~~~

Time stops for no one, and Liu Jin is no exception. Although his wife is gone, his life does not slow down in the least. If anything, it speeds up, almost as if the time he and Xiao Shuang spend in that little house was but a fleeting dream. Once it’s over, Liu Jin is back to training under Old Jiang. He’s back to helping his father in the clinic and learning in the Xiao Sect.

Although Liu Jin’s status in the Xiao Sect has changed, it is not as if he can be instructed along with the Inner Disciples. Liu Jin is too weak for such a thing.

However, that’s not to say everything is exactly is it was before. Liu Jin is now able to access all areas of the Xiao Sect’s compound. Occasionally, Liu Jin goes back to his and Xiao Shuang’s house to take care of the Tree of Never Ending Vigor. He also finds it to be an excellent place to meditate.

Another thing that has changed is...

“Brother Liu is looking good today.”

“I must say Brother Liu’s form gets better every day.”

“Brother Liu! If it is not too much to ask, would you perhaps care to exchange some pointers with this one?”

That.

Liu Jin’s face turns sour. It has been this way since the wedding, although it wasn’t obvious right away. Since Liu Jin spent the month following the wedding with Xiao Shuang, there weren’t many opportunities for him to interact with Outer and Inner Disciples. As for the Core Disciples, they are more focused on their cultivation and the tasks entrusted to them by the Sect than anything else.

Now that Liu Jin is back to interacting with Outer Disciples regularly, the difference is all too easy to see. Before the wedding, they looked at him with wariness and envy, even resentment in some cases. His position was still uncertain back then. However, that has changed.

Liu Jin is Xiao Zheng’s son-in-law. That is an undeniable fact.

As far as status goes, he is their superior.

In light of that, it is not surprising that the disciples have chosen to be subservient to him. They hang on to his every word, always ready to agree with him and do him favors. They offer to take him out to eat and other things. It is only to be expected. By making a good impression on him, they hope to improve their fortunes. It is only natural for them to look after their best interests.

It is natural, but it is annoying.

Living in New Moon Town gave Liu Jin some experience on how to deal with situations like this. Even so, it is not something he finds comfortable. At least, back in New Moon Town, he could be in his room all day, and that would be it. That is not an option here, although there are days in which he goes to his and Xiao Shuang’s house to meditate all day.

However, he cannot hide there forever. It is unseemly for him to do so. Sooner or later, Liu Jin has to interact with the other disciples again.

He hates it.

Liu Jin hates their fake smiles and fake compliments. Most of all, he hates how much the situation reminds him of New Moon Town. Whenever Liu Jin thinks of New Moon Town, he cannot help but be reminded of his own helplessness. It is not a pleasant feeling at all and only causes Liu Jin to become increasingly curt with his fellow disciples.

While he is not in any danger from them, Liu Jin does not like the idea of potentially alienating the Outer Disciples. It sounds like the type of thing that could possibly backfire on him.

“Brother Liu!”

“Please, wait for us!”

And then, there is this.

Liu Jin’s eyes threaten to roll back into his head before he turns around to face the two disciples, a placid smile on his face.

They are female.

They are Outer Disciples his age or maybe a little older. Liu Jin supposes they could be called cute, though they aren’t much compared to Xiao Shuang. The two giggle and smile as they approach him. Their happy countenance, however, is not something that is reflected on Liu Jin.

“Brother Liu, how are you today?”

“We were wondering if you could accompany us for some tea?”

More smiles. More giggles.

Unfortunately, this type of thing is also something that has become increasingly common as the weeks have passed. Males are content to just praise his every action, no matter how meaningless. They’ll agree with him even if he says the sky is green and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

The females? Some of them are a bit bolder.

After all, being the friend of the Patriarch’s son-in-law is good, but being the concubine of the Patriarch’s son-in-law? The difference in terms of benefits is indisputable. Whoever Liu Jin takes as a mistress will likely get to experience a happy life. Xiao Nan warned him things like these could happen, but seeing it still comes as a surprise to Liu Jin.

It is usually girls his own age that suddenly want to spend more time with him. Go for a walk. Eat out. Train together. The offers are typically innocent. Liu Jin has, of course, rejected all those offers as kindly as he has been capable of.

Tired, Liu Jin opens his mouth, already trying to think of the best way to excuse himself without sounding rude.

“What a sight! What a sight! So young and already so impertinent!”

Liu Jin blinks.

That wasn’t him.

He looks to the side just as the two girls do. The speaker is another female. She seems to be a few years older than him, already in the process of blossoming into a young woman. She has long brown hair tied into a messy ponytail. With her bright brown eyes and small nose, many would doubtlessly have called her pretty.

She wears the robes of an Inner Disciple.

“Do you not have eyes? The person you’re addressing is the honored Patriarch’s son-in-law,” she says, her purposeful stride placing her between Liu Jin and the girls. She does a flourish with her arm to gesture at Liu Jin.

Her eyes narrow when the girls don’t answer, staring at her in stunned silence instead. “I asked you a question. Do Outer Disciples not know how to address Inner Disciples now? Have the standards fallen so low?”

“N-No!” They say, intimidated by the older girl. Perhaps unconsciously, they take a step back.

“No, what? You’re saying you don’t have eyes?” The Inner Disciple pressed, crossing her arms.

