Not long after, Tang San returned with a basin of water, quickly walked to Xiao Wu's bed, and placed the basin on the ground.
He had been quite weak from his previous outburst, and now, just fetching some water, a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Xiao Wu, the foot-washing water is ready!"
"Thanks!" Xiao Wu's voice was clear, and she didn't even look at him.
"It's nothing, as long as you're happy."
Facing Tang San's affectionate gaze, she showed no reaction, instead feeling a bit nauseated by this pervert who was staring at her feet.
Tang San waited by her side.
Xiao Wu's small feet slowly touched the water's surface, then abruptly pulled away.
"Hiss~ You fellow! Hey!" She glared at him angrily.
"Ah? What's wrong, Xiao Wu?" Tang San, who had been lost in thought, was startled awake.
"Why did you get cold water? What if I get sick?" Xiao Wu pulled her feet out and put them back under the covers.
"It's fine, if you get sick, I'll take care of you."
"You mean you intentionally got cold water?" Xiao Wu frowned, looking at him coldly.
"How could that be? I'll go get new water right away!" Tang San realized his slip of the tongue and quickly tried to remedy it.
"Hmph, then go." Xiao Wu lay down directly, staring at the ceiling.
The second time, he brought hot water, but Xiao Wu was still not satisfied.
She said it was too hot.
And when she put on her shoes and said she wanted to do it herself, Tang San was displeased.
"I'll go, I'll go!" He said he also wanted to soak his feet and that it was on his way.
Without further delay, he set off again.
After he had gone far, Xiao Wu's voice rang out.
"Wang Sheng!"
"Yes, Xiao Wu Jie, is there anything?" Wang Sheng smiled somewhat fawningly, after all, even his third brother was limp, let alone him.
"When he comes back, tell him not to disturb me, I'm going to sleep. Also!" Xiao Wu's voice paused, and she looked at Wang Sheng strangely.
"Also what?" Wang Sheng was puzzled.
"Also, didn't you smell that latrine stench on him? Tell him to wash up thoroughly later, or he's not allowed into Dorm Seven! Understand?"
"Understood, understood!"
After giving all her instructions, Xiao Wu covered her mouth with her hand; she was genuinely a bit sleepy. Anyway, Tang San couldn't escape, and she would slowly torment him.
Hugging the blanket Ye Qiu had bought for her, she slowly closed her eyes.
Tang San was smarter this time, returning with cold water in one hand and hot water in the other, able to adjust the water temperature as he pleased.
Unfortunately, Xiao Wu had already fallen asleep.
After learning of her instructions before sleeping, he didn't resist at all, as it was the truth. In the evening, when he went to the teacher's compartment... that scene almost made him unable to act.
Xiao Wu telling him to wash up was also a sign of her concern for him, wasn't it?
That day, Tang San went to bed very late but was happy about it. However, little did he know, this was just the first night!
...
Starlight doesn't fail the traveler,
In the dead of night, no one around.
At this time, using the foot power of a ten-year Spirit Beast, the Iron Hoof Horse, Ye Qiu had already arrived at the entrance of Bi You Village.
He dismounted, his Spirit appeared, and the Iron Hoof Horse disappeared into a vortex before his eyes.
Looking at the familiar village entrance, Ye Qiu didn't linger. He walked and looked along the way, not expecting that he had unknowingly been away from here for almost three years.
The stone house located at the end of the village was not as dilapidated as Ye Qiu had imagined. Perhaps the village head, Zhang Laotou, often came to take care of it.
He stopped for a long time under the peach tree next to it before opening the door and walking in.
There wasn't much dust inside, and the layout was the same as when he left. The wooden horse he made for Xiao Wu was still in its original place.
He took out a blanket from his Divine Might Space, put it on the bed, and made do with it for the night.
"Sigh, Old Ye Tou, I, Old Zhang, have come to see you again. I wonder how your grandson is doing in Nuoding City."
In the early morning, Ye Qiu was woken by an old voice from outside. It was Zhang Laotou's voice.
Click! Getting up and opening the somewhat dilapidated wooden door, Ye Qiu saw Zhang Laotou outside.
He was sitting cross-legged under the peach tree, drinking his homemade fruit wine, taking a sip and spilling a bit.
"Grandpa Zhang!" Ye Qiu called out.
"Huh? Old Ye Tou, did you hear your brat's voice? Could it be that I'm drunk?" He looked at the wine bottle in his hand. Although he hadn't drunk it for a long time, it was just fruit wine, it shouldn't be enough to get him drunk, right?
"Grandpa Zhang, you're not drunk! I really am back."
Ye Qiu stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe, smiling at Zhang Laotou who was sitting on the ground.
"Hey!" Zhang Laotou turned his head, rubbed his eyes hard, even forgetting to pick up his cane on the ground, and stumbled towards Ye Qiu.
"Ye Qiu, you're really back?!"
"Of course it's real!" Ye Qiu walked over and reached out to support him.
"Haha... You've grown quite a bit, kid! And you've become much more handsome." Zhang Laotou pinched his arms and shoulders, looking him up and down.
Unfortunately, before he could say a few more words of praise, he started to blame him again, "Speaking of which, when did you come back? You didn't even come into my house to sit. Are you afraid that I, this old man, would try to take advantage of you?"
"Grandpa Zhang, why do you still like to say such things? I arrived in the middle of the night, how could I disturb you all?"
Sweat broke out on Ye Qiu's forehead. After Grandpa Zhang stood steadily, Ye Qiu moved aside, bent down to pick up the cane he had dropped, and put it back in his hand.
"Alright then, you pass." He tugged at his gray beard.
Ignoring Ye Qiu's eye-roll, he pulled him and started heading home, "Then it's alright to come to my house for breakfast now, right? I'll make you something good."
"Of course!" Ye Qiu rubbed his belly. He hadn't eaten dinner yesterday, so he was indeed hungry.
"Then you go pay your respects to Old Ye Tou first. I'll go back and tell Zhang's Wife."
"Alright, be careful, take your time."
Watching the old rascal slowly walk away with his cane, Ye Qiu couldn't help but smile. Everything was still so familiar—the taste of home, of his hometown!
After finding a few sticks of incense from the stone house,
Ye Qiu took over Zhang Laotou's original sitting position, knelt straight there, held the incense sticks above his head, and offered one stick with each kowtow.
Then, leaning against the old peach tree, he softly recounted his experiences of the past few years:
"Grandpa! These past few years, I..."
"I met a girl, very cute and well-behaved."
"I met Jerry and his wife, very kind and benevolent."
"I met the Tang Clan father and son, very dangerous, but also safe."
"I became a Spirit Master, weak but growing."
Ye Qiu spoke a lot, and a good amount of time passed. He got up and walked towards the village head's house.
Zhang Laotou and Zhang's Wife were both very hospitable. Although it was breakfast, it was exceptionally rich.
Of course, it would have been even better without the braised rabbit meat.
"Xiao Qiu, you child, come, come, eat more meat. Look at your skinny arms and legs." Zhang's Wife was quite enthusiastic, putting the best rabbit leg into his bowl.
Ye Qiu smiled politely and didn't decline.
"Haha..." Zhang Laotou also chuckled happily.
"Speaking of which, it's quite a coincidence. Today, this very day, is the day nine years ago when Old Ye Tou found you. Zhang's Wife knew, so she specially butchered the rabbit she just bought yesterday, considering it your birthday."
"Thank you, Zhang's Wife." Ye Qiu's eyes were a little moist. These so-called commoners at the bottom of the continent made him feel the warmth of home.
"Dad! Why are you saying all this! Go drink your wine."
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