Chapter 6
When Yin Qiu worked at the brothel, she had served the girls there during their baths. She often bathed with other girls and had become accustomed to seeing naked bodies. However, when she faced Man Jiangxue, who was completely naked, she found herself inexplicably unable to look directly at her.
Like a delicate pear blossom drooping on a snowy night, her black hair was loose and flowing, her face somewhat hazy in the mist. Her hands were like soft shoots, her skin like solidified cream, her waist slender and graceful. She was all dazzlingly white, and in this open and honest way, she seemed even more pure and beautiful, as if looking at her for even a moment longer would be a silent desecration.
Seeing Yin Qiu's evasive gaze and lack of movement, Man Jiangxue walked towards Yin Qiu and asked, "What are you daydreaming about?"
She stood there so openly in front of him, and Yin Qiu didn't know where to look. Only then did she slowly and reluctantly start taking off her clothes.
Man Jiangxue entered the pool first, sitting by the edge. The water level was just level with her chest, revealing only her shoulders and jade-like neck, concealing the alluring spring scenery.
After taking off her clothes, Yin Qiu looked down at her thin body and, recalling Man Jiangxue's appearance just now, felt an absurd sense of shame.
Yin Qiu had been hungry and cold since childhood, and her development was delayed. At the age of ten, she was not young, but she looked like a bean sprout, thin and shriveled, and much shorter than her peers. She didn't look like a ten-year-old child at all.
Because of her appearance, before entering the brothel, the traffickers dressed her up as a boy. The person who bought her did not suspect anything when he saw her. It was only when he took her home and gave her a bath that he realized she was a girl and was furious.
Lost in thought, Yin Qiu suddenly heard Man Jiangxue's voice: "Aren't you coming in?"
Noticing that Man Jiangxue was looking at her, Yin Qiu met her gaze and felt extremely uncomfortable. She quickly jumped into the pool with a "plop".
Her action shook the hot spring pool violently, splashing water all over Man Jiangxue's face. Man Jiangxue thought she was just joking and wasn't angry. She simply called Yin Qiu to her side.
Discarding those messy thoughts, Yin Qiu approached Man Jiangxue and habitually pressed herself against her. As their skin touched, she felt Man Jiangxue's softness and body temperature. Yin Qiu thought to herself that this seemed a bit too intimate, so she silently moved away from her.
Man Jiangxue pulled her back again and said, "Why are you running? I'll take your braids off and wash your hair."
Yin Qiu sat upright as Man Jiangxue took off the red string and untied her braids. She then took a wooden comb from the poolside and combed her hair. Afterward, she took a small wooden ladle to scoop water and wet her hair. Finally, she dipped her fingers in soap powder and began to wash her hair.
Her movements were gentle and patient. In the fresh scent of soap, Yin Qiu recalled her past. No one had ever taken such good care of her. She couldn't remember anything from her childhood, except that after entering the brothel, there was an old woman who bathed the young girls who did odd jobs. The old woman had long, sharp fingernails and was incredibly ruthless. Every time she bathed them, their bodies were covered in red marks, and broken skin was a common occurrence.
The old woman was fierce and impatient. She wouldn't allow anyone to cry if she washed them too hard. Anyone who dared to cry would get a loud slap across the face, making them dizzy. At first, Yin Qiu didn't know how fierce she was and kept dodging her scratches. But after being slapped a few times, she didn't dare to do it anymore. No matter how painful it was, she would grit her teeth and endure it without making a sound.
Man Jiangxue's fingers gently rubbed Yin Qiu's hair, which not only didn't hurt but also felt very comfortable and even a little itchy.
Yin Qiu wanted to move, but the shadow left by that old woman was still there, and it had become a habit, so she endured the itch and dared not move.
"What's wrong?" Man Jiangxue noticed her stiffness and asked.
"Nothing much," Yin Qiu said.
"Did I hurt you?" Man Jiangxue softened her movements even more.
