Chapter 35 - Spring Clothes
"Today you saw Young Master Luo; how did you feel?"
Gu Jing tightened the clothes on his body for him and meticulously smoothed out the wrinkles on his collar.
Luo He did not answer her, but she didn't mind either, and continued to half-squat in front of Luo He, speaking as if to herself:
"Although it's said to be spring now, the weather hasn't turned warm yet. You be careful, don't get dew on your clothes, lest you get damp and catch a cold."
"Starting tomorrow, you and Young Master Luo will have lessons together here with me. At that time, I will inevitably have to be a bit stricter with you."
"But Ah-He, you just remember, in my heart, I've always been good to you. You absolutely must not misunderstand me because of this."
Gu Jing cupped Luo He's small hand, breathed a warm breath onto it, and began to rub it gently.
She raised her head to look at Luo He before her, smiled with satisfaction, and then tugged at his sleeves, which were a bit too short for him.
"You children's clothes really don't last long being worn; these were just bought last year, and this year they're short again."
As Gu Jing spoke, she, from a nearby chair, picked up that spring garment that was almost finished being sewn.
She waved it in front of Luo He as if showing off and held the garment against Luo He's body.
"But this time, I specially sewed it a bit larger; it should be enough for you to wear for two or three years, no matter what. Mm... it really fits."
The happy and satisfied expression on her face was so genuine and pure it almost made people forget her identity as Autumn Maiden Sword of the Tianchen Seven Swords.
The Autumn Maiden Sword was tucked at her waist, but in her eyes, there was only the sewing needle in her own hand, and Luo He.
Her sword-wielding hand, in these few years, had long become unfamiliar with the feeling of grasping a sword.
However, making a fire and cooking, threading a needle and sewing clothes—these things she had never learned before, had instead become perfectly mastered within a few years.
She sometimes also asked herself why she was doing this.
But each time, a hazy voice would answer her...
This was what she ought to do.
Moreover, she herself also enjoyed it very much, didn't she?
Seeing the size was about right, Gu Jing stood up, hung up the unfinished spring garment properly, and patted Luo He's head.
"When you're a few years older, ah, you'll quickly grow tall and strong. At that time, I won't be able to pat your head, nor will I be able to sew clothes for you anymore."
"Alas... if only you could stay a child forever, how good that would be."
Gu Jing, suddenly for some reason, felt a trace of depression and sorrow rise from the bottom of her heart. The moment she thought of Luo He growing into an adult next, her heart felt blocked and flustered; she always felt something bad would happen.
Her dignified dark eyebrows furrowed slightly. Then they immediately smoothed out again, and she inwardly laughed at herself for always being overly suspicious.
She was the Autumn Maiden Sword, one of the few young Dao Comprehending Realm sword cultivators in the world; and behind her was still the Tianchen Sword Sect. What bad thing was there that she couldn't resolve for Luo He?
Since Luo He was personally brought back by her, then she naturally also had to do her utmost to protect him and ensure his lifelong peace.
No matter what, she had to...
Gu Jing thought this secretly in her heart, but her face still wore a gentle smile.
She gently took Luo He's hand and led him forward.
"Let's go, wash your hands, and eat."
...
After eating, Gu Jing led him and analyzed sword arts word by word.
She had prepared a small white jade sword as a gift for Luo He to begin his cultivation; she personally fastened the sword to Luo He's waist, her eyes and brows filled with immense joy.
The moon was bright and the wind was clear. She held Luo He's hand and sat in the small pavilion outside the courtyard; holding Luo He's hand, she told him word by word about the important points for tomorrow and what things they were to learn.
Only when she noticed the slight weariness on Luo He's face did she reluctantly let go of him and tell Luo He to go back to his room to sleep.
"Ah-He."
As Luo He turned to leave, Gu Jing suddenly called out to stop him.
She gently covered her chest with one hand, wanting to speak yet hesitating, clearly showing some hesitation and nervousness.
But her eyes were also full of expectation and suppressed yearning. She suddenly spoke:
"Since I brought you back to the Tianchen Sword Sect, five years have already passed."
"You... are you willing to call me 'Mother' just once..."
"......"
Seeing Luo He not respond for a long while, Gu Jing's original complexion immediately turned deathly pale in the silence; her eyes, panicked and wavering, were like those of a dying animal.
"I, I didn't mean that! I know it's because of me that your parents... but..."
Regarding the truth of Luo He's origins, Gu Jing had never hidden it from him; when he was old enough to understand things, she had already told him.
Today, she had asked with an irrepressible feeling of trying things out, but who knew that as soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted it so much she could hardly bear it.
Just as she was anxiously and hurriedly trying to explain and apologize, Luo He had already turned around.
His face wore a gentle, unburdened, relaxed smile.
"Senior Sister Gu."
This abrupt and seemingly irrelevant answer made Gu Jing a little stunned.
But she sensed that Luo He didn't seem to be angry, so she immediately felt relieved and no longer dwelled on why Luo He would call her that.
She walked forward, her heart still fluttering with residual fear, and at the same time, as if seeking confirmation, gently stroked the back of Luo He's tender hand.
"Good child, good child..."
...
"Hahaha, look, how guilty she feels towards you in her heart! Even when dreaming, her heart is thinking about these things."
"Truly touching, isn't it? How do you feel, how are you feeling now?"
That night, Huoxin's voice was incessant in his ears.
She had not left, but had been silently observing Luo He from the side all along.
It had to be said, from the moment he saw Gu Jing, the smile on her face had never stopped.
For no other reason than because what Gu Jing said to Luo He, and those thoughts in her heart about Luo He, were simply too amusing to restrain laughter.
Especially that last sentence when leaving, Huoxin had actually already laughed out loud at that time; it was just that Luo He hadn't paid her any mind.
And the current Luo He also paid her no mind; he lay quietly on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in some unknown thoughts.
"Little fellow, stop pretending."
"Although I cannot pry into your inner heart, I can still vaguely see some things; your current mood is not at all as calm as your expression, you know."
Huoxin saw through it; he was just far calmer than ordinary people, more able to keep his composure.
"I deliberately set it up like this, deliberately making you feel this immense irony. Dreams will eventually break; it's just a matter of sooner or later."
"Why can't you just choose a comfortable way to pass the time?"
"......"
In the darkness, Luo He, with his eyes open, looked towards a certain direction and said faintly:
"Huoxin, I want to ask you a question."
"I will decide whether to answer or not based on the content, and whether to speak the truth."
"Are you in pain?"
"...What?"
"I mean that demonic flame mixed with malevolent qi."
"Heh... what do you think?"
"It seems it should be very painful."
Luo He lay on his back, his expression blank.
"I think you might as well end this dream now. Continuing to drag it out like this is torture for both of us."
"You don't have to be in pain, little fellow. There are plenty of ways for you to break free, to be liberated. But are you willing to do them?"
"...Then let's just continue to drag it out."
"One year, ten years, over ten years, several decades—I have endured through it all before."
The things he longed for were already close at hand; all the graces and grudges, love and hate, would all welcome the cleansing he hoped for.
Therefore...
"I don't mind dragging it out with you for a similar length of time again.”