Capítulo 18: Chapter 18: The Good Husband Should Return
Qian'er was carrying a lunchbox as she pushed the door open and entered the room.
"Miss..."
Qian'er paused, there was no one in the room.
She stood still for a moment, then headed towards the backyard.
In the backyard, there was a small pond with several Qinglian plants in it, and next to the pond there was an elegant pavilion containing a lady.
As Qian'er approached, she noticed the lady was absent-mindedly staring at the pond.
Her loosely draped black hair fell over her shoulders, her bare face as pure as a lotus flower emerging from clear water, her red lips slightly parted as she gently bit the tip of her finger.
The jade-like finger between her teeth was as white as her teeth, indistinguishable from them.
Seeing the miss showing this girlish demeanor again, Qian'er couldn't help but smile.
She placed the lunchbox on the pavilion's stone table, took out a white ribbon, and walked behind Lingfei to tie up her hair.
"What are you thinking about, Miss?"
"Hmm, nothing much."
"Hehe, are you thinking about your husband?"
"..."
"You're asking for a spanking!"
Lingfei, seeing that Qian'er dared to tease her, quickly turned around, pretending to flick her on the forehead.
Qian'er laughed and ran out of the pavilion, with Lingfei chasing after her.
After a while, they were frolicking again.
Soon, they returned to the pavilion where Qian'er rubbed her forehead, reddened by the miss's flick, tidied up the stone table, moving a few poetry collections to one side, then opened the lunchbox, taking out delicious dishes and placing them on the table.
During this time, she stole a glance at a piece of poetry paper hidden within one of the poetry collections by the miss.
The handwriting was graceful and soft, quoting a birthday poem made by someone.
"Miss, we are about to arrive at Du You City."
"Hmm."
"Miss, Miss, when will we return to Great Chu?"
"If there's nothing urgent, we won't return for the time being."
"Miss, when will you enter Tianya?"
"I'm not sure, I was almost there before, but then something happened..."
"Hmm, it's all Qian'er's fault for using the birthday poem he sent to Miss, although Falling Flower Grade couldn't directly help Miss break through, it could have brought you a bit closer, it's all Qian'er's fault."
"It's alright, that Falling Flower Grade being used by you is the best. Besides, if I were to break through, such a small thing wouldn't make a difference."
"Ah, really?"
"Hmm."
"Hehe, Miss is so kind!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Miss, I've thought of two names for my Lifebound Flying Sword, one is 'Swing' and the other is 'Fu Ni Chang'. Which do you think sounds nicer?"
"They both sound nice."
"Miss."
"Hmm?"
"How about calling it 'Smelly Rong'er'?"
"..."
Lingfei put down her silver chopsticks and glanced at Qian'er.
The girl who a moment ago was chattering lively now suddenly looked somber.
If Zhao Rong were here now, he would definitely remark how the thoughts and emotions of a teenage girl are so variable and erratic.
"Boohoo, it's all Uncle Li Bai's wine's fault; Rong'er definitely didn't want to leave."
"Boohoo, Smelly Rong'er, how could you be so heartless!"
"Miss, do you think he will come back?"
Lingfei remained silent, not knowing how to answer the young girl.
Thinking of that person, her thoughts became tumultuous.
Since her childhood, her father was never around, and her mother had passed away early. She lived in the deep and spacious Duke Mansion, introverted by nature. Apart from her loving Grandmother Dowager, she wasn't close to other relatives from different branches of the family. Liu Ayi was almost a mother figure to her, and both Li Bai and Uncle Kun always treated her as their mistress, never daring to overstep their boundaries.
Her childhood was only accompanied by Qian'er and Zhao Rong, two age-mates close to her. The former was her personal maid, and the latter, because he was Liu Ayi's child, she naturally felt close to him.
Thus, Zhao Rong had "invaded" her tiny world very early. She had once poured all her fantasies of fatherly love and all her emotions towards men into Zhao Rong. He had been the most intriguing color in her life, the most vibrant rainbow.
As she grew up, she gradually understood the matters between men and women, knowing that a woman would have a lifelong partner, growing old together. The only person she could think of, and only wished to think of, was him.
Their later engagement made her even more resolute.
Her heart was small, only capable of accommodating one person.
She actually lacked a sense of security. As a child, Zhao Rong could act as an older brother, giving her someone to rely on. But as she grew up, in order to inherit Duke Mansion of Jingnan and took Qian'er to leave the mansion, she cultivated alone outside. The little girl could lean on her, but there was no one she could lean on.
But it didn't matter, she didn't blame him then, thinking as long as her devoted husband treated her well.
