Chapter 45: You Remind Me of Someone

Inside the villa

Bai Xian carefully placed the Dragon-Slaying Sword back into the center compartment of the antique display shelf. Next to it, she set the ancient tome, "The Secret Book of Gu Arts," which she had retrieved from the county magistrate, and finally, she placed the Ghost Tear, safely sealed in a small box, alongside them.

With these additions, the once-empty display shelf now had its lowest row adorned with treasured items. Bai Xian admired her spoils for a while, relishing her achievements until hunger reminded her that Zhou Yang, the ghostly chef, had already reincarnated. Now, she had to cook for herself.

She ate a simple meal before taking her spear to the backyard to practice the "Six Harmonies Spear Technique."

Just as Yang Xian had said, the essence of the Six Harmonies Spear lay not in endless variation, but in familiarity—repetition and diligence would forge muscle memory, allowing her to wield its power instinctively in real combat.

Thus, Bai Xian made it a rule to practice with her spear for at least two hours every day. The villa also had a private gym she could make use of later.

Having completed another task from the "Green Tome," Bai Xian felt her strength had already surpassed the limits of ordinary humans. The ten-kilogram spear felt light in her hands, easier to wield than a wooden staff would be for most people.

Iron spear in hand, she moved through the forms of the Six Harmonies Spear with the energy of a tiger, her movements swift and vigorous.

The following days passed in an unusual calm. Bai Xian welcomed the peace, taking the time to rest and recover in the villa. She had barely slept during her days in the other world, and the bruises on her shoulder needed proper care, lest they leave lingering issues.

And so, it was on the fourth day—

A series of breathless, feverish cries echoed through the villa. In the soft light, the gym was filled with the mingled scent of sweat and vitality.

A tall, poised young woman was fully absorbed in her training. Bai Xian, dressed in a simple athletic outfit that emphasized her slim but powerful build, wore her ponytail high, with a few stray strands of hair swaying gently over her forehead as she moved.

At last, her strength training finished, Bai Xian let the heavy barbell fall from her shoulders. It landed with a dull thud.

She picked up a towel to wipe the sweat from her brow—and only then did she notice several missed calls on her phone.

When she checked, the athletic young woman almost leaped in alarm.

For the name displayed next to the missed calls was a single word:

“Dad!”

...

A taxi pulled up quietly at the curb, and a man in his forties stepped out.

He stood about six feet tall, with the close-cropped hair of a former soldier, a square face, thick brows, and large eyes. Though his features were plain, there was a certain seasoned charm about him.

Perhaps thanks to his fondness for fitness and running, the man was broad-shouldered and muscular—his strength evident even beneath his clothes.

After paying the fare, his eyes quickly found the café sign that read "Riverside Coffee."

“Sir, how many in your party?” the waiter at the door asked as the man entered.

“Two,” he replied.

“This way, please.”

Business was good, and only one seat by the window remained as noon approached. The waiter led him there, and the man ordered a coffee before pulling out his phone to let his son know he had arrived.

“What’s that boy up to, not answering my calls but insisting on texting?” he grumbled, recalling how his son had said he had something important to discuss, and not to let Mom know.

Bai Yaobin glanced at the “Okay, I’m on my way” reply on WeChat, set his phone down with a sigh, and took a sip of the coffee the waiter brought.

His brows furrowed immediately.

“Do you have any tea here?” he asked.

The waiter shook his head. “Sorry, we don’t serve tea.”

“Oh, all right.” He took another sip, then pushed the cup aside, never glancing at it again.

He couldn’t understand why young people liked this stuff.

As Bai Yaobin silently grumbled, he suddenly sensed the light dim around him.

Looking up, he saw a beautiful young woman standing by the table.

She looked seventeen or eighteen, dressed in the plainest of gray casual wear and white sneakers, her long black hair tied in a simple ponytail. There was none of the era’s fashionable makeup or accessories about her—just a natural beauty and youthful glow that felt clean and refreshing, impossible not to like.

Yet, the girl stood by the table, nervously twisting at the hem of her shirt, her face pale and uncertain. She opened her mouth to speak several times, but the words always caught in her throat.

Bai Yaobin assumed she was feeling unwell, especially since the café was packed.

He quickly stood up. “Are you feeling sick, young lady? Please, take a seat. Should I call an ambulance for you?”

...

Bai Xian had always known she couldn’t keep her transformation a secret from her family forever.

For some time, she had been planning how to break the news to her parents without shocking them—how to help them accept the fact that they now had a daughter.

Even before she saw the missed calls, she had already decided that, on this return to Earth, she would confess the truth about her change.

On the way from the villa to the coffee shop, Bai Xian went over and over in her mind how she would start the conversation with her father.

But when she actually entered the café and saw Bai Yaobin frowning over his coffee by the window, all the carefully prepared scripts tangled in her throat. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get a single word out.

Perhaps it was the traditional father-son dynamic. During Bai Xian’s adolescence, she and Bai Yaobin could hardly get along—they’d bicker whenever they saw each other, and if not for her mother Zheng Xuan’s constant mediation, the two might well have become enemies.

Things only began to improve a little when Bai Xian went to college. They finally managed to sit down and have proper conversations, but only just.

Logically, she ought to have told her mother Zheng Xuan about her transformation first. But whether it was because Bai Yaobin had called first, or because it was easier to talk to another man, Bai Xian bypassed her mother and came to her father.

Now, she regretted that choice.

For the once-fearless Bai Xian, who had faced ghosts and monsters without flinching, now stood by the table like a startled quail, nervously fidgeting with the trim of her shirt, utterly at a loss.

Until—

“Are you feeling sick, young lady? Please, sit down. Do you want me to call an ambulance?”

At her father’s words, Bai Xian’s heart nearly leapt from her throat.

She took a deep breath and forced a strained smile.

“No, I… I just have a bit of low blood sugar. I’ll be fine after sitting for a while.”

Bai Yaobin immediately pulled out a chair for her, then asked the waiter to bring over some desserts.

With great effort, Bai Xian managed a few bites of cake, and the tension slowly eased from her face, her color returning.

Bai Yaobin, assuming the sweets had done their job, sat back down with a sigh of relief.

“You should carry some chocolate with you when you go out if you have low blood sugar,” he advised.

But Bai Xian, head lowered, nibbled at her dessert like a timid hamster, barely hearing a word her father said, only nodding distractedly.

Suddenly, Bai Yaobin sat up straighter, his expression serious.

“Young lady, have we met somewhere before? You remind me of someone…”

Bai Xian froze, her heart pounding.

Is it really that obvious?!