CH 4.1

Li Leyao was born in J City. Hongluo Town was an old town in J City and was also one of China’s famous old town tourist spots. Every year there would be large amounts of tourists from all over the country visiting this tourist location. 

Although, 15 years earlier Hongluo Town didn’t actually have much popularity. It was only a typical old town, until J City had a new mayor who invested a lot into the tourist industry. After one inspection, roads were fixed and bridges were built. There was a focus on maintenance and slowly Hongluo Town became how it is now. 

When Li Leyao arrived back from abroad, she was shocked by Hongluo Town’s transformation. Li Leyao’s father was a ceramist. In the old town, he opened a handcrafted pottery shop and while it did not earn much money, since he owned it there was no pressure for rent so it remained operating. After Li Leyao came back, she ran this little shop. 

After stepping out of the school’s gate,  Xu Youyou pondered whether to go home and wait for Madam Li to get off work or to go to the pottery studio. She had initially wanted to go home but when she thought about the winding alley near her house, her head began to hurt. Earlier, Li Leyao had suggested that she pick her up after school not only because she was worried about Xu Youyou’s condition, but also because the second day they came back from abroad, Xu Youyou had gotten lost in the alley after trying to buy salt.

Even now, when she still thinks about it, she feels embarrassed. 

Forget it, she’ll wait until the weekend to get more familiarized with the alley. Today she will go pick Madam Li up from work. 

After making the decision, Xu Youyou headed towards the bus stop. 

Hongluo Town wasn’t big, after ten minutes the bus arrived at the entrance of the old town. From the entrance, Xu Youyou followed the road inside for another twenty-or-so minutes and arrived at her family’s pottery studio. 

When Xu Youyou entered the shop, she noticed there were customers. So she sat down by a window and waited as she didn’t want to interrupt. 

After a few minutes, Li Leyao finished up and came to check up on her daughter’s condition. She was pleased: “It seems making you go to school was the right decision, you look a lot better.” 

She looked a lot better because she slept better. 

“Did you meet any new friends?” Li Leyao asked. 

“Yep” Xu Youyou nodded her head. 

“Who? Boy or girl?”

“Boy, my deskmate” 

“Oh a boy,” Li Leyao was taken a bit by surprise. She had assumed Teacher Song would arrange for her to sit next to a scrupulous girl. 

“What, afraid I’ll start dating young?” Xu Youyou picked up that Madam Li’s tone wasn’t quite right and laughingly said. 

“What is there to be afraid of? In Y Country, many girls your age have already had multiple boyfriends. Li Leyao sat down across from Xu Youyou, “I don’t have any big wishes for you, I only want you to be happy and healthy.”

Xu Youyou knew that Madam Li was worried about her health, and comfortingly said, “Don’t worry, I’ll get better soon. Today I wasn’t as cold.”

“Wasn’t as cold?” Li Leyao’s gave fell to the thick jacket her daughter was wearing, her eyes were full of skepticism. 

“It’s true, you can feel my hand,” Xu Youyou took the initiative and reached out her hand. 

Still a little doubtful, Li Leyao touched her hand. Xu Youyou’s hand was still cold, but rather than being icy cold, it was just cold.

“You weren’t lying, it’s a lot better compared to this morning.”

“I told you.” After the afternoon, Xu Youyou seemed to confirm one thing. It was that even if she and Qiao Mu were directly touching, as long as they were near each other, her body would slowly warm up. Although if they had physical contact, the result would be much better. 

HeHe, after sleeping with Qiao Mu tomorrow — AhPei*, after sleeping by Qiao Mu’s side, she probably won’t need her thick fleece jacket and can wear a thin one instead. 

“It seems like letting you go to walk around outside was the right idea, not letting you rest at home,” Li Leyao said. 

“It was always a good idea.” When she had gotten sick a month ago, Madam Li wished she would only lie on the bed and rest. It was only after consulting a psychologist that she was finally able to go out and get fresh air. 

“Then you should help me run an errand.” Li Leyao got up and walked to a cupboard on the side. She pulled out an already wrapped box, “This is the tea set that Teacher Wang from the ritual center behind our shop ordered. Please help me deliver it.”

“Ritual center? Are there Taoist priests?” Most of Xu Youyou’s understanding of China came from TV shows. When hearing the word “ritual center” her mind thought of the Taoists priests from XianXia dramas. 

“No, it is a Weiqi** ritual center.” Li Leyao saw the confusion on her daughter’s face. “To put it simpler, it is a Weiqi school. It is just that the name is different.” 

Xu Youyou knew of Weiqi. She had grown up abroad, but since she was young she enjoyed watching Chinese costume and period dramas. And Weiqi was a common prop found in Chinese costume and period dramas, and often the person playing was a very intelligent person. For example, immortal masters and seniors or grand tutors. 

Xu Youyou was suddenly filled with interest, “Where is the ritual center?” 

“In the left alley if you keep walking for a few minutes you’ll arrive. There is a placard at the entrance. Hongluo Ritual Center.” Li Leyao handed the box to Xu Youyou.

“Alley? Does it have turns?” Xu Youyou couldn’t help but ask.

“No. As long as you walk straight, you won’t get lost.” Li Leyao laughed and especially emphasized the word “lost.”

“What do you mean getting lost? I was just making sure of the directions, okay? I’m leaving now.” Xu Youyou’s face had turned red and she hugged the box as she rushed out. 

Xu Youyou followed the alley for about five to six minutes and at the end of the alley she found a set of red wooden doors. The big red wooden doors were halfway open and on the left was an old plaque. On the plaque, written in ink with powerful strokes were three words. 

Hongluo Ritual Center. 

————————-Translator’s Note ————————

* 啊呸 – AhPei is a spitting noise

** 围棋 – Weiqi also known as Go