Cherry Blossoms Upon a Wintry Sword

Chapter 16: Back to the Mountain

Lin Weirui may look as cold as ice, but she had the hottest temper. When the disciples on Kunlun Mountain encounter her, they are eager to lower their heads and stay away from her. Lin Weirui was not as stable as Lin Minzhi and she was also not as knowledgeable as Lin Bianyu. It could be said that she was the most spontaneous person in the Lin family this generation. If she doesn’t like someone, she will hate them to the bones. If she likes someone, she will be eager to pluck down the stars for that person. 

Lin Weirui was very fond of Lin Rufei.

When Lin Rufei was twelve years old, their mother had died of an illness. At that time, the thin and small Lin Rufei almost fainted in her arms from crying so much. Lin Weirui was already a young girl at that point. She hugged her brother and what she thought in her heart was that she never wanted to see Lin Rufei cry again in her life.

If she said it, then she will do it. Lin Weirui can thump her chest and guarantee that at this time on Kunlun Mountain, no one dares to bully Lin Rufei and no one dares to disrespect Lin Rufei.

For as long as Lin Rufei could live, they would spoil him. 

But now, the grown-up younger brother was leaving Kunlun to go on his own. After reading Lin Minzhi’s letter, a feeling of emptiness came over Lin Weirui. She spent three days—day and night—flying back to Kunlun with her sword, and finally exhausted her sword Qi, so she bought a good horse at a high price and rushed back. The journey was already very tiring, but all that tiredness turned into joy when they saw Lin Rufei.

“Did you miss your sister, Xiao Jiu?” She was like a nagging mother, “I haven’t seen you for three years, why have you lost weight again? Tian Jue didn’t look after you properly when you were eating, when I get back, I will beat him up.”

The youngest of the family listened to her nagging without the slightest impatience. She talked, he listened. The corner of his eyes and eyebrows curved tenderly.

When Lin Weirui saw this kind of Lin Rufei, her heart started to ache. She really wanted Lin Rufei to be more heartless—not kind and understanding. 

People who were heartless actually lived a more comfortable life. Lin Weirui had long understood this truth.

“Before sister returned, did you go to Moyu and see Xie Zhiyao?” Lin Rufei chatted with Lin Weirui.

“I went, but I didn’t see him.” Lin Weirui had a blade of grass in her mouth as she led her horse ahead. “His family’s servant[1] seemed to have caused a big ruckus. The whole Xie family is in a mess. I was in a hurry to come home so I did not wait.”  

“The servant?” Fu Hua said, “Is it that servant with the particularly nasty mouth, Lv Er[2]?”

“Mm.” Lin Weirui said, “That’s him.” She turned her head to look at Lin Rufei and said, “The Xie family is also coming to the next sword competition, in a few days you will have to send invitations in the stead of the Lin family. You can go to Moyu first.”

Lin Rufei thought about it, “That’s fine.”

Xie Zhiyao was his childhood playmate. Back when the Xie family had some trouble and because the elders had a good relationship, they sent him to Kunlun Mountain for foster care. He and Lin Rufei’s age difference was not big, and their personality was very steady. Only, Xie Zhiyao had a servant by his side named Lv Er. Not only did he have a bad temper, but he also had a nasty mouth. If he said ten sentences, nine of them made people want to beat him up. No one knew why Xie Zhiyao’s elder left such a person at his side. 

That year, when Lv Er saw Lin Rufei for the first time, he said: Why is this person so skinny, he is like a poor monkey boy. 

Before Lin Rufei could react, Xie Zhiyao raised his hand and gave Lv Er a slap on the face. With a gloomy look, he made him kneel down and apologize to Lin Rufei. Lv Er cried and cried but refused, and finally, Xie Zhiyao kicked him in the knee, forcing him to kowtow to Lin Rufei several times. He apologized and only after Lin Rufei’s forgiveness did he stand up.

It was nothing but jokes between children and Lin Rufei did not take it to heart. But what happened afterward proved how far-sighted Xie Zhiyao was. When Lin Bianyu heard those words, he originally intended to go directly to Xie Zhiyao with his sword. He wanted to chop off Lv Er’s head, but later he found out that Lv Er had apologized and Lin Rufei also expressed understanding, and the matter was finally forgotten. 

