Fox Spirit: One Sword Sweeps the World

Page 7

Old Man Mu shook his head helplessly and patted his wife's hand.

"You know Qinghan's personality. He's been very stubborn since he was a child. Once he's made up his mind, nothing can change it. He has his own path of self-cultivation and doesn't want these worldly matters to interfere with him. He also doesn't like having his life arranged by others."

“But I’m his mother, and I’m doing this for his own good.”

Grandma Mu pursed her lips and lowered her voice, "Besides, that girl Qingmu Yuan is really good. She's pretty and talented. She's a perfect match for Qinghan."

"Sigh, you can't force feelings."

Old Man Mu sighed and pulled his wife into the house.

"Let's take it one step at a time. The children are still young and their minds are focused on spiritual practice."

"If Qinghan really doesn't like it in the future, then let's call off this marriage. As parents, we ultimately hope that he can have a happy and fulfilling life."

Hearing him say that, Grandma Mu felt a little relieved and nodded gently: "Yes, that's the only way."

Chapter 9 Confused

When Mu Qinghan returned to her small house, a fragrance wafted to her nose as she pushed open the door.

Several dishes were neatly arranged on the table, all of which were his favorite foods.

Stir-fried vegetables, braised pork ribs, and a bowl of warm mushroom soup, steaming hot.

He leaned the wooden sword against the corner of the wall, bent down to take off his shoes which were covered in mud, put on cloth shoes from inside the house, and then went straight to the table to sit down, picked up his chopsticks and ate quietly.

The food was warm and palatable, a testament to the chef's usual skill. But after only a couple of bites, he inexplicably felt something was missing. He paused, holding his chopsticks, and slowly put them down.

His gaze inadvertently swept across the doorway, and he caught a glimpse of a slender figure standing under the eaves, hunching his shoulders and rubbing his hands.

"The person at the door, what's your name?" Mu Qinghan asked, his voice calm yet clear.

The servants under the eaves were taken aback when they heard this. They quickly looked up, their faces filled with disbelief.

This young master has always been aloof and devoted himself to cultivation. He rarely glances at the servants in the manor, let alone takes the initiative to speak to them.

He was stunned for a moment before hurriedly bowing and replying, "Replying to Young Master, this servant's name is Afu."

Mu Qinghan herself couldn't explain why she spoke up; she only felt that the room, which had been warm and cozy just moments before, now felt rather cold and desolate.

He glanced at Afu's faded and obviously thin short jacket. A cold wind blew, and Afu couldn't help but shiver. He pointed into the room and said, "Come in."

Afu walked into the house tremblingly, keeping his head down and not daring to look up at him.

Mu Qinghan's gaze fell on him, her brows furrowing slightly: "Every autumn and winter, the manor provides the servants with thick cotton-padded clothes. Where are your clothes? Why are you wearing this? Did you sell them?"

"Oh dear, young master, you wouldn't dare say that!"

Afu quickly waved his hand, his tone urgent and sincere, "That cotton coat is a gift from the master, even if I freeze to death, I would never dare to sell it!"

"It's really... my wife is pregnant, and we only have one thick coat at home. I was afraid she would get cold at home, so I left the cotton coat for her to wear."

“This servant is thick-skinned and doesn’t mind getting a little cold, but we absolutely cannot let our wife and the baby in her belly get cold.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Qinghan's brows furrowed even more, but his gaze softened slightly.

He looked at the barely touched food on the table and pointed at it: "Take a look at this food. If you don't mind, pack it up and take it back to your wife. She can still eat it after heating it up."

"Huh? This...this is unacceptable!"

Afu suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open, his face full of flattery and surprise. Before he could finish speaking, he knelt down with a "plop" and kowtowed repeatedly to Mu Qinghan.

"Thank you so much, young master! Thank you for your kindness, young master! This servant kowtows to you!"

Seeing his expression, Mu Qinghan felt a little uncomfortable and frowned slightly, saying, "I just gave you some leftover food, is it really necessary for you to act like this?"

After kowtowing, Afu raised his bloodshot eyes, his voice choked with emotion.

"Young master, you may not know this, but I was orphaned at a young age. When I was starving to death on the street, the master of the house happened to pass by and saved me. He took me back to the manor, gave me food and drink, and allowed my lowly life to continue."

"Thanks to the master's grace, I now have a wife, and we are about to have children. You have given me food today, and I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life!"

Mu Qinghan looked down at Afu, who was kneeling on the ground, his gaze sweeping over Afu's humble figure before landing on his own fair and clean hands.

It is smooth and delicate, without a single scratch.

He then turned to look at Afu's hands, which were spread out on the ground. Those hands were covered with rough calluses, with swollen knuckles, and the palms were severely cracked, with dirt stuck in the crevices.

You can even see several fresh, tiny wounds, oozing a faint trace of blood, clearly caused by heavy physical labor.

Silence fell over the room for a moment, the candlelight flickering, casting the shadows of the two people on the floor.

After a moment, Mu Qinghan withdrew his gaze, slowly stood up, walked to Afu's side, and spoke in a calm voice.

"Take me to your house, I want to see it."

"Ah? Young master, you..." Afu suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open, his mouth slightly agape, his face full of shock and fear, almost thinking he had misheard.

How could the young master of the Mu family, who is so precious, possibly want to go to his dilapidated home?

