"I am fine and well, elder. Though I am here alone—my brother is at the academy—I am traveling alone, and since I passed by, I thought I'd visit. It is nice seeing you as well." She grinned and prayed her mory wouldn't fail her completely with the assumption she was Elder Jack's wife, even though she couldn't recall the na. She needed to look that up in one of her older diaries. "My studies are going well, too. I've made a lot of progress lately. How are you and Elder Jack doing?"
Finding herself kissed on the cheek and hugged tightly once again, she hugged the old woman back gently, almost afraid to hurt her as she felt the frail and brittle bones beneath her hands. She was so breakable that she felt like just a little strength and she could seriously hurt the old woman.
"Now tell , who is this gentleman with you, and what have you been up to?" The elder grabbed her hand and led her inside. Being ushered into a chair alongside Ning Wu, they were offered tea before they could say anything.
"Elder, this is Ning Wu. He is my companion from the caravan my teacher and I are traveling with." She introduced Ning Wu, who bowed respectfully to the old woman before sipping the offered tea.
"Teacher? Tell , how have you co to have your own teacher? Are you, little troublemaker, behaving well?" the woman asked as she settled down, looking at her expectantly.
"My teacher is a spirit master," she explained. "I got decent enough grades during my ti in elentary school. I joined my brother in a spirit master academy, and my teacher eventually ended up taking in as an unofficial student." She smiled, omitting a lot of the story along the way. "It is a good opportunity to learn, so I saw no reason to refuse. Especially since I am also learning swordsmanship from him," she told her. The elderly woman frowned, taking a closer look before pinching her cheek.
"Is he treating you well? Not just for your brother's sake? Spirit masters are rarely kind to ordinary people, and I worry he may try to use you. After all, you are a very pretty young lady, and your brother is a talented spirit master," she said worriedly.
Tang Yin felt warm inside.
Elder Jack had always appreciated her, but she knew he only noticed her because she was Tang San's sister. He wasn't unkind by any ans, but in the villagers' eyes, San was always the more notable one, while she was a less important add-on. The only ones who had called and cared for her before her brother were Elder Jack's wife and Teacher Lee. She did rember that much from the ti at the village.
"He is treating well," Tang Yin reassured, placing her hands over the elders. "And while he did take in for reasons connected to my brother and probably also for himself, I think we have moved past that long ago. Additionally, you should know best—it's not easy to use . I am a troublemaker and, at this point, an ard troublemaker." She winked.
"Yes… swordsmanship." The elder's voice held a tinge of sadness, making Tang Yin tilt her head as the elderly woman stroked her ungloved hand. The elder gasped it tightly and started unwrapping the bandages, revealing scar-ridden and calloused skin beneath from her training. Even three months after, and all aids included, not everything from the beginning had fully healed.
But she had gone through it before while learning hidden weapons, so she wasn't too bothered about it.
"Your hands have turned so rough. They were once gentle, soft, and nimble like a baby. It is no good for a girl to have such hands. How will you find a husband one day? Who will care for you if your brother one day has a family of his own? You are not a spirit master..." the elder sighed. "...I cannot help but worry. Although it makes happy to know that you can always fight for yourself and will never be abused with skill in martial arts… it still worries . Only a few n have the courage to marry a woman stronger than them."
Next to her, Ning Wu started coughing on his tea, signaling that he had just swallowed the wrong way and was fine. He glanced quickly at Tang Yin, who smiled at him warningly.
Keep your mouth shut.
No one here was genuinely aware of her path as a spirit master. She had never actively kept it a secret, but since no one had ever asked, she hadn't encouraged the thought either, preferring to keep it quiet.
"I am working hard, so it doesn't matter, elder. I want to stand independently on my own two feet and smile at the world while being the coolest and most annoying aunt ever. If I find soone I like, I will take them; if not, I simply won't." She stroked the frail hands gently. "I see no reason to settle for anyone who doesn't treat well. I want to be treated like a princess, just as I will treat them as my prince."
"Ahh, I see. This old woman's worries are unfounded, then," the elder smiled gently.
A mory flashed through Tang Yin's mind—a wooden hairpin. She didn't rember why it was essential but knew she had received it from the woman before her. A gift that needed to be returned.
"I have sothing for you," she said, retrieving a hairpin from her storage ring. It was made of translucent jade, shimring warmly in the sunlight that filtered through the window. Ning Rongrong had found it and, after negotiating, had given it to her, saying it was too pretty to leave behind and that her complexion didn't suit it.
"Here."
"This is far too precious," the old woman said, taking the hairpin in her wrinkled hands.
"No, it is not. You gifted a hairpin once, too, so I thought I should return the gift," she said. Though she didn't rember the occasion, she rembered though that the hairpin she had once received had been precious to her—sothing given for a special occasion.
Suddenly, Ning Wu rose and turned his gaze toward the door, his body tensing before he gritted his teeth.
"Miss Tang, Elder, may I request that you two move further into the back?" he said, his voice sharp with warning.
They were both surprised when a staff appeared in his hand.
"Please."
Tang Yin stretched out her spirit energy but found nothing. Puzzled, she still heeded Ning Wu's words, taking the elder's hand and urging her gently to move with her.
Confused, the old woman looked at her, but Tang Yin squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Don't worry. We will be fine," she promised before glancing at Ning Wu.
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