When Lin Yuan knew he had only a few months left, he decided to enjoy this peaceful time.
Every morning, he would go to the training ground to have sparring sessions with his elder brothers and sisters, and by the way, secretly learn some of the family's martial arts skills. In the afternoon, he would play tricks on his seventh sister, Lin Wen, in the backyard, often making her so angry that she stamped her feet. As Lin Wen grew older, her personality became more forthright. Although she was the youngest girl in the Lin family, she had a stubborn and unyielding spirit. Whenever Lin Yuan poked fun at her, she'd come at him swinging her fists, but he always managed to dodge her attacks with ease.
"Sixth brother! Stop right there! I'm going to beat you up!"
"Don't be naughty. This face of mine is the most handsome in the Lin family. If you ruin it, won't mother be heartbroken?" Lin Yuan smiled and dodged, making Lin Wen chase him all around the courtyard.
Besides spending time with his siblings, Lin Yuan also played chess and had conversations with his father. Although the father and son didn't have many words, they developed a certain tacit understanding unconsciously. Madam Gu still loved him dearly, and his mother, Qingyin Niang, remained gentle. Every time she saw him, sadness showed in her eyes.
One day, Lin Yuan accidentally overheard the maids in the mansion whispering that Madam Gu was pregnant.
His heart skipped a beat, and then he heard the voice of the Jiuchong Ring ringing in his mind: "It's a boy."
Lin Yuan couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "How do you know?"
Jiuchong Ring paused for a moment before slowly saying: "This is the reincarnation of your second brother, Lin Gang."
Lin Yuan was stunned, his heart filled with mixed emotions. It had only been a few months since Lin Gang perished in battle, yet here he was, reincarnated so quickly. Lin Yuan exhaled slowly, a wry smile curving his mouth. "Second brother still can't wait for anything. Hahaha!"
As the day of his departure approached, Lin Yuan wrote a short letter in the study:
Dear family,
Take good care of yourselves. I'm going to roam the rivers and lakes with Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai. If there's no accident, I won't be coming back.
I'll tell you a secret. The mistress is carrying a boy. Haha!
Don't worry about me.
— Lin Yuan
He placed the letter on the desk and took one last look at the home that had once brought him warmth.
Late at night, Lin Yuan stood outside the mansion gate. Lazy Xiao Bai lay on his shoulder, while he held Xiao Hei by the neck.
"Meow! Meow!" Xiao Hei wriggled angrily.
"Hehe, don't worry. I'll put you down once we're out of the city." Lin Yuan laughed and stepped forward.
In the following month, Lin Yuan, accompanied by Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei, traveled all over the Da'en Kingdom, tasted all kinds of local delicacies, and sometimes acted as a swordsman for justice, and sometimes made a fool of himself. For example,
He gambled on drinking in a certain teahouse. After losing, he was so drunk that he was carried back to the inn by Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai controlling the waiter.
When he saw a bully picking on a mother and daughter, he didn't hesitate to help. However, the girl was determined to become his wife, which made him so nervous that he escaped at night.
He pretended to be a fortune-teller in a certain city and spouted a lot of words about destiny. Unexpectedly, the next day, it really came true, and a group of common people regarded him as a living god.
Of course, he wasn't just fooling around. When it was time to take action, he didn't hesitate. He, together with Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei, eliminated evil and promoted good, wiped out several groups of evil bandits, and saved many innocent people.
Time flew by, and soon it was the final day. Standing on a mountaintop, Lin Yuan faced the setting sun's glow, feeling a pang of sadness.
Before, Lin Yuan had planned to send Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai back to the Lin Mansion. But one day during their travels, when he found out that Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai could speak human language and after a discussion among the human, the cat, and the fox, he gave up this idea.
At this moment, he caught a glimpse of a faint light emanating from Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai beside him. In the next instant, two streaks of light flashed by, and the original black cat and white fox unexpectedly transformed into two stunningly beautiful girls.
Xiao Hei was wearing a jet-black long dress, with sharp eyes and a somewhat proud air. Unlike the other, Xiao Bai donned a plain robe that matched her delicate complexion. Her three fox tails fluttered gently, and her smiling eyes brimmed with a gentle, enchanting allure.
Lin Yuan widened his eyes and blurted out instinctively: "So beautiful..."
However, before his nosebleed could come out, Jiuchong Ring mercilessly activated the teleportation.
The light flashed, and Lin Yuan's figure disappeared in an instant.
Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai looked at each other and both let out a helpless sigh.
"He left without even saying goodbye..." Xiao Bai said softly.
Xiao Hei crossed her arms and snorted, "Typical him."
"What should we do now?"
"I don't know."
In the warm light of the setting sun, the two elegant figures stood on the peak, looking out. Evidently, they'd decided what to do next.
=====================
在得知自己还剩几个月的时间后,林远决定好好享受这段难得的平静时光.
每日清晨,他都会去训练场和兄长姐姐们切磋,顺便偷学一些家传武技;午后,则是在后院逗弄七妹林温,时常把她气得直跺脚.林温越长大,性格就变得越爽朗,虽是林家最小的姑娘,却有一股不服输的倔劲.每次林远用言语挑逗她,她便会挥着小拳头扑上来,但总是被林远轻松避开.
"六哥!你站住!我一定要揍你!"
"别闹别闹,我这张脸可是林家最俊的,要是被你打坏了,阿娘还不得心疼死?" 林远笑嘻嘻地躲避,惹得林温追着他满院子跑.
与兄弟姐妹相处之余,林远也与父亲对弈闲谈,父子二人虽无太多言语,却在不知不觉间多了一份默契.主母顾氏对他依旧关爱有加,而生母清音娘则一如既往地温柔,每次见到他时,眼里总是带着几分不舍.
某日,林远无意间听到府中婢女们私下议论,主母顾氏怀孕了.
他心头一震,随即听见九重戒的声音在脑海中响起:"是个男孩."
林远忍不住低声问道:"你怎么知道?"
九重戒顿了顿,才缓缓道:"这是你二哥林刚的转世."
林远整个人怔住了,心中五味杂陈.林刚战死不过数月,竟如此快便转世归来?他深吸了一口气,嘴角微微扬起:"也好,二哥还是那么得... 急啊,哈哈哈."
临近离别之日,林远在书房中写下了一封简短的信:
家人们:
你们都要照顾好自己,我呢,要和小黑,小白一起闯荡江湖了,没意外的话是不会回来了.
告诉你们一个秘密,主母怀的是个男孩,哈哈!
勿念.
——林远
他将信放在书桌上,最后看了一眼这个曾经带给他温暖的家.
夜深时,林远站在府门外,肩膀上趴着懒洋洋的小白,手里还提着一只被拎着命运后颈的小黑.
"喵呜!喵!" 小黑愤怒挣扎.
"嘿嘿,放心,等出了城就放你下来." 林远大笑,迈步离去.
在接下来的一个月里,林远带着小白和小黑,游历大恩国各地,尝遍各地美食,偶尔仗剑行侠,偶尔犯二胡闹.比如,
在某个茶馆赌酒,输了被灌得烂醉如泥,最后是小黑小白操控着店小二,把他拖回客栈.
见义勇为帮助一对被恶霸欺负的母女,结果那位小女孩硬要以身相许给林远,吓得他连夜跑路.
在某座城中扮成神棍,胡诌了一堆天命之言,没想到第二天,真的应验,让一群百姓将他奉为活神仙.
当然,他并不是单纯在胡闹,该出手的时候,他绝不含糊.他带着小黑小白除恶扬善,剿灭了几个作恶多端的贼寇,救下不少无辜百姓.
时间很快来到最后一天,林远站在一座山巅,迎着夕阳的余晖,心中竟有些许不舍.
之前林远本打算将小黑和小白送回林府的,但就在游历中的某一天,发现小黑小白能说人话时并在一人一猫一狐狸讨论下,放弃了这想法.
而此时,他瞥见旁边的小黑和小白身上忽然泛起淡淡的光芒,下一刻,两道光影闪过,原本的黑猫与白狐,竟化作了两个倾国倾城的少女.
小黑一袭漆黑长裙,眉眼凌厉,带着几分傲然之气;小白则是素衣雪肤,三条狐尾轻轻摇曳,眼眸含笑,柔媚动人.
林远瞪大眼睛,下意识道:"好美..."
然而,还未等鼻血流出来,九重戒便毫不留情地发动传送.
光芒闪烁,林远的身影瞬间消失.
小黑与小白对视一眼,皆是无奈地叹息.
"还没道别就走了..." 小白轻声道.
小黑抱臂冷哼:"这就是他的作风啊."
"接下来做什么?"
"不知道."
夕阳下,两道倩影站在山巅,看着远方,似乎已经做好了自己的决定.