The Witch Nichang- Chapter 10

The Witch Nichang- Chapter 10

Bite

I had no idea what an actual martial sister relationship should be like in this world. Following Master over the years, I had never, not before or after settling down, come in contact with a real member of the martial arts community. 

When recalling those stories I had read, the existence of a so-called senior martial sister was either overbearing or dignified, if not, she would get along with other martial siblings like her own siblings.

I would also like to emulate that kind of existence if possible, but I had not had the chance. 

Since Lian’er started learning how to talk, the first word she said was mama, the second word was master, and the third word was you. When she finally learned to say the word senior sister, she soon understood the meaning of this title, especially the implication of being above her. From then on, she stopped using it and resumed her usual way of addressing with “you.”

I always reciprocated her unique sense of pride with understanding. Even if I was being singled out, I did not feel too bothered and just let her be. 

However, when I heard the teeth-gnashing “I’ll kill you” under the gaze of those malicious eyes, I admitted my heart shook for a moment.

Closed my eyes, I told myself. Like many times before, this was just an expression of her violence out of spite. Besides, in Lian’er’s thinking, killing, and life and death were not as heavy as they were in ordinary people’s eyes. It was the law of nature she learned earlier than language; it had always been as simple and as usual as drinking and eating.

Yes, rationally, I could understand. 

But still my heart sank instantaneously the moment that sentence blurted out from between her teeth. 

During these few years after bringing her back, Master had undoubtedly devoted a great deal of effort to her, but the effort I put in was not necessarily lesser. Especially on trivial matters such as food and clothing. I spent even more energy than Master on these, yet I got such words in return. She might feel nothing, but I could not help feeling upset the moment I heard it. 

Hence that night, I said nothing to her after that sentence. I only gave her an intense look in silence and turned to leave.

When I left, I was even mentally prepared for her to assault me, but fortunately, at last, she did not. 

I wondered if she saw anything from that gaze. 

However, even though the feelings in my heart were inexpressible, ultimately, I still kept my lips sealed in front of Master and helped her to keep this—in fact, harmless—secret.

Anyway, Master had been getting busier recently, so she also would not notice any time soon.

It was just that because of this matter, both of us were gradually drifting apart from each other. 

Strictly speaking, it was not so much the both of us as only me from her one-sidedly—she still spoke to me bluntly like always. Seeing that I did not reveal anything to Master this time, she just went on as usual. Occasionally, she took a few looks at me—I also did not know what it meant—and then turned back to continue doing her own thing. 

Despite her young age, she was indeed busy, busy practicing martial arts, and learning how to read, all of which were arranged by Master. She would check on them now and then; she had never neglected them. And also, busy hunting; this was a little…as if she was sure that it would be no problem if I did not say it. She seemed like she was not going to learn a lesson at all. Most of the time, she still took only a little of her kills back. The rest, needless to say, were fed to her “distant relatives.”

If we had not had that conversation, I could still remind her it was inappropriate to do so. But now, we did not talk, and it happened that I was responsible for the cooking. She probably had not learned the proverb- even a capable housewife cannot cook a meal without rice, yet she had already unintentionally used this proverb to make things difficult for me. 

Out of desperation, I had to think of a way myself. Fortunately, I had not forgotten those trap techniques I learned to fill my stomach when I was in the hunter’s house. Now when I set up the traps again, I could get some kills from time to time, so Master did not notice anything wrong during the meal.

Why did I have to cover it up  for the child while I was angry with her?

Every time I thought about this, I could only sigh—I was born to toil. 

Like this, we had been living in peace for a short period. Except for conflicting with myself, everything else remained the same, at least on the surface.

The sky was clear on this day. I had taken a wooden bucket to the nearest stream to wash our clothes. From afar, I saw a familiar little figure scurrying toward the direction of the cave and disappeared in a flash. 

Sigh…her qinggong is becoming more and more consummate. My thoughts drifted aimlessly. I lowered my head, scrubbing hard, and her clothes happened to be in my hands.

Even though I was angry, unless it was something serious, I was a person who could hardly hold on to it for long. After these days, my anger had subsided. It was meaningless to distance her. First, she did not care. Second, I was an adult on the inside, yet I was angry with such a child. It was ridiculous when I thought about it. 

