TSFLIP Chapter 77

Because of a single misspelled character, Qi Mu was locked in a dark room in a deserted house by his mother. After one night, he was released, but his mother had already returned to the manor, leaving only an old man to take care of him in the abandoned house. Qi Mu knew that this old man, who was the only one who had been kind to him, would soon disappear as well. He had heard the old man’s worsening cough on a rainy night.

Qi Mu was familiar with darkness; he wasn’t afraid of it, but he dreaded the silence of the dark room. In that silence, he felt like he was abandoned by the world and would have to create a world for himself. He ran to the other side of the desolate mountain. Having lived in darkness for seven years, he had learned to navigate without sight. His mother did not know that he could be so perceptive, perhaps even more intelligent than the young master in the manor.

He intended to build a house here, one that his mother would not discover. Every day, he would come here and complete a small part of the work. He meticulously persisted for three years. When the scars on his hands had healed, he completed a small wooden house. This house became his world. Neither the old man who cared for him nor his mother noticed it. Perhaps the old man suspected that Qi Mu disappeared for a while each day, but he never said anything, only sighing over Qi Mu’s head.

In the fourth year, the old man passed away. On that day, Qi Mu was punished and locked in a small dark room. He did not get to see the old man off for the last time. After his release, he was missing for a day and a night. No one knew that he had gone to his small wooden house. It was also the first time his mother showed signs of worry. From then on, Qi Mu became a person who only smiled.

Waking from a dream, Qi Mu felt disoriented. He noticed that he was drenched in sweat and realized it had been many years since he had dreamt of the past.

Turning to his side, the woman lying next to him instinctively snuggled closer to him. He wrapped one arm around her waist and placed his other hand on her noticeably larger belly, gently caressing it, though his eyes showed no joy.

Only when he thought about escaping did he remember the small wooden house? Now, he thought about it again because he often heard people say that giving birth was like stepping into the gates of hell. When he heard that Feng Guang was pregnant, he was indeed thrilled at the prospect of having a blood relative. But as the day approached, he became anxious. Even with the best midwives and doctors prepared in the manor, his worries could not be eased. He could not bear the thought of losing Feng Guang, even if there was just a small risk.

“Feng Guang, can we not have the baby?”

This was the thirty-fifth time Qi Mu had said this at the dinner table. Feng Guang smiled. “Ah Mu, are you joking? If our child hears this, he might be very sad.”

Qi Mu lifted her onto his lap and said playfully, “Isn’t it better if it’s just the two of us living together?”

“Ah Mu…” Feng Guang knew he was serious and understood him well, but she still had to disappoint him. “If the child doesn’t come, I could live with you for a lifetime. But since he is coming, we have no reason not to let him enter this world. Ah Mu, you will be a good father.”

But he did not want to be a father at all.

Qi Mu tried repeatedly to shake Feng Guang’s resolve but failed each time. Finally, the day came when Feng Guang was to give birth, and everyone became busy.

Lady Xiao stood at the door, chanting Amitabha Buddha, her prayer beads turning continuously. The cries from within grew louder. Qi Mu tried to enter but was stopped by Nurse Guo.

“Master, men are not allowed to enter the delivery room.” Delivery rooms were considered impure places, and it was rare for men to enter them.

Qi Mu pushed past Nurse Guo with one hand and sneered, “My wife is giving birth. Why shouldn’t I go in?”

With that, he pushed the door open.

“Lady Xiao, this…”

Lady Xiao closed her eyes and said, “Let him be.”

Feng Guang lay on the bed, clutching the sheets, drenched in sweat. The pain of childbirth was already overwhelming, and seeing Qi Mu enter almost made her lose her breath as she shouted, “Get out!”

She was certain she looked terrible. Although he couldn’t see, she was covered in sweat, and she imagined it must smell bad.

