"Alright, alright, Lihua, don't be angry anymore. Tuoba definitely knows how formidable I am, that's why he dares not come back." Meng Shaode quickly comforted the woman.
"Fine, then just say he's dead. At least our daughter is still pure. Being a widow is better than letting that brat have his way." Cai Lihua could only compromise.
Ajiu felt nothing about the word "widow." No matter what, her life in this world would definitely be better than her past life; at least her family was reunited.
Gurgle!
Cai Lihua finally heard her stomach rumbling. Meng Shaode was very attentive in front of his wife and quickly took out several peaches he had tied to himself.
It was already late autumn, and the morning breeze was very cool. Meng Shaode quickly put his vest back on.
Ajiu also sat down and ate a peach. "Grandma seems to have run off somewhere."
"Yes, why does your mother always run whenever something happens?" Cai Lihua recalled how many times the old lady had run off on this journey; her fingers couldn't count them all.
"She's an old lady; even if she didn't run, she couldn't help," Meng Shaode defended his mother.
"She's still an old lady? She runs faster than I do. Besides, isn't your mother possessed by an immortal? She can even summon rain, is she afraid of death?" Cai Lihua no longer saw Wang Shi as just an old lady. She was an immortal, and if an immortal was afraid of death, could she still be called an immortal?
Meng Shaode could only offer a sheepish smile. It seemed that the rain in Nanming City was indeed summoned by Grandma. But Ajiu suddenly realized that in Grandma's heart, staying alive was for cultivation. Nothing in the world was more important than her cultivation.
"Why can't an immortal be afraid of death?"
The treetops swayed overhead. With a *poof*, a figure dropped down, grabbed a peach, and began to eat.
"..." Cai Lihua jumped up reflexively, startled.
Meng Shaode also tightened his grip on his bow. Seeing it was his mother, he said with a wry smile, "Mother, you've been up in the tree the whole time."
"Mhm, it's safe up in the tree." Wang Shi showed no embarrassment about her earlier act of fleeing out of fear for her life.
Ajiu stared intently at Grandma. A faint purple aura seemed to envelop her. She had improved again, truly worthy of those two ginseng roots.
"Mother, you heard everything we just said?" Meng Shaode asked cautiously.
"Of course. However, I think Jiu'er is understanding and righteous. As the saying goes, sacrificing oneself for righteousness is far better than the worldly concerns you two hold onto. In the future, overlooking minor details will lead to great achievements."
As soon as Wang Shi said this, Meng Shaode and Cai Lihua exchanged glances.
Cai Lihua paid no mind to her mother-in-law's words, believing them to be empty platitudes, like being a good person. Look at history; what good end have good people met? It was the wicked who lived for a thousand years. She, Cai Lihua, did not crave to be a good person, nor did she want to be a villain. Living well was enough.
Thinking this, Cai Lihua stood up and looked around. The forest actually had many small paths; perhaps people had come here often before. "Do we still have to walk on mountain paths?"
"This is the only stretch of mountain road to head towards Lingnan. Once we leave Nanming territory, there won't be many mountains left." Meng Shaode had previously run errands to Lingnan, a place separated by a stretch of sea. Not only was the rainfall abundant, but eighty to ninety percent of the salt transported to various regions came from there. Judging by the current situation, that area was indeed rich in resources. Even without crops, they could survive by eating things from the sea. This was why refugees from several northern cities ultimately dreamed of going there. However, the thought of how long it might take filled Meng Shaode's eyes with a layer of confusion.
"Jiu'er, come here." Wang Shi handed the remaining peach pit to Ajiu to keep and led her to a distance before stroking her non-existent beard and smiling gleefully. "Will you plant some more ginseng? Of course, Grandma won't take your things for nothing. I can teach you a skill."