Chapter 174: He Is Truly Beyond Words In His Madness
In the Ming Family, the snow on the eaves had not yet completely melted.
Ming Zhaoshuang glanced at the woman under the eaves from afar, her heart stirred, and a feeling of apprehension closer to home surged within her.
Jiang Yuejian, the matriarch of the Ming family, and the mother who had raised her for over a decade,
She had a beautiful and graceful appearance, with bright eyes, and wore a dark blue robe, encircled by a light-colored ribbon embroidered with lively butterflies, making her appear even more radiant and charming, like a celestial concubine.
At this moment, looking at her figure, her beautiful eyes brimmed with earnest expectation.
Ming Zhaoshuang gently clenched the corner of her clothes and exhaled.
Fushuang flew rapidly and landed in front of Jiang Yuejian.
As soon as she saw Ming Zhaoshuang, Jiang Yuejian disregarded her demeanor and waved, saying, “Shuang’er, come here, let your mother take a look.”
Ming Zhaoshuang jumped off Fushuang and stood before her.
Having not seen each other for more than half a year, Jiang Yuejian was already worried about Ming Zhaoshuang’s safety, thinking about when Ming Zhaoshuang had ever left her for so long.
Now, she circled Ming Zhaoshuang endlessly, looking her up and down, and couldn’t stop saying, “Look, you’ve grown so much in more than half a year, your face has filled out, and your eyes are just like…”
Suddenly, Jiang Yuejian stopped speaking. She stared blankly at the beauty mark on Ming Zhaoshuang’s left eye.
Ming Zhaoshuang could clearly feel her breathing quicken considerably.
It seemed that not only Ming Chenxing but also Jiang Yuejian were aware of Ming Zhaoshuang’s physical condition and even her background.
Ming Zhaoshuang had already suspected this, but she had never asked Ming Chenxing. Now, looking at Jiang Yuejian, she felt that something was not right everywhere.
Jiang Yuejian’s lips moved, appearing somewhat pale, and she asked, “You… you’re back?”
She seemed to be asking about her daughter who had been away for a long time, and also about a soul that had wandered for over a decade.
Ming Zhaoshuang looked at her kind eyes and nodded with a smile.
She said, “Mother, I’m back.”
Having grown up here, she had no emotions and only called Jiang Yuejian “mother” and Ming Cangzhu “father.”
Her answer undoubtedly told Jiang Yuejian directly that her soul, which had been away from its body for a long time, had finally returned to its homeland and was willing to be their daughter.
Jiang Yuejian was stunned for a long time, seemingly not knowing what to say.
She stared blankly at Ming Zhaoshuang’s eyes, searching within her frost-and-snow-like eyes for the shadow of the formerly dull and emotionless person.
It was as if she was happy for Ming Zhaoshuang’s return, and tears blurred her face.
She touched Ming Zhaoshuang’s cheek, feeling the lingering warmth, and said with a slight choke, “It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back…”
Ming Zhaoshuang smiled at Jiang Yuejian and said, “Mother, I am who I am. Don’t overthink it. I have always been your child.”
Jiang Yuejian, lost in thought, just nodded repeatedly, and a few drops of cloudy water fell from her eyelashes, prompting Ming Zhaoshuang to helplessly wipe her eyes.
To her surprise, this action made Jiang Yuejian cry even harder.
Jiang Yuejian had raised this child for over a decade and knew that she was born with an incomplete soul and could not feel affection for others.
Everyone said that there was no need to spend a lot of time and pour endless affection into raising a cold-hearted child like her, because no matter how much effort she spent, such a flower was destined not to bear fruit.
But Jiang Yuejian couldn’t bear to see such a snow doll without any emotions.
She always thought that if she were more attentive, more caring, perhaps this child would develop feelings for her, perhaps this child would develop affection for her.
So she poured almost everything a mother could do into Ming Zhaoshuang.
The first sentence Ming Zhaoshuang spoke was taught by her.
The first character Ming Zhaoshuang wrote was taught by her.
The principles, swordsmanship, and self-reliance that Ming Zhaoshuang learned were also taught by her.
Yet, even though she knew Ming Zhaoshuang could not develop feelings for her, for over ten years, she had only been willing to call her “mother,” with respect and indifference.
Now, hearing her genuinely call her “mother,” Jiang Yuejian didn’t know what to do.
She was flustered, feeling that this child wasn’t her child, yet also feeling that this child should be her child.
Soul, return, soul, return.
Her calling them “mother” and “father” affirmed her ten years of effort and her emotions over the past decade. Her child was never a heartless child, just one with a missing corner of her soul.
Ming Zhaoshuang had no memory of losing half her soul. She knew how Jiang Yuejian had treated her. Seeing her crying like a tearful person, she chuckled and said softly:
“Mother, I’m back, and it’s a good thing.”
It’s a good thing, so why are you crying?
Jiang Yuejian wiped her tears and sobbed uncontrollably.
“Yuejian, why are you crying?”
