Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The pastries Lu Maomao and Yu Changhao bought were delivered to the old master, with the rest distributed to the other households.

The portion for Yu Changan was personally delivered by the two of them.

Yu Changan picked up a piece of osmanthus cake. "From Wuweizhai. It was thoughtful of you to remember me on your first day of school."

Lu Maomao: "I'd forget anyone else before I forgot you, Fifth Brother."

"Don't spend all day thinking about food. Put more effort into your studies."

"I wasn't just thinking about it. On the way home, Changhao and I happened to see the shop doing good business and thought to buy some for the family to try."

Yu Changhao's expression shifted slightly. Brother-in-law clearly only remembered Brother Xiaoyu. But Yu Changhao didn't dare say it outright and could only echo Lu Maomao, "Just as he said."

"Hmm, how was your day at the academy? Keeping up?" Yu Changan asked Lu Maomao.

"Barely keeping up. The teacher's lessons are excellent, only a little worse than the old master's."

Seeing Lu Maomao only mention the old master, Yu Changan raised an eyebrow. "Better than me?"

Lu Maomao rubbed his nose, his voice sounding nasally. "Fifth Brother, a gap of over a decade isn't something that can be easily bridged."

Teacher Mei was nearly forty, while Yu Changan was only in his twenties. The accumulation and depth of experience is something you can't understand until you get there.

Yu Changhao looked at Lu Maomao as if he were a brave warrior. He looked up to his second brother as a father figure; towards Fifth Brother, it was respect for a talented person. He wouldn't dare act presumptuously in front of either. Brother-in-law not only joked with Fifth Brother but even dared to poke fun at him.

Yu Changan wasn't angry; he had better things to do than compare his depth to a middle-aged man's. Seeing Lu Maomao's high praise for the new teacher, he felt reassured and decided not to interfere further. However, a little admonishment was still in order. "Then let's both do our best. The gap between me and your teacher is one of age, but you and Changhao genuinely have a seven or eight-year difference in study time."

Yu Changhao, caught in the crossfire: "...I'll help Brother-in-law. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

The two stayed and had dinner with Yu Changan before returning.

After that, Lu Maomao and Yu Changhao went to class together in the morning and returned together in the afternoon. Yu Xiaoyu lost his main playmate. During the day, after learning some characters with the old master, he could only pass the time with the twins, Zhi Lan, and Zhi Fang.

When playing with the twins, Yu Xiaoyu was very childish. The twins' childish games were similar to those he and Maomao played in Anping County. Although Yu Xiaoyu felt he had grown up, he was still drawn to these little games. He was still just a big kid at heart.

But in front of Zhi Lan and Zhi Fang, he tried hard to act the part of the responsible older brother, full of enthusiasm for being a good brother. He never realized that the two girls were often letting him win.

In their free time, Zhi Lan and Zhi Fang wanted to show Yu Xiaoyu the things they usually played with, but he didn't understand music, chess, calligraphy, or painting. The only game he knew was Gomoku, and after everyone learned it, he sometimes even lost to the twins.

So, Zhi Lan and Zhi Fang taught him gardening.

In autumn, the main flowers to care for were chrysanthemums.

But Yu Xiaoyu's chrysanthemum cultivation didn't go smoothly. Chrysanthemums shouldn't be watered too much. In the first few days, he couldn't resist wanting to water them every day. Sometimes water splashed on the leaves, and within days the leaves would rot.

Xiaoyu's mother planned to get him some plants that grow in water so he could water them every day.

The twins often asked Yu Xiaoyu, "Where did Uncle Maomao go?"

"Maomao went to school."

"Then he can't play with us."

"Maomao said he'd play with us on his day off."

"Only that then."

Every afternoon when Lu Maomao returned, he would go to the old master for guidance. If Yu Xiaoyu wanted to see him, he would go to his grandfather's for meals. If he didn't think of him, Lu Maomao would stay at the old master's for a while before returning to his own quarters. Occasionally, when he encountered Yu Changan discussing issues with the old master, Lu Maomao would tactfully avoid disturbing them.

