First Gold Coin in Return! Back to Notting City!

An old farmer walked slowly along the field ridge with a hoe over his shoulder. Several bare-bottomed children chased a yellow dog out of the village lane, their laughter carrying from afar.

Xiao Wu stood on the dirt road, looking at the peaceful, simple pastoral scene before her. For some reason, she suddenly felt especially at ease.

This little village felt much like the home deep in her memories, within the Star Dou Great Forest.

Though that place had been a boundless primeval forest, its sense of peace, free from worldly strife and self-sufficient, was exactly the same.

"This is Yun Family Village?" Tang San stopped as well, his gaze sweeping over the outline of the village.

"Mm." Yun Tian stood before them, looking at the small village as the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously.

He took a deep breath of air carrying the scent of earth and grass, feeling his entire body relax somewhat.

"Come on, I'll take you to see Grandpa Village Chief."

He stepped forward and headed toward the village entrance.

Tang San and Xiao Wu followed behind him. One adult and two children crossed the muddy dirt road and entered the quiet, warm little village nestled at the foot of the mountains.

Several large yellow dogs at the village entrance barked upon catching the scent of strangers, but an old woman sitting on a doorstep shelling beans quickly shouted them quiet.

When the old woman looked up and saw Yun Tian, she immediately broke into a toothless grin. "Oh my, Xiao Tian is back!"

"Auntie Li." Yun Tian greeted her with a smile. "I came back to have a look."

"Good, good, good! You've grown taller! This child has grown taller!" Auntie Li nodded repeatedly, then turned her gaze toward Tang San and Xiao Wu behind him. "You brought friends back?"

"Mm, classmates from the academy."

Auntie Li smiled even more brightly, forgetting to shell the beans in her hands. "Go on, go on! Your Grandpa Village Chief is tending the vegetable patch by the back hill. He'll be overjoyed to see you!"

Yun Tian answered, then led the two through the village lanes, greeting the villagers they met along the way.

Following behind, Xiao Wu watched the villagers' delighted, affectionate expressions whenever they saw Yun Tian. She suddenly understood a little why Yun Tian was so protective of the work-study students at the academy.

He had been raised here, by these people.

Only someone who had been treated sincerely could understand how to treat others sincerely.

That evening, the old village chief's home in Yun Family Village was livelier than it had ever been.

The three earthen rooms were packed with people. A large wooden table had been set up in the courtyard, laden with homemade pickled vegetables, stewed old hen cooked until tender, freshly baked multigrain flatbreads, and a jug of homemade rice wine.

Grandpa Village Chief sat at the head of the table, his face glowing with health. His cloudy old eyes remained fixed on Yun Tian with a smiling squint, as if he could never look enough.

Yun Tian sat opposite the village chief. Three months apart had left the old man's hair a little whiter and his back a little more bent, but his spirits were still good.

He reached into his robes and pulled out a small cloth pouch, setting it on the table and pushing it toward the village chief. When he untied the opening, the gleam of seven or eight gold soul coins showed within.

"Grandpa, this is some money I saved over the past three months." Yun Tian pushed the pouch over. "It isn't much, but consider it a small return to the village. Take it and repair the irrigation channel. Then buy some winter grain for Auntie Li's family and the other households having a hard time."

Grandpa Village Chief froze. He stared at the gold soul coins for a long while before raising his hand and waving it. "Xiao Tian, you've only just started school. Keep this money for yourself. Expenses in the city are high..."

"Grandpa, I have enough." Yun Tian pressed down on his hand, his tone earnest. "I don't have to spend money on food or lodging at the academy. I was raised on food from every household. My abilities may be limited now, but once I become stronger and earn more money, I'll definitely make life in Yun Family Village better and better."

There was an old saying in the village: when you drink water, do not forget those who dug the well. When Yun Tian had crossed over into this world, the first mouthful of food he ate after opening his eyes had been fed to him in turns by the villagers of Yun Family Village. He would remember this kindness for the rest of his life.

Grandpa Village Chief's lips trembled a few times. In the end, he accepted the pouch of gold soul coins into his robes, patted Yun Tian on the shoulder, and said hoarsely, "Good... good child..."

Auntie Li beside them had already begun wiping away tears, muttering, "Xiao Tian has grown up. He's become sensible."

Xiao Wu sat across the table, burying her head in a chicken leg and eating until her mouth was greasy. Hearing the conversation, she raised her head to look at Yun Tian's profile. She suddenly felt that this guy, who was usually so fierce, was actually quite decent.

Tang San quietly drank his rice wine, his gaze shifting back and forth between Yun Tian and the village chief as he pondered something.

The meal lasted nearly two hours, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

After drinking a few cups of rice wine, Grandpa Village Chief became more talkative. He pulled Yun Tian along and rambled on about village matters.

Whose pig had given birth to another litter, whose son had married a new wife, how the old locust tree at the eastern end of the village had somehow been struck by lightning and split in half this year, yet had still survived.

Yun Tian listened patiently throughout, occasionally responding with a few words, without the slightest impatience.

It was not until late at night that everyone finally dispersed.

Grandpa Village Chief arranged for Tang San and Xiao Wu to stay in an empty room next door. Though the room was simple, it had been cleaned thoroughly. The beds were covered with freshly sun-dried straw and cotton quilts, carrying the scent of sunlight.

The moment Xiao Wu's head touched the pillow, she fell asleep, curled beneath the quilt with steady breathing.

Tang San lay on the other bed, watching moonlight shine through the gaps in the thatched roof and scatter tiny specks of light across the floor. Listening to the mountain wind rustle through the distant treetops, he gradually closed his eyes as well.

At daybreak the next morning, the three got up.

Yun Tian did not stay any longer. He had already accomplished his purpose in coming to Yun Family Village.

He had seen Grandpa Village Chief, confirmed that the village was safe and sound, and left part of the money he had saved with the village.

The road ahead was still long. He could not delay here for too long.

"Grandpa, I'm leaving." Yun Tian stood at the village entrance and waved to the old village chief.

"Be careful on the road." Grandpa Village Chief stood beneath the old locust tree, bent at the waist like an ancient tree rooted in the ground. "Don't forget to come back and see this old man."

"I will."

The three followed the dirt road they had come by out of the village. Once they rounded the mountain bend, the outline of Yun Family Village vanished completely from view.

Xiao Wu walked along the path between the fields, looking back several times before suddenly saying, "The place where you grew up is actually pretty nice."

"Mm." Yun Tian answered, "It's just a bit poor."

"What's so bad about being poor?" Tang San rarely took the initiative to speak. "Things will get better in the future."

Yun Tian turned to look at him, smiled, and said nothing.

It was only just past noon when they returned to Notting City.

The three parted ways at the city gate.

Tang San said he was going to report on the holiday to Yu Xiaogang, and Xiao Wu naturally went with Tang San.

Yun Tian walked alone through the streets of Notting City, looking at the orderly rows of shops on both sides and the passersby coming and going as he began considering another matter.

Money.

He needed money.