Unintended Immortality

Chapter 330: Joyful Reunion of Old Friends

“Daoist priest, you woke up really late today.”

“Rarely do I feel so at ease.”

“Rarely do you feel so at ease!”

“You little copycat.”

“Little copycat!” Lady Calico echoed again before adding, “Do you need to wash your face? I want to fetch water for you, but there’s no water at home. We’ll need to buy it or draw some from the well over there.”

“It’s no rush.”

“Then do you want breakfast? I can go buy you some steamed buns.”

“No rush for that either.”

“No rush either!”

“Transform into human form...” The cat repeated as she tilted her head curiously at him. Then, with a leap from the table to the floor, she transformed into a little girl.

“Now, please remove your shoes and stand over here.”

“Mm!”

Lady Calico followed his gesture and looked toward the wooden wall separating their home from the neighbor's. She immediately noticed the old hooks for hanging paintings and the marks the Daoist had carved there before.

Understanding instantly, the little girl kicked her shoes off with a flick of her feet, sending them scurrying away. Barefoot, she stepped onto the cool wooden floor and walked over to stand with her back against the wall.

She straightened her posture instantly, standing tall with her chest puffed out, as if trying to stretch herself taller.

At the same time, she sneaked a glance at the Daoist with her wide eyes.

“Lady Calico, no tiptoeing.”

“I’m not tiptoeing.”

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not...” The little girl bent down to look at her feet and exclaimed, “They’re doing it on their own!”

“Put them down, please.”

“They won’t listen to me!”

“...”

“Oh, look! They went down on their own!!”

“Maybe they heard what we were saying.”

The Daoist replied with a slight smile as he bent his knees slightly to bring himself closer to her height. He leveled his gaze over the top of her head, his expression serious and meticulous despite the simplicity of the task.

The mark from three years ago was no longer visible—it was blocked by Lady Calico’s head.

“Measure properly!”

“Don’t worry.”

“Measure properly!”

“...”

The Daoist extended his hand, carefully sliding it horizontally across the top of her head. With a gentle movement, he made a small mark on the wall.

“Done.”

“...!”

The little girl immediately stepped forward barefoot, turned around, and looked at the wall.

There were now two marks on the wall, one higher than the other.

Song You raised his hand to demonstrate, showing the difference between the two. The higher mark was noticeably taller by about a small knuckle’s length.

Seeing this, the little girl mimicked him. She spread her fingers wide, placing her thumb on the lower mark. Then, attempting to follow the Daoist’s example, she tried to place her middle finger on the upper mark. However, her smaller hand and shorter fingers couldn’t span the distance. Each time her middle finger reached the upper mark, her thumb slipped off the lower one.

This made her a bit frustrated.

“In three years, you’ve grown this much taller.”

“This much!” she echoed.

“That’s right.”

“Is that a lot?”

She fixed her gaze on him with curious, inquisitive eyes.

“For a cat that’s already grown up, it’s quite a lot,” the Daoist answered truthfully.

“And for a human?”

“For a human who’s already grown up, it’s also quite a lot,” he replied just as honestly.

“And for someone who hasn’t grown up yet?”

“That doesn’t count,” he said with a small smile.

“Is that little?”

“...” The Daoist didn’t answer, instead smiling as he gently patted her on the head. “Lady Calico, you may not realize it, but growing up is a very peculiar thing...”

“How peculiar?”

“No matter how fast you grow, before you’re grown up, it will always feel slow. And no matter how slow you grow, after you’re grown up, it will feel like it happened fast,” the Daoist explained. “Besides, you have a very long lifespan, so there’s no need to worry about this at all.”

“...” The little girl tilted her head back, blinking up at him.

How could a child possibly understand such a concept?

Yet, because the Daoist told her, she was willing to listen. And because he said not to worry, she chose to believe him.

“Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“First, we’ll draw water from the well to wash up, then we’ll get some breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll visit the Housing Bureau office to thank them for keeping our house for us. And finally, we’ll take the horse out of the city—it’s too cramped here for it to live comfortably.”

The little girl followed closely beside him as they descended the stairs.

Though in human form, her feline instincts remained unchanged. She didn’t walk ahead of him or behind him. Despite knowing the stairs were narrow, she insisted on squeezing in beside him. As they descended, she pressed close and asked, “But why do I grow so slowly?”

“The growth of a demon’s form after transformation is tied to their temperament. If you grow slowly, it means one thing...”

“One thing!”

“You’re always happy.”

“Always happy...” The little girl thought about this seriously before looking up at him. “That’s right!”

With a bucket in hand, she opened the door. The morning in Changjing was already bustling, filled with the vibrant energy of daily life.

Neighbors, shopkeepers, and street vendors who had set up stalls outside glanced over at the Daoist and the little girl stepping out of the door, expressions of surprise spreading across their faces.

“Sir, you’re back?”

“When did you return, sir?”

“What a lovely young girl!”

Song You nodded in response to each greeting and exchanged polite words with them.

He had intended to go to the well to fetch water, but seeing how crowded the street was, it seemed inconvenient. Fortunately, there were water sellers calling out as they carried buckets for sale along the street. Realizing they likely earned their livelihood through hard labor, he decided to buy two buckets instead.

Selling water was common in these times. Although Great Yan had implemented widespread well-digging in urban areas, making well water accessible to most residents, there was typically only one well per district.

