My Daoist Life Chapter 28

Chapter 28 – The Bronze Medal can Fly

Gradually, Ba Jiao village began to forget the disaster that had struck the village. People always seek life, and time is the best remedy to heal all wounds. The people in the village had become accustomed to the foreigners atop the Ba Jiao Mountain peak. Moreover, they had even begun getting along with them. Since the foreigners also needed to eat and drink, they would always come to the village buy some things to eat. The things which no one could afford to buy in the village, could now be sold to these outsiders. Although the thought that those concealed treasures might be carried away by the outsiders made the people of the village somewhat anxious, when remembering those eight old grannies, there was no resentment left.

The one named Liu Shaoqing would frequently come to my house, but I would always be cautious against him and not speak more than a few words to him every time. The one named Liu Jinan turned out to be a university student from the provincial capital. I disliked him the most, because he would often come to our house to talk to Teacher Lin. Black Bean also hated him. Every time that Liu Jinan came, Black Bean would rush out. And every time, I would scold Black Bean who would have scared Liu Jinan s.h.i.+tless.

“Black Bean, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, every time you fall short of biting others.”

Black Bean, not understanding my words, grumbled loudly, he was already busy attending to the village b.i.t.c.h. [Robin: Female dog, don’t misunderstand people ;)]

Teacher Lin could already understand our Ba Jiao Village’s dialect. Naturally, she was able to understand what I said to Black Bean.

“You, this muddled brat, if he really bit someone, you would have to pay compensation.”

“Who let him always run to our house, I do not welcome him.” I said pouting.

Teacher Lin said chuckling: “You brat, you’re really quite jealous.”

“Do I have vinegar smell coming from my body?” I also couldn’t understand what there was to be feeling jealous about. Adults were fond of always beating around the bush.
[TLNote: 醋劲 (Cu Jin) = Jealous (In Love); which can be divided into 醋 = Vinegar and 劲 = Strength/Power]

I have been continuously studying seal script, and when the number of seal scripts that I knew already reached over one thousand characters, Teacher Lin said to me.

“Huang Jingyang, you should jump grades. You know characters like a sixth grader, and in mathematics, you are at least equal to a student of fourth or fifth grade. You continuing to stay in first grade is simply a waste of time.”

“I won’t. If I jump grades, then I would no longer be in your cla.s.s. If I continue in first grade, then I will be in your cla.s.s.” I was naturally unwilling. I was unable to imagine the situation of there being any other teacher in the cla.s.s. My feeling of dependence on Teacher Lin had become extremely strong.

“Then if Teacher Lin keeps teaching primary school forever, would you attend primary school your entire life? In the future, you will need to go to junior high school, then after completing junior high school, you will need to go to high school, then you will also need to take the university entrance exam. Teacher Lin cannot accompany you for your entire life, ah.” Teacher Lin tried to mollify me, but it had no effect on me. I felt that Teacher Lin might be thinking of getting rid of me so she could return to the city.

“Teacher Lin, do you want to go?” I looked at Teacher Lin’s eyes, hoping to make out something from her eyes.

“Why would I want to go, ah?” Teacher Lin didn’t understand what I meant.

“You would leave just like that. You are a city person, you cannot always stay with us in our village. Teacher Lin, if you go, what will I do? After I grow up, I will still want to marry Teacher Lin.” I said somewhat anxiously.

“Then even if Teacher Lin goes back, I will still wait for Huang Jingyang to come marry me, ok? But you must read a lot of books and come out from Ba Jiao village. You will need to pa.s.s the university entrance exam to come study at the provincial capital.” Teacher Lin looked far off into the distance. I didn’t know what Teacher Lin saw, I also didn’t know what was in that far-off distance. I had earlier climbed to the Ba Jiao Mountain’s main peak, but even in the far distance, I could only see series of rolling mountains. Since that day, I would frequently look into the far-off distance longingly.
[TLNote: Just a fair warning, if this novel were to go the NTR route, I will be dropping this faster than a sack of hot potatoes]
[Robin: Here at Void Translations, we never give up! Even in dry times! Also, what is NTR?][Void: Oh Sweet summer child]

I was able to feel the aura of the highest nine heavens, but I was unable to see far off into the distance.

n.o.body taught me insights into the heaven and earth, and n.o.body told me how to use primordial qi. Of course, Li Shaoqing ought to know, but I will not ask him. He is curious towards me, but not necessarily with good intentions. Even though I was a kid, I understood one of the most simple truths. Meat pies won’t drop from the skies. Moreover, he gives me an extremely dreadful feeling. So, I instinctively resisted contact with him.

The Bronze Medal had been hanging around my neck for a few years, most of the time, I wasn’t even conscious of its presence. Even while bathing, I didn’t remove it. However, the thread that had held up the Bronze Medal all this time, finally broke today from decay.

I was chopping firewood in the mountains, when suddenly the silk thread snapped from thorns in the thistles, and the Bronze Medal suddenly fell down.

However, while the Bronze Medal was airborne, I had a strange feeling. I unexpectedly felt that I was capable of controlling the Bronze Medal to make it fly back into my hands. Just as this thought came, the Bronze Medal suddenly stopped mid-air. Yes, that’s right! The Bronze Medal had abruptly stopped in mid-air. It seemed as if time had come to a halt.I looked coldly at the Bronze Medal suspended in mid-air.

Just as I relaxed, the Bronze Medal again continued to fall downwards.

