Chapter 66

In Luo County, they’d opened a special fast-track channel for urgent cases, which greatly sped things up. By the time Ruan Qing and Nian Qi arrived in Yan City, it was just noon—perfect timing for lunch. They ate at the Daoist temple where Daoist Master Qinghua resided. Master Qinghua clicked his tongue in admiration at Nian Qi’s new look and handed Ruan Qing a document stamped with the official Daoist Association seal.

Without missing a beat, Ruan Qing took Nian Qi to the city bureau, using the contacts provided by Luo County to find the right people and submit all the necessary documents. The staff in Yan City had already seen the report from Luo County that morning, and it had sparked plenty of interest.

Normally, stories of “wild mountain dwellers” were only seen online; no one expected one to show up right here in their jurisdiction. That morning, they’d even spoken on the phone with a young woman who said she’d be bringing the documents over in the afternoon. The entire office was buzzing, eagerly awaiting a chance to witness the supposed “descendant of a mountain hero.”

The report had described him as someone who had never left the mountains, living off the land—almost like something out of a survival documentary. People imagined a simple, rough-around-the-edges, perhaps slightly unhygienic mountain man. But they were ready to embrace him with understanding and kindness, given the unique circumstances of his upbringing.

At lunch, colleagues had continued speculating about this “hero’s descendant,” anticipating his arrival so they could see him up close. By the afternoon, eyes kept drifting to the entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone who looked like he’d stepped straight out of the wilderness, visibly different from everyone else.

Then, in the afternoon, he arrived—distinctly different from expectations. Although he wore a mask, it was clear he had the looks of a street-style heartthrob. The type you’d spot on the street, snap a photo of, and post online just to see it go viral. He stood next to Ruan Qing, who looked petite in comparison. Both of them had striking appearances, with no one in the office making the connection to the “mountain people” from their imaginations.

Then, the staff member handling their case suddenly raised his voice in disbelief. He double-checked, “You’re from the Wild Hermits’ Temple on Lao Mei Mountain in Siping Township, Luo County?”

After further verification, he confirmed that this pair before him was indeed the “wild mountain folk” they’d been anticipating. Ruan Qing chuckled awkwardly. “Well, of course, I cleaned him up a bit before we came into the city. You know, ‘clothes make the man.’ Think about that viral Tibetan herdsman who went viral for his fashion photos—same idea.”

A female colleague discreetly signaled to the male officer to tone it down. The office was in sync. The officer then asked, “Um, I just need to verify your identity. Would you mind removing your mask for a moment?”

Ruan Qing, trusting the authority without a second thought, nodded to Nian Qi. “Take off your mask.”

Nian Qi obeyed Ruan Qing and removed his mask. It was like a scene out of a period drama, where the masked hero dramatically unveils his face to reveal an exceptionally handsome look. Imagine the slow-motion close-up of him lowering the mask, paired with a beautiful soundtrack. Not only the female officer but also the male staff were stunned.

Was Lao Mei Mountain in Luo County some mystical paradise? How else could it produce a guy this handsome?

The male staff member was incredibly patient in answering Ruan Qing’s questions, showing no hint of annoyance despite her persistent inquiries into every little detail. “Yes, yes, we saw it. Luo County granted you a special fast-track channel. We’ve already reported this to the leadership, and they were really moved by the story,” he explained.

Once all the documents were submitted, Ruan Qing and Nian Qi technically had no reason to stay—they could have left at that point. But the female colleagues kept signaling to the male officer, and he quickly adapted. “I’ll go get the necessary signatures from the leadership. Just wait here for a moment.”

Ruan Qing didn’t mind waiting a bit. After all, they’d already waited four days just to get things done in Lao Mei Village. She and Nian Qi sat down to wait.

The officer went to get the leadership’s approval, which was quickly granted since the city was fully supportive of the special case, agreeing to fast-track the process to get Nian Qi’s household registration finalized as soon as possible.

While they waited, the female colleagues took the opportunity to admire Nian Qi up close. A careful look revealed something unique about him—he sat with exceptional posture, his back straight and upright. It was reminiscent of a soldier’s posture, though somehow distinct. Soldiers’ postures were easily recognizable, but this young man with long hair had a different bearing.

Observing closely, they noticed a subtle, classical elegance in the way he held himself—a sense of traditional poise. In ancient times, people emphasized posture, advocating “sitting like a bell, standing like a pine.” Traditional furniture was hard, making it impossible to slouch, naturally encouraging a more upright demeanor. He looked truly striking.

A while later, the officer returned, informing Ruan Qing, “The leader approved it, and they even called the provincial office to urge them to expedite it.” He smiled, asking, “Would you like it mailed to you, or will you pick it up?”

“When will it be ready?” Ruan Qing was even more eager than Nian Qi.

The officer called the provincial office, then reported back, “It’ll be ready by tomorrow—that’s the fastest we can do, especially since our leader put in a request for urgency.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” Ruan Qing exclaimed. “If it’s at the provincial office, I’ll go there to pick it up.”

