I have been farming since I crossed over.

"Master, we've arrived at the Tathagata Inn!" A clear and pleasant voice entered the oxcart shed, breaking the old man's deep thoughts. He slowly sat up straight, a trace of emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Xiao Xi, go in directly and book a single room first." The old man instructed softly, his tone revealing a hint of fatigue and vicissitudes.

"Okay, Master!" Xiao Xi responded cheerfully, turned around and jumped off the ox cart, leading the ox rope to the inn door. She started chatting with the waiter at the door with a bright and enthusiastic smile.

"Brother Xiaoer, please stay in the hotel, take a single room, and feed my old cow with good food." Xiao Xi's voice was clear and pleasant, which made people like her.

The inn waiter came over with a smile, took the reins skillfully, and led the old cow to the backyard. He looked up at the sky, the sun was bright and warm.

"A private room, do you need lunch?" the waiter asked enthusiastically, with a smile on his face.

Xiao Xi nodded, her eyes flashing with anticipation. "A plate of beef, a plate of vegetables, a pot of wine, and two bowls of rice! Send some hot water to the room first, and then we'll eat!" Her voice was full of energy and appetite.

The waiter smiled and agreed, then turned and went into the inn to make arrangements. Xiao Xi excitedly ran back to the ox cart and helped the old man off. The master and apprentice walked into the inn together.

"Xiao Xi, go buy two sets of girls' clothes, come back to wash up, and go home after dinner." After arriving at the inn, the master immediately made arrangements.

Xiao Xi watched her master sit down beside the bed and said, "Okay, Master, I'll be back soon!" After that, she turned and left the room.

"Don't go too far, there is a clothing store diagonally across from the inn!" The master was worried that Xiaoxi would get lost, so he shouted quickly.

When Xiaoxi heard what her master said, she looked back and nodded to show that she understood. Then, she quickly walked out of the inn and walked in the direction her master said.

Soon, Xiaoxi found the clothing store: Gao's Cloth Shop. She walked in and selected two cotton garments that suited her. After some haggling, she finally settled on three hundred copper coins. This distressed Xiaoxi deeply. For as long as she could remember, she had been accompanying her master in his medical practice. His casual nature kept his consultation fees very low, even refusing to charge for patients without money. As a result, sometimes even food was hard to come by. It was only after his master treated several wealthy families that they gradually accumulated some savings, barely enough to make ends meet. In recent years, she had lived frugally, finally saving less than fifty taels of silver, knowing that this money would be used by her master when he returned home. So when she spent three hundred copper coins on two sets of clothing, she felt deeply distressed.

Xiaoxi paid the bill and returned to the inn with the clothes. As soon as she entered, she saw her master sitting by the bed waiting for her. Seeing her return, her master smiled and said, "Go change into your new clothes and see if they fit you well."

Xiao Xi glanced at her master, who had already finished washing up. As he turned and walked out, he said to her gently, "Go wash up. I'll wait for you downstairs to have dinner together!"

Xiao Xi temporarily put aside her worries about the money. After changing her clothes and washing up briefly, she felt refreshed and clean. When she appeared before her master again, he nodded with satisfaction.

Then, she had dinner with her master, and then went to the backyard to drive the ox cart and prepare to go home.

Changshan Village is not far from Qingshui County, about fifteen miles away. There's a straight road south along the Qingshui River from the county seat. At the end, turn left and climb a gentle slope to reach Changshan Village.

Xiao Xi was driving the ox cart, rumbling along. As she reached the gentle slope, she noticed three young men not far ahead, supporting each other and stumbling along. The older one bent over to support one, while the thinner one supported the other, walking laboriously along the roadside at the pace of a snail.

Xiao Xi took a look and saw that the road only led to Changshan Village. She left home early and didn't remember the people in the village, but she was sure that these three people must be from the same village. Watching them struggling to walk, Xiao Xi thought for a moment and said to the master in the ox cart, "Master, there are three people up ahead. They look a little strange!"