129: Ten years like a dream

"Master Lu, good morning!"

"Master Lu, come and try my new steamed buns!"

"Master Lu, these are new jewelry pieces, buy them for your Ning Guniang!"

......

Xu Qi'an walked on the street, and the neighbors around him were greeting him.

Xu Qi'an responded one by one, nodding slightly.

Walking back to An Sui Small Pavilion from the street, Xu Qi'an had acquired quite a few things.

Ning Sui was standing at the cashier, arranging goods, and when she saw Xu Qi'an come in with large and small bags, she immediately pursed her lips and chuckled.

"Master, why did you bring back so many things after going out?"

Xu Qi'an shook his head and chuckled, "You're still laughing, aren't you going to help your Master?"

"Yes, yes."

Ning Sui then smilingly took the things from Xu Qi'an's hands.

Xu Qi'an took out a white jade bracelet from a bag and handed it to Ning Sui.

"This is a newly made bracelet."

Ning Sui looked at the white jade bracelet with great fondness, although it had no spiritual energy whatsoever.

But the meaning was incomparable.

Xu Qi'an came to the bronze mirror.

He in the mirror looked much more weathered than before, with strands of beard growing on his nose and chin.

"I didn't expect ten years to pass just like that. Is this the power of time?"

Ning Sui's appearance had also changed from a young lady of a prominent family to a woman with mature charm.

Both of them had fallen into this experience of the Mortal World together.

"You two children, don't run around!"

"Don't break anything at Master Lu's place."

"Mom, hurry up and follow."

Just as Xu Qi'an was lost in thought, three voices came from outside the door.

"Ah, it's Sister Xu, please come in quickly."

"How long has it been since you three last came? Guo'er and Sui'er are already so big."

"How about it, did you miss Aunt Sui?"

Ning Sui jogged from the cashier to the two children.

These two children, one boy and one girl, were about six years old, with chubby faces, looking very cute.

The boy was lively and active, while the girl was quieter and more shy.

"Aunt Sui, we want to play on the wooden horse, the wooden horse!"

"We want to eat the very, very best pumpkin cakes, the very, very sweetest candies!"

Yang Guo's eyes sparkled as he spoke with anticipation.

Yang Sui, who was beside him, also spoke softly, "Aunt Sui, Sui'er wants to eat too!"

"Okay, okay, then you play on the wooden horse first, Aunt Sui will make them for you later!" Ning Sui said with a smile.

"Okay!"

The two children then ran to the wooden horse on the side and started playing by themselves.

Ning Sui then looked at the woman in the gorgeous dress in front of her, who was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old.

Her name was Xu Liunian, and she was Xu Pang's daughter.

Since Xu Pang and Xu Qi'an had become familiar with each other, before Xu Liunian got married, she would often come to An Sui Small Pavilion to chat with Ning Sui, whether there was anything going on or not.

However, the topic they talked about the most was asking Ning Sui when she was going to get married.

Hearing this, Ning Sui's mouth twitched slightly, and she then vaguely brushed it off.

Ning Sui spoke first, "Why don't I see Xu Master?"

Xu Liunian smiled, "My father brought us back and went to handle something. He let us come over first and should be here soon."

Ning Sui smiled and nodded, then pulled Xu Liunian to a chair on the side.

Xu Liunian chuckled softly, "Sister Sui, it's been many years, and you've become a bit more weathered."

"Sister Sui should be a few years older than me?"

"How about it, have you gotten married to Master Lu yet?"

Ning Sui's mouth immediately twitched slightly.

"This... didn't I say... Master Lu is my Master, I am his Disciple... how can a Master and Disciple get married?"

Xu Liunian smiled upon hearing this, "Sister Sui, the titles of Master and Disciple are just a formality. How could the secular world take it too seriously?"

"As long as Master Lu isn't married, you still have a chance!"

"You should know, it's hard to find a man like Master Lu who has a family background and is also good-looking!"

"If Sister Sui doesn't make a move now, what if some other young and beautiful woman snatches him away? Wouldn't that be a disaster?"

Ning Sui was slightly taken aback by these words, then glanced sideways at Xu Qi'an.

