Beggar Travels the World

Chapter 9

Floating flowers enter the mirror

The long night is filled with tears.

Thick clouds obscured the moon, heavy fog shrouded the forest, and the towering, jagged branches resembled the gaunt, menacing arms of a withered ghost reaching towards the sky in a grabbing posture.

Cui Shenghan hid her face in the shadows of the trees, feeling as if the sparks flying from the fire would melt and burn her, yet its warmth remained so distant. She heard herself softly, respectfully calling out:

"master."

The fire crackled as if in response, then a cold and eerie voice suddenly rang out: "At least you haven't forgotten me."

"I will never forget your teachings, my lord."

"Hmph." The flames slowly illuminated the figure, which appeared thin and weak, yet exuded a strong sense of aggression.

After waiting for a long time without him speaking, Cui Shenghan had no choice but to ask again, "What are your orders for Master today?"

The newcomer suddenly sighed: "Mimeng, you have already escaped from Baili Qingyi twice."

"This... is all thanks to Master." Cui Shenghan couldn't figure out his meaning, so she could only answer like this.

"You should have died at his hands."

Cui Shenghan shivered, her beautiful eyes widened, and her whole body stiffened.

"Master...do you want me to commit suicide?"

"Hmph," he scoffed again, "You are indeed smarter than Fang Yanzui, but you are still not smart enough."

"So, what does Master mean..."

"I want you to kill one more person."

He slowly uttered the person's name, and Cui Shenghan felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

"Why? Why is it..."

"You dare to defy me?"

"I……"

A faint, unnatural rustling sound of branches and leaves drifted from afar. The newcomer suddenly smiled: "You seem nervous. Are you afraid he'll see me, or afraid I'll see him?"

Cui Shenghan took a deep breath and tried to answer in the best way possible: "Mi Meng only knows how to obey his master's orders. Whether he sees his master or his master sees him, it has nothing to do with me."

A moment later, Bai Can arrived, carrying a full water bag, stepping through the leaves.

"Are you thirsty?" He considerately handed her the water pouch.

She gave him a deep look, took the water pouch and drank heartily. After finishing, she handed the pouch back to him.

"Why don't you have some too?"

Bai Can looked at the mouth of the cup she had just drunk from with her lips, and her face was slightly flushed.

People of the martial world are unconventional and unrestrained...

He took the water bag somewhat slowly and happily drank it into his mouth.

Cui Sheng's cold, watery eyes dimmed slightly.

He didn't see it, he didn't see it, that the unknown powder under her fingernails quietly fell into the water sac and dissolved completely in an instant.

※ ※ ※

Is it too disrespectful to beat up your own child on someone else's turf?

Shui Wu'er leaned against the porch, holding a bowl of cold medicine in her hand, and pondered slowly.

She could understand his bad mood, given his recent serious injuries and physical disability; she was used to his naivety and simple-mindedness. But that brat, even with his legs immobile, was still full of energy, throwing a pillow at her and throwing her out the door, almost spilling his own medicine on her face. That was bad enough, but after she fled and locked the door, he was still inside, hurling insults at her, calling her a traitor, a heartless wretch, cold-blooded, utterly depraved, deserving of death, and saying that her evil deeds would surely bring her downfall…

I should have known better than to teach this brat so many idioms...

Damn it, doesn't she think about who gave him his name, who taught him to read, who taught him to read people's faces, who taught him to be more accommodating and less likely to get beaten up, and who spent every day worrying about his reckless nature... Okay, she abandoned him for three whole months, but wasn't that for his own good?

The curses inside remained strong and persistent, still full of vigor. Baili Qingyi was indeed a good person, raising him to be healthy, plump, and healthy, and even improving his cursing skills considerably.

"...Wasps sting the back of their tails, devour people without spitting out the bones, have the heart of a snake or scorpion, mislead the young, harm the common people, bring disaster to the country and its people, and aid and abet evil..."

"So I am Su Daji?" she murmured. Suddenly, she turned around and kicked open the door, standing there like a god descending from the heavens, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.

Just because I'm not showing my teeth doesn't mean I'm a pushover.

Hmph, she's had a full meal at the Baili family's house all day. Now that she has the strength, who can't throw a tantrum?

“Water has a child!” she shouted.

"Don't call me!" Shui You'er turned her head away angrily from the bed inside, throwing her pillow and quilt out before she finally came in. What a spoilsport!

"Call me what?! If you know what's good for you, shut your temper and drink your medicine obediently. Otherwise, you'll never be called by this name again, and I'll find another Shui You'er!" she threatened him with a ferocious expression.

“You…” He finally turned to look at her, stunned. “You actually used this to threaten me…”

"Wah!" He suddenly burst into tears, "You heartless, ungrateful, cold-blooded bastard, you deserve to die! You've done so many evil deeds, you took advantage of me and then refused to pay..."

"Stop!" She nearly collapsed to the ground. No more of this! "Your name is Shui You'er, are you going to drink this medicine or not? If you don't, I'll take it to the alley entrance and feed it to that dog named Ah Huang. From now on, your name will be Shui You'er!" She slammed the medicine bowl heavily on the table. Hmph, even her good temper has its limits.

