Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Xie An watched as Firefly departed, accompanied by the oddly behaving Huan Wen. A strange sense of unease settled in his heart, as if he were reluctant to let his beloved treasure be seen by others.
After bidding farewell to his elder brother and Second Sister, he left the estate with Huan Wen, heading to the Red Lattice Flowers, just as they did every day. It was their gathering place, where the five brothers would meet.
As soon as they entered the garden, they spotted a handsome and aloof young man practicing swordplay in the lush green bamboo grove. Each move he made was filled with coldness and sword energy, exuding an overwhelming presence.
Xie An and Huan Wen stood by, watching intently. Admiration shone in Xie An's eyes as he clapped his hands and laughed with excitement, while Huan Wen merely stood quietly to the side, observing them with a faint smile.
At that moment, a young man dressed in a grayish-blue silk satin robe emerged slowly from the end of the corridor. He had a refined appearance, and his glass-like black eyes sparkled with brilliance, standing tall and graceful.
He smiled slightly upon seeing the two. "You’re here."
Xie An shyly returned the greeting. "Dao."
Just then, the young man who had been practicing swordplay stepped out of the bamboo grove and walked over steadily.
"Let’s go inside; Changsheng has been waiting for a long time."
"Xun Nan, have you been here all along?"
The boy being questioned remained silent. Wang Dao casually waved his exquisite folding fan and smiled elegantly. "Let’s go."
As they ventured deeper inside, they noticed several corpses lying on the ground, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The group maintained a calm demeanor, as if they hadn’t seen anything at all.
Changsheng sat in a pavilion with an angry expression, drinking tea in large gulps. His movements were rough yet appeared completely natural; his handsome face twisted slightly in anger. It seemed like such a waste.
"What’s going on? Did those fools come back again?" Huan Wen remarked nonchalantly, clearly reveling in their misfortune.
"Damn it! They keep getting my hands dirty; these people must have eaten bear hearts to dare provoke us. It’s infuriating—" Changsheng grumbled indignantly.
"It was A Bead of Pearl's doing," Wang Dao stated simply, laying out the facts.
Xie An blinked in confusion, "Why? We haven't offended them." He wore an innocent expression as he asked.
Wang Dao patiently explained, "A Bead of Pearl is a notorious assassin group in the martial world. Logically, they shouldn't have anything to do with us. I think the ones looking for trouble are not them, but the Hidden person behind them who is paying them off."
"But—" Before he could finish his sentence, he was coldly interrupted. "Isn't there a newly opened large brothel? I suspect there's more to it than meets the eye." The voice belonged to Xun Nan.
Huan Wen took a light sip of Chrysanthemum Tea and smiled nonchalantly, "Alright, let's not dwell on those trivial matters. How about we visit the new Spring Garden?"
"Really?" Su Xunnan scoffed. "I heard that our Lord Huan has recently taken quite an interest in An's teenage little sister and is thinking about how to win her over. How could he be so quick to seek new love? Did he hit a wall with Miss Xie?"
Huan Wen's usually charming face changed color for once. "You—"
"Wen," Xie An lowered his eyelids and gently asked, "Do you really like Sister Four?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Sister Four is different from other girls. If you're not serious and just want to play around like before, then please don't provoke her. She is my most beloved sister, and if anyone dares to hurt her, I will not let it go. Not even you." At the end, Xie An raised his head and looked firmly at Huan Wen.
This little girl was no simple matter; even the usually gentle An defended her like this. Thinking of Xie Weiying, who had always kept him at arm's length, Huan Wen couldn't help but smile bitterly. "I still don't know if she will accept me. An, it's too early to say these things. I promise you that no matter what happens, I won't hurt her. Is that alright?"
"Alright, alright, we're all brothers here; why say such things?" Yu Changsheng quickly stepped in to ease the tension. He was a straightforward and impatient person who didn't understand why Wen spent all his time among flowers. Although he had many admirers as the Flame Prince, fighting and killing seemed much more interesting.
"I'm really curious about what kind of girl Xie Weiying is that even our invincible playboy Huan Wen finds himself troubled by her. An, bring her here sometime; I'm looking forward to it. Right, Xun Nan?" After saying this, Wang Dao flashed a smile as graceful as spring water.
The boy being talked about remained silent, his expression unchanged—a complete poker face.
The protagonist of this conversation flushed red and then pale again before finally exclaiming helplessly, "Stop talking! Let's go to Spring Garden together."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Damn that woman for making me a joke; I will make you mine, Xie Weiying, Huan Wen thought bitterly.
