Chapter 21: A Name, A Mother’s Promise

A half-filled inkstone of concentrated ink, a single stroke imbued with delicate meaning.

Qíngyǔ ground the ink, then sat solemnly before the stone table where a sheet of Xuan paper lay, already bearing three characters.

The Little Girl, her curiosity piqued, hooked her arm around her Little Mom’s and peered at the paper.

Qíng, Shí, Qīng.

“What are these?”

The girl tugged at Qíngyǔ, pointing to the three characters, her small face brimming with confusion.

“Little Mom is giving you a name.”

“A name?!”

“Yes, these three characters are—Qíng, Shí, Qīng.”

Watching the Little Girl, who was so delighted she nearly bounced, Qíngyǔ pronounced each character softly and with exceptional seriousness, as if bestowing a precious treasure.

She had, in fact, considered letting the child keep the surname Wang, after Wang Weimo, but after lengthy deliberation, she ultimately decided to give her a name using her own surname.

Her own name, “Qíngyǔ,” had a rather simple origin; it was merely chosen by her old father on a whim, after a torrential downpour on the day she was born in her previous-previous life.

The Little Girl’s name, however, carried a wealth of meaning and expectation. Beyond the obvious blessings like “ever-verdant through time,” it also embodied the hope that she would progress far along the path of immortality.

Yet, seeing her now, so full of joyous exuberance, the profound meanings and blessings Qíngyǔ had envisioned seemed to pale in comparison.

“I only hope you like this name.”

With a slight nod, Qíngyǔ gazed earnestly at the Little Girl.

“I love it!”

The girl paid no mind to such thoughts, instantly lunging toward Qíngyǔ, burying herself in her embrace, her small head ceaselessly rubbing against Qíngyǔ as if to absorb every trace of her scent.

“Wait, wait!”

Still holding the brush, Qíngyǔ found it awkward to embrace the clinging girl, and feared smudging the characters. She could only precariously hold the brush aloft with one hand, using her free hand to gently unwrap the octopus-like grip from her body.

“Honestly, look at the brush in my hand first.”

Qíngyǔ grumbled playfully, then carefully returned the brush to its stand.

The Little Girl sat on the nearby stone stool, her small hands propped behind her, her face alight with an unyielding smile.

“But I’m happy! And I didn’t break anything.”

“You almost splattered ink all over the paper!”

Qíngyǔ lightly flicked her forehead. Usually, at a moment like this, she would start feigning sorrow, but now she merely giggled foolishly.

“Little silly.”

Fortunately, the characters remained unspoiled, for this Xuan paper was truly expensive, and their household didn’t have much in stock.

“Little Mom will keep these three characters safe for you for now. I’ll give them to you when you eventually leave me.”

“How could I ever leave Little Mom!”

The Little Girl, her face previously beaming, suddenly pouted, a sense of grievance taking hold.

“You’ll always need to go out and see the world. If you always stay by my side, what will you do if I’m no longer around?”

Qíngyǔ took her hand. Today, she wouldn’t gloss over these matters; even if the little one before her grew upset, she still needed to speak her mind.

“Little Mom won’t…”

“There are no such absolutes in this world.”

Although she was confident in achieving immortality in this life, it was merely confidence. If the Dao proved unattainable, what then?

“But… but…”

The Little Girl was clever. Seeing her Little Mom’s gentle yet serious demeanor today, she suddenly lost her composure, only able to lower her head and play with her tiny fingers.

“Little Girl, you are meant to seek the path of Immortality,” Qíngyǔ began, seeing her settle down, “and in the future, you might live much, much longer than Little Mom.”

“Doesn’t Little Mom seek the path of Immortality?”

“I do too, and later, I’ll teach you everything I know.”

Qíngyǔ looked at her tearful expression, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“However, the path that Zì Bùxiàn and you can cultivate, I likely cannot walk.”

In the past few days, Qíngyǔ had diligently attempted to perceive the so-called “spiritual meridians” and other cultivation systems of this world, yet she had consistently found nothing.

“Mm…”

The Little Girl looked up at her Little Mom with a hint of confusion, feeling a blockage and discomfort in her heart, though she couldn’t articulate why.

“Actually, there’s no need to be so pessimistic. Conservatively speaking, I can accompany you for another hundred and eight years or more.”

Qíngyǔ smiled. In her previous life, after transmigrating, she had lived for another hundred and eight years, adding to the twenty years she already had in that life, totaling one hundred and twenty-eight years.

She harbored a strong premonition that if she couldn’t comprehend the Grand Dao in this life, she would ultimately reach the end of her lifespan after another hundred and eight years.

“Little Mom!”

Upon hearing this, the Little Girl couldn’t help but throw her arms around Qíngyǔ, her eyes already stinging, but she desperately forced herself not to shed any tears.

She didn’t want Little Mom to worry about her; at least not now, not at all.

“Originally, these matters shouldn’t have been told to you now.”

Qíngyǔ embraced the soft, small figure, gently stroking her hair.

“But my Little Girl is very clever, so I thought I could tell you sooner.”

“Little Mom…”

“You also know that I don’t actually share any blood ties with you.”

As Qíngyǔ uttered these words, she felt a piece of her heart violently torn away, bleeding profusely, yet she knew she had to say it.

The Little Girl in her arms made no sound save for deep, measured breaths, the fierce grip she held, and the warmth of a small furnace.

“However, today, after giving you this name, if you are willing…”

Qíngyǔ paused. Truth be told, this was the most nervous she had been in all three of her lives; not even on the day she foresaw her own demise in her previous life had she felt such tension.

Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke the words she had prepared: “I am willing to be your mother.”

“Mama!”

Hearing Qíngyǔ’s words, the Little Girl seemed to shed a thousand-pound burden, looking up at her with a face streaked with both tears and smiles.

“Little Girl.”

The word “daughter” felt a little awkward to utter. Qíngyǔ secretly turned her head to wipe away the moisture from her eyes, opting instead for the most familiar address for the little one in her arms.

“Mama is a silly!”

The Little Girl stuck out her tongue, her tiny fist gently patting Qíngyǔ’s shoulder.

“What makes me silly?”

Qíngyǔ found her reaction a bit odd. Had her emotional delivery not been dramatic enough?

“I’ve always thought of Mama as my real mother! You were just agonizing over it for ages!”

“Cough, cough, I don’t think I agonized *that* much, did I?”

Qíngyǔ awkwardly touched her nose, then set the Little Girl down from her embrace.

“Silly is silly,” the girl—or rather, Qíng Shíqīng—said in a rather grown-up manner. “All serious and solemn, I thought it was something major, but it was just *this*?”

“What did you think it was, then?”

“I thought Mama couldn’t afford to raise me anymore.”

The Little Girl smoothly changed her address; after all, it was only a single character different, making no real distinction for her.

“If I couldn’t even raise a little one like you, then I truly wouldn’t be named Qíng.”

“Then you’re just a big silly, making it sound like a life-or-death parting…”

“But isn’t my daughter clever?”

Qíngyǔ reached out and playfully flicked the little adult’s delicate nose, then stretched, standing up with a sense of relief.

“Hmph, in the future, I will definitely find a way to make Mama immortal too.”

“It’s not certain who will help whom yet.”

“It’ll definitely be me helping Mama!”

Watching the Little Girl speak with such earnestness, Qíngyǔ couldn’t help but burst into laughter. It was the first time she had truly been amused since arriving in this world.

“Mama, what are you laughing at!”

“Nothing, nothing at all!”

“Hmph, Mama is clearly laughing at me!”

“I just remembered something happy… Hey! Don’t poke me there! It tickles!”