The Endless Promise

64. A Different Worry

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On the other side of the Yan house, a different worry had settled in Weiyan's heart...

This talented Xu disciple, worried not about how well she would perform in the second stage.

She neither worried about what dangers it might hold, nor about whether she was good enough to represent Yueyan at the Baishan Central Tournament.

Far from it.

Xu Weiyan was currently looking into a mirror, scowling at her own reflection.

In her mind, the image of Xu Lian grabbing Luoyin's arm replayed itself in her mind, and she subconsciously fisted her hand.

It bothered her...

She didn't want it to, but it did!

Xu Lian was smallish and pretty in an adorable way, and though she was just eighteen, there were already a number of hopeful suitors indicating their interests.

Xu Lian had clear roots, was a talented cultivator with promise, and she was bright, and engaging, with a playful personality which matched Luoyin's.

Of all those qualities, Weiyan was only confident in her own level of cultivation...

She was adopted, and she didn't suppose she could be called adorable, nor could she hope to be as lively as Xu Lian.

And as for her appearance...

She had certainly been called 'beautiful', but had never thought much about it, or considered whether it was true or not. It had never seemed important.

Till now!

And so she scowled at her appearance, trying to understand what men would consider 'beautiful'!

"My Lady, did you find some hidden treasure on your face?" Tong jokingly asked, noting her mistress had been staring.

"A-Tong, be truthful. How do I really look?" Weiyan asked, far more serious than she realized.

"...." Tong stared in her in shock.

Weiyan sighed, then said in a quick mumble, "Am I considered less beautiful than A-Lian?"

Tong gasped. "M- My Lady! You've never asked such a thing!" She exclaimed.
"Could it be...? My Lady, you're 'worried' about your appearance?!!"

Tong couldn't believe it. Her 'prettier-than-a-fairy' Lady was worried about her appearance! But most importantly, her usually stoic Lady was 'showing' her worry!

Weiyan raised a brow as a grin split Tong's face. "A-Tong, why do you suddenly seem so joyful?"

"I don't know!" Tong truthfully admitted. "In the past, I always knew whenever you were unhappy, but you always simply accepted your fate and let things be!

"You've been depressed since the wedding, and I suspected why..." She looked away shyly. "I- did not know- you liked the Master, but after seeing his face, no wife would be reassured!

"I assumed you would simply sit still again, but this time you've even expressed your worries to me! That makes me happy for some reason!"

A mild feeling of guilt wound its way into Weiyan's heart as she recalled Xu Furen's words:

"... you learned to hide everything away, living like a petal blown about in the breeze, your fate decided by those around you..."

Weiyan had indeed mastered the art of suppressing her emotions, worries, fears, expectations, and desires.