Chapter 9
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Contact Accidents Happen Without Warning
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"Come on, sit down and eat. You too, Uiseong."
On the table was actual meat side dish. Not beans or boiled eggs—meat.
Mount Hua was a Daoist sect, and Daoist sect meals were mostly greens. They said eating meat builds up turbidity or something.
After weaning off baby food, I'd been eating pretty much like the adults.
Back in my previous world, as a growing kid in a new country, meat would occasionally grace my table, but it wasn't something we had often.
And now meat shows up today of all days...! After scarfing down four pieces of candy, my appetite was gone and my belly was stuffed...!
I wanted to time-travel back and grab my past self by the collar for devouring those four candies.
I'd thrown a fit that the greens tasted bad and I couldn't eat, subtly trying to skip the meal. But this perfectly shattered my flawless plan.
I'd always cleaned up every last bit of greens whenever meat was on the table.
'What do I do?'
I racked my brain to squeeze out an excuse.
If they found out I'd eaten four candies right before dinner, Uihyeon would definitely ban snacks.
I couldn't give up the worldly flavors that Mount Hua disciples sometimes popped into my mouth after coming back from outside.
I snuck a glance at Uiseong, clinging to him like a lifeline, but he just shrugged. Figure it out yourself, it said. Useless guy.
I plopped down at the table and solemnly picked up my spoon.
I eyed the meat side dish delicately perched on a small scoop of rice, then shoved it into my mouth.
No, I really can't eat this.
I chewed it like rubber, barely swallowing the meat, then stared at the side dishes for a long while before quietly setting down my spoon and rubbing my belly with my hand.
"Owie, my tummy."
At my groan, Uihyeon—who was scooping another side dish onto my spoon—whipped around in alarm.
"What's wrong, Yeon-ah? Does it hurt somewhere?"
"Yeah, tummy upset, see. Can't eat even a wittle rice."
I turned away from the table as I replied. Uihyeon set down his chopsticks and checked on me, pushing his meal aside too.
Yes! It worked! See, my quick thinking is spot on?
As I inwardly praised my survival skills, the door burst open.
"Uihyeon-ah, after dinner, give this to Biyeon... Huh? I thought you'd eaten lunch already, but you haven't even had dinner?"
"Yes, but Yeon-ah suddenly got a tummy ache, so I'm about to take him to the infirmary."
My body stiffened at the word "infirmary."
I'm done for. They'll see right through my fake illness there. This is why overprotection is bad.
I shot a glare at Uiseong, who was desperately holding back laughter while spectating this farce, then curled up and wrung out the most dying voice I could muster.
"No... If I skip the rice, it'll get better soon."
"Was it the candy I gave you that upset your stomach?"
Uigang shook the parcel in his hand, his voice full of worry. Uiseong and I both coughed awkwardly at the same time.
Don't say it, you idiot!
Uihyeon, having pieced it all together from Uigang's words and our reactions, fired a sharp question.
"Senior Brother, how many did you give Yeon-ah?"
I frantically waved four fingers behind Uihyeon's back to signal one? No, wait—frantically made a "1" with my fingers.
But Uigang, missing my desperate effort, chuckled and spilled the truth.
"Four?"
"No wonder the kid can't eat with meat right in front of him after four candies, Senior Brother."
Uigang's shoulders hunched under Uihyeon's icy tone as he ground his teeth.
Uiseong, trying to sneak away pretending not to know, got burned too.
"Uiseong, you were right there and didn't stop it? Let him eat them all?"
He thought he could slip out alone, the traitor. Pfft.
I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh, and now the arrows flew at me.
"Yeon-ah, what are you going to do eating four candies before dinner? I always said snacks after meals. And fake illness plus lying... Haa."
"Just call it survival skills."
"Survival skills... Why are you starting to take after that Uiseong kid, Biyeon-ah...?"
"Uiseong Martial Uncle's fault? Me? Isn't that too harsh? That's mean!"
"You punk! The mean one is you, doing this right in front of me!"
And so, the three of us ended up kneeling side by side at the table, hands raised.
Uiseong grumbled to Uigang in a hushed voice.
"I warned you not to give candy to a kid about to eat!"
"I thought you meant for dinner."
Uigang scratched his head, his huge frame flinching pathetically under Uihyeon's terrifying glare.
"Yeon-ah, no snacks for two months. Senior Brother Uigang, absolutely no treats for Biyeon either."
"Two, two months is too much... I've reflected, so can't you make it one?"
"Shall we make it three then?"
"No..."
And just like that, I received the horrific punishment of no snacks for two months.
Ah, worldly flavors, I already miss you. Boundless Buddha.
* * *
Today, my protectors were all too busy to mind me, so I finally had some alone time after ages.
Some important guest had come to Mount Hua, or so they said.
They told me to stay put in my room, but I couldn't miss this golden opportunity.
