Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1103

“You should be fine now.”

Having finished the acupuncture, Tang Soso smiled and neatly arranged her needles.

“Thank you,” the woman whispered, her voice still weak.

Tang Soso smiled warmly, packing away her silver needles. “You’re healing, but slowly. Make sure you eat good, strong food.”

“Yes,” the woman nodded, her gaze fixed on the sleeping baby in her arms.

Tang Soso’s fingers brushed lightly against the baby’s soft cheek. “Little Hak-i is sleeping soundly too. He looks peaceful,” she thought, thankfully.

Suddenly, the woman’s arms tightened around the child, pulling him closer as if protecting him from a sudden threat. Her eyes darted around the room, filled with a flicker of fear.

“Ah…” The woman’s eyes wavered.

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

“No, it’s alright. I wasn’t thinking.” Tang Soso scratched the back of her head, looking embarrassed.

The body could be healed with needles and medicine, but the wounds of the heart were not so easily mended. Considering what this woman had gone through, she should have approached her with more delicacy and care.

“I’m sorry,” Tang Soso bowed deeply.

The woman waved her hands in a flustered manner. “No, it’s really… really not.” A deep sense of bewilderment appeared on the woman’s face as she clutched the child tighter.

“You’re being so kind to me, but I’m, I’m uneducated and so easily frightened…”

“Please don’t say that.” Tang Soso felt lost. She knew how to heal bodies, but not hearts. What should I do?

If she simply retreated, the woman would likely blame herself for a long time. But if she tried too hard to lift her spirits, she might only make her uncomfortable. Unable to do either, she was just pinching her thigh when—

Thump!

A rough knock echoed through the room.

“Huh?”

Bang!

The door burst open as she turned around. But that was it; no one was there. All that could be seen was the scenery of the manor beyond the door.

‘What….’

Squeak!

“Ah.” Tang Soso’s gaze lowered, and then lowered again.

“Was it you?” A pure white weasel was swishing its tail, wearing an expression that could only be described as deeply dissatisfied.

Thump! Thump!

As if scolding her for not recognizing him sooner, Baek Ah thumped the floor twice with his tail, picked up a bowl almost as big as himself with his two front paws, and entered the room.

The bowl contained the herbal medicine she had asked Chung Myung to bring. Tang Soso’s face twisted.

“Seriously, that man…” Good heavens, was he so lazy that he couldn’t even do something so simple and had ordered a beast to do it? And what was with the beast that actually did as it was told?

Tang Soso shook her head, smiling slightly. Was Chung Myung lazier than a beast? Or was Baek Ah too clever for his own good?

Waddling on two feet, Baek Ah placed the bowl of herbal medicine in front of Tang Soso with a thud. Then, he sighed deeply, just like a human.

“You’ve worked hard.” It wasn’t something she would normally say to a beast, but somehow, seeing him like that, she felt she had to say it.

Baek Ah glanced at Tang Soso and then suddenly turned around. He quickly ran to the open door, hurriedly closed it, and then went to a corner of the room and flopped down on his back.

A moment of silence passed. Baek Ah slyly raised his head and stared at Tang Soso. His eyes seemed to say, ‘Let’s not be petty and snitch on each other, considering we’re both suffering here.’

“Alright. You must be exhausted too.” Perhaps he was the most exhausted and overworked one here. After all, he was the beast that was stuck with that Chung Myung all day long. Going back early would only mean more suffering.

‘Come to think of it, it’s quite strange.’ Why on earth was that beast so attached to Chung Myung?

In the Southern Savage Lands, he seemed to have lived in luxury as a spirit beast among spirit beasts, but here, he was treated worse than an ordinary weasel.

If he was bored, he’d get kicked around; despite being a spirit beast, he was used as a scarf when the weather got a bit chilly; he was used as a neck pillow when sleeping; and because Chung Myung became violent when he ran out of alcohol, he had to be quick-witted and bring him a bottle of booze before he even asked. He was in charge of all sorts of errands…

‘Chung Myung is so lucky…’ Are there no little ones anywhere?

“A, a weasel…” At that moment, a surprised voice leaked from the woman. Her wide eyes were fixed on Baek Ah.

“Ah…” Well, to the eyes of an ordinary person, it would seem strange for a weasel to bring a bowl of herbal medicine, open and close doors, and walk on two feet.

“Don’t worry. He’s friendly. He’s… well, he’s a special animal. A spirit beast.”