“W-We meant to say the standards have not fallen low!” One of them stutters. She does not dare to meet her eyes. “We recognized we were addressing Patriarch Xiao Zheng’s son-in-law!”

“And you thought you were worth his time?” The girl lets out a sharp laugh. “Do you not realize that a person of his position has more important things to do than pay attention to you?”

“We apologize!”

“We are sorry! We didn’t think!”

“No,” the Inner Disciple says. “You did not.”

She leans in, so her face is closer to the girls who desperately do not want to look at her.

“Leave.”

The girls run off like terrified mice in the presence of a tiger. There is not a shred of dignity in their movements. The Inner Disciple then turns around and faces Liu Jin. There is a proud smile on her face.

“How was that?” She asks, bowing to him.

“Rather forceful.”

“If Brother Liu wanted to stop this one, he just needed to ask.”

“True,” Liu Jin admits. He got that feeling from watching her. However, he decided to let things play out. Had this been the first time someone had approached him, Liu Jin would have probably felt guilty about not stepping in. As things are, Liu Jin cannot say he feels much of anything.

His short reply makes the Inner Disciple smile.

“Has this one pleased you, Brother Liu?”

Liu Jin looks at her, humming in thought.

“If I say yes, what will you ask?”

“A conversation,” the girl replies, head still bowed. “An hour of your time at most.” She looks around. A few people have started watching them. “Somewhere more private, if you would.”

Liu Jin considers it for a moment.

“Very well.”

In a flash, the girl vanishes from view, Liu Jin barely managing to follow her movements. She’s using Ground Contraction, the Xiao Sect’s signature movement technique. Liu Jin jumps to follow her.

He does not run to match her pace. He has no need to. The two come to a stop over a rooftop near the border of the outer and middle areas of the compound.

“This one’s name is Su An,” the Inner Disciple introduces herself. “I wish to offer Brother Liu Jin my services.”

Liu Jin raises an eyebrow. “Services?”

“Like what Brother Liu saw me do just now. Brother Liu has no doubt noticed, right? People are trying to get close to Brother Liu due to his status.”

Liu Jin crosses his arms. “And you claim to be different?”

“Absolutely not,” Su An replies with startling seriousness. “However, I intend to offer Brother Liu something actually useful. No doubt, Brother Liu finds all the people trying to get close to him bothersome. However, if I’m there, all those useless people will be taken care of easily.”

The offer clearly benefits Su An since it would make her one of the closest people to him by default. However, it would also ease Liu Jin's burden. If things continue as they are, people will start saying he’s cold and distant. However, if Su An is the one badmouthing anyone who comes close, all the bad talk would fall on her.

People would say, "The girl that hangs around Brother Liu is a mean one."

“People are always in a hurry to blame the underlings,” Xiao Nan had told him once.

“This Su An also feels it is prudent to mention that Brother Liu is dealing with Outer Disciples right now, but soon, Inner Disciples will start trying to curry favor with him as well.”

“Like you are doing right now?”

“Exactly!” Su An nods vigorously. “In the beginning, people were not quite sure what to make of Brother Liu. However, enough time has passed since the wedding without any big shake-ups. Brother Liu’s position looks more solid now, even if he is still an Outer Disciple. That it is known Brother Liu is close to Senior Brother Xiao Nan also reflects well on him.”

Huh, so that’s how it looks to others.

“While Inner Disciples are still hesitant to approach Brother Liu due to feelings of pride, that will no longer be the case soon enough. In that event, is it not better if Brother Liu already has an Inner Disciple looking out for him? This one is willing to offer her services in other ways. If this one hears rumors, she will bring them to Brother Liu. If Brother Liu needs some instruction, this one will be happy to give it. This one can also point out useful people to Brother Liu.”

Liu Jin raises an eyebrow.

“And if another Inner Disciple comes, will you really be able to stand against them?”

Su An smiles.

“This one is confident in her strength.”

“Some might say that since you are the first Inner Disciple to come to me, that makes you the most desperate one.”

“Rather than desperate, shouldn’t Brother Liu think that this Su An is audacious and far-sighted for coming to Brother Liu’s side before all the others?”

Liu Jin chuckles. That she is so brazen about her intentions is rather refreshing. Still, there is one thing he must know.

“Will you try to seduce me?”

Liu Jin would prefer to avoid that sort of thing.

“What? No!” Su An actually looks shocked by his question. “I do not mean to imply Brother Liu is unattractive, but Brother Liu is too young for me. Besides, this one already has her heart set on someone else.”

“Who?” Liu Jin asks. Before she can reply, he adds, “If you don’t answer honestly, I see no reason why to take your offer seriously.”

Su An blushes, for the first time looking shy. Her head dips lower than before. The next words to come out of her mouth are almost inaudible.

Almost.

“Xiao Nan.”

Liu Jin stares.

“You hope that by working for me, you will be able to grow close to Xiao Nan, don’t you?”

“This one may have considered that among the list of benefits.”

Liu Jin feels a twinge of pity for her. Xiao Nan is someone entirely too aware of his station in life. For him to look at a girl who is just an Inner Disciple, well, there’s just no way.

“I think you’ll find yourself disappointed, but if that’s what you really want, I see no reason to reject your services.”

Su An’s brown eyes shine with determination.

“You won’t regret this, boss!”

~~~