What does it mean that they all lived with lifelong regrets?

After a while, the girl's crying gradually stopped.

Through her intermittent narration, Lin Wuhua gradually understood what had happened.

The girl's surname is Xie, she doesn't have her own name, she is fifteen years old this year, the same age as Lin Wuhua in the simulation.

Her parents disliked her and even tried to drown her when she was born. They also frequently took the opportunity to beat and scold her. Her brothers never called her by her name.

Recently, her family is going to marry her off to an old landlord as a maid.

As for the maids... to put it bluntly, their lives and deaths are entirely decided by the master's word.

But her parents said, "Raising you is worse than raising livestock. It's more worthwhile to marry you off as soon as possible to earn some money."

"Sir, you—"

Lin Wuhua interrupted the girl.

"My name is Lin Wuhua, I'm fifteen years old, three years older than you."

"Don't call me 'sir,' my status is no higher than yours, and I have a name."

The girl paused.

Just call me Wuhua.

"Hmm..." The girl pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and said, "Brother Wuhua, can you take me with you?"

It seemed that Lin Wuhua's consistent gentleness gave her the courage to state her demands directly.

"I ran away; if I go back, I'll just be sold."

"I......"

Her voice lowered, and it began to tremble with tears again.

"I don't want... this, I'll do anything."

Lin Wuhua remained silent.

Even though it was a system task, he didn't answer immediately, but instead stared at the girl.

It was quite a while before he spoke, when her head was almost touching her chest.

"Miss Xie, you trust me so much, aren't you afraid I'll sell you off too?"

But then he suddenly sighed, raised an eyebrow, and gave a warm smile.

"It is fate that we met, and helping you is just a small favor."

He paused, then said, "But this isn't for nothing. I can give you two choices."

"First, I'll take you to the nearest city, give you some money, and help you settle down."

"Secondly," Lin Wuhua extended his hand, "we can go together, but I have one condition—"

"Take me to your home, to meet your parents, and to say goodbye to them."

......

"If you don't have a name, then call her 'Snow Interceptor,' thank you Snow Interceptor."

"From now on, your name will be Xie Jiexue, just like my name is Lin Wuhua."

"Is my name a little strange?"

"Ah, this is the name I gave myself."

"I am an orphan. My adoptive master wanted me to study more, so my former name was Lin Shuyou."

"Later I discovered that some principles were not in the books, and some sword techniques were not in the sword manuals."

"Therefore, it is better to have no books than to believe everything in them. Some truths need to be learned through practice, so I changed my name to Lin Wuhua."

"A name should have some meaning and aspiration, otherwise it would be too ugly."

"As for the meaning of your name—that certainly has its own."

There are two versions.

"Firstly: Before you met me, your life was full of frost and snow, and I hope that there will be no more frost and snow in your life. The name is Jie Xue (截雪), which means 'cutting off the frost and snow in your life'."

Secondly...

The boy in her memory smiled, patted her head, and a soft glow spread across his cheeks: "—I'll tell you when we reach the Sword Sect."

Xie Jiexue opened her eyes.

In the boundless chill, Xie Jiexue regained consciousness.

It was already night, and all was quiet.

She loosened her knees, got up, and went to the window.

"Jie Xue," she gazed at the stars, "my name is... Xie Jie Xue."

The sword reappeared from the void and stopped beside her.

"I......"

Xie Jiexue pressed her hand to her chest.

The warmth came from her chest, but it only made her feel colder.

"The beauty of nature..."

The sound gradually faded into the air.

"...Have you come this way?"

......

During the day, in the city closest to the ruined temple.

In front of a silk shop.

Lin Wuhua led Xie Jiexue through the gate, and the waiter immediately came to greet them.

The waiter's gaze lingered on Xie Jiexue for a moment before quickly turning to Lin Wuhua.

"Young master, what would you like to see? We've just received some fine cloth, and we also have silk readily available..."

Lin Wuhua: "Make two sets of clothes for this girl, both inside and out."

The waiter was taken aback: "Is this for this young lady, sir?"

Noticing the waiter's gaze, Xie Jiexue hid even further behind Lin Wuhua.

Lin Wuhua didn't speak, but stared at the waiter.

