Tang Xiulan wiped her brow as she and Chen Ren finished the day's work.
The sun had already long set, calming things around the courtyard from the busy state that they'd been in the morning, but she still had some energy left.
She helped Chen Ren carry the stall and bowls back to the guest courtyard. Despite her initial reluctance, she had grown accustomed to their routine, though she still found his behaviour puzzling.
Once they had set everything down, Chen Ren turned to her with a small smile. "Thanks for the help, Xiulan. I appreciate it. I will see you tomorrow."
Tang Xiulan nodded, caught off guard by his politeness yet again. No matter how many times he thanked her or spoke to her kindly, she couldn't quite get used to it. It wasn't just the words, but the way he looked at her— as if she were a person, not just a mortal to be looked down upon. It was an unfamiliar sensation coming from Chen Ren who only ever treated people as livestock rather than humans.
She recalled when he had first come to live with Chen Clan and had nearly crippled a maid because she had dared to take out his clothes to wash without asking. Although he had spared her later on, Tang Xiulan still recalled the look in his eyes. But now he was different.
Like always, she wondered upon the reason for this transformation.
There were only a few times in her life when she had seen people changing to this degree. Most of those moments revolved around the other maids or young girls from Tang Clan who would change drastically after getting their hearts broken by guys who never wanted to take responsibilities. They would then grow bitter, becoming shadows of their real selves.
Maybe Chen Ren was like that too. Maybe his own heartbreak was the fight he lost, the one that seemed to have changed him so completely. She didn't know all the details, but she could see it in his eyes. Whatever pride or arrogance he once had seemed to have been stripped away, replaced by a quiet grit that was hard to ignore.
The only difference was that rather than growing bitter, he had gained humanity and humility, things she never expected him to ever possess.
As these thoughts ran through her mind, Tang Xiulan began her walk towards the main manor. Her feet moved almost automatically along the familiar path, the stone walkway worn smooth by weather and years of use.
The manor was right ahead, a grand structure of carefully done woodwork and stone walls that seemed imposing. Carvings of dragons and phoenixes covered the eaves, their fierce gazes seeming to watch over the clan and protect them from calamities. The roof tiles were a deep, dark blue, catching the last light of the sun and reflecting it in a soft glow.
She passed through a smaller gate that led to the inner courtyard. It wasn't her quarters, but she had business here today.
As she approached the gate to the main building, she saw two guards standing at attention.
They nodded to her as she came closer, their expressions neutral. "Wait here for a minute," one of them said, already familiar with her visits.
Tang Xiulan waited patiently, her thoughts still on Chen Ren and the peculiar path his life seemed to be taking. A minute later, the guard returned and motioned for her to enter.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the gate and into the main hall.
The room had just a few candles flickering in the corners. The air was thick with the scent of incense, a constant in the Tang manor. In the centre of the room sat an older man, his hair grey and thinning, his cheeks sunken and pale. A neatly trimmed moustache framed his thin lips, giving him an appearance that was hard to read.
This was the head of the Tang Clan, the young miss' father, Tang Jihao. He looked up as Tang Xiulan entered, his eyes sharp despite his frail appearance.
Tang Xiulan bowed deeply and tried her best to keep her voice steady as she spoke. "I am here to report."
Tang Xiulan kept her head bowed for a moment longer before speaking. "Young Master Chen Ren started his stall today," she began, her voice clear but respectful. "He managed to sell all the noodles he had prepared."
The old man's eyes widened slightly, his gaze sharpening as he looked at her. "All of them?" he asked, his tone incredulous. "How?"
Tang Xiulan nodded and then gave a brief summary of Chen Ren's marketing techniques. She started by saying how he didn't get a lot of customers at first, but used the slum dwelling kids to advertise free noodles in exchange for feeding them. He also attached the label of it being a delicacy from the eastern tribes. Once people heard about free food, quite a lot of them came to try and according to Chen Ren, they were going to spread "word of mouth" and the noodles will start to do better and better.
"It was a surprise to me," she admitted. "But he seemed to think it would help with the sales starting tomorrow."
Tang Jihao listened carefully, nodding as she spoke. When she finished, he leaned back in his chair and asked, "These noodles... Are they actually from the tribes?"
"I did ask him," Tang Xiulan replied. "But the young master said it doesn't matter if they are or not. People just need to believe they're an exotic delicacy. It's not like the tribes are going to come to Cloud Mist City to do anything about it."
At that, a small smile appeared on the old man's lips. "Chen Ren is more brazen than I expected," he mused. "But also smart." His expression grew thoughtful. "Is he still acting strange?"
Tang Xiulan nodded again. "Yes, Master. His personality has changed. I don't think it's a facade— if it were, he would have let it slip by now. But he hasn't."
Tang Jihao's eyes narrowed. His sunken eyes seemed to look scarier, but Tang Xiulan didn't let it show it on her face.
"That's interesting. If his personality truly has changed, then perhaps it's worth not kicking him out just yet."
Tang Xiulan hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Master, may I ask something?"
He glanced at her, curious. "Go ahead."
"Why don't you just kick him out?" she asked."Is it because of the young miss?"
Tang Jihao's smile returned, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
He didn't answer immediately, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make Tang Xiulan wonder if she had overstepped. Then, finally, he spoke. "Partly, yes. At least, that was the case when Chen Ren first walked in. It seemed like a golden opportunity to tie my daughter to a cultivator. As you know, she didn't have the gift of immortality in her body and with her marrying a cultivator, at least the future generations will have a better chance. But with Chen Ren's personality back then, I threw that idea away. He was arrogant, reckless— definitely not the kind of person I wanted to associate with my daughter."