Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts-Chapter 354 - These Years, You’ve Had It Hard (Two in One Chapter)

The capital city of Wu Kingdom, Xu Residence.

Another day had passed.

That morning, just as Xu Ming got up, he saw Chen Suya standing in the courtyard, smiling at him.

The moment he looked into Chen Suya’s eyes, Xu Ming knew—his mother was back.

“Mother.” Xu Ming called out.

“Hmm.” Chen Suya nodded gently, looking at her son with warmth.

Looking at his mother, Xu Ming felt his throat tighten. There was so much he wanted to say, yet he didn’t know how to start.

“Ming’er, would you like to take a walk with me?” Chen Suya spoke first.

Xu Ming nodded. “Of course. Anywhere you want to go, I’ll accompany you.”

Chen Suya smiled. “Nowhere special, just a casual stroll through the streets. We’ll be back soon.”

“Alright.” Xu Ming nodded.

Half a stick of incense later, Xu Ming and Chen Suya were walking through the streets, watching the bustling crowds.

Every street in the capital was lively. There were vendors selling candied hawthorns, sugar figurines, and all sorts of jewelry.

The waiters in the restaurants were shouting enthusiastically, eager to welcome guests. The moment someone entered, they would bow and greet them, afraid that if they didn’t act quickly, the guest might turn around and leave.

There were also many brothels in the capital, making competition among them fierce.

The ladies dressed in revealing clothes stood on the second floor, constantly calling out to passersby. The moment a man walked toward a brothel, several young women would rush out, pressing their soft, fair chests against him and calling him “Young Master” in sweet voices, coaxing him inside.

Although brothels were high-consumption places, Xu Ming always believed that their quality was far superior to the livestreams he had seen in his previous life.

In livestreams, people would throw money at streamers without even being able to touch or interact with them. Worse, some might turn out to be “Qiaobiluo” (a reference to an infamous livestreamer who used heavy filters to disguise her real appearance).

Besides, in his past life, any woman with a decent appearance could start a livestream. All they needed was a beauty filter.

But brothels were different. The women there not only had to be beautiful but also talented, with graceful figures. And unlike a livestream, you could actually see them in person, touch them, and interact with them.

In this era, there were no beauty filters, no AI enhancements—what you saw was what you got.

“Ming’er, have you ever been to a brothel?” Chen Suya noticed her son’s gaze and asked with a smile.

“No!” Xu Ming answered firmly.

Afraid that his mother wouldn’t believe him, he emphasized again, “Really, I haven’t!”

“Hehehe…” Chen Suya chuckled. “Why are you so nervous? I didn’t say anything, did I? If you haven’t, then you haven’t. It’s not like I don’t believe you. Besides, even if you had gone, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Young men are full of energy, after all. And you’re a scholar—what scholar hasn’t been to a brothel?”

Xu Ming: “…”

“But you really don’t need to go to such places,” Chen Suya continued with a smile. “Isn’t Princess Wu Yanhan far more beautiful than any of those women?”

Xu Ming: “…”

Before, whenever his mother mentioned Wu Yanhan, he could confidently say, “The princess and I are completely innocent.”

But now, he really couldn’t say that anymore. Because… something had indeed happened between him and Yanhan.

“You met Qingwan before, right?” Chen Suya smoothly changed the topic.

Xu Ming nodded. “Yes, I did.”

“How is Qingwan now? She must have grown into a graceful young lady,” Chen Suya asked.

“She has,” Xu Ming nodded.

“She must be very beautiful now, isn’t she?” Chen Suya asked again.

“She is,” Xu Ming nodded. “She looks completely different from when she was little. But her personality is still the same—kind of silly, in a way.”

Chen Suya glanced at her son’s side profile. “So, in your eyes, who is more beautiful—the princess or Qingwan?”

Xu Ming: “…”

Chen Suya smiled. “Don’t blame your mother for being naggy. Both Qingwan and the princess are wonderful girls. No matter which one you marry, I can rest easy.”

As she spoke, she sighed. “Of course, in the best-case scenario, I would hope for you to marry both. But given the princess’s status and Qingwan’s identity, I know that’s impossible… unless one of them is willing to take a step back and become a concubine.”