In the afternoon, he prepared a delicious meal in his makeshift kitchen and enjoyed it with Yun Ying.
This Fourth Young Lady held a status that was far from ordinary; aside from growing up with Yun Ying, she had no extra servants to attend to her needs. What was worse was that no one cared for her daily meals either. In the past, they would just whip up something in the shabby kitchen and often went hungry; that's why his body was so thin and pale. Now that he had become the master of this body, he must take responsibility for both his own health and Yun Ying's well-being.
Fortunately, I, An Jin, am not a delicate girl who has never lifted a finger. My father trained me to be independent from a young age. After entering university, in order not to neglect my appetite, I even learned how to cook delicious meals, so now I can handle it all with ease.
I still remember the first time I successfully made a simple home-cooked dish. Yun Ying was so moved that she cried while eating. She sniffled and said she would follow me for life. In my eyes, she is also a pitiful child, so I have always treated her like a sister rather than a servant. It seems Yun Ying understands my kindness; we have grown increasingly close, and she obeys me without question.
When night falls, it's also the time for me to practice my skills. Although I've been drinking slimming herbal tea, maintaining a perfect figure still requires exercise. After all, life is about movement.
As usual, I started by jogging around the courtyard before meticulously practicing the techniques I remembered, not daring to be careless. After all, this concerns my future safety. If I want to go out and do business, I must have the ability to protect myself.
For some reason, today I felt something was off; an ominous premonition lingered in my mind.
Sure enough, before long, my premonition became reality. I was practicing our family's palm technique when my weak body lacked sufficient strength; I was merely going through the motions.
At that moment, years of martial arts training made me aware of a powerful palm wind brushing past my ear. I awkwardly dodged with my frail body and quickly stood up to glare fiercely at the culprit behind the ambush. Coldly, I said, "Relying on martial arts to bully the weak—what kind of hero does that make you?"
In the dim moonlight, I couldn't see the person's face clearly but sensed they were momentarily taken aback before bursting into hearty laughter. Just as I worried that such laughter might wake the sleeping Yun Ying, unexpectedly, the person looked at me with the joy of a child who had just received candy and said, "Not bad, not bad! You're a good seedling; I'll take you as my disciple."
"Hmph," I scoffed disdainfully. "You must be crazy."
He became furious. "You little girl, what did you say?!" In an instant, he floated beside me and swiftly pinned me down so that I couldn't move. "Do you submit or not?"
I gritted my teeth in pain but stubbornly replied, "Despicable! If it weren't for my frail body, how could you old man bully me?"
To my surprise, instead of getting angry, he laughed: "Interesting, interesting. Girl, we have plenty of time ahead of us. From today on, I'll teach you martial arts. Until the day you defeat me, you'll have to call me Master."
"I don't care for you as my master, old man!"
"That’s not up to you; whether you like it or not, I'm taking on that role." With that, he leaped away.
"Old man, who exactly are you?!"
"You'll find out in due time," he transmitted back to me—how impressive!
It was only later that I realized how unfair it was to call him an old scoundrel that night. This narcissistic master, with his looks reminiscent of Pan An, possessed a strikingly handsome and ethereal beauty.
However, that demon-like face, paired with his childishly mischievous nature, was truly a waste of such beauty.
Moreover, the bizarre methods he devised for teaching martial arts were nothing short of tailored torment for me. Under his malicious guidance, I often ended up bruised and battered, a sight too pitiful to behold. Every time Yun Ying applied medicine to my wounds, she would weep bitterly, her eyes swollen like a rabbit's.
I could endure all this; after all, I had trained in martial arts since childhood and could withstand such hardships. What I found most unbearable was that this master enjoyed pinching my plump cheeks, insisting on kneading them until they were deformed, only stopping when tears welled up in my eyes. He was nothing less than a living embodiment of the old rascal Zhou Botong. To make matters worse, my skills were inferior to his, leaving me at his mercy. Yet I knew that enduring this hardship now would only serve to make his eventual downfall more satisfying.
In private, I gave him a fitting nickname—Demon Master Old Child, or simply Demon Child. Little did I know that this nickname would gain notoriety and spread throughout the martial world, infuriating him to the point where he nearly killed me.
