Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 645 – Completing Di Chen’s Wish (2)

Qing Shui smiled and sat to Di Chen’s left while Di Qing sat to her right. Even now, Di Qing was a bit perturbed. With the atmosphere, no one had much appetite towards their meals.

“Fa… father, please eat!” Di Chen stood up, passing a bowl and a set of chopsticks towards Di Xuan with both hands.

Di Xuan stood up, his face filled with a surprised smile. However, he could not hold back the tears from his eyes.

“Daughter… Haha… Chen`er is willing to accept this old man…”

Di Xuan was now indescribably happy. He knew that Di Chen had been stubborn since she was young and after he was forced to send her to the Residence of the Sky Tyrant Lord, he had never expected this day to come…

Di Xuan anxiously received the bowl and chopsticks Di Chen handed him. This could be considered a small ceremony where the father and daughter recognized each other. When the others saw this scene, they all broke into happy grins.

“Chen`er, it’s been hard on you all these years. Your father has been useless.” Thinking about this matter, Di Xuan felt that if he had been strong enough, no matter whether it had been Old Man Ba or anyone else he had brought to raise this request, he would have had the power to refuse.

“Father, daughter knows that you have done your best. It wasn’t easy for you either to be supporting such a big clan. Your daughter understands.” Di Chen smiled, casting a glance at Qing Shui, the warmth in her eyes intoxicating.

“Haha, today is the happiest day for me, Di Xuan. I wasn’t present during your wedding with Qing Shui. Since my daughter has now married, I must present a gift.” Di Xuan said happily before giving the matter some thought.

“Father, that…”

“Chen`er, I know. You don’t have to say anything. How about this? Since you’re already married, Qing Shui might not be that willing to stay here. I’ll give the manor on Starmoon Street to the two of you as your dowry. I’ll let them send the rest of the stuff to the manor for you.” Di Xuan interrupted Di Chen and said, smiling.

Di Chen smiled and did not say anything. She understood her father’s feelings and even the others were all smiling very happily. No one felt unhappy that Di Xuan had given out the Di Clan’s best manor. On the contrary, they all felt that it was the best decision.

This was Di Xuan’s native home, and the Di Clan’s descendents who had not yet gotten married would all stay here. Other than this place, the Di Clan also owned a few other manors which would be given out to the daughters and sons upon their marriage even if they chose not to stay there. There would also be manors set aside for the sons and daughters of those couples in the future.

For a clan like the Di Clan, there was no shortages of manors. Even with everyone in the entire Di Clan, there was still plenty of space. Therefore, after Di Fentian had gotten married, he had stayed here all this time.

Everyone in Seven Stars Country knew that the Starmoon Street within the Seven Stars City was the top street where rich merchants, reputable clans and sects stayed. All the businesses there were greatly prosperous and everything there was nothing but the best.

“Then daughter shall thank father for the gift.” Di Chen said happily.

She knew that this gesture was Di Xuan’s kind intention and had no ulterior meaning behind it. Qing Shui stayed next to her, not saying a word. He understood Di Chen’s feelings. Although Qing Shui agreed that love could not be measured by money, many people hoped that they would be wealthy and powerful. It was just like in his previous life: although filial piety could not be measured by money, people who were rich would be able to afford the best doctors and the best hospitals if their parents became sick. Those who were poorer would only be able to watch as their parents passed away. Very often, there was no absolute to how things were.

These kind of gestures could be used to express one’s feelings and intentions, even if other methods might be equally effective.

The lady beside Di Xuan smiled and stood up, passing a phoenix hairpin to Di Chen. “This is your mother’s memento. Before she passed away, she told me to give this to you when you get married. Although it is a bit late, I’ll give it to you now.”

“Thank you Aunt Ning!”

Di Chen received it carefully as she said her thanks, a hint of nostalgia flashed past her face. She missed her mother a lot. Sometimes, when she think about her, her heart would ache a lot. She had yearned to be able to meet that lady she called mother.

Qing Shui grabbed Di Chen’s hand softly, not saying a word, only letting her sense his existence.

Di Chen nodded at Qing Shui as she kept the phoenix hairpin, revealing a relaxed smile on her face.

Di Xuan cast Qing Shui a thankful look. He was a clever guy, and knew that the reason for his daughter’s acceptance of him was thanks to Qing Shui, even if hadn’t said a word. It was because this man was the most precious existence in his daughter’s heart.

Afterwards, everyone’s appetite got better. Members of the Di Clan’s younger generation kept toasting Qing Shui as well. Having a younger brother-in-law like him was something to be really happy about.