“No!” Once again, with a thought, the Bronze Medal unexpectedly obediently flew back into my hands.

I gently stroked the Bronze Medal within my hands. It had already become quite different from how it was when I first picked it up. When I had returned after picking it up, it had a layer of dark brown bronze rust on its surface. However, by now, due to my polis.h.i.+ng, it had become golden. Most importantly, it appeared as if it had a hazy s.h.i.+ne similar to objects made of gold.

However, now it appeared to have even greater mysteries. Apparently, it was capable of listening to my commands.

I looked at the Bronze Medal in my hands. I opened my hand, and imagined it flying up. A miraculous event once again occurred, the Bronze Medal slowly began flying up from my hand, and flew straight in the direction where I was looking.

“Ah!”

I exclaimed loudly. The Bronze Medal fell down to the ground.

“Come back!”

I shouted loudly, but unfortunately, the Bronze Medal was like my Black Bean. It was unlikely to come back on its own.

All of a sudden, I became confused for a moment, so much that I was even somewhat doubting the events that had just transpired were merely my imagination.

I squeezed the Bronze Medal into my pocket, and then put all of the firewood in one of the deep bamboo baskets loaded on Old Yellow’s back, and then began walking towards home. I did not continue thinking about the Bronze Medal.

“Huang Jingyang, quickly take a bath, having gone out, it’s easy to get a cold from all the sweat.” Teacher Lin had already prepared hot water for me at home. Nowadays, Teacher Lin was already capable of using our house’s stove for boiling water and preparing meals. If it were not for the fact that Teacher Lin still dressed very neatly, completely unlike the other women in the village, it would have been very difficult to believe that she was from the city.

Teacher Lin helped me pour out the water, she also didn’t mind helping me take off my clothes.

“Where is that Bronze Medal of yours?” Teacher Lin had a very deep impression of that Bronze Medal which used to be tied up daily around my neck.

“String snapped, I put it in my pocket.” I said, once again recalling the strange events that had transpired in the mountains.

With this thought, I was capable of sensing a trace of connection with the Bronze Medal.

“Come out!” I said softly.

The Bronze Medal flew out, and in the blink of an eye arrived within my hands.

“You’re lying. Obviously it is within your hand.” Teacher Lin tried to find it in my pockets, found them empty, and turned her head to look and saw the Bronze Medal lying in my hand.

“Fly!” I said quite excitedly. Teacher Lin wasn’t able to hear even the slightest bit of what I had said just now.

The Bronze Medal flew up, making Teacher Lin’s eyes go wide with amazement.

“Huang Jingyang, how is this happening?” Teacher Lin asked while grabbing onto my arm. From her voice, I could hear some excitement, but at the same time, some anxiety.

“I don’t know, suddenly I discovered that I was capable of making the Bronze Medal fly.” I said looking distractedly.

Having been living together with me for such a long time, Teacher Lin already knew that I stood out from the ma.s.ses. However, this was the first time she had come across a matter as strange as this. She also wasn’t able to understand what this was.

“Huang Jingyang, this kind a thing, you must not let others become aware of it, ok? You are very special, other people will reject you, you understand?” Teacher Lin said somewhat anxiously.

“Ok.” Teacher Lin’s commands, I would naturally obey.

“I’ll go get a red string, and tie up this Bronze Medal again.” Teacher Lin went to look for a red string, to securely tie up this Bronze Medal of mine.

Arbor Day came, Headmaster Han intended to have the uncultivated land all around the school be planted with trees. This way, the school would be surrounded with greenery.
[TL note: For more details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Day#China%5D

As far as students were concerned, running around in the fields was much more enjoyable than sitting in the cla.s.sroom. Each and everyone was very active. At first light itself, they left from their homes towards school carrying aloft their hoes. [Robin: Once again, don’t misunderstand people, it’s the tool xD]

“Huang Jingyang, you still haven’t started. How lucky, Teacher Lin also lives in your home, yet you don’t have even the slightest bit of enthusiasm.” Huang Shulang was puffing hard as he carried the hoe aloft while he walked into our courtyard.

Upon seeing Huang Shulang’s hoe, I smiled, “Your family’s hoe has gone all rusty like that, but you still want to use it for digging?”

Huang Shulang said disdainfully: “You will take care whether or not I can dig, anyways what I bring is same as everyone. Has Teacher Lin started yet?”

I said smiling proudly: “Teacher Lin will naturally leave together with me.”

After putting on formal clothes, Teacher Lin came out from the house: “Huang Jingyang, let’s go.”

“Teacher Lin, I will also go together with you.” Huang Shulang shouted immediately.

I wasn’t willing to let anyone else partake in going together with Teacher Lin to school, but I wasn’t able to rebuff this d.a.m.n thick-skinned fatty.

If I could secretly hit Huang Shulang on his head, that would be good enough. I thought in my mind.

Moving in consonance with that thought of mine, immediately, a golden light flew out from my chest. The Bronze Medal on my chest unexpectedly flew out, and with a “dong”, struck Huang Shulang’s head, after which it immediately flew back, swiftly drilling into my clothes.

“Ouch! Huang Jingyang, why are you throwing stones at me?” Huang Jingyang roared out furiously turning his head.

I was also very startled: “I am disinclined to do such a thing.”

I opened my jacket b.u.t.ton, and scooped out the Bronze Medal from inside my clothes. The Bronze Medal was clearly still tied up with a string.

How is this happening?