The next morning, Lin Qingying woke up to Chu Yanran's shouts.
"Why are you shouting so early in the morning?"
"Early? The sun is already high in the sky, and you're still not getting up."
Lin Qingying lazily stretched and reluctantly got up, squinting as she stumbled outside.
"Where are you going?"
"To eat breakfast!"
"There's not even a grain of rice in your house. I can't make breakfast even if I wanted to." Chu Yanran complained.
Lin Qingying was unconcerned. In a half-dead tone she said, "Just come with me."
She headed to Tang Xiaoyu's house. For convenience, they had opened a door between the two courtyards long ago.
Arriving at Tang Xiaoyu's kitchen, she casually grabbed some breakfast and headed to the living room.
"Don't forget the chopsticks."
Watching her actions, Chu Yanran was quite impressed.
In the living room, as usual, she glanced at the note on the table before digging in messily.
Chu Yanran hadn't intended to eat initially, but the food smelled so good that she couldn't resist and started eating too.
"Yanran, cultivation is cultivation, and life is life itself. During cultivation, going years or decades without food or drink is fine, but in daily life, don't forget that we were once mortals."
"Got it!"
After breakfast, Lin Qingying shooed Chu Yanran off to do the dishes and tidy up.
What could Chu Yanran say? She could only obey. But when she finished the dishes and was about to clean the room, Lin Qingying stopped her.
"Not this side, our house."
Glancing around, she saw that both the yard and rooms here were neat and clean, with no need for cleaning at all.
Back in their own courtyard, Chu Yanran instantly lost all desire to work.
The yard wasn't cluttered with many items, but they were scattered randomly. The room itself was tidy but with a layer of dust, which meant not only had Lin Qingying never cleaned it, she hadn't even set foot in most of the place!
Looking closely, the only footprints were from the bedroom to the living room door. She hadn't gone anywhere else at all.
"Auntie, how lazy can you be for things to reach this state?"
Lin Qingying smiled awkwardly. "Don't mind the details. I only use this house for sleeping. Meals and everything else are next door."
Chu Yanran rolled her eyes at her. "Ah! Now I finally understand why you're so pretty yet no one has pursued you for hundreds of years."
"I feel a little sympathy for Tang Xiaoyu now. What a fate!"
"If you had any sympathy, you'd leave him alone!"
Annoyed, Lin Qingying snapped, "Mind your own business and get to work!"
"I finally found an interesting, kind-hearted man who cherishes others, yet you want me to give up? Absolutely impossible."
Chu Yanran said sarcastically, "I wonder how he'd react if he found out your identity and saw your original appearance?"
"I heard from Fellow Cultivator Wang that he values family status very much."
Lin Qingying dismissed it. "What's done cannot be undone, willing or not."
It took them a whole hour to finish cleaning everything spotless. Chu Yanran was exhausted and had no desire to move.
"A simple spell could've easily handled this. What a waste of time."
"But doesn't it feel more satisfying this way?"
"You should talk after doing some work yourself. I did most of it!"
"Oh don't fuss over such petty things. I'll treat you to something tasty later."
"At least you have some conscience."
As the trade conference was about to start, Tang Xiaoyu had been busy preparing materials the past few days.
After waiting for Old Zhou and the others, the group headed out of the city. Little Lian was left to handle the teahouse affairs.
Outside the city gates, Tang Xiaoyu asked, "Old Zhou, where are the people?"
Old Zhou was also puzzled. "I don't know! I gave clear instructions yesterday. Could those rascals have forgotten?"
Just as he spoke, several sword lights appeared in the distant sky.
"Here they come."
Soon, two men and two women stood before them.
"Second Martial Uncle." They bowed.
"Mm!"
The group turned to Tang Xiaoyu and bowed. "Brother Tang, Brother Lu."
Tang Xiaoyu and Lu Changchun returned the gesture. "You've arrived just in time!"
"You flatter us, Brother Tang. We were held up by something."
"It's been some time since we last met. I still don't know your names. May I ask them so I know how to address you all later?" Tang Xiaoyu was worried he wouldn't know what to call them and quickly asked for their names.
