Chapter 5

Even though Gao Jinlu did not have any elders in the family to teach her various matters, she had experienced spirits by her side. They guided her step by step and provided her with foundational knowledge necessary or what they thought the girl might use it in the future. Because of this, she remained calm and composed, not panicking when she found herself surrounded by strangers. The servants, seeing no danger, stepped back to their original positions, leaving the young masters and misses to handle things on their own.

"Is what Second Young Miss Gao said true?" Another young miss seemed to find it hard to believe, as everything appeared normal in her demeanor.

"How could I dare lie to you all? If you want, you can speak with Big Sister Jinlu to find out yourself," Gao Yanyan smiled faintly before walking over to help her cousin rise from where she had been crawling on the ground, becoming somewhat of an oddity to this group of young masters and misses.

Once she stood up, Gao Jinlu stepped away from the kind person and gently brushed off her clothes. Meanwhile, she listened to the spirits, who were muttering in dissatisfaction. It seemed they did not particularly appreciate Second Young Miss, who was surrounded by love from everyone around her.

"You called her Big Sister Jinlu?" A young master who had been observing the scene for a while raised an eyebrow, puzzled by how Gao Yanyan referred to the young girl.

"Yes, of course. Big Sister Jinlu is Big Sister Jinlu," the second young miss twisted the hem of her sleeve, wanting to speak but hesitating at her big brother’s expression, trying to appeal to him with her innocent gaze.

The eldest young master of the Gao family did not want to introduce his younger sister, but since his cousin, whom he doted on like a sister by blood, had already spoken up, it was too late to correct her.

"This child's name is Gao Jinlu, and she holds the title of the Eldest Young Miss. However, she has been ill, so she rarely leaves the manor." As soon as he finished speaking, the group began murmuring and stared curiously at the young girl, whose high status contrasted with her simple clothing.

Gao Jinlu was not used to being in the spotlight among strangers like this and thought of leaving, but the young masters and misses would never let her go easily. They surrounded her, watching the thing that was more entertaining than the games they had prepared.

"The Eldest Young miss? Is her illness the reason why she cannot speak?" A young miss who had a good relationship with the second young miss of this manor emphasized the crucial point, the one deserving attention.

Despite wanting to slip away using her smaller stature, not wanting to draw more attention, the small frame found herself stuck among these high-class children.

"She is still unwell. Let her return to her residence to rest," Gao Zhengwu tried to find a way out of the situation for the young girl as quickly as possible.

"I just want to have a brief conversation with her. At the very least, we should exchange greetings as a matter of courtesy, shouldn’t we?" However, not everyone was ready to let the matter go easily. Observing how the Gao siblings treated the young girl, it seemed as though they were subtly excluding her. Even the second and third young masters, who usually got along easily with others, distanced themselves and did not even greet the eldest sister.

"She can't speak," Gao Zhengwu repeated. The boy tried to divert everyone's attention away from the girl who should be hidden away in the small residence.

"I'm merely greeting her, Eldest Young Master Gao. There's no need to worry," the same young master said, pretending to ignore the displeased look on the face of one of the hosts of tonight's banquet.

The young master from the Mayor Manor approached and stood in front of Gao Jinlu. The girl looked puzzled but showed no sign of fear. She remained calm, with only her eyes searching for a way to escape. Meanwhile, the spirits were prepared to act if the group of children decided to cause trouble for the girl under their care.

"Eldest Young Miss Gao, it is a pleasure to meet you." The voice of the one started the conversation carried a touch more sincerity than when he spoke to others.

Gao Jinlu hesitated for a moment before pulling out a stack of paper, one side of which already bore some writing. It was an old piece of paper cut into sheets and bound into a small, rather unusual book, suitable for carrying around. Along with it was a small stick with a sharp, blackened tip. The tiny hand quickly wrote characters down and then handed the paper to her conversation partner.

"Oh, you can write." The same young master took it to look, his face showed a slight surprise. Though the handwriting was not beautiful due to her unsteady brush strokes. The other boys, upon hearing this, crowded around to get a look at the paper in their friend’s hand.

