Shaojun riding the sea

Chapter 153 A Chou is waiting for me

The room fell into an eerie silence. Zhong Lisang and Yue Wu Jiu looked at each other again. They both clearly felt Shi Zhongqing's resistance at the same time.

He didn't want to answer the question.

In fact, Zhong Lisheng was being conservative. Shi Zhongqing's earth-shattering move in the cemetery was more than a dozen years of skill. It was probably so profound that they were all horrified.

But Shi Zhongqing is not too old now, and he is not even old enough to know what is wrong. How can he have such profound skills?
He is either a martial arts prodigy who is rare in a century, or someone who has mastered the skills passed down to him, but no matter which one it is, it is obvious that he does not want people to know about his peerless skills, and he even pretends to be impeccable on weekdays. If it weren't for the critical situation today and he had to take action to save people, I'm afraid he would have kept this secret forever.

The atmosphere in the room became more and more subtle and strange, with a hint of a storm coming. Yue Wujiu and Zhongli Sheng involuntarily approached Shi Xuanling, secretly protecting her on one side and on the other.

The two young men were like vigilant mountain beasts in the forest. One held his sword tightly, the other raised his fan bone, and both stared at the frozen figure in front of the dressing table.

"No one taught me kung fu, I have no school, I'm just——"

Finally, Shi Zhongqing spoke, his voice a little dull: "It's just some special encounters when I was young. There are too many hermits and masters in the world, and there are people everywhere who are crouching tigers, hidden dragons. My ability is nothing. The reason why I don’t show it on weekdays because I am an official in the court and my position as Secretary of State does not require any force. There is no need to show off in front of others to attract criticism. I also ask you to conceal what happened today and don’t make it public.”

After a pause, Shi Zhongqing went on to say meaningfully: "You don't have to be suspicious of me. Shi is an upright person in his life. This skill will not be used to hurt people, but will only be used to save people. Put away the weapons in your hands." Well, you can’t beat me, and I won’t fight you either…”

The official robe was clearly standing in front of the dressing table, without looking back, but it was as if there were eyes behind his back. Not only could he see the prepared postures of Yue Wujiu and Zhongli Sheng, but he could even see through their intentions!
The strange atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward. The two young men looked at each other again, coughed twice, and one of them put away his sword with a guilty conscience, while the other closed his folding fan with a guilty conscience.

"Uncle Shi, you are overthinking it. You are Xuan Ling's biological father. How can we maliciously speculate on you and make trouble in front of you?"

Zhong Lisheng was still thick-skinned and tried to make up for himself without changing his expression. Shi Zhongqing just smiled faintly and didn't say anything more.

The undercurrent in the room finally came to an end. After searching for a while, Shi Zhongqing suddenly turned around and said warmly to Shi Xuanling:

"I put the suicide note in a wooden box, but after so many years, I may have remembered the wrong place. Your mother-in-law's suicide note was not placed on the dressing table here. I will go into the back room to look for it. Are you there? Please wait a moment, Xuan Ling, please wait for dad, okay?"

Facing Shi Zhongqing's earnest gaze, Shi Xuanling pursed her lips and didn't speak for a long time. She seemed to be judging something. Shi Zhongqing said quickly: "Good boy, believe me again. Dad definitely didn't lie to you. Your mother's suicide note is true." Just leave it here!”

Shi Xuanling glanced at Shi Zhongqing a few more times, and finally nodded gently.

After the official robe stepped into the back room and was no longer seen, Zhong Lisheng slapped the folding fan and put it close to the ears of Shi Xuanling and Yue Wujiu: "This hero Shi won't go in and forge a suicide note, right?"

He had been jokingly calling Shi Zhongqing "Old Man Shi" before, saying that he looked like a historian who cared about the country and the people. Now that he saw Shi Zhongqing show his hand, he immediately consciously changed the title to "Da Xia Shi". His attitude towards Shi Zhongqing was also much more respectful.

Yue Wujiu cast a contemptuous look at Zhongli Sheng, "You are really a strong man, you can change your face faster than anyone else."

"Who doesn't admire the strong? Brother, that's a thousand years, no, it's hundreds of years of amazing skill. How many such strong men can you see in the world? I guess my father has the most. In a draw with Master Shi, we are indeed overestimating our capabilities by showing off our weapons in front of him..."