"Hmm? What's wrong? Is it inconvenient?" Mu Qinghan raised an eyebrow and asked indifferently.

"No, no, no! There's absolutely no inconvenience!"

Afu hurriedly waved his hand, scrambled to his feet, dusted himself off, and spoke with a tone full of flattery.

"It is an honor for this old servant that you would deign to visit my home, young master! I am just... just afraid that my home is too dirty and dilapidated, and I don't even have a decent place to sit. I fear that I have offended you and disrespected your noble bearing."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but lower his head, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his face.

"It's alright." Mu Qinghan uttered two words softly, and took the lead towards the door. "Lead the way."

"Eh, eh."

In the pavilion deep in Tushan.

The stove was burning brightly, and a faint aroma of tea filled the air.

Tu Shan Rongrong sat upright on the wooden bench by the window. Her fox eyes, which were usually squinted, opened slightly, and her clear gaze fell on Tu Shan Ya Ya, who was frowning across from her, with a hint of curiosity.

"What's wrong, sister?"

She tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, her voice revealing intelligence.

"I thought you wouldn't be back for at least two weeks. Why did you turn back this afternoon after just leaving this morning?"

Tu Shan Ya Ya slammed the large wine gourd in her arms onto the table, the gourd making a dull thud as it hit the surface.

She crossed her arms, sullenly hanging her head, her beautiful eyes fixed on the drizzling rain outside the window.

Raindrops pattered against the windowpane, splashing up tiny droplets, just like her chaotic mood at that moment.

"Ugh... It's so boring outside, there's nothing fun to do, I suddenly don't want to go out."

She said in a muffled voice, her tone full of undisguised frustration.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, Tu Shan Rongrong smiled faintly.

She rested her chin on her hand, her beautiful face turned towards the window, her gaze sweeping across the rain. "That's truly a pity."

Chapter 10 Transparency

Raindrops pattered, fine rain threads drifted across the sky, shrouding the streets in a hazy veil as dusk deepened.

The bluestone path, washed smooth by the rain, reflected the warm yellow lights shining from the windows of the houses on both sides.

Mu Qinghan walked in the drizzle without any rain gear. The cool evening breeze carried the slanting raindrops, gently patting his robes and wetting the fabric on his shoulders.

Afu, who was standing next to him, was holding an oil-paper umbrella and carefully moved closer to him.

She wanted to shield him from the rain, but dared not get too close because of her status. She could only follow closely behind him, tilting the edge of the oil-paper umbrella as much as possible toward the young master.

A gentle evening breeze swept by, carrying the crisp chill of the rain. Mu Qinghan subconsciously raised her hand, her fingertips gleaming faintly.

He originally intended to gather his magical power to form a barrier and keep the rain out.

But just as the light at his fingertips flickered for a moment, he seemed to suddenly remember something. His gaze swept over Afu's hand, which was tightly gripping the umbrella handle, and then he glanced at Afu's clothes, which were soaked by the rain. The faint light quietly dissipated, and he slowly lowered his hand.

Rainwater slid down his hair and dripped onto his cheeks, bringing a touch of coolness, but he didn't care and continued walking steadily forward.

Meanwhile, in the attic of the Mu family mansion, Old Man Mu was gently holding Old Woman Mu. The two stood side by side by the window, their gazes falling through the rain curtain onto the small figure on the street in the distance.

"What's that kid up to in the rain?"

Old Man Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone tinged with doubt, but he gently patted his wife's back with his large hand, his movements tender.

Grandma Mu rested her head on his shoulder, gazing at her son's upright figure in the rain, and gently shook her head.

"I don't know. Our Qinghan has always been thoughtful since childhood, always pondering things we can't even imagine. He's also stubborn, and he has his reasons for what he believes in."

Old Man Mu remained silent for a moment, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes, and then gave the order in a deep voice.

“Then let him go. Have someone quietly follow him and protect him from the shadows. Remember not to show yourself and disturb him—this child hates it when others interfere with his decisions.”

"Well, I'll arrange it right away."

Grandma Mu nodded, gently smoothing her wind-blown hair, her gaze still fixed on the figure in the rain, her eyes filled with loving kindness.

"Squeak-"

The old wooden door was gently pushed open, making a dry, rattling sound.

A chilly wind, carrying raindrops, swept into the room from outside, causing the flame of the oil lamp on the table to flicker violently.

Hearing the noise, the woman lying in bed quickly propped herself up and slowly sat up.

Her sallow face was somewhat swollen due to pregnancy, but when she saw the figure at the door, her eyes instantly filled with joy.

She subconsciously tightened the thick cotton coat covering her body, then, as if remembering something, she quickly threw off the quilt and dragged her heavy body to her husband's side.

"Ah Fu, you're finally back..."

Her voice was a little hoarse as she reached out to take the things from her husband's hands. But when she caught sight of Mu Qinghan standing behind him, she stopped abruptly, her eyes filled with astonishment. Then she looked at Afu with a puzzled expression.

"Who is this……"

"This is the young master of the manor, Young Master Mu."

As he explained, Afu quickly walked to the stove in the corner of the room, opened the stove door, and added some dry firewood. The sparks crackled and popped, instantly warming the room.

He turned to Mu Qinghan and bowed respectfully, saying, "Please sit down, young master. Come and warm yourself by the fire, don't get cold."