"You’re awake." Tian Sangsang had just finished her chores when she noticed Guan Kunling standing at the doorway. Her cheeks were flushed, her expression icy, and she was quietly tugging at the corners of her garment.
Imagine, if you will, an ice mountain beauty blushing. Her face expressionless yet tinged with red, like a crimson rose blooming amidst a snowy peak.
Guan Kunling battled momentarily with herself. When she woke up earlier and noticed what she was wearing, it felt utterly foreign. Though she hailed from a modern and open era, in comparison to this place, the difference was vast. This kind of bare-shouldered, revealing attire truly felt dishonorable for a woman’s modesty. She herself might not mind, but the issue lay with her lord! However, recalling that her lord was dressed similarly, she guessed that it was probably her lord who helped change her clothes. Her heart was then filled with nothing but gratitude. Truly, her lord had gone to great lengths for her.
"Little Auntie. My mom made you a meal." Meng Shuyan trotted over to her with his short legs, his little face beaming as he looked up at her. Little Auntie was so pretty! Aside from his mom, she was the most beautiful. And he noticed her gleaming, shiny sword too. Oh, how he wanted to touch it...
Ah, he really wanted to touch that weapon—it looked so incredible. Meng Shuyan thought to himself, temptation filling his heart.
Guan Kunling froze for a moment, her icy gaze falling on the little figure before her. He had on a red short-sleeved shirt and black shorts, his face fair and refined, his lips red and teeth pearly white. Something buried deep in her memory stirred, seemed about to surface, but then abruptly stopped short.
Mom. That must mean "mother" here.
"Young Master?" A fleeting glimmer crossed Guan Kunling’s frosty eyes as she bent her knees, preparing to kneel.
"Kunling." Tian Sangsang swiftly and firmly supported her around the waist, calling out to her in a soft but piercing voice. If her guess was right, Kunling was about to kneel again.
"Lord... Sangsang." Guan Kunling bit her pale lip, seeing the warning in Tian Sangsang’s eyes. She straightened her posture on her own accord.
Tian Sangsang released her in satisfaction and motioned to Meng Shuyan, who was standing at her feet. "This is my son. His name is Meng Shuyan, but we call him Yanyan."
Meng Shuyan nodded at her, his almond-shaped eyes curving up as he spoke obediently: "Hello, Aunt Guan."
"H-hello." A faint smile crept onto Guan Kunling’s lips as she turned toward Tian Sangsang. "May... may I touch him?"
Tian Sangsang nodded.
Carefully, Guan Kunling stepped forward, extending a slender hand and letting it rest lightly on Meng Shuyan’s soft, curly hair. Ah, so soft. She lingered for a mere two seconds before pulling her hand back.
"The young master has remarkable natural aptitude and extraordinary potential." Guan Kunling spoke with solemnity, cupping her fists. "Sangsang, from this day onward, Kunling pledges her life to serve Yanyan."
Her exterior remained calm, but internally, she was in turmoil. So, during her absence, her lord had remarried and even had a child. Originally, her lord had wed a royal consort, but that consort’s family was destroyed. After ascending the throne, her lord’s palace had remained relatively empty, without any male companions. Who would have thought that Yanyan’s biological father might be not a male concubine but an imperial consort?
Never mind. For now, let’s just call him Master-in-law.
But who was this Master-in-law? From which illustrious family did he come? The young master’s surname was Meng, so surely Master-in-law’s was also Meng. But why was Master-in-law not present? Was he away?
Guan Kunling scanned her surroundings again. This place was so simple. For someone used to a life of luxury like her lord, to endure such conditions must have been a great hardship. Her lord had truly suffered. Was Master-in-law’s family impoverished?
"I’ve dressed your wounds for you. Are you hungry? Come and eat something; you’ll need to be full to handle ’important matters’." Tian Sangsang smiled brightly, resembling a weasel greeting a chicken with suspicious hospitality.
The aroma of the food on the table wafted through the air, and Guan Kunling gazed at Tian Sangsang’s smile with a mix of shock and disbelief.
"Eat. Make yourself at home here; there’s no need to feel so restrained." After eating, let’s talk about life.
Guan Kunling frowned ever so slightly. Her lord’s sudden kindness left her uneasy. Still, she dared not disobey. She sat down, scooped up a spoonful of the rich, milky bone broth, and her eyes lit up. This flavor was divine! Even better than the bone soups in the palace. Truly, while her lord’s disposition might have changed, her discerning palate remained the same.
"Sangsang, Yanyan, you should eat too." Having the two of them stare at her while she ate made her feel as though she were sitting on pins and needles.
"Mom and I already ate, Aunt Guan. We’re not hungry," Meng Shuyan said.
On the floor, Little Milk Tea suddenly let out an inexplicable "woof" and jumped onto the table. Its paw accidentally hit the edge of a bowl, tilting it downward and slowly spilling the soup. The bowl was about to crash to the floor in pieces with a sharp sound.
Tian Sangsang watched the bowl intently. No matter how fast she moved, she wouldn’t be able to avert this tragedy.
But just then—quicker than words could describe—Guan Kunling used one hand to catch the little dog before it could hit Tian Sangsang’s face, and with the other, she extended her palm. A faint swirl of energy coalesced in the air... The bowl froze mid-air, flipped back upright, and landed stably on the table, right-side up.
"Such powerful inner strength!" Tian Sangsang couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.
"So cool!" Meng Shuyan’s eyes sparkled as he clapped enthusiastically!
Guan Kunling seemed slightly flustered. She crouched to place Little Milk Tea back on the ground. Bowing lightly to the intense gazes from the mother and son, she said, "You overpraise me."
Little Milk Tea sat dumbfounded on the floor, eyes wide, looking utterly lost.
Tian Sangsang told Guan Kunling to continue eating while she retreated to her room to devise a plan. This woman was far too skilled; keeping her in the shop was not a long-term solution.
"Mom? Mom?" At her feet, Meng Shuyan tugged at her pant leg. "Is Aunt Guan skilled in martial arts? Can I learn from her?"
The little boy’s large eyes sparkled, his cheeks flushed with excitement.
"No, sweetheart." Tian Sangsang’s voice was soft. "Your Aunt Guan will be leaving soon."
"What?" Meng Shuyan’s bright black eyes dimmed in disappointment.
"She’s not one of our family. She has her own life."
"But she’s hurt. Can’t she stay with us for a while, like Chun Zisu did?"
"But in the end, she will leave, won’t she? Even if she stayed a few days, she would still leave." Hardening her heart, Tian Sangsang continued, "Yanyan, we must believe in fate. Fate is written in the stars." See, didn’t Chun Zisu spend time with us too? Yet now she’s vanished as though into thin air.
Daddy was dictated by fate. Chun Zisu was dictated by fate. Aunt Guan was dictated by fate too. Looking down, Meng Shuyan mulled this over for a while before nodding slowly. "I understand, Mom."
"You still have Little Milk Tea. She’ll play with you, and I’ll be here too." Tian Sangsang drew him into her arms, softening her tone. "In a few days, we’ll head to the city. The city has so many people, a perfect chance for fate, isn’t it? You might even make new friends!"
At the thought of going to the city, Meng Shuyan’s mood lifted a little. He raised his small fist. Daddy must be in the city. Chun Zisu too. Yes!