Volume One, Chapter Twenty-Two: She Can Go to School Too

Taking advantage of the excellent feng shui in the bedroom, Qin Yu sat cross-legged by the window, closed her eyes, and circulated spiritual energy throughout her body.

Feeling the abundance of spiritual energy within, Qin Yu couldn't help but marvel, “No wonder the faith value of a noble is so extraordinary!”

Knock, knock, knock.

It was the sound of someone at the door.

Qin Yu wiped the sweat from her brow and got up to open it.

Standing outside were Su Jin and his wife.

“Yu Yu, why is your face so red?” Qi Huairou asked in confusion.

“It’s just a little hot,” Qin Yu replied, still holding the tissue she’d used to wipe her sweat and dabbing her forehead again.

“You silly child, why don’t you turn on the air conditioner when it’s hot?” Qi Huairou pulled out a wet wipe from her skirt pocket and gently wiped her daughter’s sweat.

Su Jin walked into the bedroom and switched on the air conditioner for her.

At the moment he pressed the button, Su Jin suddenly remembered a piece of news he’d read: a rural college student had suffered heatstroke in their dorm because they were too frugal to turn on the air conditioning.

His stern gaze swept secretly over Qin Yu. Could his daughter be refusing to use the air conditioner for the same reason?

He wanted to say something but feared hurting her pride. For a moment, he found himself thinking far more than he ever did in business negotiations.

“The high temperature season here in Dijin is quite severe. It’s easy to get heatstroke if you’re not careful. You should keep the air conditioner on.”

Qin Yu wanted to explain that when she practiced spiritual energy, all her acupoints were open, and using the air conditioner could make her catch cold. But seeing Su Jin’s cautious effort to protect her fragile feelings, she simply said, “Alright, I understand.”

Seeing her so obedient, Su Jin felt deeply gratified: not only had his precious daughter been reunited with him, she hadn’t grown up crooked.

Qi Huairou pulled Qin Yu to sit beside her, while Su Jin took a seat opposite them.

Qi Huairou handed Qin Yu a shopping bag. “You didn’t eat dinner tonight. I was afraid you’d be hungry, so I bought you some snacks.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Su,” Qin Yu replied.

Though she felt a little awkward, her heart was warmed.

“Tomorrow, I’ll have someone transfer your household registration back from Ling Mountain Temple. As for your name, you used to be called Su Qinxin. Do you want to change it back?” Su Jin, seeing that Qin Yu was less resistant than when they first met, tried to start a conversation.

Qin Yu shook her head. “My master said I lack the metal element in my five phases. The name Qin Yu helps balance that deficiency.”

Su Jin had hoped she’d revert to the name he’d chosen for her, but from her words, she didn’t even want to change her surname back.

“How about adding the Su surname to your current name?” he suggested.

Qin Yu nodded.

It was just a surname, and it didn’t defy her master’s intentions, so she agreed.

Su Jin breathed a sigh of relief, elated that his daughter would carry his surname.

“Yu Yu, your mother and I have an idea and we’d like your opinion,” Su Jin glanced at Qi Huairou, preparing to broach the main topic.

Qin Yu had sensed from the start that they had something important to discuss. She straightened her posture, adopting an attentive look.

This made Qi Huairou burst into laughter.

Qi Huairou, graceful and gentle, exuded the aura of a well-bred lady; her soft smile at this moment was especially beautiful.

She shot Su Jin a playful glare. “Look at how serious you are, you’ve frightened our Yu Yu.”

She turned to Qin Yu, her gentle gaze almost dripping with warmth. “Yu Yu, don’t be nervous. We’re just having a family chat.”

Qin Yu was touched by her smile, and her heart softened, her posture relaxing.

Su Jin reflected on himself, then adopted what he thought was a kindly demeanor. “Yu Yu, in this day and age, you can’t get by without a diploma. We’d like to send you to school. Would you like to go?”

Seeing the strained smile he managed, Qin Yu couldn’t help but glance at Qi Huairou. Mother and daughter exchanged a knowing smile.

Puzzled, Su Jin scratched his head. But as he looked at the two similar faces before him, his heart melted.

“Can I go?” Qin Yu’s eyes sparkled.

Since childhood, she had only studied mystical arts. She’d often envied the students in the village below, dressed smartly and carrying school bags. But her master always said her fate hadn’t arrived. She knew it was just an excuse—her master was poor and couldn’t afford her tuition!

Though she was his daughter, Su Jin couldn’t bring himself to lie. He formed an awkward hollow circle with his hands and coughed twice. “Because Yu Yu hasn’t attended school before, Dad plans to first arrange for you to study at Nianxin’s university.”

Seeing Qin Yu’s uncertain expression, Su Jin explained, “It’s not realistic for you to start from elementary school now. Your mother and I discussed it and decided you should take the adult college entrance exam. But studying at home isn’t as conducive as being on campus, so we thought to send you to university for the environment.”

Qin Yu pursed her lips. “Will I take someone else’s spot?”

She’d heard that university admissions were ranked. If she attended, wouldn’t that mean someone else couldn’t?

Qi Huairou patted her head. “Silly girl, your father originally planned to have you study with the senior high students, but worried the intense atmosphere would tire you out. So he arranged for you to attend university instead. You won’t be taking anyone’s place; you’re just borrowing the setting to study. You won’t have a student record. Understand?”

Enlightened, Qin Yu exclaimed, “I’d love to!”

Qi Huairou and Su Jin chatted with Qin Yu a while longer, mostly asking about her experiences over the years. Qin Yu only shared the good, not the bad. The three talked until after ten before leaving.

After closing the door, Qin Yu lay on the soft, spacious bed, feeling as if the day had been a dream—not only had she found her birth parents, but she could go to school!

Happily rolling across the bed, she remembered the note Su Jin had shown her earlier. Qin Yu dialed the only number stored in her phone, but the call went unanswered.

Asleep?

Or off helping someone?

Thinking it over, Qin Yu composed a message, “Master, I’ve returned to the Su family! Mr. Su and Mrs. Su treat me very well, and they’re sending me to school! Please take care of your health at Ling Mountain Temple. I’ll return when I’ve fulfilled my studies!”

With a swift swoosh, the message was sent.

Qin Yu also noticed that the store she’d previously contacted about cinnabar and talisman paper had replied, inviting her to view the goods at a shop on Five Views Street at ten the next morning.

She checked the location on the map—close to the Su family home, a twenty-minute taxi ride.

Before bed, thinking of Mu Ling, Qin Yu sent him a voice message over a thousand miles: “Come back when you’ve finished your business; I’ll grant you a long holiday.”

The next morning, after breakfast, each member of the Su family went about their day—Su Jin headed to the company, Su Nianxin to school, and Qi Huairou to the spa, originally hoping to bring Qin Yu along, but Qin Yu declined, saying she had her own plans, and Qi Huairou had to let her go.

As Qin Yu was about to hail a taxi, a middle-aged man dressed as a butler approached. “Miss, if you need a car, please let me know.”