Inside the room

The woman's lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing, burying her face in his hands, her tears scalding hot.

The old man let her cry for a while before laboriously turning his head to look towards the door, his voice even lower:

"Go and call Jiye, Wanniang, and Mingcheng in. There are some things I need to tell them."

Upon hearing this, the woman's tears fell even harder, but she still nodded in the end, wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve, tucked the blanket around the old man, and then got up and walked outside.

She paused at the door, took a deep breath, straightened her hair, and wiped away the tears from her face, one by one.

Once she could see nothing unusual on her face, she reached out and gently opened the door.

Outside, everyone in the courtyard turned to look.

The woman stood on the stone steps in front of the door, her gaze slowly sweeping over the crowd. After a brief pause, she spoke:

"Jiye, Mingcheng, you two come in."

She paused, then turned to the woman in red under the eaves, her tone unconsciously softening:

"Wanniang, come in too."

After he finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent.

The dozen or so people behind them looked at each other, but no one made a move.

Finally, Su Jiye slowly rose from the armchair, waved his hand behind him, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Disperse, everyone. Go back to your homes. Anyone who utters a single word about what happened today will be punished according to family rules."

The crowd felt as if they had been granted a pardon, bowed, and silently withdrew.

From the left side of the corridor, Wanniang, a woman in red, slowly emerged.

Her face was veiled by a red veil, and she walked silently to the steps, giving Gu Lanyin a slight curtsy.

The woman looked at her, her lips moved, but she didn't say anything. She simply stepped aside to let her through the doorway.

"Go in."

Su Jiye straightened his clothes and said in a low voice:

"Mingcheng, help your grandmother."

Su Mingcheng responded and was about to step forward when the woman shook her head:

"Don't help me. Go help your father."

Su Mingcheng glanced at his father, then at his grandmother, and ultimately dared not disobey. He could only turn around and take Su Jiye's arm.

Just then, a pale white hand reached out from the side and gently supported Gu Lanyin's elbow.

The woman glanced sideways and met Wanniang's eyes, which were visible through the red veil.

Those eyes were extremely still, as still as a pool of water without a ripple.

Seeing this, the woman did not refuse, but only whispered:

"Good boy."

The four of them stepped over the threshold and entered the inner room.

Wanniang supported the woman in front, while Su Mingcheng supported Su Jiye behind.

Finally, Su Mingcheng closed the door again.

The room was somewhat dim.

Su Shouzhuo leaned against the couch and slowly opened his eyes when he heard footsteps.

His gaze first fell on Gu Lanyin, then moved to Su Jiye and Su Mingcheng, and finally settled on Wanniang.

"They're all here..." He forced a smile, his voice so low it sounded like it was coming from his throat, "Good, good."

He closed his eyes, rested for a moment, and then spoke again:

"There are some things I need to say while I still have breath in my body."

As soon as Su Jiye approached the bed, he saw his father's ashen face and shortness of breath, and his eyes immediately welled up with tears.

He took two quick steps forward and said in a trembling voice:

"Father, please just give the order if you need anything. Your health is the most important thing; please don't push yourself."

Upon hearing Su Shouzhuo slowly raised his hand, indicating that he did not need to say anything more:

Please have a seat.

Having no other choice, the group had to sit down as instructed. Su Jiye, Su Mingcheng, and Wanniang sat on stools beside the couch, while Gu Lanyin sat sideways on the edge of the bed, half-supporting and half-leaning Su Shouzhuo against her side.

Seeing everyone seated, Su Shouzhuo, then his gaze first fell on Su Jiye.

Looking at his second son, whose temples were already streaked with gray, he sighed softly.

"Jiye, you've been by my side the longest. I've taught you everything I needed to teach you years ago. But there's one thing you must remember: everything the Su Household has today wasn't earned by you or me; it fell from the sky. If you can catch what falls from the sky, it's a blessing; if you can't, it's a curse."

