Chapter 1128: Chapter 1128: Extra Story – Retirement Arc
As the children grew up, Nian Shutong and Fu Yunhe saw less of them, usually only meeting in reality during the New Year, and mostly catching up on the Star Network.
The two wandered through many places in the vast interstellar regions and had gradually covered most of them.
Nian Shutong didn’t want to keep traveling, nor return to Blue Star just yet; the two wanted to lazily enjoy some peaceful time together.
Finally, the two decided to settle on a slightly underdeveloped planet, opening a small flower shop, living a leisurely and carefree retirement life.
Youjian Flower Shop, a small house about twenty square meters, with morning glories climbing all over its exterior, looking most beautiful at dawn.
Outside the house were two small flower gardens, fenced with low wooden logs, with a pebble-paved one-meter-wide path leading straight to the wooden door of Youjian Flower Shop.
Inside the wooden door, in the central position, there was a rocking chair and a round wooden table, holding a transparent teapot brewing flower tea.
Surrounding the rocking chair, three sides were adorned with flowers on three-tiered shelves, displaying a variety of fresh blooms.
Behind the rocking chair, there was a small wooden door leading to the backyard.
Opening the small door faced a path that divided the yard in half, one side planted with flowers, the other with vegetables.
Facing the path was a small two-story building, the ground floor housing the living room, kitchen, a utility room, and a bathroom.
The second floor contained their bedroom, study, and bathroom.
Exiting through the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling window led to an open balcony with two chairs and a table, sheltered on top but open on all sides.
"Are you done picking yet!"
"Hurry up!"
The voice came from the back of the two-story building, where a tall durian tree stood, and currently, Fu Yunhe was atop the tree, pulling at a durian.
"Stop rushing me, you set up the array not allowing Spiritual Power, with my physical skills now, I’m already quite agile, you couldn’t do better!"
"Wow, you’re getting really impressive."
Nearly a century had passed, and Nian Shutong under the tree still looked the same.
The two set up arrays throughout the flower shop and yard to limit their use of Spiritual Power, experiencing a rather primitive life of self-reliance.
"Isn’t this too ripe already."
Fu Yunhe playfully shouted down to Nian Shutong: "Catch!"
A large durian fell from the treetop, and below, Nian Shutong quickly unfolded the burlap sack in her hand, stretching her arm.
"You’re committing murder, against your wife."
"Whoosh!"
She caught it.
Fu Yunhe climbed down from the tree, using hands and feet, and stood in front of Nian Shutong, carefully inspecting her and said, "Let me see where my dear wife got hit?"
Nian Shutong turned her head in disdain, looking at Fu Yunhe’s beard and said, "Can’t you change this look, it’s ugly."
"How could it be? I made a bet with Ha Ha, whoever shaves first loses, and next time we meet, they’ll get a flick to the forehead."
Nian Shutong expressed her annoyance at hearing this, wondering what silly games they were playing, they were really idle.
Nian Shutong dragged the burlap sack, placing the durian on the stone table in the backyard, opened it to take a look.
"Look at this, what judgment, after picking for so many years, not a bit more experienced."
Fu Yunhe leaned in for a look, and inside the durian was somewhat raw, not looking soft and gooey.
"You can’t blame me."
Fu Yunhe immediately dissociated responsibility, saying, "The durians before, any random pick was good, how would I have gained picking experience."
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a chill on his neck, as it turned out, Nian Shutong was staring at him silently.
"You... what are you doing? Your gaze is making me feel like I need to confess something, but I don’t know what to confess."
Nian Shutong snorted coldly, pointing a finger at Fu Yunhe, saying, "I knew it, men are big liars, claiming the previous durians were intentionally picked, caught you revealing the truth!"
So that’s what it was.
Fu Yunhe indeed felt a bit guilty, pursed his lips, watching Nian Shutong walk away in a huff.
He chuckled behind her, thinking how fun Nian Shutong was now, in the past, they wouldn’t get annoyed or argue over such things.
Even though they were arguing, Fu Yunhe thoroughly enjoyed it, this life was becoming more and more down-to-earth.
Nian Shutong wasn’t really angry in front either, just as Fu Yunhe said, they were too familiar, didn’t need to hold back in their conversations.
She walked ahead, Fu Yunhe carried that somewhat raw durian, caught up with Nian Shutong and asked, "How about I make you some durian chicken stew tonight?"
How does that sound?
Nian Shutong expressed keen interest.
"Then aren’t you going to buy a chicken?"
"Sure thing, I’ll go right away."
This wasn’t Blue Star, besides transplanting the durian that Nian Shutong loved, other than that, they just grew some vegetables, everything else needed to be bought.
A market was not far from here, offering quite a variety, all run by locals, selling fresh and seasonal goods.
Fu Yunhe tidied his clothes, ultimately pulling Nian Shutong along to go out.
"Why are you dragging me?"
"No need to be shy when you’re an old couple."
Nian Shutong punched Fu Yunhe’s shoulder and said, "Who said that, I meant it’s too hot, I don’t want to go out."
"Oh, I knew it, my wife can’t dislike me."
Nian Shutong laughed at Fu Yunhe’s teasing, as they grew older, he became even thick-skinned.
The two walked hand in hand on the countryside paths, surrounded occasionally by several households, houses were not tall, the highest being two-story, the climate was hot here, with frequent rainy seasons, each household’s yard was filled with various fruits and vegetables, many of them laden with produce.
Everyone was warm and welcoming, often inviting people over, and saying what’s ripe, come and pick for yourselves.
Many children were on the road, sun-tanned, some barefoot, casually catching things in the roadside ditches or ponds, never returning empty-handed.
Initially, the two chose this place because of such sights, which were very interesting.
"You two came, a bit late, the water lily rods Xiao Nian likes were just bought."
Nian Shutong, beaming and generous, said, "No problem, catch it next time as fate allows."
"Hehe, alright, alright."
Nearly every small vendor chatted a bit with them, as the two often came out together to buy things, everyone recognized them.
The two were leisurely shopping, picking up some wild grapes, the fruits were small but made great wine, whenever encountered, Nian Shutong wouldn’t let them slip by.
Fu Yunhe held several large bunches of grapes and said, "This is Xiao Nian’s favorite, compared to water lily rods, these are far superior."
