“Yue Lao! You’ve always only accepted male disciples, how can you fight me for her?” The old lady stood up, and the grandfather also stood, with me hanging on him like a wooden chicken.
“Why can’t I make an exception? Don’t think I’ll give in just because we’re married!”
“You’re simply…” As the old lady was about to rant, I shouted: “Stop!!!” The scene fell silent; even Qingping paused, looking at me expectantly. I released my hands from the grandfather’s neck and asked, “Grandpa, are you Yue Buqun, the sect leader?”
The grandfather nodded proudly. I twitched my eyebrows; Yue Buqun was supposed to be a middle-aged hypocrite, but now he’s an old man? I looked at the grandmother, whose face was wrinkled but still heroic, and asked: “Madam, are you Ning Zhongze, the sect leader’s wife?”
Ning Zhongze raised her chin, indicating I was correct. I almost crashed into a wall—wasn’t she supposed to be incredibly virtuous? I thought maybe she was still a good person. More importantly, how did I end up in “Laughing in the Martial World”? The era seems wrong!
Grandmother Ning stared at me, “Girl, if you follow me, you’ll definitely be successful in the martial world!” Grandfather Yue pushed Ning aside, looking even more radiant: “Girl, following her is useless! Follow me, and Grandpa will train you to be a martial arts master!”
I can teach you the ‘Gentleman’s Sword Technique’…”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Grandmother Ning bumped Grandfather Yue aside, “The Gentleman’s Sword Technique isn’t suitable for a girl! You should learn the ‘Ladylike Sword Technique’!” My brain short-circuited, repeating these four words.
Great heavens! These four words are so attractive! My eyes sparkled, “Grandma! I’ve decided to follow you! You must teach me the Ladylike Sword Technique!!!” Grandmother Ning proudly glanced at the astonished Grandfather Yue, then looked at me, “No problem! I’ll definitely nurture you well!”
Qingping covered her mouth with her sleeve, laughing meaningfully, thinking, “Truly worthy of the woman who can move Baoxie, she’s really special…”
To become a lady, I practiced the ‘Ladylike Sword Technique’ madly with Grandmother Ning. Though I knew practicing this technique might not necessarily make me a lady, who would give up on even a slight hope?!
“Girl, wrong. Straight thrust, use force, with softness within rigidity, don’t be hasty,” Grandmother Ning corrected me. I held the heavy sword, sweat streaming, mentally chanting: I want to be a lady, I want to be a lady…
Until after each sword practice, my hand would cramp, unable to hold chopsticks, with Qingping feeding me.
A few days later, Qingping suddenly received a letter and smiled, “Ling’er, I’m returning to the Cloud Moon Country tomorrow. Can we talk tonight?” I scratched my face, “Oh. But you…” Before I could finish, Qinglin interrupted: “You don’t need to worry about me or try to keep me. We’ll have a chance to meet again.”
T^T, Miss, which ear heard me wanting to worry about or keep you? I was thinking, after you leave, who’s going to feed me?
While lost in thought, I was carried by Qingping to the pond’s edge. “Sister, how are you so strong? This is called kidnapping, or in a harsher sense, abducting a minor!” Qingping remained silent, just smiling at me.
After a moment, she looked into the distance and then turned to me, “Ling’er, will you marry Bao Xi?” I wanted to say that the matchmaker’s red thread was already tied, how could I not marry? But I had no time to speak, as Qinglin continued: “Do you like Bao Xi?”
I replied, “I like him, what’s wrong?” “Do you love him?” Qingping asked in a low voice.
“I can’t say I love him. After all, in Bao Xi’s eyes, I’m just a replacement for someone named Luo Yan.”
If not for my appearance that resembles Luo Yan, perhaps I would be nothing in his eyes.” I was startled by my own words.
Qing Ping shook his head and sighed, then looked at me. “Luo Yan is already in the past. Bao Xi truly likes you now. Even if you didn’t look like Luo Yan, he would still love you and give everything for you. Before, he was never proactive in court affairs, merely carried to court each morning. But since meeting you, he has changed.”
I wondered what this had to do with me.
“That day, he brought you to my palace, saying he wanted to leave. I, known for my severity, proposed that he must meet my political requirements upon returning, and he agreed without hesitation. This shows how important you are to him.” Qing Ping continued to stare at me, his gaze unwavering.
I finally realized my place in Bao Xi’s heart. I felt happiness, but quickly became dejected. If I weren’t in Ling Xiaohang’s body, still my ordinary self, would they still care for me?
Qing Ping covered his mouth with a faint smile, looked into the distance, and said, “No matter how you change, Bao Xi will still like you and remain as reckless as ever. I’ll return to the palace tomorrow, and the palace people will come to fetch me.”
Oh, and that child Bao Xi, he’s afraid of thunder.”
After Qing Ping finished speaking, he turned and left. I was confused by his mention of Bao Xi being afraid of something.
The next morning, before breakfast, Qing Ping was taken away by palace people. That night, I, who normally wouldn’t wake up during a thunderstorm, was stirred by a storm, recalling Qing Ping’s words: “That child Bao Xi, he’s afraid of thunder.”
Bao Xi was in the next room, always sleeping alone because the babies insisted on sleeping with me. I quickly dressed, covered the sleeping babies, and walked into the next room.
Opening the door, I saw Bao Xi curled up in a corner, trembling and crying. My heart softened. The door let in wind, extinguishing the nearly dead candle and plunging the room into darkness. I closed the door and crouched down, gently calling: “Bao Xi?”
He looked up, tears in his eyes. A lightning bolt flashed, momentarily brightening the room. In that instant, I saw Bao Xi’s pale face, tear tracks on his cheeks, hands hugging his knees, fingers gripping his sleeve.
Thunder roared after the lightning, and Bao Xi instinctively buried his head in his arms, trembling violently.
I went forward and held Bao Xi in my arms, tightly covering his ears. He buried himself deep in my embrace, curling into a ball, gently rubbing, his small hands gripping mine so hard it hurt, but I didn’t notice, only holding him tighter. He cried softly, tears falling continuously.
“Bao Xi, don’t cry, I’m here,” I comforted him. He nodded trustingly and soon fell asleep in my arms. His pale face gradually regained some color. I carried him to my room, and we four squeezed into one bed.
At dawn, I got up, grooming myself and remembering the previous night’s thunderstorm and Qing Lin’s words. I concluded that Qing Lin would be wasted as a weather forecaster!
Today, I finally learned the “Lady’s Sword Technique.” Nai Nanny said I was the fastest learner among her disciples. I was incredibly proud—of course I learned faster; I’m a 21st-century new human!
After a while, Grandfather Yue walked over, sat down with us, and lovingly patted my head. “Girl, you indeed have a talent for martial arts. Would you like to develop at Huashan Sect?” I shook my head: “No, Grandfather Yue. I have important matters to attend to. I didn’t come here to learn martial arts, but to inquire about someone’s whereabouts.”
Nai Nanny smiled kindly, “Who? Tell Nanny, and I’ll definitely help you.” I nodded, “I was entrusted by the former Beggar Clan leader to help him find his son who went missing during the chaotic war over a decade ago. We’ve searched various sects but found no clues.” I sighed.