At this moment, Xu Qi'an was lying comfortably on a soft chair, looking very leisurely.

She then let out a sigh of relief and said softly with a smile, "Don't worry about this, Sister Xu. I've been with my Master for many years, and I know his temperament."

"My Master, oh, he has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Although he doesn't show care with his words, he is very caring in his actions."

"It's good enough like this. As for being husband and wife or not, I dare not think about it, nor do I want to think about it."

"It's good enough to be able to continue like this!"

When Xu Liunian heard this, her face showed a slight surprise, and then she nodded with a smile, "Sister Sui, oh you, aren't you working for Master Lu for free then?"

"Okay, okay, I can't persuade you."

Ning Sui then changed the subject and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, how about it, Sister Xu, want to cook together?"

"Just so happens I want to try some new dishes. By then, my Master and Xu Master will definitely have a feast for their eyes."

"Okay, that's great. Just so happens, my cooking skills have improved recently!"

Immediately, the two women went to the back of An Sui Small Pavilion.

After a while, a middle-aged man with slightly graying hair came through the door.

It was Xu Pang.

In ten years, Xu Pang's physique had become much thinner, no longer having the slightly plump figure of that day.

"Lu Laodi!"

Xu Qi'an opened his eyes, got up, and said with a smile, "Brother Xu is here, sit down."

"Mm." Xu Pang then sat by the tea table.

He took out a few silver notes from his bag and said with a smile.

"Lu Laodi, this is this year's money, keep it well."

Xu Qi'an nodded slightly, then threw it into the drawer, and poured Xu Pang a cup of tea.

Xu Pang took a sip of the tea and then said with a smile, "Lu Laodi's tea is still as fragrant as ever!"

"I, your elder brother, can't help but drink a few more sips every time!"

"It's even better than the fragrant tea at my former Hundred Flavors Building!"

Xu Qi'an said softly with a smile, "Brother Xu, you are too modest."

"Hahaha, not at all!"

"I can't believe ten years have passed. I still remember when Lu Laodi opened An Sui Small Pavilion back then!"

Xu Pang said with a smile.

Xu Qi'an also sighed with emotion.

He didn't expect ten years to pass in the blink of an eye.

It turned out that time could pass so quickly for Mortals too.

"Cough cough!"

Xu Pang then coughed twice.

Xu Qi'an narrowed his eyes slightly and asked with a hint of concern, "Is Brother Xu's health alright?"

Xu Pang waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's alright, it's alright, just old ailments from traveling for business back then."

"I've recently learned some chess. Why don't you play a game with me, my younger brother!"

"I, your elder brother, am becoming more and more fond of the art of Go!"

"I always feel that there are profound principles within it!"

Xu Qi'an nodded slightly.

Several hours later.

Xu Pang sighed deeply and said with a bitter smile, "My younger brother, your chess skills, I'm afraid even those Masters can't compare to you."

Xu Qi'an smiled, "You're too modest. It's just practice makes perfect."

"Dad, Master Lu, stop playing chess, it's time to eat!" Xu Liunian called out.

"Then let's eat first, and continue after eating?" Xu Pang said with a smile.

Xu Qi'an nodded.

At the round table, Ning Sui picked a chicken leg for Xu Qi'an, Xu Liunian picked dishes for her father and children, and everyone was happy and harmonious.

"Aunt Sui, I want to eat pumpkin cake!"

"Aunt Sui, I want to eat fish!"

"Okay, okay, I'll pick it for you!"

Ning Sui said with a smile.

"Lu Laodi, thank you for your help, otherwise I, Xu Pang, would probably be ruined by now."

Xu Pang raised a cup of wine and toasted Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an shook his head and also returned the toast.

"Brother Xu, you are too polite."

They drank the wine in their cups and ate the food on the table.

Xu Pang and the others said goodbye to Xu Qi'an.

Ning Sui then looked at Xu Pang's slightly hunched figure and said with some emotion.

"Master, Xu Master's back was quite straight back then, wasn't it!"

Xu Qi'an was slightly taken aback, turned around, and said faintly, "Perhaps."