Chapter 466: Accept Martial Fortune, Eat the Pearl

Chapter 466: Accept Martial Fortune, Eat the Pearl

The narrow Qilong Alley was a sloping path with a long staircase. The Caotou Shop was at the base of the steps, and together with the Yasui Shop, these two stores were originally the ancestral properties of Shi Jiachun, the little girl who used to wear her hair in horn-shaped buns. Later, that girl didn't go to the Great Sui Academy to study alongside Li Baoping and Li Huai, nor did she stay in the small town like Dong Shuijing. Instead, she moved with her family to the Dali capital and sold off both shops. Later, with Ruan Qiong's help, they eventually came into Chen Ping'an's hands. Every time Chen Ping'an returned to his hometown, he could still see Dong Shuijing, but after that parting back then, he had never seen Shi Jiachun again.

The Caotou Shop was originally under the Shi family and sold miscellaneous goods, including many old artifacts. In fact, it was the earliest pawnshop in the Lizhu Cave Heaven. When the family moved, they selected some relatively pleasing antiques and treasures, leaving half behind in the shop. This showed that even after moving to the capital, the Shi family would still be a prominent household. At first, after Chen Ping'an got the shop—especially after learning how valuable those items were—he felt guilty when he first returned to Lizhu Cave Heaven. His conscience troubled him to the point that he wanted to simply close the shop and, should the Shi family ever return to visit their hometown, return the shop and everything inside it intact at the original price. But Ruan Xiu didn't agree, saying that business was business and favors were favors. Although Chen Ping'an accepted this, a knot remained in his heart. However, now that he had grown accustomed to doing business, he no longer thought that way. But if the Shi family were shameless enough to send someone to reclaim the shop, Chen Ping'an felt that would be acceptable too—he wouldn't refuse. It's just that after that, any bond of goodwill between them would be gone. Of course, how much was his bond of goodwill really worth?

There was only one shopkeeper tending the store, an elderly woman with a simple and honest disposition. It was said that when Ruan Xiu was the manager, she often chatted with her.

Chen Ping'an naturally knew the woman. She was from Xinghua Alley, and according to the tangled kinship of the small town, even though she was nearly forty years older than him, he only needed to call her Aunt Chen. But it wasn't really a true familial relationship.

Although the elderly woman was advanced in years, she had done farm work her whole life and was still in good health. Even when her children moved to Longquan County and she went to stay with them a few times, she couldn't stand the smaller houses and the loneliness—she couldn't find a single familiar person to argue or bicker with—so she insisted on returning to the small town. Her children were filial and had no choice, but it was said that her daughter-in-law had some complaints, grumbling that the old woman was embarrassing herself here. Now that the family had bought several maids, why did a grandmother need to run out and earn a few copper coins? And the manager of that shop was still the poorest junior back then from Niping Alley.

Chen Ping'an brought Pei Qian to the shop. As soon as he entered, he called out "Aunt Chen" and asked about her health, whether she still worked the fields in recent years, and how the harvests were.

Then Chen Ping'an chatted with the old woman for quite a while, all in the local dialect. The old woman was talkative. When they talked about old times, and she looked at Chen Ping'an, who had now achieved great success, she couldn't help but get emotional. Her eyes moistened as she said how wonderful it would be if Chen Ping'an's mother could see this now—she had spent her whole life suffering without a single day of happiness. In her final year, she couldn't even get out of bed and couldn't make it through that winter. Heaven had no eyes. When she reached the sad part, the old woman then complained about Chen Ping'an's father, saying being a good person was useless, that he was also a sinner. He disappeared just like that, dragging down his wife and son for so many years. But in the end, she gently patted Chen Ping'an's hand and said not to blame his father either—maybe he and his mother owed him in a past life, and now that the old debt was settled, it was a good thing. Perhaps in the next life, they'd be reunited and enjoy happiness together.

Chen Ping'an obediently sat on the bench with this Aunt Chen, letting her dry hand hold his, listening to her complaints without daring to talk back.

Pei Qian sat nearby on a small stool, quietly cracking melon seeds, watching her somewhat unfamiliar master in silence.

Pei Qian learned languages very quickly and was already familiar with the Longquan County dialect, so she understood everything they were chatting about.

