"Alchemist Huang mentioned the Alchemy Exchange," Wu Ling agreed. "She said they'd be auctioning off some of the things that were harvested during the eclipse, including some of the materials from the beasts we fought. Since Sister Xiang and I were already planning to attend, I'm sure I'll see you then," Wu Ling promised.
After polite farewells, once Wu Ling and Su Yao had vanished into the crowd, Liang Xiong finally turned to his older sister with a curious look. "Do you think she was in a hurry to get away from me?"
"Oh, certainly," his younger sister said with a nod. "It's a good thing, little brother! You don't understand women very well. I watched her eyes very closely," she said in sage tones. "The instant you stepped forward to offer tea, she was instantly overwhelmed by your presence. You noticed, however, that she circled back to the offer of tea before she left? She even confirmed a date to meet again," the young scholar emphasized.
"She's saying your offer was appreciated but the timing was poor. I'm sure matters with her junior sister's parents are weighing on her at the moment," Liang Xuanji said, carefully replaying every moment of their brief encounter in her mind's eye to ensure she hadn't missed any subtle signs or cues Wu Ling might have given.
"When we next have tea, you must remember to inquire about Junior Sister Su Yao's well-being," she advised, her mind already constructing a vision for her brother's next meeting with the enchanting Wu Ling. "Don't ask about the conversation, that could be a private matter, but by asking about her Junior Sister you'll demonstrate that you were paying attention and that you care not only about her but about people and matters that are important to her. You should also…"
Liang Xiong could only listen helplessly as he returned to escorting his excited sister on their shopping trip. She seemed to have countless observations about Wu Ling and even more advice for their next meeting, but the more she spoke, the more he wondered if it was really that complicated.
Wu Ling was such a lovely woman, would she really be so veiled in her intentions? While much of his sister's advice sounded reasonable for most women, most women wouldn't venture into the mountains to fight off bandits and spirit beasts. Such a woman doubtless had different considerations that his elder sister didn't understand.
The more he replayed their brief encounter, the more he recalled her eyes. Not just the brilliant silver hue unlike any he'd seen before but the calculations taking place behind them. He'd seen that look so often in the eyes of old masters across the chess board but seeing it in a beauty descended from the Heavens themselves, he realized that fate truly did provide opportunity. Still, even if fate provided an opportunity, it wouldn't arrange everything for him. Opportunities, after all, were only meant for those who were willing to work to seize them.
"Sister," he said, interrupting Liang Xuanji's latest suggestion about topics he should consider for their next meeting. "You said she painted portraits for young ladies to be used for matchmaking. Do you know if anyone ever painted her portrait? I find it hard to believe that someone so stunning hasn't already entered into some conversations between families," he mused.
As soon as the notion that she might already be in negotiations, his stomach plummeted as though his gut had been hollowed out. Had he already lost?
"I asked her sworn sister Su Xiang if she'd been betrothed with anyone and she seemed surprised by the idea. I think there hasn't been much time since she Awakened for her to find a suitable match. I don't know if she's had a portrait painted for matchmaking though," the mouse-like scholar said, a mischievous grin spreading on her pert lips. "Why? Does my little brother want a portrait to gaze upon?" she teased.
"More than that," Liang Xiong said firmly. For such an extraordinary woman, he didn't expect that he would be her only suitor but as long as she wasn't yet promised to another, he was certain that he could prove himself worthy of her affection.
"A man should be bold with his intentions," Liang Xiong continued. For common cultivators, spending years courting someone to build familiarity, trust, and affection wasn't unreasonable. When he considered Wu Ling, however, an entirely different scenario played out in his mind, one where bolder suitors took the high ground and outmaneuvered his efforts.
To the budding young tactician, possibilities unfolded in his mind like the plans of a battle. Growing up, he'd always looked down on his friends who followed along after a woman like a swarm of insects, hoping to gain her attention with their constant presence and buzzing. Now, he felt that he was in danger of becoming just such an insect if he didn't take matters more seriously from the beginning.
"Sister," he said. "I know you think I should make subtle movements in courting her but having met her, I don't think that I can afford to be subtle or timid."
"What do you mean brother?" Liang Xuanji asked, stopping abruptly and looking directly into her brother's determined eyes. "What is there to afford or not afford about it?"
"Ji'er, didn't you tell me that she only recently Awakened and that she broke through during the Lunar Eclipse? That she became a middle-stage Aesthete right before your camp was attacked?" Liang Xiong asked, confirming with his sister that he understood the timeline correctly before he continued.
"But when I looked at her now, while her cultivation felt unstable, she was clearly close to reaching the second stage. It hasn't been long since the eclipse but she's already broken through again. With that kind of talent, she won't stay unattached for long."
"Before you know it," he said, his voice growing increasingly certain. "She'll be in the Inner City, entertaining offers from second-rank sects with proposals from dozens of Young Lords, many of whom are more outstanding than I am," he said. He tried to be as honest about the current circumstances as he could, including his own prospects, which didn't feel outstanding when compared to the people he felt would soon join him in courting her.
"If I'm going to court her, I need to move quickly before anyone else does. Help me approach her parents for a portrait that we can show to Mother and Father," he said as the pieces of a plan began to fall into place. While he disliked thinking of relationships between men and women like a game of chess, he'd studied the game for too long not to see the advantages of planning a strategy to obtain his objective.
If he failed to do so, if he put his faith only in his ability to develop feelings between them, he was sure some other suitor would leapfrog ahead of him. Now wasn't a time to be naive about what it meant to court such a remarkable woman. The feelings between their families would also have to be considered. To form a stable foundation for a relationship between them, he would need to gain his parents' approval as well, or else he would never be able to prepare a sufficient dowry for such an extraordinary woman.
"While you approach her parents for a portrait, I'll make preparations for appropriate gifts of introduction. I know that Mother and Father have prepared for this, at least a little bit, but there needs to be something personal from me as well," he mused.
"Didn't you say that your sect has several Artists as well?" Liang Xuanji mused, getting caught up in her brother's rhythm. "Perhaps you could commission something from one of them?"
"That's not," Liang Xiong started, only to change his mind as an idea struck him. "No, perhaps you're right! Most of the Artists in the sect are Swordsmiths and Armorers. I can't imagine offering her a weapon, but a beautiful Fairy like Wu Ling surely needs a protective artifact. Moreover, if she has yet to join a sect, I'm sure that the Purple Thunder War Hall would be happy to recruit her," he exclaimed. "Sister, you're so smart I could kiss you!"
"I told you, little brother," Liang Xuanji said with a smile. "Your big sister has found the best woman for you in the whole world. Now, I'll take care of things outside, you work with your sect to secure a gift and a recruitment offer for her. By this time next year, perhaps I can call her Sister-in-law Wu Ling," she squealed in excitement.
"But brother, you need to do your part," the diminutive scholar emphasized. "I don't want to wait too long to become an auntie!"