My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Chapter 87 Green Bamboo's Wish and Past

The thick fog acted like a natural barrier, isolating the pine forest cottage from the outside world, creating a vast expanse of white, like a fairyland.

Beyond this mysterious fog, crowds of people came in droves, kneeling on the ground with devout hearts, chanting prayers and begging for divine intervention.

Some of them hoped for good fortune, some longed for healing, and others sought solace for their souls.

The sounds converged into one, like waves crashing one after another, filled with anticipation and longing.

However, as time went by, the kneeling in the sunlight turned into discontent in the shadows.

The people who were originally full of hope began to become anxious, and their prayers were gradually replaced by complaints and curses.

"High above, indifferent to the suffering of the people!"

"She calls herself a fairy, yet she lacks even the most basic compassion!"

Such voices began to spread among the crowd, and some people even stood up angrily and shouted at the thick fog.

Standing inside the small building, Chu Lengyu could see everything outside through the hazy mist.

Faced with the insults and dissatisfaction, her eyes remained calm as still water.

She had long known that she was not a true god, that she could not respond to every cry for help, nor could she fulfill every expectation.

The sounds were blocked by the formation, and although Lü Yun couldn't hear them, she gradually realized something was wrong after watching for a while.

Moreover, in this freezing weather, many people are kneeling outside, enduring the cold and hunger. Some even bring their families, including the elderly and children, all praying for a chance encounter with the gods.

Looking at those people, Lüyun's heart gradually filled with reluctance.

Green Bamboo walked to Chu Lengyu's side, her eyes pleading, and whispered, "Miss, please, could you..."

Chu Lengyu turned around and looked into Lüyun's expectant eyes. She sighed softly and said, "Lüyun, I admire your kindness, but the suffering in this world is boundless."

Even if we help the people in front of us, there are still many more people far away.

It has helped people now, and many more people in the future.

Green Bamboo lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice trembling slightly: "But Miss, I... I can't do it."

She realized that her mistress had shielded her from those sounds for her sake, yet she had still bothered her mistress because of this, and she felt extremely guilty. Her mistress didn't seem to want to pay attention to those people outside, but she couldn't bear to just stand by and watch.

Perhaps some people have ulterior motives and are deliberately feigning misery, but many others genuinely need help.

This year's snow came so early, and it fell so heavily and suddenly; I wonder how many families are suffering in the snowstorm.

“Miss, you once asked me what my wish was, and I answered that I didn’t know. But now, I have a wish in my heart.”

Lüyun took a deep breath and said firmly, "I saw those suffering people outside, and my heart tells me that my wish is for Miss to lend a helping hand and help them."

Chu Lengyu remained silent for a moment.

Seeing this, a hint of anxiety flashed in Lüyun's eyes, fearing that her mistress would reject her outright.

She refused to give up and said urgently, "Miss, I know you have your reasons, but those people... some of them have been kneeling for a whole day and have reached their limit!"

Chu Lengyu gently patted Lüyun's shoulder, her voice calm yet firm: "Lüyun, your wish is precious. But true help is not about giving handouts, but about teaching people how to save themselves. We have a long way to go, and we cannot be bound by our current predicament."

Green Bamboo raised her head, her eyes filled with doubt and confusion, but also with a hint of determination: "Miss, I don't quite understand what you're saying, but I believe you."

Chu Lengyu smiled slightly, her eyes showing approval.

She knew that in this matter, Lüyun had begun to learn to think, which was part of growing up, and that was good.

Chu Lengyu pointed to the figures of the people vaguely visible in the thick fog outside and asked, "If I choose to respond to them now, then they are relying on a miracle, on outside help. But what if one day I leave?"

It's unrealistic to think that a single cultivator can solve everyone's problems. Magic is a shortcut, but it's not a shortcut that can accommodate everyone.

Aside from a very few people, the world had never shown her any kindness. Strangers, upon hearing her name, would often first mock her background. Chu Lengyu was not indifferent or heartless, but she was not selfless either.

Lü Yun fell silent. She had never thought about this question before. After a moment of thought, she nodded as if she understood.

She roughly understood what her mistress meant: even if her mistress helped them now, it wouldn't last long.

This is the old saying, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Lüyun felt a pang of guilt again. She had only seen the pitifulness of the people in front of her, without considering the bigger picture.

While helping one person is one thing, rashly helping others may lead to worse consequences.

She suddenly remembered her childhood.

At that time, the family fled due to famine. A beggar came to beg for food. His parents took pity on him and gave him half a cake.

Unexpectedly, the good deed became the root of disaster. The beggar and his accomplice stole all the money and surplus grain from his house while he slept.

The father chased after him, but it was dark and he couldn't see the road, so he fell and broke his leg.

My mother got caught in the rain and fell ill; she can't even walk anymore.

The villagers fleeing famine were unwilling to take these two burdens with them. The parents begged and pleaded with everyone to let them take Lüyun with them, while the parents themselves were left behind by the muddy roadside.

The sky and earth were vast and boundless, and the rain poured down.

Green Bamboo watched as the gray rain completely obscured them, making them invisible to the world.

From that day on, she became an orphan, and to survive, she had to steal food and water from others.

She fled all the way to the outskirts of the capital, where the refugees went their separate ways, leaving her destitute and a beggar.

Later, the master and young lady took her in, gave her a new name, and gave her a new life.

Much later, Lüyun learned that "yun" meant bamboo.

Bamboo is evergreen and unyielding.