Hearing what Zhong Lisheng said, Yue Wujiu couldn't help but frown and think about it: "Actually, he was reserved today in the Shi family cemetery. He was probably afraid of accidentally hurting Xuan Ling. I saw that he kept his momentum at bay. He is fighting, otherwise Xuan Ling wouldn’t be able to perform so many moves in his hands. I’m afraid his true strength has not been revealed yet, and what we have seen is just the tip of the iceberg.”

"Who says it's not the case? The magic archery technique my mother taught that girl is so powerful. Her father actually rushed forward with his chest puffed out and caught the arrow in mid-air with his bare hands without even blinking, as if nothing happened. Yes, how terrifying is this skill? Maybe Xuan Ling can easily learn the summoning technique of all spirits, because she inherited her father's amazing talent. After all, the tiger father has no dog daughter, Lao Yue, don't you think so? "

The first two teenagers talked more and more enthusiastically, immersed in the world of martial arts discussions, and their speculations and exclamations about the Shi family's father from head to toe.

Shi Xuanling here slowly glanced around the room. The decorations in the room were still the same as when her mother-in-law was alive. Not a single bit had been touched, especially the dressing mirror.

Shi Xuanling remembered it too deeply. She stepped forward step by step, her eyes hot, and tears filled her brown eyes when facing the yellowed mirror.

It was in front of this dressing mirror that she combed her mother's hair for the last time.

The bell on her wrist trembled and swayed, and the girl's slender fingers slowly touched the mirror. The figure in the mirror was faintly visible. She was in a trance for a moment, as if she heard that afternoon many years ago again, when Aniang waved her over on the bed. To her softly spoken request:
"Little Lingdang, help me go to the dressing mirror, comb my hair, and then put some lipstick on my mouth with your hand, okay?"

It was a bit hot that afternoon, so Shi Xuanling opened the window, and a wisp of breeze blew into the room, causing the curtains at the head of the bed to lift slightly, revealing Aniang's pale and thin face.

She lingered on the hospital bed and had been lying in bed for a long time. It was a rare day that she felt a little energetic. The little girl, who was only nine years old at the time, was full of joy and thought that her mother's condition had improved. However, she was so young that she forgot , there is a word in the world called "returning to the light".

That was the last time she combed her grandma's hair, using her favorite green sandalwood comb. She slowly smoothed her long hair while humming a clan song.

Because of her illness, grandma's originally black and smooth hair became dull and dull, and it was very laborious to comb it. However, the little girl was very patient. She held grandma's long hair in her little hands and straightened it out for her one by one. .

The person in the mirror was pale and haggard, with bloodless lips. He suddenly sighed: "Little Lingdang, is my mother... ugly now?"

At that time, Shi Xuanling's palms trembled and she almost couldn't hold the comb, but she quickly pretended to be nonchalant and said with a smile: "No, no, no, it's not ugly at all, my mother-in-law is as beautiful as a fairy!"

"You know how to coax my mother-in-law. I am obviously as sick as a haggard and haggard. Even when I am not sick, your mother-in-law has never been a beauty. Fortunately, you are born like your father..." When Shi Zhongqing was mentioned, the man in the mirror spoke to his lips. A faint smile appeared again, and even his face seemed to have a little blood, just like a spring breeze blowing in the cold winter.

"Your father is the most beautiful man in the world. He is handsome and handsome, as bright as the moon. He really looks like a fairy. He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen in this world..."

Grandma, who had been silent in the past, became even less talkative after getting sick. This was the first time since she got sick that she was so excited and spoke so many words at once, but the content was actually praising Shi Zhongqing as a good person. Unparalleled... handsome man?

Auntie was probably sick. Shi Xuanling curled her lips thinking of her father's serious and old-fashioned appearance and temperament, but did not refute her, and just continued to straighten her long hair.

Maybe when my mother-in-law rescued her father outside Qingli Mountain, her father was still in his prime and high-spirited. His brows would not be furrowed all the time, and he would not always have a straight face, looking worried about the country and the people. He looked so bitter and resentful, maybe he was indeed a handsome man at that time?
While Shi Xuanling was trying to explain her mother's words in her mind, the person in the mirror smiled again, and her voice became more ethereal, as if coming from the horizon.

"Little Lingdang, help me comb my hair quickly. I want to dress up better. My mother is going to find your father. I want to see him and tell him that I haven't had anything in the Qingli Mountains all these years." One day I don’t think about him…”

The tone was joyful, but for some reason, it also contained a sense of unknown sadness. Shi Xuanling said subconsciously: "Dad just came here in the morning. He said he would come back later. Don't worry, I can see you in the evening." It’s daddy, isn’t it?”