Upon hearing Su Jiye's old eyes reddened, and he nodded, saying:

"Father, rest assured, I understand."

Then, Su Shouzhuo looked at Su Mingcheng, his gaze lingering on this eldest grandson for a long while:

"Mingcheng... I am but a mortal, but I was born in Qinghe Commandery City, which borders the South Sea and is backed by Qixia. Thus, we are blessed by Qixia, and the weather is favorable. I have also heard that Qixia has very strict rules and cannot tolerate demons and monsters causing trouble or the powerful oppressing the people. My family can now be considered a family of cultivators. I will not say much more, but I only hope that you will not let your descendants become arrogant and domineering, and that they will remain ordinary people."

Su Mingcheng quickly stood up, stepped forward, and whispered:

"Grandfather, rest assured, your grandson understands. I will keep this in mind and restrain the clan members from speaking or acting prudently..."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Shouzhuo gently shook his head, interrupting him:

"You met your uncle more than twenty years ago; he was clearly a reclusive master. Your mentor also told you that he was destined to become an immortal. Our family prospered because of your uncle; don't disgrace him. Cultivation is ordained by heaven, but being a good person depends on oneself."

He paused, then said:

"Although I am not a cultivator, I studied some Confucian School in my early years and read extensively in various histories. History records too many families being wiped out for oppressing the common people. Furthermore, our founding Taizu... hated those who oppressed the people most. People say Taizu a dog that has been cooked and a bow that has been put away, killing the powerful and wealthy, but in my eyes, those Taizu killed were all deserving of death. Remember, the Taizu valued the people most. Don't let my Su Household become one of those families that everyone, the common people, despises."

Upon hearing this, Su Mingcheng's expression turned serious, and he immediately said in a deep voice:

"Grandfather's teachings are something I dare not disregard. I will establish family rules and precepts to govern the younger generation of the clan."

Su Shouzhuo nodded, as if finally relieved of a worry. He closed his eyes for a moment before speaking again:

As for the Qinghe main family, you don't need to concern yourself with them.

After speaking, he turned his head, shifting his gaze from Su Mingcheng to Su Jiye, and finally waved gently towards the door.

"You and your father can go out first. I have a few words to say to your aunt."

Su Jiye and Su Mingcheng exchanged a glance, but ultimately did not ask any further questions. They stood up together, bowed deeply to Su Shouzhuo and Gu Lanyin, and then gave a slight bow in the direction of Wan Wanniang before leaving.

The door was closed again.

Only Su Shouzhuo, Gu Lanyin, and Wanniang remained in the room.

A moment later, Su Shouzhuo leaned back, his gaze slowly turning to Wanniang.

He looked at her for a long while before speaking:

"For the past two years, you've come and gone from the Su Household without a word, never revealing your surname. But if I'm not mistaken... your surname should be Gu, right?"

Wanniang was silent for a moment, then finally nodded.

The red veil swayed slightly, and the exposed eyes drooped even lower.

Gu Lanyin was taken aback, turned to look at Su Shouzhuo, her lips moved slightly, but she didn't say anything in the end.

Su Shouzhuo smiled softly.

The laughter was very soft, as if it slowly rose from the depths of the chest, carrying a touch of wistful emotion, as if from another world.

After a moment, he stopped laughing and slowly said:

"Back when Lanyin and I lived in our old residence in Qinghe, the Licentiate Gu from the next alley jokingly said to me, 'If our families have a son and a daughter in the future, we will become in-laws.'"

He paused, his gaze falling on Wanniang's face, a hint of indescribable tenderness appearing in his eyes:

"He once told me that if he had a daughter, he would name her Wanniang... And your eyebrows, eyes, and face shape look so much like those of him and his wife..."

Gu Wanniang did not respond to his words, but lowered her head even further.

Gu Lanyin had already turned her face away, one hand gripping the fabric on her knee tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Su Shouzhuo:

"Are your father and mother... alright?"