[Under your master’s guidance, your swordsmanship advanced by leaps and bounds.
Even in front of your senior disciples, your master would often sigh in admiration—Truly a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy!
With time, it’s not impossible he could contend for the seat of Sword Champion!]
[In December of the same year, you defeated all your fellow disciples and became a celebrated young genius renowned far and wide.
Your master petitioned a famous bladesmith from the Artisanship Commission, who forged an ancient sword for you from stellar essence and earth’s core.]
“The blade is 30 cun, fully drawn approximately 103 centimeters, with a cutting edge about 82 centimeters.
It weighs exactly…
49 kilograms.
For you, it should be just right.”
Bai Qiong accepted the longsword, his fingers gently tracing the blade’s edge, his eyes brimming with delight.
“Have you thought of what name to bestow upon this sword?”
A hint of curiosity flickered in his master’s eyes.
He knew his disciple was full of whimsical ideas, occasionally spouting notions that would make one’s hair stand on end.
Bai Qiong cupped his chin and pondered for a moment.
“I’ll call it—Hold Up!
”
His master very nearly choked on his own breath and was, quite successfully, provoked into a laugh.
If the boy intended to walk the path of the swordsman, how could his blade bear such a frivolous name?!
[That evening, you experienced once again what it meant to have a complete childhood…]
[Under your master’s tyranny, you were forced to change the sword’s name to “Liubai.” Though your master still felt the name lacked a certain domineering flair, he had no solid grounds to make you change it again, so he had no choice but to let the matter rest.]
[As the year drew to a close, the Xianzhou Cangcheng took on a joyful, celebratory air.
Naturally, you returned home to share a reunion dinner with the family.]
After dinner, you wiped your mouth with a napkin.
“Dad, Mom, I’m heading out to play now,” Bai Qiong announced.
“Go for it!” His mother made an encouraging fist.
“Work hard to win little Jingliu over and bring her home as your wife~”
Bai Qiong shot her an exasperated eye-roll at her teasing tone.
But from his parents’ perspective, your face had already flushed red—clearly, you were embarrassed.
Bai Qiong’s mother thought this was absolutely the best part about her son.
He went around all day pretending to be a miniature adult, but the moment anyone mentioned Liuliu, his face would turn bright red.
“Little brat!” Bai Qiong’s father laughed and cursed at the same time.
Still, seeing Bai Qiong head out the door couldn’t help but worry him.
“Be careful on the road!”
Bai Qiong nodded and ran off.
“Boom—crack—”
New Year fireworks blossomed across the sky.
The ordinarily silent, pitch-black night was dyed a festive crimson by the connections between people.
The streets were a bit crowded with foot traffic, but since your families were neighbors, it was only a quick right turn and a few steps before you were at her door.
You had barely stepped into the courtyard when you spotted Jingliu, who had just come out to look for you.
Liuliu wore a tiny white knit cap, a red scarf with white trim wrapped around her neck, and an oversized white padded coat.
Whether from the warmth or something else, her cheeks and the tips of her ears were flushed pink.
“Little Bai!”
[Seeing you, her eyes lit up with a spark of surprise—perhaps delighted by this moment of mutual understanding.
She immediately launched herself into a flying tackle, giving you an enormous hug.]
Fortunately, Bai Qiong’s sword training these past months hadn’t been for nothing, and his physical conditioning had improved considerably.
Only then was he able to catch the naturally gifted strength of Jingliu.
[You vigorously ruffled her hair.
Even through the knit cap, it still felt wonderfully satisfying.]
“Come on, come on!
Mom and Dad said there are dragon dances and lion dances on the streets!”
[Liuliu hopped off you, then grabbed your hand and pulled you running toward the densest crowds.]
[You squeezed through the packed streets and watched a spectacular dragon and lion dance performance.
Liuliu’s crimson eyes were stretched wide open, and she unconsciously clapped her tiny hands.
You stayed closely by her side the entire time, afraid she might get lost in the commotion.]
[You followed a beautiful older sister and folded paper airplanes, placing your wishes inside them and imagining they were Starskiffs, then sent them soaring toward Starskiff Haven.]
[A kindly old grandpa who ran a candy shop sat alone at his doorstep, watching the lively street.
Liuliu said he looked so lonely sitting by himself, so she dragged you along to grab a little bench and sit beside him.]
[The three of you stared at each other in awkward silence for a while, until the old grandpa started handing out candy and sharing amusing stories from his youth.
As you left, it was clear—the old grandpa was truly happy.]
[Finally, you ended up on the rooftop of your house.
Perhaps out of nostalgia, many Xianzhou rooftops are triangular, and your house was no exception.]
[You lay on the rooftop together.
Liuliu gazed at the fireworks, and you did too—though, the ones you were watching were the fireworks reflected in her eyes…]
“Qiong…
do you think we might end up separated someday too?”
Liuliu’s tone had suddenly turned subdued.
“Why would you suddenly think that?” Confusion rose in your heart.
“I saw in Young Manbo…
Manbo and his fiancée—they had their engagement set since childhood, but in the end they didn’t end up together…
You’re so smart.
Are you going to come back someday to break off our engagement too?”
???
Brainless melodramas are a menace to society!
“But…
we didn’t actually get betrothed as children, did we?”
Bai Qiong was genuinely puzzled.
Both his and Liuliu’s parents had always respected their personal wishes, so things like childhood betrothals—straight out of some novel—had never been something they’d impose.
“Then…
aren’t you my child groom?” Liuliu asked, her face carrying obvious confusion.
So I’m her child groom?
That doesn’t sound right…
How come my parents never mentioned this to me?
Not that I’m objecting, anyway.
“No, no, I’m older, so you should be my child bride!” He’d almost been led off track.
I’m clearly the older one here!
Liuliu blinked.
“Then how about this—I’m your child bride, and you’re my child groom.
Okay?”
Staring into Liuliu’s big, innocent eyes and her utterly serious little face, a crimson flush instantly surged from Bai Qiong’s neck all the way up to his cheeks.
Right now, Bai Qiong resembled nothing so much as an ostrich.
He just lowered his head and tried his hardest to look calm, but the bright red tips of his ears completely betrayed him.
Liuliu watched him duck his head, and the corner of her mouth lifted in a smile with an inexplicable hint of something—but she suppressed it a moment later.
She reached out both hands and cupped Bai Qiong’s face, lifting it back up.
Right now, the distance between their faces was less than five centimeters.
Bai Qiong could clearly count every single one of Liuliu’s eyelashes.
“We’re the absolute bestest in the whole wide world!
Right?”
Seeing that hopeful, expectant look in Liuliu’s eyes, Bai Qiong tried desperately to look away countless times.
But those two hands cupping his cheeks left his gaze nowhere to hide.
“…Mm.”
How can she be so smooth at this?!!!!!!