One year has quickly passed since Ling returned to Weixen. Things have been going smoothly. The Caretaker has not yet acted, and Er Xi has been doing incredible managing everything. Ling could clearly see the stress on her shoulders. The just-turned sixteen-year-old girl was looking twenty. She ran the inn and also had to worry about him. He has been trying his best to look cheerful enough. The other servants that came with them were helping, but some months after settling down in Weixen, two out of the three servants that came with them have shown talent for cultivation. Er Xi has actually approved them going to the sub-cultivation sect in Weixen, hoping to strengthen the house in the future, but that increased her workload.
Waking up in the current day, Ling stretched himself and grabbed a money pouch Er Xi had arranged for him. She mostly did so, urging him to have fun with it. "Good morning, Aunty Er Xi," Ling greeted after coming downstairs. "Young master," Er Xi called, leaving the calculations she was doing and getting up to Ling. Actually, within this one year, Ling has constantly gone out to lessen the worry of Er Xi. "I am heading out," Ling said with a smile. "Okay, Lin Dong should follow you," Er Xi said. Even though Lin Dong had just turned thirteen, Er Xi trusted him to be able to protect Ling. Within this one year, the young boy has proved to be capable. "Okay, no problem," Ling said, not wanting to give Er Xi troubles.
Outside Ling's inn, Ling, who mostly did nothing other than walking up and down whenever he was out, started the day by walking up and down. "Beat her! Beat her!" Soon enough, Ling heard voices after walking for some time in the market area.
"What is all the commotion?" Lin Dong said. "Let's go check it," Ling said as he walked over, closely followed by Lin Dong. Walking to the spot where people gathered, Ling could see a man and an older teenager beating a girl who seemed to be ten. Things like this are common in Weixen. "What did she do?" Ling asked but quickly guessed what she did as he noticed the girl clutching tight onto rice pudding. "Stop beating her, I will pay," Ling said.
Hearing the voice, the man beating the girl, who seemed to be the shop owner, was about retorting but then looked up to see it was Ling. In Weixen, since after the banquet one year ago, Ling was known as the richest youngest young master, so respect was accorded to him by many. "Master Ling," the man called, forming a smile as he immediately cupped his hand. "Lin Dong," Ling called, and immediately Lin Dong threw a money pouch at the man, the man quickly caught the pouch and left with the teenager and the other market people started dispersing too .
"Thank you," Ling heard a cute voice as he saw the girl stagger up to leave. "See, you need to treat your injury," Ling said, holding the girl and passing a pouch to her. The action seemed to make the girl pause for some time before flashing a smile at him. "Thanks," she said before dragging herself and walking away. Seeing her head to wherever she was heading to, Ling felt compassionate but then he just knew there are a lot more like her out there. "Let's go back," Ling said. This was totally reminding him of his situation. He was totally powerless just like that girl. He knew all that has been going on and knew Er Xi has actually tried enough to put a stalemate from the moment they stepped in Weixen, causing him not to be swallowed whole.
Yan Yan dragged her body to a thatched house that was half dilapidated. She has actually gone out to steal food for her sick mom. Even with the pain she was now feeling happy that not only did she steal some but also got money. "Mommy," Yan Yan called to let her mum know that she was back but got no reply. "Mummy," Yan Yan called again, this time already close to her mum and nudging her. "Mummy," Yan Yan called again, this time tears dripping down her eyes. "Mummy," Yan Yan started wailing loudly. She finally got food and money for drugs, but now her mummy is dead. Yan Yan cried for a long time with nobody there to console her. Already running out of tears, Yan Yan could only sniff and sniff when a hand held her by her shoulders, causing her to turn just to see a man who seems to be in his sixties.
"I am sorry, my child," the man said, with tears dripping down his eyes. Yan was a bit surprised by this, but then he saw the man leave her just to bend beside her mum, holding up her dead body to his bosom and weeping loudly. "
"My child, my poor little child," the man called as his body was visibly shaking while he wept. Yan's mother was his daughter and only child. She had actually fled from home because of a lover, and he had been looking for her since. Today, he finally found her, but she was dead.
Yan, who was crying, was totally confused now. She didn't know this old man, but his reaction showed he knew her mom. The man, after finally being able to control himself a bit, called Yan, "Come closer, kid. I am your grandfather."
Hearing this, Yan was first surprised before her surprise slowly turned into anger. "Grandfather? You are telling me that I have a grandfather? Where have you been all this time when I was suffering with mom? Where were you when mom was beaten to bring back food until she got sick and now she's dead? Sorry, I don't need a grandfather," Yan said. She felt rage. She was bitter.
"It is all my fault. You can beat up this stupid grandpa. No, you don't need to stress yourself for that; he will do it himself," the man raised his hand and then hit himself on the chest with an open palm. Yan was angry but was surprised to see this, as she saw the man puking out blood with that hit. The man raised his hand again, hitting himself on the chest once more, causing him to puke out blood again and now kneeling with one leg. Seeing this, Yan was scared. The man would surely die with two more hits. The man raised his hand again to hit himself, and this time, Yan rushed to stop him.
"Please stop!" Yan said as she saw that even with her trying to hold up the man's hand, it was still going toward the man's chest. "I have no need to live if you are not accepting me as your grandfather," the man said as his hand kept falling, then hitting himself one more time. This time, Yan saw that the man's heart had caved in, and the palm print could now clearly be seen.
"Stop it, please! Stop it, I am begging you," Yan said with tears streaming down her eyes, but then saw the man's hands rise again. The man could barely speak now. "You are my grandfather," Yan forced out the words. She could see that the man's mind was totally made up.
Hearing her, the man pulled her into his embrace. "Sorry I let you suffer. Please find a place in your heart to forgive grandpa, okay?" the man said.
"I forgive you, grandpa. I mean, mum might have done the same, so why can't I? I forgive you," Yan said, still crying.
"Thank you," the man said, finally smiling for the first time before collapsing. After seeing this, Yan's face turned dark. She had just accepted a grandfather, and now he was dying on her. She quickly put her little hands together on his chest and started trying to resuscitate him. The act seemed stupid since the man's injury was where Yan was pressing on, but the man still woke up. Maybe the extra pain forced him up. After the man opened his eyes to see Yan continuously pushing with both her little palms together to resuscitate him, he couldn't help smiling before looking up and screaming out loud, "Heaven! I saw my granddaughter."
The man slowly got up and popped a pill in his mouth, seeing him do that Yan was about thinking the man has tricked her with the act of trying to kill himself but the she saw the man rip his top totally seeing it clearly now Yan could see that the arteries of the man around the chest seems to be about popping out.
"don't worry I won't die, I am the divine finger, I can heal up to this level, another hit and I would have been really dead, thank you for accepting me" the man said as he flashed a sincere smile.