Qi Mu sat by the bed, intrigued by her loud voice. But now was not the time for curiosity. He took her hand, which she gripped tightly, and said, “I’m here with you. Don’t be afraid.” He turned to the midwives who had stopped in their tracks due to his presence and barked, “What are you all standing around for? Do you want to die?”

The room became busier as everyone got back to their tasks.

“I’m not afraid!” Feng Guang tightened her grip on his hand and cried out, “I don’t want to give birth any more! It hurts so much!”

He wiped the sweat from her face with a handkerchief. “Alright, alright, we won’t have the baby.”

For some reason, hearing this made her want to laugh. Even at this moment, it wasn’t possible to stop the birth. She recalled how he had always said he didn’t want children, and now, under the pain, he was saying anything.

“It’s all your fault, Qi Mu!”

“Yes, it’s all my fault.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be pregnant and in such pain… Ah!” Another contraction caused her to scream in agony.

“It’s all my fault. Once this baby is born, we won’t have anymore.” His patience was evident, and he agreed with whatever Feng Guang said. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I’ve already taken a potion to prevent future pregnancies.”

So she wouldn’t have to suffer like this again.

“You…” Her eyes suddenly welled up. The pain hadn’t made her cry, but now tears flowed down her face. “You silly…”

“With you, I have enough.” His love was so limited that it could only be given to one person.

Feng Guang cried while calling out, and she could guess that she must look quite comical now. Finally, after another powerful push, she felt something fall from her abdomen, followed by the midwife’s loud announcement: “Congratulations, madam. It’s a girl!”

A daughter. Hearing this, she immediately fainted from exhaustion and remained unconscious for two days.

In the nursery, with the wet nurse gone, only a sleeping baby remained in the cradle. She was too small to show any resemblance, but her calm demeanor did reflect her mother’s grace.

A white fox stood for a long time as if making a decision. It suddenly leaped towards the cradle from the ground, but a flash of swordlight made it retreat, losing a fluffy tail in the process.

“Interesting,” Qi Mu said, appearing in front of the cradle with his sword. Although he smiled and said it was interesting, his icy eyes betrayed no amusement. “Instead of playing with Qi Duan, what are you doing trying to get to my daughter?”

The white fox lay on the ground, bleeding and whimpering.

Qi Mu said calmly, “My wife has a Buddhist prayer bead given by the Master of Jingyuan. You can’t get close to her, so you changed targets to try to take my daughter’s body.”

Anlu’s cultivation was not sufficient; she couldn’t take human form yet. To become human, she had to seize another’s body, and it had to be a compatible one. Feng Guang’s daughter had inherited this trait well. It was an accident she had entered Feng Guang’s body before, but now she wanted to create another accident.

“Ha, you and your partner both seem to enjoy taking what belongs to others. I’ve spared Qi Duan’s life; it seems you’re not satisfied.” Qi Mu’s fingers lightly grazed the sword blade. “Tell me, if I cut off your legs, would you still be able to come after my daughter?”

A piercing fox scream echoed. Outside the door, the guards received an order to take the fox, which was injured but not dead, to the abandoned house. The guards, not daring to delay, left immediately.

Qi Mu sheathed his sword and took the baby from the cradle. The newborn, now awake, grabbed his thumb with her tiny hand, as if holding something entertaining, and let out soft giggles.

“Her laugh is indeed like your mother’s.”

As if considering this a compliment, she laughed even more joyfully.

Qi Mu chuckled and pinched her soft little cheeks. The sensation was the same as her mother’s. His expression softened, “Since you love to laugh, we’ll call you Xiaoxiao. Xiaoxiao, this is your protective talisman.”

He placed a brocade pouch in the baby’s swaddling. The so-called protective talisman was a peachwood charm from Feng Guang. He had obtained it after she left the Spirit Temple that day. He knew it would bear their names since she had stared at him for a long time. Qi Mu had it consecrated by Master Jingyuan. Now, it was a talisman, a fact Feng Guang was unaware of.

Why should she know? If she knew he had already given his heart to her, she might become unbearably smug.

“Eek…” The baby grabbed