Chen Baojiao had expected this question sooner or later, but hearing it directly from Lin Qingyan still made her hesitate.
For several moments, she did not answer.
Instead, she looked at her niece with complicated emotions.
"It is a long story, Yan'er," Chen Baojiao finally replied.
Lin Qingyan blinked.
"A long story?"
"Yes."
Chen Baojiao sighed softly.
"There are some things about your past that you were never meant to know until the right time."
Lin Qingyan's expression became serious.
"Aunt, does this have something to do with why you always told me to hide my appearance?"
Chen Baojiao's eyes flickered.
"It has something to do with that as well."
Lin Qingyan became even more confused.
"All these years, I thought I was simply an ordinary woman. I couldn't sense spiritual energy, I couldn't cultivate, and everyone told me that I had no spiritual root. Even I believed that was simply my fate."
She lowered her head and looked at her hands.