The girl blinked, preparing to tuck the bounded paper and pencil back into her shirt.

"Pleased to meet you as well," the young master from the Mayor Manor had a better impression on the Eldest Young Miss than other Gao siblings, so he asked another question. That stack of paper and that wooden stick in your hand are quite interesting. What are they called?"

The girl glanced at the spirit of a carpenter, who shrugged, indicating that he did not be possessive of his knowledge, as the items were inspired by tools brought by those people with blue eyes who had traveled on the big ships and docked at a nearby seaside city.

The small hands brought out the bounded paper and the wooden stick with a coal stick in the middle, writing down an answer to the other’s question before handing it to the same young master for him to read.

"A notebook and pencil... Mmm, very interesting indeed." The more he saw the convenience of their use, the more satisfied he became, so much so that he wanted to ask for the name of the shop that made or sold these items.

Gao Jinlu smiled, happy to engage in conversation with someone other than the spirits, whom she telepathically communicated with, or the maidservants in the small residence through sign language.

"Could you tell me where I might be able to purchase these? Or if there’s a store that makes them?" The young master from the Mayor Manor was even more enthusiastic, he leaned in closer to the little body that seemed to be more relax.

Hearing the question, Gao Jinlu glanced at the carpenter spirit for a short while before writing her response. However, this time there was some hesitation and uncertainty. Before she handed it to the other, there was a moment of consideration. Eventually, she handed it to the one who asked.

"You ordered for these yourself? If I wanted something similar, could you help me?" The young master of the mayor household used a significantly softer tone. Though writing with a brush was beautiful, it was impractical for urgent situations, since it needed many tools.

Gao Jinlu looked up at the boy who was taller than her, studying him before handing him her bounded paper and pencil without feeling like it was a pity. After all, she had plenty of both back at her residence, enough for her use a long while.

"You're giving this to me?" The young master from the Mayor Manor wanted to accept but restrained his desire, not wanting to take advantage of the girl.

Gao Jinlu nodded quickly, grabbed one of the boy's hands, and placed both items in it before pulling her hand back and crossing her arms behind her, indicating that she wouldn't take it back. This gesture of friendship between the two children was witnessed by everyone, including Gao Zhengwu’s increasing displeasing look. However, he didn't want to display his current feelings for outsiders to see, as it might reveal internal family matters. Gao Yanyan, meanwhile, continued to smile sweetly, standing while quietly listening to the conversation with interest in her eyes.

"Since the Eldest Young Miss insists, I will accept it," the boy carefully tucked the notebook and pencil into his shirt. Then, he recalled something. "Your siblings mentioned that you are still unwell and need rest. I apologize for taking up your time. You should return to rest."

The girl, started to feel tired, nodded slowly. "Mm," the clear voice softly responded, then curtsied to the young masters and misses to bid farewell before turning to leave their circle. She considered this exchange of the notebook and pencil a successful toll for her passage, just as the strategist spirit had whispered to advise her.

Although many still had questions for the eldest young miss, once she received permission from the young master of Mayor Manor, she quickly walked off in the opposite direction, half-running away, not leaving any opportunity for those people. Gao Zhengwu finally felt relieved, his furrowed brow relaxing as he resumed his duties as a good host, inviting everyone back to the banquet venue since the event was nearing its end.

Gao Jinlu hurried along the path back to her place, as the spirits had warned her of hostile eyes targeting her. The small figure chose an alternate route, using its winding paths to shake off anything malicious that might have been following her. All she needed to do was cross the bridge, and she would be able to see the moon gate leading to the small residence. Her rapid steps slowed as she returned to a steady pace.

"Hurry, little girl! Cross the stone bridge and return to the residence quickly. I’m certain someone is following you, and they don't mean well," an elderly male spirit was almost unable to remain composed, though he didn't want to rush her too much, seeing how out of breath she was after running for so long.