Master seemed both sad and happy talking to the old woman, huh.

And Pei Qian also found it strange. No matter how formidable her master was or whom he met, he almost never acted so... reverent? It was as if whatever the nagging old woman said was right, and Master would take it to heart, every word and sentence. Moreover, Master's state of mind at the moment was very peaceful.

Actually, before Master came down the mountain to the shop, Pei Qian felt terribly wronged, but since Master had to practice boxing on Luopo Mountain, she didn't want to disturb him.

So she stayed at the Yasui Shop, standing on a small stool and spacing out, feeling glum the whole time, utterly lacking the energy to go wandering around as usual. Whenever she thought of the big white geese in the town that always bullied passersby, Pei Qian grew even more furious.

That was because in the past few days, she had heard a lot of idle gossip in the town.

In fact, she had heard similar things in previous years, just scattered bits. At the time, Pei Qian felt that since she was now a martial artist, she should be magnanimous, so she didn't deal with them on the spot. Instead, she secretly recorded them in a small ledger, hidden at the very bottom of her bamboo chest, noting which day and where she heard which brat, scoundrel, or old hag say what.

But ever since Master returned to Luopo Mountain, the badmouthing had increased, especially. There were plenty of idle men with nothing better to do—not even choking to death on their boredom—along with people about the same age as Master who had known him in the early days, and some gossiping women. They gathered mostly at street corners and chewed the fat together.

Most of it revolved around old stories from Niping Alley and some rumors about Chen Ping'an's time as a Dragon Kiln apprentice.

They liked to take Chen Ping'an's hardships as a child and turn them into jokes. That was barely acceptable, but there were even more disgusting remarks, making up stories about Master's friend Liu Xianyang, his neighbor Song Jixin and maid Zhigui, and even Gu Can's mother, the widow. They even dragged Ruan Xiu into their fabrications, saying, for instance, that Master only achieved his current glory by fawning over Ruan Xiu, that he had an affair with Gu Can's mother, which was why he often helped the widow, that he often borrowed money from Song Jixin without repaying it—too many to list.

Pei Qian remembered every single one. Every time she returned to the Yasui Shop, she would avoid Shi Rou and take out the ledger from the bottom of the chest. When she wrote it down, she would grind her teeth so hard that the ink marks were especially heavy. If Master weren't on Luopo Mountain right now, Pei Qian would have acted long ago, whether it was some little brat or a woman in her fifties or sixties.

Later, Shi Rou noticed something was off and tried to console Pei Qian, saying that whether in the marketplace streets, in court or the jianghu, how many people truly could be happy for others? There were some, sure, but few. To your face, they flatter you and speak well of you; turn around, and they gossip behind your back—this was very normal.

Pei Qian shot back, "I don't care about myself. But if they talk about my master, no way!"

Shi Rou found it tricky and was truly afraid that one day Pei Qian wouldn't be able to hold back and would hurt someone without knowing her own strength.

So when Chen Ping'an came to the shop this time, Shi Rou actually wanted to mention it, but Pei Qian was glued to her master, and Shi Rou didn't have a chance to speak.

However, when Pei Qian saw her master today and listened to the old woman's somewhat annoying nagging,

Suddenly, the anger was still there, the grievance was still there, but not so much anymore.

Especially when Pei Qian remembered that one year, she had helped her master go to his parents' graves to pay respects. On the way back to town, they ran into the old woman going up the mountain. When Pei Qian looked back, the old woman was standing by the graves, bending down to place a plate of glutinous rice cakes and smoked tofu before the tombs.

Pei Qian cracked a melon seed and grinned.

She wouldn't tell Master about the troubles.

And from now on, toward this old lady whom Master called Aunt Chen, she would smile more often.

Leaving the Caotou Shop, Chen Ping'an didn't take Pei Qian straight back to the Yasui Shop. Instead, he took her for a stroll. They walked up the stairs of Qilong Alley, took a detour through streets and alleys, and went to Liu Xianyang's ancestral home. He opened the door, picked up a broom, and started cleaning. Pei Qian was familiar with this place. Back when they parted at Hongzhu Town, Master had given her a set of keys, and this was one of them. Every now and then, she had to come with the pink-dressed girl to clean it together. At that farewell, Master had specifically told her not to touch anything in the house. She had felt a little sad back then and asked the pink-dressed girl if Master had said the same to her. The pink-dressed girl hesitated, and Pei Qian knew he hadn't. So she sat on the doorstep and felt melancholy for a long time, letting the pink-dressed girl do all the work alone. Pei Qian said she had checked the almanac and today she had no energy.

