"Grandma, you're awake..." Lin Yu rushed over in a single stride. His grandmother suddenly found him by her side, as if her grandson had always been standing in front of her.
Lin Yu discreetly clicked his tongue. He had been overly joyful a moment ago, causing him to swiftly dart over using elemental power. Luckily, his grandmother wasn't startled; otherwise, it could have been troublesome.
Now, the elderly woman's face was radiant. Many of the wrinkles on her walnut complexion had diminished, making her appear younger, perhaps in her early sixties. She exuded remarkable vitality, particularly her bright and clear eyes, comparable to those of a young person, not to mention any hint of blindness.
In short, his grandmother's current state was remarkably good.
Lin Yu was pleased with this outcome, satisfied that he had expended nearly half of his elemental power to alleviate her deep-seated illnesses.
Truth be told, such actions needed frequent undertaking; otherwise, it would lead to insufficient elemental power and a decline in one's abilities.
However, as long as his grandmother could recover, even if he actually dropped a level in his practice, Lin Yu harbored no regrets.
"Grandma, you're awake? Goodness, how can you get up and move around? Also, your eyes... they can actually see things now? Can you see me?" Lin Yu knew exactly why his grandmother had awakened, but naturally, he couldn't say. He pretended to be pleasantly surprised, extending his hand in front of her eyes, displaying disbelief on his face.
"I don't know why either. I thought, as an old woman, I'd soon pass away. My greatest wish before dying was to touch my grandson again, see how much he has grown and what he looks like now. I never expected this wish to actually come true. Moreover, I don't know why, after sleeping for a while, I woke up and found myself able to walk and even see things. This is truly miraculous, Xiaoyu. Tell me, am I dreaming? Have I been longing for you so much that we've met in a dream?" Lin Yu's grandmother held Lin Yu's hand, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Even now, she wasn't sure if it was a dream or reality.
"No, Grandma, you're not dreaming; all of this is real, and I am indeed right in front of you. As for why you've changed like this, I don't know. Anyway, just now, I came into the room, exchanged a few words with you, and then you said you were tired and wanted to rest for a while. I went to the balcony to get some fresh air. When you woke up, miraculously, all your ailments vanished. Perhaps it's like the saying goes, when people are happy, all illnesses disappear. A joyous occasion indeed, with health being restored." Lin Yu began to guide the old lady's thoughts, trying to attribute this to his return causing her happiness, which in turn healed her.
"Well, that's probably the only way to explain it. Otherwise, how could all my ailments have vanished suddenly? Ah, Heaven is benevolent. Not only has my grandson returned, but my illnesses have also disappeared. Oh, right, Xiaoyu, do you think our household gods played a role? I've been praying to them for years, and they must have sensed our sincerity, blessed us, and reunited our family." Lin Yu's grandmother, led by Lin Yu's suggestive thinking, began to consider these ideas.
Worshipping household gods is a folk custom in Northeast China. The so-called household gods refer to the spiritual foxes, the so-called "Fox Spirit" and "Yellow Skin." They are venerated without physical representations, just a simple small shrine with an incense burner, some offerings, a wooden plaque bearing the names of the revered fox spirits, and inscriptions about the fox spirits' cultivation in the deep mountains and their fame spreading far and wide. In essence, it's not much different from worshipping Buddha or Bodhisattva, just different deities.
"Well, it's possible, I suppose?!" Lin Yu chuckled inwardly. At his level of cultivation, all these myths and spirits were just mystical and capricious forces. In a sense, he was the purest materialist.
However, if his grandmother could think like this, it was for the best, saving him from wasting words and trouble trying to explain these useless reasons and justifications.
"Xiaoyu, come here quickly and let Grandma have a good look at you. This morning, I heard magpies outside the window, woke up early, and kept saying, 'Is my eldest grandson coming back today?' I annoyed your grandpa with it. But when the old man went for his morning stroll and exercise, he happily told me that you had already come back and were downstairs talking to Xiao Yanzi, coming up soon. I kept saying, 'Hmph, this kid, when he comes back, I must scold him properly. He doesn't care about his grandma; he's chatting with his girlfriend, neglecting us two old folks.'" Lin Yu's grandmother grabbed Lin Yu's hand, standing in the sunshine, wiping tears while speaking.
"Goodness..." Lin Yu was flabbergasted. How could he be immediately "claimed" by his girlfriend as soon as he returned? And she elaborated on it so vividly; it was utterly exaggerated!
"Grandma, what are you saying? I don't understand any of it. There's nothing going on between me and Xiao Yanzi. Why
are you making up stories? Really." Lin Yu grinned.
"What do you mean, making up stories? That girl is so good; where can't she match you? Whether you come or not, I don't want any other girl in my house. I'll only accept this granddaughter-in-law." Lin Yu's grandmother pointed a finger, sternly poking his forehead, continuously scolding him.
Seeing his grandmother getting more and more out of hand, Lin Yu immediately changed the subject, "Okay, okay, Grandma, let's talk about this another time. I'm still young, and I can still find a wife. How about I accompany you downstairs now? We'll find grandpa? We can have breakfast at the snack stall. You haven't been downstairs for a long time, right? Let me accompany you." Lin Yu helped his grandmother up.
"Great, let's go downstairs. Oh, don't support me; I'm fine now. Look, I'm quite nimble. Good Heavens, the household gods really did bless us. It's miraculous. My grandson has returned, and I'm healed. Even if I die now, I'll die content." The old lady pushed Lin Yu away, joyfully stretching her arms and legs, instructing Lin Yu to bring the keys as she walked confidently downstairs.