Journey to the End of the Night

Chapter 1671 - 1004: Candied Hawthorn and Grandma_2

Moreover, he had never seen the grandmother Chen Xiaolan often spoke of, so hearing about such trivial mundane matters struggled to stir any empathy in his heart.In the past, Meng Zifei would have maintained his gentlemanly demeanor, and upon hearing Chen Xiaolan’s lamentations, he would have patiently offered gentle and compassionate consolation.

But ever since the eruption of the curse on the snow mountain, exposing his most wretched and ugly side to Chen Xiaolan.

He simply let go, no longer bothering to put on an act in front of her.

He listened absentmindedly to these dull past stories, casually saying: "So, what does this have to do with not celebrating your birthday?

Is it because your grandmother was too old, her heart willing but her strength insufficient, despite her best efforts, she couldn’t get you a candied hawthorn, leaving you disappointed?

Or was it watching a beloved, Chuicang family member, Mu Xue, leaving, just for a candied hawthorn, making you feel guilty, afraid to celebrate your birthday again?"

"Perhaps a bit of both?" Chen Xiaolan smiled, tearing the long dough stick into smaller pieces for Meng Zifei, making them easier to eat.

She wiped the grease from her hand on the handkerchief, raising her eyes to look at Meng Zifei:

"But Master, you guessed one thing wrong, my grandmother still made it to the market and bought the candied hawthorn.

However, on the way back, the wind and snow grew heavier, and she missed her step, breaking her back, and I don’t know where that candied hawthorn ended up."

At this point, Chen Xiaolan suddenly fell silent, her expression quieting down, becoming somewhat melancholy.

Meng Zifei put down the porridge in his hands, glanced at her quietly, then lowered his gaze, glancing sidelong at the string of candied hawthorn at her waist, with a somewhat cold tone:

"If this thing makes you sad, why bother buying it to hurt yourself."

Chen Xiaolan shook her head with a smile and said, "It doesn’t really hurt me, it’s just that I think of grandmother, unable to comprehend why a snowstorm could strip an elderly person of all her dignity.

She broke her back in the heavy snow, but survived, only to spend the rest of her life bedridden, unable to walk, eat, or take care of her personal needs outside of bed.

In a poor family, adding a half-paralyzed elderly person, Master, how do you think the family would look upon her, with scornful eyes?"

Meng Zifei, with a Spirit Root, though over two hundred years old, remained youthful and handsome, so he couldn’t understand what Chen Xiaolan was trying to express, unmoved he said:

"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural for mortals. If one’s body is aging, they should take care not to trouble their family.

For a ridiculous little birthday wish concerning a candied hawthorn, putting oneself in such a state, why blame the heavens or others."

"Master, you’re wrong. Grandmother lived so many years, despite her family’s bullying and disdain, she never blamed the heavens or others for even a moment.

She was born into a prominent family, but though the family fell on hard times, she still held onto her pride.

I never saw her bow her head to anyone. Even as she aged and stooped, her clothes were always impeccably ironed, never a hint of improperness.

But even such a proud and dignified elder eventually found all her dignity lost under the growing impatience, disdain, and avoidance of her family.

Perhaps even she never thought that one day she would become something unrecognizable.

At that time, everyone in the family thought Grandmother died of natural causes, but only I knew, that wasn’t the truth..."

Chen Xiaolan’s grip on the porcelain bowl gradually tightened, until her fingertips turned pale and bloodless, she suddenly realized her loss of composure, letting out a soft laugh:

"That night it was also snowing, and the charcoal fire in Grandmother’s room had gone out.

I got up at night to check on Grandmother, and through the crack in the door, I saw her using fire tongs to gradually revive the charcoal fire, then lie back as usual.

I saw it all, but did not stop her.

Grandmother fell asleep like that, and never woke up again. The next day, when the family discovered what happened, they were all very calm, as if no one noticed the tightly shut windows and doors.

Nor did anyone question why the charcoal bowl, usually out of her reach, was so close to her bed that night?

Perhaps Aunt simply forgot that day. After all, it was all just an accident.

The family dressed her in funeral clothes, wrapped her in a grass mat, and simply bade farewell to Grandmother."

