Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Yama had already received Qin Yu’s message. Without delay, she headed straight to the Holy Palace. “I can use the strength of Samsara to construct a world in the dream for you so that the two of you may stay together for a period of time.”

Qin Yu cupped his hands together and bowed, “Thank you.”

He lay down beside Ning Ling, held her hand, and slowly closed his eyes.

A faint pulling strength tugged at Qin Yu, covering his consciousness. Without resisting, he allowed his consciousness to fly away with this strength.

Hum –

After an unknown period of time, a faint sound echoed in his ears. It was like a small rock landing on the surface of a pool of water, causing splashes and ripples.

Qin Yu couldn’t help but narrow his eyes, moving his head from side to side to avoid the sudden appearance of light before him. After his eyes adapted and his focus was restored, he found that he had appeared in a small town.

This town wasn’t too large. A street ran through it from east to west, and both sides of this street were covered with buildings of various heights. The first floors were shops and the second and higher floors were used as residences. Wooden poles hung around with clothes hanging on them, gently swinging in the cool morning breeze.

The sun had yet to rise. The faint darkness before the dawn and the trace of white in the eastern horizon gave the town a particularly quiet feeling. Qin Yu looked around. Although this place was strange to him, it also seemed familiar. He looked up. Not too far away there was a building painted blue; that was his home in this town.

His lips lifted up in a smile. Qin Yu tightened his fingers and raised the two carp he had hung on a piece of rope. He walked towards the building at a brisk pace.

Just as he reached the building, there was a creaking sound behind him. The door of the building behind him opened up, “Qin Yu! Did you wake up again to catch fish for your wife? Your wife is truly enjoying the high life! I never had such good fortune in the past.”

A short old woman commented with a look of envy on her face. She couldn’t help but turn her head and roll her eyes at the bald old man awkwardly smiling behind her. The old man said, “Don’t listen to the ramblings of aunty, you should hurry on up. Fish soup needs to be fresh in order to be the tastiest it can be.”

Qin Yu smiled and nodded. “Alright. Then, I won’t disturb your morning any longer; I’ll be leaving first.” He turned and walked through the door. As he did, he could still hear the fading and dissatisfied voice of the old woman, “What do you mean ramblings? You had better explain this to me…”

The first floor of the building was lined with four different sets of tablets and chairs. The teapots and tea sets were placed precisely and cleaned up well; one could see that the owner of this place loved to clean. Qin Yu looked around until his eyes landed on the staircase leading to the second floor. He let out a light breath and started walking up.

When he entered the second floor, the atmosphere of life became steep and rich. There was a bamboo basket with needles and thread on a small and fine round table. Several incomplete sets of children's clothes were inside. The needlework was fine and neat; it was clear that the person who sewed the clothes together paid a significant amount of attention to it.

The canopy covering the bed was half open and half closed. Qin Yu could see the figure gently sleeping within. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes softened. He hung the fish to the side and after washing his hands, he walked over to the bed, opening the gauze cover to see the face of the person sleeping within.

Her nose twitched; it was clear she smelled something. Qin Yu reached out a hand and traced her cheek, whispering, “Ning Ling, hurry and wake up. The sun is about to rise.”

“Mm…I don’t want to, I haven’t slept enough…” Grabbing his hand, Ning Ling humphed.

Qin Yu smiled. “Hurry and get up. I will go and cook some fish soup right now. Once you’ve tidied up you can come and drink it.”

“Fish soup…” Ning Ling opened her eyes. After a long time her eyes focused and she reluctantly nodded.

A fire was lit. The fish was killed and cleaned. When it was ready, the water was already heated and boiling.

He put the lid on the pot and controlled the heat. Qin Yu sat back in a bamboo chair, looking at the room around him.

So this was Ning Ling’s dreamland? What she wished for was unexpectedly this kind of simple and ordinary lifestyle.

The fish soup was placed on the table. After Ning Ling combed her hair and washed her face, she cheered out loud and sat down. Although the bowl of fish soup was hot to the touch, it was still difficult for her to put it down.

She drank two bowls of soup, only being full when her belly began to bulge a little. Her face was red and covered with a faint sheen of sweat. Even so, she still had an expression that said she wanted to drink more.

“Husband, do you think the fish soup you make is too delicious?”

Across from her, Qin Yu chuckled. “As long as you like it, I’ll make it for you every day.”

“Good, good!”

The boss lady was pregnant, so only the owner was working. Although tea was served a bit slower than before, the customers of the teahouse were all frequent guests that didn’t mind waiting a little bit longer. On the contrary, they teased her, saying, “That brat had better treat the owner better. For him to have such a pretty wife, he must have had some high-grade incense burnt for him in his last life.”

Ning Ling covered her mouth and laughed. She occasionally glanced at Qin Yu, revealing a smug look.

Towards these gestures, Qin Yu smiled and accepted them all. When he encountered some more enthusiastic guests, he would take the initiative to speak to them a bit longer.

Several months passed. Ning Ling’s belly grew larger and larger and Qin Yu became even busier. Not only did he need to wake up early to catch fish but he began to go around town and consult with the more experienced women on how to take care of the child that was going to be born soon.

During a peaceful night, without any surprises, a child was born. When Qin Yu heard the sounds of a newborn crying, he smiled.