As I wandered even to places they usually forbade, fond looks poured down on me.
"Biyeon-ah, want some candy?"
"Yeah!"
"Say 'Yes!' properly."
"Yes!"
The snack ban was still on, but refusing what adults offered would be rude, right?
Munching on the candy with light steps, my hair—tied by Uihyeon that morning—swayed with each patter.
The hair tie binding my ponytail tight was one Uiseong had bought from the martial world.
A bit mature and antique for a kid, with a pretty flower ornament. It fit me perfectly, so I cherished it, scared it'd wear out.
Uihyeon had tied it prettily today, saying it'd look nice. Though it'd be a mess in less than an hour anyway.
How long had I been scampering around the outer quarters like this?
'Huh? What's a little kid doing here?'
My eyes met a boy standing still, arms crossed with a sulky face.
As I toddled closer, his sharp, refined features jumped out.
His Snow White-like jet-black curls and pale, milky skin caught the eye, but not as much as his upturned eye corners and the two beauty marks dotted under his left eye.
Age-wise, about my peer? Staring down at the shorter boy, enlightenment dawned.
The Mount Hua adults calling me pretty was just parental bias. This is what a truly pretty kid looks like.
Noticing I couldn't tear my eyes off his face, the boy scowled. His fed-up expression made him seem kinda annoying.
A sharp, childish voice rang out irritably.
"Who're you?"
"And who're you?"
I scowled back snarkily, and he blinked.
His furrowed brow smoothed out like it'd never happened, and he answered calmly.
"Followin' Father, got wost."
Flustered by the sudden shift for a moment, I felt kinship in his babyish speech. Your tongue's short too, huh.
"Where you s'posed to go?"
"Dunno."
His overly bright, curt reply left me speechless.
Okay, he's a Mount Hua guest, so maybe take him to the Jade Clear Hall? Or the Lotus Pavilion?
I decided on the Lotus Pavilion, where the Sect Leader and Elders would be. They'd look after him, and his guardian would come fetch him.
I beckoned him to follow, and he stuck right by my side. As we walked abreast, I asked what I'd been wondering.
"How'd you get to Mount Hua?"
"With Father. My father's Namgung Gijin. I'm Namgung Seheon."
Didn't ask your name or your dad's.
But thanks to the kid spilling unasked, I roughly figured it out.
One of the Five Great Clans' Namgung Family young master. Side branch or direct, who knows.
Looks like that important guest who'd come today was from the Namgung Family.
Why would the Namgung Family come all the way to Mount Hua? Not for sightseeing with this kid, surely...
'Something happen in the martial world?'
I don't even know exactly where I've possessed into.
Even if it's the [Sword God Returns] I suspect, I don't know what point in the story this is.
So I couldn't relax.
Every wuxia novel I'd read had some huge incident, sooner or later. Righteous-Demonic War, Righteous-Evil War, Righteous-Evil-Demonic War.
And the Righteous Faction's losses were always measured by the crumbling Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans. High chance Mount Hua's included.
Oblivious to my grim thoughts, Namgung Seheon kept chattering as he trailed me.
"You live here?"
"Yeah."
"You a disciple?"
"Nope."
"Then why you live here?"
"Just happened."
"No house?"
"No house, so I live here, duh?"
Damn kid poking exactly where it hurts. No malice makes it more irritating.
"Wanna come to my house instead?"
"No."
Spotting the Lotus Pavilion ahead, I quickened my pace. The joy of meeting a peer kid had vanished; now I just wanted to ditch him ASAP.
Then, a hand brushed my ponytail, tugged the tie, and whoosh—my hair fell loose.
Whirling around, Namgung Seheon held up my prized No. 1 hair tie, tilting his head.
"My house has way prettier ones than this."
"Didn't ask. Gimme."
I lunged to snatch the hair tie from his hand, reaching fast—but he dodged back and raised his arm higher, quicker.
Problem was, I'd thrown my full weight into the lunge, throwing off my balance.
Stumbling toward him, I saw panic flash on Namgung Seheon's face as he watched me topple.
And just like that, we tangled and crashed to the ground in a heap.
My hands stung from hitting the floor hard while cradling his head. That's why I realized a beat late the soft sensation on my lips.
'Soft...?'
No way... Cold sweat trickled down. Glancing down, I saw Namgung Seheon's equally panicked eyes.
Before I could lift my head, thud thud—several footsteps approached.
"Haa, how does a kid vanish in that short time? Where'd he go?"
"Don't worry, Namgung Family Head. He hasn't left the outer quarters at least."
"I hope so. Bringing my reckless son was a mistake; now we're just troubling Mount Hua—"
The Namgung Family Head's sigh from the Lotus Pavilion cut off abruptly.
He'd clearly witnessed the lip-contact accident between some girl and his son.