The next day, in the afternoon.
"..."
⊙﹏⊙‖∣°
Annie had barely gotten up when Madam Shan Meixian eagerly brought her to the bow of the Dongming Sect's ship. Looking at Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling kneeling properly before her, ready to offer tea and pay their respects, and at Miss Shan Wanjing, who was still kneeling beside Xu Ziling with an indignant look but wasn't resisting or protesting like she had last night, Annie was completely dumbfounded.
"..."
(?~?)
Annie knew exactly why things had turned out this way.
Her little bear, Tibbers, had told her over dinner yesterday that she'd apparently agreed to something rather momentous without thinking it through. What was more, she'd even sealed the deal with Madam Shan by slapping their palms together.
And then...
Then today, Madam Shan had declared that it was better to seize the day than wait for an auspicious one. She'd picked this so-called "auspicious day" on the spot and insisted that Annie formalize her master-disciple relationship with Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong. While they were at it, she'd also had Shan Wanjing join the ceremony as a disciple's bride, thereby settling the two men's marriage arrangements as well.
And so here they were: three people kneeling before Annie on the deck, while Madam Shan stood smiling beside them and a crowd of Dongming Sect men watched the ceremony with furrowed brows, cold expressions, or angry glares.
"Um..."
(*?^?*)?
"Can't we really change our minds?"
!(;?o?)o
"Why don't we talk it over and think about it some more?"
(??????)??
Honestly, Annie really regretted it.
She didn't want these burdensome disciples at all—especially not when she was getting one thrown in for free!
If she hadn't actually agreed yesterday, and if she hadn't somehow sealed the deal with Madam Shan by slapping