Not today. Today was different. Master swept the floor, and she didn't need to check the almanac to know she had all the strength in the world. She ran to the kitchen, fetched a bucket and a cloth, scooped water from the jar that still had some left, and started wiping the tables, stools, and windows inside. Chen Ping'an smiled and told Pei Qian many stories—how he and Liu Xianyang used to go up the mountain and down into the water, set traps for game, make slingshots and bows, catch fish, trap birds, and snare snakes—so many fun tales.

When Chen Ping'an wasn't talking, Pei Qian, having nothing else to do, recited something like a set of village rules or family precepts. It was smooth and rhythmic, and even Chen Ping'an didn't know where she had learned it or memorized it.

"Rise at cockcrow, sweep the courtyard, keep inside and out tidy. Lock doors and windows, inspect personally. A gentleman examines himself thrice... For every meal of porridge or rice, think of the hardship it took to produce... Utensils should be simple yet clean; an earthen pot surpasses gold and jade. Do not dwell on kindness given; never forget kindness received. Abide by your station and fate, follow the times and trust heaven."

Chen Ping'an listened to her recitation without asking much, just watching Pei Qian working and shaking her head as she recited, a broad smile on his face.

When they finished, the two of them, one big and one small, sat together on the doorstep to rest.

Pei Qian asked, "Master, are you and Liu Xianyang that close?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Of course. Back then, I was Liu Xianyang's little sidekick. Later, there was a little snot-nosed brat who followed behind me like a tagalong. We three were the best of friends."

Pei Qian turned to look at her thinner master. After hesitating for a long time, she asked softly, "Master, just hypothetically, if someone said bad things about you, would you get angry?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "If they say it to my face, I don't get angry. If they say it behind my back... I don't get angry either."

Pei Qian looked puzzled. "Master, they say even a clay Buddha has three parts temper. Why don't you get angry?"

Chen Ping'an patted Pei Qian's little head. "Because anger doesn't help."

Pei Qian handed a handful of melon seeds to her master. After he took them, the master and disciple cracked seeds together. Pei Qian said glumly, "So we just let them talk bad about us? Master, that's not right."

Chen Ping'an sat lazily, cracking seeds, looking ahead, and said with a smile, "Do you want to hear a big principle or a small one?"

Pei Qian grinned. "Both."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Then let me start with a big principle. It's for you to hear, and also for me to tell myself. So it's okay if you don't understand for now. How should I put it? The words we say and the things we do every day—are they really just a few words and actions? No. These words and deeds, like threads, gather together. They're like the mountain streams in the west that eventually become the Longxu River and the Tiefu River. This river is like the foundation of each person's being, a main vein hidden in our hearts that determines the greatest joys and sorrows, the laughter and rage of our lives. This vein of a river can hold many fish, shrimp, crabs, water plants, and stones, but sometimes it dries up, and sometimes it floods. It's unpredictable, because too often, we don't even know why things turn out this way. In the passage you recited, it mentioned a gentleman examining himself thrice. Actually, Confucianism also has a saying called 'restrain oneself and return to propriety.' Later, when I read scholars' notes, I saw that a great Confucian revered as a 'perfect man through the ages' in Tongye Continent had specially made a plaque inscribed with the words 'Restrain Anger.' I think that if one can achieve these things, then in one's state of mind, there won't be floods of rage that wash away bridges, burst through dikes, and submerge the roads on both sides."

Pei Qian asked, "And the small one?"

Chen Ping'an laughed. "The small principle is even simpler. When you're poor and people gossip about you, all you can do is endure. If they jab at your back, there's no helping it—just don't let them break you. If you become well-off and live a good life, and others get jealous, can't you let them be a little sour? Everyone goes home, and the household that lives well loses nothing even if people talk; their ancestral blessings aren't diminished a bit. The poor household might even lose some of its hidden virtue and have more misfortune piled on. When you think of it that way, doesn't the anger lessen?"

