“Long ago, my father told me that walking the Jianghu is like licking blood off a knife’s edge. I feel that I… find it hard to open up and trust anyone.” The young master continued to play with her hair, speaking slowly, “Before I met you, I could hardly imagine that one day I could share food and lodging with a stranger like this—even Qinglong, whom I personally brought back to the Jun family and raised—couldn’t do it.” Chuxia’s dimples appeared faintly, but deep down, his indifferent words warmed her heart. “Being deceived or losing in combat isn’t scary. I just hope that those I care about won’t deceive me; that would be enough.” Chuxia’s crystal-clear eyes met his, her smile softening. She reached out, holding his hand as if making a promise, and whispered, “I won’t.” The young master leaned down slightly, stroking her hair, laughing, “Silly child, I wasn’t talking about you.” But she didn’t shy away as usual; instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist, repeating stubbornly, “I won’t.” The young master was slightly taken aback, about to speak when there was a gentle knock at the door. Chuxia immediately looked tense, but the young master pressed her shoulders reassuringly, signaling her to calm down. He opened the door to find a burly man with a thick beard, speaking gruffly, “I’m looking for someone.” Chuxia chuckled, “Who did I think it was? Little Qinglong, you’re back?” The man’s eyes lit up, and he laughed, “You recognized me?” He bowed to the young master, and as the door was pushed open again, a woman in plain clothes entered. Without looking, Chuxia knew it must be Bai Xue. Chuxia’s delicate brows furrowed, ignoring everything else, she stepped forward and tugged at Bai Xue’s sleeve. Bai Xue, about to speak to the young master, turned her head towards Chuxia. After her disguise, her expression was unreadable, but her tone was teasing, “What’s wrong with you? You look anxious.” Chuxia swallowed nervously, whispering into Bai Xue’s ear, “Please take my pulse.” The three in the room, all skilled in martial arts, could hear her clearly. The young master frowned, about to say something, but seeing Chuxia’s pale face, he told Bai Xue, “Check on her.” “Are you sick?” Bai Xue took her pulse and said, “You look quite healthy.” “It’s not that…” Chuxia bit her lip awkwardly. “Perhaps a slight deficiency in blood, maybe from too much traveling,” Bai Xue said casually. “Just that?” “What more do you expect?” “Can’t I… have a child?” Chuxia furrowed her brows, whispering into Bai Xue’s ear. At this, the other three in the room froze. Bai Xue and Qinglong instinctively looked at the young master, who, for the first time, showed a slight blush, seemingly at a loss. Eventually, it was Bai Xue who had seen more of the world; she regained her composure and said with a hint of admiration, “The young master indeed pays no heed to conventions.” The young master awkwardly averted his gaze, seeing Chuxia’s bewildered look, he rubbed his forehead with his slender fingers, smiling wryly, yet couldn’t help but wonder what his reaction would be if Bai Xue had indeed confirmed Chuxia was pregnant.
Chapter Thirty-One (Part 1) “Chuxia, you and Qinglong go out first; I need to speak with Bai Xue,” the young master said calmly. After they left, Bai Xue couldn’t hold back her laughter. “What did you tell her? That girl is clearly untouched; how could she think she’s pregnant?” The young master pressed his fingers lightly on his forehead, a faint smile on his lips. After a long while, he asked, “Have you seen your master?” Bai Xue, somewhat dissatisfied with his evasive response, pouted, “I have.” The young master’s smile faded, and he asked seriously, “What did he say?” “The same old story; there’s nothing suspicious about the old master’s death; it was a recurrence of his heart condition.” Bai Xue said solemnly, “But there’s one thing…” The young master’s eyes narrowed slightly. “There are many reasons for a heart condition to recur, and my master couldn’t confirm why the old master passed away. But a few days ago, the valley took in a patient with a strange illness, and after pondering for days, my master found something unusual.” The young master’s fingers tapped the table, his pace varying. The room was quiet, filled only with the subdued and slow breathing of the two. “When the old master passed away, the Yin Qiao and Yin Wei meridians were more active than the Yang meridians. A heart condition could very well lead to an imbalance in a martial artist’s qi flow, so at the time, my master didn’t think much of it.”
