Chapter 612
Chapter 612
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 612
>Chapter Title: Li Sui
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“People at birth are inherently good, their natures similar, yet habits make them differ~ If not taught, their nature shifts astray, the way of teaching values focus~”
Seated primly in the front row, Li Sui happily bobbed her head along with the teacher, her voice the clearest and loudest of anyone in the entire Oxheart Mountain private school.
Taking advantage of the moment when the teacher sipped his tea, Li Sui proudly boasted to the local militiaman beside her who had come to learn his letters. “I’ve learned this before! I know what it means—my dad taught me!”
But the militiaman paid no attention to her words, his gaze fixed entirely on Li Sui’s stunning face that seemed to glow with radiance.
Nor was he the only one. Everyone in the school, men and women alike, stole glances at her from time to time.
After all, compared to these mud-legged farmers who toiled in the fields, this young woman in her flowing skirt was like a fairy descended from the heavens.
Especially the young lads—their minds weren’t on reading or writing at all; their eyes were practically glued to Li Sui.
That was precisely why the private school, which usually had plenty of empty seats, was packed to the brim tonight.
Even the teacher, Master Wu, occasionally lost his focus. “Ahem, miss, could you perhaps cover your face a bit?”
He didn’t know the background of this strikingly beautiful girl, but the female boss with the white hair had always instructed him not to neglect her.
He was puzzled himself—this attire, this bearing; she didn’t seem at all like someone who couldn’t read.
Hearing this, Li Sui looked utterly confused instead. “Why cover it? Don’t I look human right now?”
What kind of talk was that? With a darkened face, Master Wu said nothing more and turned away, droning on from the book by rote.
As the moon climbed high, the evening lesson came to an end, and the crowd spilled out from the school, heading home.
A group trailed after Li Sui toward the Bai family compound. Even if they couldn’t strike up a conversation, just admiring that graceful silhouette from afar was a delight.
Li Sui was thrilled by this. Finally, people weren’t afraid of her anymore, and she didn’t have to wear that raincoat all day long.
She was already planning to chat with the villagers during the day.
“Mom! I’m back!” Li Sui happily rushed toward Bai Lingmiao standing at the door.
Just as Li Sui grabbed her to go find her dad, Bai Lingmiao held her back. “Not yet. Your dad’s talking with an important guest about something crucial.”
“Something crucial? What?” Li Sui asked, blinking her big eyes.
Bai Lingmiao glanced up at the reflection in the second-floor window but offered no explanation, pulling Li Sui through the inner gate instead.
Eyeing her clothes, Bai Lingmiao said softly, “How long have you been wearing these? It’s time for a change.”
“Why?”
“Because they get dirty easily. You’re a girl, Li Sui—you can’t stay this filthy.”
“Am I? What’s a girl?” Li Sui asked curiously as she followed Bai Lingmiao deeper inside.
Under Bai Lingmiao’s patient explanations, Li Sui learned many things her dad had never taught her.
Soon, Li Sui’s clothes were stripped off, but instead of new ones right away, Bai Lingmiao tossed her into a large wooden bathing tub.
Outside, Bai Lingmiao gently scrubbed the discarded garments by hand, while inside the tub, Li Sui mimicked her by clumsily scrubbing her own human skin.
Watching her awkward efforts, Bai Lingmiao smiled warmly and patiently taught Li Sui how to wash clothes properly.
“You know, Li Sui, I’d actually love it if you called me Mom.” The head held aloft by tentacles gazed somewhat blankly at the white-haired girl before her.
“Sometimes I really want to have a child with Senior Brother Li. But... I can’t.” A trace of sorrow crossed Bai Lingmiao’s face.
“What if, like Gouwa’s daughter, my child ends up covered in white fur like me now? That wouldn’t be good for Senior Brother Li or the child.”
“I’ve endured this hardship myself. I know that no matter how nicely people talk, folks like us are always different from the rest. I don’t want my children to suffer the same.”
Bai Lingmiao reached out to undo the bun in Li Sui’s hair, letting it soak in the water as she gently washed it.
“Your looks are a bit unusual. At first, I was put off inside. But then I thought, Senior Brother Li and I aren’t exactly normal either, so I stopped caring.”
“Mom, what are you talking about? I don’t get it.”
“That’s good. Sometimes I really envy you—no need to think about anything every day.”
Just like a real mother and daughter, Bai Lingmiao washed Li Sui’s hair while murmuring softly.
Though Li Sui didn’t fully understand Bai Lingmiao’s words, she was delighted to spend time with her mom.
Mom would listen patiently to things Dad either ignored or had no reaction to.
After a thoroughly refreshing bath, Li Sui slipped back into her human skin, reattached her head, coiled up her hair, and finally donned Bai Lingmiao’s clothes.
“Not bad at all. Our figures are about the same—we can swap clothes.” Bai Lingmiao admired the fully dressed Li Sui with satisfaction.
“Wait, stay right there. Let me put some rouge on you.” As Bai Lingmiao turned to fetch it, she suddenly froze and looked toward the left window. “Didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t come near Oxheart Village?”
“Holy Maiden, the Celestial Supervisor wishes to see you. He wants to talk things over properly with our White Lotus Cult.” A low voice drifted in from outside the window.
Bai Lingmiao let out a soft sigh. “I’ll go, but not right now.”
“Also, thanks to the messages we spread earlier, lots of old White Lotus followers who’d been in hiding have been tracking us down.”
“Ugh, so annoying! I finally get a trip home—do you have to hound me like this? You think I’m gonna run?” As Bai Lingmiao’s tone sharpened, the voice outside fell silent.
“Li Sui, let’s go find your dad!” With an impatient look, Bai Lingmiao pulled Li Sui toward the bedroom.
Just as they reached the door, Liu Zongyuan backed out from inside, bowing repeatedly.
As he turned, he caught sight of a black tentacle slithering back under Li Sui’s skirt hem. His face drained of color, and his hand dove into his robes. “What demonic thing are you!”
The new clothes on Li Sui tore open in an instant. Black tentacles whipped through the air as the skinned beast face sprouting fangs positioned itself in front of Bai Lingmiao, growling lowly at Liu Zongyuan.
Recognizing that familiar beast face on Li Sui, Liu Zongyuan froze, realizing he’d made a blunder.
“What’s going on?”
Hearing Li Huowang’s question from inside the room, Liu Zongyuan quickly plastered on a grin. “Hey, Brother Erjiu, your pet spirit beast’s something else—actually took human form! Nearly didn’t recognize it there.”
As he reached the stairs and saw Li Sui and Bai Lingmiao enter the room together, a chill ran through him, and he shuddered before hurrying down.