Chapter 75: A Single Spark

Chapter 75: A Single Spark

Feng Jinyu gazed intently, a thoughtful light flickering in her eyes.

Can a woman truly stand on her own without depending on a man if she has the skills?

Lu Mingchao's words were like a beam of light cutting through the darkness, bringing clarity. In the midst of the storm, they offered her a rare moment of clarity and peace.

Outside the window, the north wind howled, mournful and plaintive.

A cold breeze slipped through the paper window, brushing Lu Mingchao's hair and scattering the faint light into mottled shadows on the floor.

Feng Jinyu's heart stirred. The shifting light and shadows seemed to open a narrow path through the blocked road ahead.

Feng Jinyu didn't know what the future held.

But she knew one thing for sure: she didn't want to marry Fan Xiucai.

Maybe, if she kept working at it, the path ahead would become clear.

If skills meant independence, then she could learn them.

Feng Jinyu gazed at Lu Mingchao.

Lu Mingchao looked back at her.

Slowly, she noticed a spark of light in Feng Jinyu's once empty and lost eyes. The light grew from faint and flickering to steady and bright.

A single spark can ignite a prairie fire.

Lu Mingchao knew that Feng Jinyu would no longer seek death.

"I'll leave you some medicine and bandages. Don't forget to change the dressing regularly."

"As the art of war teaches, whether it's a quick strike or a long fight, you need a strong body and mind."

Feng Jinyu blinked, her pale cheeks softening with a smile. "The Lu School of War Tactics?"

"Exactly. Made it up myself, flexible, and open to changes," Lu Mingchao replied, placing the medicine bottle and soft cloth by Feng Jinyu's bedside. "I need to go now. Will you be okay by yourself?"

Feng Jinyu nodded. "Do you still see me as that naive girl I used to be?"

Lu Mingchao raised an eyebrow. "So who are you now?"

"I am a true warrior now!" Feng Jinyu's voice was soft, but her words were strong and firm.

Lu Mingchao's expression relaxed, and she chuckled softly. "I once heard, 'A true warrior faces life's hardships and the bloodshed it brings.'"

"Then I wish you the strength to move forward."

Feng Jinyu mimicked Lu Mingchao's earlier tone. "Thanks for your encouragement."

Lu Mingchao tucked the blanket around Feng Jinyu, whispered some advice, and then left.

The sky darkened.

The faint light flickered.

To her surprise, Fan Xiucai and his father were still shamelessly sitting in the main hall, coldly watching Feng Jinyu's mother rush around, buried in work.

Even a dog would shake its head in disbelief.

A pig with a scallion in its nose, pretending to be garlic.

"Aunt Feng, Jin Yu has woken up, but her condition is still not good. She can't handle any stimulation."

Aunt Feng's face lit up with a mix of disbelief and joy. "She's awake?"

"Xiao Ming, you saved Jin Yu's life from the King of Hell. When she gets better, I'll take her to kowtow and thank you." (Note: Kowtow is a traditional Chinese gesture of deep respect, involving kneeling and bowing so low that one's forehead touches the ground.)

As she spoke, Aunt Feng kept glancing towards the small room on the west side.

Lu Mingchao quickly picked up on the hint. "Auntie, it's getting late. I'll head back now and come visit Jin Yu another day when I have time."

Fan Xiucai's son suddenly stood up, his cheeks unnaturally flushed, his voice trembling with excitement. "Aunt, let me escort our benefactor."

"It's not proper for one guest to escort another," Aunt Feng's face darkened, her tone stiff and dry.

"We're family, so there's no need for formalities. I’m hardly a guest."

"Please, benefactor."

Lu Mingchao's face turned cold as she pointed to her hair bun. "This is a married woman’s hairstyle. Surely the son of a scholar isn’t so clueless?"

Thankfully, Feng Jinyu resisted fiercely and refused to marry the Old Scholar.

Otherwise, with a hypocritical father, a lustful son, and a helpless stepmother, she’d have to worry about some indecent family drama unfolding.

Fan Xiucai’s son’s smile faltered for a moment before he quickly regained his composure, his face now full of concern. "It’s getting dark, and there aren’t many people around in winter. I’m just concerned for Sister Ming’s safety—I mean no harm."

"Is Sister Ming worried her husband might get upset?"

"Not to gossip, but shouldn’t her husband care more about Sister Ming’s safety? If I were her husband..."

Lu Mingchao: Wow, a green tea man. (Note: "Green tea man" is a Chinese slang term for a man who appears kind and gentle but is actually manipulative and insincere.)

Is the green tea circle lowering its standards now?

Are they letting in anyone, no matter how awful?

At least Qi Rui has a pretty face and cries like a delicate flower, making people feel sorry for her.

If the green tea circle had ranks, Fan Xiucai’s son wouldn’t even be fit to carry Qi Rui’s shoes.

Lu Mingchao shot a disgusted look at Fan Xiucai’s son, who fancied himself gentle and refined.

You can’t hide the look in your eyes when you like someone, just like you can’t hide it when you want to kill someone.

"A fox can't hide its tail, and a dog's mouth can't spit out ivory." (Note: This Chinese idiom means that one's true nature or intentions cannot be concealed.)

"Next time, make sure your tail is well hidden before you embarrass yourself."

Sister Ming? Her coming-of-age ceremony wasn’t too long ago, right?

Finally, Lu Mingchao gave Aunt Feng a nod and left without another word.

As for whether Fan Xiucai and his son were furious or seething with hatred, Lu Mingchao couldn’t have cared less.

If this father and son had any real ability, they wouldn't be plotting against Feng Jinyu like this.

What tiger would care about the weak barking of a small dog?

Perhaps she isn't a tiger yet, but she will surely become one someday, one day!

Not long after Lu Mingchao left the Feng family, she saw a slender and upright figure approaching from a distance on the hillside.

"A Yan," Lu Mingchao waved her hand, her voice bright and lively, like biting into a refreshing fruit on a hot summer day.

Immediately, the person on the hillside picked up speed and soon appeared in front of Lu Mingchao.

Lu Mingchao let Xie Yan warm her cool hands, smiling brightly, "Is everything settled in the county town?"

Xie Yan nodded, "I've worked out the details of the shop renovation with the craftsmen and signed contracts with three medium-sized grain merchants in the city."

"After returning home, I heard from Huaiqian that you went to the Feng family with Auntie Feng, so I thought I'd come to take you home."

"I trust A Yan to take care of things."

Upon seeing Xie Yan, Lu Mingchao's mood had already lifted.

Then, her little mouth started chattering nonstop, like popping corn, as she told Xie Yan about the situation at the Feng family.

Including that repulsive duo of scholar father and son.

Xie Yan's brows slightly furrowed, an icy glint flashing deep in his pupils.

"Mingchao, have you ever thought that often, effort goes unrewarded, and as time passes, people's hearts change."

Gratitude in the present often turns into resentment after facing adversity.

"When people struggle on the path they've chosen, they tend to subconsciously idealize the path they could have taken but didn't."

"The more they idealize it, the deeper their regret."

Lu Mingchao's eyes sparkled, as if glistening with tears, "She wants to live, and I happen to be able to save her."

"As for whether to follow her parents' wishes and marry Fan Xiucai, or to face the challenges and gamble on an unknown life, that's her own decision."

"I know well the difficulties of an unknown life, so I've never portrayed it as rosy."

"Being a warrior is never easy."

"In this world, one must do what they can."

Hearing this, Xie Yan broke into a smile and looked up at the gradually darkening night sky.

"Follow your heart," he said.