FVN Chapter 60: Not One for Smiling
Chapter 60: Not One for Smiling
Chapter 60: Not One for Smiling
“You’re not going?” The Eldest Young Lady narrowed her eyes, staring at her younger brother. She enunciated each word carefully: “I went through all the trouble, pulling every string, to bring Senior Sister Zhang here for you, and you’re telling me you won’t go? I’ll give you one chance to reconsider!”
“I’m not going!” The Seventh Young Master shrank back slightly but still held firm in his refusal.
“Zhao! Jing! Fan!” The Eldest Young Lady clenched her fists. “Don’t make me start my visit by beating you up!”
The familiar tone and cadence seemed to spark some painful memories for the Seventh Young Master. His defiant voice softened. “Zheng Fa stays up late every night, bringing piles of books back to draw those talisman diagrams for me...”
The Eldest Young Lady’s expression froze, her anger visibly subsiding as she processed his reasoning.
The Seventh Young Master continued, “He works so hard. If I stop learning from him now, won’t he feel like all his effort was wasted? He might even think I look down on him. How could I be so ungrateful?”
“That’s your reason?”
He nodded, his tone slightly resentful. “If not for how hard he’s working, I would’ve run off long ago. You think a little rattan stick could stop me?”
The Eldest Young Lady stared at her brother. Her anger melted into a rare smile. “Ten years apart, and I was worried you’d turned out wrong. But it seems you’re more thoughtful than I gave you credit for.”
“I’m not dumb. I know who’s good to me.” The Seventh Young Master snorted, proud of the compliment. “So let Zheng Fa teach me! I think I’ve been making good progress. I don’t need that Senior Sister Zhang.”
Her tone softened. “His efforts aside, this isn’t about pride or stubbornness. Learning from Senior Sister Zhang would be much better for you!”
“No!”
“Zhao Jingfan! Do you really think you’ve grown up enough to disobey me?” Frustration creeping back, the Eldest Young Lady glanced around, grabbed the rattan stick Zheng Fa had left behind, and raised it menacingly.
“You can beat me until I’m stuck in bed for three months again, and I still won’t go!” the Seventh Young Master declared, stiffening his neck.
Seeing his resolve, she struck his arm lightly with the rattan.
“Ow!” The Seventh Young Master yelped in an exaggerated tone.
“Cut the act!” She rolled her eyes. “You’ve always been like this—howling before the stick even lands. Not a single mark, but your voice goes hoarse.”
“See? I knew you wouldn’t actually hit me hard!” he grinned sheepishly.
She changed the subject. “You can stay close to Zheng Fa, but don’t let loyalty blind you to an opportunity like Senior Sister Zhang’s guidance. Do you understand?”
He was still unconvinced. “Zheng Fa has the favor of a Nascent Soul cultivator! Learning from him is just as good as learning from Senior Sister Zhang!”
The Eldest Young Lady laughed coldly. “Senior Sister Zhang’s master is a Nascent Soul cultivator. She’s the most renowned talisman prodigy in the Hundred Immortals Alliance. Do you really think Zheng Fa can compare to her? She’s the heavens, and he’s the earth. Understand?”
Even the Seventh Young Master, despite his loyalty, couldn’t argue further.
“She’s a bit aloof,” the Eldest Young Lady added, “but don’t take it personally. She’s here because of our family’s past ties with her elders. She’s not one for idle chatter and only cares about talismans and mathematics.”
“Sister...”
“What?”
“Does she wear a green Daoist robe?”
“How do you know?”
“Does she have big eyes and a straight nose?”
Her confusion deepened. “Have you seen her?”
“Does she have a small dimple on her left cheek when she smiles?”
“I... never noticed,” the Eldest Young Lady admitted. “She doesn’t smile much. I’ve rarely seen it.”
“I just saw her smiling,” the Seventh Young Master said, pointing ahead.
Following his finger, the Eldest Young Lady looked toward the courtyard.
Through the open gate, she saw Senior Sister Zhang in the main hall, pen in hand. Her face was lit with a radiant smile, her dimple unmistakable, as she spoke to a young man sitting across from her.
Yes, it was Zheng Fa.
And yes, her smile was sweet—sweet enough to make anyone watching forget her reputation as one who rarely smiled.