Yan Ling was led in a muddle to Medicine Sect’s side courtyard to sleep.
Probably afraid the child wouldn’t adapt to the bed, Madam Wan even lit calming incense. This further encouraged Yan Ling’s drowsiness to shoot up rapidly. The moment his head touched the pillow, he slept unconscious to the world.
Hazily, Yan Ling seemed to have a nightmare that felt like he’d never wake from.
He couldn’t remember at all what he dreamed about—only feeling overwhelming sorrow pervading his entire body, seemingly soaking into his very soul, making his thin, frail body involuntarily begin to tremble.
Before dawn, when Lezheng Jiu came over with a sour face to call him, he suddenly heard heart-wrenching crying from within the bed curtains.
Lezheng Jiu was startled and hurriedly ran forward to pull open the bed curtains. He saw that Yan Ling, who last night had slept sprawled out carelessly with limbs spread in all directions, was now curled into a tiny ball, hands covering his ears, eyes tightly shut as he whimpered in pain.
As if trapped in a nightmare.
Lezheng Jiu hurriedly stepped forward to press his shoulders: “Wake up, wake up!”
Yan Ling suddenly gasped for air. After opening his eyes, his gaze was scattered. His hand unconsciously felt around his ear, asking confused: “Where’s my earring?”
“What?” Lezheng Jiu didn’t hear clearly, frowning: “What thing?”
Yan Ling was dazed for a long time, then suddenly burst into uncontrolled wailing.
“Father! Mother…”
“Ayue!”
This scared Lezheng Jiu until he was at a loss, wanting to comfort but not knowing how. He was about to tentatively speak when he saw this sleep-addled shorty stop crying in a daze, as if possessed, murmuring: “Father’s gone, Mother and Ayue are also gone…”
Lezheng Jiu had never seen someone have a nightmare like this. Carefully he said: “They’re not gone. Your parents are outside.”
Yan Ling seemed immersed in his own world, his eyeballs not even moving, blankly covering his own ears.
Just as Lezheng Jiu was anxiously spinning in circles, Madam Wan, Yan Hanque, and Madam Zhao finally came over.
Madam Wan entered and saw this scene, thinking Lezheng Jiu was bullying people again: “Jiu’er? Didn’t I tell you not to bully your little brother?”
Lezheng Jiu felt terribly wronged: “I didn’t!”
At this moment, the exhausted Yan Ling’s vision inadvertently caught sight of Yan Hanque and Madam Zhao. Blank and dazed for a long time, he suddenly staggered up from the bed, tears flooding out.
“Father! Mother!”
He stumbled and threw himself directly into Yan Hanque’s arms, gripping his collar tightly and breaking down completely in tears.
Yan Hanque and Madam Zhao exchanged a glance. Bending down to hold the weak-bodied Yan Ling in their arms, they gently stroked his back in comfort: “Father and Mother are here. Don’t be afraid.”
Yan Ling cried until his whole body went soft. That sorrow and despair finally dissipated bit by bit in the warmth. Face covered in tear tracks, he hugged Yan Hanque’s waist, sobbing unable to speak.
Madam Wan glanced at Lezheng Jiu.
Lezheng Jiu said angrily: “Tianyan above! I really didn’t bully him!”
Madam Wan smiled helplessly: “I know. Go wake your other little brother.”
Lezheng Jiu was very displeased at being misunderstood. Furiously, he flung his hand and left: “I won’t!”
Yan Ling’s body was trembling abnormally. Yan Hanque carried him to the inner chamber bed, wanting to regulate his meridians. But Yan Ling seemed to fear having nightmares again, hurriedly crawling onto Yan Hanque, refusing to let go no matter what.
Yan Hanque could only hold him, slowly channeling spiritual power into his meridians, saying flatly: “Had a nightmare?”
Yan Ling hid in Yan Hanque’s wide robes, not even wanting to expose his head, only dully nodding.
Yan Hanque said: “What did you dream about?”
Yan Ling had just cried like that, but now awake, asking him to think about what exactly scared him—frowning and pondering hard for ages, he surprisingly couldn’t remember a single bit. He only knew that dream made him so afraid he’d rather die.
After a long while, Yan Hanque finally withdrew his spiritual power, using warm fingertips to wipe clean the tears on Yan Ling’s face: “No matter what you dreamed, it was just a dream. Don’t be afraid.”
Yan Ling pressed even tighter into Yan Hanque’s embrace.
“Later I’ll take you to play in Central State City.” Yan Hanque said. “You can go wherever you want.”
But Yan Ling only said: “I want to go home.”
Yan Hanque was quite surprised: “Didn’t you always want to come out and play?”
Yan Ling shook his head, saying sullenly: “When can we go home?”
Yan Hanque stroked his head, saying flatly: “Probably need to wait a while.”
“Huh?” Yan Ling pulled open a corner of Yan Hanque’s robe, revealing a pair of red swollen eyes full of tear marks, his voice still carrying a crying tone: “Why?”