The Senior Brother introduced, "My second junior brother, Duan Feng."
"The one beside him is my third junior sister, Liu Yu."
"Next to me is my fourth junior sister, Wei Keke."
"I'm Xiao Chenfeng. Just call me Chen Feng."
Hearing this Senior Brother was surnamed Xiao, Tang Xiaoyu's body shuddered involuntarily.
"What's wrong, Brother Tang?"
Tang Xiaoyu waved his hand. "It's nothing. I'm just sensitive towards certain surnames."
Curious, Wang Ziyan asked, "Which surnames make you feel that way?"
Just as Tang Xiaoyu was about to answer, Lin Qingying's voice rang out from behind.
"Xiaoyu, you all left without waiting for us?"
Slightly miffed, Tang Xiaoyu said, "Didn't you hurt your foot? I assumed you couldn't leave today, that's why I didn't wait."
Lin Qingying quickly explained, "My cousin is a cultivator, remember? This small injury was easily healed."
"You're right!"
Tang Xiaoyu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. [Good thing I reacted quickly. I almost forgot the motto to never argue with a woman.]
"Now that everyone's here, let's head to the riverside!"
In the distance, a river flowed from the mountains and meandered towards the horizon.
Since it wasn't too far, they decided to walk.
Along the way, Wang Ziyan asked Tang Xiaoyu again about the surnames.
"Bro Tang, tell us about those surnames that make you feel sensitive."
Tang Xiaoyu thought for a bit before slowly saying, "Ye, Lin, Xiao. These are the signature surnames for the Heaven's Pride."
Wang Ziyan glanced at Lin Qingying but didn't say anything.
Tang Xiaoyu believed he understood her implication and explained, "My third sister is still an ordinary mortal. No need to doubt her."
Eyes bright with expectation, Xiao Chenfeng asked, "Brother Tang, do you think I'm the Heaven's Pride?"
Helpless, Tang Xiaoyu said, "Are your parents both dead? Is your background pitiful? Have you suffered endless humiliation?"
Xiao Chenfeng could only shake his head. Tang Xiaoyu stated firmly, "Then definitely not."
He then sighed. "Why am I not the Heaven's Pride? I meet all those criteria perfectly. I seriously suspect there's an issue with my surname. If I was surnamed Ye, Xiao or Lin, I'd absolutely be the Heaven's Pride. What a series of mistakes!"
Unable to resist, Lin Qingying asked, "Is being the Heaven's Pride that great?"
Gazing at the sky, Tang Xiaoyu slowly said, "You'll never understand the joy of being the Heaven's Pride."
Wang Ziyan also asked curiously, "What's so joyful about it?"
"Must be humiliated at the start, boldly declaring your life is secure."
"One day rising suddenly, beginning to put on an act. Those around you are all fools."
"Average ability but extremely arrogant. When facing strong enemies, pretending to be formidable."
"Heaven's beloved daughter has beauties all around, each devoted without regret."
"All are his true loves. Annihilating other families and sects."
"The reasons all stem from his true love. Selfish and self-serving for the common people."
After reciting his own doggerel verse summarizing Heaven's Pride stories, Tang Xiaoyu looked at everyone and asked, "How's this poem I composed?"
He received a white-eyed stare from all. Voice cold, Lin Qingying asked, "No wonder you want to become the Heaven's Pride. Turns out it's just to be surrounded by beauties left and right."
Tang Xiaoyu shrank back. "No way. I'm not that kind of person."
"You'd better not be, or I'll have you change your name to Little Tangzi if you dare act that way."
Tang Xiaoyu felt a chill down below. Hurriedly smiling, he said, "With my looks and background, I absolutely don't have the ability for that!"
"At least you're sensible enough to know your limits."
Hearing this, Tang Xiaoyu instantly felt dejected. He asked Lu Changchun beside him, "Uncle, am I very ugly?"
Lu Changchun patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Xiaoyu, think positive!"
Tang Xiaoyu's head drooped down despondently as he trudged on like the walking dead, the picture of hopeless despair.