My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

In the Pine Forest Cottage.

Green Bamboo was also chatting about the Winter Solstice.

"Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice, Miss. Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Chu Lengyu thought hard for a moment, and finally answered with two words: "Either is fine."

"Oh dear, how could you do this?" Green Bamboo said angrily, "When I ask you about clothes, you say anything is fine; when I ask about food, you say anything is fine too. I really don't know what to do."

Chu Lengyu was sitting by the window. Upon hearing this, she put down the book in her hand, propped her head up, tilted her head to look at her, and said, "I don't have any particular preference. Whatever you say, I think it's fine."

But she was born with such a beautiful face and eyes as clear as autumn water, that just looking at her could soften one's heart.

"Sigh, never mind," Green Bamboo said helplessly, no longer able to stay angry.

Chu Lengyu just smiled, looked down at the book in her hand, and suddenly said, "Let me teach you to read."

In addition to the "Qing Nang Dan Jing" (The Classic of Elixir in the Green Bag), this alchemy inheritance also included a "Collection of Spiritual Plants," all of which she transcribed into a stack of books. The original intention was to make it easier for alchemists to read and study, but she noticed that Lü Yun also liked it and often looked at it.

Green Bamboo only knew the simplest characters, so she struggled to read these booklets and could only appreciate the illustrations of the spiritual plants. Even so, Green Bamboo still loved these books dearly and cherished them immensely.

Upon hearing this, Lüyun was overjoyed, but then a sense of unease arose within her. She asked with concern, "Won't this delay Miss's plans?"

Although she wanted to learn to read, she didn't force herself to.

Let alone maids who are illiterate, even daughters of officials often do not study or learn to write, and are completely ignorant.

"I'll teach you whenever I have a spare moment each day, it's no big deal." After saying that, Chu Lengyu gestured for her to sit down next to her and took out a brush, ink, paper and inkstone from her storage bag.

Green Bamboo could tell at a glance that she wasn't joking, but serious. She immediately became nervous and flustered, stammering, "Miss, maybe... maybe we should just forget about it."

She feared she was too stupid and would waste the young lady's time and disappoint her good intentions. Besides, what use would she have if she knew how to read? There was no need for her to write essays or take exams.

“It’s always good to learn and understand things,” Chu Lengyu said, holding her hand. “Besides, once you can read, you can do more things for me. In any case, I’ll be the one troubling you more.”

"No trouble at all!" Green Bamboo's eyes widened as she quickly replied, "If Miss is willing to teach me, I will definitely study diligently."

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled patterns on the desk.

Chu Lengyu laid out the paper, picked up a pen, and said, "Come on, let's start with your name."

As she spoke, she slightly moved her wrist, and the pen tip wrote the two characters "Lvyun" on the paper.

"So that's how it's written... There are so many strokes..." Green Bamboo muttered.

She handed her the pen and encouraged her, "Try it, follow my example, take your time, no rush."

Lüyun took the pen, but her posture was corrected. Her right hand trembled slightly, and she felt both nervous and excited.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and then carefully imitated Chu Lengyu's handwriting, placing each stroke on the paper.

At first, the writing was clumsy and the strokes were crooked and disordered. It was more like copying a gourd than "writing".

Chu Lengyu watched quietly from the side, offering guidance and encouragement from time to time, patiently correcting every mistake, until Lüyun gradually grasped the essentials and wrote more and more beautiful characters.

As time went on, Lü Yun's progress was obvious, and her handwriting became increasingly fluent and natural.

Whenever she wrote a beautiful character, Chu Lengyu would give her an approving look and a gentle smile, which boosted her confidence.

"Green Bamboo." She murmured to herself, memorizing the two characters. It seemed learning to read wasn't so difficult after all; she felt a surge of self-satisfaction.

Chu Lengyu picked up her pen and wrote down her own name, then Lin Jiuxiao, Ji Lingchuan, and Songlin Xiaozhu, all of which were names that Lü Yun was most familiar with.

Watching her swiftly write, the slight joy that had just arisen in Lüyun vanished instantly, and her little face fell.

Chu Lengyu chuckled, "Scared already?"

"I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid at all." Lüyun gritted her teeth. It was just a matter of moving her pen and imitating the characters; it was something so simple, she was sure she could learn it!

"Hmm, very good. From now on, every morning you will first review the characters you have learned before, and then learn twenty new characters." Chu Lengyu arranged her character learning in just a few words.

Lüyun looked down and counted on her fingers, thinking that twenty words weren't too many, and agreed.

At this moment, Chu Lengyu's consciousness was triggered. She looked up and gazed out the window, saying softly, "Alchemist Lu has arrived."

They arrived quite early.

Lüyun stood up and said, "The old gentleman has arrived? I've prepared his room and alchemy room. I'll go to the door to greet him."

"Okay, that's fine." Chu Lengyu nodded to her.

Lüyun smiled, turned around and walked out.

However, after walking for a while, she gradually stopped, and the smile on her face gradually faded away, almost disappearing completely.

In fact, Lüyun had already realized that her mistress was no ordinary person and did not need her service, food, or sleep. However, Lüyun asked herself, all she could do for her were these trivial matters.

If she doesn't do these things, what else can she do?

If she doesn't care about the young lady, who will?

As she walked, the bells tied around her waist rang out with a clear, crisp sound, yet also carried a unique, elegant charm.

Green Bamboo bowed its head, stroking the long, green tassels hanging from the bamboo bells, and a warm feeling rose in its heart.

She stopped in her tracks, looking up at the sunlight filtering through the pine trees, thinking: "Miss wants to live to be a hundred or a thousand years old, to become an immortal, but I am just a mortal."

But apart from myself, everyone else is just a mortal, so there's nothing more to say.

But... once everyone leaves, won't Miss be all alone in the end...?

My eyes feel a little sore; maybe it's because the sunlight is too strong.

She wiped her eyes and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Their footsteps were light and quick, leaving a trail of bell sounds.

It jingled, its sound lingering.