Besides, I later recalled her vehement reaction at that time—is it because she remembered the incident when Master slaughtered the wolves? If so, I should understand her for her thoughtless words. 

This way, it was better to make up with her. Although she did not care, it was different to me.

I washed the last clothes, wrung all of them, and put them back in the bucket one by one. I flung my hands and stood up, ready to return to Yellow Dragon cave and talked to the child. Looking up, I saw the figure earlier rushing over here from the direction of the cave. 

“Lian’er—” I called out from a distance. I had not called her name for several days. I missed it quite a bit. 

When she heard my voice, she sped up. It was nothing seeing from a distance before, but when she came closer, I noticed something was wrong with her.

As she got even closer, I saw it clearly—why did she look exasperated and menacing?

Where did I cross her again? Before I could figure it out, she was already in front of me. Her face was rosy because of running too fast, and her hair was also a mess. At first, I unconsciously wanted to reach out my hand to smooth it out for her, but seeing her expression, I stopped wisely. 

“What’s the matter?” I could only ask. 

She looked straight into my eyes, not answering. I did not know whether she was exhausted or something. She was gasping, her chest heaving violently, even the rim of her eyes turning red. She flung the thing in her hand on the ground and asked with a croaky voice: “Yours?”

I looked at her and squatted down, then I noticed that it was an item made of woods and cow tendons, Taking a closer look, it was a component I used to make a figure four deadfall trap, but now it was damaged and somehow stained with blood.

My heart tensed after seeing it. I quickly raised my head: “I made it. Did it hurt you? Where did it hurt?” While saying that, I wanted to get up and examine her, but I immediately noticed that when she heard what I said, the redness around her eyes suddenly deepened. Clutching her fists, she let out a dismal hiss from her throat like a young beast and jumped on me at once.

I was in a squatting position, could not dodge in time, so she caught me head-on. The momentum was too strong. The two of us fell into the stream in an instant while wrestling together. 

The moment she knocked me down, my heart trembled, feeling that things were about to go south. 

I did not know why she suddenly came at me. I only knew that if she genuinely wanted to give me a hard time now, I was doomed.

We rolled in the water a few times. She had the upper hand; she sprang over and pressed me down into the stream, followed by a burst of blows and kicks. For a moment, water was splashing everywhere. I suffered a few hits to my body and arms, but surprisingly, they did not hurt much. 

Startled, I stopped floundering and scanned her, who was now on me. Although her face was flushed, seemingly furious, she clearly did not use internal energy while swinging punches and kicks. Not only that, but even her way of hitting was also haphazard. It was not so much an assault as a child venting out her anger. 

I was worried, but I did not say much to her. It did not hurt much anyway, so I just let her beat me and took advantage of the situation to check her body from head to toe. I did not find any wounds. 

I was worried about her, but she seemed to think the beating was not enough to quench her anger. After squirming for a while and some thinking, she pulled my arm toward her mouth. I was frightened, thinking, are you going to bite me again? I quickly stretched the other hand to grip her cheeks.

With her cheeks squeezed and her mouth pouted, she could not bite. She probably felt that she had made too much of a fuss, so she stopped struggling, looking at me while panting, her eyes still tinted with anger.

Maintaining this posture, I shook my head, shaking off the wet hair on my forehead, and said: “I made the trap because you always share the kills. I have to do it, do you understand?”

Silence.

“Did the trap hurt you?”

More silence.

“Did it hurt your…wolves?”

Finally, she struggled. Her eyes were getting more and more furious. 

Okay, bingo. 

“That trap of mine won’t kill them. You came to me for their injuries. Then I’ll treat them. That’s it. Why do you throw a fit like this!” Soaking in the cold water, I was really mad. 

Yet, I saw her pouting, eyes full of distrust.

“You know how to treat?”

I really wanted to bite her too. 


Translator’s note:
This chapter is later than usual. Sorry for leaving you hanging(*>人<)Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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5 Comments

  1. Anon

    Yes, enjoyed it quite a lot, thanks for the update. Their trouble child is getting more rambunctious :0

  2. vivalayuri

    The MC sure spoils her alot….

    • Slopaw

      Haha, she sure does.

  3. DunDUnDUNnNN

    Oh man. Now I want to see Lian’er jealous.

  4. IronCalf

    MC only stood up one time for herself. I really can’t stomach her passive stance.

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