The night before
Xuě Shā had retired to his private quarters, exhausted from the day's duties. As he prepared to extinguish his lantern, a shiver ran down his spine. It wasn't the cold—something felt off.
Before he could react, a shadow emerged from the corner of the room. The figure was clad in black, with the emblem of the Hóng family emblazoned boldly on his chest.
Xuě Shā froze, his heart pounding. *How did this man bypass the guards?*
The man bowed deeply. "Marquis Xuě Shā," he said, his tone calm and measured. "I bring greetings from the Hóng family."
Xuě Shā narrowed his eyes but remained silent.
"We wish to express our gratitude for your care and support of someone very precious to us—a young master of the Hóng family."
"A young master?" Xuě Shā repeated, his voice faltering.
The man nodded and placed a gleaming gold card on the table. "This is a token of our appreciation. It grants the Xuě family a 50% discount at all Hóng family merchant stores, spanning every zone: water, fire, land, desert, and even the mysterious sky. Additionally, the Hóng family hopes that you will continue supporting this young master in the future."
Without another word, the man vanished, leaving Xuě Shā staring at the card in bewilderment. A young master from the Hóng family? But who could it be?
The household burst into motion. Servants scrambled to find family records, while others scurried to summon Xuě Jīn Mán, the headmaster of the Snow Water Beast Fighting School.
When Xuě Jīn Mán arrived, he found his brother pacing back and forth, his hands clenched behind his back.
"What's all this commotion?" Xuě Jīn Mán asked, eyeing the disheveled room.
Xuě Shā spun around, his face a mask of exasperation. "We have a problem," he said, thrusting the gold card toward his brother.
Xuě Jīn Mán's brows furrowed as he examined the card. "A Hóng family token?"
"Yes," Xuě Shā snapped. "A man from the Hóng family came to see me last night. He said we've been supporting a young master of their family. But I have no idea who he's talking about!"
Xuě Jīn Mán frowned. "The Hóng family... That's a name I haven't heard in decades. But why would they send someone here? None of our students or family members have that surname."
"Call everyone!" I want every name in this family with the surname Hóng!
"Now!!!"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Xuě Shā growled, resuming his pacing. "Do we have any distant relatives with the Hóng name? Any old alliances we've forgotten about? Someone, somewhere, must have a connection."
At that moment, a servant entered, panting. "Master, we've searched the records. There's no one in the Xuě family with the surname Hóng."
Xuě Shā cursed under his breath, his frustration mounting. "Then find me every student in the school! Search the city if you have to! I want answers!"
Scene: Xuě jīnyú's Realization
It was Xuě jīnyú who eventually provided clarity. When she arrived and listened to her brothers' frantic explanations, her eyes widened in realization.
"Wait," she said, raising a hand to silence them. "Don't you remember? During the confrontation with Xiǎo Hǎiyáng's uncles and auntie, he told us he no longer uses the Xiǎo name. He said he's now called Hóng Hǎiyáng."
Xuě Shā and Xuě Jīn Mán froze.
"You mean... Hǎiyáng?" Xuě Shā asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Xuě jīnyú nodded. "It must be him. He's the young master the Hóng family is referring to."
For a moment, the room was silent as the weight of her words sank in.
Then Xuě Shā let out a bark of laughter, his tension evaporating. "Hǎiyáng? That boy? Of course it's him! It's always the quiet ones!"
Xuě Jīn Mán shook his head in disbelief. "All this time, we thought we were sheltering a discarded orphan. Turns out we've been hosting the young master of the Hóng family."
The two brothers exchanged a look, their confusion giving way to pride.
The hospital was quiet as Hóng Hǎiyáng swept the floor, his mind preoccupied with the tasks ahead. He didn't notice the sound of approaching footsteps until Xuě Jīn Mán's voice rang out.
"Young Master! Stop!"
Startled, Hǎiyáng turned to see Xuě Jīn Mán rushing toward him, followed closely by Xuě Shā. Both men looked unusually animated, their faces a mixture of panic and excitement.
"What's going on?" Hǎiyáng asked, his brow furrowing.
Xuě Jīn Mán gently took the broom from his hands. "You shouldn't be doing this," he said firmly. "This isn't work for someone of your... standing."
"My standing?" Hǎiyáng repeated, confused.
Xuě Shā stepped forward, his expression softening. "Son, we need to talk."
Without waiting for a response, he reached into his robe and pulled out a gleaming gold card.
"This is the Xuě gold tokken card," Xuě Shā said, placing it in Hǎiyáng's hands. "You can use it as often as you like. It grants you access to everything the Xuě family has to offer—because you're one of us now. I will treat you like my own son."
Hǎiyáng stared at the card, his confusion deepening. "I... don't understand."
Xuě Shā placed a hand on Hǎiyáng's shoulder, his tone both earnest and fatherly. "I only ask one thing in return: Take care of my daughter, Xuě Fù Fèn. She's... well, she's quite stubborn, but she's the pride of this family. And I will ensure that she will be a good support for a talented young master like you."
"Wait, what..?" Hǎiyáng blinked, stunned, his face turned red, "are you saying...?"
Xuě Shā grinned. "Yes, Hǎiyáng. Welcome to the Xue."
Before Hǎiyáng could say any thing, Doctor Bái entered, his sharp eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.
"What's all this commotion about?" the old doctor asked.
Xuě Shā leaned closer to Doctor Bái and whispered, "Old man, I'll treat you to noodles later if you let Hǎiyáng take it easy. Just make sure he doesn't overwork himself."
Doctor Bái raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Extra scallions," he said with a smirk.
The two brothers laughed heartily as they left, their mirth echoing through the halls.
Left alone, Hǎiyáng slumped into a chair, his head spinning. "What... just happened?"
Doctor Bái chuckled softly. "Looks like someone's finally recognizing your worth, boy."
Hǎiyáng shook his head. "All I did was clean a floor."
"Sometimes," Doctor Bái said, "it's not about what you do—it's about who you are."
--------------------------------End of Chapter 8------------------------------------