Su Qing heard Su Qingyu's complaints about her.
She didn't get angry, only saying with a chuckle, "Just practice well!"
Su Qing didn't want to tell her about her impending departure yet.
Now wasn't the time...
Using such a thing to motivate her wasn't a good decision either.
To the girl, it might not be motivation but a shock.
So, it was better to maintain the status quo for now.
This was fine.
There was no need to add unnecessary pressure.
If the pressure was too great, a person could break.
Especially for a child.
Su Qingyu didn't know Su Qing's thoughts and only said dissatisfactorily, "I've been practicing hard! It was clearly you, Master, who came over and interrupted me!"
Hearing this, Su Qing chuckled and didn't say much else.
She just continued to watch her.
Seeing this, Su Qingyu curled her lip and then continued her sword practice.
Seeing her practicing so hard, Su Qing nodded in satisfaction.
Although Su Qingyu was young, her strength was already beyond that of ordinary martial artists.
Even in the Yue-Nu Sect where Li Yichou used to live, she would be considered top-tier among her peers, even rivaling many seniors.
Possessing such strength was due to her talent, of course, but also the careful guidance of Su Qing and the others, as well as the pills Su Qing occasionally produced.
In short, everyone was doing their best to make this child stronger.
So that when they eventually left, she would have the ability to stand on her own.
'Before we leave, this little one should reach a decent level and have some ability to protect herself in the Jianghu,' Su Qing thought. 'However, while her martial prowess is good, she's still lacking in other areas, even compared to Rendong. Hmm, it's about time she learned a bit about those things.'
Su Qing would leave sooner or later. What she could do now was ensure the child could handle all aspects of life.
Su Qing pondered.
After a long while.
She called Su Qingyu over.
"Tell me, do you want to manage a shop?" Su Qing asked point-blank.
Su Qingyu found it a bit bizarre. She stared blankly at Su Qing and said, "Master, how old am I? You want me to manage a shop already?"
It wasn't that Su Qingyu was lazy or didn't want to do something troublesome.
She just knew her own capabilities, so she didn't dare accept.
Su Qing shook her head slightly and said, "It's not a big deal. We're not short on money anyway, so just consider it practice. If you do well, that's great. If you mess up, it's no big deal; don't feel guilty at all. You'll have to take over the business eventually, so trying it out now isn't a mistake! Besides, who says the young can't manage a shop? Take Rendong, for example—didn't she start a long time ago?"
Hearing this, Su Qingyu realized it would be hard to refuse.
However, she still didn't want to accept...
Because if she really caused a shop to go bankrupt, Su Qing would definitely lecture her and nag her, which was why she didn't want to take it on!
She curled her lip helplessly, sighed, and said, "Master, you believe in me too much! You know that besides being a bit good at martial arts, I'm not good at anything else. So, how about we just forget it?"
"I said, everything has a beginning. I'm allowing you to fail... even if you really make the shop go bankrupt, I won't say a word to you."
Su Qing shook her head with a smile and said, "So just go ahead and do it boldly. Don't worry about this and that."
Su Qing knew more or less what the girl was worried about...
That's why she said these words to reassure her, lest she continue to refuse.
"Fine, fine, I get it! I'll try. But we have a deal, Master—you said it yourself, if I really run the shop into the ground, you won't scold me!" Su Qingyu looked at Su Qing, let out a long breath, and said, "Sigh, I really don't understand what you're thinking, Master."
Su Qingyu really didn't want to accept, but her master's intent was clear; she no longer had a chance to refuse.
Even if she kept arguing, it probably wouldn't change the decision.
Therefore, rather than continuing to push back, it was better to accept it for the sake of some peace and quiet.
Seeing her agree, Su Qing nodded with a smile.
However, just in case the child tried to be clever, she added a reminder, "Of course, I won't go back on my word. However, there is a prerequisite: you must actually try to manage the shop well. You can't just intentionally run it into the ground just to get me to stop making you manage it!"
"Hmph, I wouldn't do something like that! Since I've taken it over, I'll definitely try my best!"
Su Qingyu curled her lip, her tone full of dissatisfaction, "Am I really that pathetic and full of tricks in your eyes, Master?"
"Of course not. You're older now, so you're certainly not as full of tricks as when you were little! This was just a reminder."
Su Qing shook her head, and as if remembering something, she couldn't help but snort with laughter.
"After all, you did plenty of things like that when you were a little brat! How about it? Want me to tell you some stories from back then?"
Hearing this, Su Qingyu immediately panicked and shook her head hurriedly, "No, no, no! Please don't. I don't want to hear about my childhood blunders ever again."
"Anyway, since you're giving me a shop to manage, Master, just leave it to me. I'll definitely work hard. I won't intentionally ruin it just to end things quickly."
Su Qingyu was quite speechless about the things she had done as a child, especially when Su Qing brought them up; it made her feel despondent.
So, she didn't want to hear any of it!
She would rather practice martial arts than listen to that.
It was simply too lethal.
Su Qing smiled and said, "Why are you so scared? I think the things you did as a kid were quite interesting. You really don't want to hear?"
"Master, you're bullying me again, aren't you?" Su Qingyu puffed out her cheeks like a hamster, looking quite adorable in her indignation.
Su Qing chuckled and nodded slightly. "Yeah, bullying you is pretty fun!"
"Sigh, how did I end up with a master like you?" Su Qingyu sighed, looking speechless.
"You're lucky to have met a master like me~" Su Qing shook her head and said, "Alright, get lost and go practice! I'm going to take a nap."
Su Qingyu was speechless, but she obediently went to practice.
