God-Tier Awakening: The Dead Can Still Level Up

Chapter 18: Home and Mom

Xingluo stepped down from the bus and walked through the snow-covered street, while Shen Wuxia floated quietly behind her.

By the time she reached her house, she stopped before the familiar building and looked at it for several breaths.

After everything that had happened in the past week, even standing before her own home felt strangely unreal.

She suddenly gave a small laugh and glanced toward Shen Wuxia. "You know what? I think I really am a chosen one."

Shen Wuxia looked at her with a calm expression. "That is an extremely delusional conclusion."

Xingluo ignored him and continued with a faint grin. "This was the most exciting week of my life."

Shen Wuxia gave a small shrug. "Mine was not bad either. I died, returned as a ghost, almost collapsed twice, and somehow remained alive."

He paused for a moment before adding, "Also, being drugged and hospitalized is usually not called exciting."

Xingluo’s smile stiffened, then she pouted at once. "Rahh, forget that part, I am saying we survived and we should be happy for now."

Shen Wuxia looked at her for a moment, then did not argue. Xingluo took a breath, walked toward the door, and rang the bell.

As footsteps approached from inside, her earlier confidence faded slightly, and her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.

The door opened a few seconds later, revealing her mother standing behind it with a confused expression.

For a moment, the woman simply stared at Xingluo, then her eyes narrowed. "Oh, so you remembered your mother exists?"

Xingluo’s face froze. "Mom, I—"

"What were you doing?" her mother cut in, stepping aside but not stopping her scolding. "You got sick, landed in the hospital, and still did not tell me properly."

Xingluo lowered her head and quietly entered the house while Shen Wuxia floated in after her.

"If Ruan Mei had not told me, would I even know my daughter was hospitalized?" her mother continued, her voice carrying anger and worry together.

Xingluo opened her mouth, then closed it again because every excuse felt useless under that stare.

Shen Wuxia watched from the side and said quietly, "You should probably not argue this one."

Xingluo glanced at him with clear betrayal in her eyes, but her mother was still speaking, so she could only endure it.

"You always say you are fine, fine, fine," her mother said, reaching out and pinching Xingluo’s cheek lightly. "Look at your face. Does this look fine to you?"

After stepping inside, Xingluo looked around the living room, though she already knew the answer before asking. "Is Father here?" she said, her voice lower than usual.

Her mother gave a small shrug, but the tiredness in her eyes did not leave. "He went back to work again; your father is always working too hard."

Xingluo lowered her gaze and sat down on the sofa, while Shen Wuxia floated quietly near the window without interrupting.

Her mother sat across from her and sighed after a few breaths. "Sometimes I feel like I am only becoming a burden to you two."

Xingluo’s fingers tightened on her knees, but her mother continued before noticing it.

"Your father keeps taking overtime because of my medicine, and you keep worrying about things you should not worry about at your age."

"Do not say that, Mom," Xingluo interrupted, her voice sharper than she intended. "Do you even know how sad we would be without you?"

Her mother froze slightly, and Xingluo quickly lowered her head before the redness in her eyes became too obvious.

"It does not matter how much the medicine costs," Xingluo said, forcing her voice steady. "Just wait. I will become strong and rich soon, then I will heal you properly."

Her mother looked at her for a few breaths, then laughed softly while hiding the tiredness behind her eyes.

"Yes, yes, I believe my little girl will become strong and successful," she said, reaching out to tap Xingluo’s forehead.

Then her smile became a little firmer. "But do not worry about your mom too much, I can still deal with you using one hand."

Xingluo’s lips pressed together, and she turned her face aside as if annoyed, though her fingers were still gripping her knees.

Her mother stood up afterward and walked toward the kitchen. "Come on, tell me what you want to eat... Wait, I will make your favorite soup first."

As her mother entered the kitchen, Xingluo stayed seated for a moment and quietly released the breath she had been holding.

Shen Wuxia looked at Xingluo once, then turned his gaze toward the kitchen door with a faint frown.

"You should give your mother the medicine soon," he said quietly. "She already looks quite haggard."

Hearing this, Xingluo sighed and nodded, but her eyes soon drifted toward the family photo placed near the cabinet.

In the photo, she was still small, standing between her parents while her mother smiled with a healthy face Xingluo had not seen in years.

Before she could stare for too long, her mother returned from the kitchen with soup and warm food.

Xingluo quietly ate breakfast with her, while Shen Wuxia floated nearby without saying anything more.

After they finished, her mother picked up the dishes and turned toward the kitchen again. Shen Wuxia cleared his throat lightly and looked at Xingluo with a clear meaning in his eyes.

Seeing that look, Xingluo stiffened for a moment before quickly calling out, "Mom, wait."

Her mother stopped near the kitchen entrance and turned back with slight confusion. "What happened?"

Xingluo stood up and took out a sealed vial from her storage bracelet, her fingers holding it tightly. "Well, Mom... I got something for you," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

The moment her mother saw the vial, her expression changed, and the dishes in her hands lowered slightly.

Xingluo looked down and continued before her mother could speak. "You did not take your medicine this month, it has already been almost a week late."

Her mother hurriedly placed the dishes on the table and walked toward her, taking the vial with trembling fingers.

After looking at the label clearly, her eyes widened, and her voice rose at once. "Xingluo, where did you get the money for this?"

Xingluo quickly held her arm and said, "Mom, calm down first, I got reward money from a combat skills competition."

Her mother stared at her without blinking, clearly waiting for the rest of the explanation.

Xingluo swallowed once, then hurriedly recited the excuse she had prepared with Shen Wuxia earlier.

"Professor Liang rewarded me with a weapon, and he also gave some training support because I will join a combat event soon."

She paused briefly before adding, "I went to the Awakeners Center to buy some things, and this was the last medicine left, so I bought it first."

Her mother looked at her for several breaths, still holding the vial as if it were too heavy.

Xingluo lowered her gaze, and the guilt on her face became difficult to hide despite the excuse she had already prepared.

Her mother looked at the vial for several breaths before slowly shaking her head.

"You do not need to worry about me this much," she said, though her hands were trembling slightly. "You should spend the money you earned on equipment and yourself."

Xingluo looked at her mother’s pale lips and tightened her fingers around her hand. "Believe me, Mom," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. "Everything is fine, and it will become better."

Her mother looked at her with frustration for a moment, as if she wanted to scold her again but no longer had the strength.

In the end, she only pulled Xingluo into her arms and held her tightly. "It seems my little bear has grown up too fast," she said, her voice softer than before.

Xingluo froze for a breath, then slowly raised her hands and hugged her back.

Shen Wuxia watched the mother and daughter from the side, then quietly turned his gaze away without saying anything.