Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 80 - 71: Filial Piety That Moves the World

Chapter 80: Chapter 71: Filial Piety That Moves the World

On the morning of August 17, 2017

Shen Qingming looked at the two dark circles under her eyes reflected in the water mirror, feeling utterly helpless.

Behind her, Wang Jiu wore an expression as if watching an idiot, concerned for the mental and physical health of his rider.

After a moment, Shen Qingming, confused, turned and asked, "Ah Jiu, what should I do?"

Wang Jiu sighed, "Honestly, I’ve been through a lot and seen even more. Back in the day, traveling with the Jiu Immortal Venerables, was there any battlefield on the Jiuzhou Continent I hadn’t been to? The Great Demon God Emperor was so high and mighty, and I could chat and laugh with him. But I’ve seldom seen anyone as foolish as you, holding the Immovable Tyrant Body of the Second Heaven, staying up late to the point of getting dark circles. Even Shen Kaishan would be shocked by your feat..."

Shen Qingming responded aggrievedly, "I can’t help it, it’s nervous insomnia."

"You’ve been losing sleep since the 11th?"

"Ever since I decided to return home, I’ve been excited and anxious. After all, it’s a big deal; it’s impossible to feel nothing." Shen Qingming tried hard to find excuses for her foolishness, "Every time I lie in bed, people and events from the Li Family Mansion keep surfacing in my mind. I feel my Qi and blood aren’t listening to me; sometimes I’m happy, but more often I’m ashamed. I’m a bit scared of being scolded, but I also look forward to confidently rebutting... In short, my feelings are complicated, something a Sword Spirit like you wouldn’t understand."

Wang Jiu said, "I believe even humans would find it hard to understand your foolishness of losing a week’s worth of sleep."

"...I can’t help it, what do you expect from someone with an IQ of 3.3!" Shen Qingming resignedly exclaimed, "Now the question is, what should I do?"

Wang Jiu considered for a moment, "Considering your current idol status, you might want to use this idol disguise — back in the Jiuzhou Era, when idol groups went out and didn’t want to be recognized, they relied on idol disguises."

Saying this, Wang Jiu used Illusion Sword Technique to show Shen Qingming the idol disguise he mentioned: a pair of oversized sunglasses made from black crystal, a plain-colored mask, and a headscarf large enough to cover her hair, ears, and shoulders.

Shen Qingming instantly widened her eyes, "What’s with this headscarf!?"

Wang Jiu said, "Sorry, this is an idol headscarf from the Blast Sect in the Qing Province. It seems inappropriate here; I’ll change it for you."

After speaking, he swapped it for a wool hat.

"This is better. Wear these three items along with height-enhancing shoes, and I guarantee not even your mother will recognize you."

"...And then the guards will throw me out as a stranger intruder!" Shen Qingming said angrily, "Give me some reliable advice, will you? I just want to know if you know any suitable makeup techniques."

"Makeup?" Wang Jiu said perplexedly, "Why would you ask me about that? I don’t know anything about makeup."

"Nonsense, you clearly told Lu Xin about skin and hair care techniques! I heard it! Just the night before last, Lu Xin asked you about whitening tips! You explained to her for a whole half an hour!"

Wang Jiu said, "Oh, I just repeated what Zhao Yuming and Shang Lanfei, those old friends, told me — frankly, I didn’t want to know this useless knowledge at all, but Zhao Yuming said if I could remember it, she’d give me a top-notch sword scabbard from Jiuzhou after the war ends. Unfortunately, neither she nor Shang Lanfei kept their word... Anyway, they never had dark circles, so I don’t know how to deal with your problem either."

After a pause, Wang Jiu added, "If I had to say, the most effective way to cure your dark circles given your situation is to raise your intelligence level."

"Fine, I won’t ask you anymore! I’ll just go out like this actor tonight; let anyone say what they will!"

——

With a hint of resignation, Shen Qingming, sporting two dark circles, arrived at the gate of the Li Family Mansion in the city by dusk.

In front of the bustling Li Family Mansion, it was eerily quiet without a soul in sight, an occasional servant entering or exiting through side doors, all speaking softly, facial expressions solemn, quite unlike the festive atmosphere for a grand banquet.

But Shen Qingming chuckled lightly with a sigh, "Still the same as ever."

Unlike the heads of other wealthy families in the city celebrating birthdays in grandeur, Li Fengyun, the head of the Li family, never organized his birthday parties lavishly. For a typical birthday, he only gathered with his wife and children at a table, having a couple of bowls of longevity noodles and exchanging some formal words before calling it a day. Only in round-numbered years like 40 or 45, would he gather everyone in the mansion to celebrate one lively night.

To Li Fengyun, spending precious time celebrating birthdays was utterly unreasonable. With the Sword Dao being endless and life being limited, not a second should be wasted. Therefore, these public social activities, born out of societal tradition, were particularly unbearable for him. Consequently, when his birthday approached, Li Fengyun’s mood would worsen, setting a somber tone for the Li Family Mansion.

Involuntarily, Shen Qingming began to reminisce about the many snippets of stories from her life in the mansion.

"You know, during Dad’s 45th birthday, he suggested creating a puppet figure to attend the party in his stead to spare time for practicing Swordsmanship, because he was so fed up with socializing. Mom... oh no, Lu Xin had such a dark expression that even the Golden Crow Flame seemed to condense at a distance. I wonder how it will go tonight, how Lu Xin plans to convince him to attend the birthday banquet."

Just as she finished speaking, Shen Qingming suddenly remembered that the Sword Spirit usually beside her wasn’t standing by her today.

In fact, before coming, Wang Jiu did ask her if she wanted him to accompany her. But Shen Qingming said it was entirely her own business, she could handle it herself without needing anyone’s help.

"Ha ha, those grand words before leaving were so heroic, yet I turn around and start habitually relying on him again... Shen Qingming, Shen Qingming, it’s time for you to grow up a little."

With that, the girl gave her cheeks a firm pat, then tried to recall the scene where, as a newly-rising idol, she showcased the Spirit Cat’s posture to various painting masters for the Spirit Cat Album, and soon all feelings of embarrassment seemed to vanish from her mind, momentarily reaching a state of inner tranquility.

Ha, what’s there to be nervous about? This is, after all, her home.

Thinking this, the girl gathered her courage, went to the gate, and gently lifted the knocker...

Yet she still lacked the courage to knock down the knocker.

Returning home, for a rebellious girl who quietly left the mansion two years ago and moved into Shen Garden, required a bit more strength than she had anticipated.

Shen Qingming, you can do this, it’s no big deal, you can definitely do it.

Just as Shen Qingming closed her eyes and took a deep breath, quietly gathering her courage, a familiar voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.

"What are you doing standing here stupidly?"

The next moment, the door knocker in her hand was pulled by an invisible force and pressed down heavily.

Bang, bang.

Like a war drum, it sounded the prelude to Shen Qingming’s return home.

——

After the knocker rang, the two gates of the Li Family Mansion quietly opened inward. Two dignified-looking maids stood respectfully at the door... then looked puzzled at the empty entrance.

Meanwhile, around the corner, Shen Qingming hid behind the wall, panting and unsettled.

After a while, she came back to herself, feeling as if her soul which had flown to the skies finally returned to her body... then she angrily whispered.

"Wang Jiu!?"

Beside her, Wang Jiu, who had transformed into the Sword Spirit True Form using the Illusion Sword Technique, looked at his steed with eyes full of care for the disabled.

"Although I can understand you’re young and like to play, I really don’t think this is the right time to play hide-and-seek with your family’s maids."

"No one is playing hide-and-seek!" Shen Qingming gritted her teeth. "Why did you come!? I told you not to come!"

Wang Jiu said, "You previously said, for this return to attend the birthday banquet, you could handle it alone without my involvement. But clearly, you can’t handle it alone, so as your master, I have an obligation to provide necessary support."

"... How do you know I can’t handle it?" The girl retorted unhappily.

Wang Jiu said, "Alright, I’ll ask a simple question. You’re here to attend your father’s birthday banquet, so what about the birthday gift?"

Shen Qingming was taken aback, "Birthday gift?"

"Yes, did you prepare one?"

Shen Qingming remained silent.

For the past few days, she had been so caught up with meeting Lu Xin that she hadn’t even considered what to prepare for the birthday banquet!

Wang Jiu smiled, "Fortunately, I’ve already prepared it for you."

Saying this, he pulled out a simple lunchbox and handed it to Shen Qingming, "Give this to Li Fengyun later."

Shen Qingming suspiciously accepted the lunchbox, then opened it to see six plain-looking pastries neatly arranged inside.

"What is this?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Wang Jiu explained, "Homemade pastries by the daughter, to express respect and love for her father. Rest assured, I strictly followed your actual culinary skills to create these. I didn’t use any overly complex recipes or expensive ingredients. The making process genuinely retains your personal characteristics."

Shen Qingming asked, "My personal characteristics?"

"Those two on the left," Wang Jiu pointed, "I mixed up the salt and sugar."

"Your personal characteristic is the mix-up of salt and sugar!"

Wang Jiu further explained, "In fact, such a basic mistake better reflects the creator’s clumsy and nervous effort to overcome culinary awkwardness while celebrating an elder’s birthday. On the other hand, as a birthday gift, the taste of these pastries isn’t as important as the sentiment they carry."

"I don’t need such mixed-up sentiments!"

"Alright, suit yourself."

Seeing Shen Qingming wasn’t interested in these details, Wang Jiu didn’t explain the mechanism of the other four pastries, hoping Li Fengyun would experience them firsthand.

"Besides the birthday gift, there are a few more issues..."

Wang Jiu hadn’t finished speaking when Shen Qingming sighed deeply, "Alright, stop talking, come with me."

With that, she pulled Wang Jiu along, standing at the mansion’s entrance again.

And this time, Shen Qingming found she wasn’t nervous at all.

Dong, dong.

The light sound of the door knocker was so natural, the girl could even clearly feel the fluid contraction of her muscles as her wrist moved.

... Although it was a bit embarrassing, and she couldn’t possibly admit it, having this guy around felt really good.