Chapter 120 Happiness...

Xie Zhuo lowered his hand and let it hang at his side.

The drooping sleeves concealed a mark on the inside of her wrist that resembled half a butterfly, where the corpse of a butterfly, mostly consumed by flames, had clung before she left the water.

The white embers melted on the warm skin like snowflakes, causing no pain, but leaving a faint brown mark that Xie Zhuo only noticed while taking a bath.

He switched hands and gently ruffled the child's loose, dark hair.

"It's nothing. Go get a comb, and Dad will help you tie your hair up."

Xie Baoqiong raised her eyes and saw that Xie Zhuo's expression was normal. She didn't suspect anything and turned to go to the dressing table to get a wooden comb.

After the two had finished getting ready, they followed the maid who led the way to the front hall. The irrelevant guests had already been dismissed. Only the figures of the eldest princess and the crown prince remained, along with a familiar figure. As the three were talking, they heard the maid's report. Lin Yu raised her eyes, and the face covered with white silk slowly turned around.

The blind cultivator's divine sense swept over the father and son who had entered the house, and he walked over to the boy, bowing slightly:

"Grand Preceptor, what are you doing here?"

"Just a coincidence." Lin Zhechun brushed aside his question, raised his hand and held it out in front of him. A snow-white butterfly, bound by spiritual energy, appeared in his palm: "Is this what you saw in the lake?"

The snow-white butterfly wings were dotted with faint silver patterns, just like the ones that had sent him into the lake: "Yes." He looked at the white figure behind the butterfly: "Did the Grand Preceptor go to the lake to look? This is..." King Xuan.

Before he could finish speaking, the pure white butterfly turned into dust within the circular cage formed by spiritual energy, like a light snowfall falling in Lin Zhechun's palm. The silvery-white powder refracted a bright, sparkling light and disappeared into the world.

“I know.” Lin Zhechun finished his sentence, the last trace of silver in his palm disappearing, his voice carrying the strength to steady his mind: “It won’t happen again.”

He straightened up, paused briefly when facing Xie Zhuo beside him, but then turned to the other two people in the room as if nothing had happened:

"Your Highnesses, now that the matter has been resolved, I will not linger any longer."

Like a hermit, he walked away at an almost imperceptible speed without waiting for the host to see him off.

"Aunt, it's getting late, I should head back now." Seeing that the two were safe and sound, Lin Yan bid farewell as Lin Zhechun left: "Qiong'er, come visit your cousin when you have time."

Goodbye, Uncle.

Lin Yan ruffled the head of the child who was saying goodbye to him, and left with his servants.

"Qiong'er, let your grandmother take a look." After the others left, Lin Yu, still worried, pulled the child to her side.

As the boy was held aside and examined, his gaze swept around the room, landing on Xie Zhuo sitting beside him. He asked in confusion, "Grandmother, where is my brother?"

“He was very worried when he heard that you had fallen into the water. I had someone take him to a side room to sit for a while. You can stay and have a meal together today.”

...

—

The day after returning from the Princess's residence, Xie Zhuo developed a high fever and, despite taking medicine for almost half a month, still had a cough.

Relying on her status as a stone, Xie Baoqiong followed the maid who delivered the medicine and slipped into Xie Zhuo's bedroom without any scruples.

The room's window was only slightly ajar, and a faint smell of medicinal soup lingered, its bitterness blending with the incense, creating a unique aroma when inhaled.

The moment the door opened, a flood of sunlight poured in, only to be sifted into shapes of varying sizes by the door's latticework a few moments later.

A low table was placed on the soft couch beside the bed, with books and folded papers piled on top. The young man, wearing an outer robe, sat by the low table, his face pale with illness. He was holding a book and flipping through it. Hearing the noise, he simply pointed to the table next to him, signaling the maid to put the medicine down.

Suddenly, a small body snuggled into his arms, its head peeking out and obscuring the contents of the book.

Xie Zhuo sighed, but obediently held the child who was sliding down:

"Why are you here? Father's illness hasn't fully healed yet; be careful not to infect you."

The furry head on his chest moved slightly, but it wasn't listening to him at all; instead, it adjusted itself into a more comfortable sitting position.

Xie Zhuo had no choice but to put down the book in his hand and use his other hand to protect the child from stumbling and falling.

After Xie Baoqiong sat down on the young man's lap, her gaze fell on the medicine bowl on the low table. She then casually found an excuse to answer, "I'll supervise Dad as he drinks his medicine."

