Mo Chenxiao furrowed his brows, pondered for a moment, and then asked, “Who is Xiao Yuntang?”
Ji Lan:
Xiao Yuwei burst out laughing. “You really don’t need to know.”
“I genuinely forgot,” Mo Chenxiao said, clueless about what Xiao Yuwei was finding so amusing, and turned to ask Ji Lan instead. “Master, who is she?”
What an Oscar-worthy performance!
Ji Lan was utterly awestruck. Such a stunning beauty, and she was even Xiao Yuwei’s twin sister, who on earth would believe the male lead if he claimed he didn’t remember her?
“Let’s go take a look first,” Ji Lan paused. “Wansong, if you have nothing else to do, go practice more.”
Only at this moment did Xiao Yuwei have a chance to look over at the little good-for-nothing Wansong, but a single glance left her utterly stunned.
What kind of miraculous elixir had Ji Lan fed this child to actually enable him to achieve Qi condensation?
“Mhm.” Wansong’s small face was set in a very serious expression. “Elder Qinglian, I will work hard!”
“Then off you go,” Ji Lan nodded. “Since someone has come looking for Chenxiao, as his master, I should go take a look first.”
The visitors had been accommodated in the main hall of the Lotus Rain Pavilion. The two middle-aged individuals with slightly frosted temples yet youthful faces sat side by side in the seats of honor, while standing right beside them was a woman who looked identical to Xiao Yuwei, yet radiated a completely opposite aura.
“Your junior, Ji Lan, pays his respects to Uncle and Aunt.”
“Get up quickly,” Xiao Gongyu hurried over to Ji Lan’s side and helped him up. “You child, you’re an elder of the Sword Pavilion now, why are you being so polite with us?”
Ji Lan paused. “I am betrothed to Yuwei, so you are naturally my elders.”
Hearing Ji Lan say this, Xiao Gongyu found it hard to maintain his composure. “Xiaoxiao, bring Yuntang over to pay your respects to Conglian.”
Liu Xiaoxiao was the biological mother of Xiao Yuwei and Xiao Yuntang, and her entire bearing was cut from the exact same cloth as Xiao Yuntang’s.
If not for their identical faces, Xiao Yuwei wouldn’t look like their daughter at all.
“Mother, if you wanted to come, you could have just come, why bring her along?” Xiao Yuwei’s face flushed with resentment. “What are you trying to do?”
Xiao Gongyu frowned. “Yuwei, is that any way to speak to your elder sister?”
She was clearly born merely a quarter of an hour earlier than her, yet she had been suppressed in every possible way since childhood. Xiao Yuwei bit her lower lip and fell silent.
“Conglian,” Xiao Gongyu looked at him with gratification. “The one beside you must be your disciple, Mo Chenxiao. He truly looks like a talent of exceptional bearing.”
“Chenxiao, pay your respects.”
Mo Chenxiao lowered his gaze. “Your junior, Mo Chenxiao, pays his respects to Manor Lord Xiao.”
The Xiao Family Manor not only possessed deep connections in the immortal realm, but also mingled effortlessly in the mortal world. Mo Chenxiao had previously checked the ledgers and knew that the person the original host owed the most money to was none other than the Xiao family.
“Not bad, not bad,” Xiao Gongyu nodded. “Conglian, your aunt and I have come this time to discuss matters regarding the marriage.”
Ji Lan smiled faintly. “Uncle, you know my feelings for Yuwei.”
Xiao Gongyu sighed. “Conglian, it is this uncle’s fault. Yuwei has been headstrong since childhood and is truly unsuited for you, and furthermore she…”
“Father, what do you mean by this?” Xiao Yuwei asked in shock. Was her father trying to annul her engagement?
But why?
She had previously threatened death and suicide without managing to change their minds, so what was going on right now?
“The elders are speaking, what right does a junior have to interrupt?”
Xiao Gongyu’s words sent a jolt through Ji Lan’s heart. If he were to marry Xiao Yuwei, they would be equals in generation. However, Xiao Gongyu’s remark effectively lowered Xiao Yuwei’s seniority!
