The two children were so frightened that they clung tightly to Xu Qing's clothes. While fish might not fear cats in the water, they were now on land.
This is the cat's territory!
Recalling that their benefactor had previously mentioned a cat at home that could swallow a big fish whole, the two children were even more afraid.
Xu Qing said helplessly, "Xuan Yu, don't scare them. If you want to eat fish, I'll go find some big fish another day and cook them for you."
"..."
Upon hearing this, the two children were even more terrified!
It's as if someone said to another person, 'I won't eat you tonight; I'll catch someone else to eat...'
Qingya and Yao Guang's faces turned pale. If it weren't for the Cyan Dragon Divine Monarch's earlier words and Xu Qing's repeated rescues, they might have fled and never come ashore again.
In the days that followed, Xu Qing introduced the two golden carp to the immortals at the temple to familiarize them.
So that if the children ventured out alone someday, the immortals wouldn't feast on them.
On this day, just at dawn.
Xu Qing was planning to take Qingya and Yao Guang to Ziyun Mountain outside the city when he saw the former shop owner Cheng, leaning on a cane, arriving at his store with Wang Yue'e's support.
Cheng, now nearing eighty, is considered quite old. However, due to her age, she handed over the Incense and Candle Shop opposite to Bai Qiuyu more than a decade ago.
Cheng Caiyun is now cared for at the Wang Family in Dingyuan by the Wang Family's Little Sister.
The Wang Family's Little Sister, though called little sister, is now in her fifties, becoming a true old woman.
Xu Qing nodded at Wang Yue'e, who smiled slightly, still with the admiring gaze she had as an eight or nine-year-old girl seeing a twenty-something youth, she called him "sir."
However, the beautiful woman of that year now has gray in her hair.
Upon entering the shop, Cheng Caiyun's cloudy eyes brightened as she looked around and asked Xu Qing:
"I've heard you married and had children, and now have grandchildren, is this true?"
Indeed, the only remedy to revive old gossipers is gossip!
Xu Qing raised his eyebrows and said, "How does Cheng from afar in the Wang mansion know about my recent circumstances?"
Next to him, Wang Yue'e laughed and said, "Godmother never forgets about the neighbors, so she often sends the mansion's servants to buy things in Linjiang City, bringing back bits of news..."
The hunched Cheng, leaning on her cane, sneered: "Your romantic escapades are widely spread in the Jin Sect. People say you seduced a Taoist nun and had a child with her."
"I heard it's a nun from the Five Elders Temple, isn't it the one from the coffin shop?"
"..."
Xu Qing changed the topic and said, "These are old sesame seeds and rotten grains of the past, nothing to talk about. Since Cheng is here, why don't I host the neighbors and let you elders have a chat!"
Chatting? Cheng Caiyun perked up immediately, but she still squinted at Xu Qing and said, "I don't know what that nun has that could compare to my Yue'e."
"Godmother!"
Wang Yue'e quickly interrupted, "Sir is an elder, I have always respected him, godmother, don't make jokes about me."
Xu Qing looked at Wang Yue'e and sighed after all.
The Wang Family has the emperor's favor, discussing marriage is not something easily decided in a few words. Wang Yue'e, born poor, has seen human warmth and coldness, and never liked those political marriages.
Nor did she like associating with those prominent young nobles pursuing fame.
Besides, there might be other reasons.
After Wang Yue'e finished speaking, she unconsciously glanced at Xu Qing. Noticing that the sir's gaze had shifted elsewhere, a trace of loneliness flashed in her eyes.
Cheng Caiyun complained about Xu Qing's lack of romantic understanding, but when she saw Qingya and Yao Guang, her heart melted half-down.
"Oh my, how adorable is this little one?"
Cheng Caiyun, having been a widow for most of her life, although she has Wang Yue'e as her goddaughter always by her side, she has no grandchildren. Seeing Xu Qing's children, the old lady was very pleased because of her fondness for neighbors.
"Is this really your grandson?"
Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, thinking Cheng had discovered something, only to hear her say: "Your Xu Family can produce such an adorable child, the Taoist nun and your daughter-in-law must be beautiful!"
"..."
Xu Qing was displeased upon hearing this, complimenting children is fine, but why sneer at people?
He was not ugly when young; even in the funeral business, he was a handsome funeral director, why couldn't he be Qingya and Yao Guang's grandfather?
While Cheng Caiyun was talking to the two children, she didn't forget to take out prepared red envelopes and a pair of long-life golden locks.
The lock for Qingya was a Qilin Lock, decorated with a Qilin Stepping on Clouds pattern, inscribed with 'Auspicious Beast Blessing, Longevity' on both sides.
For Yao Guang, it was a Crane Lock, with a Crane Holding Ganoderma design, inscribed with 'Immortal Grace, Elegant and Kind' on both sides.
As Cheng Caiyun placed the Crane Lock on Yao Guang's neck, she suddenly remembered the two 'cranes' she had raised in the past.
"Scholar Xu, how are those two doing nowadays?"
Xu Qing nodded and said, "They're doing very well. All cranes live to about fifty, and they are in their prime now. They are honored guests at funerals, with a higher status than me!"