However, since then, Lin Bianyu never showed a kind expression towards Lv Er and also didn’t really like Xie Zhiyao too much.

Dianshan Xie family was a pretty well-known family. Their family’s sword techniques were also one of a kind. It was just that, in recent years they have not produced any outstanding characters so their fame gradually declined. But the bottom line was there, otherwise, Lin Bianyu will never give Xie Zhiyao any face.

Maybe because he did not have many friends when he was younger, Lin Rufei quite liked his playmate, Xie Zhiyao. When the two were teenagers, they often played chess at the top of the mountain in the wind and snow. Xie Zhiyao’s chess style was fierce, he liked to go in for the big kill, only sometimes he would lose his direction. Lin Rufei’s chess style was tame. He never missed a beat and would kill Xie Zhiyao’s fierce moves often unknowingly. 

Lv Er did not understand how to play chess. So when they play chess, this child will feel particularly bored. He will anxiously look at Fu Hua who was sitting next to him, wanting to talk to her. 

However, Fu Hua also did not like this little boy, who did not have a plug for his mouth. So she sat by herself and read a book. 

“Sister Fu Hua, what are you reading?” Lv Er anxiously looked at the book in Fu Hua’s hand. 

“Leisure books.” Fu Hua coldly answered.

Lv Er quietly said, “That’s nice. I can’t read and write, and no one taught me ……”

Fu Hua raised her eyes to look at him. She inwardly felt a moment or two of pity.

But who knew the next sentence of Lv Er was: “But knowing a few big words isn’t that amazing, in the end, aren’t you still here being a servant with me.” He laughed as he said this. Fu Hua’s face was so angry—she was livid.

Those who are pitiful always have some insufferable sides. Lv Er here was a good example. 

Xie Zhiyao’s self-restraint was very good. Having such a servant at his side, nobody knew how many people he had offended. 

Lin Rufei asked him why had picked Lv Er. 

He said with a sullen look, “He is someone mother gave me”

Only then did Lin Rufei know that Xie Zhiyao’s mother had also died. Before she died, she entrusted Lv Er to Xie Zhiyao, telling him to treat him well. Xie Zhiyao could not help but accept his mother’s will and took Lv Er with him as a servant.

No one understood why Xie Zhiyao’s mother would deliberately give her son a hard time. However, now that this is the case, Xie Zhiyao could only accept. Later, he also inquired around, and some said that Lv Er was the offspring of his mother’s friend. Thus, Xie Zhiyao’s tolerance for Lv Er also grew a few more points. 

Most likely, Lv Er’s obnoxiousness was too deep in everyone’s heart, when they heard Xie Zhiyao’s name even Fu Hua could not help but ask a question.

“That Lv Er, ah, seems to have caused big trouble and even disappeared. Xie Zhiyao, in order to find him, has been so busy that no one knows when he will be free.” Lin Weirui said, “Let’s not talk about him anymore, your big brother and second brother don’t know that I am back, see me give them a surprise!” As she spoke, she reached out her hand. Smiling, she pulled out a soft, round package from her dimensional ring. Following the hem of her skirt, she directly stuffed it under her clothes, where her stomach was. Fu Hua and Lin Rufei were stunned at this action.

“What are you dumbfounded for?” Lin Weirui smiled delicately, “Silly brother, hurry and come help support your sister.”

Lin Rufei cried and laughed: “If you were seen by big brother, he would have your legs broken.”

Lin Weirui winked: “He dares! Now I have two lives in one body.”

Lin Rufei admired[3] his sister. He sighed and laughed helplessly: “Okay, okay, the mountain road is slippery, you have to walk carefully. Do not twist your body and hurt my nephew.”

Lin Weirui giggled and after she finished laughing, she folded a paper crane with a talisman. It was attached with a voice, telling Lin Minzhi and Lin Bianyu that she was back and asked them to wait for her in Lin Rufei’s courtyard.

After sending the message, Lin Weirui was excited and rubbed her palms.

