As soon as I put it on, I met a sickly man

Chapter 127 Retire after success

The gongs and drums are loud, and the firecrackers are all fired.

Waves of celebration swept across the entire village, one after another.

The children were chasing and playing, while the adults were busy preparing a sumptuous dinner to celebrate this hard-earned victory.

Amidst the bustling hustle and bustle, Ding Chen, Xiaoxuan and Master Murong stood quietly under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village, as if isolated from the joyous scene.

There was no excitement on their faces, but rather a subtle heaviness.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the three of them, lengthening their figures and adding a sense of loneliness.

Ding Chen frowned and looked deeply at the rolling hills in the distance, as if he was thinking about something important.

Xiaoxuan snuggled up to him gently, with a hint of worry in her eyes.

Young Master Murong leaned gracefully against the tree trunk, his slender fingers gently tapping the bark, making a rhythmic sound, as if echoing Ding Chen's inner thoughts.

"Brother Ding Chen, what are you thinking about?" Xiaoxuan asked softly, breaking the silence between the three of them.

Ding Chen retracted his gaze and sighed softly: "I'm wondering, after this victory, where should we go from here?"

Xiaoxuan and Master Murong were both silent; they understood Ding Chen's concerns.

Although the crisis has been resolved, new challenges have emerged.

Suddenly, a group of villagers came running over, talking to them about all kinds of trivial matters, from crops in the fields to repairing the chicken coop, and they wanted their opinions on everything, big or small.

"Hero Ding Chen, look at my land..."

"Dr. Xiaoxuan, my little chicken..."

"Mr. Murong, what do you think..."

The three of them were surrounded by villagers and had helpless expressions on their faces.

They wanted to enjoy a moment of peace, but were interrupted by this sudden "enthusiasm".

Ding Chen tried to explain to the villagers: "Fellow villagers, you can make your own decisions on these matters. We..."

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by the villagers: "Ding Chen, you are our hero, whatever you say is what counts!"

Ding Chen shook his head helplessly. He knew that the villagers' dependence on them had reached an unimaginable level.

Xiaoxuan felt a dull pain in her heart when she saw Ding Chen's tired expression.

She gently held Ding Chen's hand and gave him an encouraging look.

Seeing this, Master Murong smiled slightly and said, "It seems that we need to think of a way..." He paused and looked at Xiaoxuan meaningfully.

Xiaoxuan coughed lightly and stood up with a confident glow on her face, like the brightest star in the night sky.

"Fellow villagers," she said in a clear and powerful voice, instantly capturing everyone's attention. "I know you all have great faith in us, but this won't benefit the long-term development of the village. It's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. We should establish a self-governing mechanism so that everyone can participate in the development of the village." She paused, scanning the crowd before continuing, "We can divide the village into several districts. Each district would elect a representative to manage its own affairs, and they would hold regular meetings to discuss major development plans. This way, everyone can bring their talents to bear and contribute to the village."

The villagers were confused at first and looked at each other, but as Xiaoxuan continued to tell her story, their eyes gradually brightened and expressions of sudden enlightenment appeared on their faces.

An elderly villager said excitedly: "Dr. Xiaoxuan is right! We can't always rely on others, we must learn to manage our own homes!" His words resonated with the other villagers, and they nodded in agreement.

Ding Chen looked at Xiaoxuan's confident look, patted her shoulder gently, and said softly: "Xiaoxuan, you are so smart!" Master Murong also looked at her with admiration, nodded gracefully, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Night falls and the stars are shining.

Ding Chen and Xiaoxuan strolled along the quiet path in the village.

The soft moonlight fell on them, as if they were covered with a layer of silver veil.

Xiaoxuan leaned gently in Ding Chen's arms, feeling his warm embrace, with a happy smile on her face.

Ding Chen gently stroked Xiaoxuan's hair. Everything around them was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the sound of their heartbeats.

"Xiaoxuan," Ding Chen said softly, "Thank you for everything you have done for the village."

Xiaoxuan raised her head, looked into Ding Chen's deep eyes, and said softly, "I just did what I should do."

Suddenly, there was a slight sound of footsteps in the distance.

Young Master Murong appeared behind them at some point, with an elusive expression on his face.

He walked up to the two of them, paused, and slowly said, "I..."

Young Master Murong took a deep breath, and the moonlight outlined a graceful arc on his face.

"I decided to leave the village and travel around." His voice was calm and firm, but it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

Ding Chen and Xiaoxuan were both stunned. They didn't expect that Master Murong would suddenly make such a decision.

丁辰

"Travel around?" Ding Chen repeated, with a hint of doubt in his tone.

Young Master Murong nodded, with a determined light flashing in his eyes.

“I long to see a wider world and experience different lives.”

The news spread throughout the village like the wind, and the villagers were talking about it.

Some people feel regretful, some people send their blessings, and some people are puzzled.

The next morning, the village entrance was crowded with people coming to see him off.

Young Master Murong was dressed in white clothes as white as snow. He stood beside the carriage and bowed to everyone in farewell.

He handed Ding Chen a sword with exquisite carvings and said solemnly, "This sword has been with me for many years. I give it to you today. I hope you will cherish it."

Ding Chen took the sword and felt the cold touch of the sword, with mixed feelings in his heart.

He took off the amulet he had been wearing and handed it to Master Murong: "This amulet was given to me by my master. It blesses you with safety. Take it with you and have a safe journey."

The surrounding villagers were moved by this scene, and many of them secretly wiped away their tears.

Xiaoxuan's eyes also turned red, and crystal tears were rolling in her eyes, but she tried hard not to let the tears fall.

Young Master Murong's carriage gradually disappeared from sight, and the crowd at the village entrance gradually dispersed.

Ding Chen and Xiaoxuan returned home, but found a letter on the table with no signature on the envelope.

Ding Chen picked up the letter, looked at Xiaoxuan doubtfully, and then slowly opened it.

There was only one sentence on the letter: "A new storm is coming..."

Xiaoxuan leaned over and looked at the words on the letter with Ding Chen, her expression instantly becoming solemn.

"A new storm..." she murmured, a hint of uneasiness in her tone.

Ding Chen held Xiaoxuan's hand tightly, his eyes firm and deep.