The Dao dies but I live on, the spiritual energy dries up but I remain evergreen

On the wedding day of the shopkeeper's nephew, the town was bustling with activity. Red lanterns were hung all over the roadside. The groom rode a black horse with a big red flower on his chest. He was handsome, cheerful and in high spirits as he went to meet the bride.

Li Changxiao and Si Nian mixed in the crowd and followed along the way, soaking up the joyous atmosphere. Along the way, gongs and drums were blaring, and firecrackers were blasting, which was really lively.

The shopkeeper's nephew passed the imperial examination and was quite talented. He was young, handsome, and had a good family background. Everyone said he was a good candidate for an official post and was well-known in the town. Several young ladies in the town were eyeing this "fat piece of meat". They sent matchmakers to propose marriage several times, but none of them worked out. The nephew always said he already had a sweetheart.

Somehow, he suddenly came to his senses recently and agreed to the matchmaking. Then he went to the door to propose marriage, gave gifts...all the procedures were completed in a few days. I don't know which lady was so lucky to be favored by him. A grand wedding was prepared in a busy manner.

The owner of the medicine shop knew that his nephew was hurt by love and had no place to express his deep feelings, so he gave up on himself, lived a life of mediocrity, and found someone to live with. The owner of the medicine shop also made efforts to arrange the wedding. He was always happy about his nephew's wedding. He put a lot of wedding candies in his pocket, and when he met adults and children who came to announce the good news, he would wave his hands and sprinkle the sweet candies one by one. Children like sweet things the most, and they can't let go of the candies. They were all happy and had fun everywhere. The atmosphere became more lively, and occasionally a few adults scolded them, but it was harmless.

Li Changxiao and Si Nian came from a distance, bowed and announced the good news, and said a lot of auspicious words as soon as they arrived. The two of them were equally good at saying auspicious words. The owner of the medicine shop was pleased to hear this and also gave a handful of candy beans. Si Nian was very excited and took Li Changxiao to see the bride and groom.

The owner of the medicine shop sighed again and again as he looked at the two men's backs. The bride's family lived in the east of the town. They were also a good family, engaged in the timber business. They were considered a good match, and it would be a good story to talk about them in the future.

The wedding was very festive. The bride and groom were in the wedding ceremony hall. Li Changxiao wanted to find a seat early, eat melon seeds quietly, watch the fun, and listen to gossip. But Si Nian refused and dragged him to watch the wedding ceremony. The two of them sneaked a peek outside the hall and saw the newlyweds become a couple, and from now on they could sleep together.

Si Nian couldn't express her envy, nor could she express her melancholy. Thinking about the weddings of ordinary people, although there were many red tapes, if she put herself in their shoes, she would surely enjoy it.

Before he knew it, it was night. The groom came out to toast, and when he passed by Si Nian and Li Changxiao, he couldn't help but look at them twice. Inexplicably, he toasted Li Changxiao twice more. After the groom left, Si Nian patted Li Changxiao on the shoulder and said, "Do you know him?" Li Changxiao said, "No, if anyone knows him, it's you who knows him. He is the nephew of the owner of the drugstore." Si Nian asked curiously, "But I've never seen him before?"

The nephew of the drugstore owner had already been obsessed with her and deeply moved after only a glimpse from afar, but they had never formally met.

The banquet was over. By late night, the food and wine were gone, and the guests left one after another. Li Changxiao and Si Nian were the last to leave. When the crowd had dispersed, Li Changxiao was still leisurely eating melon seeds and resting on a chair.

This banquet was really good, the taste was quite to Li Changxiao's taste, and he enjoyed it very much. After the maid in charge came to clean up, the two left.

A cool drizzle fell on the road.

It's cool, deserted, and yet there's a hint of sadness.

……

Half a year had passed in a flash. Life was very peaceful. Leisure time occupied most of the time. Li Changxiao made two armchairs. Sometimes when he was bored, he would sit in the yard outside the door, basking in the sun and enjoying the breeze.

As winter was approaching, Si Nian spent all her savings of half a year on buying cloth. She didn't know where she learned needlework, and the clothes she made by hand were no worse than those made by the clothing store in town, and they were also strong and beautiful. She really liked Li Changxiao wearing white clothes, and she thought he was very handsome.

She was honest, she was attracted to Li Changxiao at first, this "handsomeness" was a part of it. But she couldn't forget him and missed him forever, this "handsomeness" was a part of her fault. The carefully tailored clothes were of course not bad, they fit her body perfectly.

As for the clothes that were taken off, Si Nian naturally collected them and put them into a small wooden box.

After winter came, the small wooden house was surprisingly warm, and with some charcoal burning, it was just like spring. But as winter deepened, the wind and snow became stronger, and the mountain road became difficult to walk on, so the two of them were too lazy to go to the town.

In autumn, many fruits ripen. Li Changxiao uses them to make fruit wine and hides them in the cellar. Now that winter has arrived, it is just the right time to take them out and taste them. In winter, the vegetable garden in front of the yard is useless, and there is no vegetable food for several months. But there is plenty of meat. Just go up the mountain and you will find plenty of wild boars, wild deer, and wild rabbits.

If you feel lazy one day, you can just take an empty fishing rod and throw it into the river. If there is a fish on the hook, there will be no shortage of fish meat. It is snowing heavily in Lingtian, but the river is not frozen, on the contrary, it is slightly warm.

Wild boar meat was too old, too tough, and had a strong smell, making it difficult to process. Therefore, it was not popular with Li Changxiao. However, the meat of wild two-horned deer had a natural herbaceous aroma, making it very suitable for drinking.

In this way, the winter snow melts and the next year arrives.

Early that morning, Si Nian and Li Changxiao went up the mountain to collect herbs. When the winter snow melted, some herbs would grow very fast and could be exchanged for a lot of money. It only took the two of them half a day to fill up the two large backpacks. They took them to the town to exchange for money.

The medicine shop was the same as last year. The snow in front of the door had been cleared. The owner of the medicine shop sat behind the counter, fanning himself with a wooden fan, with a small stove burning beside him, and his eyes were hazy. Si Nian smiled and greeted him, saying that he hadn't seen him for a few months and the owner had gained a lot of weight.

The shopkeeper laughed and didn't deny that his life was stable now, the business of the pharmacy was stable, and he ate better than before. Si Nian asked about his nephew's condition.

The shopkeeper smiled and said that the niece-in-law was well-educated and well-mannered, very good. In a few months, his Zhang family will have a baby. Li Changxiao and Si Nian congratulated him again and again. Seeing others live a peaceful and happy life, they were also happy.

The shopkeeper suddenly asked, "You two are a perfect couple, when do you plan to get married?"