Chapter 6: Pretty Attire

"Take it slow, there's no rush. It might be a bit difficult to adjust at first. Ling'er, I heard from Nanny Sun that you've suddenly become quite agile. You haven't been secretly learning some martial arts behind anyone's back, have you?"

As Wan Ling showed helplessness and gloom, Mu Shengtian's deep eyes carried a trace of strangeness, which he instantly hid behind a slight smile. He patted her shoulder to comfort her, then paused as if suddenly remembering something before asking.

"Heh, Father, you know I haven't had any martial qi since I was a child. Even if I wanted to practice martial arts, how could I? It's just that after I had a fall a couple of days ago, I kept thinking while lying in bed that if I didn't exercise this body, it really wouldn't do. So, I started running every morning, and I didn't expect my constitution to actually become more flexible..."

Hearing Mu Shengtian ask her directly if she had learned martial arts, Wan Ling sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she feigned a joyful expression as she explained.

"Is that so? It seems Heaven is looking down upon my daughter. Your poor health all these years has truly worried your Father to death. I always thought... look at what I'm saying again. It's good to exercise more. Yes, good. With more exercise, your body will surely improve gradually. Not only must you exercise regularly, but you must also persist. Combined with the medicine I gave you, I believe you will definitely be able to practice some basic martial arts..."

Mu Shengtian clearly found Wan Ling's explanation hard to believe. He recalled that when his hand was on her shoulder just now, he indeed felt no trace of martial qi at all. Although puzzled by the girl's transformation, he still gave a light laugh and asked a rhetorical question about her former self. Seeing Wan Ling lower her head gloomily, he belatedly stopped himself, tapped his forehead, and scolded himself lightly. After speaking, he even gave her a half-serious warning.

"Ling'er will certainly keep Father's teachings in mind. Father, Chun'er has finished packing everything. Can we go to Mother's courtyard together now?"

Even though Mu Shengtian acted with the joy and even the demeanor of a loving father teaching her, through this simple contact, Wan Ling had a clear feeling: this old man did not care for her as much as his exterior suggested, nor did he feel any remorseful conscience toward her. In fact, she had a feeling that the medicine he had just given her was merely a way to test how much martial qi she possessed; as for his true motive, she couldn't quite figure it out for the moment.

Seeing that Chun'er had finished packing their things—though they were only two simple bundles—Wan Ling stepped forward joyfully to greet Chun'er and looked toward Mu Shengtian.

"Alright, let us go to your mother's courtyard together. Speaking of which, since your mother passed, Father hasn't been to this courtyard for a long time. Entering this place feels like being back in the old days... *Sigh*."

At Wan Ling's words, Mu Shengtian nodded in agreement. He led her and Chun'er toward the courtyard where Wan Ling's mother, Liu Yanran, had lived during her lifetime. Entering and seeing the familiar plants and trees before her, Wan Ling felt an indescribable sensation in her heart. She instinctively turned her head to look at Mu Shengtian beside her.

As if having anticipated her reaction, Mu Shengtian did not even lift his head. Looking at the scenery with an expression of longing and even sorrow, he spoke leisurely, letting out a long sigh toward the end...

"Father, don't be like this. I believe Mother's spirit in heaven can surely feel your longing and concern for her..." Seeing Mu Shengtian's rare moment of gloom, filled with longing and even sorrow, Wan Ling felt a pang of sadness in her heart. Although she knew this wasn't her true intention, she still turned to comfort him.

"Good child, if your mother knew you were so sensible, she could rest in peace in the underworld. You will live here from now on. Father will come to see you whenever I have time. Your Second Aunt has indeed prepared everything. Child, look, is anything missing? If anything is missing, just say so..."

At Wan Ling's comfort, a trace of moisture appeared in the deep, sorrowful eyes of Mu Shengtian, who suppressed his slightly nasal voice.

As they entered the main room, they saw Lady Liu leading several maidservants in tidying and cleaning the room. Seeing the neatly arranged clothes, jewelry, and bedding nearby, Wan Ling spoke up.