The waiter shrank back under his gaze and went into the back room, where he seemed to discuss a few words with the manager.

Coarse cotton and linen were brought over.

Lin Wuhua raised an eyebrow: "Your shop is truly unconventional in its selection of materials."

"Miss Xie isn't picky, she's just worried about dirtying your shop's signboard."

More silver was taken out, and the sword at his waist was also exposed.

This time, the shopkeeper walked over and his gaze fell directly on the sword with its intricate patterns.

The shopkeeper's pupils contracted, and he loudly reprimanded the waiter a few times before waving him to the back room and personally greeting him.

"Sir, would you like some clothes made?"

"Our own men are so ignorant, it's really troublesome."

"Make it for her," Lin Wuhua said to the smiling shopkeeper.

Xie Jiexue was a little scared, but Lin Wuhua squatted down.

"I'm here, waiting for you."

He pushed Xie Jiexue toward the shopkeeper's wife.

"Please give her a bath first."

......

About two hours later, Xie Jiexue emerged looking completely refreshed.

Lin Wuhua nodded slightly.

"Sir, this young lady is quite beautiful," the shopkeeper's wife said with a smile.

Xie Jiexue hid behind Lin Wuhua again.

A delicate and moist fragrance emanated from her.

The shopkeeper handed over a brand-new scarf: "Miss, this is what was left over from making clothes."

Lin Wuhua's gaze softened somewhat.

Xie Jiexue didn't answer, but glanced at Lin Wuhua first.

Lin Wuhua said, "Even if you don't answer, I will still pay."

Xie Jiexue then took it.

Just before leaving, Lin Wuhua heard her soft voice.

"……Thanks."

......

Lin Wuhua brought the transformed Xie Jiexue to meet her parents.

Facing the two parents who were all smiles but were even more shrewd than the shopkeeper as they sized up their daughter, Lin Wuhua remained calm and composed.

"Yes, I feel a connection with your daughter and would like to take her in as a maid."

Behind him, Xie Jiexue hid even further back, trying to avoid her mother's gaze as she looked at her clothes—the finest silk.

Lin Wuhua patted her shoulder and placed a money bag on the table.

Looking at her parents, who seemed to want to throw themselves into the bag, and Xie Jiexue's brothers, who looked like wolves, Lin Wuhua still smiled.

He's always like this, always smiling, no matter who he's in front of.

"She'll be going with me to a very far place, and may never come back. This money is hers—"

Xie Jiexue's mother waved her hand in front of Lin Wuhua.

Xie Jiexue's mother waved her hand and interjected, "I understand, I understand, sir. It's a betrothal gift, my daughter will be yours from now on... But raising her has taken us quite a bit of effort..."

Xie Jiexue's father didn't speak, but instead rubbed his hands together.

Lin Wuhua was still smiling.

The parents in front of me cannot be considered qualified parents, or even parents at all.

From the moment they entered, Xie Jiexue's father was looking at his sword, and his mother was looking at Xie Jiexue's clothes.

"Do you feel you don't have enough money?"

Lin Wuhua then took out two more silver ingots and placed them on the table.

"Is this alright?"

The man hesitated.

He wanted to accept it, but the woman next to him stepped on his foot.

Behind Lin Wuhua, there was a sound of movement, and the corner of her clothes was tugged.

But Lin Wuhua remained unmoved.

Xie Jiexue felt sorry for him and told him not to waste too much money, but he had his own thoughts.

He did not put the silver ingot back.

With one hand, he took out a gold bar.

With his other hand, he placed his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

A glint of cold light appeared, causing the man to catch his breath.

He recalled how he had met Lin Wuhua.

Less than half an hour ago, Xie Jiexue's mother was at home scolding her for being a good-for-nothing, for her husband's inability to control their daughter, and for her brothers saying they wouldn't be able to buy land this year.

Lin Wuhua appeared just like that, with Xie Jiexue by his side.

The two had come over the mountain, swaggering into the village along a rarely traveled mountain path, their clothes impeccably clean.

It wasn't that no one wanted to make a move on Lin Wuhua—he was richly dressed and too young. But...

All the disturbances vanished when his sword was pressed against the throat of a ruffian.