Xie Zhuo pinched the corner of the child's mouth: "Dad isn't a child who can't endure hardship, do I need your supervision?" As he said this, he picked up the medicine beside him, took a sip, and stopped when his gaze fell on the child's burning eyes. He then handed the bowl of medicine to the child.

"Want some too?"

The brownish medicinal liquid reflected the blurry shadows of the two people in the white porcelain bowl. As the bowl drew closer, the intense bitterness instantly overwhelmed the gardenia scent on Xie Zhuo's robes, assaulting his senses. Xie Baoqiong, who had been somewhat curious about the taste of the medicine, immediately lost interest, covering her nose with one hand and pushing the young man's hand away with the other.

“Father, drink it yourself.” After saying that, he added righteously, “Father is sick and needs to finish all his medicine to get better.”

A faint smile appeared on Xie Zhuo's lips. He stopped teasing the child and, despite the child's wrinkled expression, drank the rest of the medicine in one gulp.

He put the medicine bowl back on the tray. The candied fruit in the porcelain dish next to him had already been stuffed into the mouth of a child who felt the same way. When he saw the look in his eyes, the child guiltily raised the last piece in his hand and offered it to his mouth.

The sweet and sour taste spread between the lips and teeth, suppressing the lingering bitterness.

The sound of a child chirping like birds in spring filled my ears: "Dad, you have to get better soon! My brother says the New Year is coming soon, and there are lots of fun things to do..."

—

By New Year's Eve, Xie Zhuo had fully recovered from his illness.

The lanterns had been hung in the mansion a few days earlier, and the boy darted among them, running towards the front yard.

The front yard, which had been bustling with visitors just two days ago, had become deserted. Only a few servants and maids, who had been granted leave to discuss how to celebrate the festival, remained. Upon seeing the young man, their joyful smiles did not fade. They stepped forward, bowed, and said some auspicious words.

Xie Baoqiong took out the silver wrapped in red paper that Xie Rongjing had prepared for him and distributed it to everyone. Although he didn't understand why humans would give out money during the New Year, he now lived among humans and was also following human customs.

After distributing the red envelopes, he tucked a sleeve full of firecrackers into his pocket and continued running towards the open space in the front yard amidst everyone's auspicious greetings.

Xie Zhuo wouldn't allow him to play with these things in his backyard, so he had to find an open space in the front yard to set up all the firecrackers from his hidden compartment. Before he could even light them, the servant who had just received the red envelope from him rushed over.

"Young Master, a guest is looking for you."

Xie Baoqiong put away the flames in his palm: "Looking for me?" He was wondering if Meng Rui had finally been released when a cold figure walked over from afar.

"Grand Preceptor, aren't you looking for my father?" Xie Baoqiong asked as she led the young man beside her toward the front hall.

"I've come today to give you something." The blindfolded Taoist's hands were empty, but since cultivators all have their own storage space, Xie Baoqiong couldn't guess what Lin Zhechun wanted to give her.

After the waiter who served the tea left, Lin Zhechun took out a red paper packet from his sleeve:

"Money to ward off evil spirits".

Xie Baoqiong understood the meaning of those three words, but after thanking him and taking the paper package, he still looked puzzled. Lin Zhechun couldn't possibly make a special trip just for this, could he?

"And this too." As if understanding his confusion, the blind youth took out a familiar body from his storage space.

"Grand Preceptor, how did Shuangmu end up with you?!" Xie Baoqiong's surprise was undisguised.

For the first time, an unexpected look appeared on the blind youth's face: "You don't know?" But in an instant, he understood the key point and briefly recounted what had happened.

As the young man recounted his story, the boy's expression changed repeatedly. It was one thing for him not to tell Xie Zhuo the truth, but it was another for Xie Zhuo to keep it from him. A barely perceptible bubble rose in his heart, and the dissatisfaction and sour feeling that arose with doubt made the bubble grow bigger and bigger.

Lin Zhechun showed no embarrassment at revealing the secret between the father and son, and his calm voice continued:

"Finding a way to put you back into this body is difficult, but making him your clone is not difficult..."

Following Lin Zhechun's instructions, Xie Baoqiong gradually established a connection with her physical body, and a strange feeling permeated her limbs and bones, as if she had suddenly gained a third hand.

The body, which had been tightly closed, suddenly opened its eyes, and a look of light gradually appeared in its empty eyes. Different visions appeared in its mind. Xie Baoqiong closed her eyes, and the two images in her mind suddenly became only one.

He tried to activate another body, and a strange pain arose spontaneously.