Teacher Mei's private school had a day off every ten days. Two days before the first day off, the old master announced that he would take him and Xiaoyu to the Three Purities Temple.

"I sent a message to Huaizhen Daozhang some days ago. The Daozhang replied today, asking us to visit in the next couple of days. Feifan, Xiaoyu, prepare yourselves."

"Alright."

Yu Xiaoyu was delighted at the prospect of an outing. Lu Maomao was excited about finally meeting the legendary Huaizhen Daozhang. He was full of curiosity about this Daozhang whom he had only heard of but never seen. During his two years in Anping County, Lu Maomao hadn't deliberately sought out temples or Taoist temples. Besides being busy, he mainly just didn't think of it. This was his first time visiting a formal religious site.

Huaizhen Daozhang was a true adept. During the decades Lu Maomao spent wandering in his previous life, he had never encountered such an extraordinary person.

Early in his wandering life, those with real abilities had either fled or hidden themselves. After some years, a batch of scoundrels was dealt with, and many returned to secular life. Then, during a period of ideological liberation, it seemed like all hell broke loose for a time. The humans he lived with either didn't believe in these things, encountered frauds or those with ill intentions, or were still young and not troubled enough to question fate, so their connection ended.

When the internet flourished, Lu Maomao came across stories online of cats in Taoist temples complaining to the Patriarch, and he considered whether to find a suitable place to reside. But he lost to his own procrastination. He thought about leaving, but subconsciously felt he could wait a little longer. He'd waited so long he ended up in another world, and still hadn't gotten around to paying his respects.

Lu Maomao refused to admit he was lazy. "My connection with the Patriarch wasn't meant for my last life. It was destined for this one."

Yu Changning and Yu Changan escorted them there.

Besides seeing the old master off, Yu Changan wanted to relax. Yu Changning was worried about Yu Changan taking care of the old master and the other three alone.

Arriving at the Three Purities Temple, the group first went to offer incense.

Amidst the curling incense smoke, Lu Maomao secretly glanced up at the kind, serene, and joyful Patriarch above, and his heart also became peaceful and joyful.

"Elder Lord, the Daozhang has been waiting for you for some time." The young acolyte Jue Ming came to guide the old master.

"Thank you for leading the way, young Daozhang."

Huaizhen Daozhang appeared to be a man around forty years old, with a lean and agile build, and thick, black hair.

As soon as Lu Maomao and Yu Xiaoyu entered the room, he noticed them. Lu Maomao looked up and met Huaizhen Daozhang's gaze. The Daozhang's eyes were clear and sharp, a flash of brilliance passing through them. Lu Maomao felt that with just that one look, the Daozhang had seen through his background.

But he wasn't afraid at all. He had backing too.

Before sending him here, the elders of the Little Carp had said he could live a peaceful and smooth life in this world.

"Daozhang, thanks to your guidance, this child has already begun to improve." Old Master Yu pulled Yu Xiaoyu forward and said to Huaizhen Daozhang.

"Young Master Yu's seal has been broken. Having passed through this tribulation, Young Master Yu will have a lifetime of peace and smoothness, a harmonious marriage, and filial descendants."

When Huaizhen Daozhang first met Yu Xiaoyu, he discovered that for some reason, his soul was trapped within his body. Although he could perceive the outside world, he couldn't merge with his body. His own cultivation was shallow and he couldn't help Yu Xiaoyu complete this fusion. He divined for Yu Xiaoyu and learned his destined connection lay with a cat.

But Huaizhen Daozhang never expected it to be a cat from another world, one carrying the blessing of another world's Dragon God.

Two years ago, from the hair of Lu Maomao sent by Old Master Yu, he discovered this person's situation. But this Lu Maomao had not only done no evil, he was a cat with merit and divine protection. The transaction with the owner of this body was mutually consensual. He had no reason to ruin their destined opportunity in this life. Moreover, the subtle influence of the Dragon God's blessing could help Benefactor Xiaoyu complete the fusion. Huaizhen Daozhang carefully divined again and found the two were indeed a heaven-ordained match. Thus, he felt even less burdened when sending his reply to Old Master Yu.

