200 years later...
Beijing Central Hospital, China
Beijing City was just as it always was. Bustling as always. Business men and women hurrying to work, students hurrying to catch the school bus, some rich kids however, entering their chauffeured car. It was full of hustle bustle as everyone rushed to their destinations.
However amidst the chaos, no one noticed the silvery white light that suddenly shot out of the sky. It was so fast that anyone who saw it would only wonder if they were imagining things. But the light had a destination too. It shot straight through the window of a ward in the central hospital and settled in the body of a fragile looking boy lying on an hospital bed.
***
Yan Nuan's head felt very heavy and she was uneasy. A blinding pain overcame her and she was unable to concentrate. She tried hard to figure out what was going on with her but it was all for naught. Her brain kept buzzing and she could feel her senses failing. She lost control of her senses once more and blacked out.
Afterwards, Yan Nuan kept waking up for a few minutes but she still couldn't control the fuzziness in her head and kept slipping in and out of consciousness. This greatly exhausted Yan Nuan's mental strength and she felt an urge to yell out of frustration.
She had died, hadn't she? What the hell was now happening to her? It was highly uncomfortable and torturing. She had never felt so helpless!
Afterwards, she fell unconscious once again however it was unusually long compared to the other times. When she finally woke up again, her head felt much clearer and her senses had returned. She could slightly sense her own breathing. She could also feel the stinging pain from earlier but was unable to figure out where it came from. However, apart from that she could also feel a rough touch. Perhaps because, she had been barely conscious and clueless for a long time, she was very alert.
Yan Nuan was surprised. She could feel? She could actually feel!
She forced her eyes open, intending to figure out where she was. Her eyes however were unable to adjust to the sudden flash of light immediately. When she could finally see well, she saw a person frantically running out of the door…
And screaming, "Ghost!"
Yan Nuan didn't think much at his words and she instinctively got off the bed without further ado. She ran out of the room behind the person and saw that he kept looking backwards and screaming, "Ghost."
The man however soon stopped and his behind a taller man who was putting on a white coat. Yan Nuan was far from them but she could still distinctly hear him say to the taller man, "Chief. A ghost. So scary!"
Yan Nuan couldn't comprehend what was going on. She looked back but couldn't see a thing. Her eyes narrowed. Now that she thought of it, she had acted boorishly. As a top warrior, how could she be sacred by a ghost. It was such a shame to the Shadow guards. She looked back at the young man who kept pointing towards her and suddenly had a nagging feeling.
She asked, her voice nasally because she had not spoken in a long time. "Where is the ghost?"
The man screamed and held the taller man even tighter. "The ghost can speak!"
Yan Nuan felt her head buzz. She instantly realized what was going on. She was the… ghost they were referring to! Truly, she knew she was a ghost. Right... she got back stabbed and died. However, could these people see her? Moreover, who were all these people looking at her? And what was she putting on? She looked herself over once again before looking at the people crowded in front of her and staring at her with strange emotions in their gazes.
Her gaze was sharp as she tried to decipher the situation in front of her. A middle aged man in suit stared at her with a hint of shock while a woman who was a bit younger was looking at her with tear filled eyes. Yan Nuan felt very uneasy.
She was prepared to ask them who they were when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. Yan Nuan's head buzzed. It was so painful that she felt her legs go weak. She instantly crumbled and held her head with her palms while screaming in pain. Her hands were clutching her hair tightly as she tried to alleviate the pain.
Yan Nuan could hear several shuffles around as well as the feeling of being lifted. She felt her head on the verge of exploding. Several images kept appearing in her mind but as they settled, they left a deep impression on her. It was as if she could relate to the unusual images. She felt a deep attachment towards them. The images kept appearing and disappearing but she could remember them vividly like they were part and parcel of her.
Soon, her mind began to clear up and the pain finally died down. Yan Nuan heaved unevenly and slumped back but she didn't land on the floor. She felt something soft underneath her.
Yan Nuan opened her eyes and saw that it was a bed. She opened her eyes and saw the tensed face of the man and woman once more. But now, Yan Nuan knew who they were. Though, unusual but true.
The man was her father and the younger woman was her nanny.
Yan Nuan felt that the words were strange. She wasn't uses to it. She unconsciously called out, "Father. Nanny Liu."
Yan Nuan felt Nanny Liu lift her hand to pat her head. She instantly looked up at the older woman. She saw that the woman was tearing up. Rubbing her eyes to stop the tears, Nanny Liu leaned in to kiss Yan Nuan's forehead.
Yan Nuan was stunned silly the moment she felt the kiss on her forehead. It felt so serene and sweet that it shot straight to Yan Nuan's heart. It felt as if the woman was her mother. She could feel the love in the other woman's gaze.
It was so strange yet satisfying!
A lump grew in her throat and Yan Nuan uncontrollably broke into tears. Her shoulders shook and she lowered her head, weeping profusely. Father Yan and Nanny Liu were stunned. He instantly took Yan Nuan into his arms and let her cry as much as she wanted.
Yan Nuan had never known what a mother's love felt like in her past life. She had lost her parents when she was barely three months old. Her grandfather had raised her. He was a great man. She hadn't gone to school like the other kids. However, he taught her what other kids couldn't write. He taught her Ancient Chinese, War Classics and the Confucius sayings. He made her learn painting and calligraphy. She even had to learn how to cook. Most importantly, he taught her the greatest martial arts that everyone envied; the Supreme Sword Art.
However, he wasn't able to show her love. Yan Nuan couldn't blame the old man. She knew how frustrated he was. He had lost his son and daughter in law. His family was also crumbling and he who was known as the mighty general in his younger years felt sorrow seeing his fallen family. He had another son. However, he wasn't proficient in martial arts and was partly to blame for his youngest son's death. He was not able to forgive that son of his.
At times, Yan Nuan could feel that the old man wanted to die and I've everything up. However, because of the promise he made to his dying son and daughter in law, he kept holding on. He had promised to take care of the little kid. Yan Nuan was taken care of. She had become successful and her grandfather finally gave up his life.