「The next day.」
After his ditation, Lin Tang found himself with nothing to do. He drew his rusty sword and began to leisurely practice his sword forms. They looked utterly powerless, like the fitness exercises of the elderly in a park.
At so point, Wei Zichu arrived and stood quietly watching him.
"Haaa—" Lin Tang sheathed his sword and exhaled sharply.
He strolled over nonchalantly. "Morning. Have you eaten?"
"Uh, yes, I have. Um, Big Brother Lin, what kind of swordsmanship is this?"
"The Life-taking Thirteen Sword! Why? Want to learn? I can teach you!"
"..."
Wei Zichu was speechless. Please! This flashy but useless move qualifies as 'life-taking'? I wouldn't learn this if you paid ! It seems Big Brother Lin is quite good at fist techniques, but his swordsmanship is sorely lacking. Then again, no one's perfect. Who can master all eighteen disciplines of martial arts?
She followed Lin Tang to the first floor.
Huang Jifen wiped her hands on her apron and said timidly, "B-Boss, would you like to co have breakfast? I don't know if it will suit your taste..."
She was not a professional housekeeper, and her cooking skills were average at best. It would be a tragedy if she got fired because the food was not good. She had only just managed to find these peaceful days.
"Where's your granddaughter? Call her over to eat with us," Lin Tang said.
"How could we do that? We servants can't eat at the sa table as the master..."
"There are no such rules in my house. Hurry up and get her!"
"Oh, okay…"
"Who are they?" Wei Zichu whispered in Lin Tang's ear.
Lin Tang briefly explained the previous day's events. "They nearly died because of , so I'm letting them stay here as compensation."
"Big Brother Lin, you're truly kind!" Wei Zichu said admiringly.
Lin Tang was taken aback. "Is that really considered kind?"
When Wu Xinyu timidly ca to the table, Lin Tang, under Huang Jifen's anxious gaze, began to wolf down his food.
He imdiately praised it, "Tastes good."
Huang Jifen instantly bead with joy.
Wu Xinyu also ate heartily, not because it was delicious, but because she was all too familiar with the fear of starvation.
Wei Zichu took a few bites before discreetly putting down her chopsticks. Accustod to delicacies and exotic foods, her palate had long been spoiled. She could not get used to this kind of cooking.
She watched Lin Tang with a smile, thinking, Big Brother Lin is as harsh as winter to his enemies and as warm as spring to his friends. He really has character!
After Lin Tang finished eating, she eagerly pulled him to the dressing room. "Big Brother Lin, hurry and try on the suit I brought for you. See if it fits."
Lin Tang glanced at the suit and asked, puzzled, "Why do you want to wear this for no reason?"
"Have you forgotten? Tonight is the celebration banquet for my grandfather's breakthrough to the Innate realm," Wei Zichu said, batting her eyes.
"Ah, I really did forget about that." Lin Tang shook his head.
Unable to resist Wei Zichu's urging, he put on the suit.
"Wow!" Wei Zichu's eyes lit up. The already handso Lin Tang now had the flair of a wild, noble young master. He was too charming! Indeed, clothes make the man.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and asked with feigned casualness, "I heard from Minister Lu that you, um…"
Lin Tang, who was busy admiring himself in the mirror and striking a few narcissistic poses, glanced sideways at her. "If you have sothing to say, just say it. Don't hem and haw."
"Well, it's just… you said that you and Shen Youling have ended your relationship and are no longer husband and wife? Is that true?"
"Yeah, it's true. Why? Hoping to take advantage of the opening and marry ?" Lin Tang said with a wicked grin.
"Pfft, in your dreams! Who said I want to marry you!" Wei Zichu's cheeks flushed, and she turned her head away bashfully.
In her heart, she felt a certain disdain for Shen Youling. To give up on such an outstanding husband just like that. What a fool!
「By evening.」
Lin Tang, dressed in his suit, and Wei Zichu, who had changed into a long evening gown, arrived side-by-side at the Grand Emperor Hotel. The entire hotel had been booked, and the venue was already prepared. The banquet was officially scheduled to begin later in the evening.
As Wei Shanhe's granddaughter, Wei Zichu naturally had the right to enter early. The other guests who had also arrived ahead of ti could only wait obediently in the first-floor lobby, not daring to show the slightest bit of impatience.
Just as Lin Tang was about to follow Wei Zichu inside, he saw that Lee Encai, Li Weihai, and Pei Huixian, the family of three, had also arrived. Since they were acquaintances, Lin Tang greeted them and invited them to enter early.
"Is that really okay? Thank you so much, Master Lin!" Li Weihai said, flattered.
Lin Tang patted his shoulder. "We're brothers. Saying 'thank you' is too formal!"
He was, after all, planning to ask Li Weihai about purchasing a Centennial Elixir later.
Li Weihai's cheek twitched. He would not dare call himself Lin Tang's peer.
Lee Encai, however, shot Lin Tang an indignant glare. He actually wants to call him 'Uncle'? Making a whole generation lower? No way!
Inside the main hall, Wei Shanhe and Huangfu Zhan imdiately ca to greet them.
"Master Lin, you're here! Quick, co sit over here!" Wei Shanhe beckoned.
"And who are these people?" Huangfu Zhan inquired.