“A, a spirit beast?”

“Yes. Um… Just think of him as a very smart animal.”

The woman looked at Baek Ah with wonder. Sensing her gaze, Baek Ah also turned his head slightly to meet her eyes.

There was a subtle exchange of glances between the human and the beast. As if he had thought of something, Baek Ah stood up. He trotted over to the woman, jumped up, and wrapped his body around her neck.

“Ah…!” Startled, the woman instinctively grabbed Baek Ah, who was wrapped around her neck, but she soon released the strength in her hands at the soft sensation.

“It’s warm…”

“Wow.” Tang Soso’s eyes widened in surprise.

He might seem easy to bully because he was always getting beaten, but Baek Ah was originally a spirit beast with an exceptionally strong sense of pride. How many Hwasan disciples had tried to tame him, tempted by his pure white and soft fur, only to end up with claw marks on their faces?

For a creature that never allowed anyone near him except for Chung Myung to approach a human on his own.

“How strange.”

Even then, Baek Ah tilted his head as if something was bothering him, and then slowly moved down to the woman’s neck. He nestled between the child and the woman, found a comfortable position, and closed his eyes.

“Isn’t it dangerous…”

“It’ll be alright.” Tang Soso muttered, ‘He wouldn’t want to be killed by my Senior Brother,’ but the woman didn’t hear her.

Reassured, the woman carefully stroked Baek Ah’s back. The fact that he was a small animal that posed no threat to humans on the surface seemed to give her comfort.

Tang Soso nodded without realizing it as she watched the woman’s expression soften.

‘He can be useful sometimes.’ No, in fact, he was very useful. Only to Senior Brother Chung Myung.

The woman said in a slightly softer voice.

“I’ve never seen a weasel follow a person before.”

“Ah, really?” Actually, this was the first time I’d seen it too. Of course, whether he was following a ‘person’ was something to think about.

“They say animals only follow good people.”

At the woman’s words, Tang Soso’s expression became indescribably complicated.

“Y, yes, that’s right.” But in the end, she squeezed her eyes shut.

‘I’m sorry. I think that’s a lie.’ Otherwise, there was no way that Baek Ah would be sticking by Chung Myung’s side. But what did it matter what the truth was in a situation like this? As long as she felt at ease.

Still, she was glad that the awkward atmosphere seemed to have eased thanks to Baek Ah’s appearance.

“I’m sorry for earlier.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s not a big deal.”

“I was just worried, and… Do you really think… it’ll be alright?” A shadow of worry crossed the woman’s face.

“From now on, I have to protect him and live on… Do you think it’ll be alright for me to be so easily frightened?”

Tang Soso couldn’t answer easily. She knew that offering empty words of comfort, saying that everything would be alright, was just a way to gloss over the situation and avoid responsibility.

A voice echoed from outside the door, cutting off Tang Soso. “Is Soso inside?”

Tang Soso turned, surprised by the familiar voice. “Yes, Sect Leader! I am here.”

“May I come in?”

Tang Soso glanced at the woman, who looked a little worried but nodded slowly. Tang Soso quickly opened the door respectfully.

Hyun Jong, the Sect Leader (the leader of their group), entered the room slowly. He smiled warmly at the woman. “Why is that fellow sprawled out like that over there?” he asked gently.

“I wonder,” Tang Soso replied.

Baek Ah was lounging, looking bored, just like…

“Like master, like beast, I suppose,” Hyun Jong chuckled, referring to how Baek Ah mirrored his own relaxed demeanor.

“Indeed…” Hyun Jong agreed.

Hyun Jong shook his head and sat down quietly. He moved carefully, so she wouldn’t feel scared. Someone who didn’t know him might think he was just a weak old man.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes? Ah…” The woman seemed flustered.

Hyun Jong smiled kindly. “I am Hyun Jong of the Mount Hua Sect.”

“The Sect Leader of Mount Hua…”

Tang Soso started to speak, but Hyun Jong stopped her with a raised hand. He didn’t want to make the woman feel pressured.

“You must have needed time to sort things out,” Hyun Jong said. “That’s why I didn’t seek you out. But now, it would be impolite not to come see you. Please forgive me if I have been rude.”

“Ah, no. Not at all,” the woman replied.

The woman shook her head quickly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “Everyone has been so kind to me… I don’t deserve such treatment… You are all so warm, I don’t know what to do.”

