Su Qing looked at the rain, sighing, and thought of a heavy rain from long ago.
"What a pity... things have changed, and people are no longer the same! Even past grievances and enmities are probably long forgotten! Perhaps only I remember them now!"
Su Qing smiled helplessly.
After living for so long, encountering things that feel like déjà vu always brings a wave of emotions.
"I wonder if my dilapidated temple has collapsed... after so many years without repair, it must have become a dangerous building by now, right?"
Su Qing thought of the county magistrate, and couldn't help but recall the dilapidated temple she once lived in.
Speaking of which, she had lived in that dilapidated temple for nearly a hundred years...
She even bid farewell to her first old friend in that temple.
Many of her memories were there.
If it were ruined, she would be somewhat sad.
But with so much time having passed, it wouldn't be strange if it were ruined.
How many things can remain as they once were, after being washed away by time?
"After the Ghost Festival passes, I'll go see that old residence!"
Ultimately, Su Qing was a rather nostalgic person.
If she weren't nostalgic, she wouldn't have returned to Huai County, nor would she have looked after the descendants of her old friend.
"Master... I'm sorry, Master, I'm late."
Due to boredom and the rain, Su Qing was reminiscing about the past when she suddenly heard a sound from outside.
Without looking, she knew it was Leng Xiang.
Su Qing smiled and looked over.
In the rain, Leng Xiang held an umbrella, raindrops pattering on it, splashing tiny droplets.
Leng Xiang under the umbrella was like a beautiful plum blossom beneath the eaves, truly captivating.
Simply put, her own treasured sword was truly beautiful!
Leng Xiang entered the shop, closed her umbrella, and shook off the water from its surface.
Su Qing smiled slightly, looked at Leng Xiang, and asked:
"Were you late, or did those little ones get distracted by something on the way? Is that why you only just found out?"
Leng Xiang merely smiled faintly at this, not answering.
Su Qing shook her head helplessly; she knew the general situation, but was just too lazy to say more.
She glanced at the little ones trailing beside Leng Xiang, wondering how to discipline them...
They've really been getting lazier lately.
After a moment's thought, Su Qing said nothing more.
"Let's go home! By the way, Leng Xiang, did you only bring one umbrella?"
"Didn't Master tell me to bring one umbrella?" Leng Xiang tilted her head, asking in confusion.
"......" Su Qing was momentarily at a loss for how to retort.
So, too lazy to argue, she shared an umbrella with Leng Xiang and walked home.
The umbrella was a bit small, so the two had to huddle close.
Although both of them possessed magic... living in the mortal world, it was best to reveal as little as possible of what could be concealed.
To avoid trouble.
Night fell.
The dilapidated temple quieted down.
The rain also lessened considerably, gradually stopping.
And the coughing from inside the temple also ceased.
Only the sound of a child's sobbing and an elder's comforting voice occasionally emanated from the temple.
Two more days passed.
The fifteenth day of the seventh month, the Ghost Festival.
This was one of the most important festivals of the year.
It is said that on the Lantern Festival, the Heaven Official bestows blessings; on the Ghost Festival, the Earth Official pardons sins; and on the Lower Yuan Festival, the Water Official resolves misfortunes.
Legend has it that on the Ghost Festival, the underworld releases un-reincarnated souls to return to the mortal world to reunite with their families.
Hence the saying that the Earth Official pardons sins on the Ghost Festival.
It was also a day for ancestor worship.
As for whether the underworld truly released people, Su Qing wasn't entirely sure...
But she could clearly feel that the yin energy on this day was indeed heavier than usual.
Even departed souls walking in sunlight wouldn't immediately turn to ash and vanish.
However, the Ghost Festival had little to do with Su Qing.
On this day, Su Qing sat in her shop as usual.
She didn't need to worship ancestors, so there was no need to close the shop...
Perhaps she was bored.
Su Qing took out the bone fragment.
After calculating two days prior that the Cat Immortal's reincarnation was in Huai County, Su Qing kept the bone fragment with her.
She planned to do some divination whenever she had a moment.
Perhaps one day, fate would suddenly arrive.
And she would be able to pinpoint where the Cat Immortal's reincarnation was.
However, clearly, fate had not yet arrived...
Su Qing's recent divination still yielded only a vague result.
Ultimately, it was due to her strength being too weak.
Fortunately, Su Qing was not in a hurry.
She could still wait.
"Never mind, let's just let fate decide."
Su Qing shook her head slightly and put her things away.
As she looked up, she saw an old man and a young one stop at her doorway.
She recognized the old man's appearance; she had seen him a few days ago...
But seeing him today...
He looked slightly different.
As for the little one... Su Qing didn't recognize her.
But by the looks of it, she probably had an eye condition and was blind.
Seeing this, Su Qing's eyebrow twitched slightly, and she asked:
"Are you here to buy items for ancestor worship?"
The little one seemed startled by this.
"I... I, I want to buy a coffin..."
The little one said weakly:
"S-someone said that Sister here allows credit... so, so I want... I want..."
The little one was clearly extremely nervous, stuttering when speaking to Su Qing.
"Credit is indeed available here..." Su Qing glanced at the old man beside the little one and asked, "But is the coffin for your grandfather?"
The old man slowly knelt down and bowed to Su Qing.
He opened his mouth, saying something...
Su Qing's brows furrowed slightly, and she was deep in thought.
While Su Qing was thinking, the little one nodded...
"Y-yes. But Sister, please don't worry, I... I will sell myself for a good price and repay Sister's money... I will definitely repay it..."
Saying this, the little one slowly knelt down, pleading:
"P-please, Sister..."
Su Qing looked at the girl and sighed deeply.
She had seen too much suffering in the mortal world, but whenever she saw it again... she still couldn't help but feel soft-hearted.
She glanced at the old beggar, shook her head slightly, and said:
"You have an eye condition, so you probably won't fetch a good price even if you sell yourself. Coffins are very expensive..."
"......" The little one heard this and was so anxious she was almost in tears.
She hurriedly listed what she could do, explaining that she could definitely fetch a good price.
Su Qing heard this and couldn't help but interrupt her.
She said, "It's not that I won't sell to you... how about this. My shop is looking to hire someone recently, so why don't you come work for me! From now on, you can work for me to pay off your debt! I will take care of your grandfather's funeral and such. Don't worry too much about anything else."
"R-really?"
"Really. Why would I lie to you? You're already planning to sell yourself anyway... selling to me is still selling. Plus, I'm giving you a chance to buy back your freedom, isn't that good?"
"Th-thank you, Sister! You truly are a great benevolent person! Just like those beggar grandpas said..."
Su Qing reached out and wiped the little girl's tears.
"What kind of benevolent person am I...?"
She wasn't even human.
The old man beside her bowed to Su Qing again, opened his mouth, and said many things.
As the old man spoke, a man holding a black umbrella and wearing a white official uniform appeared behind him.
The man saw Su Qing and slightly cupped his hands in greeting.
Then he patted the old man's shoulder and said:
"Let's go! You've been benevolent your whole life, you'll have a good reincarnation! As for your granddaughter, following that young lady will definitely not be a loss. Consider it a stroke of good fortune for your granddaughter!"
The old man nodded and disappeared in front of Su Qing with the man.
Su Qing retracted her gaze, looked at the girl in front of her, and asked, "By the way, little girl, what's your name?"
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