Chapter 18
In the following days, Song Zhixia spent her mornings sparring with Song Weizhi and continued cultivating by absorbing spiritual qi in the afternoons. As time passed, Song Weizhi's birthday approached. It happened to be on the same day as Song Zhixia's birthday, but the latter's birthday went unnoticed by everyone.
Song Ruohai entrusted all the arrangements for Song Weizhi's birthday to Song Chaoyun. In previous years, Song Weizhi's birthday celebration was grand, but this year, Song Chaoyun went all out to showcase himself. The entire Song family was decorated with festive lights and decorations, creating an atmosphere as if Song Ruohai were celebrating his seventieth birthday.
Song Weizhi didn't even spare a glance at the preparations. She was busy assisting her little girl in practical combat training. Since the day her Junior Sister cried, the girl became more resilient. Now, she could handle over a dozen moves from Song Weizhi, much to the Senior Sister's satisfaction.
During these days, Song Zhixia occasionally visited the Technique Pavilion on her own. She couldn't focus solely on the Ignition Sword technique; she needed to know about other techniques in the Song family.
After the incident where Song Weizhi stood up for Song Zhixia, the disciples' attitudes toward Song Zhixia underwent a significant change. Instead of wanting to mock or belittle her, they now treated her with respect from a distance. At least, there were no individuals with a lack of foresight who insisted on bullying Song Zhixia. As a result, Song Zhixia enjoyed a more relaxed environment and spent her time in the Technique Pavilion examining various cultivation techniques.
While Song Zhixia was engrossed in reading, she overheard whispers from other disciples in the distance:
"Hey, did you see Zhao Xuankun of the Zhao Family this morning? He's the future partner of our Senior Sister."
"Dao companion? I heard Senior Sister mentioned canceling the engagement that day."
"No way, really? Senior Brother Zhao has already reached the Initial-Enlightenment realm. Among the younger generation in Linhai City, there are only a few with such cultivation realm."
"Exactly, and Senior Brother Zhao is quite handsome. Senior Sister's standards are too high. If it were me, I'd hurry up and get married."
"Senior Sister isn't you. Always daydreaming."
"Oh, I'm just thinking. A person like Senior Brother Zhao is beyond my reach anyway."
The whispers faded, but Song Zhixia, who had been reading, hadn't absorbed a single word. Her eyes were filled with disappointment. For some reason, hearing about her Senior Sister's potential future partner made her feel uncomfortable. Her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn't focus on the book in her hands.
Feeling troubled, Song Zhixia decided to use the sword her Senior Sister gave her, summoned her flying sword, and returned to her residence. She wanted to ask her Senior Sister about this potential partner matter, but at the same time, she feared hearing an answer she didn't want. Distraught, Song Zhixia had no choice but to go to her room and meditate to calm her emotions.
Although Song Weizhi had been practicing diligently in recent days, she still couldn't sense the pulse of the Nascent Soul realm. Thinking about her and Song Zhixia sharing the same birthday, Song Weizhi was indifferent to the concept of birthdays. After all, she had experienced all these celebrations in her previous life, and she wasn't particularly interested in them now. However, for her little girl, it was different. She had probably never experienced a proper birthday celebration.
To make her little girl happy, Song Weizhi decided to visit the market in Linhai City. The market mainly sold spiritual tools, treasures, and medicinal herbs, mostly low to mid-grade items. High-grade spiritual treasure were rare to find.
Song Weizhi wandered around, not accustomed to picking out gifts. She rarely bothered with such things. In the past, for friends' birthdays, she simply sent red envelopes, and her friends often teased her for being too straightforward or even 'masculine.' Well, for the sake of making her little girl happy, Song Weizhi decided to pick something nice.
After browsing for a while, she stopped in front of a vendor. In a wooden box lay a white jade hairpin with an adorable little rabbit on it, resembling her little girl.
Song Weizhi immediately inquired, "Shopkeeper, what kind of spiritual treasure is this little rabbit hairpin? How much is it?"
The shopkeeper, eager for business, replied with a smile, "You have a good eye. This is a storage hairpin, a Mid-grade spiritual weapon. It can hold quite a few things. Not expensive at all, only 100 Mid-grade spirit stones."
Song Weizhi had plenty of spirit stones, and her original self had several storage bags filled with them. Money was not a concern. She paid for the hairpin and placed it in her storage ring. She thought a white, tender rabbit hairpin in her little girl's hair would look very nice.
Upon returning, Song Weizhi saw her little girl sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, lost in thought. The girl seemed completely unaware of her return.
Song Weizhi slowed her pace and walked over, reaching out to ruffle the girl's hair. Only then did Song Zhixia realize Song Weizhi had returned.
"Senior Sister, when did you come back?" Song Zhixia hadn't fully recovered from the sadness of learning about her Senior Sister's potential future partner, and her expression still seemed absent-minded.