Yan Hanque told him truthfully: “You have Tianyan xiangwen in your body’s meridians. At Yan Family Mountain, there would be danger.”
Yan Ling’s face was full of confusion: “Didn’t you say before that gege only transmitted Tianyan spiritual power into my meridians?”
Didn’t they say they’d just have Madam Wan take a look and then go home? How did it suddenly become a xiangwen?
“Perhaps it’s Heaven-grade xiangwen, or perhaps Spirit-grade. Your spirit veins were originally incomplete from birth. Even awakening a xiangwen, you still retained part of your spirit roots. You need to have Medicine Sect look at it.” Yan Hanque stroked Yan Ling’s head. “Moreover, right now all Thirteen States are short on Tianyan spirit veins—they’re declining. If other clans found out, you’d be in danger.”
Yan Ling was dazed, then hurriedly shrank back fearfully into Yan Hanque’s clothes, stammering: “Don’t—don’t let them know. Don’t want danger.”
Yan Hanque rarely smiled, striving to soften his voice: “Medicine Sect’s Madam Wan has already agreed to shelter you. Before the end of this year, your xiangwen matter will be recorded at Tianyan Academy. After that, no one will dare covet your xiangwen.”
Yan Ling seemed to understand yet not understand: “What about after? Can I stay home forever then?”
“Next year in deep autumn, you need to go to Tianyan Academy to study.”
Yan Ling’s brows immediately furrowed: “I don’t want to study. I want to go home.”
Yan Hanque, seeing him so resistant, didn’t force him. He only said that when the time came, they’d decide based on his wishes whether to go to Tianyan Academy or return to Yan Family Mountain.
Because of that nightmare whose content he couldn’t remember, Yan Ling was listless for several days. Even when Yan Yue came to play with him, he didn’t bully him anymore—scaring little Yan Yue into thinking Yan Ling’s days were numbered.
Having already caused Madam Wan such great trouble, Yan Hanque and Madam Zhao couldn’t stay long at Medicine Sect. After a few days, they had to take Yan Yue and bid farewell first.
Yan Ling was startled, hurriedly going up to hold Madam Zhao’s hand: “Mother, are we going home?”
Madam Zhao smiled helplessly, bending down to stroke Yan Ling’s head: “It’s not convenient for you to leave Medicine Sect right now. We’ll go home at year’s end.”
Yan Ling looked at Madam Zhao’s storage ring, stammering: “Then—then where are you going? Not taking me?”
“Not going anywhere.” Madam Zhao saw his panic and gently explained: “Your father bought a residence in Central State. We plan to open a medical clinic shop and settle in Central State for a few years first. After you finish at Tianyan Academy, we’ll return to Yan Family Mountain together. Alright?”
Yan Ling’s face was full of confusion: “Really?”
“Yes.” Madam Zhao leaned forward to kiss his forehead, smiling: “Father and Mother will come see you every day. You must listen well to Madam Wan and not cause trouble for others. Remember?”
Yan Ling nodded: “I remember.”
“Such a good boy.” Madam Zhao praised him.
Yan Ling originally was reluctant enough to cry, but hearing this rare praise, he could only forcibly hold it in. Together with Madam Wan, he reluctantly saw them off from Medicine Sect.
Until Yan Hanque and the others’ backs had walked far away, Yan Ling was still standing on tiptoes desperately trying to see.
Madam Wan smiled: “No need to worry. They’ll come tomorrow.”
Yan Ling nodded, obediently saying: “Thank you, Madam.”
Madam Wan and Madam Zhao were good friends. She treated Yan Ling extremely well. After nightfall, fearing Yan Ling would have nightmares alone again, she dragged out Lezheng Jiu who was playing dead and refusing to come out, to sleep with Yan Ling.
The two stared at each other with wide eyes.
Lezheng Jiu impatiently slapped the pillow: “Sleep! After sleeping, I’m leaving right away.”
Though Yan Ling was quite unruly and lively at home, in someone else’s house he still had a feeling of living under another’s roof. Not daring to trouble this gege who seemed bad-tempered, he obediently pulled up the blanket and lay down, closing his eyes to sleep.
Lezheng Jiu sat to the side impatiently watching Yan Ling.
But as he watched, the bad-tempered Lezheng Jiu suddenly thought idly: “His face is really chubby. One poke would definitely leave a dent.”
Want to poke.
After this thought surfaced, Lezheng Jiu desperately shook his head, his face turning green.
How could he again be blinded by this shorty’s chubby cheeks? Superficial!
The not-superficial Lezheng Jiu coldly waited until Yan Ling fell sound asleep, then like completing a task, went running back to his own quarters.
But halfway there, he seemed to remember something. Tiptoeing back, he pulled up the blanket Yan Ling had kicked off to cover him properly. Seeing Yan Ling showed no signs of having nightmares again, only then did he leave relieved.