Suddenly, a deep, resonant voice came from behind Ming Zhaoshuang. Ming Cangzhu hurried over but stopped abruptly upon seeing Ming Zhaoshuang clearly.
It wasn’t that he didn’t recognize Ming Zhaoshuang before, after all, she was his daughter whom he had raised for twelve years.
It was just that the current Ming Zhaoshuang was so vastly different from her previous appearance.
She no longer kept people at a distance; she was no longer indifferent and difficult to empathize with; she was no longer like a tool without emotions or feelings, but like a living person.
Ming Zhaoshuang had only been away for half a year, and with Ming Chenxing watching her, how could she have become like this?
Could it be…
Ming Cangzhu’s throat felt dry and hoarse. Looking at the young girl before him, he seemed somewhat disbelieving, his clear eyes wide open like two glass beads.
Ming Zhaoshuang was also stunned when she saw him.
Then she smiled and said, “Father, I’m back.”
Ming Cangzhu’s hands began to tremble. He seemed to be suppressing his emotions, and after a long while, he finally spoke with great difficulty:
“Then what about her?”
Ming Zhaoshuang said, “I am her, the complete her.”
She could say this statement with pride and face this couple, these parents, without fear.
She was their daughter, their complete daughter, and she had returned.
After a long while, Ming Cangzhu finally confirmed that their daughter had indeed returned, complete.
Ming Chenxing had sent them a letter long ago about Ming Zhaoshuang’s soul returning, but they were unwilling to believe it and unwilling to say goodbye to their icy daughter, feeling heartbroken.
Therefore, for more than half a year, although they missed Ming Zhaoshuang, they had a strange feeling in their hearts.
That’s why when Ming Zhaoshuang wanted to go to the Talisman Saint’s Secret Realm, they didn’t stop her, thinking it would give them some time to adapt.
Adapt to her departure.
But when Ming Zhaoshuang stood before them alive and well, this strange feeling in their hearts disappeared completely.
This was their daughter, alive and well, no longer devoid of emotions and feelings.
She was their complete daughter; she had never left.
Seeing that Ming Cangzhu’s eyes also seemed to be glistening with moisture, Ming Zhaoshuang quickly said, “Father, if you dare to cry, I’ll have Chenxing write a short essay titled ‘Ming Family Patriarch Cries Profusely Late at Night, All for Her,’ and spread it throughout the First Heaven within a day, making you lose all face.”
Hearing this, Ming Cangzhu burst into laughter and retorted, “Your mother can cry, can’t I?”
To be honest, Ming Zhaoshuang calling them “mother” and “father” was something they were used to, but suddenly hearing “dad” and “mom” made them a little unaccustomed.
It was even somewhat awkward.
But they clearly knew that the tide of joy and irrepressible delight surging in their hearts was immense.
This made them feel refreshed all over, as if their efforts over the past decade had finally grown into a towering tree, bearing abundant fruits.
Before Ming Zhaoshuang could speak, Jiang Yuejian said, “What are you comparing with me for? Do you treat Shuang’er as well as I do? Shuang’er sent a message yesterday saying she would come home today, and you didn’t wait for her, insisting on handling some affairs.”
Ming Cangzhu jumped up, “Did I want to handle it? Clearly, those uncles wouldn’t let me leave. I just came as soon as I finished!”
Jiang Yuejian said, “Shuang’er was away for half a year, and you didn’t even go to the Ao Tian Sect to ask.”
Ming Cangzhu said angrily, “Do you think I didn’t want to ask? For the first three months, I was looking for Qin Du’s people every day. For the next four months, even if I wanted to ask, I couldn’t. Qin Du was already troubled enough dealing with the Lingxiao Sect. I couldn’t bother him when I knew he didn’t have any clear information about Shuang’er either, could I?”
Jiang Yuejian continued to retort, “Then if you knew Sect Master Qin was under so much pressure, why didn’t you lead the Ming family to aid him? Don’t make it seem like we’re not as good as the Fei Family.”
Ming Cangzhu thought to himself that he was worried that if the Ming family acted so carelessly and Qin Du benefited from it, he might still be unfavorable to Ming Zhaoshuang, especially since they didn’t know the Talisman Saint’s Secret Realm had collapsed, only that they had entered it.
But before he could speak, Ming Zhaoshuang said, “Father, take action. The Lingxiao Sect and others are bullying me.”
Saying this, Ming Zhaoshuang extended an arm as white as snow and jade, pointing to the smooth, unmarked skin and saying:
“Look, this wound has already healed, and it was Ling Yangping who hit me.”
System: “……”
I’ve seen wounds heal without going to the hospital, but I’ve never seen you complain after healing.
The most speechless thing was that after hearing this, Ming Cangzhu and Jiang Yuejian were both furious and immediately decided to settle the score with the Lingxiao Sect and beat Ling Yangping, the son of the Sect Master of Lingxiao Sect, to death.
All to vent Ming Zhaoshuang’s anger!
It was truly absurd.