“Mother, you’re thinking way too far ahead.” Xu Ming didn’t know what to say for a moment.

He was starting to feel the pressure of being urged to marry by his family.

Chen Suya shook her head. “It’s not that far ahead, really. I’m leaving soon, and I can’t help but worry about you. You’re already a grown man—how can you not have a wife yet?”

“Where are you going, Mother?” Xu Ming asked.

“Where else? To the Northern Wastelands, of course.” Chen Suya replied calmly. “Didn’t your other ‘mother’ already tell you?”

“She is not my mother.” Xu Ming said firmly.

Chen Suya merely smiled and continued, “She wasn’t wrong about one thing, though—your bloodline will never change. I know you don’t believe me, but the truth is, she values you greatly.”

Xu Ming: “…”

“Alright, alright. Don’t look so troubled.” Chen Suya chuckled. “What I want most is for you to be safe and happy every day. I’m leaving for the Northern Wastelands tomorrow. I know you’re worried about me, but just like her, I don’t want you going to that place.

She has my memories, and I have hers.

I know what awaits in the Northern Wastelands, and right now, it’s beyond what you can handle.

Besides, you don’t have to worry about me.

She signed a contract with the Wu Emperor, backed by the very fate of the kingdom. Unless Wu Kingdom is destroyed and its fate extinguished, she cannot erase me.

And don’t underestimate your mother, either.

Even without that contract, it wouldn’t be so easy for her to erase me.

As for those people in the Northern Wastelands, you have even less to worry about—most of them can’t even beat your mother.”

Hearing his usually gentle and elegant mother talk about fighting and power, Xu Ming felt a bit unaccustomed to it.

“When are you leaving, Mother?” Xu Ming lowered his head, looking into her eyes.

“In a few days, maybe.” Chen Suya smiled softly.

She stopped walking and turned to face her son. “Ming’er, I won’t be able to be by your side for a long time after this. But don’t worry, once everything is settled, I will come see you again.

And who knows, maybe I’ll even bring you some nice gifts.”

Xu Ming sighed. “If only I were stronger…”

“Silly child.” Chen Suya flicked his forehead lightly. “In this world, cultivation is indeed important. But there are things far more important than just strength. Besides, power alone isn’t everything.”

“Alright, enough of that.” Chen Suya patted his shoulder. “Let’s go home. I knitted you a sweater—try it on and see if it fits. Also, it’s been a long time since I cooked for you. Tonight, I’ll make a nice meal. Let’s invite Miss Zhou and Miss Shi Xin to join us.”

Xu Ming: “Alright.”

Chen Suya turned and headed back toward Xu Residence from another direction.

Once they got home, she took out a sweater from her room. When Xu Ming put it on, it fit perfectly, much to Chen Suya’s satisfaction.

She also gave him a pair of shoes. Though they were just ordinary clothes and footwear, to Xu Ming, they felt no different from divine artifacts.

That evening, Chen Suya personally cooked a meal and invited Zhou Wanfeng and Shi Xin to join them.

Chen Suya expressed her gratitude to Zhou Wanfeng.

She knew that Zhou Wanfeng had been guarding her all this time.

Even though Chen Suya understood that Zhou Wanfeng had her own motives—she must have made some kind of deal with Xu Ming, or else she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to help—none of that changed the fact that she had indeed been helped.

Chen Suya also apologized to Shi Xin.

Though it wasn’t she who had injured Shi Xin, it was, in the end, because of her.

The family dinner that evening was simple and ordinary, no different from usual.

After the meal, Chen Suya returned to her room and went to sleep, as if it were just another regular night, as if nothing unusual had happened recently.

—

Early the next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Chen Suya got out of bed.

She packed a few clothes and pieces of jewelry, slung a bundle over her shoulder, and stepped out of the courtyard.

In the outer room, Chunyan, who had been sleeping there, stirred at the sound. She tried to get up, but with a gentle tap from Chen Suya, she fell back into sleep.