"It's not pain... it's itchiness." Yin Qiu finally couldn't help but shrink her head back.
Man Jiangxue laughed and said, "Bear with it, you'll be done washing soon."
Reassured and knowing that she wouldn't blame her, Yin Qiu gradually relaxed and giggled as Man Jiangxue's hands touched her. She played with her and splashed water on Man Jiangxue's hair. By the time Yin Qiu's little head was clean, Man Jiangxue's long hair was completely soaked.
“Naughty,” Man Jiangxue said.
Yin Qiu took the wooden ladle from her hand and said, "I'll wash it for you too."
Man Jiangxue wiped the water off her face with a handkerchief and asked, "Can you do it?"
“Of course I will,” Yin Qiu said, holding Man Jiangxue’s shoulders and gesturing for her to turn her back to him. “When I was in the building, a girl took pity on me and took me from the kitchen to serve her. Back then, I always bathed her.”
"Is she very good to you?" Man Jiangxue turned her head slightly, her long eyelashes glistening with two water droplets.
"She was the kindest person to me in the building, but sadly she died later."
"How did he die?"
"He was killed for upsetting a guest while entertaining him."
"Were you there at the time?" Man Jiangxue asked after a moment of silence.
Yin Qiu skillfully ruffled Man Jiangxue's hair and said, "Yes."
"And then what happened?" Man Jiangxue asked again.
"Later, her body was dumped in the wilderness to be fed to wild dogs," Yin Qiu's voice turned somber. "That guest was said to be from an official family, powerful and influential, and no one could afford to offend him. He paid the boss some money, and that was the end of it."
She has already seen the harsh realities of the world at such a young age; one can only wonder what she has been through in the past.
If only my senior sister hadn't left back then...
Man Jiangxue sighed inwardly and said, "After hardship comes happiness. Once we reach Yunhua Palace, such things will not happen again."
Yin Qiu paused, seemingly lost in thought: "Yunhua Palace may not have it, but other places will always have it."
Man Jiangxue turned her head to look at her.
Yin Qiu smiled and said, "Once I learn kung fu, I will be like the heroes in those stories, helping the weak and punishing the wicked, and doing my best to help those in need."
Children are innocent and kind by nature, and their words contain a sincerity rarely found in adults.
Man Jiangxue looked pleased and patted her head: "Then you must remember what you said today and always keep this childlike heart."
Yin Qiu nodded solemnly: "I will never forget!"
·
After bathing, it was completely dark outside. Candles were lit in every corner of the courtyard, and lanterns were hung everywhere in the houses and buildings. The night snow had started to fall again, swirling in the dim candlelight, like willow catkins blown by the spring breeze, or like dandelion seeds scattered in the valley on a summer night.
"It seems like the snow this year will never stop falling." Yin Qiu stood outside the bathhouse, watching the snowflakes falling all around.
Man Jiangxue stood beside her and looked up with her.
Having just finished bathing, they felt warm all over and didn't feel cold even standing in the swirling snowflakes. Both of them were wearing similar white dresses and shirts. In the hazy light and shadow, the two of them, one big and one small, quietly admired the snow scene. Neither of them spoke, and their expressions were serene, with a faint smile that even they themselves didn't realize.
I wonder if the snow fell in the courtyard this morning, or if the flowers in the forest bloomed last night.
Amidst the vast expanse of snow at dusk, Yin Qiu recalled the winters she had spent in the past.
At that time, Yin Qiu felt that every winter night was so long. Occasionally, she would wake up in the middle of the night from the cold, feeling cold and lonely with no one to rely on. She would think to herself, when will winter finally go away?
But now things are different. She has someone to rely on, no longer has to go hungry or cold, no longer has to live in fear, and no longer has to worry about making a living. In the past, she had no interest in appreciating the snow, but now she can quietly and silently pay attention to the snow. Such a change is something that the former Yin Qiu would never have dared to imagine.
But that's how it happened, and the person who changed her miserable life is now with her, watching the wind and snow intertwine.