Chen Xiaolan sighed, saying: "So sometimes, I wonder, why the person who was best to me in the world grew old so quickly."

Meng Zifei put down his chopsticks, looking at her: "Fear of birth, aging, sickness, and death, is this why you cultivate?"

Chen Xiaolan tidied up the empty plates and bowls from breakfast and laughed softly, "Yes, I’m afraid that one day I will also end up with a hunchbacked body like my grandmother, unable to walk or stand properly.

It’s really suffocating to think about. Unfortunately... I don’t have a Spirit Root, so following in her footsteps is just a matter of time, isn’t it?"

Looking at her, Meng Zifei’s eyes revealed a hint of a smile, "You usually seem so indifferent to worldly matters, yet you worry about such mundane things.

When you didn’t react to missing the Sea God Festival, I thought you were truly indifferent to fame and gain. Turns out, a single sugar-coated hawthorn can make you afraid again."

He straightened his clothes and said calmly, "No worries, just be patient for a bit longer. What I can give you is not just an ordinary Spirit Root.

After the Golden Immortal Auction, you will have a one-of-a-kind Spirit Root in the world."

"Golden Immortal Auction?" Chen Xiaolan asked in surprise, "Master’s visit to Shifang City this time is not just for the Sea God Festival, but also to attend the Golden Immortal Auction?"

She looked somewhat puzzled, "Could it be that a place like Shifang City also auctions such banned items as Spirit Roots in the open like the Underground Dark City?"

To Chen Xiaolan’s question, Meng Zifei seemed suddenly to realize something.

He was momentarily stunned; his lowered gaze showed a trace of surprise even greater than hers.

He had always been shrewd and meticulous, and it was the first time he had let something slip.

...

...

Led by the attendant, Baili An took his seat in the Wanggui Building. Inside the building, there were private booths draped with silk curtains.

The screens of the booths opened directly, and between them was neither jade nor gauze, but an extremely faint and thin membrane of light.

Looking out from within, one could clearly see the bustling crowd outside, while the outside could not see the people inside.

Unless there was a transmission of sound, not even a whisper from within the private booths could be heard.

Those familiar with the arcane could sense that this Wanggui Building was woven with extremely complex spatial arrays.

As the largest auction house in Shifang City, Wanggui Building naturally had deep foundations.

Baili An sat on a soft couch prepared by the cabinet in advance. By then, the auction had officially begun, and looking up, he could see the massive auction stage in the sky.

With his gaze barely settled, suddenly a tumultuous uproar broke out within the building.

As everyone had arrived, the originally closed main doors of the pavilion were once again pushed open, letting the golden morning light flood inside.

In this brilliance, disciples of the women’s sect in blue and white robes led the way, with a young girl in a cicada-wing silk dress at the forefront, her skirt woven with Jade Jade Fish Scales, shining brightly.

As the skirt swayed, it inadvertently revealed a section of her sleek white calf, the lines of which were graceful, her steps elegant.

The young woman had a jade-like nose and snow-white cheeks, brows like dark ink, and lips like spring blossoms, beautiful and radiant.

Even the imperial princess wouldn’t be less graceful than her in this appearance.

Someone in the crowd clearly recognized this high-profile and extravagant girl’s entrance, and immediately exclaimed:

"Fourth Miss Qin?!"

"Fourth Miss Qin is also attending the auction. It seems the Golden Immortal Auction today will surely have many rare treasures to sell."

The head steward, who had been managing important matters behind the scenes after the advisors, appeared almost as soon as the young woman did. He greeted her respectfully, bowing with a smile:

"Why didn’t Fourth Miss Qin send word before coming? This old house could have arranged a carriage to personally fetch you."

The woman, called Fourth Miss Qin, smiled shyly, covering her lips with a small fan, yet her words brimmed with undeniable arrogance and defiance:

"Carriages, such vulgar things, are worthy of letting this young lady’s feet touch the dirt? If Manager Li could provide a unicorn to pull the carriage, this young lady might consider whether to ride in the vehicle you arranged."

Sitting quietly in the private booth, sipping tea, Baili An’s eyebrows immediately raised.

From the sound of it, was this Fourth Miss Qin here to target Fang Geyu today?