Chapter 173 Do you know the ancient martial arts world?
Not only did Shen Anyu know about the Martial Arts World, but his knowledge ran far deeper than Su Wanqing could ever imagine.
Even his bodyguard, Aunt Xiao, was a Grandmaster Peak expert, powerful enough to establish a Sect in the Martial Arts World and be revered as a matriarch.
His maternal grandfather, the patriarch of the An Family, was a Heavenly Human Realm expert, residing at the very peak of the Martial Arts World, a being who could influence the weather with his mood.
His maternal grandmother was a descendant of a top reclusive Sect in Yanxia, carrying bloodlines that were ancient and mysterious.
And his aunt, An Zhiyue, the "Iron Lady" of the military, led the Fire Phoenix Special Forces which had captured countless Martial Arts World experts who ran rampant relying on their martial prowess.
Even the Martial Arts World, which was quite mysterious and greatly feared by many celebrities and tycoons, was nothing in Shen Anyu's eyes. It was just another playground.
What reclusive families and reclusive Sects? Could they compare to the millennium-old Shen Family? Or the boundless wealth of the An Family?
Shen Anyu scoffed internally. 'If there truly were such powerful families and Sects, why would they choose to live in seclusion deep in the mountains? Is it because they love nature? No, it's because they are weak. Are there too many mosquitoes in the mountains to keep them company?'
Except for a very few special cases—like the hidden bosses behind the Protagonists—reclusive Sects and reclusive families are far from comparable to the great families truly standing at the pinnacle of the Secular World.
As for those very few special cases, they are basically related to the Child of Destiny.
Just like you, the Child of Destiny, Ye Yan, a master descending from the mountain, could be saved by a Heavenly Human master after falling off a cliff and be regarded as his true successor. It's simply illogical plot armor.
"Is Mianmian's true identity related to the Martial Arts World?"
Shen Anyu looked thoughtfully at Su Wanqing and asked, feigning ignorance to let her unburden herself.
"Mm!"
Seeing that Shen Anyu had guessed their connection to the Martial Arts World and remained unafraid—his eyes as calm as an ancient well—Su Wanqing's gaze towards Shen Anyu softened even more. She felt a profound sense of relief, like a lone boat finally finding a harbor.
She continued, her voice trembling slightly:
"Mianmian and I... we are indeed from the Martial Arts World."
At this point, Su Wanqing sighed softly. A complex expression appeared on her exquisite, mature face—nostalgia, pain, and a deep-seated fear.
She slowly said:
"Have you heard of the [Bashu Sword Tomb]? It is an ancient martial arts Sect that dominates the southwestern region, with a profound heritage dating back hundreds of years. They are known for their unparalleled swordsmanship."
"I am not Mianmian's biological mother. Strictly speaking, I should be Mianmian's distant grandaunt, one who is beyond the fifth degree of kinship. My martial arts talent isn't good—I barely reached the Innate Realm in my youth—and my parents passed away early, leaving me orphaned and helpless within the sect."
"But Mianmian's biological parents... they were different. They took great care of me, treating me like a real sister."
"Mianmian's biological parents were both extremely formidable individuals, Genius Disciples of the Bashu Sword Tomb. They were the golden couple of the generation."
"Especially Mianmian's biological father, Su Jiaye. He became a Martial Arts Grandmaster at just over twenty years old, shocking the entire Jianghu. He had the potential to take over the Bashu Sword Tomb and become the next Sect Master."
"However..."
Su Wanqing's face turned pale, her fingers gripping the hem of her silk dress tightly until her knuckles turned white.
"Later, Mianmian's biological parents went out on a mission once. It was supposed to be routine. But they were ambushed."
"They were besieged by seven experts from an opposing Sect—the [Blood Saber Gate]. They fought valiantly, killing five of them, but eventually... they died young. Mianmian was just a baby."
At this point, Su Wanqing's voice was somewhat choked. The memory was a jagged shard of glass in her heart.
