Xiao Man nodded in a duplicity, her expression utterly sincere.
He had no choice but to grab her little braid by her ear and shake it: "Let's go to Wutong Town and see your parents."
Xiao Man's face immediately fell: "What's so interesting? It's just a run-down house and a run-down town."
"You must see it." He put her down, took her hand, and slowly walked forward.
"Why?" she asked plaintively, then suddenly a thought struck her. "You're planning to tell them all the bad things I've done outside?!"
Zexiu burst into laughter, "So you know you've done something wrong?"
Xiao Man smiled slightly and snorted, "I'm just here to make a cameo appearance. What do I have to do with the affairs of the martial world? Don't be afraid to tell me."
As they walked around the corridor, their figures gradually disappeared into the distance.
"Your father and stepmother need to know what your husband looks like, right?"
Someone chuckled, "What does he look like? He's just a pretentious jerk..."
"Huh? What did you say?" It sounded like someone was getting angry.
"Oh, I mean, that's how it is—a dashing, debonair, handsome, and unparalleled hero." Such a sycophantic flattery.
Someone grunted, the door creaked shut, and then there was no more sound.
In the height of summer, July, the wind seemed to carry gold, and the sunlight generously poured down from the sky, regardless of whether people needed it or not.
Xiao Man was brushing and bathing Hao Guai in the inn's stable. Hao Guai was so comfortable that it wanted to roll around on the ground like a general, showing its belly. It kept breathing heavily and rubbing its face against her hands.
Footsteps came from behind her, but she didn't turn around. She said softly, "So, what did your second uncle say in his letter?"
Zexiu held two thin sheets of paper in her hand, and said as she read them, "Third Uncle and Wu Naihe are changing their minds all the time. Today it's Mr. Xue and tomorrow it's Wu Naihe. It's making people dizzy. Second Uncle said that they both seem to like this kind of thing, so he simply stopped paying attention to them."
Xiao Man laughed. Mr. Xue was a mischievous person, but she didn't expect Wu Naihe to be so mischievous as well. They did have some things in common.
"My second aunt is pregnant, and my second uncle told us to remember to go to the Tuanshan Manor before March next year."
Xiao Man laughed and said, "Now you have a little baby to hold. Your second uncle... wouldn't you say he had a child late in life?"
Zexiu rolled her eyes at her: "Second Aunt is not in good health, and she has been very careful this time she is pregnant. Do you think Second Uncle doesn't want to hold the baby soon? Also, what do you mean by 'your Second Uncle' and 'my Second Uncle'? That's really awful."
Xiao Man rolled her eyes. She just smiled.
She and Zexiu went to Wutong Town and met her father and stepmother. The two elderly people were clearly surprised and delighted that Xiaoman was still alive. However, their joy was tinged with some awkwardness. After all, they and Dami were the real family, and they were better off without Xiaoman. Her reappearance felt rather out of place.
Rice isn't as clingy to her as it used to be. Kids change so quickly; they forget about today's new toy by tomorrow.
Actually, everything is fine. It's just that many things are in the past and can never be the same again.
She brushed her hair aside; the sweat on her forehead made her hair damp. Her face was flushed red from the sun, and even her neck was red.
"Your face is all sunburned, be careful of peeling. Let's go inside."
Zexiu splashed water on Haoguai Haoguai, who sniffled happily, shaking its head and unsure what to do. He smoothly gave Haoguai Haoguai a thorough cleaning. Only then did he take her hand and return to the inn.
Suddenly, they heard several merchants resting nearby shouting, "That Emperor Muzong is no good. Yelü Tuixian helped him conquer the country, and he's only been emperor for a few years. He's already neglecting him. As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. There's some truth to that."
Both of them were taken aback. They exchanged a glance.
Everyone knows who Muzong is; he refers to Yelü. In the end, he did go back to be emperor. He was a very bad emperor; he spent all his time hunting, sleeping, and playing games, and didn't do any serious work. In the end, he earned the title of "Sleeping King."
Xiaoman paused for a moment, then suddenly sighed: "I wonder where Lianyi and Gengu are. We've searched so many places but haven't found them. Could they have really gone with Yelü?"
"No, that girl isn't that kind of person, and neither is Gengu."
Zexiu wiped the sweat from Xiaoman's face, took her hand and continued walking, then said, "I'm afraid they won't be in Liao. Let's go to Song to look for them."
Xiao Man said softly, "I know they won't be together, but I'm worried about Lian Yi. She's very straightforward..."
Zexiu said in a low voice, "No, Gengu is definitely with her. She's not as fragile as you think."
