Chapter 194: Barrier

Hua Dalang: "Jiuniang, how do you know someone from the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Are you very close to that Battalion Commander Pang?"

Hua Minghe: "Jiuniang, where have you been all this time? Your eldest brother went to the Medical Bureau and Feng'an Ward looking for you, but couldn't find you anywhere, and you don't even bother to come home often to check on us."

The father and son spoke one after the other, their words carrying concern for Hua Changxi, yet she once again felt an invisible barrier standing between them.

Having descended into the Nine Netherworlds twice, she had hovered on the brink of death both times. Even though both occasions ended safely despite the scare, they still made Hua Changxi feel the impermanence and loss of control in life.

What if she hadn't been lucky enough, and had truly died?

The moment she saw her father and brother, this question popped into Hua Changxi's mind, and she was startled to realize that whenever she faced a life-or-death crisis, she seemed to have never thought of her family.

Was this because her family could not offer her support, or because she had never truly cared about them in her heart?

'Don't you have anyone you care about? If doing something would hurt them, what would you do?' The question Tong Yao had asked her floated into Hua Changxi's mind.

What would she do?

If she truly wanted to do something, she was certain she would prioritize herself and would not be influenced by anyone.

Anyone, including her family.

Realizing the answer in her heart, Hua Changxi jolted awake; she... really didn't seem to care much about her family.

This answer was somewhat unacceptable to Hua Changxi, so she instantly found a suitable justification for herself.

She didn't care about her family because they hadn't cared about her first; in the Hua family, she was the grandchild who suffered the most suppression and blame. She had never received understanding, tolerance, or support from her family, so it was perfectly normal that she didn't care about them.

"Jiuniang, I'm asking you a question, why aren't you making a sound?"

Seeing that Hua Changxi had no reaction to his and his father's questions, and detecting a hint of scrutiny and judgment in her eyes toward them, Hua Dalang felt very displeased, feeling that Hua Changxi was increasingly disregarding her family.

Hua Changxi snapped back to reality, looking at Hua Dalang whose face showed blame, which confirmed her thought that 'it was the family who didn't care about her first'; showing her no tolerance, she instinctively countered, "Eldest Brother, must I answer just because you ask? You are too self-centered."

Seeing that the siblings were about to quarrel again, Hua Minghe quickly interjected, "Alright, if Jiuniang doesn't want to say, then let it be; everyone, say less."

Hua Dalang was unconvinced by Hua Minghe's bias toward Hua Changxi: "Father, you are too partial; Jiuniang hasn't come home for over a month, so what's wrong with me, as the eldest brother, asking a few questions?" Saying this, he looked at Hua Changxi.

"Jiuniang, what have you been doing outside that you can't talk about it? Do you still consider us family?"

Hua Changxi looked at him: "There's nothing I can't talk about, but you put on a sour face as if I must answer you, acting like I owe you something, which makes me furious, so I just won't tell you."

Hua Dalang flew into a rage: "Hua Jiuniang... you... do you still consider me your eldest brother?"

Hua Changxi refused to indulge him: "Aside from pressing people down with your status as an elder brother, what else do you have to show? If you want people to respect you, lacking ability is fine, but you must have virtue; do you have the two characters 'virtue'?"

These words not only made Hua Dalang's face turn red with anger, but also angered Hua Minghe, especially when he saw some colleagues looking in their direction and pointing fingers; he quickly grabbed one of them with each hand and hurried away, only stopping after turning a street corner.

"What are you two doing, quarreling right in the middle of the street!"

Hua Minghe frowned at Hua Changxi: "Jiuniang, what you just said was too excessive; apologize to your eldest brother."

Hua Changxi also felt her emotions had been a bit too agitated just now; she didn't know why, but every time she met her family, she wanted to argue after barely exchanging two sentences: "I was wrong, Eldest Brother."

Hua Dalang did not respond until he received a glance from Hua Minghe, then he looked at Hua Changxi: "Jiuniang, am I really that terrible in your heart?"

Regarding this eldest brother who had enjoyed the most cultivation resources from the Hua family and was dedicated to making every family member willingly sacrifice and contribute, she really didn't want to speak insincerely: "...What kind of person Eldest Brother is isn't up to me to decide; my opinion isn't important."

This answer completely cooled Hua Dalang's expression: "So, you actually look down on me this much; no wonder you've never given me a good look. Hua Jiuniang, I was overreaching; I will never meddle in your affairs again."

After saying this, he stormed off in a huff.

Watching his eldest son leave, Hua Minghe felt a great headache; looking at his daughter, he said helplessly, "Jiuniang, your words are too sharp now; your eldest brother was just concerned about you."

Hua Changxi lowered her head to look at the ground, kicking a pebble with her foot: "I didn't feel it." Then, raising her head to look at Hua Minghe, she said, "Eldest Brother looking for me definitely isn't because he cares about whether I'm living well, but because he needs something from me, right?"

"Let me guess; earlier I handed full responsibility for the Fire Spirit Mine over to Sixth Brother, and promised that the Hua family could participate; has something gone wrong at the Fire Spirit Mine?"

You Lao and his three companions were all old hands in the trade, and had participated in managing the Fire Spirit Mine even before the Hua family got involved; if they dared to deceive even themselves, they would certainly go further with the Hua family, and given time, conflicts between the Hua family and You Lao's group were bound to erupt.

"If it's not about the Fire Spirit Mine, then it must be about Body Refining; are there not enough medicinal herbs for the body-refining medicinal baths, or does someone want the cultivation technique for the next stage?"

Hua Changxi looked at Hua Minghe: "Father, in all these matters, which one is truly caring about me? Aren't they all for your own sakes?"

Hua Minghe's brows knotted together: "Jiuniang, must you calculate things so clearly among family members?"

Hua Changxi laughed: "Father, you were the one who said Eldest Brother cares about me; I was just giving examples to refute that; now that I've presented evidence, you say I'm calculating too clearly." Her smile vanished instantly, "Exactly who is calculating too clearly?"

At this moment, she finally understood what that thin film blocking her and the Hua family was.

The so-called family had never truly cared about or understood her, never seen her needs or emotions; they only thought of themselves, and even when they occasionally showed a trace of concern, it was merely superficial comfort.

"Father, do you know what I just went through? I nearly died in the Nine Netherworlds; I nearly couldn't come back."

"When you see me, you either want to pry for information through me, or demand that I should come home."

"Why don't I love coming home?"

"Because I know that once I return, I have to face your endless, taken-for-granted demands; everything I possess was earned with my life, it didn't fall from the sky."

Listening to his daughter's complaints, Hua Minghe felt both heartache and anger: "Jiuniang, ever since you entered the Medical Bureau, you've never told the family what people you've met outside or what you're doing; if you don't speak, how can we know, and how can we help you?"

Hua Changxi didn't want to continue the conversation: "Father, I will walk my own path in life; you don't need to help me; could you just have fewer expectations and demands of me? I'm tired and want to go back to rest; you should hurry off to your duties as well."

Then, she also told him about Pang Shaoyu's warning, urging him to be careful.

Hua Minghe hadn't expected this meeting to be so unpleasant, and could only say stiffly, "Your mother is hoping you'll go back to see her."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi twitched the corner of her mouth; he clearly wasn't listening to her words at all; if he truly cared about her, couldn't he just have her mother come to Feng'an Ward to see her?

Watching Hua Minghe return to the Six Gates squad, Hua Changxi left the city without hesitation.

Just when she realized she didn't care about her family, her mood had been heavy, but after talking with her father and brother, her mood became much lighter.

She didn't care about her family, so when had her family ever truly cared about her?

It was simply a case of tit for tat!