Chapter Eighteen: The Miao Family

Che Wuyou was still in the midst of a dream when a loud shout startled him awake. He scrambled out of bed, bleary-eyed and unsure of his surroundings, calling out, "Mother, Mother..."

The tightly closed door had already been pushed open. Standing by his bed was a little girl, delicate as porcelain, her eyes full of curiosity as she regarded the sleepy Che Wuyou.

He rubbed his eyes, and when his vision cleared to reveal the figure before him, he was momentarily taken aback. He hastily wiped the sweat from his temples with his hand, then looked at the little girl somewhat awkwardly. She appeared to be about five or six years old, dressed in a pale green silk dress. Her features were delicate as if painted, her face round and lovely, radiating an indescribable charm and innocence.

Seeing that Che Wuyou had arisen so late, the little girl wrinkled her brow in disapproval. She set her expression sternly, ready to scold him for his tardiness, but then noticed how, just awakened from sleep, he had cried out for his mother. She found this amusing—wasn't he old enough to not need his mother anymore?

A smile played on the corners of her lips, but as she was about to burst out laughing, she remembered that she was now supposed to be a grown-up, and should not be so lacking in composure. She quickly stifled her laughter, tilted her head, shot Che Wuyou a glance, and, with a coy gesture, traced her small nose with her finger, feigning embarrassment as she said, "You're already so big and still calling for your mother. Aren't you ashamed?"

Che Wuyou was mesmerized by the girl's mischievous and adorable expressions. Before he could say anything, she spoke again, puzzled, "Hey, where did you come from? I don't even know your name." Not waiting for his reply, her eyes lit up as she answered her own question, "Ah, I know, you must have been picked up by Master too!"

Her words left Che Wuyou dumbfounded, and he quickly retorted, "My name is Che Wuyou. You're the one who was picked up!"

The little girl looked at him in surprise, exclaiming, "How did you know I was picked up... Che Wuyou, Che Wuyou, what a strange name! It's not nice at all."

Che Wuyou stammered, "Does a name have to be nice? What's your name, then?"

"My name is Liu Lanzhi. Master found me one rainy morning by the banks of the Lanzhi River. He said that the year he found me, the orchids were in full bloom along the river, turning the whole river into a fragrant stream... Master often says, 'Orchids leave their fragrance behind,' so he named me Liu Lanzhi." She spoke with such natural calm that there was no trace of sadness at having been abandoned.

Having finished her story, Liu Lanzhi furrowed her delicate brows and looked at Che Wuyou with a hint of suspicion. "You said your surname is Che?"

Seeing her so serious, Che Wuyou quickly replied, "Yes, my surname is Che." He looked at her uncertainly—was there something wrong with being called Che?

When he admitted it, Liu Lanzhi immediately straightened her face, saying, "Mistress always said, 'No one with the surname Che is a good person.' Since your surname is Che, you can't be a good person either."

Her words startled Che Wuyou, and he hurried to explain, "But I am a good person! Maybe others with the surname Che are bad, but I'm definitely not. Just look at me and you'll see."

Liu Lanzhi, hearing his earnest protest, began to waver a little. She studied him seriously for a while, and after a long look, had to admit that he did indeed look like a good person.

Che Wuyou felt a chill under her scrutinizing gaze, worried that she might suddenly declare, "You're not a good person." As he fretted, Liu Lanzhi suddenly cried out, "Oh no! Master told me to bring you over, but instead you're still sleeping, and you tricked me into chatting here with you for so long. Mistress was right—no one with the surname Che is any good."

Che Wuyou felt uneasy at being so casually judged, especially when even a sweet little girl saw him as a bad person. His face paled—was he truly not a good person? Was that why everyone disliked him?

Before he could defend himself, Liu Lanzhi was already urging him, "Come on, hurry up! Master's waiting for you. If you make him wait too long, he'll get really angry!"