But even so, Yan Ling had nightmares again.
By the time Madam Wan and Lezheng Jiu arrived, Yan Ling had already cried until his whole body went limp, the pillow soaked through.
Madam Wan hurriedly held him in her arms, softly comforting: “Good child, what’s wrong? Had another nightmare?”
Since the last time Yan Ling had a nightmare and slept with Yan Hanque, he’d been sleeping very peacefully.
Yan Ling cried until he nearly stopped breathing, only knowing to cover one ear while sobbing and calling for Father, Mother, Ayue. From time to time, he’d also hold Madam Wan and desperately ask if Father, Mother, and Ayue would never come back again.
Lezheng Jiu stood to the side at a loss, seemingly regretting leaving too quickly.
In the end, no matter how Madam Wan tried to comfort him, it didn’t work. She still had to use the rhinoceros horn lamp to transmit a message to Madam Zhao. The two rushed over before finally managing to soothe him.
Originally thinking this time was just an accident, but for three days straight Yan Ling seemed possessed. As long as Yan Hanque and Madam Zhao weren’t by his side, he’d fall into endless panic, able to tremble from fear and despair with uncontrollable convulsions throughout his body.
Seeing Yan Hanque holding Yan Ling and coaxing him like a four or five-year-old child, Madam Wan hesitated for a long time before saying softly to Madam Zhao: “Zhao’er, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Madam Zhao hadn’t slept well for several nights. Weariness on her face, she looked up in a daze.
“What is it?”
***
Early the next morning, Yan Ling sat in the courtyard eating medicinal cuisine. His hand slipped—the porcelain spoon clattered into the bowl, nearly splashing him.
“Huh? What?”
Madam Wan smiled helplessly, using a handkerchief to wipe his face: “Your mother and I are good friends. Naturally, I regard her son as my own. If you don’t mind, I’ll take you as my godson.”
Yan Ling looked confused: “Godson?”
Lezheng Jiu was also shocked: “Take him as godson?!”
“Yes.” Madam Wan said. “I’ve already discussed it with your parents. It just depends on your wishes.”
If Yan Ling’s godmother was Medicine Sect’s Madam Wan, even the Qu family wouldn’t have the guts to extract Yan Ling’s xiangwen. Naturally, he wouldn’t need to stay at Medicine Sect until year’s end, nor worry daily about danger when going out.
Yan Ling’s mind was still blank, but he was very clever. He guessed that such a great clan as Medicine Sect rushing to acknowledge him as godson was definitely not coveting anything—rather, it was his own family that benefited greatly.
Afraid of causing trouble for nothing, he stammered: “I…”
Before he could voice his concerns, Madam Wan smiled: “Besides, you and I are kindred spirits. The first time I saw you, I liked you immensely. If my Jiu’er were as gentle and obedient as you, I don’t know how happy I’d be.”
“…” Lezheng Jiu: “Mother!”
Madam Wan asked Yan Ling: “Is that alright?”
Yan Ling met Madam Wan’s gentle gaze, hearing by his ear that voice like spring breeze. Blank and dazed for a while, he finally lowered his head and gently nodded.
“…Alright.”
Madam Wan also became happy, bending down to hug him affectionately.
She was just like her name—gentle as water, making people involuntarily immerse themselves in tenderness.
“Then I’ll go discuss the subsequent matters with your parents.” Madam Wan stood up to leave. “Later I’ll invite the other Central State clans to come go through the formalities. After that, you can go live at the Central State medical clinic with your parents.”
Yan Ling’s face turned slightly red, stammering: “Thank—thank you.”
Madam Wan smiled helplessly, thinking this child was too understanding.
…Then she glanced at Lezheng Jiu.
Lezheng Jiu: “?”
Lezheng Jiu saw that Madam Wan was comparing him to Yan Ling. After she left, he furiously slapped the table: “Yan Ling’er!”
Yan Ling’s face was full of confusion: “Huh? Gege, what’s wrong?”
Lezheng Jiu: “…”
Lezheng Jiu was directly hit with an obedience critical strike from Yan Ling’s baozi face that still carried baby fat. He nearly couldn’t maintain his anger, once again “superficially” surrendering to cuteness.
“Hmph!” Lezheng Jiu forcibly maintained composure, saying coldly: “Don’t think just because you acknowledged my mother as godmother you can do whatever you want. At Medicine Sect, I’m still the young sect master. Don’t think about stealing my position, understand?”
Yan Ling had never heard rejection or disgust from Lezheng Jiu from start to finish. Moreover, Medicine Sect was helping him so much—of course he couldn’t make unreasonable trouble.
Facing Lezheng Jiu’s deliberate difficulties, Yan Ling wasn’t angry. Instead, he nodded even more obediently.
“I understand, gege. I know, gege. Young Sect Master gege is the most amazing.”
Lezheng Jiu: “…”
How infuriating!
**
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1