猫咪3.0

What, an enemy?

Who cares? With a debt so large it doesn’t weigh one down, there’s already an Orchid Temple nearby, a few more demons and ghosts wouldn’t make any difference. Anyway, he doesn’t care.

“A school?”

“Enrollment?”

“This… this… this…”

Although the conditions Xu Yang offered were very enticing, Old Man Xin still hesitated, “Li Jieyuan, isn’t this approach too ostentatious? If it draws the attention of our enemy and harms the innocent, how could I bear it?”

“A tree wishes to stay still but the wind keeps blowing; some things are unavoidable. Better to face them head on.”

Xu Yang smiled, saying composedly, “The philosophy of my school is to teach without discrimination. As long as one is kind and righteous, whether human or demon, all may study in my school. Whoever comes to trouble us, is my enemy, and I will show no mercy!”

“This…!”

The final four words, carrying a sharp edge, startled Old Man Xin, who looked at Xu Yang with a mixture of surprise and awe.

After a long while, he finally exclaimed in admiration, “Everyone says Li Jieyuan is not only matchless in poetry and painting, but also in literary and martial skills. I had my doubts before, but now I see it was like looking at the sky from the bottom of a well and not recognizing Mount Tai!”

With that, he gave Xu Yang a bow, “Given this, I entrust my daughter to Li Jieyuan.”

After he finished speaking, he turned to the girl beside him, “Shisi, from now on, Li Jieyuan will be your husband. You must serve him well, in life never parting, in death never abandoning.”

“Father…”

The girl’s gaze trembled, then she nodded, turned to Xu Yang and, with a shy voice, greeted, “Shisi has seen her husband, my lord!”

“No need for such formalities.”

Xu Yang shook his head, lifting his hand in a gesture, and helped her up, “As you join my school, you become my student. And as for Old Man Xin… do you truly wish not to stay in North City?”

Old Man Xin shook his head and said with a bitter smile, “Our enemy is extremely formidable; I dare not involve the young master. If my daughter has a home to settle in, that is enough for me.”

Having said that, he opened the three brocade boxes on the table.

“These humble gifts were intended to be Shisi’s dowry, so now let them be a contribution to the school!”

Xu Yang looked over and saw that all three brocade boxes contained books.

Ancient books full of classical charm and Cultural Qi!

Treasures of ink and culture, where Cultural Qi gathers. Reading them aids cultivation; all are invaluable!

Upon seeing this, Xu Yang also sighed, “These gifts are too precious.”

Old Man Xin smiled, “Please accept them, Sir!”

“Very well.”

Xu Yang nodded, not refusing any further, then turned his gaze to the red-clothed girl, “You’re called Shisi?”

The girl nodded, “Yes!”

Xu Yang smiled again, asking, “That is your nickname, do you have a formal name?”

“This…”

Shisi glanced at Old Man Xin.

Old Man Xin caught the implication of the question, and immediately began stroking his beard and laughing, “A wild fox from the hills has no formal name.”

Shisi also lowered her head and said, “Since childhood, my parents and sisters have all just called me Shisi.”

Xu Yang nodded, “In that case, what if I give you a name?”

“Very good! Very good!”

Old Man Xin’s eyes lit up with a smile, and he quickly agreed, “Aren’t you going to thank the young master?”

Shisi was also somewhat surprised, “Shisi thanks the young master!”

“Hmm…”

Xu Yang pondered for a moment, then said, “Yun means beautiful jade, and since a beautiful woman is like jade, let’s call you Xin Yun, shall we?”

“Xin Yun?”

Shisi repeated the name softly, and after savoring it, her joy intensified, “Thank you, young master, for the name.”

Xu Yang nodded, then turned his eyes back to Old Man Xin, “If the old gentleman is unwilling to stay in North City, I will not coerce him. If in the future there is any need, feel free to seek me out. Should I be able to help, I will not decline.”

“Thank you, Li Jieyuan!”

Old Man Xin’s eyes sharpened, and he spoke earnestly, “With my daughter having found such a destination, even if I enter the netherworld, I could smile at rest in the afterlife.”

After speaking, he turned to Miss Xin Shisi, “Shisi, would you see your father out?”

“Father…”

Tears welled up in Miss Xin Shisi’s eyes, filled with worry. Yet, facing her father’s gaze, she dared not speak more and could only see him out.

Xu Yang stood in the hall, watching the two leave.

A short while later, outside the Li Mansion.

“That’s enough, you should stop here.”

Old Man Xin stopped walking and looked at Xin Shisi, who was tearful like a pear blossom bathed in rain, “Shisi, from now on you belong to another’s family. Don’t be so wilful, don’t throw tantrums anymore.”

“Father…”

Xin Shisi stared at her father, unable to help crying out, “I still want to be with you and mother.”

“Don’t say such headstrong things.”

Old Man Xin shook his head, speaking firmly, “This Li Jieyuan is truly a gentleman and possesses extraordinary skills. In the future, he’s destined for great things. Serve him well and you will be blessed. As for your mother and me, we’re thousand-year-old foxes, what’s there to fear? Don’t worry; those demons and ghosts can’t trouble us.”

“But…”

“But what? You don’t want to?”

Old Man Xin looked at her, feigning surprise as he asked himself, “That’s strange, when we moved, who owned that large box of poetry collections, storybooks, and portraits? And who was crying and insisting not to throw them away?”

At these words, the girl’s face flushed red, and she stood there, at a loss for what to do, “That… well…”

“Alright, your dreams are fulfilled, your desires met, what more could you want? Don’t play coy when you’ve gained an advantage.”

Old Man Xin shook his head, sighing, “It’s good that he intends not to pursue fame and officialdom; the current age is turbulent, the capital especially full of hidden dangers. It’s better to stay away. Enough said, let’s leave it at that. Go back now. After I deal with those matters, your mother and I will come to see you. Oh right, I have yet to speak in detail with him about our enemy. When you have a moment alone with him, you must tell him everything. It will help bring the two of you closer. Understand?”