Chapter 444: Finally Met a Living Legend

He had known Old Shopkeeper Wu since he was young, and Wu Lan had indirectly become his savior.

Naturally, Gao Hu trusted them—after all, it was from them that he first heard about being saved by the “immortal.”

However, Gao Hu never dreamed he would one day meet the legendary immortal in person—his savior!

“Mr. Gu… So he’s Mr. Gu…”

Muttering to himself, Gao Hu took out the kumquat he’d never dared to eat. After one glance, he took a big bite.

Before he could even chew, he pulled his wife close and pushed the remaining half of the fruit into her mouth.

She was startled by her husband’s sudden action, but the moment her mouth was filled with that sweet and refreshing juice, she began chewing instinctively.

In the blink of an eye, a fresh, tantalizing aroma filled the entire teahouse. Many tea patrons sniffed the air and began looking around, trying to figure out where the mouth-watering scent was coming from.

Someone even stood up and asked, “Who’s eating fruit? It smells so good—let me have one too! I’ll pay!”

Seeing this, the couple instinctively lowered their heads and carefully swallowed the fruit.

After both of them had swallowed, they looked at each other—and in each other’s eyes, they saw utter astonishment.

After eating just half of the kumquat, the previously pale Gao Hu—his forehead covered in a sheen of sweat—seemed to undergo a miraculous transformation.

His face gradually turned a healthy, natural red. His eyes gleamed with a brightness and vitality that hadn’t been there before. He looked completely rejuvenated.

His wife had also undergone a noticeable change.

The weariness and exhaustion that had plagued her disappeared quietly under the fruit’s nourishment.

Her skin looked exceptionally smooth, like flower petals moistened by morning dew—soft, supple, and glowing.

A gentle blush bloomed on her cheeks, a sign of restored vitality and healthy circulation.

The two stared at each other in silence, then seemed to understand something from the other’s gaze. At once, they stood, held hands, and rushed out of the teahouse.

But just as they stepped beneath the eaves, a thunderclap boomed across the sky, and a torrential downpour burst over Muyun Road.

Staring at the cascading curtain of rain, the couple knew they couldn’t chase after him anymore.

Gao Hu’s voice rang out between the pattering of rain: “Grandma, I met Mr. Gu. I served him tea. He even cured the lingering illness in my leg…”

Beside him, his wife reached out and held his shoulder gently. “If you want to cry, just cry. The rain’s pouring—no one will hear except me and Grandma…”

Watching the couple from the front of the teahouse, Wu Hai said with emotion, “Do you think a blessing like this is so easy to earn?”

“Twenty years of persistence, two generations of devotion—all for this one good fortune.”

“This immortal fate, it may look within reach, but in truth, it’s a world away.”

Beside him, Wu You said earnestly, “It’s definitely not easy, but I can stick with it too!”

“Stick with what, you little rascal!” Wu Hai rolled his eyes. “At your age, your mom already had nearly half your grandfather’s skills.”

“And look at you now?”

“Saying you’ve got even ten percent of his skill would be giving you too much credit.”

“Dad!” Wu You stood tall and proud. “Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—don’t look down on…”

“Mm-hmm,” Wu Hai grinned. “Don’t look down on the poor in middle age… or the poor in old age…”

“In the next life, we’ll do better, right?”

Wu You: ???

…

This time, on his return home, Gu Ning’an traveled day and night without pause. Just before dawn, he finally stepped into the boundaries of Lexiang County.

It had been more than twenty years since he last returned. The long street was much the same. The shops and buildings on both sides had changed little—some had aged, while others had been renovated.

But though the place was the same, the people were no longer.

It was still early. Aside from vendors preparing their stalls and members of the Tiao Lang Clan sweeping the streets, few people were around.

Most of them were unfamiliar faces. Especially those Tiao Lang Clan members—their uniforms now seemed standardized.

They wore dark indigo hemp shirts, long pants made of cotton and linen, and carried large bamboo baskets on their backs.

As Gu Ning’an looked at them, they looked back at him.

They too were curious—so early in the morning, who was this unfamiliar face in the county?

And quite the handsome one too, dressed like a scholar.

In response to their curious stares, Gu Ning’an offered each of them a polite smile before quickening his pace toward Ansi Courtyard.

As he reached the corner of the alley, he saw two people standing side by side in front of his courtyard gate.

One wore a Tiao Lang Clan uniform. He was tall and broad-shouldered—his uniform stretched taut across his muscular frame. He was clearly a martial artist.

Next to him stood a curvy woman dressed in a well-fitted dress.

They stood there blankly, staring into the courtyard wall, as if fixated on something inside.

Taking a few steps forward, Gu Ning’an cleared his throat. “What are you two doing here?”

Startled by the sudden voice behind them, the man and woman both jumped. When they turned around, the large man rubbed his eyes and exclaimed excitedly, “Mr. Gu! You’re back!”

Recognizing him, Gu Ning’an smiled. “So it’s you, Lei Ben.”

“Yes, yes! I didn’t expect you’d still remember me!” Lei Ben took his wife’s hand and stepped forward. “This is my wife.”

Judging by age, Lei Ben was probably in his early fifties. But as a martial artist, he looked no older than forty.

His wife looked even younger—at most, she appeared to be in her early thirties.

“Wife, quickly introduce yourself to Mr. Gu.”

At his words, the woman pulled out a wooden box the length of her forearm from the cloth bag slung over her shoulder.

It looked solid, with horizontal slits carved across the top.

Swish!

She pressed something, and a thin bamboo slip popped out of the box. It read: [Hello, Mr. Gu!]

Swish!

The first slip retracted and another popped up.

[My name is Zhou Qianqian. I’m Lei Ben’s wife!]

Swish!

[I’ve often heard my husband say, our fate began with you!]

Swish!

[Today, I finally got to see a living legend!]