Pei Qian crossed her arms, frowned, and thought hard about this small principle. Finally, she nodded. "A little less angry. But I'm still angry."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Anger is human nature. But if you get angry and don't use your strength to hit people, if you don't repay a small wrong with a big one, that's already very good."

Pei Qian perked up. "Master, I heard so many bad words, and I didn't hit anyone! Not once!"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Then I give you verbal commendation this once."

Pei Qian chuckled. "Master, give me a few copper coins, or even just one as a reward."

Chen Ping'an shook his head with a smile. "That won't do. In doing things, you need to consider profit and loss, but in being a person, you can't. Since you have me as your master, you have to endure this hardship."

Pei Qian laughed. "What hardship is this?"

Chen Ping'an turned to look. Pei Qian had placed all her finished melon seed shells in one palm, exactly as he did, naturally.

Chen Ping'an poured his own seed shells into Pei Qian's palm. "Someday, you'll meet people who will point fingers at you just for casually dropping melon seed shells on the ground in an alley. These people are of two types. One: born into noble families, never having crawled through the mud. Two: those who will never leave Qilong Alley while you have. In the jianghu, you need to be more wary of the latter. The former act out of arrogance; the latter, out of malice."

Pei Qian's eyes went wide, utterly bewildered. "For casually dropping some seed shells, I'd get scolded? But chicken droppings and dog shit all over the ground—no one scolds about that? What kind of world is this!"

Chen Ping'an didn't go into the two more extreme "causes and effects"—like the moral flaws of a sage or the occasional good deeds of a vicious criminal.

It was too early to tell Pei Qian these things, and too heavy. It wouldn't make her more reasonable, only burden her.

Moreover, Chen Ping'an didn't want Pei Qian to become a second version of himself.

So he tried his best to present the principles he had figured out to Pei Qian like a bowl of millet porridge or a steamed bun—things that wouldn't spoil her no matter how she ate them. Even if she ate too much and felt a bit full, she could set them aside and save them for later. With Pei Qian, Chen Ping'an hoped he wasn't handing her a bowl of bitter medicine, a cup of strong liquor, or an overly spicy dish.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I'm telling you this because I'm afraid you'll hide alone and stew in your anger again. I just want you to know that there are indeed such people in the world. And these people you might not like, when they do something that doesn't sit well with you, might do better than you in other aspects. So let's first try to understand this world a little more."

Pei Qian scratched her head. "Master, my head hurts."

Chen Ping'an patted her head. "Just get the general idea. When you travel the jianghu yourself later, watch more and think more. And when it's time to act, don't hesitate. Not all rights and wrongs are unclear."

Pei Qian asked timidly, "Master, if I don't travel far in the jianghu later, will you still not buy me a little donkey?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Of course not."

Pei Qian felt relieved. Good. Then she could go back to Luopo Mountain in time for a meal.

Chen Ping'an suddenly asked, "How far do you plan to go on your first journey?"

Pei Qian looked alarmed, her eyes darting as she tried to think of a good answer. She didn't want to lie to her master, so she was at a loss.

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "At least go as far as Hongzhu Town, right?"

Pei Qian breathed a sigh of relief. Good, Master didn't ask her to go all the way to Huangting or the Dali capital. She promised, "No problem! I'll bring enough dry rations and melon seeds!"

Chen Ping'an gave her a knock on the head.

Pei Qian quickly covered her head in pain, making sure to keep her hands closed so the seed shells wouldn't fall on the ground.

Chen Ping'an stood up, locked the door, and led Pei Qian out of the alley.

He picked up a random branch from the roadside.

When no one was around, Chen Ping'an smiled and told Pei Qian to perform a "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers."

Pei Qian nodded eagerly, covering the seed shells in her hands. "Master, I'm starting!"

Chen Ping'an stood with one hand behind his back, holding the branch in the other, and nodded.

Pei Qian gave a light shout and tossed the seed shells high into the air.

Chen Ping'an didn't move his body or the branch, but the sleeves and hem of his blue robe began to sway without wind.

He took one step forward, leaving only a blur of blue behind him.

With each "sword tip" pointing, seed shells shattered with a crack.

When Chen Ping'an stopped, within a ten-foot radius, Pei Qian saw what seemed like a gallery of life-sized portraits of her master executing his sword techniques.