"Lulu can still manage." The little frame took deep breaths before stepped onto the bridge, planning to run across it in one go. However, just as she reached a third of the way across and was gathering her strength to sprint, the spirits who were watching and supporting her made a panic noise in unison. However, Gao Jinlu was just a little child who was too small to react in time. A force pushed her from behind, causing her to stumble.

Splash! The girl fell into the stream, designed to mimic a natural river. In the darkness, the sound of a heavy object hit the water surface went unheard and unknown to others, as it was the area near the small residence. The servants avoided it. This unfortunate circumstance meant that no one would be able to come to her aid in time. After ensuring their intent had been carried out, the one who committed a malicious action in secret fled the scene without leaving any trace. Only the translucent figures bore witness to the entire event.

"Lu’er!" They were mere spirits still cultivating their powers, they lacked the strength to help the girl out of the water. They were also unable to seek help. Because, since they became a spirit with their form, they had never encountered anyone else who could communicate with the spirit.

"There's only one person who can help— we must hurry and wake the Elder Seer now." When other spirits lost their calmness, the spirit of an elderly woman blurted out, snapping the other spirits back to their senses.

They split into two groups: one group used their energy to keep the small figure afloat for as long as possible, which was the best they could do at the moment. The other group hurried to the place where the Elder Seer spirit had gone into meditation to avoid the commotion.

"Ugh... Ah..." Gao Jinlu could feel the care and fear of the spirits who always stayed by her side, but all she could do was muster her strength to avoid sinking beneath the water. However, it wasn’t easy. The unfavorable strength and body made her energy slowly fade.

Tears filled her clear, round eyes as negative thoughts flooded her mind. If she were to die now, would she be able to join them, no longer suffering the loneliness in this manor? No longer have to feel inferior every time she saw her siblings received their parents' love, while she could only observe secretly from a distance for the past five years?

The small frame used her last bit of strength, trying to grab onto something, but she failed, slowly sinking beneath the water’s surface. No matter how much Gao Jinlu wanted to use her strength to survive, it was no use. The spirits, too, had exhausted their power and could only follow her into the imitated stream.

In a fleeting moment between life and death, the girl, drained of energy, began to twitch and struggle in agony, though her eyes remained closed. Her small hands clutched at her head, trying to ease the pain. The spirits, who were following her down here, noticed this strange phenomenon, and it was at that very moment that the group sent to rouse the Elder Seer returned.

"This fate cannot be altered. Lu’er was born with luck, her fate suppresses evil. This is but a bad event she must overcome on her own." A steady and mysterious voice said slowly, though he was clenching his fists because he worried for the child he had follow since birth.

"How can Lu’er overcome this on her own when she’s drowning?" A young girl spirit surfaced from the water, her face filled with fear.

There was no answer from the eldest spirit. Before any spirit could question him further, Gao Jinlu suddenly burst from the water, gasping for breath. Her arms and legs worked as she swam toward the shore. With that happened, the spirits successfully used their energy in unison to push the little body up onto the ground.

"Cough, cough, cough." The girl lay sprawled on the ground, feeling too exhausted to move from the spot at the moment.

"Lu’er, you know how to swim?" There was a doubt in the fierce eyes of the former general spirit. They had been with her for this long—how could they not know what she was capable of? Of course, not everyone could swim, especially a child of only five years old.

"You… cough, cough… you're not thinking that… some other spirit possessed me…, are you?" The clear, round eyes scanned the spirits slowly. The girl’s face was still pale and her body starting to feel cold.

"Our Lu’er doesn’t know how to swim," the miracle physician spirit narrowed his eyes, not lowering his guard easily.

"Gao Jinlu is still the same, but not Gao Jinlu with memories from a past life.” Her explanation was like a giant stone dropped into a pond, sending ripples out in all directions.

"Memories from a past life?" The spirits cried out in unison, their faces a mix of surprise and disbelief. The strategist spirit seemed to notice something. He paused to think a little then his eyes went bright.

"Lu’er, you can speak now?"