Ye Wanqing crouched in front of a shop, resting her chin on her hand. Her cheeks puffed out in irritation.
Her mature, gentle figure stood out sulking in front of a store, unintentionally drawing plenty of foot traffic to the street and the shop.
The shopkeeper chuckled, "Miss, is the person you're waiting for still not here? Why not come inside and have a seat?"
Ye Wanqing shook her head, "It's fine. I'll just wait out here. Maybe she got lost. If I stay outside, she'll see me right away."
The shopkeeper smiled knowingly. She was clearly just saying that. Honestly, he was thrilled to have her sitting outside — having a beautiful woman there was great for business.
Bored, Ye Wanqing started playing with the pebbles on the ground, picking one up and tossing it into the distance.
"Stupid Lingyuan, how dare you stand me up! I'm never speaking to you again!"
Suddenly, a beautiful figure in a tight black outfit appeared out of thin air, a smile on her face.
"You're really never speaking to me again?"
Ye Wanqing pouted and stood up, brushing off her skirt.
"Speak to who? I don't hear anyone. It's lunchtime, and I'm leaving now~"
She walked past Lingyuan as if she didn't exist, deliberately bumping shoulders to vent her frustration.
"Pfft~"
Lingyuan was amused. She grabbed Ye Wanqing's hand, and under her feisty glare, pinched her puffed cheeks with a teasing smile.
"You're such a kid when you're angry — it's adorable."
"Ugh, get lost!"
Ye Wanqing blushed, slapping Lingyuan's wandering hand away. "You always do this... every time we meet…"
Lingyuan clicked her tongue. "They've grown again. Come on, tell me your secret already!"
Ye Wanqing gave her a sidelong glance."It's called natural talent. And yours are fine already — a perfect handful. If you were like me, you'd suffer just walking around every day."
"For us soul masters, what's a little weight? I'm serious — spill the secret already, hmm?"
Ye Wanqing paused and looked at Lingyuan suspiciously."What's with you today? You never used to care about this stuff. Wait a minute… ohhh~ I get it. When you stood me up for those few hours… you were with your little boyfriend, weren't you?!"
"Tch, who's falling for someone? I just… wanted to take better care of myself, that's all."
Ye Wanqing narrowed her eyes and smirked."I said you fell for someone. So it is true!"
Lingyuan stiffened and pulled Ye Wanqing along, ignoring her protests.
"Come on, let's go eat. I'm treating — your favorite, imperial crab."
Ye Wanqing shouted,"Even if you stuff me full to shut me up, you can't hide that you're in lo—mmm!"
Lingyuan hurriedly covered her mouth, looking around nervously. No one seemed to notice. She sighed in relief.
"Wanqing, please, I'm begging you — don't say crazy stuff like that, okay?"
Ye Wanqing gave her a slightly resentful look."Lingyuan, you've changed. You used to call me Qingqing, remember?"
"I did? No, I didn't."
"You did."
...
The two arrived at the hotel. Ye Wanqing licked her fingers clean of crab oil and asked seriously:
"So, you're saying you've fallen for a younger guy?"
Lingyuan nodded.
"Pff, so what? My brother-in-law's younger than my sister too. No big deal. Just go for it!
With your beauty, Lingyuan, one flick of your finger and any guy would fall at your feet."
She lifted her chin confidently.
Lingyuan spoke quietly,"Well, he's a lot younger…"
Ye Wanqing frowned."How much younger?"
Lingyuan turned her head. "More than ten years…"
Ye Wanqing sprang to her feet in shock.
Her eyes widened with disbelief.
Lingyuan rubbed her forehead awkwardly and gave a wry smile.
"Well… um…"
Ye Wanqing scratched her head, looking conflicted.
"That's not a big deal either! Title Douluos can live for hundreds of years. Just wait until he grows up — then you'll be about the same age!
You have no idea what I've heard in Heaven Dou City. There's this noble lady in her 40s on the west side — married a freshly adult soul master a few years back.
Nobody really says anything.
So don't stress. I totally support you."
Lingyuan sighed softly. "Wanqing, I'm really lucky to have you."
Ye Wanqing sat beside her, rubbing Lingyuan's hand to comfort her.
"Of course! We're best friends. Besties always support each other, no matter what!"
Lingyuan was touched and ordered three more plates of imperial crab.
Ye Wanqing happily wiped her mouth after the meal.
Patting her full belly, she burped in satisfaction.
"Let's go — come back with me. I'll give you some advice."
Lingyuan raised an eyebrow."You? Aren't you single too? What kind of advice could you give?"
Ye Wanqing rolled her eyes."Maybe I'm single, but my sister isn't!
Didn't I tell you? My sister and her husband were in a similar situation."
Lingyuan suddenly recalled,"Oh right, didn't your sister already have a child? That would make the kid over three years old now? Soul awakening must be soon…"
Ye Wanqing's expression dimmed.
"Yeah… if nothing goes wrong, once Lingling awakens… she'll…"
Lingyuan's heart clenched."I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up…"
Ye Wanqing smiled."It's okay. It's the fate of the Nine-Heart Begonia family. Everyone knows…
But enough of that. Let's go see my sister — maybe she'll give us some real lessons."
"Alright…"
Lingyuan let Wanqing pull her toward the eastern part of the city. Watching her lively friend, her thoughts turned heavy.
Heaven had given the Nine-Heart Begonia clan the top healing martial soul in the world — but at the cost of their inheritance.
Every time a new Nine-Heart Begonia awakens, the previous generation passes away.
Such a cruel fate. Not only was the spirit limited to a single skill, it also had such a restriction...
A restriction...
Lingyuan's eyes suddenly lit up. Could this be a flaw in the martial soul?
Could Xiaofeng possibly solve it? His theoretical talent was truly one-of-a-kind.
The thought brightened her mood.
She stopped being dragged and walked side-by-side with Wanqing instead.
Grabbing her friend's hand in return, she smiled:
"Alright — lead the way to your family's place."
T/N: For up to eleven chapters ahead on this fic and twenty on my other, become a P@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle