Presently, the old couple, He and his wife are both in their seventies. Even though He Shiqi was a fool, he was still their beloved son. If something happened to him, the elderly couple wouldn’t have the heart to continue living.

As soon as there was commotion on the mountain, the old couple hurriedly climbed up to search for their son.

The young men and women were well-equipped, even a stretcher was ready. Just as they were about to head up the mountain, they saw a white figure leaping down from among the trees. As agile and fast as the legendary snow leopard. Everyone was left dumbfounded. “Who was this martial arts expert that appeared out of nowhere?”

“You absorbed quite a bit of my immortal energy earlier. Now that you’re in the mortal realm, your lightness technique must be top-notch,” Lian Youyou said smugly from behind He Shiqi, playfully braiding his hair. This immortal not to brag was truly an extraordinary being.

He Shiqi felt not only lighter in body, but even his gaze seemed clearer. From a distance, he saw the entire village gathered at the mouth of the mountain path including his parents.

The sight of his parents made him even more excited. He sped up and shouted, “Dad! Mom! An ethereal being descended from above! An ethereal being descended from above!”

Lian Youyou smiled behind He Shiqi and closed her eyes. Right now, she just wanted to rest for a while. Whether others called her a human, a fairy, a demon, or a witch, she didn’t care at all.

The villagers of Pingshan Village were astonished to see that the one descending was none other than the village fool, He Shiqi.

“Was this an illusion? Why did the fool today look unusually handsome, dressed in white like a gallant hero?” The village girls blushed, and the village men stared in awe.

He Xiucai and his wife rushed forward when they saw their son running down the mountain. 

“Dad! Mom! A fairy descended from above!” He Shiqi ran up to them, abruptly stopping and turning around. “Look, I found a fairy sister. Isn’t she beautiful?”

Only then did everyone notice that there was indeed a girl on He Shiqi’s back. However, her face was buried in his neck and couldn’t be clearly seen.

“I’ll take her back to rest, master.” He Shiqi said happily, then dashed back home; looking as if he had just found a wife.

As the sun gradually tinted the western mountains red, the fields and all the standing villagers turned into silhouettes.

“What? Take her back to rest?”

Surely they didn’t mishear that.

“Hey, He Xiucai, our Ah Qi isn’t so foolish after all,” said Sister Zhu, who was planting vegetables, blushed and chuckled, giving He Xiucai a nudge.

“Isn’t this inappropriate? Bringing a girl you picked up home to rest. Hahaha,” someone chuckled discreetly, as if they had taken advantage of something.

“Old He! Old He! This is not okay!” The village chief finally stepped forward to speak with righteousness, “What if this young lady wakes up and causes a commotion? Ah Qi is a fool. Even if he does foolish things, you can’t follow suit! Hurry back and stop Ah Qi!”

He Xiucai was suddenly awakened, and he quickly grabbed his wife and headed home. With each step, he trembled. The sun was almost setting.

The wind blew through the village chief’s beard as he said bewilderedly, “Old He, are you trying to get your son settled? You saw it too. Ah Qi runs faster than the rabbits on this mountain.”

“What can I do?!” Old He replied anxiously, “I’m over seventy, how can I catch up to my son?”

The village chief shook his head and waved his hand, “Go! Whoever runs faster, goes first!”

Immediately, the young men of the village bolted, as if they were competing to be the first to stop He Shiqi from keeping the girl.

The young girls giggled and dashed alongside, captivated by He Shiqi’s striking appearance today. Observing their hearts racing with excitement, she contemplated shifting her own perspective. He Shiqi might be simple-minded, but he’s also compliant. What about the prospect of having a beautiful child in the future?

Suddenly, the entire village flocked to He’s house, like a bustling market. Only elderly couple He were left behind.

Lin Yuniang wore an unhappy expression, repeatedly rolling her eyes: “If only they minded their own business. It would be wonderful if things worked out. Our Ah Qi still doesn’t have a daughter-in-law.”

Mr. He gazed at his wife in amazement, and Lin Yuniang shot him a scornful look: “Why are you staring? How many more years can we spend with Ah Qi? We need to find him a wife before we’re in our coffins!”

Old scholar He Xiucai blinked, lowered his face, and blushed: “I didn’t disagree. Otherwise, why do you think I was walking so slowly just now.”

The elderly couple exchanged a glance, silently holding each other’s hands. They supported one another, and walked between the rows of the field. Behind them, the sun was setting, casting a fiery red glow.

Throughout their lifetimes, the old couple had upheld virtuous values. Yet in their later years, they experienced a temporary lapse in judgment.

The outcome of tonight’s situation remains uncertain, and their foolish son He Shiqi is a contributing factor. Being in their seventies and residing in the mountains, they’ve already achieved a long life by local standards. They are genuinely unsure if they will wake up tomorrow after experiencing today’s events.

Having led a virtuous life throughout their years, they found themselves becoming morally compromised for the sake of their son, leading to divine retribution. They were ready to stake their very lives, all for the sake of their son in this lifetime. And they hoped for a daughter to be by their side as they aged, carrying on the responsibility of caring for their foolish son.

A gathering of the entire village, consisting one hundred and eighty individuals of various ages and genders, congregated outside He Shiqi’s thatched hut. This individual seemed nearly immune to the effects of gossip.

Despite the village’s small population, the family drama unfolded daily. With the prominent families occupying the spotlight which creates a series of continuous events akin to a soap opera.

He Shiqi pressed against the door, “Leave! The master needs to sleep!”

The people outside were puzzled. “Huh? Master?”

“Hurry, leave! All of you, go back to sleep!” He Shiqi shouted with a dark expression, “Go back quickly, or I’ll release the dogs!”

The moment they heard that He Shiqi was going to set the dogs loose, their expressions tightened, and they all stepped back. It wasn’t just one or two dogs that He Shiqi could command. If he shouted, all the village dogs would obey him. This had long been the village’s biggest unsolved mystery.

Each villager anxiously looked at the old village chief. He, the old village chief, should go up and say something. They were afraid of He Shiqi’s dogs, but the girl that fell down made them even more curious. They just had to get a taste of this juicy gossip.

The old village chief walked up to the door, “Ah Qi, is the girl injured? Let Uncle Lu take a look.” The old village chief wasn’t trying to manipulate He Shiqi, but he was genuinely concerned about the girl. A young girl, suddenly carried back by the village fool He Shiqi, could lead to legal troubles if her parents came looking. He himself might end up in trouble.

“She’s fine! The master won’t get hurt. She fell from the sky without a scratch!” He Shiqi shook his head. The old village chief’s suspicions were confirmed—he was indeed a fool.

“We’re here, we’re here.” The old couple, He, finally arrived back.