PCJ – Chapter 463 A Heart That Cannot Be Kept

“Didn’t you say it wouldn’t take long to cultivate successfully?”

After practicing for some time, Liu Qiaoye finally lost her patience. How many gossiping thoughts would she have to kill? How much harm would her inquisitive heart suffer from the waiting?

“Actually, the speed of cultivation mainly depends on talent,” Zhang Jiaohua said hesitantly.

“Didn’t you say my talent was excellent and that I could definitely cultivate?” Liu Qiaoye couldn’t hold back any longer.

Zhang Jiaohua rolled his eyes. Talking to his mother felt like walking into a trap—no matter what he said, there was no escape. He still hadn’t figured out how to bring up his desire to leave for his travels. If he mentioned it now, his mother might explode on the spot.

Sensing an impending storm, Zhang Jiaohua quickly found an excuse to escape. “Mom, I’m going to check if Uncle Jiwang’s colt is male or female.”

“Huh?” Liu Qiaoye only reacted after Zhang Jiaohua had run far away. “Uncle Jiwang’s horse is male, so how could it have a colt? That brat! I’ve been cultivating for so long and haven’t gotten a single result. What a waste!”

What she didn’t know was that at her age, even with exceptional talent, the odds of successfully cultivating were slim. Cultivation was a high-level endeavor, not something anyone could achieve by simply obtaining a technique.

The fact that Zhang Jiaohua had crossed the threshold of cultivation was itself a rare occurrence. The artifact that had bestowed the technique had already chosen him as its master and could not be passed on to another unless he perished. Thus, he couldn’t teach the cultivation method to Liu Qiaoye.

From afar, Zhang Youping saw Zhang Jiaohua running out of the house, heading hastily toward the orchard.

“Where’s Jiaohua running off to in such a hurry?” Zhang Youping asked as he entered the house.

“How would I know? That brat is full of lies lately. He told me to cultivate the art of immortality, but after all these days of practice, all I’ve achieved is numb legs. If it worked, I wouldn’t even need beauty products—I could be as youthful as Jiaohua! Why did you buy so many books?” Liu Qiaoye grumbled while rubbing her legs, sore from meditation.

“They’re for Jiaohua. If he wants to cultivate, he can do it at home. Why must he insist on going out? These books were hard to get—they’re all related to cultivation,” Zhang Youping explained as he carried a stack of books into Jiaohua’s room.

“You’re hopeless! That boy is practically obsessed, and you’re encouraging him by buying these books. If something goes wrong, I’ll hold you responsible! Jiaohua hasn’t mentioned leaving again lately, though,” Liu Qiaoye said, assuming her son’s earlier talk of traveling was just youthful whimsy.

“He hasn’t told you?” Zhang Youping asked, surprised.

“Told me what?” Liu Qiaoye asked, puzzled.

“About wanting to leave again. He told me he wants to be free like an eagle in the sky. I think our son is different from other kids. Trying to keep him at home is like caging a bird—it won’t work. Don’t you agree?” Zhang Youping watched her expression closely and immediately stopped talking when her face darkened.

Liu Qiaoye was sharp. From Zhang Youping’s words, she quickly deduced the situation.

“Don’t tell me you’ve already agreed to something with Jiaohua?” She glared at him.

Zhang Youping felt a headache coming but knew he couldn’t deny it. He confessed, “I just said that if you agreed, he could go. You’re the decision-maker in our family. Jiaohua agreed to that too.”

“Good job, making yourself the good guy and leaving me to be the bad one! Zhang Youping, I knew you were up to something sneaky!” Liu Qiaoye fumed.

“It’s not like that! I had no choice that day!” Zhang Youping said with a wry smile.

Meanwhile, Zhang Jiaohua was wrestling with how to tell his mother about his desire to leave. He knew she would likely object—after all, he was only thirteen, even though he looked older.

But staying in Meizi’ao wasn’t an option either. He felt his path lay beyond the confines of their village. The ancient saying about cutting ties with worldly attachments resonated with him. While he couldn’t sever familial bonds, he believed that leaving to explore the world was essential for finding his way.

Standing atop Black Rock Ridge, he gazed down at Meizi’ao. The idea of soaring like a bird over his village, past the mountains and into the unknown, filled him with longing.

When Zhang Jiaohua returned home, the aroma of freshly cooked food greeted him. Liu Qiaoye was watching TV, and Zhang Youping was engrossed in a book.

As soon as she saw him, Liu Qiaoye stood up. “You brat! Running around until you forgot about dinner! The food’s gone cold. Go wash your hands!” She bustled into the kitchen to get more rice.

“Mom, I…” Zhang Jiaohua started to speak.

“Save it for after dinner. I’m starving,” Liu Qiaoye interrupted, avoiding his gaze.

“Let’s eat first,” Zhang Youping said, giving Jiaohua a knowing look.