Zhang Houtu stood there, head bowed, mumbling, "I'm no king, I just want to follow you, Old Master Gu. Call me Zhang Houtu, and I'll answer; call me Tuzi, and I'll still respond, just don't ask me to leave."
With a "pfft", the stern-faced old man laughed, "You good-for-nothing, who's making you leave? I was just dissatisfied with you, giving you a little lesson, didn't I just ask how the kid is? Why the silence? That kid has caught my granddaughter's fancy, let's chalk it up to young love. They haven't even spent much time together; don't tell me you've taken a liking to him too?"
"Heh heh." Seeing that Old Master Gu wasn't angry, Zhang Houtu also scratched the back of his head and laughed, his broad, square face splitting into a grin, white teeth shining bright.
"Silly look on you! Alright, spill it."