"Yes, if anything is missing in the future, just tell Second Aunt. Whatever your eldest sister has, Second Aunt will surely get for you as well..." Lady Liu replied with a kind, faint smile.

"It's very good, Second Aunt, Father. It's just the meals; I'm not used to eating with everyone. It would be better if you could periodically bring me some rice, flour, meat, and vegetables, so Chun'er and I can cook our own food..."

The furniture and decorations before her were complete, as were the clothes—a large, brand-new stack was placed to one side. Even the bedding on the bed was new. Even the place where Chun'er would sleep outside the screen had been newly laid out. Amidst this rare comfort, Wan Ling saw Chun'er's face full of joy and nodded with satisfaction. She paused, then looked at Mu Shengtian with a pleading gaze.

As soon as her voice fell, Second Aunt Lady Liu looked directly at Mu Shengtian.

A strange glint appeared in Mu Shengtian's deep eyes. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded with a light laugh. "Very well, but if anything is missing, just tell your Second Aunt or Father... Alright. Rest here for now. Look around and see what else you need. Father and Second Aunt won't disturb you further." Having said that, he exchanged a look with Lady Liu, and the two nodded to Wan Ling before leaving just as they had arrived.

"Miss, it seems the Master still dotes on you. He really let us move into the courtyard where the Madam used to live. Miss, what are you thinking about?"

Wan Ling was also puzzled by the performance put on by her father and Second Aunt. As they left, she merely watched them go with a well-behaved, polite, and faint smile on her lips.

Seeing her Miss watching the Master and Second Madam depart, and seeing that her mistress was still standing there even after they had walked far away, with the previous smile gone from her face and a look of strangeness in her eyes, Chun'er couldn't help but ask.

"It's nothing, Chun'er. Come help me dress. You should tidy yourself up too. Since we have new clothes to wear, we won't need to wear these old rags anymore..."

Wan Ling did not want to put pressure on Chun'er's simple mind. She tucked away her cold expression, turned to look at her with a light smile, and walked toward the exquisite dressing table placed in front of the bed in the main room.

"Yes, Miss. Would you like a Cloud-Rising bun, a Flying Immortal bun, or something swept to one side..."

Chun'er followed her, picked up the exquisite comb from the table, and helped Wan Ling comb through her hair, which was yellowish with a faint reddish tint (though somewhat dry, the hair quality was still quite good), while asking her questions.

Looking in the mirror, Wan Ling saw a face with the yellowness of long-term malnutrition, though her skin was actually quite fair. It was undeniable that this face was indeed exquisite once groomed; although there were traces of unhealthy yellowness and malnutrition, it did not diminish her natural beauty.

She had willow-like thin eyebrows, long curved eyelashes, and large, watery autumn eyes that seemed as if they could speak with a clarity like light on water. She had a small but firm, pretty nose, a slender yet lovely oval face, and slightly pale but small, round pink lips. Paired with that hair that was yellowish with a hint of red, she possessed a unique charm.

Her pink lips were tightly pressed, yet she possessed an innate nobility and a clear, dignified aura that commanded respect. If the young girl before her was like this, one could only wonder what the beauty of this body's mother was like. Although she had no memories, Wan Ling felt instinctively that she must have been extraordinary; otherwise, why would the father of this body have failed to forget her for all these years, while the graceful Lady Liu by his side had never been elevated to the primary position?

"Don't do any of those complicated styles. Just give me a simple hairstyle and secure the hair with a hairpin. I'll take this white jade hairpin..." Hearing the styles Chun'er suggested, Wan Ling smiled faintly. Looking down at the jewelry in the dressing box, she simply picked out a white jade hairpin adorned with a string of matching small beads and handed it to her.

"Alright, Miss, you look truly beautiful dressed like this..." As Chun'er's skillful hands finished, a figure appeared in the mirror—a young lady with her hair swept to the side, secured lightly by a single hairpin, looking fresh, pretty, and extraordinary.

Although she looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, it did not diminish the sense of clear, noble elegance she projected.