Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
The minute Ji Jiangzhang entered the house, Yan Zheke rushed out and asked Lou Cheng with both worry and curiosity, âWhat did Grandpa say?â
Looking straight at his girlfriendâs clear eyes, he stifled his laughter and replied solemnly, âHeâs worried about our future children.â
Full score on his ability to summarize things!
âWhat...â Yan Zheke appeared dumbfounded, blood rushing to her fair cheeks. She said in disbelief, âThatâs impossible! Grandpa would never talk about things like that with you!â
How embarrassing! What kind of person would discuss future children in their first meeting?!
Lou Cheng burst out laughing. Clearing his throat, he said, âIn the beginning, Elder Ji said you were born weak and may have trouble giving birth.â
âWhy am I unaware of this...â Yan Zheke blurted out.
âHe said only he and your grandma know about this. Even your parents are being kept in the dark.â How could he stand his little fairy being upset? Of course, he told the truth. He added, âItâs difficult, not impossible. Your grandpa is happy that Iâm strong and close to reaching the Inhuman stage. Besides, Iâm energetic and full of vigor. Itâs not a big deal. Either way, weâre just like any other couple.â
Yan Zhekeâs lips parted as if she wanted to say something. In the end, she made a little complaint, partly irritated and partly amused.
âYou make it sound so perverted!â
Before she could lament over her poor physical condition, all her feelings of dejection were dispelled. She felt rather complicated about this.
âPerverted? Donât let Dirty Tong influence you too much. Either way, this proves that weâre a match made in heaven,â Lou Cheng said, taking the chance to flirt with his girlfriend.
Yan Zheke rolled her eyes, but her eyes were full of laughter even as she snorted.
âGrandpa must be testing you with this...â
She didnât ask for Lou Chengâs reply. Grandpaâs satisfied expression told her everything she needed to know!
Her eyes gleamed with soft light when she thought of the answer, attitude, and determination Lou Cheng had prepared. Her heart leaped with embarrassed joy and for a moment; she was too embarrassed to look at him. She gave him a quick glance and put on a show of calmness. âLetâs go and see Grandma.â
âOkay.â Lou Cheng grasped her hand and walked with her side by side. On their way inside, he described how her grandpa helped him with momentum.
âLove me, love my dog, you know?â An elated Yan Zheke began praising herself.
âYes, yes. Itâs all thanks to my association with my fairy.â Lou Cheng burst out laughing as he continued,âYour grandpa was already aware that we were dating. The Nine Words Formula he gave me during the Spring Festival was actually a gift.â
âWhat?â Yan Zheke was briefly stunned and only reacted after hearing a complete explanation from Lou Cheng. She withdrew her hands to cover her face, voice shaking with embarrassment and nervousness as she said, âI donât want to go in anymore! Cheng, letâs leave! This is too embarrassing! Grandpa and Grandma must have been laughing at me back then!â
Back then, she was even proud of her acting skills and wisdom!
Lou Cheng struggled to contain his laughter, appreciating his girlfriendâs reaction. He finally reined in his feelings and began comforting the girl.
âForget about it!â Yan Zheke glared at her boyfriend before entering the living room. Though she had calmed down, she was still pouting.
In the living room, Ji Jianzhang and Dou Ning were seated in the first two seats. They exchanged a look and a smile when they saw their dearest granddaughterâs expression. Feigning ignorance, they asked Lou Cheng to sit.
When it came to Keâs grandma, Lou Cheng had always carried a deep respect for her. She became a mother of three by the time she was 29 years old, yet was capable of reaching the physical invulnerability state. That was something worthy of respect for 99 percent of fighters out there!
Some peopleâs sole purpose was to pressure other people into succeeding! Keâs grandma was one of these people for easily achieving the physical invulnerability state!
âLou, youâre nearly one year older than Ke, right?â Dou Ning appeared radiant and energetic, without any visible wrinkles on her forehead. Only her temperament forged through the passing of years indicated her age. She appeared to be in her forties and resembled Ji Mingyu and Yan Zheke.
âThatâs right. My birthday is in February, hers is in December,â Lou Cheng replied with a smile.
Dou Ning gave a gentle nod. âGood. If you can reach the Inhuman stage within the year, thereâs quite a big hope for you to reach the physical invulnerability state soon. Hehe, itâs better than what Keâs grandpa and I had in the past.â
âGrandma, youâre also aware of the bet about Lou Cheng reaching the Inhuman stage this year?â Yan Zheke asked in astonishment, forgetting her âangerâ earlier.
âDonât think Iâm some old fogey who doesnât know how to use computers and smartphones. Iâve already learned how to use Weibo half a year ago...â Pretending to âaccuseâ her granddaughter, Dou Ning said, âKe, youâre not concerned about me!â
Yan Zheke was momentarily rendered speechless. Obediently lowering her head, she apologized âsincerelyâ and said, âGrandma, itâs my fault. Whatâs your Weibo nickname? Iâll follow your account immediately!â
âThe Swordsman Whose Longings Never Die.â Dou Ning revealed her signature dimples on her face.