Li Weihai was terrified and hurriedly introduced himself. He had to bow and scrape even before Wei Shanhe, let alone in front of Huangfu Zhan, the President of the Martial Arts Association. He was as respectful as he could possibly be.
Huangfu Zhan, accustod to such deference, offered him a few words of encouragent for Lin Tang's sake. Li Weihai's face flushed with excitent, and he brazenly found a seat next to them. He was grateful to Lin Tang from the bottom of his heart for creating this connection, allowing him to establish a faint tie with Huangfu Zhan.
Lin Tang had not thought much of it, nor did he think that having a connection to Huangfu Zhan was any great feat. They all chatted casually, their conversation light and cheerful.
Suddenly, Huangfu Zhan let out a hearty laugh and gestured to Wei Zichu, who was sitting beside Lin Tang. "Master Lin, I've also heard that you're divorced. In that case, won't you really consider our Zichu? I think you two are a golden couple, a match made in heaven."
"This…" A look of astonishnt flashed across Li Weihai's eyes. He could not understand why Huangfu Zhan was playing matchmaker. Lin Tang still had Yan Renjie's enmity hanging over him. Although Li Weihai was acting friendly with him now, he would never dare marry his own daughter to Lin Tang for fear of being dragged down with him.
In a situation like this, wouldn't Wei Zichu be jumping into a pit of fire by marrying Lin Tang?
Li Weihai masked his expression perfectly, but Huangfu Zhan's sharp eyes guessed his thoughts.
"Heh." He wanted to call the man short-sighted, but for Lin Tang's sake, he let it go. Instead, he declared proudly, "Master Lin, you needn't have any worries. Now that I have broken through to the peak of the Innate realm, I can definitely ensure your safety. Yan Renjie won't be able to touch you!"
It was only then that Li Weihai had a revelation. So that was it! Lin Tang's luck was simply incredible. Just as he was in peril, Huangfu Zhan had a breakthrough, putting him on equal footing with Yan Renjie. The crisis had resolved itself!
Pei Huixian's eyes also lit up, her mind racing. Since Lin Tang can be protected, if Encai marries him, wouldn't all our worries be gone? She felt a pang of regret. Why had not she been more persistent at the hospital? Now Wei Zichu had cut in line. How could her own daughter dare to compete? Encai would only have a chance if Lin Tang rejected Wei Zichu.
Lee Encai was astonished. Weren't they practically inseparable before? How could they have suddenly broken up? How could he bear to leave a beauty as heart-wrenchingly lovely as Shen Youling? Even as a woman, she could not help but be captivated by Shen Youling. That guy Lin Tang really did not know how to cherish what he had.
The main reason for Lin Tang's flash marriage to Shen Youling was that they had unexpectedly beco intimate. He had promptly registered their marriage out of a sense of responsibility.
Now, it was Wei Zichu's turn. He admitted she was cute and very likable, but… they had only known each other for a few days! Where were the romantic feelings? He certainly could not rush into marrying her.
Just as Lin Tang was about to tactfully decline, a subordinate rushed in and whispered sothing in Huangfu Zhan's ear. Huangfu Zhan's expression changed, and he imdiately stood up.
Wei Shanhe, who had been waiting with a smile for Lin Tang's answer, grew tense. "Has Yan Renjie co to cause trouble?"
"No, it's those venomous won from the Green Leaf Society. They've arrived uninvited, saying they wish to attend the banquet and asking if they are welco."
Huangfu Zhan gave a bitter smile. "With Zhu Yingning backed by the Sect Leader of the Tang Sect, who would dare not welco her? Let's go. We'll go greet her now."
He would never dare to make Zhu Yingning wait in the lobby downstairs.
In the blink of an eye, Zhu Yingning and Mo Pinglan, followed by several beautiful female subordinates, also entered the hall.
"Well, well, little brother Lin Tang, you're here too!" Zhu Yingning purred, her voice soft and sweet, completely devoid of the sharp coldness from their last encounter. An unknowing observer would have thought they were the best of friends.
Lin Tang frowned slightly. "Are you sick? Or did that aphrodisiac from last ti rot your brain? Why are you acting all flirty with ?"
"You—!" Zhu Yingning's temple throbbed, and she gritted her teeth, on the verge of losing her composure. But she forced herself to endure it, her smile growing even brighter. "Oh, little brother, can't you be a bit more magnanimous? Besides, we wouldn't know each other if we hadn't fought, right? I ca here specifically to bury the hatchet with you."
A fragrant breeze wafted by as she sidled up next to Lin Tang. Like a lover passionately teasing him, she pressed closer and purred, "To be honest, ever since you spanked my bottom last ti, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. What am I to do? I think I'm getting addicted!"
"What?"
"Master Lin actually spanked Zhu Yingning's bottom?!"
A collective gasp went through the room.
"Won't the Sect Leader of the Tang Sect flay him alive?!"
The expressions on the faces of Huangfu Zhan and Wei Shanhe changed drastically. They could not help but wonder how soone could court death to such a degree.
Wei Zichu and Lee Encai both froze, their gazes on Lin Tang turning strange.
Lin Tang was genuinely surprised. "Look, lady," he asked, bewildered, "what are you trying to pull?"
"What do you think? Since you did that to , you have to take responsibility! I want you to…" Zhu Yingning traced a small circle on Lin Tang's chest as she whispered softly, "Marry !"
"Pfft—!"
Lin Tang did a spit take.
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