Hometown Taoyuan Village, My Childhood Secret Base

Little Fufu's response took Lin Yu completely by surprise.

So what exactly was happening now?

Did she still have relatives in Taoyuanwa?

Were they going to meet her family now?!

Right after.

Ye Mengfu continued:

"My family... moved to the city."

"There, only the old... house remains."

Her halting way of speaking gave Lin Yu quite a scare.

Turns out it wasn't about meeting parents—just visiting the old house in the village.

Come to think of it.

This situation was somewhat similar to what happened with the antique shop sister that day.

Lin Yu had nearly panicked, already thinking about how to respond if they were meeting her family.

In the end.

He'd just scared himself for no reason.

Little Fufu was always so careful and considerate of him.

How could she possibly spring a family meeting on him without warning?

Lin Yu took Little Fufu's hand and said:

"I get it now!"

"Little Fufu, that place must hold precious childhood memories for you, right?"

"That's why you want to take me there—am I guessing correctly?"

[Ding!]

[Masterstroke! The Saint has perfectly guessed his Dao Companion's thoughts, earning her deep admiration!]

[Reward: 50 Spirit Stones]

Before Little Fufu could even speak, the system had already confirmed his guess.

She nodded softly and leaned against Lin Yu's shoulder, warmth blooming in her heart.

......

Taoyuanwa.

That was the official name given by Pingchuan City authorities.

Locals and nearby villagers preferred calling it "Taoyuan Village."

Named long ago for the peach trees every household used to grow.

Though it was already 2014.

Most villages had undergone modernization.

Gone were the dirt paths and simple wooden houses Lin Yu remembered from his childhood.

Many families had built two-story homes, some even lavishly decorated.

The main street was lined with shops and guesthouses.

Little Fufu had mentioned earlier that the village had developed a decent natural scenic spot.

Tourism projects launched in recent years had started drawing visitors.

The village even produced a successful entrepreneur who built a horse ranch.

This brought even more tourists, creating a lively, prosperous atmosphere.

Walking through Taoyuan Village, Little Fufu seemed completely in her element.

She pointed out places to Lin Yu—where things used to be, where she used to play, where her family's peach orchard once stood...

In just ten minutes, she spoke more than she usually would in an entire year.

Clearly, Little Fufu was overjoyed.

Because for once, she didn't stutter at all.

Stringing together full sentences was incredibly rare for her!

"So this was your childhood secret base?"

"Haha, what a huge tree—must be really old."

"If I'd known you back then, I'd have pestered you to bring me here every day."

Lin Yu gazed at the gnarled old tree as he spoke.

Even without explicit details, he'd pieced together much from her fragmented stories.

In Little Fufu's recollections, she grew up with her grandparents.

Her parents worked in the city, visiting only weekly or biweekly.

Her current reserved personality surely stemmed from that lack of parental presence.

Not once had she mentioned childhood friends either.

Every memory was solitary.

Even the secret base belonged to her alone.

It made Lin Yu's heart ache slightly.

"Little Fufu, why did you choose this tree for your secret base?"

"Because it was tall? Or because its odd shape made the space underneath like a little house?"

Lin Yu asked curiously.

As a village boy himself, he'd had secret spots with friends too—

A wild patch littered with broken bricks where they built miniature forts, claiming territory.

Another group used stacked hay bales that felt wonderfully secure.

Everyone had their reasons, so he wondered about hers.

Ye Mengfu looked up toward the high branches.

"When I was little... my kite got stuck up there."

"I came every day... waiting for it to fall."

Lin Yu blinked: "???"

That was the reason?!

How could he possibly have guessed that!

Following her gaze upward—

Of course.

After all these years, no trace of any kite remained.

"So... did it ever come down?"

Lin Yu ventured.

Little Fufu shook her head.

"Not before... my parents took me to the city for school."

"When I came back later... it was gone."

"So were Grandpa and Grandma."

Lin Yu's chest tightened: "..."

He opened his mouth but found no words.

They lingered at the "secret base" for a long while.

Ye Mengfu shared how she truly came to love painting.

Thinking back.

The kite-trapping tree was her first art teacher.

While waiting beneath it, with nothing else to do,

She'd use the watercolor pens and sketchbooks Grandpa bought her,

Drawing everything around her—wildflowers, chickens, geese, fields, treetops, forest paths...

One gift she gave Lin Yu contained a painting from this very period.

Without that stranded kite,

Perhaps Little Fufu would never have become an illustrator.

As they talked, an elderly woman pushing a walker passed by on the path.

She moved slowly, her legs unsteady,

Using the walker more as a mobility aid.

Despite her frail body, her eyesight proved sharp.

"Aren't you Jianmin's girl? Third Zhai's granddaughter!"

Ye Mengfu started slightly, then shyly approached.

Blushing, she nodded:

"Yes, that's me... Hello, Grandma."

The old woman waved cheerfully:

"None of that 'Grandma' business—call me Granny."

Little Fufu quickly corrected:

"H-Hello, Granny."

The elder beamed:

"What a lovely young lady! Last I saw you, you were no taller than this walker."

"Still quiet as ever, just like before."

Then her gaze shifted to Lin Yu.

Ignoring him would've been rude after making eye contact.

Since Little Fufu called her Granny,

Lin Yu naturally followed suit:

"Hello, Granny. I'm Little Fu's friend."

The old woman scrutinized him head to toe, eyes crinkling with delight:

"Good, very good! Her sweetheart, eh?"

"Such a handsome young man!"

"You two look perfect together—like a happy couple painting!"

Ye Mengfu pressed her lips together shyly, though inwardly thrilled.

......

(First update today! There'll be bonus chapters tonight—your support through power stones is greatly appreciated! Thank you all!)