#280 - Like an iceberg slowly melting

"So, what kind of relationship do we have?"

Xu Xuenuo looked at Xu Ming, awaiting his answer with calm eyes.

Silence fell between the two.

Xu Ming's eyes met Xu Xuenuo's.

In truth, Xu Ming understood that Xu Xuenuo's question was primarily to ascertain her own "position."

When a person is like rootless duckweed, they are most prone to feeling insecure.

Xu Xuenuo was currently facing such a problem.

Since childhood, she had been "disliked" by her mother for not being a son, and later, she severed ties with the Xu family, leaving her like drifting catkins in the air, unsure of who she was, like a kite, not knowing where it would break or where it would fly.

Perhaps Xu Xuenuo had always lacked a sense of security in her heart.

But fortunately, there were a few strings tying down this kite.

These strings were "bloodline," Xu Ming, and Qin Qingwan.

Especially Xu Ming.

Xu Ming was Xu Xuenuo's only friend, having been together since birth, and also a relative.

But now, for Xu Xuenuo, there was a fifty percent chance that she was not a member of the Xu family, and the string of bloodline was about to break.

And even if Xu Xuenuo did have the Xu family's bloodline, it would mean that Xu Ming would not.

Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo would not be relatives.

So, what was the relationship between herself and Xu Ming?

"Whatever relationship you think we have, that's what we have," Xu Ming said with a smile.

"..." Xu Xuenuo lowered her head slightly.

Xu Ming looked at the complex expression on the young woman's face: "If you want to be my older sister, then you are my older sister. Who says that siblings must be connected by blood? There are so many sworn brothers in the world who share life and death, and there are also many blood-related brothers who become enemies. So, is bloodline important?

If you don't want to be my older sister, then we are friends. The relationship between us has nothing to do with anyone else. The friendship between us is built on mutual respect.

So, it's all up to you, Xuenuo.

But Xuenuo.

No matter what, Qingwan and I will not change our attitude towards you. When you move forward and lose sight of where you came from, we will always be by your side."

Listening to Xu Ming's words, Xu Xuenuo's small hands tightly gripped her clothes, her eyes flickering, even feeling a thin mist of tears forming.

"Hmph, you speak better than you sing," Xu Xuenuo turned her head away, not wanting Xu Ming to see her discomposure, "You've never called me 'older sister' since we were little."

Xu Ming: "..."

"Or, should I call you 'older sister' now for you to hear?" Xu Ming said with a smile.

"No need," Xu Xuenuo secretly wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and walked in the direction she had come from, "I'm going back. If there's a chance in the future, you can come to the Myriad Sword Sect to see, it will also benefit your cultivation."

"Wait, here, this is for you."

Xu Ming took out a box from his storage bag and tossed it to Xu Xuenuo.

Xu Xuenuo steadily caught it, her back to Xu Ming, examining the box: "What is this?"

Looking at Xu Xuenuo's back, Xu Ming explained, "Just a little something. I was originally planning to give it to you and Qingwan when I saw you, as a greeting gift. You'll know when you open it. It's not anything precious."

Xu Xuenuo opened the box, inside was a deer god hairpin. The material used for the hairpin was decent, but as Xu Ming said, it wasn't very precious, and the carving technique wasn't top-notch, but you could tell it was made with care.

"Did you make this?" Xu Xuenuo asked.

"I made it, but it's not very pretty," Xu Ming said.

"It's quite ugly," Xu Xuenuo nodded, not giving Xu Ming any face.

"..."

Xu Ming thought that his "older sister" really didn't know how to comfort others.

Even if it's ugly, you should at least pretend...

"But it's barely passable," Xu Xuenuo said again, putting away the hairpin, walking further and further away, her voice slowly coming from behind her, "Thank you."

Xu Xuenuo's figure gradually disappeared from Xu Ming's sight.

"Still the same as when she was little... a sharp tongue but a soft heart, and a bit of tsundere..." Looking in the direction where Xu Xuenuo disappeared, Xu Ming couldn't help but smile, "But this is also good."

"Little Martial Uncle is back."

On a rock halfway up Guest Peak, as everyone was waiting for Xu Xuenuo to return, a female disciple stood up.

Hearing the female disciple's voice, everyone turned their heads to look.

"She's back," the leading elder said with a smile, looking at Xu Xuenuo.

Xu Xuenuo bowed with her sword: "I have kept the elder and fellow martial brothers and sisters waiting."

"A little bit of time doesn't matter," the elder nodded, "Finished chatting?"

Xu Xuenuo: "Finished chatting."

"Then let's set off," the elder led the way forward, with everyone following behind.

In fact, everyone could see that there seemed to be some kind of conflict between the siblings.

The things they were talking about were definitely not sword techniques, but some personal matters, but everyone pretended not to know.

It was just that as they walked, the disciples of the Myriad Sword Sect couldn't help but focus their attention on Xu Xuenuo.

Not because of Xu Xuenuo's outstanding appearance.

But because they felt that their sect's Little Martial Uncle's sword aura and sword intent seemed to have become much clearer and calmer, like a clear spring on a snowy mountain, clean and pure.

"Martial Brother Xiao, look, look..."

A female cultivator from the Myriad Sword Sect gently nudged a martial brother next to her with her elbow, saying softly and excitedly.

"What's wrong?" Martial Brother Xiao asked, puzzled.

"Look at Little Martial Uncle," the female disciple grabbed his sleeve.

Martial Brother Xiao looked over.

And the moment Martial Brother Xiao looked over, he wondered if he had seen wrongly.

Martial Brother Xiao rubbed his eyes and looked over again.

At this time, Martial Brother Xiao wasn't wondering if he had seen wrongly, but wondering if he was dreaming.

The midday sun shone down.

On the way down the mountain.

A girl lowered her head, not knowing what she was thinking, revealing a faint smile, like an iceberg slowly melting...

[Originally could have had a good weekend, but was dragged to work overtime again on Saturday, damn it, have to go to the company again tomorrow morning.

Really服了.

This little bit of overtime pay is really not rare, I just want to have a good rest啊

Alas.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, if I still have to work overtime during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I really have to quit this job.]