“Conglian, you saw it too,” Xiao Gongyu shook his head. “With this willful temperament of hers, I think this marriage should simply be called off.”
As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over the entire hall.
Ji Lan was bewildered. He knew his engagement would eventually be broken off, but that was supposed to happen only after his reputation was completely ruined, with Xiao Yuwei forcefully calling off the wedding.
Yet right now, regardless of what outsiders whispered about him, on the surface he was still the transcendent and untainted Elder Qinglian.
“And furthermore,” Xiao Gongyu said with some embarrassment, “we should also discuss the matter between Yuntang and Chenxiao.”
“Conglian,” Liu Xiaoxiao slightly raised her chin. “Your engagement to Yuwei was fundamentally a misunderstanding to begin with. Once the time comes, misunderstandings naturally get resolved. Besides, if Yuntang and Chenxiao were to marry, the seniority between our families would become a complete mess.”
Before Ji Lan could reply, Xiao Yuwei sneered. “She and Mo Chenxiao get married? Mother, even he doesn’t remember your daughter, is there any need to throw yourself at him like this?”
“Yuwei!” Xiao Yuntang’s face flushed red with anger. “I am in the wrong regarding this matter, but you don’t even like Real Person Conglian anyway. Why can’t you grant your blessing to me and Chenxiao?”
“Pardon me,” Mo Chenxiao said with an iron-blue complexion. “Since when did I know I had a marriage engagement with Palace Master Xiao? Master, what have you done?”
Ji Lan: What on earth did this have to do with him?
“Chenxiao,” Xiao Yuntang’s eyes welled up with tears. “You and I exchanged tokens of affection, why are you denying it now?”
“What token of affection?” Xiao Yuwei said sarcastically. “Did you steal it and frame Mo Chenxiao with it?”
With a crisp slap, a handprint landed squarely on Xiao Yuwei’s face.
Xiao Gongyu was shaking with anger. “You… what kind of talk is that? Yuwei, kneel down and apologize to your elder sister right now!”
Xiao Yuwei looked at Xiao Gongyu in sheer disbelief. “You hit me? You actually dared to hit me?”
Just as Xiao Gongyu raised his hand to deliver a second blow, Xiao Yuntang intercepted him, tears streaming down her face. “Father, don’t hit my younger sister. It is all my fault; if you want to beat someone, beat me instead.”
Ji Lan felt dizzy watching this spectacle. He had come to watch a good show, not to sit through a family feud!
“Manor Lord Xiao,” Mo Chenxiao’s expression was icy. “I have no idea what Palace Master Xiao has told you, but I swear on my life that I have never harbored even the slightest inappropriate thought toward her!”
That was putting it a bit too strongly.
Xiao Gongyu found it hard to maintain his dignity as well. Glancing at Yuntang’s tear-stained face, he gritted his teeth. “Chenxiao, you know very well what you’ve done to my daughter. I’ve looked into your character to some extent; I thought you were a decent match, but I never expected you to turn out to be this kind of person!”
Why was this turning into a full-blown tantrum?
Ji Lan quickly stepped in to mediate. “Uncle, there must be some misunderstanding here. Why don’t you all sit down and talk it out? Chenxiao and I will step outside for now, and I will host you for dinner when the time comes.”
Without waiting for Xiao Gongyu to react, Ji Lan grabbed Mo Chenxiao and dragged him away.
Good grief, this old fox Xiao Gongyu was truly shameless. He favored his eldest daughter and wanted her to find her happily ever after with his disciple, so he was actively breaking up his marriage with Xiao Yuwei just to make it happen!
Simply because if Xiao Yuwei married him, Xiao Yuntang would end up a junior generation down!
Ji Lan felt thoroughly exasperated. As a mere tool character, he truly had zero dignity whatsoever.
“Master?” After being dragged all the way outside, Mo Chenxiao finally spoke hesitantly. “You’re pulling my wrist too hard, it hurts.”