His words just now also indirectly affirmed the marriage between Lu Maomao and Yu Xiaoyu.

Old Master Yu: "That is excellent. Two years ago, I sent you Feifan's clothing. Today, I'd like to ask you to see him in person."

Huaizhen Daozhang examined Lu Maomao carefully, his eyes flickering slightly, but he only said, "Meeting is fate. Since you have come, young master, be at peace with your circumstances."

"What about the divine blessing on Feifan?" Old Master Yu asked.

Huaizhen Daozhang shook his head. "Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed."

Lu Maomao's eyes darted around, glancing left at Huaizhen Daozhang and right at the old master. Seriously? They knew about the blessing from Little Carp's elders two years ago? Was his smooth life in the Yu family because of this?

Even if it were, he didn’t seem to have any right to complain. The old master and Fifth Brother had truly poured a lot into him. Though they had their own motives, they didn’t expect anything from him—only hoping that he and Xiaoyu would have a good future together.

As the saying goes, judge a man by his deeds, not his thoughts. Regardless of why the old master and the others treated him well, he had genuinely benefited: his status, residency, and housing were all sorted out, and he even became engaged to his beloved Xiaoyu. To complain after all that would not only be ungrateful but a real blow to his own conscience.

After all, he wasn't unaware of the oddities. The immense effort spent grooming a live-in son-in-law was the most unreasonable aspect of their relationship. A live-in son-in-law was, by tradition, an outsider; if he truly rose to prominence, only a tiny fraction would feel grateful to their wife’s or husband’s family. Most would see the arrangement as a stain and try to erase it, often at the expense of the woman or young man who brought them into the family. The old master’s investment in him carried risks, and by accepting it, he tacitly acknowledged the potential complications.

Ah, well. Being a son-in-law in someone else’s family inevitably comes with grievances. Better not to trouble the old master, the others, or himself.

Lu Maomao quickly talked himself out of his worries and then asked Huaizhen Daozhang, “Master, do I have any affinity for the path of immortality?”

But as soon as he spoke, he provoked Yu Changan. This darn cat still hadn’t given up on cultivating the Dao! He must not have enough homework. Once they returned, he’d make him copy texts as punishment—preferably so much that he wouldn’t even have time to sleep.

“Young master has his own fate.”

But in his previous life, his prospects had been practically nonexistent. “Do I really have no fate in this world?”

“Young master’s fate lies in your own hands.” Huaizhen Daozhang looked at Lu Maomao’s hand, which was holding Yu Xiaoyu’s.

Lu Maomao hurriedly let go of Xiaoyu. Though he had lived a long time, he was only a little spirit with low magical power. He had been a bit nervous while speaking with the Daoist master and had instinctively reached for Xiaoyu’s hand.

“Is my only fate in this world with Xiaoyu?” Lu Maomao asked, unwilling to give up.

Yu Xiaoyu turned to look at Lu Maomao. Wasn’t having a connection with him enough? He wondered what else Lu Maomao wanted to ask.

“The mortal world is also a training ground. As long as you do not forget your original intentions, live well, and sincerely complete this life, it will greatly benefit your next life.”

The key was to live well.

Lu Maomao had long understood this, but he still had questions. “Does the Patriarch really look down on me? I’m smart, capable, studious, and my talent and insight aren’t lacking.”

Huaizhen Daozhang smiled. “The Patriarch treats all things equally, but young master, your fate truly does not lie here.”

“Then where will my next life be?”

“From the source you came, to the source you shall return.”

“What about Xiaoyu?”

“If neither of you gives up, you will naturally reunite.”

“I will definitely not give up on Xiaoyu.”

“Mm, then I won’t give up on Maomao either.”

After Lu Maomao finished his questions, the old master sent all the younger generation out, wanting to speak privately with Huaizhen Daozhang for a while.