The blossoming spring has begun

Chapter Two (edit and rewrite)

I wished that this was a dream as I stood there feeling uncomfortable in front of my presumed father, wondering what he intended to tell me. With his arms crossed behind his back, he turned to face me and said, "You know how I am getting too old to continue leading the Meihua sect as its sect leader? You will be the next sect leader despite what you did in the past because you are my only child and a blood relative, and I intend to retire."

Hold on. You appear healthy even if you are elderly! I just opened my eyes and found myself here, so why are you throwing all of this on me? I wanted to scream at him for entrusting me with this much responsibility. He is telling me to lead a sect without even consulting me first, and I have no idea what I did in the past! Not only do I have no idea what a sect leader does, but I also have no idea how to be a lady or a sect leader!

Even though I knew I would find this bothersome, I forced myself to hold my tongue and not protest because he seemed like the kind of person who would grin and ignore it. My father turned to face me and said, "Your expression continues the same and has not altered a bit." He appeared upset and I wondered why. He said, "There is something else I have to say," as he passed in front of me, and we stopped looking directly at one another.

His face tightened, and he spoke seriously, "I heard that the ghost general has returned. I beg to the gods that Wei Wuxian is still deceased." He placed his hand on top of my left shoulder and stared down at me. He seemed to be pleading with me, "Please, XiuYing, please do not make the same mistakes thirteen years ago." 'What are you trying to say?' What have I done previously? I nodded my head instead of asking him, even though I wanted to ask him.

With a contented smile, he said, "Good. I am confident you will not repeat your past errors. You are my daughter, after all, and you are smart," he informed me. I was starting to feel a lot of pressure and, well, terrified. I am not sure how to describe it. That was all he had to say before turning to face me and taking his hand off my shoulder. "Tonight, I will inform the other sects that you will take over as sect leader, replacing me. Ask the gods to spare you from their wrath." I turned around and started to leave him behind. "You can leave now."

'Will they be offended that a woman will be in charge of a sect?' As I drew closer to the door and peered at it, I wondered, "Maybe the other sect leaders are guys." Right now, I am attempting to decide what to do. Reluctant to leave, he will assume something is wrong and want to chat with me once more. The sign of the plum blossom opened and sparkled for the girl who put her hands on the door. Raise my right arm, and press my palm on the door. A vague sense of knowing what to do began to dawn on me; I noticed a glow emanating from my hand on the door and felt a surge of energy from my right arm. Think, 'Wow, this is one way to unlock a door.' The plum blossom sign started to light pink and slowly opened. As I moved out of the room, the door closed behind me.

I sighed with relief as I put my back against the closed door; I felt as if I would suffocate in that room and was relieved to be outside again. I am so bewildered already after only a few minutes of chatting to him. I am going to be the new leader of this clan; the ghost general has returned. This place is known as the Meihua sect, and I am still waiting to find out who this Wei Wuxian person is. I have no notion of what it takes to run a sect.

When I reached the foot of the steps, I sighed in desperation and said to myself, "I want to go back to the garden I woke up in." I turned away from the door and began to travel away from that location. I will become the new sect leader, my father adds, and he will inform the other sect leaders. It sounds like they do not think much of me, and this ghost general guy returned with a lot of people detesting him. How would they react if the ghost general reappeared at the same time that a girl took over as Meihua's new sect leader?

I was given some time to consider before I heard a young man exclaim, "My lady!" as footsteps rushed toward me. I pivoted to identify the person and noticed a young man with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was dressed similarly to that girl and me in a hanfu but with a distinct style—possibly due to the different attire worn by men and women in this place. His right hand was gripping his sheathed sword, and he had a frown on his face as he glanced at me with his sword hanging about his waist. His expression was confused and disturbed. "Sāndú ShèngshĒu, the sect leader, has arrived."