Persuasion

A few idle words: The Sanjiang recommendation was rejected, and the contract seems to be rejected too. I feel very resentful, so I went to look at their recommended works. The first one I saw was "The Legend of Xu Xian." Alas~ I'm not as good as him, and I have nothing to say. I will learn from Xu Xian and pay tribute to Xu Xian!

Then I looked at the few recommended Xianxia novels. It's dizzying~ I don't feel they are much better than me, hehe.

My Xiaohua doesn't have a chivalrous father, so he can't have the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan travel to the desert to pass on their skills like Guo Jing did.

My Xiaohua has a happy family. I don't want him to be annihilated like Zhang Xiaofan, becoming psychologically twisted.

My Xiaohua doesn't have an uncle working outside. If given the chance, he could be recommended to the Seven Mysteries Sect like Han Li.

My Xiaohua, like everyone else, is very ordinary. He has a happy family. He won't abandon his family and home easily for cultivation, nor will he let his entire family be separated and their homes destroyed for his own sake. Where are there so many fortunate encounters in this world, and how can people be naturally intelligent?

As soon as the characters appear, they encounter one fortunate event after another. Cultivating immortality and practicing the Tao are indeed satisfying to watch. It seems to have become a pattern, a Qidian Mode? A Webnovel Mode?

I don't know~

Perhaps my writing really isn't good enough? Anyway, it's much worse than Xu Xian's.

The above is purely nonsense, and this is the only time I'll say it. I won't repeat it, nor do I mean to belittle anyone else or their works. ^_^

Special thanks to the friends who are reading my book. Thank you, hehe. Zhang Xiaolong's splint had been removed from his arm, but it was still fixed with cloth strips and other items, resting on his chest. His other arm hung naturally by his side. He stood not far behind Liu Qian, watching the touching scene of Mr. Liu and his daughter reuniting. He had a good relationship with his own father and mother, but he had never experienced separation, so he naturally didn't know what it felt like. Seeing the person he loved act like this, he felt relieved for her and knew that his decision this time should be the right one.

Zhang Xiaohu stood beside Zhang Xiaolong, still holding the bottle of water, but his eyes were scanning the courtyard, as if looking for someone.

Mr. Liu affectionately stroked his daughter's hair, his gaze also passing over Liu Qian's head towards Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu. He smiled and nodded at them, then moved his hand from his daughter's head and waved slightly at them, indicating an apology. Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu naturally nodded in return, waiting.

When Liu the Butcher saw Liu Qian return, Mr. Liu stepped forward to greet her. He didn't stand up and continued to drink his wine. After finishing his drink, he saw the two brothers standing at the doorway. He then stood up and said with a smile, "I was wondering who was escorting Qianqian back. It turns out to be our two great heroes. Come in, come in, and have a couple of drinks with your uncle."

Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu smiled and walked towards the square table under the eaves.

Liu Qian, who was still being affectionate with her father, heard the mention of drinking. She looked up and said to Liu the Butcher, "Second Uncle, Xiaolong's injury isn't fully healed yet, so he can't drink for now. If you want someone to drink with, find Xiaohu."

Liu the Butcher said loudly, "You little girl, you're already turning your elbow outwards."

Liu Qian said coquettishly, "Second Uncle~"

Liu the Butcher said, "Alright, stop calling me that. I know. You never call me Second Uncle so many times on normal days."

Mr. Liu looked thoughtfully at the young farm boy walking towards him. He was still unassuming, his youthful face full of vitality. He didn't seem subservient like other farmers, nor did he have the cautiousness of Zhang Cai. His eyes seemed very bright, and his clothes were worn but very clean, fitting him well. His steps were steady, one foot after another, giving a sense of reliability. Mr. Liu naturally knew Liu Qian's intention in bringing Zhang Xiaolong back. Although he strongly disapproved of the marriage, he did appreciate Zhang Xiaolong as a person.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu also reached Mr. Liu. They respectfully bowed to him. Mr. Liu didn't stand on ceremony this time, simply gesturing and saying, "You've traveled far and must be tired. Seeing that it's getting late, it's unlikely you can return to Guo Village today. Stay here with me. You go and keep my second brother company first. I'll join you after I finish talking with Qianqian."

After the brothers agreed, they walked to the eaves and each picked up a stool to sit down, chatting with Liu the Butcher. Mr. Liu said to Liu Qian, "Qianqian, let's go to the study to talk."

Liu Qian released her father's arm and said, "Father, you go ahead first. I'll make you some tea. Xiaolong and I brought it specially from Guo Village. Would you like some?"

Mr. Liu didn't say anything, just shook his head helplessly, smiled, and returned to the study first.

Liu Qian walked to the eaves, took the bottle of water from beside Zhang Xiaohu, glanced at Zhang Xiaolong, and said, "You two keep Second Uncle company for now. I'll go to the kitchen to boil water and make some snacks and pastries for you. You must be hungry after walking all afternoon."

Liu Qian went into the kitchen and put the well water on to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, she looked around the empty kitchen. She picked out some ready-made ingredients and made two simple dishes. She couldn't make pastries, so she only had a few leftover flatbreads. She brought them out with the dishes to satisfy the brothers' hunger. Liu the Butcher happily enjoyed the dishes and drank his wine, occasionally pouring a cup for Zhang Xiaohu, but he didn't force Zhang Xiaolong to drink.

Before long, the water boiled. Liu Qian carefully brewed the tea and, carrying the tea set and water, walked towards the study. Before entering, she looked back at Zhang Xiaolong. Their eyes met, and Liu Qian nodded, her gaze full of affirmation, before turning and entering the study.

