Chapter 370

Pei Ji stood alone in the bathing tub.

Amid the rising steam, the boy’s pale, slender skin gradually took on a faint pink hue.

He hesitantly raised his hand to touch the warm water beside him.

His mother detested filth and insisted he bathe daily.

Bathing required a significant amount of water, but she was unwilling to spend time heating it.

Thus, the water Pei Ji used was usually drawn cold directly from the river.

Compared to the pain of his wounds, the chill was nothing.

From his initial trembling, Pei Ji gradually grew accustomed to it over time.

Having grown used to cold water, he now felt a bit uneasy and out of place in this warm bath.

No longer tormented by icy coldness, his body was now enveloped in warmth.

The heat coursed through every inch of him, leaving a comfort so surreal it felt almost dreamlike.

Yet his body had become strange.

The once-bloody wounds had disappeared, replaced inexplicably by numerous deep brown scars—neither form was particularly pleasant to look at.

“Has it been a long time since you’ve had a hot bath?”

A voice spoke near his ear.

Pei Ji looked up at the black longsword resting on the table.

Ning Ning had told him he’d lost part of his memory.

During the time he’d forgotten, the sword spirit Cheng Ying had left his body and reverted to its original form as a sword.

She hadn’t lied to him.

Once he grew up, he truly could wield the sword like Ning Ning did.

“Sigh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you like this. I feel… no, I deeply miss it.”

Cheng Ying’s form had changed, but its chatter remained the same: “Come on, Pei Xiaoji, call me Brother Cheng Ying!”

Last night, Pei Ji had made a promise to Ning Ning.

Ever since returning home, he’d been secretly smiling to himself.

The sword spirit saw through his thoughts immediately and couldn’t resist teasing him.

It was in the middle of a lively jab when Pei Ji placed it back in its sheath.

If not for Ning Ning letting it out again later to keep Pei Ji company, Cheng Ying wouldn’t have seen this naive, innocent side of the boy.

It was just about to continue its jokes when Ning Ning’s voice called from outside, “Pei Ji, are you done bathing? If you stay any longer, the water will get cold.”

The boy, lost in thought, blinked and tried raising his voice so she could hear: “…Yes.”

***

Pei Ji’s sleepwear had been specially bought by Ning Ning from the foot of the mountain.

When his body had suddenly shrunk, it was impossible for a child to wear the loose robes of an adult.

So, before seeking their master, Ning Ning had gone down the mountain to buy necessities suitable for a child.

Items like shoes, small snacks, and various clothes.

This set of sleepwear was made of celestial silk and down cotton.

It retained warmth, felt soft and delicate, and seemed to encase one in tiny, fluffy clouds.

When skin touched it, the warmth was like being wrapped in a cloud.

After waiting outside for a long time, Ning Ning saw Pei Ji push open the door and step out.

Glancing down, she was momentarily stunned by how adorable he looked.

Compared to the youth he would become, the boy’s features lacked their sharp, striking elegance.

Instead, his face was marked by the innocence and naivety unique to children.

He was frail and thin, his small face pale, wrapped in that fluffy white sleepwear, making him resemble a kitten with its claws retracted.

His overly fair skin looked as if it had been washed in snow.

His long lashes still carried traces of moisture, and beneath them were clear black pupils and lips pressed tightly in nervousness.

Noticing her gaze, Pei Ji lowered his head uneasily, a faint blush appearing on his ear tips beneath his disheveled black hair.

Too, too, too cute!

Ning Ning nearly reached out to pinch his face but held back, worried about scaring the little one.

Unable to resist teasing him, she stepped closer with a soft laugh.

“I spent the whole day playing with you. Shouldn’t Pei Ji say thank you?”

The boy froze for a moment before hesitantly responding, “Th-thank you.”

Beyond those words, he had nothing else to offer her.

This realization made him a little sad, his chest aching faintly.

Sure enough, moments later, Ning Ning responded, “A simple thank you isn’t enough.”

An unsettling sense of loss surged over him.

But before it could take hold, Ning Ning reached out and gently wiped away a lingering drop of water from the corner of his eye.

Looking into his eyes, she smiled—a smile as serene as a rippling spring.

“You should say, ‘Thank you, sister.’”

How strange.

Everyone he’d met today seemed eager for him to call them “brother” or “sister.”

Cheng Ying couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted, “Ning Ning! You’re taking advantage of him! Pei Xiaoji, don’t say it! Mother forbids it! Absolutely! Forbids!”

The boy’s long lashes trembled, his lips, tinged pink by the steam, parted slightly.

Even if it meant being taken advantage of… when it was her, there seemed no reason to refuse.

Or rather, being “taken advantage of” by Ning Ning wasn’t something Pei Ji disliked.

“Thank you—”

Ning Ning listened intently, watching as a blush spread across Pei Ji’s face.

In an extremely soft and slow voice, he called her: “Sister.”

Cheng Ying howled in despair, while Ning Ning beamed triumphantly, patting the boy’s damp black hair.

Ah.

Her life felt complete.

She only hoped that when Pei Ji regained his memories, he’d pretend this never happened.

That day, Ning Ning had taken Pei Ji to see mountains and snow.

Later, they flew down to the town below to shop.

After eating and exploring, night had fallen.

By the time he finished bathing, it was time for bed.

“Remember not to kick off the covers. Since you’re afraid of the dark, I’ll leave that candle in the corner burning.”

Ning Ning watched as the little one obediently climbed into bed and carefully tucked the blanket around him.

“Will you be scared being here alone?”

She had expected Pei Ji to shake his head.

But the boy, lying quietly on the bed, looked at her with large, round eyes that made his small face seem even softer.

After a moment’s silence, he hesitated and gave a small nod.

There was a faint, hopeful longing in his gaze.