On a clear, sunny day, with the rays just right, a colorful cloud flowed through the morning glow, and in no time, they reached Ziyang Mansion.
The new house purchased in the East City, right next to the market, was filled with hustle and bustle early in the morning. Vendors were running about the streets, shouting their wares with cheerful cries that echoed one after another. It looked like the shadows of Da Shang, the capital, were faintly visible in the rain of people.
Under the bridge, a loud bang of the wooden board signaled the arrival of a storyteller with a strong voice announcing, “The latest Nine Heavens and Ten Earths ranking is hot off the press; plenty has been happening lately!”
“Far away in the Western Regions, a Zen master’s teaching is being passed down, with the monk Huikong blossoming with each step. Meanwhile, the black witch cult of the South Border has concocted a new bizarre poison. Several disciples from the Lingxi Gate have gone missing, but the sect leader claims it’s just some personnel changes and has eliminated the temporary members—no major events here.”
“Just my two cents—everyone, do stay away from Lingxi Gate; the feng shui there is not so great lately.”
“Now, back to our Ziyang Mansion. The Qingyuan Sect is on the rise in Zhengzhou. Cold Fairy and the Sword Heroes of the Li clan are about to get engaged, which we all know. But I’ve got some insider info that you might not have heard…”
……
The crowd was bustling; those who were already focused on the story heard the chatter grow even louder.
“There have been quite a few geniuses coming out of the Buddhist sect lately—besides monk Huikong, there’s the Master Zang Ai, rumored to be half-human, half-demon, yet deeply rooted in Buddhist teachings!”
“I used to think Lingxi Gate would be the leader of the Eastern Wilderness, but with so many disciples gone, they’ll probably fall into despair!”
“Even at their peak, Lingxi Gate wasn’t that impressive. We, in the Qingyuan Sect, have Cold Fairy Ying Bing and the wonderful husband Ke Mo!”
Mentioning this, the listeners perked up.
People discussed the rumors they’d heard, such as how Young Hero Ke wields a great sword even more powerful than the Divine Sword of the Celestials, and how his hammer can grow big and small…
“?”
In the middle of the crowd, Gu Xueqin squinted her eyes, feeling both familiar and strange about the son they were talking about.
Her little uncle chuckled nearby.
“A mother worries when her son is away, huh? Even though my sister doesn’t say much, she’s still anxious. Look at her, out buying vegetables and lingering here for a long while.”
Thinking this, the little uncle felt a bit emotional too.
The last time they met, Ke Mo was just a frail half-grown boy. Now, he’s turned into a legendary hero, and guess what? He’s about to get married!
“Is this the usual gossip, sis? Young Mo is that famous now; it’s normal for some to exaggerate!”
“That’s true. But where on earth is that little rascal?”
Gu Xueqin held her vegetable basket and led her little ice girl, Ying Bing, toward the market.
“…”
Ying Bing glanced at Huang Donglai, who had switched to a new outfit on the platform.
It seemed… not entirely fabricated.
Once they entered the market, the once uninterested Gu Xueqin became lively again, leading Ying Bing around like a tour guide. When someone asked about the girl beside her, who was comparable to the Cold Fairy, her mother’s lips would subtly curl upwards.
As she introduced, she’d take the opportunity to bargain while the other party was still in shock.
Ying Bing had grown up in the Ke Mansion but had rarely gone out with everyone.
But now, whether facing strangers or following Gu Xueqin to buy vegetables, she no longer wore that icy “little ice chunk” face. Instead, she was serene and lovely, like a gentle breeze.
She had even mastered the art of bargaining like the Ke family women.
After Gu Xueqin finished haggling, Ying Bing would suddenly chime in to request extra green onions.
As the sun climbed higher, the family returned home.
Gu Xueqin busied herself with household chores while chatting with Ke Dalong about the latest rumors they had heard.
“From now on, our son will definitely spend less time at home. But that’s not a bad thing.”
Ke Dalong saw the yearning and worry in his wife’s eyes and comforted her, “The little rascal is nothing like before. He’s a teenage hero now, and soon enough he’ll be among the big shots. Which big shot spends their days just hanging around home?”
“They say parents should not travel far while their children are so close; who wouldn’t want their kids always nearby?”
Gu Xueqin sighed softly.
“I never saw you like this back in the day.”
“Ah, that’s how it is—when he’s away, I worry and miss him; when he’s home, he drives me crazy!”
Sons are like double-slit experiments.
When you can’t see them, you miss them; when they’re around too much, they start to annoy you.
“What about daughters then?”
“Far or near, I love them just the same.”
Ying Bing slightly lowered her gaze, looking like an orchid in a quiet valley, calm as a maiden, yet her heart felt warm and sweet—it was as if tea in her mouth had suddenly turned sugary.
“But Little Ice Girl can’t stay by our side forever,” Gu Xueqin continued, growing a bit sentimental.
Perhaps, in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, girls at this age are sensitive too?
At that moment, Ke Dalong suddenly asked, “Little Ice Girl, do you like boys or girls?”
Ying Bing truly squinted her almond-shaped eyes and pondered hard.
Well, okay, no need for that deep thought.
Upon hearing the question, it was like two little beings popped up beside her head, one an angel-like Little Ice Chunk and the other a mischievous little childish ghost.
Ying Bing was lost in thought, unable to decide.
“I… like both quite a bit.”
Hearing this, Ke Dalong laughed, “Wife, Little Ice Girl is the type who loves having both sons and daughters. So you don’t need to worry about no one being around to keep us company in our old age!”
“Well, that would be nice. If it really turns out that this little rascal doesn’t come back, then so be it.”
Gu Xueqin’s eyes sparkled, and just thinking about it made her whole person shine.
“?”
Ying Bing realized, it seemed that her Aunt and Uncle had somehow stopped discussing children.
It reminded her of the three volumes of the little Ke Academy she had studied.
Looking back now, the best strategy was undoubtedly the best strategy; the impact on Aunt Gu was particularly significant…
“Then… what about me?”
Just then, a familiar voice came from the doorway.
Originally looking bright and intelligent, but now unable to process everything, Ying Bing turned her head.
When she saw who it was, she quickly lost her former sharpness.
Little Ke Academy had apparently stood at the door for some time, alongside the round and jolly Elder Qian.
He spread his hands like someone who just realized they hadn’t boarded the bus yet, looking completely baffled.
Perhaps he never expected that even the law of “distant fragrance being better than nearby stench” had failed him here.
He hadn’t even stepped inside, and already, he wasn’t welcomed here?
How annoying! What the heck had that ice chunk been up to the past few days!