Lin Wuhua was far too gentle, so gentle that men forgot he was an excellent swordsman.

A person who can carry someone through a mountain path unscathed is definitely not an ordinary person.

In other words, Lin Wuhua didn't need to reason with him.

He only came here to "settle the karmic debt with Jie Xue".

The man's throat bobbed, and he elbowed his wife.

"Enough...enough, sir."

"Okay, fine." Lin Wuhua removed his hand from the gold bar and even pushed it away.

"Then I'll take her with me."

The family stared intently at the gold bars, not even glancing at their daughter.

......

After leaving the village, Lin Wuhua stopped.

He turned his head and looked at Xie Jiexue.

"Alright, Jie Xue, what are your thoughts?"

Xie Jiexue: "I'm sorry."

Lin Wuhua laughed: "What, you're not afraid of me anymore?"

Xie Jiexue kicked a stone: "They all dislike me."

She added, "Wuhua, why...give so much money?"

Even though it was nominally the money she received for selling herself, she was worried that she had overpaid.

Lin Wuhua: "Do you feel that you don't deserve so much money?"

Xie Jiexue was speechless.

"Yes," Lin Wuhua didn't force her to answer, "I know, they haven't been looking at you, they've been looking at the money."

He pointed in a direction, snapped his fingers, and smiled with his eyes half-open and half-closed.

"But don't overthink it, the more you think about it, the more annoyed you'll get."

"Come on, I'll take you to see something, to a place."

At this point, he no longer had that suppressive power and returned to his gentle demeanor.

As they walked, Lin Wuhua continued chatting with Xie Jiexue.

"Are you still somewhat disappointed, even if you expected it?"

Xie Jiexue shook her head, then nodded.

"Hmm... none of them looked at me."

"You still want them to see you," Lin Wuhua said. "Because even though you've long been certain that your family doesn't like you, you're still unwilling to accept that."

"My money made you believe that, and that's my goal."

"But that's not the main purpose," he added.

Seeing Xie Jiexue's increasingly somber expression, Lin Wuhua suddenly stopped.

He jumped onto a large rock and stretched his hand behind him.

"Come on, get on."

Xie Jiexue stopped.

She stretched out her hand, then withdrew it.

"You don't really think of yourself as a maid, do you?" Lin Wuhua clapped her hands, blinked, and gave a cheerful smile.

"Didn't I tell you? That was a lie to your family."

"Come on, get on."

Even before taking Xie Jiexue shopping for clothes, Lin Wuhua had solemnly clarified:

He wouldn't send her back; he would just take her home to say goodbye to her parents.

As for taking in maids, it was agreed upon beforehand—as a pretext.

Lin Wuhua didn't have the time or inclination to explain too many miscellaneous things to that family.

Xie Jiexue decided to believe him.

Xie Jiexue pursed her lips and subconsciously said, "My lord..."

Lin Wuhua made an "X" gesture: "I don't listen to people who don't even know my name."

Xie Jiexue smiled slightly, seemingly amused.

"The beauty of nature..."

Lin Wuhua nodded: "Hmm?"

Xie Jiexue: "You're so good to me, I don't know what to do."

"Then come with me." Lin Wuhua extended her hand again. "I'll take you somewhere."

"Take my hand, I'll take you there."

He coaxed and cajoled Xie Jiexue into getting up.

Lin Wuhua led her on the mountain path.

Unlike the previous paths, hunters rarely come here.

At first, the road was just covered by grass and trees, then it became jagged rocks and overgrown with thorns.

If Lin Wuhua hadn't been holding her up, Xie Jiexue would have fallen several times over.

In the end, he even carried her on his back.

Gradually, the path underfoot became flatter, as if even the mountain breeze had become gentler.

But Lin Wuhua didn't mention letting go of the matter, so Xie Jiexue didn't say anything either.

Lin Wuhua felt Xie Jiexue adjust her position, carefully rub against his back, and then her body went limp.

Until one moment, everything became clear.

In a large open space, Lin Wuhua reluctantly put Xie Jiexue down.

He asked, "Is it pretty?"

Xie Jiexue was stunned.

Behind Lin Wuhua was a very large and very deep pool.