"What are you thinking? You've been so absorbed; I've been standing behind you for half a day," Song Weizhi said with a wry smile.
Song Zhixia's eyes were avoiding, and she replied softly, "No, it's nothing."
Seeing her little girl's unusual demeanor, Song Weizhi sensed that something was amiss. Was there something on her mind? Song Weizhi was about to play the role of a caring Senior Sister and inquire about what was bothering her little girl when she heard voices from outside the courtyard. Several inner disciples were standing respectfully at the courtyard gate.
Song Weizhi assumed they were here to invite her to the birthday banquet. Song Ruohai seemed to find it amusing. What could have been handled with a simple voice transmission talisman required disciples to personally invite her. It was just an idle affair.
She walked a few steps to the courtyard gate. The leader was Tianming, Song Ruohai's trusted disciple. Tianming bowed to Song Weizhi before speaking, "Senior Sister, your birthday banquet is all set. Senior Brother Xuankun and others are already there. Master asked us to invite Senior Sister. Please come with us."
"Is it just an invitation for me?" Song Weizhi still wanted to see if Song Ruohai remembered he had a biological daughter.
"Yes, is there anyone else?" Tianming asked, puzzled.
Song Weizhi sneered. She shouldn't have entertained any illusions about the adoptive father of the female lead. He didn't consider her as his daughter; all he cared about was the family's interests.
"You go ahead. I'll come later," she said, dismissing the disciples. Without paying attention to them, she walked straight toward Song Zhixia.
Although Song Zhixia wasn't in high spirits, her ears were attuned to the courtyard's activity. Her biological father had forgotten her in organizing her Senior Sister's birthday, and Song Zhixia wasn't surprised. After all, Song Ruohai didn't want to acknowledge her, and she didn't feel much attachment to this father. However, when she heard the name Zhao Xuankun, her Senior Sister's potential future partner, she couldn't help feeling a bit sad. Even though she had spent previous birthdays alone, hearing that her Senior Sister would spend time with someone else made Song Zhixia feel especially uncomfortable.
Song Weizhi also noticed that Song Zhixia seemed absent-minded. Thinking of returning early in the evening to celebrate her little girl's birthday, she comforted her, saying, "I'll only be gone for a while. Be good."
Avoiding Song Weizhi's eyes, Song Zhixia replied, "Senior Sister, go quickly. I'll be fine alone. I'm used to it."
"Why are you talking nonsense? How can it be fine? Zhixia is the most important person to me. If I say I'll come back to be with you, I will." Song Weizhi gently reassured her Junior Sister, patting her head before leaving.
Song Zhixia watched Song Weizhi's departure, and her eyes reddened slightly. She looked like a little bunny abandoned by someone. With her Senior Sister having a potential partner, would she stop caring about her? Perhaps, she truly wasn't wanted by anyone.
Song Zhixia returned to her room with a lost expression. She summoned her Spiritual Beast, a little chicken, and the two stared at each other.
The little chicken, oblivious to the complexities of human emotions, only wanted to play with its owner. It wiggled over to Song Zhixia, rubbing against her fingers, waiting for her to play.
Sighing, Song Zhixia spoke to the little chicken in her hand, "Little Chicken, what should I do? Senior Sister has a potential partner now. After a while, I'll be unwanted again, and we'll be homeless. What should we do?"
The little chicken, naive and clueless, only knew it wanted to play with its owner. It flapped its tiny wings, patting Song Zhixia's hand as if comforting her.
Song Zhixia, lying on the table, faced the little chicken. "Little Chicken, what should I do? I don't want to leave Senior Sister. If Senior Sister didn't have a potential partner, I could stay with her forever. Oh, no, that's not right either. Senior Sister has always been so good to me. How could I wish for her not to have a partner? Maybe it's better that you don't understand anything."
With reddened eyes, Song Zhixia gently played with the little chicken. She felt a deep sense of loneliness, thinking about how her Senior Sister might not pay attention to her anymore if she had a partner. She wondered when her Senior Sister would come back tonight. Was she going to spend time with her potential partner? The whole night passed with a restless mind, and she couldn't even bring herself to meditate.
When Song Weizhi arrived at the main hall, it was already filled with people. Besides those from the Zhao family, there were also some prominent figures from Linhai City, all present.
Finding her seat, Song Weizhi, with a cold gaze, looked at Song Ruohai. He had grandly labeled this as celebrating her birthday, but in reality, it was an attempt to gather sponsors under her name.
When the guests were almost all gathered, Song Ruohai finally finished a long congratulatory speech. Song Weizhi was nearly dozing off when she heard her name.
"Ah, I've said so much. Now, let our birthday girl Weizhi say a few words for us. Hahaha," Song Ruohai called out Song Weizhi's name.
Thinking that the sooner she spoke, the sooner she could leave to be with her little girl, Song Weizhi muttered to herself about finishing quickly. She had no time to engage with these old men for an extended period.