Ji Lan abruptly stopped in his tracks, looked down, and realized he was gripping his disciple’s wrist with a death grip. If his disciple had been an ordinary mortal, his wrist probably would have been snapped off by now.
“My apologies, your master was momentarily absent-minded.” Ji Lan lifted Mo Chenxiao’s sleeve, and sure enough, the wrist was bruised black and blue.
Even though Mo Chenxiao’s name contained the character for “ink,” his skin was truly fair.
“Master, I’m fine, it doesn’t hurt.” Mo Chenxiao covered his wrist back up. “Master, do you like Lady Xiao that much?”
Ji Lan’s alertness spiked instantly.
The tone of his disciple’s voice carried three parts probing, three parts caution, and four parts treasonous insubordination… If he answered incorrectly, he might end up earning himself a black mark!
“We do have an engagement, after all,” Ji Lan forced a bitter smile. “Over all these years, I’ve simply gotten used to it.”
Ji Lan felt his response was quite clever.
He didn’t express any deep romantic feelings for Xiao Yuwei, but he didn’t claim to have none either!
If the male lead wanted to pick a flaw, it would be difficult.
“Is that so.” Mo Chenxiao lowered his head and gave a light chuckle. “Master, my wrist still hurts. Can you apply some medicine for me?”
Was a tiny injury like this really worth applying medicine for?
Frowning, Ji Lan pulled Mo Chenxiao’s hand over, rolled up his sleeve, and applied a healing spell that made the bruises on his wrist vanish completely.
Mo Chenxiao: …Thank you, Master.”
“Chenxiao, what is going on between you and Palace Master Xiao?” Ji Lan felt he needed to ask directly. “She is so devoted to you, are you really not moved at all?”
“If one person is devoted to another, must the other person automatically feel moved?” Mo Chenxiao asked in bewilderment. “Master, I do not understand.”
This kid didn’t just lack love; he didn’t even understand it.
“If you don’t harbor any aversion toward her, you could give it a try,” Ji Lan advised. “Palace Master Xiao attained the position of palace master at such a young age, she is certainly a match for you. If you are willing, you could spend some time getting to know her first.”
“Does Master feel that I am unworthy of her, or rather that she is worthy of me?” Mo Chenxiao’s expression turned unappealing. “Master, do you want to push me away that badly?”
Hold on, what script was this playing out now?
Ji Lan always felt the direction of events was going off the rails.
“Master,” Mo Chenxiao suddenly grabbed Ji Lan’s hand and stepped closer, closing the distance to a point where he could lean down and kiss his forehead. “Do you truly not know my feelings?”
Wasn’t this posture a bit too ambiguous?
Ji Lan’s brain turned to mush. With the male lead leaning in so close, was he planning to hit him with a suplex?
Catching the scent radiating from Ji Lan’s body, Mo Chenxiao felt a slight dizziness wash over him. This “Ji Lan” seemed to possess a strange power that constantly drew his attention without him even realizing it.
“Master,” Mo Chenxiao swallowed hard, tightening his grip on Ji Lan’s hand. His voice turned hoarse and his lips trembled. “I want to tell you, I…”
“I want to tell you, Ji Lan, I’m claiming one of those disciple slots!”
Mo Chenxiao’s confession was abruptly cut off, nearly causing him to bite off his own tongue!
Mo Chenxiao gnashed his teeth in fury. “YU! ZHENG! YANG!”
“Why are you shouting so loudly?” Yu Zhengyang strolled in with a chuckle, draped an arm over Ji Lan’s shoulder, and with a firm tug, yanked him away from Mo Chenxiao’s grasp. “Senior Brother Mo, you frightened my master.”
“Uh…” Ji Lan felt as though something terrifying was about to happen just then. What was Mo Chenxiao trying to tell him?
That wasn’t what mattered; what mattered was what Yu Zhengyang had just called him?!
He had zero desire for a lawless disciple who committed offenses against his superiors!