Those who lived far from the well or whose local well couldn’t supply enough water for everyone would rely on water sellers to deliver it. Selling water was a way to earn an honest living, albeit through physical toil.

In fact, the frequent necessity of buying firewood and water in the city meant these often constituted a significant part of household expenses. The term xinshui, literally “firewood and water”, which now denoted wages or labor remuneration, likely originated from this practice.

With water in hand, they washed their faces and then stepped out for breakfast.

Across the street was a small shop with a food stall set up in front.

The shopkeeper recognized Song You immediately and greeted him warmly.

“Oh, sir! It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it? Did you go on a long trip?”

“I did,” Song You replied.

“It must’ve been… what, half a year? Maybe more?”

Song You knew that repetitive daily work often distorted one’s perception of time, making long intervals seem shorter than they truly were. As he sat down, he responded with a smile, “Even longer than that.”

“That long, huh?” The shopkeeper slapped his forehead but didn’t seem too concerned. “So, what’ll it be? We’ve got steamed cakes, mantou, porridge, and the like. And we’ve just started serving something that’s become really popular in Changjing lately—century egg and lean pork congee.

“It’s incredibly fresh! We use the best pork and cook it to a thick consistency. A bowl is just six wen. Want to try it?”

Song You said, “Two bowls, please.”

“Coming right up...”

The shopkeeper turned and began ladling congee from the pot.

The congee wasn’t overly thick nor too watery, just right. Using a large iron ladle and big porcelain bowls, he scooped up a portion. The deep brown and green hues of the century egg mingled with the pale pink of the minced pork, making the dish look incredibly appetizing.

Each ladleful filled the bowl almost to the brim, but not quite. He then took a second ladle to carefully add more, specifically targeting the parts of the pot where the century egg and pork were most visible. This small touch gave the impression of generosity and care.

A sprinkle of chopped green onions served as the finishing garnish.

As he worked, the shopkeeper chatted with the Daoist, “Not sure where this recipe came from, but it’s been spreading like wildfire. Lots of folks in Changjing are now selling century eggs and dishes with them. Whether in congee or soup, they add so much flavor. You two must not have tried it before...”

The two bowls of congee were placed in front of the Daoist at the same time.

The little girl wasn’t too pleased with the shopkeeper’s comment about them having never tried it, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she turned her head and stared at him intently.

“This young girl...” the shopkeeper remarked.

“She’s my child,” the Daoist replied.

“She’s so beautiful, like one of the lovely young children beside an immortal.”

“Everyone says that,” the Daoist said casually, picking up his chopsticks.

The little girl followed his example but couldn’t help furrowing her small brows.

Living in the city sure is expensive, she thought.

Daoists were actually quite easy to sustain, especially in the wild. If there were rabbits nearby, catching one for him would suffice, or perhaps catching two fish. Even if there were no rabbits or streams, simply cutting some special grass—like feeding a horse—or gathering mushrooms that weren’t poisonous in the summer, along with picking some fruit, would be enough to keep a Daoist alive.

But this Daoist had one peculiar quirk: he loved going into the city.

Everything in the city cost money. Even water cost money…

And yet, Lady Calico had her Water-Splitting Blade. With it, all the water in the world—so long as it wasn’t under the protection of spirits or gods—would obey her commands.

Such a bother.

Lady Calico sighed softly. Turning back, she called the swallow down from upstairs. Carefully, she began picking out bits of minced pork from the congee. The swallow pecked at the meat, then tilted its head back, gulping it down with a few quick movements.

“Swallow, swallow, is it tasty?”

“Chirp chirp!”

“You know, if you chopped up rat meat finely, it’d be pretty much the same as this.”

“...”

“...”

Both the Daoist and the swallow fell silent.

Lady Calico, oblivious to their reactions, continued picking out bits of minced meat.

As she fed the swallow, her attention suddenly shifted. She turned her head to look across the street.

Following her gaze, Song You put down his chopsticks as well.

A woman dressed in thick, gray-black clothing was walking from across the street. Beneath her heavy attire, the outline of concealed weapons could be seen. She stopped in front of their old house, but upon noticing the neighboring door wide open, she stepped over to take a closer look.

Peering inside, she saw the jujube-red horse standing in the entryway. She raised her head to glance at the second-floor window, which was open, her expression puzzled. One hand rested on her hip while the other scratched the back of her head.

Her already messy hair became even more disheveled.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, she spun around and locked eyes with the Daoist and Lady Calico, who were seated at the breakfast stall.

“...”

The woman looked back at the door, then at the two of them, seemingly frozen in place for a moment. Finally, she began walking toward them.

“Sir, could I trouble you for another bowl of congee?” Song You called out. “Actually, make it two bowls, and add two boiled eggs and two large meat buns.”

“Got it!”

Flap flap flap…

The swallow took off immediately, flying away.

At the same time, the woman in gray-black clothing dragged over a low stool, making a scraping sound as it moved across the ground. She glanced briefly at the startled swallow that had flown away before turning back to face the Daoist and the little girl.

Lady Calico frowned deeply, fixing her gaze on the woman, and was the first to speak, “Heroine, it’s been a long time!”

“A long time indeed,” the Daoist echoed, lowering his head slightly. “I thought you’ve already left the capital and wouldn’t return.”

“When did you get back?”

“Last night.”

“Just last night?”

“Just last night.”

“What a coincidence...”

“It is indeed.”

When old friends met, there was always a sense of nostalgia.