Immortal after a Hundred Reincarnations

"He is your second brother, Xu Shan!

But you were still very young when your second brother became a monk, so it’s perfectly normal that you don’t remember him!

Just listen to your mother. Remember, from now on... he... is your second brother!"

"Hello, Second Brother!"

The little girl called out shyly, "Your little sister greets you, Second Brother!"

"Yan’er, you’ve gotten so big! Come here."

Seeing this, Xu Lei took out a pearl hairpin and said, "Second Brother has a little welcoming gift for you!"

Yan’er was pleasantly surprised.

"Oh, we couldn’t possibly accept this."

But the old woman was startled. "This pearl hairpin must be expensive, mustn’t it? Yan’er, you can’t accept it!"

Her mother’s words startled Yan’er.

"It’s alright."

Xu Lei smiled. "While at the monastery, I had the opportunity to travel the world with some eminent monks.

So I managed to accumulate some worldly wealth.

Don’t worry, Mother. It’s no trouble at all.

Besides, what’s wrong with giving my own little sister a gift that’s a bit expensive?"

The old woman was taken aback.

’She was right. Now that Xu Lei was acting as Xu Shan, it was perfectly reasonable for him to give his own sister a gift.’

’But she knew, of course, that Xu Lei wasn’t the real Xu Shan.’

Xu Lei had only learned on the way here that Zhi Shan’s secular surname was Xu.

Since Xu Lei’s surname was also Xu, he felt it must be fate.

The old woman had also been the one to tell him on the way that she had a daughter.

Xu Lei had assumed the old woman had no other children, so he was surprised to learn she had a young daughter.

But a daughter was still just a daughter. In a world with a feudal, ancient background, life was very difficult for a household with no men.

That was why the old woman was so grateful and welcoming toward Xu Lei.

"Auntie, you’re back?"

Just then, a charming and beautiful young married woman appeared in the courtyard.

Her sleeves were rolled up, revealing her fair, delicate forearms.

There was a smudge of soot on her face.

She must have been cooking inside just now.

She exclaimed in a delighted, sweet voice, "Brother Shan, you’re back?

Auntie, you really brought Brother Shan back?

This is wonderful!"

"This is our neighbor, Sister-in-law Lin."

The old woman then introduced her to Xu Lei. "Before I... your mother... went looking for you,

I entrusted Yan’er to her care. I told you about her."

"What’s the matter with Brother Shan?"

By now, Sister-in-law Lin had noticed something was off about Xu Lei and asked, "How come you look like you don’t recognize me?"

"He hit his head during the earthquake."

The old woman quickly added, "He’s lost his memory!"

"What? He lost his memory?"

Sister-in-law Lin said in astonishment, "But it’s alright, it’s alright. As long as he hasn’t lost his wits, that’s all that matters."

"Second Brother!"

Just then, Yan’er ran over, hugged Xu Lei gently, and said, "Hugs! It won’t hurt anymore!"

Seeing this, Xu Lei couldn’t help but smile.

「A few minutes later.」

Sister-in-law Lin said her goodbyes and turned to leave, her long legs striding and her plump hips swaying as she headed for the gate.

Xu Lei quickly followed to see her out.

"Sister-in-law, please accept this small gift."

Xu Lei said to the beautiful young woman, "Thank you for helping take care of Yan’er."

"Brother Shan, are you trying to be a stranger to your sister-in-law?"

But Sister-in-law Lin just glared, planting her hands on her hips in a show of feigned, charming anger. "What’s the relationship between our two families?

When your father spanked you as a child and you were crying your eyes out, I was the one who put ointment on your bottom!"

"It’s nothing valuable, just a small token of appreciation."

Xu Lei chuckled, grabbing the beautiful young woman’s forearm and pressing the gift bag into her hand. "If you don’t accept it, I won’t let go.

It’s improper for a man and a woman to be so close. If someone were to see us, it wouldn’t be good for your reputation!"

"You cheeky brat!"

Sister-in-law Lin was exasperated. She rolled her eyes and said reproachfully, "You think I’m scared?

Hmph!

I am a married woman!

I’m an experienced woman, you know!

Besides, everyone is already gossiping that I’m barren!

I don’t care if my reputation gets a little worse!

You’re the one who should be worried. If you ruin your reputation, you’ll have a hard time finding a wife!

You’re what, twenty-one or twenty-two now?

After coming back from the monastery, you’re not getting any younger!"

Of course, as she spoke, her eyes drifted down to where Xu Lei was holding her wrist, and a blush couldn’t help but creep onto her fair, pretty face.

"Amitabha Buddha."

Xu Lei said, "A woman’s reputation is certainly more important. What do I have to fear? Even if rumors spread, the worst that can happen is I get a reputation as a rake!"

"You! You’ve returned to secular life, yet you’re still spouting ’Amitabha Buddha’ every other second?"

Sister-in-law Lin continued, "But you’ve certainly learned to be naughty. And so shameless, too!

Did the monastery grind all that old shyness out of you?

If you’d had this much nerve back then, you never would have made such a fuss and run off to become a monk.

I told you not to become a monk! But you just had to be stubborn!

Just because one woman broke your heart, you acted like you were going to die!

Going on about how you’d seen through the mortal world and would never marry in this life!

You made your father so angry he nearly died on the spot!

I was the one who protected you in the end!

But I suppose you don’t remember any of this, do you?

Of course, that being the case, I suppose there’s nothing wrong with me accepting a little gift.

It shows you’re still considerate. Even with amnesia, you still know who’s been good to you and who hasn’t!

Also, now that you’re back, you need to live your life seriously.

When you get your heart broken, you don’t go hiding in a monastery. You should live a better life than that woman, make her regret it!

Speaking of which, after that woman got married, it seems her life isn’t all that great now.

They’re quite wealthy, but it seems she’s never managed to have a child.

Her husband even took a concubine recently.

He dotes on that concubine every day.

She’s left to sleep in an empty bed all by herself!"

With that,

Sister-in-law Lin naturally accepted the gift.

"Mother has already told me how good you’ve been to me, Sister-in-law. Thank you."

Xu Lei then said, "As for that woman, that was just youthful foolishness. We don’t need to speak of it again.

Let’s just live our own separate lives.

Of course, your reminder is correct, Sister-in-law, and I’m very grateful and touched.

By the way, since you’re being so open with me, Sister-in-law...

...there are a few words I’d like to say to you as well. I hope you don’t find them too forward.

I hear that praying for a child at Guangyuan Temple is quite effective.

If you have need, you might consider going. They’re said to be very dependable in that regard."

On the way here, the old woman had told Xu Lei about the various people the family had dealings with.

This included Sister-in-law Lin, who had been unable to conceive for many years.

At the time, Xu Lei had only listened idly, but he hadn’t expected Sister-in-law Lin to be so beautiful. Seeing her now, he naturally decided to mention it.

As for whether Sister-in-law Lin went to pray for a child or not, that was her own decision to make.