The person in the mirror didn't speak, and the room was quiet for a long time before a faint sigh sounded: "Yes, don't worry, you will see it sooner or later, you can see it..."

A Niang seemed to be very tired, and her voice lowered, as if she was talking in a dream: "I will see my A Chou soon, he will wait for me, he has been waiting for me, I know..."

Ugly?

Shi Xuanling was also confused by her mother. Didn't she say that her father was a handsome man?Why did he become A Chou again?

Forget it, she continued to comb her mother's hair seriously. Finally, she completely straightened out the last strand of long hair and pulled it into a bun, the most common bun for women of the butterfly tribe.

Finally done, Shi Xuanling raised her head and said excitedly: "Mom, let me help you comb your hair. Come and see if it looks beautiful?"

Unfortunately, Aniang's head was slightly lowered and her eyes were closed tightly, as if she had fallen asleep from exhaustion. Even after calling several times, she did not respond.

Shi Xuanling was stunned and stopped disturbing her. He just opened the lipstick box again and gently applied a little on her mouth. The pale lips suddenly became colored and became more alive.

This is what makes it look good. Shi Xuanling clapped her hands with satisfaction, and the bell rang loudly. She walked up to her mother-in-law and muttered to herself:
"Auntie, you must be very tired. Then have a good sleep. When dad comes over later, I will wake you up. Your hair has been combed and lipstick has been put on. You look beautiful. You have to look like a fairy, I dressed you up so beautifully, if you don’t believe me, just ask dad then, okay?”

Naturally, her sleeping mother would not give her any response, and Shi Xuanling didn't care. He just brought a small wooden stool over, sat at his mother's feet, and lay obediently on her knees, humming the clan's songs from time to time. Say a few words to my mother-in-law.

The sun was gradually setting. When she was tired, she took out a nectar candy from her sleeve. While holding the candy in her mouth, she stared at the sunset outside the window. Slowly, she fell asleep on her mother's lap.

Shi Zhongqing came over in the evening. There were no lights in the room and it was pitch dark, but a little girl's voice suddenly came out:
"Dad, you came so late. My mother-in-law fell asleep waiting. She asked me to comb her hair and apply lipstick, and said she wanted to give you a look. But why did you come so late, mother-in-law? She is fast asleep and cannot be woken up. Let's not disturb her. Why don't you come see her tomorrow? Come back tomorrow..."

While mumbling over and over, with many emotions she tried to hide, the little girl kept talking, so calmly that she was even too calm, as if nothing had happened, as if there would be no separation if she didn't admit it, she was so persistent. He was thinking about what he was thinking, but he was so...deceiving himself.

It wasn't until Shi Zhongqing reached out to the dressing mirror and took a shaky breath that he couldn't help it anymore and took the thin and thin figure into his arms.

"Xuan Ling, your mother-in-law has gone... don't be afraid, dad will take good care of you all your life. You still have dad here. It doesn't matter. Don't be afraid. Dad will protect you. He will definitely protect you..."

Thunder exploded outside, and suddenly it began to rain heavily. A bolt of lightning flashed across the night sky, instantly illuminating the pale face of the woman in front of the dressing mirror.

At this moment, the little girl who had been holding on finally couldn't deceive herself anymore. The string in her heart completely collapsed, and she burst into tears in her father's arms.

It was raining heavily outside, and the tears in the house were about to drown the little girl. The string of small bells coming out of the Qingli Mountains could no longer echo crisply and vividly in her mother's ears.

This is all Shi Xuanling's memory of that night. Her sadness was accompanied by the smell of damp wood on rainy days. After she later moved to the attic to live alone, she would get up in the middle of the night for a long time and look at the dressing mirror alone. Talking to himself, he wanted to see A Niang’s familiar face in the mirror.

Others would be scared to shit when they saw this scene, but Shi Xuanling wasn't afraid of any ghosts, she was her mother-in-law.

Every scary ghost in the world is also a relative that other people miss day and night.

When she closed her eyes now, she could still recall that afternoon when she was combing her mother's hair and smelling the faint fragrance emanating from the green sandalwood comb.

Unfortunately, the mother's remains were missing, along with the green sandalwood comb.

When Shi Xuanling was secretly feeling sad, a voice suddenly sounded in the room: "Found it, Xuanling, dad finally found the suicide note left by your mother-in-law!"

(End of this chapter)