Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

Xu Damao and He Lihua walked slowly side by side along the muddy road by the small river in front of the steel plant. Although the weather was very cold, for Xu Damao and He Lihua, there was no such thing as cold or hot.

The two walked for a long time without speaking to each other. Finally, it was He Lihua who broke the deadlock.

"Xu, the reason I ran away and got married so quickly was mainly because I found out I was pregnant, and I didn't want to embarrass you. If I divorced and got married again, your reputation would be ruined. So..."

"Lihua, it's okay. It's been so many years, why are you still brooding over this? It was my fault in the first place, why are you taking the blame on yourself? Lihua, thank you for not causing He Dongyue's miscarriage. Look, she's in elementary school now. School should start now, right? Arrange her in that elementary school."

"It's in Xishiku Primary School, which is closer to home. I originally wanted to send him to the primary school for children of the steel plant, but I thought about it and decided not to. Dongyue is very self-sufficient, so there won't be any problem. I'll go to school nearby."

"What about the two children?"

"It's the steel plant nursery. They're not small anymore. One is six years old, and the other is four."

"That's good. It's hard for you to take care of three children for so many years."

"Xu, how about you guys? How are you? When Sister Xiaoru wrote me a letter that year, I thought you asked her to write it. How did you know I went to Laiwu?"

"Three months after you left, Li Huaimin called and said he had been promoted to director. I asked about your whereabouts, and he told me that you got married and went to help with construction for five years. Three years ago, I went to Xishiku Street to see your yard. The door lock was rusty, and I realized that you hadn't come back yet. Time flies so fast. Seven years have passed in a flash."

"Yes, but fortunately, the times have changed and people are getting better and better at expressing themselves. I believe that my life will become more and more comfortable in the future."

Xu Damao suddenly stopped and turned to He Lihua, "Lihua, is he good to you?"

"Xu, his name is Qu Yuanhang, he was admitted to university from a rural area in Hebei, he is very good to me, and I married him to go to aid construction because he didn't mind me getting pregnant and having a baby. He protects my reputation and treats Dongyue as his own son. He is also very talented, otherwise the general factory would not have thought of him when it built a new imported continuous casting and rolling production line and stopped him from returning to Beijing. He wrote a similar paper in his early years and published it in the department's magazine, so this return to Beijing is actually his credit. Now he and I have a daughter and a son. So when I came back, I didn't say hello to you, I just went to my parents' house, still the same as before."

"Lihua, I understand. Don't worry, I won't disturb your peaceful life. The fact that I can be with you for a while is the greatest blessing from God. What else do I have to regret? Besides, you gave birth to Dongyue for me."

"Xu, actually, although I can't let Qu Yuanhang down, I still can't let you go. Sometimes it's scary to think about it. I want to erase you from my heart, but I can't do it. Does this count as spiritual infidelity?"

"Lihua, I haven't really thought about this question. But I guess it doesn't count. If you think memories are beautiful, isn't it a beautiful thing to keep them and think about them occasionally?"

"Well, what you said makes sense. It was really beautiful in the past. I ate with you, cooked, and made dumplings together... It seemed as if you were right in front of me. By the way, when I waited for Mount Tai on May Day that year, I had a similar feeling. It felt like you were right next to me, and then I was waiting for the sunrise over there. Unexpectedly, the Qi Refining Technique that Mi taught me suddenly broke through. I was so excited at the time, and my whole body felt like it was bathed in the warm sun, and I felt like I was floating. In the end, it was still quite embarrassing. My whole body was stinking, and it took me an hour to shower. Later, after reading the cultivation experience you sent me in the letter, I realized that this is called a complete transformation, cleansing the marrow and removing hair. After that, I was not afraid of cold or heat, and I never caught a cold. My strength doubled, and I could easily carry a bag of flour to provide shelter for three people. People even thought I was a strongman."

"Lihua, that means you have wisdom. Many people in Kyoto practice this art. Now Xiaoru's daughter has mastered it. She can fight a wild boar by herself at the age of ten. How is your spiritual awareness? How far can it be projected?"

"About 100 meters, right? But I don't really use it. I'm afraid it'll be annoying. Sometimes I hear things I shouldn't hear, or see things I shouldn't see, and it's pretty embarrassing."

"You are amazing. I practiced a few years earlier than you, but now I can only reach 80 meters at most. It seems that Lihua, your wisdom and mental strength are stronger than mine. Have you not practiced any routines? Otherwise, it will not work if you only have internal strength but no skills?"

"In Laiwu, I saw an old man in the park practicing fancy Tai Chi, but it was very effective. It used Qi to guide the moves, and it was quite effective."

Xu Damao hugged He Lihua emotionally, "Lihua, you are really smart to come up with this method. I will try to control Tai Chi with Qi in the future. It actually makes sense. Tai Chi gives birth to two opposites, and two opposites give birth to four images. It is the same as the Taoist art of Qi Refining Jue. You are indeed a person with great wisdom."

"Go, go, you are the only one who praises others like that. Xu, let's go back. It's not good to be out for too long. This circle is small now. If someone sees us, it will be troublesome. After this event is over, I will bring Dong Yue to visit you guys at Sister Xiao Ru's place. But, Xu, you have to promise me one thing, don't let Dong Yue know the truth for the time being, okay? Although this child is very strong, this is too sudden for him. When he grows up and goes to college, I will tell him the truth. He has so many brothers and sisters. It's his own business if he wants to recognize them. I promise, I will definitely train Dong Yue well."

"Lihua, I will. Don't worry. You don't have to bring Dong Yue here deliberately. I'll let Xiao Ru go over to see you. Practice well. Dong Yue can practice if he wants to. Tell him not to be impatient. This is a natural process of accumulation and breakthrough. Generally, if he practices the right way for a year but there is no effect, then there is no effect. It's also okay for him to learn the Ziranmen internal skills from Xiao Ru. If he wants to learn my Xingyi Bagua, I will also teach him. I promise not to reveal anything. I absolutely value your opinion."

"Xu, thank you."

"Why thank me? We are all family. Even if you marry someone else, they are still my family. If they are not my lovers, they cannot be my family. We will talk about the future later. For cultivators like you and me, living a hundred years is not a dream. We still have a long way to go and a long life to live."

"can you?"

"Of course I will. When you return to Beijing, come to us if you have any difficulties. Whether it's money or things, it's no problem. If your child wants to learn a hobby, such as music, painting, etc., I still have a way for him."

"Yes, I will."

He Lihua paused for a moment, then took the initiative to hug Xu Damao. She looked up at his handsome face and moved her lips.

Xu Damao lowered his head and gave He Lihua a deep kiss.