Wen Mo'er stepped out of her room at Thatched Cottage Estate and saw that the person in the courtyard was Ju An from Turtle-Sleep Pavilion. She paused slightly, then slowly lowered her head and remained on the steps without coming down.
Niu Youdao arranging a marriage between her and Ju An was no longer a secret. Fellow disciples had already come to congratulate her. Only then did she learn what Niu Youdao and Sect Master Gong Lince had agreed upon outside Turtle-Sleep Pavilion. Though she had suspected something earlier, she had not been present; Niu Youdao had sent her away.
Ju An looked somewhat embarrassed. He carried a basket of fruit in his hand and seemed at a loss for what to say.
The two stood in silence for a while. In the end, Ju An gathered his courage and stepped forward, stopping below the stairs. He held out the basket and forced a smile. "I saw a tree of wild fruit growing quite well in the back mountain just now. Junior Sister Wen, it's only a small token. Please don't disdain it."
Wen Mo'er said softly, "Senior Brother Ju, there's no need."
She did not want to accept it. To be precise, Ju An was not the man she wanted. She did not expect her future husband to wield power over the world or be some hero renowned throughout the land, but neither did she want him to be a gatekeeper. And Ju An truly was nothing more than an honest man guarding the gate at Turtle-Sleep Pavilion.
Even if he guarded the gate for Purple Gold Cave's most senior elder, some outcomes were plain to see. Zhong Guzi's lifespan was nearly at its end, and he had no successor. Someone like Ju An would have no prospects.
It