God's Descent in the Magical City

Chapter 21: Tears for a Lost Loved One

This large courtyard was inherited from A-lai's grandfather's ancestors.

To the east and west, it was surrounded by dense forests and towering mountains. In the north stood the ancient Leiyin Temple, its towering trees stretching toward the sky, and to the south lay the picturesque Lotus Lake. Midway up the mountain, a verdant tea plantation flourished, blending seamlessly with the surrounding natural landscape. The courtyard, nestled among the green hills and clear waters, was a harmonious part of the nearby pavilions, terraces, towers, and other structures, creating an idyllic scene of "little bridges, flowing water, and homes."

The courtyard was about fifty meters long and twenty meters wide, covering an area of over 900 square meters—larger than a standard basketball court. Brick-and-wood structures lined both sides.

As you walked further in, past the living room, the ground rose slightly to reveal the deep inner courtyard, where the brick-and-wood house stood. At its center was a large open courtyard, designed for optimal ventilation, lighting, and drainage.

This was a testament to the prosperity of A-lai's family in the past.

Now, most of the rooms were empty, with some used as storage for piled-up miscellaneous items. Only three rooms still held some old furniture—one for A-lai, one for his grandfather, and a third reserved for guests.

When A-lai entered the courtyard, he immediately noticed the imposing osmanthus tree at the center.

This ancient osmanthus tree, which A-lai had never seen bloom, was often referred to as the "iron tree." If not for his grandfather's timely intervention, he might have cut it down in frustration several times.

According to his grandfather, the tree was over 1,200 years old. Last year, the two of them measured it with a tape measure: the tree was 18 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of 4.8 meters and a crown span of 25 meters.

Above ground, it appeared as though seven branches tightly intertwined around a central trunk, forming a seamless whole. After rising to a height of over 3 meters, the main trunk quickly divided into many branches, some as thick as a basin and others as thick as a bowl.

A soothsayer from a stall near Leiyin Temple once came here and predicted that in the future, seven devoted girls would follow A-lai for life.

A-lai laughed it off as a joke. However, as a child, to avoid being disturbed, he often slept in the tree branches. Strangely, whenever he had a cold or was feeling tired, a nap in the tree seemed to cure him, which he found eerie.

His grandfather explained that the tree had spiritual energy and was passed down from the Lei family's ancestors.

As a child, Fangfang had often played house and done homework with A-lai under this osmanthus tree. Now, she teased, "This really is an iron tree. I've been away for so many years, and it still hasn't bloomed. I've often dreamed of hearing it bloom. Maybe this time..."

A-lai didn't respond, thinking, "What a jinx. Do you really think you're a prophet?"

Because of Master Liaokong's passing, both A-lai and Grandfather Lei were in low spirits. If it weren't for this sad event, Fangfang would have surely dragged A-lai around, overjoyed, and perhaps even bursting into poetry. But seeing them so silent now, she didn't dare say a word.

The three of them were lost in their own thoughts, unwilling to share them.

At dinner, A-lai barely touched his food, eating only a few bites before retreating to his room. In his mind, he kept replaying the scene of Director Li taking out a box of '95 Supreme' cigarettes from his pocket.