She bowed repeatedly, showing her gratitude. Hyun Jong looked at the child in her arms.

“The child is very lovely,” Hyun Jong said.

“Yes…”

Hyun Jong smiled gently. “Do you have somewhere to go with the child?”

The woman’s face stiffened. After hesitating, she spoke softly. “Anywhere… I have to go somewhere… Anywhere…”

“I’ve caused too much trouble, haven’t I? I’m sorry… I’m so shameless,” she said.

Tang Soso looked at Hyun Jong, worried. It seemed like Hyun Jong was pushing the woman too hard.

But Tang Soso stayed silent. She didn’t want to correct the Sect Leader, and she trusted that Hyun Jong had a good reason for what he was saying.

“It is not easy for a woman to raise a child and live in a foreign land,” Hyun Jong said.

The woman lowered her head, looking sad.

“The world is a warm place, but it is also cruel. It won’t be easy to decide where to go right away,” Hyun Jong continued.

“Yes…”

Hyun Jong sighed softly. “It is the duty of traditional groups like ours to help people, but even we can’t take care of you forever.”

The woman nodded. She looked calm, but her lips trembled, showing her despair.

Of course, she knew. She knew how much trouble she had caused. Doctors were a luxury for the rich. To stay in a warm room, be served meals, and receive treatment was something she had never dreamed of. It was time to face reality.

“This kindness… I will repay it, somehow…”

“Do so,” Hyun Jong replied.

“Sect Leader…” Tang Soso started to say, but stopped herself. Hyun Jong didn’t even look at her. He just stared at the woman calmly.

“You are a mother with a child. You must stand on your own two feet,” Hyun Jong said.

“…Yes, Taoist,” the woman replied.

Then, Hyun Jong asked, “Do you know anyone around here?”

The woman felt a pang of sadness and closed her eyes briefly. It sounded like he was telling her to leave and find someone to rely on.

How could she know anyone here, so far from her home in Jiangnan? It was a heartless question, but she didn’t blame them. They had already given her too much.

So, the woman said calmly, “Yes. I do… Don’t worry.”

“Ah, then perhaps that acquaintance of yours knows how to cook a little?” Hyun Jong asked.

“Yes?” The woman looked confused.

Hyun Jong said, sounding troubled, “We have been staying at the manor longer than expected, and those guys eat so much that it’s hard to find a cook. But the disciples make terrible food. So, we are looking for a cook. We just need someone who can cook well enough not to ruin the ingredients and make something edible. Since this place is far from any villages, we will provide the cook with a room and pay them well… Perhaps you know someone…”

“I, I can…!” the woman exclaimed.

“Yes?”

The woman looked at Hyun Jong urgently. “I’ll do it, I will! I’m a good cook!”

“I can work really hard. Please let me do it! I will work my best!” she pleaded.

“Hmm,” Hyun Jong hummed.

“Please, Taoist! Please…”

Hyun Jong frowned, looking worried. “But you don’t seem healthy enough to work… And you don’t seem to be taking your medicine…”

Before he could finish, the woman grabbed the medicine bowl and gulped it down. She put the bowl down and said clearly, “Look. I’m healthy now!”

Hyun Jong made a troubled sound and looked at Tang Soso. “What do you think? Can this person work…?”

“She can, Sect Leader!” Tang Soso replied eagerly.

“Two days will be enough. I can get her healthy enough to work in two days. There won’t be any problems!” Tang Soso assured him.

“Is that so?”

Hyun Jong nodded slowly at Tang Soso’s enthusiastic response. “It’s not easy to find a cook, so I suppose we have no choice. From now on, this person is not a guest, but someone who is working for Mount Hua and getting paid. Make sure she is treated with respect.”

“Yes! I will, Sect Leader,” Tang Soso replied.

“Then,” Hyun Jong said.

Hyun Jong smiled quietly and stood up. The woman lowered her head, her face full of different feelings.

“Thank… you…” she whispered.

Hyun Jong, who had started to stand up, asked, “Ah. What should we call you from now on?”

The woman understood what he meant and said in a trembling voice, “My name is… Chu Young.”

“So, you are Madam Chu,” Hyun Jong said.

“And… this child is…” Chu Young looked at the child in her arms. When she looked up again, her voice was steady. “Hakyi. Lee Hakyi.”

Hyun Jong smiled gently. “Then, I look forward to working with you, Madam Chu.”