âEr, that handle sounds like mine...â Yan Zheke was stunned.
Her nickname was Swordsman Dislikes Drinking.
âI made my nickname based on yours,â Dou Ning replied cheerfully.
Upon hearing the conversation between the grandparent and grandchild, Lou Cheng was dumbfounded. Keâs grandma differed from his imagination.
He had expected a female fighter who managed to give birth to three children during the critical ten advancement years would be the traditional kind, tender, and gentle. But this was not the case at all!
As for why she became a mother of three, there was no other reason. She simply wanted to and was willful...
He finally knew whose genes Keâs mother had inherited the most...
He subconsciously glanced at Ji Jianzhang and saw a helpless smile on the well-known Heaven Leaning Swordâs face.
Just then, Ji Lingqian entered the room as if it was his own house and found a seat. Using her Weibo nickname as the starting point, Dou Ning began telling them old stories about her travels across the country with her husband and swords.
Back then, professional competitions were just newly established and none were standardized. There were limited matches a fighter could participate in, allowing them a lot of free time. In order to temper themselves as well as fulfill their dream to be a sword-wielding couple, newly-weds Ji Jianzhang and Dou Ning went to southern China and experienced many things there. There were stories of a sword-wielding couple parachuting off the mountain pass and killing the Great Sun, destroying the oasis cult, hunting down the famous Tame Head Wizard in the tropical rainforest, assassinating the head of missionaries in Moro city, slipping into unfriendly territories to catch a warlord...
The couple didnât have anything to do with the military, so they had no need to be careful with their words. They were unlike Geezer Shi, whose boasting was dampened by his non-disclosure agreement. That was why Lou Chengâs attention was completely captured by those stories, as if he was experiencing them himself. Already familiar with the stories, Yan Zheke and Ji Lingqian occasionally raised questions and livened up the mood.
Still lost in their old memories, Dou Ning and Ji Jianzhang continued telling stories over dinner.
When they were done with dinner, the couple went out for their walk in high spirits. Ji Lingqian said to Lou Cheng and Yan Zheke jokingly,
âTheyâre relieved to have such a good grandson-in-law.â
âYouâre being too kind.â Lou Cheng smiled. âItâs all thanks to Ke.â
âGlad you know...â Yan Zheke rolled her eyes at Lou Cheng and giggled.
Ji Lingqian suddenly paused, shaking his head and sighing. âSure enough, empty vessels make the most noise. Lou, I was pretty worried before picking you up today. I thought youâd be arrogant and prickly due to your fame. But once we started talking, I realized youâre self-confident and introverted in nature. You really have the air of a wizened master. Let me ask you a question. Are Peng Leyun, Ren Li, and other fighters like you?â
âTheyâre all different in their own ways, but their pride is ingrained in their bones. They donât manifest it outwardly, so itâs pretty easy to get along with them,â Lou Cheng said. He had answered based on his feelings.
Ji Lingqian laughed. âJust as the rumors Iâve heard... So thatâs what the favored fighters of the age are like... When I was a Sixth-Pin warrior at 22, I was truly prideful and regarded everyone around me as idiots. Then karma hit and it took me more than four years to enter the Inhuman stage. I basically have zero hope for achieving the physical invulnerability state. I only realized then and started practicing as hard as possible. Sigh. If only I had met you a few years earlier and learned my lesson sooner. Perhaps I wouldâve made better achievements.â
âMeet me in those years? I was still an ignorant child then,â Lou Cheng deliberately joked. âBrother Lingqian, just think of Elder Liang Yifan. You still have a promising future ahead of you.â
Ji Lingqian merely smiled. âDo you guys want to go out and play? I can be your driver.â
âItâs alright, Brother Lingqian. I know how to drive!â Yan Zheke grinned.
âOkay, then. I wonât be disturbing you two on your date.â Ji Lingqian waved at them, smiling.
After sending Lingqian away, Yan Zheke lifted her chin to look at her boyfriend. Raising her voice at the end of her sentence, she said,
âLetâs go, this elder sister will show you Che River!â
âYou can drive?â Lou Cheng had never asked her about this.
âYou want to worship me, donât you? I sat for my driving test in the summer of my senior year in high school!â It was as if there was a tail wagging behind Yan Zheke.
âYouâre amazing!â Lou Cheng complimented her.
He followed the girl into the garage and boarded a white car. When he saw her fiddling about for a while without starting the engine, Lou Cheng became confused. âWhatâs wrong?â
Before his voice even faded, he heard the sound of the engine roaring to life. Yan Zheke made a cheering sound.
âLetâs go!â
She turned to look at him, smiling somewhat embarrassedly.
âI havenât touched a car since getting my license...â
Lou Cheng was shocked and his mouth made an O-shape. He then blurted out, âCan you still drive then?â
âOf course! Driving is so easy! I just need to familiarize myself with it!â Yan Zheke turned her focus forward and started the car.
Momentarily, Lou Cheng felt like he had accidentally boarded a pirate ship.