Chapter 9, first published on Jinjiang Literature City: Sometimes, falling from heaven to hell is not an option...
Yao Sisi was about to die laughing at this clever little girl. What could she do? She didn't want to do anything.
"It looks like it really is in the front yard."
Liu Yuan said, "So what if it is? It's getting late. Just tell me what you need, and I'll get back to you."
Yao Sisi raised an eyebrow at him, chuckled softly without answering, and instead turned and walked away, blurting out as she went, "Not everything can be explained by relaying messages!"
Liu Yuan trotted behind, like a protective mother hen, her feathers standing on end.
"Hey! What do you want with the young master so late at night!"
Yao Sisi seemed not to hear her, walking faster and faster, even nimbly leaping over the corridor and onto the garden path. Liu Yuan was not as agile as her, always a step behind, panting heavily and his face flushed as he ran behind.
Yao Sisi quickly arrived at the front yard, where the young master was sitting at the stone table, looking through something. Hearing her footsteps, he turned his head and saw her walking towards him with great speed, followed by the chattering Xiao Yuan.
He said, "Miss Sisi, thank you for today."
Yao Sisi teased, "If you're going to put on an act, you have to go all the way. You changed your address as soon as the person left. Aren't you afraid of being discovered?"
Qi Mu lowered his head awkwardly, thinking about what happened in the main hall today. He had indeed been laughed at, especially having his most sensitive wound exposed in front of her. It was impossible for him not to feel sad.
"But a fake is still a fake, and it will be discovered sooner or later. Thank you for protecting me, Sisi."
Yao Sisi noticed that he had developed a pitiful aura. Although he looked very gentle and his smile was sincere, he always made people feel sorry for him.
"I already told you, young master, that you can just call me if you need anything, there's no need to be so polite."
Qi Mu: "Miss, what brings you here now?"
At this moment, Liu Yuan had caught up. He secretly glared at Yao Sisi, then stood obediently behind Qi Mu, serving him as usual.
Yao Sisi: "I've come to ask about your future plans, young master. After all, I often go out and inevitably run into those people from today. I don't know the identities you mentioned, so I don't know how I should handle them."
Qi Mu: "Miss, you can continue to use it outside. I have already written to my master today and mentioned this matter. It was not my intention to involve you, so I hope you will not mind."
Yao Sisi: "I don't mind, but won't your master mind that you took on a disciple on your own initiative?"
Qi Mu: "My senior uncle is a strict person, so he might get a little angry, but he shouldn't hold it against me, anyway..."
His gaze shifted to her face. "You're not planning to stay long, are you?"
Yao Sisi smiled, marveling at his keen insight: "Why would you say that, young master?"
Qi Mu: "It's nothing. It's just that the girl's eyes told me you would leave sooner or later..."
Since that's the case, what does it matter whether it's true or false...
Yao Sisi didn't answer him. Instead, she said, "Young master is still young. He should focus on his cultivation and not follow his family's arrangements...to fall in love too early!"
A flicker of emotion crossed Qi Mu's eyes, as if he resented her for bringing it up. He flipped through the sword manual on the table. If there were any chance to get rid of these things, who would be willing to give up their precious time?
"Miss Sisi, what do you think I should do?"
Yao Sisi: "Of course you should cultivate, or go for a walk in the forest to seek a breakthrough. I don't think it's good for you to stay cooped up like this."
Qi Mu looked up at her: "Does the young lady know what my aptitude is?"
Yao Sisi shook her head. Even if she knew, she would pretend not to know: "I haven't paid attention to the young master's aptitude."
Qi Mu sighed, seemingly resigned to his fate, yet also as if he were talking about someone else's situation and feeling sorry for them.
"Then let me tell you, I am not talented, and I was injured when I was young, which is like adding insult to injury. You see, the people in the hall seem to be giving me face, but almost all of them are more talented than me, so they don't take me seriously. Even Gong Yichen, who is opposing me today, is more talented than me."
Why is it so difficult for me to find a spouse? After so many years of searching, there has been no progress at all.
Yao Sisi's gaze swept past him, across the hem of his clothes fluttering in the wind, and then to Liu Yuan's angry face behind him, as if it wasn't his young master who was suffering these things, but he himself.
"Is this what you sought, young master?"
Qi Mu paused, his fingertips brushing against the pages of the book, a slight tickling sensation: "I have no demands of you, young lady."
His nonchalant demeanor caused Liu Yuan behind him to roll his eyes, while Yao Sisi noticed him lip-syncing to her.
'Don't talk big!'
Yao Sisi smiled at him, a somewhat arrogant smile, then stepped forward and, to his astonishment, grasped Qi Mu's hand.
This action startled both of them. She felt Qi Mu's entire body stiffen, and the tips of his ears slowly turned red.
She gently probed his body with her spiritual energy, and Qi Mu felt a warm current flowing through his meridians. It was very fast, and if his nerves hadn't been so sensitive, he might have missed the warmth.
What did you do?