Hearing that "Master" was waiting for him, Che Wuyou was puzzled. Who was this Master, and what urgent business did he have with him? Just as he was about to ask, a splitting headache overwhelmed him, his vision spun, and darkness threatened to close in. He reached out to steady himself against the wall, feeling half his body go numb, nearly collapsing. He knew his illness was striking again, and a wave of sorrow swept through him. Perhaps the next attack would be the one that claimed his life in this foreign place.

But he was stubborn and proud, unwilling to lose face before the little girl, or expose his weakness to others. Like a lonely wanderer, he suppressed a groan and gritted his teeth, enduring the discomfort.

Seeing Liu Lanzhi leave the room, he forced himself to follow, step by painstaking step.

He had hardly gone a few paces before he broke out in a cold sweat, feeling as though his bones were falling apart and a wave of weakness overtook him. His legs, usually nimble, now felt as heavy as lead, and every step was a struggle.

Liu Lanzhi, worried that Master might be growing impatient, noticed the increasing distance between her and Che Wuyou. She was about to urge him to hurry when she saw the stubborn resolve on his pale, sickly face. Each step he took was filled with the desperate determination of someone with nothing left to lose.

She was startled by the "aura" he projected, not knowing what game this boy was playing. Watching him struggle, sweating and moving at a snail's pace, she wrinkled her nose in mild distaste. Was this boy born weak, or had he neglected his training and let his health deteriorate? He hadn't even walked a few steps before becoming so exhausted—truly hopeless.

With a sigh, Liu Lanzhi lightly tapped her toes on the ground and, swift as a sprite, appeared in front of Che Wuyou.

She glanced at him briefly, said nothing, and then, like a flash of lightning, grabbed his arm.

Before he could react, Che Wuyou felt a surge of strength coursing through his arm, and his body was propelled forward at an incredible speed.

He was astonished—he had never imagined this little girl, Liu Lanzhi, would possess such strength. He hardly needed to walk at all; he was simply whisked along, moving as swiftly as a shadow in the wind.

The wind whistled past his ears, and the rush of air revived his spirits. He glanced sideways at Liu Lanzhi, who seemed like a celestial maiden riding the wind, and felt both admiration and envy. Such remarkable talent in one so young was a rare thing indeed.

He couldn't help but wonder how her talent compared to that of his eldest brother. Had his brother possessed such skill at her age? If only he had such gifts, perhaps his parents would not have despised or abandoned him so easily.

Liu Lanzhi moved with astonishing speed, and before long, she had drawn Che Wuyou to the Miao family's martial hall like a gust of wind. By the time they arrived, a large group of people was already assembled.

The group stood in neat formation, arrayed in a quadrangle. Liu Lanzhi deposited Che Wuyou in the center of the hall and, without another word, strutted toward the gathering with the pride of a peacock displaying its feathers.

After being dragged along at such speed, Che Wuyou, bracing against the chill wind, found his spirits somewhat restored. He watched as the little girl ignored him and made her way to the front ranks of the group, and his gaze followed her toward the crowd.

There were several hundred people, old and young, male and female, yet all of them stood with lively energy and a radiant presence, clearly practitioners of some skill.

Liu Lanzhi, the youngest among them, walked straight to a prominent spot in the first row before stopping. Che Wuyou noticed the formation had a certain order, but he wasn't sure if he should follow her or stay put.

As he hesitated, the only vacant spot in the formation was already claimed by Liu Lanzhi. Seeing that, even if he went over, there was no suitable place for him, he simply stood in the center of the hall, feeling justified.

Outside the formation, there was another figure besides Che Wuyou, standing even more at ease. This figure stood with hands behind his back, turned slightly to gaze out the window. Che Wuyou could not see his face, but the man's silhouette exuded a sense of bleak desolation. Since someone else was standing so boldly in the center of the hall, Che Wuyou felt a little reassured—if he stood there too, it couldn't be too inappropriate.

Most of the group did not know Che Wuyou. Seeing a strange child appear in the hall, they turned their heads curiously, studying him up and down. Those who did know the situation pointed and whispered among themselves.