In the study, Mr. Liu was distractedly reading a casual book. When he saw Liu Qian enter, he put the book down and sniffed, saying, "The water from Guo Village is indeed extraordinary. The tea smells so fragrant. It's rare."

Liu Qian placed the teacup in front of her father. She watched him inhale the tea's aroma, sip the tea, and then close his eyes in contemplation, not speaking.

After Mr. Liu had drunk for a while, she asked, "Father, how is the tea?"

Mr. Liu said, "Alas, this tea is naturally much better than what I usually drink, but it's still not as mellow as the tea I drank in Guo Village last time. It's probably because it's been stored for too long and isn't as fresh as the water."

Then, Liu Qian asked no more questions, and Mr. Liu focused on savoring the tea, not speaking.

They sat opposite each other for a while. Mr. Liu thought for a moment, smiled, and spoke first, "Qianqian, you came back in such a hurry. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Liu Qian blushed and said, "Father, aren't you asking what you already know? If I didn't come back, wouldn't you have come to pick me up in a few days?"

Mr. Liu sighed and placed the teacup on the table, saying, "Qianqian, from childhood to adulthood, I've always indulged your will and rarely interfered. This time, I didn't listen to you. You should know my good intentions, shouldn't you?"

Liu Qian thought for a moment and said, "I guess Father's intention is that you're afraid I'll suffer at the Zhang family's home, doing farm work every day? And you're also afraid Zhang Xiaolong is a rough country bumpkin, and you fear my future life won't be as comfortable as it is at home?"

Mr. Liu nodded and said, "Living life isn't just about one person; it's about the lives of two. If one person likes to read and the other wants to farm, their life paths will diverge, and life will naturally become dull and won't last long. Moreover, the Zhang family is very poor. You should know this from your time there. You haven't lived as comfortably as you did in Baligou, have you?"

Liu Qian also nodded and said, "Father, everything you've said is correct. I've considered all of this. I even spoke with Zhang Xiaolong's mother. She said something similar to what you said, also hoping I would consider it carefully."

Mr. Liu asked in surprise, "Did she really say that?"

Liu Qian said, "Of course. I didn't expect that Auntie, just a rural woman who isn't very literate, would be so understanding."

Mr. Liu sighed, "That's truly rare. No wonder she could raise such an outstanding child."

Then, Mr. Liu continued, "Actually, you can't understand these things. It's just the experience of those of us who have lived through it. With your personality, what I say might not be useful. Only when you hit a wall yourself will you understand my good intentions. However, your mother's situation, though long past, is still vivid in my mind. If I had the ability, I wouldn't have let your mother suffer. She wouldn't have left us so early. Therefore, I don't want your mother's tragedy to happen to you again."

Liu Qian was naturally confident and continued, "Father, perhaps you are too insistent on this. If you had the ability, would you still be who you are now? Would Mother have been happy with you? If she wasn't happy, even if you lived together for a lifetime, what would be the value? Mother respected you, loved you, and was with you for only a decade or so, but the happiness she received was something others couldn't attain in a lifetime. Tell me, which was her choice?"

Liu Qian continued, "Father, actually, I've always believed that one's destiny is already arranged. Whether you are sad or happy, it's all a way of life. A person's life is a trajectory, and the interweaving of various trajectories forms the entirety of life. Mother's trajectory was destined to include your participation, and your trajectory was destined to include the happiness you shared with Mother. You've always blamed Mother's death on your lack of ability, on not being able to take good care of her. But that's not true. From the moment Mother met you, our family's life began. Mother's happiness and her end were already predetermined. Any change would be futile. If Father had been passionate about politics back then, he would naturally have neglected Mother. Mother wouldn't have left us so early, but would she have lived happily?"

Seeing Mr. Liu fall into thought, Liu Qian continued, "Actually, I've also been considering my encounter with Zhang Xiaolong. I mentioned it to Yueyue before. From the moment I met Zhang Xiaolong in the fabric shop, our trajectories became intertwined. I don't need to elaborate on the events that have occurred since then, Father, you must know them. I can only describe my relationship with Xiaolong as fate. Moreover, there's a very crucial matter that Father might not know."

Mr. Liu was startled and asked, "What is it?"

Liu Qian said mysteriously, "Does Father think the water from Guo Village tastes particularly good?"

Mr. Liu said, "Yes, it does. So what?"

Then, Liu Qian told Mr. Liu about her maternal grandmother falling ill and going to Lu Town for treatment. Mr. Liu was clearly very surprised and asked, "Are you sure it was the effect of this well water?"

Liu Qian said, "Of course. Look at Zhang Xiaolong's arm. Have you ever seen someone with a broken bone heal so quickly in just one month? And Yueyue said last time she visited me that my skin was noticeably better than before. I feel it myself now too."

Mr. Liu frowned and stopped asking questions. Liu Qian continued, "Father, think about it. This well water is a priceless treasure. Your health has always been poor. Ever since Mother passed away, you haven't been well. Making you healthy is my greatest wish. And now that we have this well water, living a long life is no longer a distant dream. This well water was dug up by the Zhang family and belongs to the Zhang family. So, don't you think this is another opportunity heaven has given me and Xiaolong?"

"Moreover, Eldest Brother is still unmarried, and we don't know if his future sister-in-law will be virtuous. If I go to the Zhang family, and you move to Guo Village, on one hand, I can serve you, and on the other hand, you can enjoy heaven's blessings. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds? It would solve all the problems in my heart!"