Chapter 585: So That's How You Play?

Yu Lin took Li Er and left Qu Ren Li.

There are no acquaintances here any more.

Those familiar smiles and those friendly hometown accents have all turned to yellow earth.

We kept moving forward, not knowing how long we had walked.

The scenery ahead gradually changed.

The fields grew ever more open, the villages grew ever sparser, and in the distance a vast marsh could be faintly seen, with misty vapor and swaying reeds.

Yu Lin, riding on a cow's back, pointed ahead and said to Li Er walking beside him:

"We've arrived, PeiZe."

Li Er looked at the marsh and then glanced at the faint plumes of smoke in the distance.

"PeiZe? What brings you here?"

"Do you want to leave some fate?"

Li Er turned his head to look at him.

"Almost, after all I'm your senior disciple, and will be born here in the future."

Li Er nodded, without asking further:

"As long as you're happy."

The two continued forward, gradually approaching the village.

At the village entrance a few children were playing; seeing them, they stopped curiously to size us up.

An old woman sat in the doorway sunbathing, squinting at them once before lowering her head again.

At that moment, a voice came from beside them.

"Hey, what's the meaning of this?"

Li Er turned his head.

An elderly man with graying hair stood by the road, leaning on a staff, his brows furrowed as he looked at them.

He wore coarse cloth garments, his face covered with wrinkles etched by wind and frost, yet his eyes were bright and full of vigor.

The old man stared at Yu Lin on the cow's back, then glanced at Li Er leading the cow, his brows furrowing tighter.

"Young man," he began, his voice still loud, "what's going on here?"

Yu Lin blinked.

"What do you mean?"

The old man pointed his staff at Li Er, then at him.

"This elderly gentleman, his hair all white, walks the cow; you, still young, ride on the cow's back."

"What is this called?"

He grew more animated, his staff thudding the ground with a bang‑bang sound.

"Respect the elders, love the young, understand? At my age I've never seen a youngster so ignorant!"

Yu Lin was stunned.

Li Er was also stunned.

The two exchanged a glance.

Li Er lowered his head, tried to hold back, couldn't, his mouth curled slightly, and he bowed his head, saying:

"Yes, yes."

"He is my grandson; I feel sorry for him, yet he doesn't feel sorry for me!"

"Alas! The hearer grieves, the listener is wounded!"

Yu Lin: ".................."

Alright, alright, so that's how you play?

Never mind, Yu Lin has plenty.

Yu Lin jumped down from the cow, walked up to the old man, and bowed.

"Elder, you are right; it is I who am ignorant."

The old man hummed, scanning him up and down, his gaze full of scrutiny.

"Who are you two? Where do you come from?"

Yu Lin pointed at Li Er.

"We come from Chen State, traveling around to see things."

"This is my friend; I am not his grandson."

"Don't be fooled by his white hair; not long ago he was with Night Guard Eighteen Women, a Good Male Wind, truly a Lust Hungry Ghost, a Lust Giant Demon!"

"Where does one need to ride a cow? As for me, frail and sickly, I gasp after two steps, cough after a few, even speaking too much makes me cough… cough cough!"

"Hey hey, okay, I misread, misread, you don't speak, rest, rest."

The old man hurriedly told Yu Lin to shut up, then looked at Li Er, his gaze circling his graying hair and frost‑marked face, finally settling on his helpless eyes.

He was momentarily stunned, feeling something was off, yet couldn't articulate it.

After thinking, he waved his hand.

"Enough, enough; since you're from afar, don't just stand outside."

"It's getting late; spend the night in our village."

"Come with me; though our village is small, hosting two travelers is no problem."

"Let me extend our hospitality, shall we?"

Yu Lin looked at Li Er.

Li Er nodded.

"Thank you, elder."

The old man waved his hand, turned, and walked toward the village.

……

The old man's house was at the eastern end of the village.

A small thatched cottage, kept neat and tidy.

In the yard grew some vegetables and fruits, a chicken coop was built in the corner, and a few hens clucked inside.

The old man greeted them to sit, and had his wife go boil water and cook.

Li Er sat in the yard, looking at the vegetables and fruits, and suddenly recalled the little courtyard in Qu Ren Li.

Li Shi had also grown these things in the yard, just as neatly and carefully.

He lowered his head and said nothing.

Yu Lin, on the other hand, was completely at ease, looking around east and west, not at all like a newcomer.

The old man came out holding two bowls of water and placed them before them.

"Drink, our water is good, drawn from PeiZe Li, clear and sweet."

Yu Lin lifted the bowl, took a sip, and nodded.

"Indeed not bad."

The old man sat opposite them, looking at them with eyes full of curiosity.

"You two, what exactly is your relationship?"

Yu Lin said:

"Close friends."

The old man then looked toward Li Er.

Li Er nodded.

"Close friends."

The old man looked at one, then the other, still feeling something was off, but couldn't put his finger on it.

"It turns out you were just teasing me......" He shook his head, not thinking further.

"Alright, you can stay here tonight and set out again tomorrow."

Li Er looked at him and gave a faint smile.

"Thank you."

The old man waved his hand, stood up, and walked toward the house.

"No need to thank me; when you're out and about, who doesn't have some difficulty."