“Thank you for everything,” Chen Suya murmured, looking at the sleeping Chunyan as she pulled the blanket over her properly.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.

Leaving the room, she didn’t head straight out of Xu Residence but instead made her way to Wang Feng’s courtyard.

Although Wang Feng had married into the Xu family, as the daughter of a military family, she had never given up her habit of waking up early to practice boxing.

Now that her son had been deployed outside the capital, she found herself even more alone, so she decided to take up her neglected training again.

Even though Wang Feng knew she would never achieve anything remarkable through practice, at the very least, it helped keep her fit, allowing her to live longer and pass the time.

And who knows—maybe one day, if her son was bullied, she could personally go and seek justice for him.

“Good morning, Lady Wang.”

As Wang Feng was practicing her punches, a soft female voice called out from outside the courtyard.

Wang Feng retracted her stance and turned to look outside.

When she saw Chen Suya, she was slightly taken aback.

“You’re up early,” Wang Feng said in her usual tone.

With just one glance, she recognized that it was indeed Chen Suya, not someone else.

“Would you like to come in for some tea?” Wang Feng offered.

Chen Suya smiled and shook her head. “No need. I’m heading out.”

Wang Feng asked, “Where to?”

Chen Suya replied, “The Northern Wastelands.”

Wang Feng: “…”

Wang Feng frowned. “Did your other personality make you go?”

Chen Suya nodded. “You could say that… but also not entirely.”

Wang Feng furrowed her brows. “Why are you speaking in riddles like those people now?”

Chen Suya simply smiled. “I’ve suddenly inherited memories from the past. I don’t want to go—I’m reluctant to leave behind this peaceful life—but I also know that I have no choice.”

Wang Feng sighed. “How long will you be gone this time?”

Chen Suya shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Alright then.” There was a hint of sadness in Wang Feng’s eyes. “Before I die of old age, will you come back to see me one last time?”

Chen Suya smiled. “Of course I will.”

Wang Feng parted her lips slightly as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end, she closed her mouth.

Standing before her, Chen Suya bowed slightly. “Thank you, Lady Wang, for taking care of me during this time.”

Wang Feng pressed her lips together, then let out a sigh. “It’s me who should be thanking you. Without you, I wouldn’t even know how to get by in this place.”

Wang Feng looked at the gentle woman before her. “Take care.”

Chen Suya nodded. “You too, Madam.”

Under Wang Feng’s watchful gaze, Chen Suya walked out of Xu Residence.

Across the street from the entrance, at a small roadside stall, a man was eating a bowl of beef noodles.

Unlike his usual carefree demeanor, there was a rare trace of melancholy in his eyes.

Chen Suya walked over and took a seat across from him.

“Boss, one bowl of plain noodles,” Chen Suya called out.

“Right away, madam,” the stall owner responded, hurrying to prepare the dish with great care—after all, a lady of such status could not be served carelessly.

“You’re leaving this early, huh?” Xu Zheng took a bite of his noodles and sipped his broth.

“I have to go,” Chen Suya nodded.

“Does Ming’er know?” Xu Zheng asked.

Chen Suya shook her head. “He doesn’t. He thinks I’ll be leaving in a few days.”

“Sigh…” Xu Zheng let out a heavy sigh.

Chen Suya looked at the man before her. “All these years, you still haven’t let go.”

Xu Zheng chuckled. “Who says I haven’t? I think I’ve let go quite well.”

He raised his head and laughed. “Hahaha! Look at me—I visit brothels every day, drink at the taverns, indulge in pleasure, and ignore everything else. If this isn’t letting go, then what is?”

“Only you know whether you’ve truly let go or not,” Chen Suya said calmly, meeting his gaze.

Xu Zheng fell silent.

“Madam, your noodles.” The stall owner respectfully placed the bowl before her.

“Thank you,” Chen Suya said with a smile.

“You’re too kind. Please enjoy.” The stall owner bowed and quickly stepped away.

“Eat,” Chen Suya said.

The two ate their noodles in silence, not exchanging another word.

Once they finished, Chen Suya stood up and left.

After she had walked a few steps, a voice came from behind her.

“These years… you’ve had it hard.”