The pool water is clear and tranquil, and its green color is like jade.

"I asked a hunter about this; he always fishes here."

Lin Wuhua blinked: "Is it pretty?"

Xie Jiexue nodded blankly: "It looks good."

Lin Wuhua didn't buy it: "Am I prettier than the water?"

Xie Jiexue: "Water..."

She paused, wanting to deny it, but her face flushed slightly.

Lin Wuhua was amused by her and laughed, so Xie Jiexue laughed too.

In a relaxed atmosphere, he waved to her.

"Come here, come with me."

The two arrived at the edge of the pool.

"After changing your clothes, you haven't even seen what you look like yourself yet, have you?"

"Now look at it, how do you feel?"

Xie Jiexue was stunned once again.

This pool of water is really beautiful.

It is crystal clear and unfathomably deep, as if another world is hidden beneath the water.

But that's not the most important thing.

The reflection in the water is of another version of her.

Xie Jiexue was not unaware of her own appearance.

He was thin and small, his face was dirty and covered in dust, making it almost impossible to recognize him.

Aside from his relatively upright posture, there's nothing about him that's attractive.

But she is completely different in the water.

Actually, after changing her clothes, Xie Jiexue vaguely realized that she was good-looking.

The shopkeeper's praise, the stares of passersby, the mother's envious gaze...

She knows she has changed a lot, but she can't see it.

The shopkeeper's praise might be flattery, the passerby might be looking at Lin Wuhua, and the mother's jealousy might be jealousy of the clothes—and she's jealous of everything.

Only now has Xie Jiexue truly seen what he looks like.

In the pool, her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, her dark eyes were clear and cold, her skin was fair, and her large robes concealed her slender and thin figure.

The figure standing quietly by the pool seemed even more serene and aloof than the still water itself.

Lin Wuhua clapped his hands exaggeratedly: "Wow, what a beautiful little girl!"

"..."

Xie Jiexue turned around and glanced at Lin Wuhua.

She couldn't understand why Lin Wuhua was completely different from the first day they met.

Lin Wuhua continued speaking without any embarrassment.

"Do you remember?"

"You told me the past few days why you don't have a name."

Lin Wuhua paused, then kicked a nearby stone hard.

"I'd rather raise a beast of burden than you!"

His expression returned to normal.

"Your family didn't give you a name, they always call you 'Wei'."

"In their eyes, you are lowly and useless, a money-losing brat who only knows how to eat."

He raised an eyebrow, walked over to the girl, and gazed at the pool.

In the pool, a young man in a blue robe stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his face gentle and refined like jade.

"But Jie Xue, you can't think like that. You're the only one who can't."

"That day you asked me to take you away, and I asked you why you trusted me."

Xie Jiexue shook her head: "You're good to me."

"That's because no one has ever been kind to you," Lin Wuhua retorted. "Like that day when you were afraid of me, but you were too cold and had to come out to warm yourself by the fire."

"It's too cold. If you don't come out, you'll die, but if you do, you might at least not die."

He turned around again and came to the other side of Xie Jiexue.

Throughout the entire process, Xie Jiexue stared at him.

Her cool eyes flickered, and inexplicable emotions surged within them.

"The reason you trust me so easily is not because I am trustworthy, but because you think you don't deserve to be treated well."

"Just like when you pulled me out of your house—you didn't think you were worth that much money."

Lin Wuhua pointed to the pool water.

"And what about you now? Do you think you're cheaper than me?"

Xie Jiexue pursed her lips and replied with an "Mm".

Lin Wuhua did not ask any further questions.

He simply pointed to her reflection in the pool.

"Life is long, and you may have many doubts. But Miss Xie, remember yourself in the water right now."

"This is the real you."

"You are not a commodity to be sold for a high price, nor a weed to be trampled on."

"I'm taking you back so you can see for yourself how those who looked down on you now look up to you."

He repeated it again.

"So remember, intercept the snow."

"You are not a commodity, so I am unwilling to lower your price."

"That's why I'm unwilling to skimp on your father's money."

"I want to tell you that you have value."

Lin Wuhua extended his hand to Xie Jiexue.

"Now, come with me to the Sword Sect."