Thus, her temperament gradually grew cold and indifferent, she began to cultivate diligently and focused on sword training.
One for the Zhao family, two for her husband.
She thought that once she had mastered her skills and returned leading with her sword, no one would dare to covet the Zhao family, no one would look down on her husband, and her husband would no longer feel ashamed because of his matrimonial attachment.
But now, as of today.
With his departure, all those expectations had turned into mere bubbles.
She realized how naïve her thoughts were.
Regaining consciousness, Zhao Lingfei gazed at the tear-streaked little girl in front of her, reaching out to wipe away her tears.
Lingfei actually very much wanted to convince herself to believe that your departure was because of that pot of 'Oblivious Sorrow Wine'; Lingfei also wanted to harbor the expectation that you would return one day.
But.
Lingfei had already made excuses for you countless times.
She had kindled hopes for you over and over again.
But what greeted Lingfei in the end was just self-deception and a series of dashed hopes.
Lingfei doesn't want to lie to herself anymore.
Zhao Rong, Zhao Ziyu, Lingfei is now beginning to hate you, not because you hurt her heart—I her heart has long been riddled with holes, hard to feel the pain again.
Lingfei hates that you failed Qian'er.
Suddenly, Zhao Lingfei let out a radiant smile, her eyes fixed on the little girl:
"He will, he'll come back for Qian'er."
...
This morning, like every other day, Zhao Rong got up very early, starting to practice writing and reading.
It had been two months since he boarded this Qingfeng Pavilion ferry, and he had already finished the books he brought in his book box. As for "Xuanhuang Chronicles", he had flipped through it so much it tattered. He pondered whether to shamelessly ask Sanbian brother to help him buy a few more books to pass the time.
Because it really was somewhat boring on the ship, the vast clouds sea that previously awed him no longer amazed him after seeing it repeatedly.
Although he could talk to Liu Sanbian, Liu's nature was indeed too dull; most times, it was Zhao Rong who initiated topics, but after chatting a bit they would be at a loss again.
As for the "Su Dahuang" next door, ever since the day she returned his book, they seldom met. The few times they encountered each other in the corridor, the girl always looked at him warily, seemingly afraid he would steal her books again.
But, this journey still had some interesting incidents.
One day, as the ferry passed through a section of the cloud sea, as if plunging into the deep sea, the array outside the ferry body became enveloped in schools of fish, with flying fish darting through, radiating spiritual light.
Some cultivators on board, their faces bright with delight, wanted to catch the fish, but were stopped by the ferry steward, who said that this school of fish already had an owner, belonging to a certain mountain in the central part of Wangque Continent.
Sure enough, a group of green-clothed cultivators riding cranes appeared not far away, eyeing the ferry coldly.
Later, Liu Sanbian told Zhao Rong that they were Cloud Sea Miraculous Fish, extremely rare; its flesh was the best celestial ingredient on the mountain, and its scales were an important material for refining some magical treasures, exchanging hands on the mountain for Middle Grade Spirit Stones.
One night, while Zhao Rong opened the window to admire the moon, he saw an old man bathing in moonlight on a cloud nearby, sitting in meditation and breathing, surrounded by a hazy aura, very mysterious.
Another day, amidst the cloud sea, thunder flashed and lightning cracked. Zhao Rong saw a masked man cleansing his sword in the Thunder Pond.
On another day, under a cloudless sky, a particularly towering mountain on the land was seen. As the ferry passed by, below was a sea of people, the noise thunderous, it turned out to be the Central Mountain of a certain secular Great Dynasty holding a grand sealing ceremony...
Zhao Rong stretched lazily, tidied up the table, and prepared to go for breakfast.
Just as he was about to leave, he saw the "Su Dahuang" next door seemingly ready to go out as well.
However, upon noticing Zhao Rong, she quickly retreated back inside.
"..."
Zhao Rong shook his head and smiled, not taking it to heart, and prepared to leave first.
But the next second.
A sound of wind and thunder came from afar.
Looking up, in the direction the ferry was heading, several streaks of light approached from the horizon, their presence immensely grand.
A commanding voice boomed, like the tolling of a large bell, resonating through the heavens.
"The Tianya Sword Pavilion orders, all ferries south of Zhi Shui Country are prohibited from passing!"
————————
PS: Brothers, in the latter half of the first volume, the protagonist meets the female lead Zhao Lingfei. (For brothers who can't wait, you can skip to that part...)
Also, the female lead does not vanish later!!!
(Just to clarify for those who are concerned, don't be mistaken, and there's plenty of sweet moments and dog food to fill you up.)
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