She said with a sob:
"They were such good people... they took such good care of me, shielding me from the sect's politics... yet they died so early and so mysteriously."
"As for their whereabouts, if there hadn't been a traitor colluding from within the Bashu Sword Tomb, providing their route and schedule, how could the opposing Sect have known their precise location and ambushed them?"
"It was an inside job! I knew it! But I was too weak to prove it. I was terrified they would come for Mianmian next to cut the bloodline."
At this moment, Su Wanqing's beautiful eyes, usually sharp and commanding behind her gold-rimmed glasses, were no longer the eyes of a CEO. They were the eyes of a helpless, grieving woman.
Tear-filled and glistening, tears streamed down her exquisite, fair cheeks like broken pearls, dripping onto her purple dress, staining the silk dark.
Clearly, being a person of deep emotion, she could not forget the deaths of Su Hongmian's parents even after twenty years. The guilt of surviving, the fear of raising their daughter alone in a strange city—it had all weighed on her.
"Auntie, don't be too sad. It's been a long time… You have done a magnificent job raising Mianmian."
Shen Anyu rose from his seat. He walked over and sat on the sofa next to Su Wanqing.
He didn't hesitate. He reached out and gently patted her shoulder, his touch warm and firm, comforting her softly.
Su Wanqing, overwhelmed by the sudden release of her secrets, subconsciously leaned her head on Shen Anyu's shoulder. It was an instinctive move, seeking support.
[Sensory Focus: Intimacy]
Shen Anyu could feel the weight of her head on his shoulder. He could smell the unique fragrance of her body—a mature, milky scent mixed with the faint bitterness of tears and high-end sandalwood. It was intoxicating.
Her body was soft and warm against his side. He could feel the tremors racking her frame as she wept silently. The heat from her skin seeped through his suit, and through her thin silk dress, the contact was electric.
He didn't push her away. Instead, he adjusted his posture to let her lean more comfortably, his arm encircling her shoulders in a protective gesture that bordered on possessive.
Ever since Su Hongmian's parents were ambushed and tragically died, a frightened little girl, Su Wanqing—who was barely twenty herself at the time—carried baby Su Hongmian and fled the distrusted Bashu Sword Tomb overnight.
She came to the bustling metropolis of Modu, hiding her identity, starting from scratch.
Over these past twenty years, Su Wanqing, with a baby girl, had undoubtedly endured countless hardships to build her current career. She fought off business sharks, dealt with harassment, and raised a daughter, all while looking over her shoulder for assassins.
Especially with her striking beauty, it was easy to imagine how many men coveted and lusted after her, trying to use their power to force her into submission. She had to be a porcupine, prickly and tough, to survive.
But now... Shen Anyu's gentle voice and warm shoulder made her weary heart feel as if it had finally found a resting place. The armor she wore cracked, revealing the soft flesh beneath.
The tears on her face gradually dried, her body stopped trembling, and her sobs slowly quieted to shallow breaths.
Shen Anyu continued to gently comfort the mature beauty before him, who had fallen into reminiscence and showed her vulnerability. His hand rubbed her arm in a soothing rhythm, his fingers occasionally brushing against the side of her breast inadvertently (or perhaps calculatedly).
A long, long time later, Su Wanqing recovered from her sorrow. She realized her position—leaning intimately against her daughter's boyfriend.
She sat up straight, flushing slightly. Her slender fingers brushed through her disheveled hair, tucking strands behind her ear. Her beautiful eyes, slightly red and puffy, calmly looked at Shen Anyu.
She parted her red lips and said softly, a hint of self-deprecation in her tone:
"An'yu, you've seen me at my worst. I'm such an embarrassing elder... an old woman, crying like this in front of a junior."
"You're Mianmian's boyfriend; you've never seen Mianmian or me cry like this, have you? It must be unsightly."
Watching Su Wanqing's feigned calm gaze and listening to her words, Shen Anyu found it amusing and quite intriguing.
