The woman before her stood bathed in backlight, leisurely poised with a slight tilt of her body, her gaze clear yet aloof. Sunlight spilled from behind her like a halo of radiant beams.
At this mont, it was as if a deity had descended.
Yin Xiangyuan was utterly stunned.
She had seen countless videos and photos of Gu Nanyan, yet none of them could compare to the awe of this encounter.
eting her in person was entirely different—Gu Nanyan carried an air of effortless dominance, yet tempered with a gentleness that seed to embrace all.
After a long daze, Yin Xiangyuan finally snapped back to reality. She tried to stand, but her legs, numb from crouching too long, gave way, sending her stumbling backward.
This is it!
Yin Xiangyuan shut her eyes, bracing for the humiliation of falling flat in front of Gu Nanyan.
Yet, the expected impact never ca—soone had caught her hand.
It was Gu Nanyan!
Yin Xiangyuan stared dumbfounded at the woman before her. Gu Nanyan waved a finger in front of her eyes and suddenly chuckled. "Why so dazed? You’re just like Little Crybaby. What’s your surna?"
Yin Xiangyuan answered reflexively, "Yin. Yin Xiangyuan."
Gu Nanyan paused, repeating the na. "Yin Xiangyuan… So you really are Little Crybaby’s descendant."
Only then did Yin Xiangyuan fully regain her senses, her heart now a storm of shock. Her entire body trembled, her fingers quivering uncontrollably.
"Little Crybaby" was the self-proclaid nickna in her ancestor’s diary!
The Yin family’s patriarch, Yin Jingjie, had left behind not only dical texts and prescriptions but also a personal journal.
This diary had never been made public, passed down only among the Yin family’s direct lineage, accessible solely to the current and future clan leaders.
The reason the Yin ancestors had chosen seclusion was to protect this diary from being lost in tis of turmoil.
The diary recounted how the young Yin Jingjie had been prone to tears—crying when wronged, when lessons proved too difficult, even at the sight of a patient’s blood. He was always on the verge of sobbing.
Thus, the Princess Zhenguo of Great Qi had teasingly called him "Little Crybaby."
This nickna was used only by the princess.
Yin Jingjie had adored it, continuing to refer to himself as "Little Crybaby" in his diary even after becoming a renowned physician.
Of course, publicly, he adopted a different moniker: the Elder of Withered Fullness.
Yin Xiangyuan’s mind reeled, caught in a tempest of disbelief.
Could it be… Could Gu Nanyan truly be the princess?
She couldn’t fathom it.
No, it’s impossible. How could soone from a thousand years ago be here now? This defied all logic.
Though Yin Xiangyuan had honored her ancestor’s wish by never abandoning the search for the princess, deep down, she had never truly believed the princess could still be alive.
As she stood lost in thought, soone nearby called out to her. "Deputy Director Yin? Deputy Director Yin?"
Yin Xiangyuan blinked back to awareness.
"Deputy Director Yin, what’s wrong? You’ve been staring at Her Majesty for ages," the person beside her asked.
Yin Xiangyuan apologized. "Sorry, I was just… captivated."
The other person nodded knowingly. "No worries, I get it. The first ti I saw Her Majesty, I froze too. Ahhh, her presence is divine, like a celestial being."
"Sa here! Her Majesty is breathtaking. She’s even more stunning in person—no cara could ever do her justice," others chid in.
Gu Nanyan had already left. Yin Xiangyuan turned, her gaze fixed on the retreating figure.
Her mind was a tangled ss. Could she really be the princess?
Just as Yin Xiangyuan lost herself in thought again, Gu Nanyan suddenly glanced back and crooked a finger at her.
Yin Xiangyuan froze, pointing at herself in disbelief.
Was she being summoned?
Gu Nanyan’s lips curved slightly as she gave a faint nod before walking away.
In that mont, Yin Xiangyuan had an epiphany, recalling the legend of the Patriarch Bodhi tapping Sun Wukong’s head three tis.
She understood!
When no one was looking, she emulated Sun Wukong’s midnight visit to the patriarch and knocked on Gu Nanyan’s door that evening.
"Co in."
Gu Nanyan was reading a computer science book, a laptop open before her as she typed code between pages.
Yin Xiangyuan tiptoed in, approaching cautiously. For so reason, she felt stiff and uneasy in Gu Nanyan’s presence, too nervous to speak. She simply stood to the side, peering at the screen.
She noticed that Gu Nanyan’s coding was initially clumsy, her keystrokes slow. But once she grasped the underlying logic, she swiftly created a small program—a simple ga.
Yin Xiangyuan’s eyes widened in astonishnt.
How is she this brilliant? She just learned it and is already innovating?
The diary had described the princess as preternaturally intelligent, mastering anything at a glance.
Yin Xiangyuan had always assud her ancestor was exaggerating out of admiration, but now she realized—if anything, he’d understated it.
If Gu Nanyan really was the princess, she’d traveled from ancient tis.
A pure ancient, adapting to modern technology and learning programming in such a short ti?
That’s absurd!
Unable to contain her curiosity, Yin Xiangyuan blurted, "M-Ms. Gu, did you just learn coding now?"
Gu Nanyan closed the book and shook her head. "Not quite. Just skimming."
She gestured with her chin. "Sit."
Yin Xiangyuan obeyed, settling into the chair opposite.
She pressed her lips together, her mind racing. She needed to verify whether Gu Nanyan was the princess.
She’d been too quick to trust earlier. Even if Gu Nanyan knew about "Little Crybaby" or the Arhat Golden Needle technique, it wasn’t proof.
What if it was all a ruse to grab her attention?
She had to be cautious.
When it ca to the princess, no precaution was excessive. She’d rather never find her than mistake an imposter and tarnish the princess’s legacy.
To test Gu Nanyan, she needed questions—ones only the princess would know.
Yin Xiangyuan quickly formulated a few.
"Ms. Gu," she began politely, avoiding familiarity, "may I ask you sothing?"
"Go ahead."
With permission granted, Yin Xiangyuan took a steadying breath. "Are you… the Princess Zhenguo of Great Qi?"
Gu Nanyan replied flatly, "No."
Yin Xiangyuan: "…"
What? She denied it? After all this?
Hadn’t she been emulating the princess all along?
The refusal left Yin Xiangyuan flustered, her composure slipping. "If you’re not the princess, why mimic her? Why teach the world the Heavenly Health Technique? Why broadcast it all? You’ve made such a spectacle—wasn’t the point to be recognized?
So why deny it now?"
None of this made sense.
Gu Nanyan didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at Yin Xiangyuan, instead picking up a plump polo and carefully peeling it.
She seed unpracticed at the task, fumbling at first, but her quick wit soon had her peeling with ease. Monts later, she held out a segnt of the fruit to Yin Xiangyuan.
"Here."
Yin Xiangyuan froze for a mont as she accepted the polo, her expression puzzled. "What's this for?"
"To cool you down."
Gu Nanyan smirked. "Soone's got quite the temper. A little polo should help with that."
Yin Xiangyuan's face flushed instantly.
Reviews
All reviews (0)