Chapter 25: Useful

Willow Street, South City, the Sun residence.

The main hall was brightly lit. Sun Jintang was sipping tea and chatting with his wife, Madam Chen, about business matters. Madam Chen looked humble and obedient, her face wreathed in smiles. Just then, a maid came to report that the young lady had returned.

Sun Yan'er entered the front gate, but instead of heading straight to her own quarters, she hesitated and made her way to the main hall. Seeing her, Madam Chen said with a smile, "Why are you back so soon? Where are Zhaodi and the others? Have they all gone home?"

Sun Yan'er seemed dazed and did not answer. Noticing her strange expression, Sun Jintang quickly asked, "Yan'er, what is it? Did something happen?"

Sun Yan'er bit her lip and looked at him. "Father, Luo Zijun has passed the scholar examination. Did you know?"

"Who?" Sun Jintang was stunned for a few seconds before he realized. "Luo Zijun? The younger brother of Luo Jiaorong and Li Zhengshan?"

Sun Yan'er nodded.

Sun Jintang looked astonished. "Isn't that boy supposed to be learning medicine at a pharmacy under his sister's arrangement? How did he suddenly pass the scholar exam?"

"It only happened in the last few days," Sun Yan'er whispered.

Madam Chen watched her daughter's face and interjected, "Yan'er, even if he did pass, so what? Don't tell me you regret your decision?"

Sun Yan'er shook her head. "Of course not. I just... I just feel that we didn't really know him."

She had told everyone that it was she who had rejected him. But in truth, although she had indeed prepared to reject him, he had turned her down before she could even get the words out. This was not the outcome she had wanted. She felt stifled, angry, and confused. She was supposed to be the one doing the rejecting, and he, under no circumstances, should have rejected her. Yet, he not only refused her decisively, but he also passed the scholar examination immediately after. And then, tonight...

"Father, is his family very wealthy? I heard that tonight he went to the Heavenly Fairy Pavilion and gave them ten thousand taels of silver just to meet a certain girl..."

Even now, Sun Yan'er felt as if she were dreaming. She knew the weight of ten thousand taels. Even she, who had grown up in comfort, had never seen that much money.

"Ten thousand taels? How is that possible!" Madam Chen stood up from her chair, her face full of shock. Sun Jintang was equally stunned, frowning as he asked, "Yan'er, did you hear correctly? Are you certain that boy went to a brothel tonight and spent ten thousand taels? That's impossible!"

Sun Yan'er nodded, and with her head bowed, she recounted everything she had heard on the stone bridge. A brief silence fell over the hall.

Madam Chen suddenly lowered her voice. "Master, do you think... could Li Zhengshan have done something unscrupulous?"

"Silence!" Sun Jintang barked, glaring at her. "How can you spout such nonsense?"

Madam Chen pouted and muttered, "He’s the only one earning money in that household. A lowly constable—let alone ten thousand, he couldn't even earn one thousand in his entire lifetime."

Sun Jintang frowned in thought for a while, then sighed. "Our two families used to be very close. Since the elders passed away, I’ve been busy with business, and we’ve rarely kept in touch, so the relationship has faded. But the Luo family truly did our ancestors a favor back in the day. Now that the marriage agreement has been broken and Yan'er rejected him, I can only imagine what people are saying behind our backs."

After a moment of contemplation, he looked at his daughter. "Yan'er, we will go to the Luo family tomorrow night to clarify things and offer our apologies. Sigh, I've been so busy with business that I haven't been able to pay my respects as I intended."

Sun Yan'er immediately turned away. "Father, if you want to go, go yourself. I’m not going. I did nothing wrong."

Sun Jintang’s expression darkened. "You will go whether you want to or not! Our whole family is going! Marriage is a grave matter, not child's play. Since you have rejected him, we must make it clear and seek their forgiveness, otherwise, people will call us ungrateful and faithless! If your grandfather knew of this in the afterlife, he would blame me for failing to discipline my daughter and for lacking moral character!"

Seeing his anger, Sun Yan'er dared not speak again, though she pouted with a sense of grievance. It was that guy who had rejected her first, after all.

Madam Chen quickly intervened, "Yan'er, I will go with you tomorrow. We'll buy plenty of gifts to apologize, and if we show a sincere attitude, this matter will be behind us. As for who you want to marry in the future, that will still be up to you."

Sun Yan'er lowered her head and remained silent.

Meanwhile, back at the Luo residence, Luo Zijun had been given a good thrashing with a broom by his sister. After dinner, he went to the backyard to practice his martial arts. Li Zhengshan, feeling the itch to spar, traded a few blows with him. It was then that Luo Zijun realized how far behind his brother-in-law he was in terms of technique, internal energy, and defense.

"Take it slow, no need to rush."

"I started training as a child. My muscles, bones, and skin have been tempered constantly to reach my current constitution. You’ve only just begun, so you naturally can't compare."

"Martial artists have levels. After the entry stage, one is called a martial practitioner. There are nine realms of a martial practitioner, and the ninth realm is known as Great Perfection. You currently have the strength of a first-realm practitioner, while I am at the fifth. You naturally cannot beat me. Don't think that just four minor realms is a small gap; some practitioners spend their whole lives unable to cross even one."

"Without a good cultivation method, medicinal baths, or other opportunities, even the best talent is useless."

"The only thing you have to rely on right now is a bit of internal energy. Therefore, when you are out, do not be arrogant just because you have practiced some martial arts and go looking for trouble. If you run into a real martial practitioner, you won't be a match for them. You can't beat them in technique, your defense is lacking, and you want to compete with them in internal energy? You've only been practicing for a few days!"

Li Zhengshan lectured him tonight because he was afraid that Luo Zijun would become too cocky and stir up trouble. Luo Zijun took it to heart. After practicing for a while longer, he went to his room to wash up.

Once he finished bathing and returned to his room, Xiaohuan had already made the bed and was sitting by its edge, waiting for him with her head bowed. Thinking of what the mistress had instructed her today, her face began to burn.

"Go to sleep."

Luo Zijun walked to the bed and glanced at her. Xiaohuan hurriedly stood up, her face flushed, and reached to help him undress.

Luo Zijun said, "I can do it myself."

Xiaohuan didn't speak, nor did she stop. She helped him remove his outer robe, then knelt on the floor to take off his shoes. It had to be said, the feeling of being served was quite nice.

Luo Zijun climbed into bed. Looking at the little maid, whose face was pink as she lowered her head to undress, he thought to himself: No wonder the wealthy and powerful all keep so many maids in their homes.

Xiaohuan took off her outer garments and, shyly, crawled into the bed under the covers. Luo Zijun blew out the candle by the bedside and lay down.

After