Talking About Immortality Again

Liu Chang'an was the poorest person Zhu Juntang knew; his clothes and shoes together looked to cost less than a hundred yuan.

Poverty, disease, and war are the injustices in the world that humanity least wants to encounter.

Zhu Juntang had no intention of lamenting the differences between people. In fact, she was just curious about Liu Chang'an's choice. He had rejected her offer and continued to live his impoverished life. She needed to understand his mindset and life pursuits so that she could tailor her approach to him, offer him more Heartbeat conditions, and recruit him into her ranks.

Everything in this world is a transaction, isn't it? It's just that some transactions are worthwhile, while others leave you with nothing but bitterness and resentment, or you have to swallow your pride and bear the pain.

Liu Chang'an read his book, and Zhu Juntang didn't seem to mind that he was oblivious to the beautiful fairy; after all, he was a celestial being like Iron Crutch Li.

"Someone as Longevity as you should, logically speaking, any bowl you randomly pick should be an antique, used by some famous person in history," Zhu Juntang said to herself. "I watched a Korean drama where the Longevity alien male lead, Professor Do, was like that. The female lead smashed his antique tableware, and he was heartbroken, saying it had been used by so-and-so."

Liu Chang'an couldn't help but laugh as he listened, "This movie should be quite funny."

"This movie is supposed to be funny, but what I just described... where's the humor in that?" Zhu Juntang didn't understand why Liu Chang'an was laughing.

"If I could truly Longevity, or be a guest of Qin Shi Huang or Emperor Wu of Han, becoming emperor myself wouldn't be difficult... Countless chosen ones, elegant figures, sitting and discussing philosophy, romance, and worldly affairs, hundreds of years later all these people will turn to dust. Would I cherish the tableware from that time and keep it for my own use now?" Liu Chang'an looked at Zhu Juntang in disbelief. "Isn't that ridiculous? Some people consider this a sign of sophistication, which I find hard to understand... Besides, if you go to a museum, you'll see all sorts of artifacts unearthed hundreds or thousands of years ago. While they are undoubtedly exquisite, very few are truly beyond the reach of modern craftsmanship. At most, some methods have been lost, making it difficult to replicate them exactly. But to say that the quality is superior and the practicality is better is not difficult. Why would I need these antiquities to show off my sophistication and abandon the superior products brought about by the progress of human technological civilization?"

"Another point is that many antiques were made with a lot of heavy metals and substances that modern science has proven to be harmful to human health... Using them to eat or cook would affect the taste, you understand?"

Zhu Juntang thought about it. Liu Chang'an's words made a lot of sense, but why did everyone have to stick to the facts? When people talk, don't they always find a reason to refute what others are saying, regardless of whether it makes sense or not?

"I was just giving an example! You don't use antiques, but you're still poor. How could someone Longevity be as poor as you?" Zhu Juntang became more and more convinced that Liu Chang'an, to be precise, possessed superpowers. His Longevity wasn't to the point of living for hundreds or thousands of years; it was only at the level of his great-grandmother's generation, and he had retained his youth to this day... Otherwise, if he had really lived for thousands of years, how could he be so poor? With a little money saved up, his life should be quite good now.

"So what if we're poor? Does being poor mean we have to eat your rice and flour?" Liu Chang'an flipped through the pages of his book nonchalantly. "I already told you, that night on the rooftop, I was just making up stories and talking nonsense."

Zhu Juntang looked at Liu Chang'an suspiciously, sometimes wanting to believe what he said on the rooftop that day, sometimes wanting to believe her own analysis, and sometimes observing whether what he was saying now was half true or half false, or just a perfunctory response.

"It doesn't matter if you don't admit to Longevity or having superpowers, but at least tell me, how did you end up on my roof that day?" Zhu Juntang was still very curious about this. "At the time, I didn't check the security footage to avoid attracting attention, but recently, when my mother came to Junsha, I checked the footage again, and I couldn't find any trace of you on the cameras."

Liu Chang'an thought for a moment, then looked at Zhu Juntang uncertainly and tentatively asked, "Perhaps you're dreaming?"

"Why would I dream about you for no reason? I didn't even know you before that day. Who would dream about someone they don't know?" Even the elegant Zhu Juntang couldn't stand his earnest but perfunctory reply.

That makes sense.

"You..."

Zhu Juntang was furious. Liu Chang'an was the person who treated her most perfunctorily, and also the person she was most patient and polite to. But he didn't take Zhu Juntang seriously at all. She bit her lip, revealing two tiger teeth, "Liu Chang'an, do you believe I'll bite you? Since you 'Longevity, maybe it's like Tang Sanzang's flesh; eating a bite of your flesh will grant me Longevity."

"Which part do you want to eat? I'll go wash it first, and add some oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar to taste."

Of course, Zhu Juntang wouldn't actually bite him. What was the point of adding oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar? He was clearly impervious to all persuasion, as stubborn and unyielding as a rock in a latrine.

"I'll tell you one last thing..." Zhu Juntang thought for a moment, then calmed down. She aspired to be like the Four Lords of the Warring States, to treat scholars with respect and to make them feel her utmost sincerity. "After my mother arrived in Junsha, Zhong Qing reported everything she knew about you to her. My mother is as intelligent as I am, but she doesn't know your secret like I do. So she's only searching for your great-grandfather... actually, it's you, but outwardly there's a mysterious old man, and she's looking for this mysterious old man."

"Why didn't you tell your mother?" Liu Chang'an asked, curious about this.

"Everyone has secrets they can't tell, so don't ask me so many questions. Anyway, my mother isn't a beautiful, cute, and kind-hearted fairy like me. If you can't keep this secret, even if my great-grandmother can help you... you'll be in big trouble. My mother is the kind of person who is particularly powerful and ruthless," Zhu Juntang said earnestly.

"I see."

"Aren't you particularly touched? I've been so open and honest with you."

"No."

Zhu Juntang was truly at a loss with Liu Chang'an, but she did not give up. One day he would be moved. As the saying goes, even an iron rod can be ground into a needle. She was only a small part of the journey. Since the gods favored her so much and created such a beautiful and transcendent fairy, they would surely grant her more happiness and achievements.

"One last question," Zhu Juntang chuckled, "You really don't plan to get engaged to Qin Yanan?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any prejudice against young and beautiful widows?" Zhu Juntang looked at Liu Chang'an expectantly.

Liu Chang'an certainly didn't have any prejudice, but Zhu Juntang's gaze made Liu Chang'an feel that refusing to continue the conversation was the right thing to do.