When Lin Rufei saw his sister’s appearance, his mind would echo to when his big brother often said: your sister, three days without a beating, she will scale the roof and rip the tiles!

Half an hour later, Lin Rufei helped Lin Weirui with her big belly to the courtyard. The door of the courtyard was open and just as they entered, they saw Lin Minzhi and Lin Bianyu sitting in the courtyard chatting. The two men were chatting amiably, but when they saw Lin Weirui trembling with a big belly, they were very shocked. Lin Minzhi’s expression was livid, and Lin Bianyu’s mouth was slightly open, obviously wondering what kind of wrong medicine his sister had taken.

“Brother—” Lin Weirui called out delicately and sadly, “Brother, you have to stand up for me.”

Lin Minzhi gritted his teeth and almost drew his sword, saying, “Who, who dares to do this to you!”

Lin Weirui faked cried, “It’s that Shen family’s Shen Wucui. Even though he is good-looking, he is not a good thing. He got me pregnant, but decided to marry another girl!” 

Lin Rufei listened and he almost gave himself away when he wanted to laugh out loud. 

Shen Wucui was also a regular visitor at Kunlun Mountain. He was born handsome and beautiful. His personality was gentle and elegant—very charming. Lin Weirui seemed to be interested in him, but Shen Wucui was somewhat afraid of this sister of his, who had a jumpy personality.

Lin Minzhi said, “This Shen Wucui, a human with dog behavior. He dares to do such a shameless thing!” He took a deep breath and said, “I will immediately go and send a letter to the Shen family, this matter must not be settled like this!” After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave.

Seeing that her prank had gone too far, Lin Weirui hastily covered her stomach and cried out. Lin Minzhi and Lin Bianyu were both shocked and rushed over to surround her, asking how she was doing. Lin Weirui cried out: “Stomach, my stomach hurts…….ah….my stomach.” As she started crying vigorously, the package wasn’t held properly and poof, it slipped onto the ground. 

Lin Minzhi: “……”

Lin Bianyu: “……”

Lin Weirui looked shamefully embarrassed and whispered: “Why did it fall …… brother, I just wanted to give you a little surprise.”

Lin Bianyu smiled: “It really was a surprise.”

Lin Minzhi was expressionless, he said, “Lin Weirui, I haven’t hit you in three years.”

Lin Weirui: “……”

Lin Minzhi gritted his teeth, “Before you left, you split Wan Yao’s medicine furnace in half, I whipped you twenty times. In these three years, I have been regretting that maybe I was too mean to you, now—get your ass over to the ancestral hall!”

Lin Weirui cried and looked at Lin Rufei.

Lin Rufei coughed twice and made a weak and frail appearance. Lin Bianyu saw the opportunity and hastily supported him, “Elder brother, you go hit first, I’m taking Xiao Jiu in to go rest.”

Lin Weirui cried out and was grabbed by Lin Minzhi, who was livid, to the ancestral hall.

********

The author has something to say:

Gu Xuandu looked at the fake-pregnant Lin Weirui and the ill-treated Lin Bianyu and fell into a contemplative mood.

Lin Rufei: Wait! ! Wake up! ! You’re a mannnnnn! ! !

Gu Xuandu say: That’s not a problem.

Lin Rufei: Huh ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

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[1] The word here is 小厮 which refers underage male servants. I didn’t want it to be too wordy so I just wrote servant, but wanted to let you guys know he is a male servant.

[2] Lv Er means Green Ear. I did not make a typo for Lv, in Chinese pinyin, the “u” accent mark for Green is ǜ which you can’t really type on a keyboard, so in pinyin, for Green (Lǜ) it is typed as Lv (It’s actually the same thing for girl (nǜ) where it is typed as nv) However it is pronounced the same as Yu, but just with a L, furthermore Lu is pronounced similar to You but with an L which is why I’m not not using Lu. I hope this clears anything up 

[3] I don’t think there is an English equivalent to this saying (or none that I know of). The word here is 服了 which has a sarcastic meaning, like “I give in” or “I submit” but also in like an admiration way(?) It’s kinda hard to explain too but just know it’s kinda sarcastic. ^x^;