"Master, you...!!"
"Ahem, it’s for that useless son of mine."
Elder Ye said as he coughed a few times before passing another dish to Gu Changsheng, causing Gu Changsheng to almost choke on the food he was eating.
His master, the mighty Elder Ye of the Cloud Piercing Sect, was asking him for dating advice for his son.
He suppressed the urge to laugh, clearing his throat with a sip of tea.
"Well, Master," he began, trying to sound serious. "From my experience, sincerity is key, and perhaps... try not to be a pushover. Senior Brother Ye, meanwhile, can come across as a bit... aloof."
Elder Ye sighed, stabbing a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks.
"That boy! All he knows is brothels and even more brothels. He wouldn’t know romance even if it hit him in the face with a brick."
The rest of the dinner was awkward, with Elder Ye continuously asking him about ’modern’ dating methods while Gu Changsheng had to try not to laugh.
He thought that this old man’s ’mission’ was something serious, but it turned out to be... this?
Gu Changsheng had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep a straight face.
So this was the ’very important matter’.
He imagined Ye Che, that senior brother of his, fumbling through a conversation with a blushing junior sister, the image... Never mind.
The sheer absurdity of it was enough to make him want to burst out laughing.
After a while of this back and forth, with Gu Changsheng managing to maintain a serious expression, Elder Ye’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
He sighed, a deep, weary sound that seemed to carry the weight of a thousand failed matchmaking attempts.
"I see..."
The Elder said, completing his own meal.
"It seems I have failed as a father."
The sudden shift in tone caught Gu Changsheng off guard. The humor of the situation evaporated, replaced by an unexpected wave of pity.
For all his bluster and eccentricities, Elder Ye was still a father, worried about his son.
What he didn’t know was that Elder Ye had some serious misunderstandings about his son and his two senior sisters.
Nevertheless, he could say something, something encouraging, but he thought better of it. Elder Ye, however, seemed to take his silence as something else entirely.
"You think so too, don’t you?"
He asked, a glint of something familiar returning to his eyes.
"That my son is a lost cause! A hopeless case!"
Before Gu Changsheng could deny it, the Elder slammed his palm on the table, making the dishes jump.
"Nonsense! He has my blood! He can’t be that useless!"
"Master, if you may... I have an idea!"
Gu Changsheng said softly, his tone a bit hesitant. Though he was just shooting in the dark, he still decided to...
"Let’s hear it!"
"We can..."
...
The next morning, Gu Changsheng woke up to the smell of fresh tea.
He opened his eyes to see Dong Mulan, already dressed in a simple blue robe, pouring a cup of steaming tea for him.
She noticed him stirring and placed the warm cup on the bedside table, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
The morning light filtering through the window caught the intricate embroidery on her new disciple robe, a silver crane soaring amidst clouds.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said, the word still sending a pleasant jolt through him. "You slept later than usual. Was your dinner with Master Ye... enlightening?"
She teased, carrying with her a smile that was gentle and full of affection, a private thing just for him.
He sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist, and took the warm cup.
"Good morning, wife."
He replied, the word still new and wonderful on his tongue, which in turn had Mulan blushing like a hot red frying pan.
He reached out, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, letting the delicate blush deepen and creep up her neck.
"It sounds like I have very big shoes to fill. I was just thinking... what is this secret Elder Ye told you yesterday?"
Gu Changsheng took a slow sip of his tea, letting the heat seep into him. He set the cup down and looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Dong Mulan had a ’tell me or I won’t leave you’ expression on her face, making her even cuter.
"I think it’s a decent plan, if I do say so myself," he began, leaning back against the headboard.
"Actually, Elder Ye had arranged for us to go on a sect expedition, in which we will have a friendly interaction with our neighboring sect, the Sword Sect."
"A sect expedition?"
Mulan’s eyes lit up with interest, her previous playful demeanor replaced with genuine curiosity. She sat up straight on the edge of the bed, her posture attentive.
"But shouldn’t that be for experienced disciples? We just got here, didn’t we?"
"You don’t have to go if you don’t want to."
Gu Changsheng teased her, causing the woman to pout in discontent.
"I will go, I definitely will! Hmpphh!!!"
Even though she don’t know the Sword Sect personally, the little explorer in her couldn’t let the opportunity slip by.
Seeing that he had successfully distracted her, Gu Changsheng continued talking about the Sword Sect.
He told her that the Sword Sect was the exact opposite of their sect.
The Cloud Piercing Sect’s main concept was about inner peace, harmony with nature, and cultivating the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth, while the Sword Sect valued martial prowess, combat skill, and the sharp, unyielding will of the sword.
Just from the name, it’s all about hardcore sword fanatics.
Their disciples were often arrogant and proud of their combat abilities, and they looked down on other sects, but their relationship with the Cloud Piercing Sect was rather harmonious.
"So they are basically bullies?"
Mulan asked, her brow furrowed. She had never liked bullies, and the thought of encountering some on her first real expedition made her a little uneasy.