Chapter 112: Having a Kind Older Sister

It was already lantern-lighting time when Zhen Qian returned home. Upon entering, he noticed Mother Wang give him a subtle wink. Before he could react, a gust of wind rose behind him, and one of his arms was firmly locked in a grip.

"An ambush!"

He sank his shoulder to dissipate the force and kicked backward with a whip-like motion.

"Improving, are we? Do you think this girl is so easily handled? Take this!"

As she spoke, another gust of wind struck, this time aimed directly at his face. Zhen Qian let out a cry of alarm, tilting his head as the force grazed his ear. Turning his wrist, he performed a move to coil around his opponent’s arm, stepping forward to seize something. Just as he attempted to pull back, he felt the object was incredibly slippery.

"I’ve been tricked!"

"Let’s see what other moves you have—bring them all on!"

Zhen Qian’s thirty-six grappling techniques were no mere showy displays. Back in the day… well, a hero shouldn't boast of past glory; he needed to handle the crisis at hand.

In the blink of an eye, they had traded three hundred blows. It felt as if the world were turning dark, the earth shaking, and the sun and moon losing their light—though, in truth, there was no moon tonight. Could it really be that dramatic? In reality, it had only been a brief moment, yet Zhen Qian was already at a disadvantage, backed against a flower bed, fearing for his life.

His "Dragon Tail Flick" move was usually masterful, but his reaction was slightly dulled by the alcohol he had consumed. His opponent seized the opening, launching a fierce, rain-like counterattack that left him stumbling and sprawling flat on his back.

"That was exhilarating! Get up and fight again!"

"I said I’m not getting up, so I’m not! What are you going to do about it?"

Mother Wang struck the attacker with a staff. "Ju Niang, hurry up and help Da Lang up! Have you no decorum?"

Ju Niang was his mother’s personal maid and Mother Wang’s daughter. She had watched Zhen Qian grow up, and her playful spirit remained undiminished. She had been away in the capital delivering gifts for him, which was why she hadn’t been home earlier.

Zhen Qian’s amateur martial arts were nothing compared to hers. Ju Niang had practiced martial arts since childhood; while she wasn’t a grandmaster, the starting points were different—one practiced for health, the other was essentially a professional bodyguard. The gap was as wide as heaven and earth.

Zhen Qian was hoisted up by Ju Niang. "When did you get back, Ju Niang? Did the trip to the capital go smoothly? Did you see my sister? Did she send any letters?"

"Let’s go inside first. Standing at the door, what would people think?"

Mother Wang shouted into the house, her voice full of vigor: "Tie Zhu, hurry and boil water for Da Lang to change!"

Tie Zhu was Mother Wang’s son-in-law and also a member of Zhen Qian’s household guard. Marriages among the guards were arranged; free love was strictly forbidden and could result in being beaten to death. Therefore, there was no such thing as a "son-in-law living with his in-laws."

Tie Zhu stood nearly two meters tall, like a moving black tower. When he and Ju Niang stood together, they looked like an adult and a child. Yet, their martial prowess was inversely proportional. Though Tie Zhu had the strength of a thousand men and his pair of iron maces were unrivaled—often making local bandits beg for mercy—he didn't dare speak loudly in front of Ju Niang. She, in turn, often liked to tease him.

Zhen Qian looked at Tie Zhu, then at the petite Ju Niang. "Tie Zhu, you’ve been working hard lately! When will you add another member to the Zhen household?"

Tie Zhu’s dark face flushed, though it was hard to tell given his complexion.

Ju Niang delivered a harsh kick to Tie Zhu’s thigh. Zhen Qian could hear a faint sound of bone hitting bone. She winced in pain herself. "You idiot, why didn't you dodge?"

Tie Zhu chuckled. "Does it hurt? Let me rub it for you!"

Ju Niang had a sharp tongue but a soft heart; she was usually very kind to Tie Zhu but refused to show it in front of others. Zhen Qian, naturally, wouldn't point it out.

"You two chat. I’m going to bathe. Can you tell me some interesting stories about the capital later?"

Having not seen Lucia for a while, Zhen Qian noticed a slight change in her, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Perhaps Mother Wang had been drilling the household rules into her.

As Zhen Qian lay comfortably in the tub, Lucia entered, wearing only a thin gauze garment. She walked directly behind him and began massaging his shoulders with her delicate fingers. "Master, you... you are tired. Let me help you."

A mischievous smile appeared on Zhen Qian’s face. The little girl clearly didn't know how to serve someone yet.

"That's enough. One look and I can tell you’re not used to this. Your fingers are stiff, you look unnatural, and your pressure is all wrong. No wonder nobody liked you before?"

Lucia blinked her sapphire-like eyes, clearly not understanding what he meant. "This servant will learn... Master, please teach me!"

Teach her? Forget it!

Zhen Qian didn't like to force things; he was a man of taste who valued atmosphere. Did this little girl understand that? Under normal circumstances, he would have patiently taught her the qualities expected of a maid, but he wasn't in the mood today, so he let her off.

After bathing, Ju Niang was waiting for him in his room.

His sister, Ling Niang, was quite a decent person. He had heard that after his fall and subsequent amnesia, she had wanted to rush back from the capital despite being heavily pregnant, only to be stopped by her husband. Instead, she had sent a cartload of supplements, enough for