Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Kite Flies Back into Hand
Is it my fault?
This thought began to unfurl in Yu Xia’s mind at some unknown time.
While scrubbing clothes.
While shopping for groceries.
While greeting the neighborhood aunty and old woman.
These past few days, as she poured herself wholeheartedly into the role of a “servant,” Yu Xia suddenly found that this thought was becoming increasingly vivid and intense in her head.
Before losing her power, she always presented herself with authority, maintaining the air of the Sect Leader.
She would never show even a hint of fear or hesitation, or else she would be looked down upon by the sect disciples.
She had to keep being strong.
Otherwise, she would be reduced to a miserable, pitiful life of being at the mercy of others.
But once she truly lost her powers and became an ordinary mortal,
She unexpectedly discovered that the life of a mortal wasn’t as bad as she had imagined.
They might not have luxurious clothes and abundant food, but three meals a day were still enough to keep them comfortably fed and happy.
Without the dread-inducing strength, they still lived in harmony, with little friction or conflict among each other.
It seemed the world was operating in a way she had never seen before.
Instead, it was she who felt out of place.
——
——
“Girl, big girl?”
“…Huh?”
Yu Xia snapped back to reality.
“Big girl, do you still want this fabric?”
In front of her stood an old woman nearing seventy, looking at her with a concerned expression.
“This is high-quality fabric; it just came in a couple of days ago and is almost sold out. There are only a few pieces left.”
“Ah… Sure.”
Yu Xia didn’t really understand the quality of this mundane fabric.
It was just that Young Master Sang mentioned their home needed curtains, as it was too bright outside if they wanted to nap during the day.
Upon hearing this, the old woman instantly beamed:
“Great, big girl! I’ll cut the fabric for you and wrap it up nicely.”
Hearing the old woman call her “big girl” made Yu Xia’s feelings quite complicated.
After all, judging by age, she might even be a few rounds older than this lady.
But at this moment, with her naive and inexperienced demeanor, she truly resembled a newlywed woman, innocent and unaware of the world.
The old woman was very attentive; she not only carefully cut the fabric but also marked each yard with precision.
Yu Xia patiently waited beside her.
“Big girl.”
While cutting, the old woman suddenly asked, “You must have just moved to the town not long ago, right?”
“Ah? Uh…”
Yu Xia didn’t know how to reply.
“That’s nice! You look just like a newly married couple who just moved in.”
The old woman chuckled: “When you and your husband have a child in the future, you can come to me for making clothes and shoes for the little one.”
“I’ll give you a good deal.”
Yu Xia nodded absently.
“Ah.” Mentioning children caused a hint of sadness to cloud the old woman’s eyes: “What a pity, my child passed away too soon. A white-haired person sending off a black-haired one.”
“Otherwise, who knows, my grandchild might be getting married and having kids by now.”
Seeing the old woman’s eyes welling with sorrow and bitterness for the first time sparked Yu Xia’s interest.
“Your child was…”
“Years ago, my child was taken by an immortal to the mountain for training.”
As the old woman reminisced, her expression grew fond: “Back then, my husband and I were so happy, thinking our child would become an immortal too due to our ancestors’ good deeds.”
“We thought it was a huge blessing, who would’ve thought…”
She chuckled ruefully, shaking her head.
“What happened?” Yu Xia couldn’t help but ask.
“They say the conflicts between immortals got him tangled up, a mere ordinary disciple caught in a deadly struggle.”
“When they brought him back… he was only half a body.” The old woman’s eyes turned red, full of sorrow.
Yu Xia fell silent.
“Let’s just say, our child didn’t have the fate to be an immortal.”
She sighed: “If I had known it would result in a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one, I would’ve never let him go to the mountain.”
“I’d rather he stayed in this shop as a tailor. That wouldn’t have been bad at all.”
“Maybe he would’ve found a wife, had a few kids, and lived a peaceful life.”
“Surely he could’ve been calling my leg ‘Grandma’ by now.”
The old woman gazed at the children in the street, running with kites in hand.
Yu Xia saw a mix of comfort and regret in her aged and clouded eyes.
And a hint of longing.
Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming fear about something.
“Where did your child go… which immortal mountain?” she asked nervously.
“I heard it was a sect called Floating Feather Pavilion.”
Yu Xia finally let out a sigh of relief.
But the next moment, she felt a bitter pang in her chest.
…Does it really make any difference?
Even if he’s not this old woman’s child.
In the Water Moon Sect, aren’t there disciples who died tragically because of her?
Aren’t they also someone’s children?
For some reason, Yu Xia suddenly recalled what He Hongyi had said to her before he went mad.
…I know the world will never understand my actions, and Yu Xia will not easily change her mind.
…But one day, Yu Xia will understand that cause and effect is real.
…Bad habits yield bad ends. Good habits yield good results.
One must be a good person.
If.
If it weren’t for my insatiable desires.
If not for my selfishness leading countless disciples to risk their lives for me,
Wouldn’t countless children return to homes like this old woman’s?
Wouldn’t they live different lives?
Without the need to fight over a sliver of opportunity at the cost of their lives.
Without resorting to any means to improve their cultivation.
Even if it was just Foundation Establishment or Core Formation.
They could find a town like this, with their families, lovers, and children.
Living a tranquil and leisurely life?
……
Whether by coincidence or fate.
The children playing on the street were laughing and chasing each other, their kites soaring higher, elegant and beautiful.
Suddenly, the child holding the kite stumbled, letting it slip away into the wind.
The other kids all looked disappointed; the fallen child began to wail.
“It’s okay.” One child comforted the fallen one.
“It’s just a kite; it’s not worth crying over.”
“Besides,”
“It might just fly back to you one day.”
……
“Big girl?” The old woman called out to Yu Xia with concern.
It was then that Yu Xia noticed a few tear stains on her cheeks, not realizing when they had appeared.
She hurriedly wiped her tears and managed a faint smile: “I’m fine.”
“Is the fabric cut? Thank you so much, madam.”
Silently, she took the fabric and started to walk back.
As she passed by those children, they were still trying to comfort the crying one.
Yu Xia suddenly felt that she might not be as clear and straightforward as those kids.
The kite was lost, and so what?
It was just a kite.
Not worth crying over.
And definitely not worth throwing everything away and spending a lifetime on.
Besides, maybe one day.
The kite would come flying back to her.
Suddenly, the crying child’s sobs quieted down.
All the children stared up in awe at the kite gently floating back down.
Slowly.
It landed back into their hands.
And Yu Xia’s figure had long vanished from the street.