Xiao Man couldn't help but glare at him: "You seem to know very well."
Zexiu chuckled: "Of course I know. Being together is fate, and not being together is simply not meant to be. You can't force it. She probably understands this better than you do."
Xiao Man didn't say anything.
After a while, she said, "Let's go right away and go find Lianyi and Gengu."
Zexiu smiled and patted her head. He then led out the clean-washed Hao Guai Hao Guai. The two rode on horseback, looking for shady spots. Hao Guai Hao Guai walked very slowly. It was very hot, and Xiaoman was covered in sweat again.
She suddenly leaned against his chest, looked up at him, and said, "Alright, if we can't find them before the New Year, we'll get married."
Zexiu suddenly felt an urge to do a somersault on horseback.
She finally agreed readily, a faint, joyful smile playing on her lips, tinged with a hint of mischief. Zexiu, recalling the painful experience of constantly proposing and being rejected, couldn't help but sigh. He raised his hand and slapped her forehead hard, then, before she could cry out, suddenly reached out and hugged her tightly, as if the sweltering summer heat had somehow become bearable.
The past is dead, and the future is like this.
In the end, everyone found their own happiness.
That would be perfect.
Let's stop here. This is the online version's ending.
I'm so sorry I'm so late, because I've been so busy. It was my first time visiting a funeral home since returning to China... I was filled with emotion.
Life is truly fragile. What we should do is live each day to the fullest, so that we won't regret it when we lose it.
This book will be published in two volumes. The ending will likely differ from the online version; more precisely, the second volume should have many differences. Hmm.
I'll let everyone know when it's published.
Also, as compensation for the late update, I'll be releasing two side stories, Tianquan and Zexiu, in the public chapters. Hmm, those are forbidden territory, haha. It's been a long time since I've written anything like this, so I'm a bit rusty. While writing, I started to wonder why I'm being so perverted... Maybe it's because I'm a pure and innocent 14th birthday girl that I have this reaction... haha.
I'll release the Zexiu chapter first, followed by the Tianquan chapter. After I've had some more time to develop it, I'll write a more alluring 18+ chapter...
I'm going to take a break for a while and try to write a new story as soon as possible. I haven't decided yet whether it will be modern or ancient... I'll probably know once I finish writing it... Ugh, I'm always so unpredictable when it comes to writing... Feel free to criticize me! ^
Thank you so much for your continued support, I'm truly grateful. I love you all, you're the most beloved people in the world. ^^
Zexiu Extra - Youming
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(This is an 18+ side story about Ze Xiu, dedicated to all you wolf girls. The side story about Mei Hua from Tian Quan will be updated tomorrow or the day after. By the way, today is November 11th, Singles' Day. Happy Singles' Day to all my single friends... And I'm also a sadly single 14th...)
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His mother was very beautiful.
She wasn't a beauty in the ordinary sense, but a stunningly beautiful woman who brought ruin to the country and its people.
Of course, this was just something he'd heard from others. He had never witnessed that kind of beauty firsthand, because from his earliest memories, his mother was just that madwoman curled up in a cage.
It is said that her father went to great lengths to win her over, even sabotaging her original marriage and keeping her under his control.
She enjoyed her moment of glory for a while, until she met that fortune teller at his full moon celebration.
Now she's like a wounded wild animal, huddled in a cage, probably about to die.
Zexiu watched her quietly through the iron bars. The autumn rain outside the window was drizzling, making her feel uneasy.
The servants guarding the gate urged him repeatedly, "Young Master Zexiu, come out quickly! If the master finds out, he'll punish you again! Sigh, this isn't a place for you..."
He seemed not to hear, but simply reached out and gently grasped the iron railing, then slowly squatted down.
"Mother," he called softly.
The tattered body in the cage stirred, revealing a pair of murky eyes beneath its grizzled, sticky hair—truly like a wild beast, devoid of any consciousness or emotion, merely glancing at him. Then, seemingly displeased that he had disturbed its peace, it suddenly sprang up, its face, buried beneath its hair, already wrinkled and filthy.
She lunged at him, but unfortunately, she couldn't knock him down because of the iron cage. She could only futilely stretch out her hands through the gaps, her ten black fingernails viciously clawing at him.
Zexiu didn't move, just watched quietly. After a long while, she said, "Do you want me to take you out? I'll rescue you from the manor."
She didn't answer, but instead screamed loudly, like a wolf howling.
The gatekeepers rushed in and grabbed him, shouting, "Get out of here! If the master hears this, we're all dead!"
Zexiu got up and walked to the door, turning back for one last look. She was thrashing, jumping, and rolling around in the cage, completely insane.