In Su Wanqing's words, she referred to herself as "auntie" and "an old woman," and explicitly reminded Shen Anyu that he was Su Hongmian's boyfriend. She was clearly setting boundaries, hoping that Shen Anyu would not harbor inappropriate thoughts and reminding herself of their respective statuses.
However, looking at that mature and beautiful face, unlined by age and glowing with vitality, how could it possibly be associated with "an old woman"?
She was a ripe peach, at the peak of her flavor. If they walked out together, Su Wanqing and Su Hongmian would at most be mistaken for sisters. Who could tell they were two generations apart?
Shen Anyu found it amusing. He decided to play along, but with a twist.
He replied with a warm smile:
"Auntie is right. That Mianmian has a stubborn personality and indeed doesn't cry much. She is strong, just like you."
"I remember the last time I took her to a haunted house at an amusement park; Mianmian was scared, but instead of crying, she almost beat up the staff member dressed as a ghost! She screamed, 'How dare you scare this Lady!' and tried to kick him."
Shen Anyu's lips curved upwards. Of course, this was half-truth, half-fiction. Mianmian had actually clung to him like a koala, but the kicking part was definitely something she would do.
Seeing Shen Anyu openly talking about Su Hongmian's amusing anecdotes, Su Wanqing gradually let down her guard. The tension in her shoulders dissipated. She felt that she had simply overthought things just now.
'An'yu's character is trustworthy. He is talking about Mianmian with such affection.'
'Su Wanqing, oh Su Wanqing, you're almost forty years old. Don't be so narcissistic. How could a prodigy like An'yu, who has young beauties all around him, have bad intentions towards you? Stop overthinking. He and Mianmian have a very good relationship~'
Su Wanqing thought these things, smiling as she listened to Shen Anyu recount Su Hongmian's amusing stories. The atmosphere lightened considerably.
Caught up in the mood, she also shared a few funny anecdotes from Su Hongmian's childhood.
"You know, when she was three, she was such a tomboy. Once, we went to a park, and she saw boys peeing standing up. She insisted she could do it too..."
"Ah! Mom! You, you, you, don't say anymore! I can't face anyone!"
Su Hongmian had also woken up by this time. She had opened the bedroom door quietly, intending to eavesdrop, and happened to hear Su Wanqing vividly describing her peeing while standing as a child.
Immediately, her face flushed crimson with embarrassment. She rushed over like a whirlwind, diving onto the sofa to cover Su Wanqing's mouth.
"Mmph!"
Su Wanqing laughed, her eyes crinkling.
A mature beauty and a tsundere campus belle, playing around on the sofa, limbs entangled. It was quite a pleasing sight.
Shen Anyu watched with interest, his gaze sweeping over the two generations of beauties. He was in a very good mood.
'One day...' he thought, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. My little girl is shy. Let's talk about serious matters!"
Su Wanqing smilingly agreed to Su Hongmian's request to stop talking. She gently pried her daughter's hands away and motioned for Su Hongmian to sit next to Shen Anyu.
Afterward, Su Wanqing's expression became serious again. The laughter faded, replaced by the earlier gravity.
She looked at her daughter, who was still pouting but listening intently. She repeated the story of the [Bashu Sword Tomb] and the death of her parents.
Looking at the shock and disbelief on Su Hongmian's face—the realization that her life was a lie, that her "Mother" was actually her Grandaunt, and her real parents were murdered heroes—Shen Anyu held Su Hongmian's hand tightly to ground her.
Su Wanqing's gaze turned to Shen Anyu and she softly said:
"An'yu, Mianmian... the reason I am telling you this now is because the past has caught up with us."
"I recently received a letter from the Bashu Sword Tomb. It was left on my desk, bypassing all security."
"The letter demands Mianmian's return to the Sect for an 'Ancestral Assessment.' But I fear it is a trap."
"I'm afraid you two are about to be caught in a storm. Can you face it together?"
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