Pei Qian clapped her fist into her palm. "Master, this heaven-shaking, ghost-weeping divine sword art of yours is even better than my Berserk Sword Art! Impressive, impressive!"

Chen Ping'an tossed aside the branch and said with a smile, "That is your Berserk Sword Art."

Pei Qian blinked. "Is there a Berserk Sword Art in the world that doesn't hit yourself?"

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. After a moment's thought, feeling a rare playful impulse, he smiled. "Watch closely. There's one more move."

Pei Qian immediately took a deep breath, slowly pressed both palms downward, assuming a pose of sinking her qi into her dantian. "Master, unleash your move!"

Chen Ping'an glanced at the branch on the ground. He brought two fingers together, suddenly twisted and lunged forward, his sleeves billowing. The branch on the ground rose as if driven by a flying sword, arcing through the air. When Chen Ping'an came to a stop, he pointed at a spot and said, "Go!"

The branch shot like a longsword and embedded itself straight into the wall in the distance.

Pei Qian burst out laughing, clutching her belly.

Master was still copying her!

Since when did a master steal a disciple's signature move?

Chen Ping'an laughed heartily and led the skipping Pei Qian back to Qilong Alley. Pei Qian suddenly ran back, yanked the branch from the wall, and said that this divine weapon would be her treasured keepsake.

He took Pei Qian to the Yasui Shop, exchanged greetings with the old woman and Shi Rou, and prepared to return to Luopo Mountain.

Pei Qian said she wanted to see him off, so they walked together along Qilong Alley.

When Chen Ping'an reached the mouth of the alley, he told Pei Qian to go back.

Pei Qian scurried back to the shop entrance. Seeing her master still standing there, she waved vigorously. Only after seeing him nod did she swagger into the shop, holding the branch high, and say to Shi Rou behind the counter, "Sister Shi Rou, can you tell what treasure this is?"

Shi Rou looked at the glowing charcoal girl, puzzled as to what she was up to. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't tell."

Pei Qian looked at her with pity and sighed. "Sister Shi Rou, you can't even tell? It's just a branch."

Shi Rou didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She was sure that if she had said it was a branch, Pei Qian would have had another response.

At the end of the alley.

After Pei Qian's figure disappeared, Chen Ping'an continued walking, then suddenly looked back.

Back then, on another small street, there had also been a pair, big and small, walking side by side. But compared to his and Pei Qian's master-disciple bond, that time there was nothing—only the rain falling.

Chen Ping'an stared down the alley, as if watching those "two" slowly walking toward him.

"Chen Ping'an, a pure heart isn't about being simple-minded, thinking the complicated world is simple. It's about knowing a great deal—about worldly affairs, human relationships, rules, and principles. And in the end, you still choose to be a good person. Even if you've experienced a lot and suddenly feel that good people don't get good rewards, you still silently tell yourself that you're willing to bear the consequences. No matter how well bad people do, they are still bad people, and that is ultimately wrong."

"Do you understand?"

"Master Qi, I understand!"

"Can you do it?"

"Right now, I dare not say I can."

"That's all right. Take your time."

At this very moment.

The young man in the blue robe suddenly spoke. "Beyond principles, I've already walked very slowly. I can't go any slower."

Chen Ping'an closed his eyes.

The Martial Temple of Dali's Longquan County, built at the Immortal Grave, began to shake.

Not only that, but many statues of bodhisattvas and heavenly officials at the Immortal Grave also started to tremble.

On the doors of every household in Longquan County, wherever there were martial door gods, they gleamed with golden light.

The towering statue in the town's Martial Temple seemed to be struggling to suppress itself, striving not to let its golden body leave the statue to pay homage to someone.

Against ritual propriety!

Against its own will!

But within the Martial Temple, a dense wave of martial fortune cascaded down like a waterfall, filling the air with mist.

Meanwhile, at the Civil Temple on Old Porcelain Mountain, strange occurrences also took place.

If the sage of the Longquan County Martial Temple was shaken and unwilling, the sage of the Civil Temple, sensing the phenomenon, was even more horrified and confused.

At Piyun Mountain and Luopo Mountain, almost simultaneously, someone left the peak, and someone came out of a house to stand at the railing.

