"You really come here just to squabble?" Old Master Nan was itching to kick this old woman out of his residence just so that he would be able to regain his residence's peace. He didn't have the willingness to accompany her any longer.
"No. I'm actually here to talk about some important matters. But before that, let me claim my granddaughter first."
"She's my granddaughter!"
"She'll my granddaughter in law soon, don't be stingy."
Thus, Nan Hua ended up being patted in her head once more before Old Master Nan sent the twins out to practice. This made her wonder why her grandfather even bothered to let her stay inside the building just to hear him squabble with Old Madam Long.
Old Madam Long stayed for a while longer and no one knew what they were talking about.
…
After that incident, the family of three ate together for dinner in Ning Shu Pavilion. The servants all retreated afterwards. Only Hou Liang was there to stand guard.
"You both will turn 9 soon, what do you want as presents?" Old Master Nan asked after their dinner.
9?
Nan Hua silently calculated the time when she recalled that it would soon be that time. The time of upheaval in the entire Fei Yang Kingdom that would shake the very core of the power structure here. Of course, it was also the start of the main protagonist, Long Qian Xing, to start gathering his power for real and openly as he would assume his military position and did his duties.
"Hua'er, what do you want for your birthday present?" Instead of answer, Nan Luo turned his head to look at his twin sister.
Nan Hua blinked her eyes. "It's your birthday too, Luo."
"I want to give you gifts too!"
"Then, I'll also prepare a gift for you."
Nan Luo beamed when he heard that Nan Hua would prepare a present for him. "Then that's a deal! I'll pick a present for you and you pick a present for me!"
Thwack!
"Answer me first, you brat!" Old Master Nan was speechless at his grandson and couldn't help but flick the boy's forehead.
Nan Luo looked at his grandfather with an aggrieved expression. "What are you saying, Grandpa? I'll like whatever you give to me!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Old Master Nan narrowed his eyes. "In that case, I'll increase your training by two folds starting from your birthday."
"Wait! Grandfather, I'll die if I train that much!"
"Didn't you say that you'll like whatever gift I prepare?" Old Master Nan asked with a smug smile.
Looking at his grandfather's smile, Nan Luo resisted the urge to ask for a spar. After all, he knew that it would only take slap of his grandfather to send him flying to the other side of the room….
"Grandfather, I would like to train with the person who has been watching from the bamboo forest." Nan Hua felt that the two of them would never end this, so she stated her request slowly.
She had been thinking that it was already good enough for her to be able to grow stronger and trained her capabilities again. But after looking at how Long Qian Xing was already the master of Long Family in secret, then at the fact that there were actually several people who were trying to scheme against her. Nan Hua felt that she was too slow.
The only thing that she could do right now was to get stronger faster and in order to do that, she wanted to start learning formally in the same field that she used to learn in the past.
Covert tools and assassination.
She wanted to learn the methods from this time so that she would be able to use her skills to protect herself. As for the things that women should learn… would it be of use when the entire Nan Family would be send to the frontline after a few more years?
To make sure that she would not arouse suspicion, she would learn just enough to pass as a lady.
Nan Luo's hand stiffened when he heard what Nan Hua said. He blinked his eyes then turned his head to look at the bamboo forest as if he wanted to tear down the entire forest to see the person who has been hiding there.
Even Old Master Nan's movement didn't seem to be as smooth as before. He looked at Nan Hua. "Hua'er, you're saying the person in the bamboo forest?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure there's someone over there?" Nan Luo was skeptical but upon seeing his grandfather's reaction, he began to think that Nan Hua might have just seen the person for real.
Nan Hua tilted her head.. "He's just a few feet behind you, Luo."