Mortal life was relatively simple; as long as there was enough to eat and wear, and one could sleep well and stay warm, time would pass day by day without much fuss.
At some point, Zhu Kui had taken to moving a stool to sit at the entrance of the courtyard whenever he had free time. He wouldn't engage in conversation with anyone. Instead, he would stare vacantly into the distance, lost in thought, leaving everyone puzzled about what was going through his mind.
Zhao Hu glanced at Zhu Kui, sitting at the courtyard entrance, and said with sadness, "Master, the old man doesn't recognize me anymore."
Zhao Hu had grown taller than Blacksmith Zhao, and his strong frame was reminiscent of a bear. He had absorbed nearly seventy or eighty percent of the martial arts techniques Fang Chen had taught him. If they were to spar, Fang Chen wasn't confident he could easily defeat Zhao Hu.
"Yeah, he's getting old," Fang Chen replied softly, nodding.
"Master, does everyone get old?" Zhao Hu frowned slightly. "Will my parents also end up like the old man, forgetting things and not even recognizing me?"
"Yeah, everyone gets old. Life is both short and long, but in the end, no one can escape aging, illness, and death," Fang Chen said with a smile. "What? Do you want to seek immortality?"
"No… it's just that I'm a bit reluctant," Zhao Hu said, looking at Fang Chen's graying hair and recalling how his father had shown signs of weakness while forging iron this year.
A bitter feeling filled his heart.
Zhao Hu lowered his head as he spoke. "Since life is both short and long, I want to venture out and see the world. Staying here all this time leaves my martial arts without a place to be used."
"Go ahead; just make sure your parents agree," Fang Chen said with a smile and a nod.
"Master, I'll come back once I've made a name for myself," Zhao Hu said, nodding earnestly.
Fang Chen chuckled and replied, "Even if you don't make a name for yourself, you still have to come back."
Zhao Hu remembered these words as he headed back home.
Fang Chen walked over to Zhu Kui's side, hearing him murmuring softly, "Why can't I remember? I feel like I have a wife and children, but what are their names? Why can't I remember…?"
A graceful figure approached. "Is the old man getting lost in his own thoughts again?"
Fang Yunmeng looked at Zhu Kui briefly. She then looked at Fang Chen with a smile. "Ji Liang, I'm preparing to get married. You and those two siblings must come to celebrate in two days. We're not planning a grand affair, just inviting some folks from the village."
"Alright, I'll inform them," Fang Chen replied, nodding.
Fang Yunmeng tried to chat with Zhu Kui for a bit, but seeing that he wasn't responding, she let out a soft sigh and turned to leave.
Fang Yunmeng had moved away a few years ago. Bu Qingchen and his sister had long since left as well. Only Fang Chen and Zhu Kui lived in this courtyard these days.
"This… should be the fifth year, right?" Fang Chen murmured softly to himself.
In the second year, Fang Yunmeng had forgotten who she was, and soon after, the Bu siblings had also lost all their memories. Only Fang Chen remembered where he came from and what he intended to do.
Fang Chen sighed inwardly. "If nothing unexpected has happened, Gu Shuai should have forgotten everything as well. Among the six of us, only I still remember. I wonder… will I forget all of this one day?"
Two days later, he attended Fang Yunmeng's wedding. He took with him Zhu Kui and Blacksmith Zhao and his wife.
Fang Yunmeng's husband was the accountant from the wealthy household they had once known.
At Fang Chen's table were all familiar faces; apart from Blacksmith Zhao and his wife, the others were their neighbors from around the area.
Everyone was in high spirits, chatting about Fang Yunmeng, Zhao Hu, and other topics.
"Little Hu has mastered his martial arts; now that he's out in the world, he'll definitely become a big shot. You two can just enjoy your lives and not work anymore."
"Tch, now you're saying that? Even if you tighten your belt, you wouldn't be able to scrape together one or two silver coins a month; you just spend it all on drinking."
Fang Chen closed his eyes, listening to the chatter around him. Not long after, the Bu siblings also arrived.
In the five years that had passed, Bu Qingchen had become a head escort, as the previous head had been killed during a robbery.
Bu Qingyu's reputation continued to grow and everyone in Stone River County knew about the name "Immortal Lady Bu." Even the officials often invited her to their homes to check the feng shui and assess the faces of their younger generations.
As soon as the lively people around the table noticed her, everyone's laughter faded, and they looked at her with respect.
Bu Qingyu nodded slightly. She glanced at Fang Chen and Zhu Kui, not speaking to anyone else, emanating an aura that suggested a barrier to strangers.
People at other tables quietly observed her, viewing her as a figure of importance.
Bu Qingchen glanced at Zhu Kui and whispered to Fang Chen, "Brother Ji, has the old man shown any improvement?"
Fang Chen shook his head gently. "He can't be cured anymore."
Bu Qingchen softly said, "Ah… I was planning to get married soon. I'll need to set up a household, which requires money, and I'll need to save some for Qingyu's dowry as well. We might as well stop getting the old man his medicine. The silver you saved up is enough for you two to live comfortably. If it doesn't work out, I can help introduce you to a few disciples."
A faint smile appeared on Fang Chen's face. "You all have your own lives to live; I can understand."
Bu Qingchen let out a sigh of relief, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face as he raised his cup to toast with the other diners.
The atmosphere instantly lifted.
"The auspicious time has come; let's send them into the bridal chamber!"
Everyone was filled with excitement.
Fang Chen held his cane in one hand while assisting Zhu Kui as they walked home in the night. Behind them was the lively chatter and laughter.
The next day, Bu Qingchen brought four children to Fang Chen's door to learn martial arts.
The fee was four taels of silver a month, of which Bu Qingchen took two taels.
In the blink of an eye, three more years passed.
Today, Zhu Kui sat at the entrance of the courtyard, his expression suddenly becoming agitated. He stood up and tremblingly reached out into the void. "Mother, is that you...?"
"Dear, you are here too. Where's our son?"
"Son, I am your father; do you still remember me? It's good that you've come; it's good that you've come..."
Behind him, Fang Chen stood quietly.
Fang Chen nodded gently. "Thank you."