Tang San's eager anticipation was abruptly stifled.
But he could understand. Xiao Wu and Jiang Jiu's relationship wasn't headed toward becoming siblings.
Kids in this world matured much earlier than they had in his previous life.
In his previous life, he hadn't even come around by the time he was in his twenties.
Still, Tang San wasn't entirely inflexible.
"Brother Jiu, what about you?"
Once he had Jiang Jiu on board, Xiao Wu would naturally be on board too.
"Are you serious?"
Tang San froze for a moment. He thought of the letter he had put away, then nodded firmly.
He truly wanted another family member.
Of course, he wouldn't mind having two.
He would treat them as true family from the bottom of his heart.
Though his newly sworn family members had a closer relationship with each other.
But there was no helping it. An older brother would get married, after all. That was only natural.
"Fine, then. Shall we just go through the motions?" Jiang Jiu finally agreed.
If he didn't accept, things would be awkward between them next time they met, especially since he had witnessed such a low point in someone else's life.
"Really? That's great!"
Tang San grew excited and immediately ran outside.
"Hey, Xiao San." Jiang Jiu had no idea what Tang San was going to do. He seemed a little out of sorts.
But Xiao Wu was staring intently at him, too.
"Xiao Jiu, after you and Tang San become sworn brothers, will you two be closer than you and I are?"
"How could that be? You're still my teacher. Besides, closeness isn't measured that way."
Jiang Jiu wasn't too attached to titles. Rather than getting trapped by them, he cared more about the affection built through spending time together.
"I don't care. I want to become sworn siblings with you too!"
"What's wrong with being sworn siblings? We can still be sworn siblings!" Xiao Wu quickly came around to the idea.
"All right, all right." Jiang Jiu rubbed Xiao Wu's little head.
Whatever their relationship was called, it wouldn't change how he and Xiao Wu got along.
Before long, Tang San came running back, still wearing an excited expression. He was also holding a live rooster.
"Are we being this formal?" Tang San really did seem intent on following a fairly proper ritual.
"Brother Jiu, when's your birthday?" Tang San asked as he cleared off a table to use as an altar for their oath.
"January first," Jiang Jiu replied without batting an eye.
"What a coincidence! I was born in January too, just a little later than you, Brother Jiu."
"Xiao Jiu, you never told me when I asked you before!" Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks beside them.
"Did you ask?"
"Of course I did."
"I only need to remember your birthday."
Jiang Jiu soothed Xiao Wu again in just a few words.
Meanwhile, Tang San used water in place of wine, then dripped in some rooster's blood. Once he had nearly finished preparing everything, he turned to Jiang Jiu.
"Brother Jiu, let's begin."
The oath-taking ritual had a distinctly martial-world flavor, which suited Tang San's background. To Jiang Jiu, it was a little too wild.
Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about anything happening from drinking rooster's blood. At worst, it would taste unpleasant. They weren't barbarians, after all.
Tang San had already been considerate enough of Jiang Jiu. Normally, they would each have to drip their own blood into the cup, too.
Once they had completed the ritual, Tang San looked at Jiang Jiu completely differently.
"Big brother!"
Unlike Jiang Jiu, Tang San took titles very seriously.
A father was a father, no matter what. Likewise, a sworn big brother was truly a big brother.
From then on, Tang San would treat him as an older brother, rather than like those who became brothers in all but name first, then went on to make it official.
Of course, this was only because of the unusual circumstances.
They would never have sworn brotherhood at any other time. And without the actual oath, "Boss Dai" would have become "Mu Bai" too.
"Second brother..."
"Let's just keep calling each other what we did before. I'll still call you Xiao San."
"Sure thing, Big Brother," Tang San said with a smile. His mood had clearly improved; he was even joking around.
"Xiao Jiu, give me some money."
"What's up?" Jiang Jiu asked as he took Gold Soul Coins from his pocket.
When he saw Xiao Wu run outside with the money, he already knew.
"Xiao San, I'll need to borrow your place too."
"Brother Jiu, my home is your home. Make yourself comfortable."
Jiang Jiu was almost overwhelmed by Tang San's enthusiasm.
It would probably settle down eventually.
Tang San and Jiang Jiu set up another table together.
Sure enough, as Jiang Jiu had expected, Xiao Wu soon came rushing back, hugging a rooster.
"My turn, my turn!"
Watching Xiao Wu scrunch up her face as she drank the rooster's blood, Jiang Jiu couldn't help smiling.
But then he remembered he'd drunk it twice himself, and his smile faded.
"Brother Jiu!" Xiao Wu set down the cup and pretended to clasp her hands in a formal salute.
"Little Sister Wu!" Jiang Jiu played along.
"Haha, it's so weird calling me Little Sister Wu!" Xiao Wu's peculiar sense of humor was at work again.
After laughing for a while, she put on a mischievous look. "Xiao Jiu, from now on, you have to respect me like a teacher and dote on me like a little sister. Got it?"
"Whatever you say, Little Sister Teacher Xiao Wu."
"Honestly, stop teasing me!" Xiao Wu laughed so hard she could barely stop.
As for Tang San and Xiao Wu, they tacitly avoided bringing up the fact that they had sworn brotherhood with each other. They had essentially assumed that each of them had become sworn siblings with Jiang Jiu.
Even though they were each Jiang Jiu's sworn younger brother and sworn younger sister, that didn't mean they had to get along.
There might be some love for one another by association, but there might also be some resentment, especially once night fell.
Lying in the bed he had slept in since childhood for the first time in a long while, Tang San found himself thinking about it.
If Xiao Wu hadn't been here today, would Big Brother and I have slept side by side?
Of course, that wasn't to say Tang San had any improper thoughts about Jiang Jiu. He simply believed that sworn brothers sleeping side by side showed the depth of their bond.
I can't think like that. He's the future... Tang San ultimately reminded himself that his big brother's happiness mattered more.
Though he was still a little envious.
Jiang Jiu, of course, had no idea what Tang San was thinking. If he had known, he could only have been grateful that Xiao Wu was there.
Early the next morning, Tang San woke up intending to practice the Purple Demon Eye, but heard clattering from nearby.
"Brother Jiu." Tang San got out of bed and found Jiang Jiu in the kitchen.
"Your stove's a bit tricky, but I've figured it out. You can rest a little longer. I'll have Xiao Wu call you when breakfast is ready," Jiang Jiu said casually when he spotted Tang San.
"Big Brother..."
Tang San had always been the one cooking for Tang Hao. No one had ever made breakfast for him.
Jiang Jiu's perfectly in-character move had landed with devastating effect.
He was always up early and took care of Xiao Wu, so making breakfast now was perfectly reasonable. It was no trouble at all.
Without making a fuss, Jiang Jiu had secured his place as sworn big brother.
How could Tang San, his sworn younger brother, not accept such small kindnesses?
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