Chapter 253: The Mystic Maiden (1/2)

Chapter 253: The Mystic Maiden

The Pharmacist wiped her eyes, and set about the business of composing herself. After a few moments, she returned to the doorway and softly knocked.

“Mama, come in.” A silvery voice called out to her from within. A young girl’s voice.

A small smile was on the Pharmacist’s face as she pushed the door opened and entered. “Hello darling.”

Lan Jue entered right behind her.

Though he’d guessed it earlier, what he saw proved that the Pharmacist’s actual age was much different from her appearance. This young girl was older than he’d anticipated.

She was perhaps seven or eight, and so adorable it made one want to just smother her in affection. She wore a small white Chinese-style dress, embroidered with a plum blossom pattern. Her shoulder-length hair had been bundled up on the top of her head like her mother. It made her look even more a tiny classical beauty. There was a purity about her as well, the purity of youth.

She had two large and beautiful eyes, with long eyelashes. The eyes were bright and clear, though the pupils were slightly larger than they should have been, and lacked any vivacity.

Although it was only the first time he’d met her, already Lan Jue’s heart was full of pity for the young girl. She was adorable, and gorgeous – perhaps her blindness was a result of heaven’s jealousy.

“Jun’er,” the Pharmacist cooed pleasantly.

The little darling’s face lit up with a smile, and she tentatively picked her way towards her mother’s voice. She took a few steps, then paused in uncertainty. “Mama, is the guest here?”

She had excellent perception! At Lan Jue’s level of cultivation, he was constantly and automatically hiding his aura from others. For most, if he wasn’t directly in their line of sight, then no one would know he was around.

“No, darling. Not a guest. Mother has answered you sweet heart. Do you remember your seventh birthday, the wish you wanted?” The Pharmacist covered the distance to her young one, knelt down, and wrapped her in a hug.

The little girl’s whole body shook ever so slightly, as she turned her face towards Lan Jue. “Mama, mama… you, you brought daddy back?”

Tears flowed freely from the young medicine woman’s eyes, but she nodded emphatically all the same and choked with sobs.

Lan Jue was at a loss for words. He’d originally suspected this role would be an easy one to play, however now that he was face to face with her, he was finding it very difficult to present any deception.

He took a few steps forward until he was beside the Pharmacist, then knelt as well. He gentle took up one of Jun’er’s tiny hands. “Jun’er.”

The little thing nervously shifted from one foot to another. Her dim eyes lit up, and her tiny voice was hopeful. “Daddy?”

Lan Jue was silent. The Pharmacist looked at him – not with intimidation, or command… just hope. Tears glittered in her eyes.

“Yeah,” he said.

Pretty laughter bubbled up from within the child. “Daddy! Daddy why’d you go for so long? Mommy is always telling me stories about you. Can I touch your face?”

“Of course,” he answered. Lan Jue lifted her tiny hand and placed it on his cheek. The Pharmacist relinquished the young girl from her embrace.

Jun’er’s second little hand lifted, and gently began exploring the contours of the Jewelry Master’s face.

Her hands were cold, but tender and delicate. The smile on her face was sweet, wide. “Daddy’s very handsome. The bridge of your nose is very straight, you must be very handsome. And now that you’re back, mommy won’t be so tired all the time. You should be nicer to mommy, she missed you a lot too. I hear her crying at night sometimes when she thinks no one is listening.”

Lan Jue took her in to his arms. “I guess I’ve made things hard for you and your mother these last few years.”

To this, Jun’er quickly shook her head. “Jun’er’s been good. I’ve gotten big! See, I’m not crying. Daddy, can you tell me a story about your time in the army? Mommy says you’re a hero, that you left us because you were out saving people. You were too busy fighting the enemy, so you couldn’t come back.”

Lan Jue blinked. Jun’er’s father was a soldier? Surely, he mustn’t have been any ordinary man to marry a woman like the Pharmacist.

“Alright… how about I tell you the time I fought off a bunch of monsters!” He lifted her up, and they both took a seat on a nearby sofa.

“Yay!”

“Not long ago,” he began, “your father visited another planet. It was a beautiful planet, with lots of pretty trees and oceans. People called it a holiday paradise. But then came the monsters…”

Lan Jue told the story of his time on Tai Hua. He embellished parts of the story, and through his artful recounting Jun’er was hooked.