Lin Zhechun helped Shuangmu up from the ground, placed him on a chair, and said to the boy, "You still need to get used to it."

When Xie Zhuo arrived after receiving the news, the first thing he saw was his son, now two. He softly called out:

"Xiao Bao".

Two pairs of eyes looked over at the same time, then simultaneously snorted and looked away in opposite directions.

Xie Zhuo looked at the other adult in the room. Lin Zhechun rubbed the two heads beside him and said, "You've made great progress." Then he turned to Xie Zhuo and said, "Lord Xie, may I have a word with you in private?"

Xie Zhuo pinpointed the child with the red mole between his eyebrows: "Dad will explain to you later."

—

The two went to the next room, where red paper-cut window decorations were pasted on the windows.

The shadows of the characters for "fortune" and "longevity" fell between the two people.

"I heard you were sick a while ago, but you seem to be fully recovered now." Lin Zhechun reminisced for a moment before getting straight to the point, turning his face to the wrist of the person in front of him: "What did those snow butterflies give you?"

Xie Zhuo had anticipated his words. His gaze fell on the faint character for "longevity" on the ground, and his tone remained flat: "Just some ancient books. I won't use them."

"That would be best." Lin Zhechun uttered these four words, a hint of his restrained aura surfacing, revealing a fierce killing intent.

"After I die, those ancient books will no longer exist in the world..." Before he could finish speaking, a loud explosion came from outside.

Lin Zhechun withdrew his imposing aura, and the two rushed out of the door together.

The once tidy courtyard was now riddled with craters, with fragments of paving stones flying below the steps. The surrounding area was covered in a layer of charred ash, and two figures coughed in a disheveled state to the side.

"Xiao Bao!"

Xie Zhuo called out a name in a low voice, and the two figures coughing under the eaves froze at the same time.

Two figures, one in a more disheveled state than the other, slowly approached Xie Zhuo. Xie Baoqiong, who arrived first, was relatively clean, with only dust stuck to the corner of her robe, while Shuang Mu, who arrived a step later, had half of his face covered in dust.

Xie Baoqiong stammered and nervously tugged at Xie Zhuo's sleeve:

"Dad, don't hit children during the New Year."

"You're quick-witted now. Didn't I tell you not to light so many firecrackers together in the yard?" Xie Zhuo's temples twitched, unusually not speaking gently to the child.

"You mean the backyard..." Xie Baoqiong cleverly refrained from speaking herself, controlling her body to speak on Xie Zhuo's other side, her voice growing fainter and weaker as the conversation progressed.

Seeing this, Lin Zhechun, who was not far away, smiled faintly and did not bother Xie Baoqiong any further. Before leaving, he helped Xie Baoqiong restore the courtyard to its original state.

Xie Baoqiong and Shuangmu's ears were each twisted by Xie Zhuo's two hands.

"I'm going to find my brother."

"It's no use even if your brother comes." Xie Zhuo confiscated the firecrackers that had fallen from Xie Baoqiong's body.

"Dad bullied me, and he kept it from me." Unable to find a reason, the child simply threw a tantrum, bursting the bubble in his heart and venting all his emotions at once.

His ears, which were once again free from his physical body, were covered by Xie Baoqiong, who deliberately avoided looking at Xie Zhuo by puffing out her cheeks.

The hand that had been gripping his ear just moments before now rested gently on his own. Xie Zhuo's sigh reached his ears in a muffled way, and he subtly loosened his grip on his ear.

"Dad was just afraid that you would be sad if he told you."

The hand covering his ears enveloped him, and Xie Baoqiong restrained her willfulness, speaking in an extremely low voice: "Actually... even though Father didn't tell me, I already knew."

After saying that, he turned and ran, completely forgetting that his physical body was still next to Xie Zhuo.

Xie Zhuo stared at his departing figure, her gaze tender and gentle. Of course, Xiao Bao wasn't sad now…

Instead of chasing after them, he took the hand of the dazed child beside him and slowly walked forward.

—

"Bang"

Brilliant fireworks burst in the darkness.

The candlelight lit by humans also ignited a tree of silver flowers on the ground.

The vibrant colors reflected the joyful sounds of laughter and play below.

Tomorrow will be a brand new year.

—End of text—

-----------------------

Author's note: The main story is finished. There will be side stories later to fill in the gaps in the main story.

I'll take a two-day break before writing the side story. If it makes it onto the list, I'll update the side story accordingly; otherwise, I'll write it slowly.