The Black Lotus Stole the White Moonlight (GL) - Chapter 14
“No, no! We have to think about this properly!” Bai An’an held up her hands, her big eyes wide, staring stubbornly at her, “Fairy sister, don’t be polite with An’an!”
With that, she blinked and held out her palm, her little hand reaching towards Mu Tianyin.
Mu Tianyin, seeing her eager look, shook her head with a smile, “Alright, let me think about it.”
Mu Tianyin began to think seriously. It seemed no one had ever asked her what she wanted. She had always been the one considering things for her disciples, for Mingxin City, and even for the entire cultivation world. Now, a young child was asking her earnestly what she wanted.
Thinking of this, she was momentarily stunned, her gaze falling on the face of the little girl in front of her.
The little girl was short and stocky, barely reaching her waist, and her small face, tilted up, was only the size of a palm. A pair of watery eyes stared at her expectantly.
Mu Tianyin’s heart suddenly stirred.
She bent down, leaned in, and placed her finger on Bai An’an’s head, her tone soft, “I don’t want anything for now. You can use this money for yourself.”
Bai An’an blinked, bit her lip, and suddenly stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and turned to leave.
Mu Tianyin let her pull her hand, curious what she wanted to do.
Today was a festival celebration, and the streets were crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder.
Bai An’an squeezed her way through the crowd, but suddenly her hand was released.
She paused, turned her head, and saw Mu Tianyin looking down at her.
She asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”
Mu Tianyin shook her head, leaned down, and wrapped her arms around her armpits, lifting her into her arms.
Bai An’an’s feet dangled in the air, landing securely in Mu Tianyin’s arms, and she paused almost imperceptibly.
She narrowed her eyes, raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Mu Tianyin.
At such close range, Mu Tianyin’s face came even closer to Bai An’an’s eyes.
Staring at the face so close, Bai An’an simply reached out her arms, hugged Mu Tianyin’s neck tightly, and got even closer.
Her little head rested against Mu Tianyin’s, her nose smelling the faint fragrance from her, and she pointed in one direction with her little finger, saying crisply, “Fairy sister, let’s go there. An’an will treat you to tangyuan!”
Mu Tianyin shifted the light weight in her arms and glanced at her, “Okay.”
“I heard from Xiao Tao that Uncle Zhang’s tangyuan are the best! The rich sesame filling is so fragrant…” Bai An’an said, her voice gradually lowering, almost fading away.
Mu Tianyin carried her to the place she pointed, ordered a bowl of tangyuan, and then, seeing Bai An’an’s gloomy expression, thinking of what had made her sad, she said, “If you want to cultivate, you must sever your ties with these mortals.”
Bai An’an raised her small face, looking at her blankly.
Mu Tianyin paused, her voice clear and cold, “…So you don’t need to be sad.”
Bai An’an repeated blankly, “Sever ties with mortals? Does that mean if An’an wants to be like fairy sister, she has to leave everyone?”
Mu Tianyin looked at her, her tea-colored pupils under her long eyelashes even colder, “Yes.”
Bai An’an exclaimed in surprise, “Is that how it is for fairy sister too?”
Mu Tianyin didn’t expect Bai An’an to ask her, so she was slightly stunned, and then nodded slowly.
Bai An’an continued to ask, “Then fairy sister, aren’t you sad to leave your mother and friends?”
Sad?
Mu Tianyin’s eyes flickered slightly. The emotion of sadness had never appeared in her. From the time she was born to becoming the city lord of Mingxin City, everything seemed to be taken for granted. She also naturally cultivated the Path of Emotionlessness, fitting the image of what a righteous master should be.
Mu Tianyin collected her thoughts and replied, “No.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her fingers resting on her knees were grabbed by a pair of small hands, and then the girl’s crisp voice sounded, “Fairy sister, have you never made friends? If you don’t mind, An’an will be your friend!”
Mu Tianyin was momentarily amused.
The girl had misinterpreted her words. But looking at her smiling little face, she was silent for a moment, sighed softly, and let her have her way.
Bai An’an opened her mouth to say something, but the stall owner, Uncle Zhang, brought a bowl of sesame tangyuan with a smile, “Here’s your tangyuan, ladies.”
Seeing the bowl of tangyuan in front of her, Bai An’an quickly pushed the bowl towards Mu Tianyin, “An’an won’t eat.”
Uncle Zhang hadn’t gone far, and seeing this scene, he praised, “Madam, your daughter is so filial!”
Bai An’an and Mu Tianyin were both startled.
Bai An’an chuckled and said with a smile, “Uncle Zhang, you’re wrong! She’s a fairy sister, not my mother!”
Uncle Zhang glanced at Mu Tianyin’s ordinary face, then at Bai An’an’s thin but delicate face, realizing he had misunderstood, and quickly patted his forehead apologetically, “My memory is getting worse, please forgive me.”
Mu Tianyin naturally wouldn’t bother with a mere mortal, and just nodded coldly.
Seeing Mu Tianyin not touching the bowl, Bai An’an reached out and picked up a spoon, personally scooping a plump tangyuan for Mu Tianyin.
