Chapter 28

"If I get good at playing the flute, Uncle, will you play the pipa for me?"

"Playing the pipa, I'm the best in our family."

After saying this much, Danmuh Xianwu suddenly started listing how he would celebrate Lian's birthday next year, and Xue Guanxi, who had been listening quietly, joined in.

We would call the best chef in Zhejiang to prepare the food, and who to invite for the band, but he would play the pipa himself. The birthday gift would remain a secret until the day arrives, and he would cut paper flowers to decorate every lantern, making them shine until night.

Lian's lips twitched.

During the years when she was unconscious, no one in the clan had a birthday party.

The young Danmuh Bi, who couldn't even have a birthday party, didn't know what it was, and the most mischievous Danmuh Xianwu spent his time in darkness and silence.

But now, he was smiling as he talked about cutting paper flowers to decorate the lanterns for his nephew's birthday.

If she could, Lian would cut a thousand, ten thousand flowers, but Danmuh Xianwu, unaware of Lian's feelings, closed his eyes and smiled, lifting her up.

In the process, the flute almost fell, and a tear slipped out of Lian's wistful eyes.

"Wow!"

"Wow!"

* * *

Jian Weiwen was silent all evening. Instead, the servant Zhong did most of the talking.

From "Wow" to "My goodness," even though hundreds of thousands of words were added in between, Jian Weiwen still didn't say a word.

However, Zhong wasn't disappointed by his master's attitude. He didn't have the time to feel that way.

"Wow. In my life, I never thought I would meet someone who passed the imperial examination as the top scholar... I thought it was something only given in the celestial realm."

'How did Danmuh Lian know? Was it a coincidence?'

"The young master must have just pretended to play around every day. Oh, how much the old master must have been worried, and now to pass the imperial examination so splendidly."

'Is there such a coincidence? The little boy who gave me that advice bet everything on the top scholar of Weixue, and Weixue really became the top scholar... Is all this a coincidence?'

A chill ran down his spine.

"Miss, wasn't sending the fragrant linji a bit too much? It's not an ordinary treasure, and if the master finds out..."

Jian Weiwen finally responded.

"What would Father say if he knew? He would be proud that I'm so happy about my brother's success as the top scholar."

"That... I think he would."

The servant agreed with a slightly embarrassed voice.

Not long ago, Jian Weizheng and his gambling friends were all beaten up by street ruffians and had to see a doctor.

It seemed they borrowed money to gamble. They were threatened that if they gambled or drank again, their wrists would be cut off.

Half of the parents of Jian Weizheng's gang were raging, vowing to find and kill those ruffians, while the other half were secretly pleased despite their heartache. They said the boys were so scared that they shuddered at the sight of dice.

Jian Weizheng wasn't as bad as that, but he was still bedridden with bruises, and his gambling friends had all fled, leaving him with no one to play with, so he was just killing time at home.

Seeing his state, Jian Yanzhao sighed and then handed over the management authority of the security company, which he had been temporarily in charge of, to Jian Weiwen. It was originally managed by Jian Weizheng.

'This is also as the child said.'

Jian Yanzhao, who realized that the second son, usually rational and cold, had deliberately taken action for the first son's future, seemed to be somewhat impressed despite his complex feelings.

"How did you know what Miss did right away?"

"Is it hard to do something secretly in the business, or is it hard to let Father know?"

The servant Zhong smiled, agreeing that it was indeed so.

"The old master must be very happy."

"Even a person can fall backward from being too happy."

Jian Yanzhao, who had seen the room decorated by his confidant, almost fell backward.

Now, a party was being held outside for the family to enjoy.

But Jian Yanzhao, claiming his heart was beating too fast, was locked in his quarters. According to the servant, he kept looking at the room with the top scholar's name.

"First, I will have a set of high-quality fur clothes made and sent to my brother, and I will buy new writing materials to send to Zhulin Academy. Since the academy has friends and teachers who guided my brother, it's only right to show gratitude."

Jian Weiwen said with a cold expression. The servant Zhong, finally regaining his composure, bowed deeply.

Jian Weiwen's eyes swept over the excited family. Amidst everyone's joy, she alone was calmly planning the future.

"And we need to adjust the sales of Qinglian water. Recall all the high-grade Qinglian water currently on sale."

* * *

For several days, Lian walked around the Yueying Pavilion area without missing a day.

Danmuh Tianqi, seemingly in a sudden inspiration, was repeatedly practicing breathing techniques and applying the clan's secret techniques.

The air being drawn into the Yueying Pavilion could be felt on her skin, so Lian was walking around, gently infusing each thread of air with spiritual energy.

She hoped that this energy, as it brushed past Danmuh Tianqi's dantian, would heal his wounds and help him regain his strength.

"Master, I heard you called for me."

Today, she called the chief steward during her walk. The air currents around the Yueying Pavilion indicated that Danmuh Tianqi would soon complete his enlightenment and return from the depths.

The chief steward approached Lian, holding his breath, to check if the atmosphere inside the residence had changed.

Meanwhile, Lian had stopped walking and was staring at a duckling in the pond with a shocked expression.

"Look at this, Jiang Li? It's so ugly..."

"Ah, the ducks in Yueying Pavilion are mallards. Oh, and Master, it's not that they're ugly, but rather that they have diverse colors."

The chief steward Jiang Li quickly defended, knowing that Danmuh Tianqi often teased Lian by calling her a duckling.

"It's ugly!"

"......When they're young, they pretend to be ugly to avoid being taken by ghosts. How much does the Great Ancestor cherish you? He pays attention to every little detail..."

"Grandfather would kill the ghosts if they came."

"That's... people's hearts are not like that... right?"

Lian pouted, full of dissatisfaction, and stood up from the pond. At that moment, the ducks, unaware of her feelings, quacked and approached her, soon filling the edge of the pond.

Lian reached out her hand to the mallards. The nearby Jiang Li was startled and tried to stop her.

"Oh, Master, even though they are ducks in the pond, they are not tame and can be fierce..."

"Hmm?"

The mallard duck bent its neck and rubbed its head against Lian's hand, showing affection. Jiang Li's eyes widened. The ducks, which were usually fierce when he fed them, were now behaving like gentle lambs.

The mallard duck pushed its ducklings towards Lian as if introducing them. The speckled ducklings rushed to Lian's hand.

Lian, with a resigned expression, played with the ducks and then suddenly looked up at the sky.

"...Grandfather has woken up. Let's go."

Danmuh Tianqi was sitting quietly with his eyes closed in front of the table where he had eaten with Lian. His hair had become even more transparent at the ends, but his complexion was bright, and the aura emanating from him filled the empty room.

"Grandfather!"

The moment the door creaked open and the little girl rushed in, Danmuh Tianqi's eyes snapped open. His gaze was sharp and clear.

"Lian."

"How are you feeling?"

Jiang Li, with a shocked expression, placed lukewarm tea and congee in front of Danmuh Tianqi.

Usually, when someone who has achieved enlightenment leaves their quarters, the family would bow deeply to congratulate them. But Lian, without any hesitation, burst into the room, making Jiang Li's heart skip a beat.

"You've been sitting with your eyes closed for days. Have some tea, Grandfather."

Danmuh Tianqi looked at the small teacup Lian offered and slowly brought it to his lips.

A clear energy started from his lips and slowly spread through his body.

He could distinctly feel this energy tenderly caressing the old scar on his left waist.

Everything he had vaguely sensed before was now clear.

The ceaseless blooming and withering within the small girl before him, the frail and delicate body that held it, and the star-like eyes that enveloped it all, were vividly clear.