The meal lasted late into the night and the atmosphere was quite good. This group of people on Di Xuan’s side was not numerous, but everyone shared close-knit relationship. This was what true family was like.

…

Qing Shui and Di Chen left the hall and headed for the room that was arranged for them!

Qing Shui held Di Chen’s hand very naturally. However, he was still feeling a little agitated and speechless. He did not know if it was because he felt inferior or if was because Di Chen was so charming.

Di Chen occasionally smiled and looked at Qing Shui, a faint smile hanging on her face. In this moment, her smile appeared a little different from usual.

Qing Shui knew that the weight on Di Chen’s heart had lifted. His promise to bring her back to the Di Clan was now considered fulfilled and there was one less thing for him to worry about now.

“I still want to thank you!”

Di Chen grabbed Qing Shui’s two hands and said, smiling. Maybe she was really afraid that Qing Shui would whack her butt.

When Qing Shui saw that Di Chen had such a cute side, he could not help but smile, which made Di Chen blush, “Stop smiling!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop, I’ll stop! Chen`er, you really don’t take your husband’s word seriously! Tell me, how should I punish you?” Although Qing Shui had said that he would not smile, he still had a light smile on. It was because, during such times, the cute expression shown by a lady like Di Chen was especially beautiful, causing Qing Shui to not help but want to tease her.

“You’re not allowed to hit me…” Di Chen smiled.

Qing Shui pulled her hands behind him and then moved her into his arms. This time around, their faces were less than an inch apart.

Although Di Chen wanted to dodge, she was being held on by Qing Shui and was unable to step back.

“Give me a kiss as your punishment, what do you think?” Qing Shui felt that this moment was especially beautiful. The feeling was indescribable.

“Not good!”

“Then how about I kiss you?”

“Not good!”

“Then do you think I should whack you on the butt or give you a kiss?” Qing Shui smiled and said, once again bringing his face in closer, touching the tip of Di Chen’s beautiful nose with his own.

Qing Shui had never dreamed of making a lady who was so much like a goddess appear so embarrassed. Now, he felt that he was loving this lady more and more.

This was what true love between men and women felt like.

“Qing Shui, stop fooling around.” Di Chen said softly, as her clear breath fell on Qing Shui’s face.

Qing Shui gave a soft peck on Di Chen’s nose and then put her hands back in front, “Alright, let’s go back and rest.”

“Alright!” Di Chen planted a light kiss on Qing Shui’s face as she replied.

This time around, Qing Shui and Di Chen spent a night together, but with Qing Shui in the living room. Qing Shui didn’t force himself on Di Chen, and had never thought of doing so. He knew that nature would run its course.

The next day!

“Qing Shui, let’s head to Starmoon Street together to see if you find the house satisfactory.” Di Fentian said as he looked at Qing Shui and Di Chen. Di Fenxing and Di Qing were there as well.

Qing Shui agreed. Di Chen’s wish had been fulfilled and he would feel very uncomfortable continuing to stay in the Di Clan like this. Qing Shui planned to stay in this city for quite a while.

Taking the beast cart specially used by the Di Clan, they headed for Starmoon Street.

The Starmoon Street was said to be the street where one could see the most stars in the Seven Stars Country, which is how it received its name. It was easily the busiest street at night.

Many people would be here at night to view the scenery of the visible stars and moon.

The Starmoon Street was not that far from Di Clan, but it still took them about an hour travelling on the beast cart.

Only when he stood before the manor did Qing Shui realize that the manor’s location was really good. It was in the central area of Starmoon Street, where the street was the widest. One could consider the manor to take up quite a big space in the area.

The wide door showed the owner’s majestic disposition and there were two huge stone beasts placed at the entrance. What astonished Qing Shui was that the purple-colored signboard above the door wrote the word ‘Qing’.

Qing Shui then walked in to see that the manor was well furnished with artificial mountains, water, and rocks. Qing Shui did not feel much about these furnishings. If he was interested, it wouldn’t have been hard for him to get such hands on a similar manor.

However, this manor was still considered to be quite luxurious and it was the great location made it tremendously valuable. The pavilion building in the manor was made from top quality materials and had a great design. Anyone could tell with a look that it had been the work of a great artist.

He met a few men and women on the way, some middle-aged and others young. They were in-charge of cleaning up the place and doing gardening work.

The structure of the pavilion building was similar to the other buildings, but was much more luxurious-looking. In the future, this would be a place he could stop by if he were to come to the Seven Stars Country. This was home to him and Di Chen.

“Qing Shui, shouldn’t you leave a place for me to stay here?” Di Qing was walking next to Di Chen and turned to Qing Shui.

“You can stay at wherever you’d like…”