Chapter 920 - Chapter 920: Settling into the County
Chapter 920: Settling into the County
Editor: Henyee Translations
As the parrot flapped its wings and flew away, Chu Qingzhi returned to the young girl’s home.
At this time, the old lady had gathered all the remaining people from the village at her house—about twenty in total, all over fifty years old. Thankfully, their age may have spared them from darker fates.
The old lady said to Chu Qingzhi, “Miss, everyone is here, and we’ve packed our belongings. When do we leave?”
Chu Qingzhi replied, “First, eat something to regain some strength; otherwise, you might not make it.”
Heeding her advice, the old lady invited everyone inside, “Come on in, everyone. We have water and lotus roots to eat.”
“You actually have food, that’s amazing!”
“It’s all thanks to the lady here. Without her, we’d be starving just like you.”
“We’ve really met a kind soul.”
Grinning, the old lady added, “Indeed, that’s why it’s important to be kind. You never know when you might lose your life.”
Everyone agreed more earnestly, especially thinking of the village men who had died, feeling that it was indeed better to be kind.
By evening, after everyone had eaten their fill, Chu Qingzhi led the group of elderly and frail towards the county.
The journey from the village to the county took about half an hour, traversing rough and uneven paths that included a mountain climb, which was quite challenging.
“If you get tired, let me know, and we can rest before continuing,” Chu Qingzhi told them.
“Alright.”
The young girl, having often played at the medical clinic in the county as a child, knew the mountain paths well and led the way. Chu Qingzhi, who had previously flown, was unfamiliar with the route.
Halfway there, Chu Qingzhi said, “Wait here for a moment. I’m going to see if the wolf I fed earlier is still around. If it is, I’ll bring it back to help guard our new home.”
Everyone was both excited and slightly fearful—it was a wolf, after all. Could it bite?
Chu Qingzhi flew off in the direction she had left the wolf. She wasn’t sure if it would still be there as she had only left some food for it without further ado.
Finding the area around the broken clay pot empty, she saw no sign of the wolf. “Looks like it’s gone!”
She waited a little while before returning. Just as she flew over the mountain, she heard a wolf howl and turned to see a wolf, thin as a sheet of paper, chasing after her frantically.
Chu Qingzhi landed with a smile, “You didn’t leave, huh?”
The wolf seemed relieved to see her return, too tired to stand straight, and lay down panting heavily.
Chu Qingzhi gently stroked the wolf’s head. As dusk approached, she picked up the wolf, “Rest now, I’ll carry you back to the others.”
This wolf had now experienced a pinnacle moment in its life.
When Chu Qingzhi actually returned with a wolf, everyone took a step back in shock, except for the young girl who approached confidently. “Fairy sister, can I take care of the wolf?”
“If you promise to treat it well, yes,” Chu Qingzhi replied, setting the wolf down. Once it stood, it nuzzled Chu Qingzhi in a show of gratitude.
The girl nodded vigorously, “I will.”
After a brief rest, with the wolf recovering a bit, it followed the young girl as they continued their move to the county.
On the way, the young girl asked Chu Qingzhi, “Fairy sister, what should we name the wolf?”
Chu Qingzhi responded, “You choose whatever you like; you are its master now.”
The girl, looking at the red sun atop the mountain, filled with hope, suggested, “How about calling it Sunshine?”
“That’s a good name,” Chu Qingzhi agreed.
The girl patted the wolf’s head, saying joyfully, “Sunshine, from now on, that’s your name. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.”
The wolf howled in response, expressing its gratitude.
They needed to climb a mountain next. Once they crossed the peak, it would be a straight path to the county.
As they struggled up the mountainous path…
“Ah—” Suddenly, an elderly woman slipped and started rolling down the slope.
Everyone was horrified; the young girl shouted, “Grandma Xu!”
Chu Qingzhi swiftly intervened, catching and steadying the woman, “Don’t be scared, you’re safe now.”
Grandma Xu, resigned to her fate, murmured, “I’m old, and in these times, death isn’t the worst thing. Don’t bother saving me next time.”
Chu Qingzhi didn’t reply to that, simply saying, “Let’s catch up with the others.”
Nodding, Grandma Xu joined the rest of the group. Two slightly younger women immediately supported her. One of them said, “We came out together; we have to reach our destination together.”
Grandma Xu smiled at them, “I’m just an old bag of bones; I can’t die even if I wanted to, sorry for being a burden.”
The other woman replied, “Don’t talk about being a burden. We’re all in this together now; no one is allowed to talk about dying.”
Grateful, Grandma Xu just smiled, “Alright.”
The young girl approached Chu Qingzhi, “Fairy Sister, thank you for saving Grandma Xu. All three of her sons were forced to join the army, and her daughter-in-law and grandson were… eaten by those people. It’s very tragic.”
Chu Qingzhi inwardly noted, “Still, the cultivation world is better. You listen to those with power, and your destiny is in your own hands.”
They continued their arduous journey, eventually overcoming the mountain to reach level ground. Gazing around, they finally saw hope and quickened their pace towards the county office, looking forward to living in big houses.
Upon arrival, Chu Qingzhi soared into the air, removed the office’s plaque with a single swipe, and replaced it with another from a different large estate.
Seeing the new plaque sparked a sense of renewal among the group. Their eyes gradually brightened with hope.
Chu Qingzhi clapped her hands, “Everything’s set. Let’s go inside.”
The young girl pushed open the gate, “From now on, this is our home.” She entered, bouncing along with the wolf named Sunshine.
Chu Qingzhi instructed, “Everyone, pick your rooms and settle down. Get some water, and I’ll see what food I can find.”
The young girl caught up to her, “Fairy Sister, can I come with you? I want to learn how to find food so I can do it myself next time.”
Chu Qingzhi knew she would eventually leave, so it was good for the girl to learn survival skills.
“Sure,” she agreed and led the young girl to a neighboring estate. “When searching for things, always start in the backyard; the front is unlikely to have what we need.”
As they walked, Chu Qingzhi explained the usual rules for scavenging.
The young girl’s eyes sparkled with admiration, “Fairy Sister, you know so much!”
“The more you experience, the more you learn,” Chu Qingzhi replied as they entered a shed. “In the future, if you run out of firewood, come here. Although you don’t need it now, it’s better to store some for later.”