During the first month celebration, the newborn baby was wrapped in pure white blankets. He was already able to hold onto his mother’s hand. His black and white eyes looked towards the strange world around him with curiosity.

The teahouse was closed for business today. Friends and neighbors were invited. Everyone in the town knew that this young couple who managed the teahouse were lonely and had no relatives. After receiving their invitations they all came to celebrate. The first month party was filled with the sounds of laughter and happiness.

The child was healthy. It was a boy. It seemed that in the blink of an eye, he would be soon able to run around the courtyard.

As if afraid the child would be bored, Qin Yu asked around for a puppy. The puppy’s tail wagged about like a windmill as it raced around the boy.

Ning Ling named the child Qin Taiping, a name that meant peace and quiet. This was because she said that the rarest times in a person’s life was when they experienced peace and quiet. She didn’t want her child to experience trials or tribulations. She wanted him to live a calm and steady life full of peace and joy.

Qin Yu agreed, expressing his satisfaction towards this name. And Qin Taiping also seemed to prove the prophecy of his name. Besides that time period when he was three years old and causing chaos with Big Yellow and fell onto the floor and scr.a.p.ed his skin, he experienced good health and good luck. Soon, he was 12 years old.

His short legs lengthened and he grew up to be a fair and delicate youth. Because he had inherited the looks of his parents, he enjoyed a popular reputation amongst the young ladies of the town. He was sweetly called Brother Qin all the time.

Whenever this happened, Ning Ling would be smiling proudly.

Qin Yu secretly asked her why she was smiling so happily. Her answer left him dumbfounded: If things were like this, they wouldn’t have to worry about finding a daughter-in-law later.

The two joked around and made a bet. They would see whether their son would like the second daughter of the Li Family that managed the oil shop on the east side, or if he would like the daughter of the tailor shop’s family on the west side. Each one of them had their own thoughts about who they would prefer.

But reality proved that they were both wrong. This was because the grown-up Qin Taiping chose the not-too-beautiful Wang Fengfeng who looked after the grocery store next door. Looking at the two of them holding hands with a happy expression, no one could say any bad words about them.

A month later, the little town began the day with great fanfare. The homes of the bride and groom were far, far too close. The wedding escort had to make a full circle around several roads before they stopped in front of the groom’s house with dramatic effect.

Qin Yu and Ning Ling sat in the banquet hall. Looking at their son and his bride who respectfully bowed to them, smiles bloomed on their faces.

After the ceremony was finished, the couple entered their nuptial chambers while Qin Yu busily greeted the guests. Ning Ling sat together and talked with an old lady, taking advice on how to be a good mother-in-law.

When the excitement ended, most of the boys in town were sent on errands, returning the tables, chairs, and dishes that were borrowed from the various households. They were given wedding candy and wedding envelopes. After this, the town quieted back down.

Qin Yu returned to his room. He saw Ning Ling standing in front of the window, looking up at the newly built house nearby that was glowing with red candlelight. He walked over and held her, “What, are you finding it hard to give him away?”

Ning Ling wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and leaned against him. “I just thought that the child I bore for ten months and raised for so long suddenly became someone else’s.”

Qin Yu comforted her. “When children grow up they have to establish their own families and continue their bloodline. We will slowly die of old age, so it’s not as if we can accompany Taiping for the rest of his life.”

“Mm, I know.”

The new bride was familiar and skilled in all aspects of housework. This proved that Qin Taiping’s judgment was right all this time. Even so, his choice caused many beautiful girls in the town to cry quietly.

Even if he were married, all sorts of little brocade sacks, handkerchiefs, and other mementos were carefully tossed into his courtyard.

Qin Taiping chuckled. When he looked at the pouty face of his wife, he had a smug expression.

When Ning Ling saw this, she couldn’t help but ruthlessly smack the buttocks of her son several times. She warned him to live his life righteously, and that if he ever dared to wrong Fengfeng she would make sure he suffered sufficiently.

Wang Fengfeng had found her backer. She held onto the arm of her mother-in-law and smiled brightly. The relationship of the two grew much closer.

Qin Yu patted Qin Taiping’s shoulders in comfort. “I have never been your mother’s match in recent years. You should listen well to her, otherwise I won’t be able to help you either.”

Qin Taiping didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

A year later, the Qin Family welcomed another baby, and this time there were two; it was a twin birth with a son and a daughter. Ning Ling was overjoyed. She held onto Wang Fengfeng’s hands and praised her as the Qin Family’s shining star, someone that had achieved unbelievable merits.

For the first month, Qin Yu and Qin Taiping were sent scurrying around in circles. Ning Ling held a child in each hand. Besides b.r.e.a.s.tfeeding, she ensured that Wang Fengfeng didn’t suffer any difficulties.

“Son, after having children, you have a new set of responsibilities and obligations. Remember to treat your wife well.” After busying himself for a day, Qin Yu smiled at his son as he rubbed his sore waist.

Qin Taiping just happened to finish washing and hanging cleaned diapers. He earnestly thought it over and said, “Father, I understand.”

Fengfeng had given birth to two children and had almost suffered childbirth issues. If he wasn’t good to her, wouldn’t he lack any conscience or morals?