At this moment, Yin Qiu was suddenly overwhelmed with complex emotions that were hard to describe, a mixture of determination to forget the pain, anticipation for the future, and heartfelt gratitude to Man Jiangxue.
She cautiously tilted her head to look at Man Jiangxue, thinking to herself: If only I could stay with this person forever. Is there any way to make them never be separated again?
Even if it's just a pipe dream, or a fleeting illusion, if God hears her heart's voice, could He grant her this somewhat selfish and arrogant wish, considering how lonely she has been for the past ten years?
If she could, she would stay by her side forever, striving to follow in her footsteps. When she grew old, she would repay her and take care of her with all her heart, just as Man Jiangxue had treated her today.
Someone once told her that people are inherently greedy, so it wouldn't be too much for her to be secretly greedy this time, would it?
Yin Qiu pursed her lips, faced the wind and snow, and slowly closed her eyes.
"Are you making a wish?" she heard Man Jiangxue say after a while.
"Mm," Yin Qiu said.
"What did you wish for?" Man Jiangxue asked again.
"I won't tell you," Yin Qiu said with a smile, "it won't work if I tell you."
"Have you finished making your promise?" Man Jiangxue put her arm around Yin Qiu's shoulder.
Yin Qiu nodded.
"It's time to go back to sleep." Man Jiangxue picked her up.
The two entered the small building, where Lu Huaiwei was waiting in the hall. She led them up to the second floor and stopped them on the veranda.
"I've prepared two rooms. Which one would you like to stay in, Junior Sister?" Lu Huaiwei asked.
Upon hearing the question, Yin Qiu instinctively hugged Man Jiangxue tighter, somewhat surprised, but remained silent.
"How about this room?" Lu Huaiwei pushed open the door to the room in front of her. "My martial aunt lives next door. The two rooms are adjacent, so we can look after each other."
Yin Qiu remained silent.
Man Jiangxue observed her expression and asked, "Don't you like it?"
The room was pitch black, with no lights on. Yin Qiu felt as if some monster was lurking in the darkness, and that if she went in, she would be swallowed whole.
"Can't I...live with you anymore?" Yin Qiu asked softly.
“It seems that Junior Sister is afraid of the dark,” Lu Huaiwei then closed the door again. “Then Martial Uncle can stay with Junior Sister. If it is inconvenient for Martial Uncle, this disciple can also accompany Junior Sister.”
“Alright, you go and rest too, I’ll take care of it,” Man Jiangxue said.
Lu Huaiwei responded, lit lamps for them, served them a pot of hot tea, and then gracefully took her leave.
Seeing that Lu Huaiwei had already left, leaving only herself and Man Jiangxue, just like the past few days, Yin Qiu was overjoyed and clung to Man Jiangxue, refusing to get down, saying, "Man Jiang... Uncle-Master?"
Man Jiangxue grabbed her by the back of her collar and put her down, saying, "What's wrong?"
Yin Qiu quickly hugged Man Jiangxue's waist again, looked up at her, and said, "Can I live with you forever?"
“No,” Man Jiangxue said calmly, “Once you enter Yunhua Palace, you will be a new disciple, and according to the rules, you should live in the new disciple’s quarters.”
Yin Qiu had no idea about this, and frowned as she said, "But what if I'm scared? I want to be with you."
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue couldn't help but frown.
Unbeknownst to her, Yin Qiu's dependence on her had transformed from subconscious actions into direct verbal expressions, indicating that her feelings for Man Jiangxue were deepening and that she had come to regard her as someone she could rely on.
Yin Qiu had no parents and suffered a lot since childhood. As a junior sister who was carefully taken care of by Shen Mandong back then, Man Jiangxue naturally had to treat her well and would try her best to soothe the pain she had suffered in the past and let her feel the beauty of the world. This was also a way of repaying the sisterly bond between her and Shen Mandong.