This worked out perfectly—she now had a valid reason, “picking up Nian Qi’s ID,” to head directly to the provincial capital without feeling guilty for skipping a visit home. Ruan Qing was rather pleased with her plan. She drove towards the provincial capital with Nian Qi, when suddenly her father called.

“Ruan Qing! What did you do?” her father demanded angrily. “What happened with your Grandpa Qi? He left home, said he’d been provoked by you! What’s going on? Explain yourself!”

Ruan Qing was stunned. “What? Left home? Grandpa Qi left?”

She had a sinking feeling. No way, this can’t be happening… She braced herself and asked, “Grandpa Qi left home? Where did he go?”

Her father replied, “He said he went to a Daoist temple in the mountains. He claimed you pushed him to it! What exactly happened? The signal there is terrible, kept cutting out, and I couldn’t get the details. You’d better tell me what’s going on!”

“I-I-I didn’t mean to provoke him! I just said a little something…” she stammered, feeling guilty. “Let me call Grandpa Qi and ask him what’s happening.”

She immediately hung up on her father, then handed her phone to Nian Qi. “Call Grandpa Qi… no, wait, call Uncle Xiangyun instead.” The call went through the car’s Bluetooth, on speaker mode.

Nian Qi sensed things were amiss the moment he overheard the conversation. Ruan Qing’s words about “going if you want” and “granting permission” must have hit a nerve with Grandpa Qi, who, now older, was more prone to stubborn reactions.

He quickly dialed Ruan Xiangyun, and fortunately, there was a signal this time. Ruan Qing immediately fired off a series of rapid questions, “Uncle Xiangyun, what’s going on with Grandpa Qi? Did he really run away? Have you found him? Did he actually go to the Hermit’s Temple?”

“We’re at the Hermit’s Temple now,” Ruan Xiangyun answered, to her relief. “We found him. He’s fine, busy working, sprucing up Xiao Nian’s vegetable patch, and currently building a pigsty.”

Apparently, while everyone was at the village entrance seeing Ruan Qing off yesterday, Grandpa Qi had quietly set off into the mountains, leaving a note for his son and daughter-in-law. Ruan Xiangyun hadn’t noticed until later, as he had gone straight to the village committee after the farewell, and his wife didn’t think much of it either. Rural homes are big, and daughters-in-law aren’t typically concerned about a father-in-law’s whereabouts during a stroll.

It wasn’t until evening, when Ruan Xiangyun returned home to find his wife cooking lamb—originally meant for Ruan Qing—that he called out for his father and got no response. Bewildered, he asked, “Where’s Dad?” His wife then realized she hadn’t seen him since that afternoon, and the family’s three-wheeled cart was also missing.

Going inside, they finally spotted Grandpa Qi’s note. Elderly people can indeed be like children when they get in a mood! Frustrated, Ruan Xiangyun called his father, but the call wouldn’t go through due to lack of signal. He even set out to chase him down by car but only found their cart; Grandpa Qi was already deep in the mountains. By then it was dark, making a nighttime mountain search impossible.

Just when Ruan Xiangyun was about to give up, Grandpa Qi’s call came through. “Finally, there’s signal! So, I made it. Did you see my note? Don’t come looking for me! But if you do, come in a few days and bring more rice.”

Ruan Xiangyun was both relieved and exasperated. Still, as long as his father was safe and had reached the temple, he could accept it.

The next day, while Ruan Qing and Nian Qi were in Luo County, Ruan Xiangyun returned to the mountains, familiar with the route by now. After several trips, they’d cleared a faint path through the wild terrain using machetes and sickles, even reinforcing the rope bridge over the ravine since the last leadership visit.

Though the leaders had still relied on Nian Qi to cross instead of using the bridge, Ruan Xiangyun, a proactive village leader, had resolved to develop the Wild Hermit’s Temple area, even if it meant pooling village funds.

With adequate supplies and labor, plus Nian Qi’s help (he seemed to have a magic touch), they had strengthened key spots along the trail. They’d added more ropes and built makeshift supports around rocks and tree trunks, making it easier to climb and hold onto. Thanks to these improvements, Grandpa Qi safely reached the temple by nightfall.

By the time Ruan Xiangyun arrived the next day, Grandpa Qi had already transformed the overgrown vegetable plot, sowing seeds and watering the soil. He’d even gathered sand from the stream, found some of the lime powder Nian Qi had organized in the hermitage, and picked out sturdy green bricks from the ruins to start constructing a pigsty for some piglets. The place was alive with activity.

Just as Ruan Xiangyun reached the temple, Ruan Aihua’s call came through. Ruan Aihua had remembered that Ruan Qing mentioned she’d be “gathering inspiration” in Lao Mei Valley a few days back, so he thought he’d check in. Coincidentally, Grandpa Qi’s phone had signal at that moment, and Ruan Xiangyun quickly grabbed it, promptly filing a “report” to Ruan Aihua. “Your daughter was too blunt with her words and provoked my father so badly that he ran away from home!”

Ruan Qing gritted her teeth. She hated tattletales like this!