It was also later that I learned he was a good friend of the Head of the Family. As for how I became the unfortunate target of his attention, he put it bluntly: "If it weren't for your dignified yet unassuming demeanor at that family banquet and a bit of your spirit, plus the sight of you foolishly poking around during a boring night stroll, I wouldn't have reluctantly agreed to be your master at your pleading. Otherwise, why would I waste my time torturing myself? You have no idea how much patience it takes not to just get rid of you..."
Oh God, save me from this narcissistic madman! Who had the audacity to insist on being my master? He wouldn't leave even if I begged him to.
Thus began my tumultuous relationship with this master who was barely passable as a handsome man when he wasn't being difficult.
After asking several times, I finally learned that his name was Sang Qin.
It was said that he had long since bid farewell to the Head of the Family and wandered off but stayed behind for me with nowhere else to go, taking refuge in my shabby courtyard. I mourned internally for a moment and regretted ever inviting him over for dinner out of kindness. The food had been too delicious—modern and fresh—and he had savored every bite so much that he shamelessly decided to stay.
Fortunately, he seemed to vanish during the day and only showed up at dusk for dinner. He would leisurely sip afternoon tea before starting his lessons.
Especially after seeing how I arranged the living room and the style of the guest room where he slept, along with Brother Three's unexpected visit—when he saw me gifting Brother Three a set of new-style men's clothing I'd made—he brazenly asked for a set for himself. According to him, he grew increasingly curious about his one and only disciple.
What nonsense! He spoke as if he were some legendary hero. However, truth be told, this unexpected master possessed martial skills that were truly astonishing—almost godlike. Eagerly, I began learning his unique lightness technique called "Misty" (the name as poetic as his appearance).
Once I mastered it, he asked why I was so eager to learn such advanced lightness skills. With an innocent expression, I replied, "Well obviously it's so I can run fast when escaping." My nonchalant tone nearly drove him to madness.
With a fierce expression twisting my poor cheeks in frustration, he growled, "When has Sang Qin's disciple ever been reduced to fleeing? You dare try escaping? I'll skin you alive." Even the freedom to escape was denied; I felt like crying without tears.
As for his mysterious comings and goings—never seen by anyone in the household—Demon Child finally revealed the secret while we were enjoying some delicious food. It turned out that the Curved Pavilion was the most remote and simplest place in the entire Prime Minister's Residence. As long as one climbed over the wall from the back garden, they could reach an alley outside; following that alley led directly to the main street. What a relief! I had thought leaving would be difficult. Thank goodness for this convenient location!
Speaking of the Curved Pavilion, it couldn't really be called a corner anymore; ever since a few months ago, I had started managing every nook and cranny here.
In modern times, I took a course in Landscape Design, and this place was just a small case. Soon, I transformed it into a paradise. The style of the room changed with my mood, and not only did Brother Three envy me to the point of wanting to move in, but even the elusive Demon Child often lounged around here, seemingly bored and unwilling to leave. This gave me a sense of accomplishment; I couldn't tolerate any flaws in the place where I spent so much time.
With summer approaching, I was planning to build a swimming pool in the yard, connecting it to the nearby Lotus Lake to ensure a steady water supply. The plan was quickly approved and implemented. The workers I hired signed confidentiality agreements; anyone who leaked any information about the Curved Pavilion would not only risk their life but also receive no payment. I had paid a high price for this.
As for money, I was indifferent. The Head of the Family, who rarely appeared, seemed to send large amounts of gold and jewels every month without paying much attention to Fourth Daughter. While I found it strange, I didn't want to delve deeper. I had always been indifferent to money, so I casually tossed things that others considered precious around my room. The entire house was decorated elegantly and tastefully, not in an extravagant or ostentatious manner.
When the swimming pool was completed, I took out the swimsuits I had designed long ago and distributed one each to Yun Ying and Demon Child, completely ignoring their slightly flushed cheeks from embarrassment. Looking at my own developing body, I couldn't understand what there was to be shy about.
Fortunately, they both seemed accustomed to my unconventional ways and quickly regained their composure. Anticipating such a situation, I had prepared several large towels for them to wrap around their bodies. Besides, we mostly swam at night when it was dark—who could see anyone? So the two shy ones soon relaxed and comfortably floated in the water like me.
I watched as Demon Child gradually evolved under my influence, maliciously grinning in the darkness. Ha! Let's see how you survive without your precious apprentice one day.
At that moment, Sang Qin inexplicably sneezed.
Is he catching a cold? He thought.
Comment 0 Comment Count