Chapter 686: Graceful Silhouette Under The Moonlit Night
The old woman had a head full of silver-white hair, which was loosely gathered with a hemp-colored cloth strip. Her snow-white eyebrows drooped down to her abdomen.
She wore a thick, patchwork robe that was tattered and worn. It must have once been colorful, but years of washing had faded it to a pale, almost ghostly hue. It was reminiscent of the ancient wax figures displayed in the Great Xia Museum five hundred years ago. She had a sense of age and decay around her.
"The esteemed guest has arrived," the old woman spoke with a hint of laughter in her voice.
She leaned on a naturally white unadorned wooden cane. Smiling warmly, she said, "I knew it. I heard the joyous chirping of the magpie right at my doorstep early this morning."
"Greetings, Village Chief Granny," said Li Xiaofei, bowing respectfully.
"Youthful and elegant, like a jade carving," said the old woman, praising Li Xiaofei with a gentle smile.
"Granny, your eyesight must be failing," Ji Man chuckled, covering her mouth. How could such a rotund man possibly match the description of ‘graceful as jade’?
The old woman did not argue. Instead, she took Li Xiaofei’s hand and chatted about trivial village matters. She even led him around the settlement, introducing him to different areas, as though she were hosting a distinguished guest from afar.
She also took the time to introduce him to the villagers, declaring that he was an honored guest of the tribe. Before long, most of the village had heard of Li Xiaofei’s arrival, and they welcomed him with genuine warmth.
The customs here were simple and sincere. That was Li Xiaofei’s truest impression. It felt just like the idyllic world described in The Peach Blossom Spring.
The land was vast and flat, with neatly arranged houses, fertile fields, beautiful ponds, and mulberry and bamboo groves. Crisscrossing paths connected the village, where chickens and dogs could be heard in the distance. The people farmed and went about their lives, dressed in simple garments like those from the outside world. The elderly and the children lived in peace and joy.