4 Void Mortal Refinemen (1/2)
This meal Chen Fan had shared with the Jiang family was not unpleasant by any stretch of the imagination. Jiang family strictly followed the traditional table manners, which meant no chattering while eating.
However, Chen Fan didn't mind the silence. His mind had already veered off to the memories of his past life.
”It's been a while since I had a meal prepared by Auntie Tang,”he thought wistfully.
Auntie Tang's marriage was not perfect, particularity later in her life when Jiang Haishan had secured a prominent position in the government. Mired in public events, he rarely came home, and therefore the couple slowly drifted apart.
Chen Fan remembered that when he was poor and down on his luck, he had to mooch off Auntie Tang. For him, Auntie Tang's dishes were the best meals he ever had.
”What a pity. Auntie was good looking and had superb cooking skills; it was a shame that she got married to a husband whose only pursuit was power.” Chen Fan lamented in his mind.
While bustling about between the kitchen and the dining room, Auntie Tang managed to pause for a minute and spoke to Chen Fan, ”Fan, it's your first time visiting Chu Zhou City, I will ask Ran-ran to take you to go to the city center to buy some toiletries and groceries. I doubt you will have everything you need at your rental house.”
”Thank you.” Chen Fan accepted the offer without consulting Jiang Churan.
Jiang Churan nodded with an annoyed face. She might agree to the task now, but as soon as she walked out of the house, she would ditch the boy right away.
Dinner was over Chen Fan bid farewell to Auntie Tang with a smile.
As soon as Chen Fan walked out of the house with Jiang Churan, the smile on the girl's face evaporated into thin air.
Without even looking at Chen Fan, she said coldly, ”I still have something to do, you can go shopping on your own, can't you?”
She paused a second and then she continued, ”You know how to get a taxi in the city, right?” Her voice was laced with annoyance. She thought Chen Fan would play dumb and insist on her coming along with him; but to her surprise, she watched as the boy nodded and then said, ”Of course I do.”
She didn't turn around until Chen Fan's image disappeared behind a row of willow trees. Guilt slowly crept into her heart, and she had the urge to catch up with the boy and help him. However, the thought of the huge difference in all aspects of their lives made her think better of her actions. They were not meant to be together, the sooner she made it clear to him, the better for both of them.
”Well, that was fast. Did you even go with him?” Auntie Tang asked her daughter curiously as soon as the latter stepped into the house again.
Still grappling with guilt, Jiang Churan said quietly, ”He said that he could do it alone.”
She then heard her father snorted, ”I will not let my daughter hang out with such a loser anyway.”
Jiang Haishan's career had hit a glass ceiling. In order to be promoted even further, he would require strong support from those who have significant political clout, such as deputy mayor Li.
Luckily for Jiang Haishan, the son of the deputy mayor was not only his daughter's classmate, but he also seemed to be very interested in Jiang Churan. The deputy minister had even alluded to a potential marriage on multiple occasions. Although it was an opportunity that he couldn't pass up, Jiang Haishan couldn't agree to the proposal so easily, particularly when his daughter was still so young. It would be a sign of desperation if he did.
Giving the illustrious achievement of Chen Fan's mother, Jiang Haishan, initially had high hopes for the boy. However, after meeting with Chen Fan, he conceded that the reality was far from what he had hoped for. Li Yichen, the mayor's son was a much more suitable candidate for his daughter.
He jerked his head towards the kitchen and grumbled on, ”Your daughter is still young, don't just bring anyone to our home. She needs to focus on study.”
Auntie Tang frowned deeply and rushed out of the kitchen. ”Excuse you? She is my daughter, and this is MY house. I can bring whomever I want to here.”
Seeing her parents were at it again, Jiang Churan heaved a sight and went straight to her room. It could have been a nice and quiet evening, but that country boy had spoiled everything.
Meanwhile, Chen Fan had already made his way down to the lake. He wasn't bothered at all by the unpleasant encounter with the father and daughter pair; they meant nothing to him, and he had a much bigger fish to fry.
As he walked along the path that hugged the lake shore, he sensed the ebbs and flows of energy around him very carefully.
The Qi spirit was not static. It flowed like water and always headed toward the area with a lower Qi potential. On very rare occasions, the Qi would pool together, forming what the cultivators would call a Numinous Abode. Wherever there was sea, there would be a desert; some places hopelessly lacked Qi.
After having followed the path for a few miles, Chen Fan finally stopped.
”This is it. I think I will have to brave the depths of the Yunwu Mountain if I want to find an even better spot.” He looked around and found out he was in a patch of willow trees. Despite it being a hot summer evening, he felt the cool breezes against his bare skin, and it was quite comfortable.
Chen Fan found a big gnarly willow tree, and sat cross-legged, facing the Yanhui Lake.
Nestled beside the developed urban spaces, Yangui Lake, the ”Lake of Returning Swallows” was the largest lake in Chu Zhou City. Many residential houses, commercial buildings, and hotels were built around the Lake. Thanks to the abundance of water provided by the lake, Chu Zhou City, a city in the northern part of the province, also had a bit of southern charm.