve!

Of course, they were washed clean!

If they didn't smell of sweat, they were clean.

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