Wei Bo appeared in an instant beside the barefoot old man.

Wei Bo was also puzzled and asked quietly, "What is this?"

Cui Cheng said flatly, "Just a fifth-stage breakthrough by a pure martial artist. A trivial matter, not worth mentioning."

Wei Bo was speechless. Then you, Cui Cheng, a tenth-rank martial artist, could at least completely suppress that smile on your lips.

Cui Cheng suddenly grew solemn and muttered to himself, "Kid, don't be afraid to make a big stir. Whether martial artist or swordsman, no matter how reasonable you are, you still have to have that spirit, right?"

Wei Bo felt a headache coming on.

Cui Cheng frowned. "What are you gaping at? Help conceal the aura!"

Wei Bo quickly waved his sleeve and began to manipulate the feng shui qi.

Cui Cheng suddenly burst into hearty laughter and smacked the railing.

Wei Bo had already heard the "words" from the end of Qilong Alley and stood there dumbfounded. Was this still the Chen Ping'an he knew?

At the end of the alley.

The sword immortal behind Chen Ping'an had unsheathed itself, its tip touching the ground, standing upright beside him.

After opening his eyes, Chen Ping'an placed his palm on the sword hilt, looked into the distance, and said with a smile, "Whether I take this martial fortune or not is my business. But if it doesn't come, that won't do!"

With a slight mental command,

the sword immortal returned to its sheath.

As Chen Ping'an's words settled,

from the Martial Temple inside the Immortal Grave, a radiant white rainbow as thick as a wellhead rose from the ground and shot toward Chen Ping'an. During this process, several other slender rainbows emerged from various places, converging in the air. At the end of the alley, Chen Ping'an did not retreat but advanced, walking slowly back into Qilong Alley. He caught the white rainbow with one hand, taking as much as came. Finally, he rubbed his hands together, forming a pearl as bright as a luminous dragon bead. When the light, like a glazed orb, was born, Chen Ping'an had already reached the doorway of the Yasui Shop. Shi Rou seemed overwhelmed by the heavenly might, crouching and trembling. Only Pei Qian stood in the shop, dumbfounded.

Chen Ping'an stepped over the threshold, holding the slowly spinning, radiant pearl in his palm. He walked up to Pei Qian, bent down, and said with a smile, "Catch."

Pei Qian extended both hands.

In her eyes, it was as if the sun and moon of a blessed cave heaven were vying for brilliance.

Chen Ping'an placed the pearl formed from condensed martial fortune onto Pei Qian's palm. It flashed and vanished.

The world fell silent.

Pei Qian suddenly burped and said dazedly, "Master, what was that?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "One of your master's principles."

Pei Qian wiped her mouth, patted her belly, and beamed. "Master, it was delicious! Got any more?"

Chen Ping'an bent down again, grabbed Pei Qian's ear, and asked with a laugh, "What do you think?"

Pei Qian grinned. "It could be. If not, that's okay too."

Chen Ping'an was about to speak when he seemed to be pulled away, his form dissipating. He arrived at the bamboo building on Luopo Mountain and saw the old man and Wei Bo standing there.

Wei Bo cupped his fists with a smile. "Congratulations."

Cui Cheng said expressionlessly, "So-so."

Chen Ping'an felt a little more at ease. It seemed he could indeed set off for Caiyi Country and Shushui Country now.

Going now, he could just make it in time for the old lady's winter bamboo shoot stir-fry with meat and treat Senior Song to a hotpot.

But before Chen Ping'an could feel happy for long, the old man had already turned and walked into the house, tossing a remark over his shoulder. "Come in. Let you, this sixth-rank grandmaster, behold the scenery of the tenth rank. After you've seen it and healed your injuries properly, you can set off only when you can get out of bed."

Wei Bo fled without a second word.

Only Chen Ping'an was left, his heart sinking.

Pei Qian actually didn't understand what had happened. After her master came and went so abruptly, she put her hands behind her back, walked behind the counter, and looked at the female ghost still crouching on the floor with her head in her hands. Pei Qian jumped onto the small stool, feeling a bit bored. She took out a yellow talisman from her sleeve, slapped it onto her forehead, then turned to Shi Rou and said, "Scaredy-cat!"