[Wuxia Crossover] The Jianghu Nursery

[This is an unsuccessful attempt at a style-shifting story. It isn't crackfic, so if you came for something silly, proceed with caution. The romance doesn't come up until near the end, so if you came for the love story, well... I'm done for! This story is mainly about the kids. Only one extra chapter features a romance from Huahua's youth: three days circling the tower, a refined gentleman versus a clingy qin spirit.] * Ling Yunxiao is the founding ancestor of a cultivation sect. After breaking through the void for the Nth time, he arrives in a wuxia world. The old ancestor has done everything there is to do. He has grown far too calm to care about anything, with one exception: he still enjoys teasing children now and then. The powerful are used to protecting others and coming to their aid. When a little Huahua starts fussing over him, he finds it rather amusing and decides to open a "Jianghu Children's Home" to bring a little more liveliness into his life. * And so... * When the children's home first opens, a Phoenix kid and a Zhu Zhu kid show up at the door of a supposedly haunted house. The Phoenix kid has wandered for years, enduring countless scornful looks, deceptions, and mockery. Little by little, his heart has begun to grow cold. He causes trouble time and again, thinking he'll be kicked out. "Am I really that annoying? Do you not want to be friends with me anymore?" Huahua: "How could you think that? If someone hurts you, it's only natural to hit back. You're an honest, adorable friend, and I like you very much." From then on, a flower blooms in the Phoenix kid's barren world. * The Snow Goose kid was raised as a tool for revenge. He has grown aloof and withdrawn, and hardly speaks. One of his legs is lame, and he suffers from epileptic seizures. Everyone thinks he has some strange, contagious illness, so they all keep their distance. But Huahua brings him a pot of cactus. "You're amazing, big brother. When you grow up, you'll definitely be a great hero. But until then, you don't have to be able to do everything. Cry if you want to cry, laugh if you want to laugh." The Snow Goose kid feels something gently poke his chest. It's soft. It feels so nice. * Lin Mei's parents are both dead. She's timid and cries easily. People dislike her for being a burden, for being no good at either studying or fighting, and for always getting hurt and holding everyone back. Huahua notices that she no longer dares to cry in front of others, and only secretly sheds tears when she's alone. He quietly brings her some candy. Lin Mei: "Am I useless?" Huahua shakes his head. "You're gentle and thoughtful, big sister, and you have your own strengths. Everyone has something they're good for. Sometimes people just haven't figured out what suits them yet. Besides, when it comes to bandaging wounds, you're better than all of us. No one can compare!" Lin Mei breaks into a smile through her tears. * Rules of the children's home: 1. We take care of the children, but we're not responsible for keeping them alive. If you have a problem with that, don't come. 2. Children aren't sent here to be taught, but to be put through their paces. Don't send ordinary children here. If you have a problem with that, don't come either. * Everyone who reads these two rules shakes their head and sighs, convinced the owner must have lost his mind. He'll starve if he relies on this "children's home" instead of using his good looks to make a living. Ling Yunxiao lies back in his rocking chair, completely unconcerned. Later on... A man surnamed Tie arrives, carrying Xiangxiang and a cat-eyed boy by the collars. The Divine Marquis also entrusts him with the four young disciples he's just taken in for a while. A fish even bumps into his door all by itself... And later still... A man who calls himself Wang Sidao arrives with a cold-faced little boy, shamelessly insisting they stay there too. * [Reader's Guide] 1. This is a story about heroes growing up in a wuxia jianghu setting, not a parenting story. It offers no lessons in child-rearing, so don't apply it that way. Children's education should be guided by sound scientific principles. 2. The heroine isn't some traditional do-gooder. If someone messes with her, she'll mess with them right back, whether they're a troublesome adult or child. 3. The hero is the leader of a demonic cult, and he's the devoted, loyal type. 4. There are more kids than the ones mentioned in the blurb, and they don't appear in the order listed. The timeline is even more chaotic, all in service of the plot. 5. Thanks for all your thoughtful feedback and suggestions, and for helping me grow! *^_^* 6. Love you all. I hope everyone enjoys the story. Theme: Everyone has their own unique way of being. You don't have to become someone else; just be yourself.