Time flowed.
Evening.
The news of Su Qingyu taking over a shop was shared with everyone.
After hearing it, Jin Xin tilted her head and said, "Her medical skills are so poor; letting her open a clinic won't work, right?"
"Oh, I'm not letting her open a clinic. I'm letting her take over a shop and open whatever kind of store she wants," Su Qing said, shaking her head.
"So, what kind of shop is she going to open?" Jin Xin asked again.
"I was so busy convincing her that I forgot to ask. But it doesn't matter. It's for her to decide anyway. Once we find the location, she can decide for herself." Su Qing rubbed her chin, suddenly realizing her oversight today.
But it wasn't a serious mistake, so it was harmless.
"..."
Not only was Jin Xin silent.
Even the person involved, Su Qingyu, was silent.
"Alright, don't look at me like that. There's plenty of time. Su Qingyu, you can slowly think about what kind of shop you want to run! As for the location, I'll help you pick a good one. You don't need to worry about that!" Su Qing clapped her hands, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere.
Hearing this, Su Qingyu could only shrug, indicating she understood.
After all, she didn't dare mock Su Qing.
Otherwise, she would definitely be bullied again!
After discussing the matter with everyone.
Su Qing said no more and turned to go about her own business.
Actually, there wasn't much to do besides closing her eyes to rest, clearing her mind, and reducing some mental stress.
Soon.
Late night.
Everyone went to bed.
Su Qing, of course, did the same.
Lying in bed, she gradually drifted into dreamland.
However, as usual, she didn't let her mind fall into a deep slumber, leaving a sliver of consciousness to ensure she could wake up at any time.
In her daze.
Su Qing seemed to hear a rustling sound.
It sounded like something was moving around in her room.
Su Qing's eyebrows furrowed instinctively, but she didn't wake up immediately.
But soon, she vaguely felt something starting to touch her...
Her heart jumped, and she instantly opened her eyes.
The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jin Xin's pretty face.
She was startled...
Then she was utterly speechless, "I was wondering what was going on. It's you again? This trick again?"
Su Qing asked with a face full of exasperation.
Hearing this, Jin Xin smiled and said, "Oh my, I was discovered."
"If I were sleeping any deeper, I might not have noticed. But if you were really going to do those things, I would have noticed even if I were dead to the world, okay?" Su Qing looked at her helplessly and said, "You really didn't remember a single word I said back then, did you?"
Jin Xin smiled again and said, "Words? What words?"
Su Qing was speechless for a moment. This move again... this woman was truly shameless.
Should she say Jin Xin had learned well from her, or that this woman was even more formidable than herself?
Su Qing sighed helplessly and said, "Alright, go back and rest! You've failed!"
"Fine! But can you tell me why you still woke up like that?" Jin Xin propped herself up with her hands and looked at Su Qing. "In the storybooks I read, people don't wake up from that?"
Although Jin Xin was full of dirty jokes and thought about night raids all day, when it came to actual practical experience, she had absolutely none.
To put it bluntly, she was a theoretical expert...
Aside from theory, she had nothing.
Su Qing sighed helplessly and said, "Read fewer storybooks. Those things aren't realistic."
"Why?" Jin Xin asked again.
Su Qing looked at Jin Xin, hesitating on how to explain this knowledge to her.
After a long silence, Su Qing reached out and rubbed Jin Xin's chest. "Can you feel that?"
Jin Xin's body trembled, followed by a long silence, and finally, she nodded wordlessly.
"Since you have feeling, then if you come to mess with me, won't I have feeling too? I can even vaguely hear the sound of you walking, let alone the movements on my body. So, read fewer storybooks; they really aren't realistic."
Su Qing let go and then gave a helpless smile, saying, "Alright, go back and rest! Don't do this again tonight..."
Su Qing's words made Jin Xin nod. She then climbed up woodenly and silently walked out of the room.
Seeing Jin Xin leave so obediently.
Su Qing was a bit stunned.
But she didn't think too much of it, put her head down, and went back to sleep.
Jin Xin went out the door.
Standing in the courtyard, she seemed to be in a daze.
After a long while, she let out a breath of turbid air.
She reached out and felt her own heartbeat.
After feeling her heartbeat calm down a bit, she thought to herself, 'That was close... I almost died just now. But why was my heart beating so fast?'
She rubbed her chest. Hmm, while it was somewhat comfortable, it didn't have that feeling from just now.
Thinking of this.
She looked up at the night sky.
Her heart became firm in the idea that she must succeed once.
But, forget it for tonight.
Her heartbeat hadn't calmed down yet!
Besides, having failed once, Su Qing was already on guard; she probably had no chance of success.
Therefore, it wouldn't be too late to do this kind of thing later.
Anyway, they would be together for a long time.
There would be plenty of time in the future.
In the blink of an eye, it was dawn.
Su Qing woke up early as usual.
She walked into the courtyard and let out a yawn.
She was thinking about what kind of location to get for Su Qingyu's shop.
'It definitely can't be too far from the clinic,' Su Qing thought.
As she was thinking, a maid ran over to deliver a message.
She said someone was looking for her and claimed to be acting on the Emperor's orders.
"Should I send her away?" the maid asked.
Hearing this, Su Qing shook her head and said, "If it really is the Emperor's command, wouldn't sending her away be a huge mistake? Just tell her to come in!"
The maid nodded, not daring to ask more, and quickly walked out to lead the person in.
When Su Qing saw the visitor, she couldn't help but smile and said, "I didn't expect a familiar face to show up!"
Rate on N.U.
