Chasing You Like a Tenacious Falcon

Chapter 92

The steps led to a small platform, forming a tiny courtyard surrounded by small, single-story houses on three sides.

Quan Zhisui explained, "This is where my master practices his meditation. There's his tea room, and this is where I grew up."

She had lived here for 17 years.

With that, she opened the door to a room in the east wing and invited the three of them in. "This is my room!"

The room wasn't large, and it felt a bit cramped with four people inside, but it was well-lit. The bed and furniture were all made of wood, old and worn.

There were two single beds, both bare without any sheets.

Quan Zhisui said cheerfully, "I used to live here with Senior Brother Zi Yin for many, many years. After he got married, I lived alone for a few years."

Then she turned to Zhuge Ying, "There are two beds here. Would you like to share the room with me?"

Zhuge Ying replied, "Sure!"

At that moment, Kong Mingze pointed to a cardboard box in the corner. "Is this the box with the toys you collected?"

Quan Zhisui walked over and opened it, revealing a pile of broken and worn-out items. They hadn't started out that way, but her destructive tendencies had turned them into a mess. Despite their condition, everything was clean and free of dust, neatly stored in the box.

Among the items was a basketball that was barely recognizable, its surface worn and patched up in places.

Wei Shixu picked up the basketball, cradling it in his hands and running his fingers over its surface.

Kong Mingze was shocked. "No way! Is this a basketball? How did it end up like this? I couldn't even tell it was a basketball!"

Quan Zhisui looked out the window, a guilty expression on her face. "Ah, I didn't know how to control my strength when I was little."

The basketball had actually burst once, been repaired, and then burst again.

In short...

It was a basketball with a tragic fate!

Wei Shixu looked at her. "Can you give this basketball to me?"

Quan Zhisui was surprised. "It's broken. You can't play with it anymore."

Wei Shixu's expression was serious. "I know, but I still want it."

Then, as if worried she might refuse, he added another reason, "I gave you so many gifts for your birthday, and you didn't prepare anything for me."

Quan Zhisui's eye twitched. "Fine, take it, take it. Here, it's yours."

She was truly speechless!

The room didn't have much in it, just old items, each representing a part of Quan Zhisui's past and her 17 years of growth.

She was someone with a destructive streak, yet she was also sentimental and grateful.

Quan Zhisui then led the three of them to the opposite side of the courtyard and opened a door. "There's an empty room here with two single beds. Kong Mingze and Wei Shixu, will you two stay here?"

She was so mischievous that she was sent out to cause trouble elsewhere.

"Yep!" Quan Zhisui nodded, thinking back. "Getting beaten was normal. Everyone got beaten, but I got it more often—three days a light beating, five days a heavy one."

Zhuge Ying was extremely curious. "What did you do to get beaten so many times?"

Quan Zhisui explained, "It wasn't anything major. I was hungry in the middle of the night and almost burned down the kitchen; I overslept and missed martial arts assessments; I chased chickens, ducks, and geese for fun..."

Kong Mingze gave her a thumbs-up. "You're quite the troublemaker!"

Quan Zhisui added, "Those were minor. For serious mistakes, the punishment was harsher—like being whipped with a cane! On my bottom!"

Wei Shixu looked at her and asked, "What kind of serious mistakes did you make?"

"Hmm..." Quan Zhisui gazed at a distant building, her eyes unfocused. "When I was little, Master forbade me from going deep into the mountains, but I sneaked in anyway. Once, I even took some senior brothers with me. They got lost, and Master had to go into the mountains to find them. It was almost dark by the time he brought everyone back."

Zhuge Ying interjected, "Wait, what about you?"

Quan Zhisui continued, her gaze still distant. "Oh, I came back in the afternoon and had a full dinner."

Kong Mingze burst out laughing. "Hahaha!"

Wei Shixu also chuckled. "How bad was the beating that time?"

Quan Zhisui's focus returned. "I got twenty lashes with the cane! It was the worst beating I ever got!"

Wei Shixu nodded. "That explains why there's that rule in the guidelines."

Kong Mingze said, "You're not just mischievous, you're downright naughty!"

Quan Zhisui slammed the table in protest. "I was just a kid back then! I didn't know any better! And I never did it again after that!"

Wei Shixu commented, "Your master is amazing for turning such a troublemaker into someone so well-behaved."

Zhuge Ying asked, "Why did they get separated? Didn't you lead them out?"

Quan Zhisui was also puzzled. "It's strange. Why couldn't they keep up with me? They were all older than me!"

Zhuge Ying was speechless.

Wei Shixu sipped his tea, glancing at the tendons on her calves.

Kong Mingze urged, "Any more stories? Tell us one or two more! Your childhood sounds so fun!"

Quan Zhisui pointed to a steep slope in the distance. "Once, one of my master's senior brothers came to visit. He jumped down from a 20-meter height in three stages and landed unharmed. It was so impressive! I thought, 'I can do that too,' and I jumped after him."

Zhuge Ying asked, "Did you get beaten even worse that time?"

Quan Zhisui replied, "Oh, no."

Kong Mingze asked, "Why not?"

Quan Zhisui said, "Because I broke my leg."