“Fairy sister, eat…” She stood on the long bench, holding her hand trembling, insisting on feeding Mu Tianyin tangyuan.
Mu Tianyin, afraid she would fall, and having learned Bai An’an’s stubbornness, could only say helplessly, “I’ll do it myself. Sit down first.”
Bai An’an didn’t force her, and quickly put down her hand, climbing down the bench nimbly.
She sat on the wooden bench, swinging her legs, resting her elbows on the table, supporting her pointed chin with her hands, and looking at her expectantly, “Is it delicious? Is it delicious?”
She finished speaking, then licked her lips and swallowed.
Mu Tianyin had long since entered a state of bigu (abstaining from grains), and even before that, these foods were very unfamiliar to her. She slowly scooped a tangyuan, chewed it carefully, and then said slowly, “Not bad.”
She looked down at Bai An’an’s drooling eyes, and the corners of her mouth curved up, “Do you want to eat?”
She scooped a tangyuan, intending to order another bowl for her, but Bai An’an nodded, and then, using Mu Tianyin’s spoon, swallowed the tangyuan in one gulp.
Mu Tianyin wasn’t squeamish, but she wasn’t so casual either.
She immediately frowned, her cold gaze falling on the girl with bulging cheeks.
Bai An’an looked as if she didn’t realize anything, her bulging cheeks like a squirrel. Noticing Mu Tianyin looking at her, she raised her face, tried to swallow the tangyuan in her mouth, and asked cautiously, “Can’t An’an eat it?”
Bai An’an knew what Mu Tianyin’s frown meant. She just wanted to pretend, even to act pitiful.
She lowered her little head sadly, “An’an knows, I won’t eat it again.”
Bai An’an waited for a moment, and as expected, she felt a hand on her head. Feeling the gentle touch, the corners of her mouth immediately lifted involuntarily.
She smiled triumphantly, her eyes slightly narrowed. After a moment, she composed herself, looked up again, and asked pitifully, “Fairy sister?”
Mu Tianyin looked at her gently, pushed the bowl of tangyuan towards her, and said softly, “Eat it.” After a pause, she explained, “I’m not used to sharing bowls and chopsticks.”
Bai An’an immediately apologized, “I’m sorry…”
Mu Tianyin patted her head, “It’s okay, don’t mind it.”
Bai An’an nodded vigorously, her face beaming with smiles.
After they finished eating the tangyuan, Bai An’an paid the bill before Mu Tianyin got up.
A bowl of tangyuan didn’t cost much, and she still had a lot of loose silver. Bai An’an pulled Mu Tianyin around the street, deciding to give her a gift. Although the gift could only exist in her memory, it was the thought that counted!
Bai An’an grabbed Mu Tianyin’s hand and pulled her to a jewelry stall, spreading her hand out generously, “Fairy sister, which one do you like? An’an will buy it for you!”
Bai An’an turned her head and saw the stall owner looking at her kindly, opening her mouth to speak, and quickly said loudly, “This is my sister!”
The stall owner paused, then smiled and said, “This young lady, your sister is really good to you.”
Indeed, few children of this age would be willing to buy things for their older sisters.
Moreover, judging from Bai An’an’s tone, she seemed ready to buy the entire stall.
Mu Tianyin nodded with a smile, patting the little girl’s head.
Bai An’an pulled her hand, urging her to choose.
Mu Tianyin stopped refusing and casually picked a wooden hairpin carved with auspicious clouds.
The stall owner smiled, took the money, wrapped the hairpin, and handed it to Bai An’an.
Bai An’an carefully took the wooden hairpin, paused, and then looked up at Mu Tianyin, “Sister, do you really like this? Don’t you want to choose another one?”
After all, the hairpin was too simple and rough, not really presentable.
She thought the jade ruyi hairpin was quite nice and wanted to change it for Mu Tianyin.
Mu Tianyin shook her head and said calmly, “This one is fine.”
Bai An’an looked at her carefully, confirmed she wasn’t lying, and smiled again, “Then shall I put it on for you?”
Mu Tianyin lowered her eyelashes, looking down at Bai An’an, who was looking up at her, and nodded after a long moment, “Okay.”
Bai An’an had been waiting for her to agree. Upon hearing this, she raised her little hands, signaling Mu Tianyin to pick her up.
Mu Tianyin leaned down, her black hair, along with the white hairband, falling down.
She picked up Bai An’an, holding her small body securely in her arms.
Bai An’an held the wooden hairpin and carefully put it on her.
Mu Tianyin’s aura was so overwhelming that any exquisite jewelry would pale in comparison when worn by her. Unexpectedly, this inconspicuous wooden hairpin, when placed in her hair, complemented her calm temperament perfectly.
Bai An’an watched and clapped her hands in satisfaction.
The sun gradually set in the west, and the moon came out, hanging in the deep night sky.
Bai An’an, held in Mu Tianyin’s arms, had her dark eyes reflecting the bright night lights on the street, and her eyes gradually became wet.
Mu Tianyin, noticing her emotional change, asked, “What’s wrong?”
Bai An’an hugged her neck, saying gloomily, “Fairy sister, why do Xiao Tao and the others say they can’t see you? Are you not real? Is all this just a fantasy of mine?”