But what if Yin Qiu becomes too dependent on her and treats her as an indispensable person? What if one day his senior sister comes back and Yin Qiu is only close to her but treats his senior sister like a stranger?
Before coming here, the sect leader Xie Yijun had warned Man Jiangxue that if she found Yin Qiu, she should handle everything officially and not invest too much emotion in her. After all, Yin Qiu was not only Shen Mandong's daughter, but also a descendant of the villain Yin Xuan. She did not know her character, especially since she did not know why the Ziwei Sect was looking for her. She needed to observe her for a long time before deciding whether to cultivate her with care.
The saying goes, "You can tell what a person will be like at three years old." If a child is not well-behaved from a young age, it is difficult to teach him. As the head of the sect, Xie Yijun naturally has to plan for the long-term future of Yunhua Palace. Instead of focusing on cultivating Yin Qiu, she should put more effort into other promising talents, give her food and a place to live, and spare her the suffering of being adrift in the wind and rain. This is already the greatest face she can give Shen Mandong after she disappeared.
Just as before Man Jiangxue left, Xie Yijun called her to the main hall for a talk, and said at that time: "I have done my best and fulfilled my master's instructions. In the past, Man Dong was famous all over the world. My master originally intended to cultivate her as the next sect leader. However, she disregarded the sect and left Yunhua Palace without permission before she had graduated. She ran back to Ruyi Sect to marry Yin Xuan and even took the position of deputy sect leader. She did not put the sect in her eyes at all. She is really heartless."
Man Jiangxue replied, "Senior Sister has never been interested in the martial world. She has her own choices, and we cannot interfere."
Xie Yijun added, “If it weren’t for Master’s last words, I wouldn’t really want to take care of her child. But saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. You just need to bring her back this time. Don’t worry about it too much. If she has the same talent and awareness as Mandong, then we can discuss it another way.”
Man Jiangxue didn't say much. Although she didn't quite agree with Xie Yijun's explanation, she had to admit that her considerations were not unreasonable.
But at this moment, looking into Yin Qiu's innocent and carefree eyes, Man Jiangxue couldn't help but soften her heart.
She thought: What's wrong with a ten-year-old child just needing her and wanting to be close to her? Why treat her like an enemy?
To use an adult's mindset to deal with a simple and transparent child is far too narrow-minded.
It's right to treat her well, but you really can't spend too much time on her. Once she gets used to someone's company, even if it's a child, if Shen Mandong comes back to take her away one day, Man Jiangxue will definitely feel no regret. But how can she get Yin Qiu from Shen Mandong?
Admittedly, habit is a terrible thing, and she no longer wanted to get used to the presence of anyone.
·
"Why are you spacing out again?" Yin Qiu asked, puzzled. "You always seem to drift off into thought while we're talking. What are you thinking about?"
Her thoughts drifted away like a kite with a broken string. Man Jiangxue pulled herself back to her senses, looked down at Yin Qiu, and said, "The palace has its rules, which all disciples must abide by. As the master of one of the peaks of Yunhua Palace, I cannot lead the way in breaking the rules, and neither can you."
Yin Qiuyuan wanted to act coquettishly towards her, but seeing Man Jiangxue's serious expression, he restrained some of the childish willfulness and said, "Then if I go to the new disciples' courtyard, will it be difficult to see you again?"
Man Jiangxue said, "No, I'll come see you when I have time."
"Really?" Yin Qiu became happy again.
“I’m not lying to you,” Man Jiangxue said, “I have to check your studies, so I went to Yunhua Palace. You must study hard and learn martial arts. Don’t slack off.”
"Yes!" Yin Qiu nodded emphatically.
Before long, Lu Huaiwei brought over the medicine she had prepared. Yin Qiu finished drinking it, rinsed her mouth, and then crawled into bed. Man Jiangxue soon lay down beside her, embracing her as she had done the previous nights.
Smelling the fragrance emanating from Man Jiangxue, Yin Qiubei felt at ease and soon fell into a deep sleep.
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