Yao Sisi: "Yes, there are injuries, some damage to the foundation, but isn't your family in the pharmaceutical industry? It shouldn't be that difficult..."
Qi Mu smiled, a smile like a white jasmine flower touched by rain, always faint, as if quietly waiting for the sunshine after the rain.
“I originally had a sword, which was my childhood playmate. When I grew up, the sword was too small and I couldn’t use it anymore. I gave it to my father and asked him to find someone to reforge it for me. They said that the sword blank was too poor and it was not worth the effort to waste good materials.”
"It would be better to forge a new one."
Yao Sisi felt suffocated by what she heard. She never imagined that even a young master from a prominent family like him didn't have such an easy life.
She changed the subject, "What you saw was a sword manual, young master?"
Qi Mu nodded: "It's a basic sword move, quite common. I practiced it when I was a kid."
Yao Sisi took a look. The material of the sword manual was very ordinary, so he probably hadn't practiced it since he lost his sword.
“I just examined your spiritual veins, young master. Perhaps you could try other cultivation methods.”
Qi Muqing hummed in agreement, not paying any attention. Over the years, it wasn't that no one had suggested this before. At first, he had been eager to learn it, but even though the methods of cultivation were somewhat different, the requirements for aptitude were largely the same.
His beloved Gentleman's Sword was nothing more than a pearl covered in dust in his hands.
Sometimes, falling from heaven to hell happens in the blink of an eye.
He'd gotten used to it, but he was still somewhat unwilling to accept it...
His hands were still warm from where he had just left. He stared at them quietly, thinking that no one could bring him out.
Seeing that he was watching intently, Yao Sisi suddenly sensed that something was off.
He... he doesn't think I'm lying to him or making a fuss with him, does he...?
It's not easy to explain now; since they haven't said anything, any explanation from her would only make it seem like she's trying to cover something up.
"Ahem, shall I perform a sword dance for you, young master?"
Qi Mu was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to bring this up. "Does the young lady also know swordsmanship?"
Yao Sisi: "I practiced when I was little, but sword dancing is not about killing, it's not that dangerous, it's worth watching."
Qi Mu turned to look at Liu Yuan and instructed, "Go and get a sword for the young lady."
Liu Yuan nodded obediently, and before leaving, he glanced at Yao Sisi from behind, as if to say: Don't bully the young master while I'm gone!
He left quickly and returned quickly, carrying a sword in his arms. The sword looked good and was extremely sharp to ordinary people, but they were cultivators and were not suited to such a sword.
This sword is only good for practice.
Yao Sisi took the sword, gripped the scabbard and jerked it upwards, causing the blade to spring out. Her other hand swiftly grasped the hilt, completing the initial movement in the blink of an eye, revealing that she had often handled swords and knives.
The moment she got her hands on the sword, her entire demeanor seemed to change. She became more serious than usual. She moved with light steps, her body nimble, her steps sometimes light and sometimes heavy, her eyes following the movement of the sword, or rather, the sword moved with her will. Her sword strikes were sometimes fast and sometimes slow, her wrists exerting force, the sword humming as she steadily thrust out one sword flower after another.
In just a few seconds, Yao Sisi unleashed several sword strikes. The sword light was like an impenetrable net, trapping people's breath. Her swordsmanship became increasingly fierce, secretly containing killing intent. She only danced for a short while before stopping, yet it was impossible for anyone to look away.
Yao Sisi's sword dance was not for showing off, but because any sword lover would be captivated by such a scene.
A heart defeated by life always needs some fresh energy injected.
The pages of the book on Qi Mu's desk fluttered slightly in the wind. His gaze fell on the people flitting about in the courtyard. Something was churning inside him, a feeling that was hard to describe.
Yao Sisi sheathed her sword, as if with a casual stroke, and the sword hummed softly as it automatically returned to its sheath.
"Thank you for your sword, young master. I'll make a fool of myself."
Qi Mu took the sword and placed it on his knees, affectionately stroking the patterns on the scabbard.
"Miss Sisi gave the sword a chance to warm up; I should be thanking you."
Yao Sisi: "It's not your sword, young master, so why would you thank me on its behalf?"
Qi Mu paused for a moment: "Yes, it's not my sword."
Yao Sisi thought to herself: But you can't help liking it either.
"Young master, please continue with your work. I'll go to the kitchen to find something to eat."
Seeing that she seemed to be in a hurry, Qi Mu immediately turned around when she mentioned leaving, and could only say to her back, "I asked the kitchen to leave you some spiritual food."
Yao Sisi heard this, but without turning around, she waved her hand upwards and ran away quickly.
As she left, Qi Mu was still caught up in the afterglow of his sword dance. He looked down at the sword in his hand and stroked it as if it were a small animal. Suddenly, his hand tightened, and he gripped the hilt and gently pulled open the scabbard. The gleaming blade reflected in his eyes.
He closed his eyes briefly, then reluctantly closed the scabbard again.
"Xiao Yuan, deliver the sword."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com