"Ugh..." He lowered his hands from his eyes, blinking his big, innocent eyes at her. "I'll drink it, okay? You always use this trick..."

Shui Wu'er sneered, "As long as it works." This damned little brother of hers isn't afraid of the Emperor himself, but he's afraid she'll take back the name she gave him back then. Although it doesn't sound very proper, it's still a proper name. This brat didn't get a name until he was twelve years old, and she treasures him terribly.

Shui You'er slowly picked up the medicine soup: "It's all cold."

Shui Wu'er narrowed her eyes again: "I brought it hot!"

"The doctor said the medicine is only half as effective when it gets cold, so please bring me a hot one."

"Don't push your luck!" she glared at him.

He immediately withdrew his fawning gaze and obediently brought the cold soup bowl to his lips.

"Wait!" She frowned and took the medicine from his hands again. "Never mind, I'll just go get you a hot bowl." After all, he was injured.

“No child…” You’er watched her movements and suddenly felt a lump in his throat, a feeling he couldn’t shake off.

“I’ve been doing quite well these past three months. I have enough to eat and drink, and the brothers from Baili have even helped treat my injuries. I don’t care about my crippled leg. We’re just beggars; being alive is the best thing that can happen. As long as we’re alive, everything is fine. I remember everything you said. If it’s inconvenient for you to take care of me, then you can leave. I’m fine. Brother Baili is a good person.”

Shui Wu'er's body trembled slightly, but she didn't turn around: "I understand. Focus on recovering and don't overthink things."

You'er probably hated her, right? He hated that she pushed him away to someone else when he was seriously injured, abandoning him; he hated that although she had relied on him all these years, she had never truly treated him as family. He had a sincere heart, but she...

You'er is a child with a hard life, but she takes it all in stride and lives a carefree life, unlike her...

"I'll go get a hot bowl..." she said softly, her voice slightly choked with emotion.

Shui Wu'er lowered her head, clutched the medicine bowl tightly, and walked out, only to bump into a tall figure coming towards her from outside.

"Ouch!"

Baili Tieyi's screams echoed in the air for a long time.

Shui Wu'er's face turned cold: "Does it hurt a lot?" All she did was get her foot hit by a medicine bowl. Is this man made of divine flesh?

"You try getting hit..." Baili Tieyi's fierce shouting stopped abruptly when he saw her current appearance, and he suddenly burst out laughing.

Baili Qingyi, Baili Hanyi, and Uncle Jiao, who arrived later, asked upon hearing this, "What's so funny?"

Then they saw Mizuki.

First, Baili Hanyi accidentally let out a laugh, and then Uncle Jiao lowered his head and trembled.

Shui Wu'er glared at them angrily, but then she saw that even Baili Qingyi couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

A bowl of yellowish-black medicinal soup was poured over her head and face, and combined with her naturally filthy appearance, the effect was truly... horrifying.

"You little rascal, let's see you hide again this time? Come on, go take a shower, you look terrible, really..." Uncle Jiao finally seized the opportunity and nagdredged her away again.

Alas, this time she's doomed...

※ ※ ※

Soaking in the steaming wooden tub, Shui Wu'er sighed contentedly.

How long has it been since I've had such a comfortable shower?

Uncle Jiao was a chatterbox, and unpredictable, but as the housekeeper, he was incredibly considerate. Anticipating her deeply ingrained cleaning problems, he specially prepared two buckets of bathwater. The first bucket…

She glanced over and saw that it was already ready to be painted.

As the grime on her body was washed away, the hot water soaked her originally delicate skin, making her feel as if she had returned to a carefree era.

Suddenly, a crisp knock came from the lintel.

"I'm coming in." It was Baili Qingyi's familiar, warm, and gentle voice.

"Wait...wait!" Wu'er panicked and quickly sank underwater, only the part above her nostrils showing.

But the person pushed open the door and entered without being stopped, calling out from behind a screen, "Wu'er?"

"I...I'm taking a bath, what are you doing here?" Wu'er shouted, while pulling a towel over and spreading it on the water just in case.

Baili Qingyi's voice was innocent and pleasant: "I've come to get your clothes." As he spoke, he made it seem as if he was about to walk around the screen.

"Don't come any closer!" she shouted, but couldn't find a suitable reason to stop him.

"You can just leave your clothes there. I don't like people watching me shower." She composed herself and adopted the demeanor of a shy little boy.

"Oh?" Through the thin screen, you could see him pause, as if he was observing something carefully. Then he placed the object in his hand on the screen: "Alright then, these are clean clothes that Uncle Jiao specially prepared for you. You must change into them."

"Okay," she said hastily, eager for him to leave. "I'll change, you go first, close the door, close the door."

Baili Qingyi obediently stepped out the door, and before turning around to close it, she nagly reminded him again, "Make sure you change into it."

"I will, I will, I will..." Just as she was getting annoyed by his nagging, her gaze swept over the clothes he had hung on the screen, and a thunderbolt exploded in her mind, leaving her frozen in place.

Sensing the surprise in her words, a smile played on his lips as he gently closed the door.