MMLZ CH15
Master Ren, seeing his daughter so happy, laughed heartily and said:
“Of course it’s true. Even if you want to learn English, you can. Later, go with Xu Yan and get familiar with the place. From now on, you’ll go there every day to study, understand?”
“Daddy, you’re the best!”
Being able to learn English too made the city-slicker Ren Tingting overjoyed. Her sparkling eyes remained fixed on Xu Yan.
“Hello, Miss Ren,”
Xu Yan greeted her with a smile.
Ren Tingting replied cheerfully, “Don’t call me Miss Ren, call me Tingting. Should I call you Brother Yan or Teacher?”
The little girl’s big eyes were practically glowing with excitement, as if already imagining herself learning English and seeing the wider world.
“Just call me… Teacher.”
Since “Teacher” wasn’t the same as “Master” in the sect sense, there was no generational taboo, and Xu Yan even carried a bit of mischievous intent. He had originally wanted to say “Brother Yan” but changed it at the last second—being a little wicked wasn’t so bad.
“Teacher.”
Ren Tingting, as innocent as a little white rabbit, immediately accepted the title with pure sincerity, afraid Xu Yan would change his mind.
Meanwhile, Master Jiu and Master Ren continued their previous conversation. Wen Cai, on the other hand, felt quite left out. He was being completely ignored. Ren Tingting hadn’t even looked at him twice. Her full attention was on Xu Yan.
“Would the guests like to order something?”
The waiter approached politely and asked.
Having found a teacher for his daughter, Master Ren was in a good mood and waved generously. “Master Jiu, order whatever you like. I’ll have a cup of coffee.”
“I want coffee too!” Ren Tingting echoed.
“Uh…”
Master Jiu and Wen Cai were dumbfounded. What on earth was “coffee”? Was it some kind of foreign tea?
Instinctively, the two looked at Xu Yan.
“Three cups of coffee. Master, would you like steak too?”
Xu Yan naturally wouldn’t let his master lose face. Besides, he was quite hungry—hadn’t eaten since morning. A steak sounded perfect.
“Master Jiu, please don’t stand on ceremony,”
Seeing Master Jiu hesitate, Master Ren thought he was being polite and quickly added, “Five coffees and five steaks. Master Jiu, how would you like it cooked?”
He turned to ask.
What? Even steak had rules?
Master Jiu had no idea what to say. He was mainly worried he might say something wrong and embarrass himself.
“Medium well will do.”
Xu Yan stepped in smoothly. He figured that rare or medium might freak out Wen Cai and Master Jiu.
Once the steak was served, Master Jiu and Wen Cai were amazed. Though they struggled with the unfamiliar cutlery, they got a taste of Western-style dining. Meanwhile, Ren Tingting kept asking Xu Yan about stories and customs from overseas.
“Well done,”
Master Ren said after everything was settled. The business of moving the ancestral grave was finalized, and he was pleased. With his mission complete, Master Jiu left satisfied, taking Xu Yan and Wen Cai back home. Ren Tingting would be sent over to study by noon.
Back at the mortuary, Xu Yan returned to his room to prepare. After all, he was about to become a teacher, and it wouldn’t do to show up unprepared.
“Wen Cai, what’s wrong? Did Master scold you?”
Because of Xu Yan’s arrival, Ren Tingting never ended up going to Qiu Sheng’s aunt’s store to buy makeup. Instead, she happily went home to change clothes and buy gifts for her future studies—saving Qiu Sheng from an awkward situation.
Now free, Qiu Sheng returned to the mortuary and saw Wen Cai sitting in the courtyard, staring blankly into the sun. Qiu Sheng, ever the prankster, tried to scare him, but Wen Cai didn’t react.
Feeling his effort had gone to waste, Qiu Sheng pushed him and said:
“What’s up with you? You look like you lost your soul. Got ignored by a pretty girl or something?”
Snapped out of his daze, Wen Cai replied gloomily, “Yeah, there was a pretty girl… but she totally ignored me. She only had eyes for our junior brother.”
“For real?!”
Qiu Sheng’s interest was piqued. He shook Wen Cai excitedly, “Tell me more! Who is she?”
“She’s Master Ren’s daughter, Ren Tingting. Just came back from the provincial capital.”
Wen Cai regained his spirit, animatedly recounting everything. Qiu Sheng listened with great interest, wishing he could fly straight to her side to see if she was really as beautiful as described.
Xu Yan walked out of his room just in time to hear their lively gossip. It was very clear—Wen Cai had fallen for Ren Tingting, and even Qiu Sheng, who hadn’t even met her yet, was smitten.
But alas, some girls weren’t the type you could just go after if your heart stirred. Especially in that era, where social status and family background mattered. Most girls wouldn’t choose to marry a Taoist priest—too spooky, and not very respectable.
Unless you could make her follow you without hesitation and win over her family too, there was no chance.
Not bothering to interrupt them, Xu Yan headed for Master Jiu’s room.
“Master.”
“You’re here—just in time. I was looking for you. Here, wear this.”
Master Jiu handed Xu Yan a jade pendant. Xu Yan examined it—it had strange symbols and characters carved into it that he didn’t recognize.
But since Master Jiu gave it to him, Xu Yan didn’t question it and put it on. Then he asked the question that had been bothering him for days:
“Master, since we Taoists are cultivators, are we like the practitioners in mythology?”
“Do we have levels like Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment?”
“Huh? How do you know about that?!”
Master Jiu was surprised. He was sure he had never mentioned those things. Such terms weren’t written in any common books either.
Could he have guessed right?