Siheyuan: The Temptation of the Mountains

"Hey, there are a lot of people here too, there's no need for me to go."

Lin Ze said this without any regrets, as if he was going to a strange relative's house instead of his grandmother's house today.

Lin Ze doesn't like his grandmother's house. He had experienced this dislike once from his original body's emotions when he traveled through time and possessed his original body's memories, and then it became ingrained in his bones.

"Let's not talk about that. The hole you made in the ice is a little small."

Yan Bugui pointed at the hole in the ice where Lin Ze was fishing. The hole was about the size of a washbasin. Lin Ze's fishing line was accurately thrown into the fishing hole the size of the basin.

"When it comes to fishing, the size of the hole doesn't matter."

As Lin Ze was speaking, his fishing float suddenly sank. Lin Ze paused and immediately lifted the rod, and a crucian carp the size of a palm came up.

Lin Ze put the crucian carp into the fish basket, and Yan Bugui saw that the basket was almost full. "Not bad, you have caught so many fish?"

"It's not much, just some small fish."

Lin Ze was telling the truth. Compared with the fish he used to catch in sacks, this amount of crucian carp was nothing.

Yan Bugui also smashed a hole in the ice not far from Lin Ze, but unfortunately he was reluctant to make a nest. After fishing for a while, he could only watch Lin Ze catch fish.

He himself didn't catch any fish.

Seeing that it was almost noon, Yan Bugui's eyes turned and he said with a smile: "Hey, Lin Ze, you have almost caught all the fish, why don't you go home with your uncle to have lunch. It just so happens that I will ask your aunt to make fish soup for you."

Lin Ze sneered in his heart. He knew exactly what the old man was planning. But he didn't expose it. He pretended to hesitate and said, "This is not good, Third Master. It's too much trouble for you."

"It's no trouble, no trouble." Yan Bugui waved his hand quickly, "You kid, why are you being so polite to the Third Uncle? Besides, it's winter, and you won't have any hot meals to eat if you go back alone. It's better to go back with the Third Uncle."

Lin Ze laughed secretly in his heart. Yan Bugui was really thick-skinned. But he also wanted to see what Yan Bugui was up to, so he agreed.

The two packed up their things and headed towards Yan Bugui's house. Along the way, Yan Bugui kept finding topics to chat with Lin Ze and asked about his family situation, but Lin Ze just answered casually.

When they arrived at Yan Bugui's house, the third aunt greeted Lin Ze warmly.

Yan Bugui was busy picking up a fish that Lin Ze had caught and walked into the kitchen, muttering to himself, "This fish is really fresh. It's just right for Lin Ze to replenish his body."

After a while, the food was served. Yan Bugui kept serving food to Lin Ze, especially the bowl of fish soup, and he even kindly asked Lin Ze to drink more.

Lin Ze knew in his heart that the old couple must have something to ask of him, otherwise they would not be so enthusiastic.

He didn't say anything, just kept chewing on the hard-to-swallow steamed bread, and could only eat a few more bites with the fish soup.

Yan Jiefang and his two siblings were extremely greedy, but without Yan Bugui to greet them, they could only dare to smell the aroma of the fish soup secretly.

After the meal, Yan Bugui finally couldn't help but said, "Lin Ze, you are really good. You caught a good fish. Third uncle has something to ask of you."

Lin Ze smiled in his heart, thinking that it was indeed the case. He pretended to be surprised and asked, "Uncle, if you have any questions, please tell me. I will definitely help you if I can."

"It's like this, Lin Ze. You know, Uncle Three's family is the most in need in our courtyard. It's almost the end of the year, and we don't even have money to buy meat."

Yan Bugui said, wiping away tears hypocritically, "I, your uncle, have no other choice, so I thought I could lend you two fish, so that you can have guests at home and it will look better."

Lin Ze secretly despised Yan Bugui in his heart. This Yan Bugui really knows how to cry poor. He pretended to be embarrassed and said: "Uncle, I don't have the final say on this fish. I have to take it home to show my parents. If I lend it to you, I won't be able to explain to them."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui quickly said, "Then I'll borrow one. One will be fine, right?"

Lin Ze thought about it and decided that since he had caught quite a few fish, it wouldn't matter if he gave him one, so he nodded and agreed.

Upon seeing this, Yan Bugui immediately smiled and praised Lin Ze as a good boy.

Yan Bugui picked out the biggest one, took the fish, and went out happily.

It is not difficult to imagine that Yan Bugui would tell everyone he met that he had caught the fish himself.

Of course, Lin Ze wouldn't care about this.

Lin Ze also stood up and prepared to leave. At this time, the third aunt came over and stuffed a red envelope into Lin Ze's hand, "This is the New Year's red envelope given to you by the third aunt, don't think it's too little."

Lin Ze didn't want to accept it, but seeing the sincere look in the eyes of the third aunt, he accepted it. He carried his fish basket and walked out of Yan Bugui's house, thinking that for him, this New Year's red envelope was much more valuable than that fish.

In the afternoon, Lin Ze did not go to Shichahai to catch fish. He was a little sleepy, so he put the crucian carp he caught and brought home into a large basin.

He curled up in the quilt and fell asleep quickly.

Lin Ze didn't sleep for long either.

When he fell asleep, he still did not forget to practice the breathing method that Xue Yao taught him.

It’s a pity that apart from strengthening the body, Lin Ze has never felt that there is anything mysterious about this breathing method.

Perhaps it was the suppression of the country's destiny, or perhaps it was the thin spiritual energy in the current environment. Furthermore, it might be that the breathing method taught by Xue Yao was not suitable for him.

In short, Lin Ze has never realized that he has entered the so-called first level of Qi Refining. He is a little anxious about this, worried that he will not be able to accompany Xue Yao for the rest of his life.

Even with the suppression of national destiny, the lifespan of monsters is much longer than that of humans.

Lin Ze sighed deeply. He knew the correct way to practice, but he might have to search for it in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

In this world, since there are monsters like Xue Yao, there must also be cultivators who are suppressed by the fate of the country and whose cultivation is slow.

When she woke up naturally, Lin Zhengguo, Li Xiuzhen and others had already returned home. Lin Sisi rushed into Lin Ze's arms like a little cannonball.

"Big Pigeon, Sisi misses you so much."

Lin Ze rubbed the little girl's head. His smile faded a little after he saw Li Xiuzhen. "Brother misses Sisi too."

"Xiao Ze, I didn't bring all the pork to your grandmother's house."

Li Xiuzhen said hesitantly, "Don't be angry with mom, they are my family..."

"Respecting grandma is your business. It has nothing to do with me."

Lin Ze smiled faintly and said, "It's my duty to respect you and dad."

"Xiao Ze, you are wrong to think like that!"

Li Xiuzhen said, "Your grandmother and uncle and aunt are not strangers, so isn't it your duty to respect them?"

After she finished speaking, she looked in Lin Zhengguo's direction and lowered her voice and said, "To be honest, your uncle is much closer to you than your second uncle."