First meeting with Xiao Wu (1 / 2)

After accepting Tang San as his disciple, Li Hanqiu did not take him straight to the dormitory.

He led him out through the academy gates and onto the streets of Nuoding City.

At first, Tang San thought they had taken the wrong road. He jogged to catch up. "Teacher, aren't we going to the dormitory?"

"No rush. Let's buy a few things first."

"Oh." Tang San nodded blankly, instinctively assuming his teacher was buying things for himself.

Li Hanqiu took Tang San into a general store, where he first picked out bedding, a pillow, a washbasin, and towels. Then he went to the fabric shop next door and bought enough cloth for two outfits.

Tang San stood in the doorway, his eyes growing wider and wider. Only when he saw Li Hanqiu emerge carrying the two soft quilts embroidered with tiny flowers did he realize his teacher was buying things for him.

He hurried over and tugged at Li Hanqiu's sleeve.

"Teacher, you don't have to buy such nice things. Ordinary ones will do..." By the end, Tang San had lowered his head, his voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.

No one had ever bought him such precious clothes before...

Li Hanqiu smiled and patted Tang San's head, then picked out two pairs of new shoes. He crouched down and held them beside Tang San's feet to check the size before handing them to the shopkeeper. "Wrap these up."

Tang San's little face flushed with anxiety. "Teacher, these are expensive. I... I don't have any money."

"How could I let you pay?"

"But even so..."

"It's all right. Take them as a first-meeting gift from your teacher."

Li Hanqiu spoke with firm resolve and paid before Tang San could stop him.

Tang San could only accept the pile of things, filling his arms with them. His little face peeked out from behind the bedding, his eyes slightly damp.

Ever since he was little, he had worn old clothes handed down by the village's older children. Few had fit him, let alone been new shoes or new quilts.

Tang Hao had never bothered with any of this. He had always cursed Tang San as a money sink, and after Tang San awakened blue silver grass, his abuse had grown even more vicious.

He had called Tang San trash who had sullied the Tang family's bloodline...

As these thoughts passed through his mind, Tang San secretly wiped away a tear. He did not want his tears to fall and dirty the new clothes and shoes his teacher had bought him.

This was the first time anyone had bought him such lovely gifts.

Li Hanqiu walked behind Tang San, watching his frail, delicate figure sway beneath the load, and felt a bitter ache in his heart.

That Tang Hao can't even take proper care of his own son. What a disgrace. Li Hanqiu inwardly cursed Tang Hao in displeasure.

Li Hanqiu could not say he particularly liked Tang San from the original story. He even despised his hypocritical brand of justice.

But how could this gentle, soft-spoken little boy match the ruthless Tang Sect madman in his memory?

He's my disciple, Li Hanqiu thought, his gaze softening.

After returning to the academy, Li Hanqiu took him straight to Girls' Dormitory Building One.

Tang San stopped and looked up at the building. "Teacher, this isn't the building listed on my housing slip. I remember it was... Dorm Seven, I think."

"Dorm Seven is the work-study dormitory. Boys and girls live together there. Didn't you read the small print at the bottom?"

Tang San froze. He really had not looked closely.

He had been happy enough just to attend school. How could he have spared a thought for what the dormitory was like?

"I've spoken to the dean and arranged for you to stay in Building One. I also moved a girl who was originally assigned to Dorm Seven here," Li Hanqiu said, stroking Tang San's fluffy hair.

"You'll meet her once you go inside. Get along with your roommate."

Holding his new bedding, Tang San nodded obediently.

They were at the entrance to the girls' dormitory, so Li Hanqiu did not linger. He gave Tang San a few reminders, told him he would take him somewhere tomorrow, then turned and left.

Li Hanqiu turned away, the wind lifting a corner of his blue robe's hem as he strode off with easy grace.

Tang San stood beneath the dormitory building, his arms full of bundles large and small. He watched Li Hanqiu's retreating figure until that pale silhouette disappeared around the corner, then slowly carried his things upstairs.

He stood outside the room, hesitating for several seconds before pushing the door open.

Before he could get a good look inside, a bright voice rang out. "Oh! Are you my new roommate?"

Tang San saw a figure leap down from a bed, her scorpion braid swinging and her eyes sparkling.

"I'm Xiao Wu-Wu as in dancing. We're roommates from now on!"

Xiao Wu grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. "Come on, come on! I've already wiped down your bed for you. Your quilt looks so soft! Can I touch it?"

Tang San stumbled as she pulled him along and nodded, blushing.

Xiao Wu immediately flung herself onto the bedding and stroked it, narrowing her eyes in delight. "Wow, you must have bought this at a big shop in the city! I've never slept under such a nice quilt in my life."

Tang San set down his belongings and asked quietly, "Hello. Are you new here too?"

"Yep! I only enrolled today. They put me in Dorm Seven, but there were stinky boys living there too. I beat them up and became the boss of Dorm Seven!"

Xiao Wu patted her chest proudly, but her next words turned wistful.

"Ah, I'd only just become the boss of Dorm Seven when a teacher came along. He said something about 'men and women keeping their distance' and moved me into the girls' dormitory. What a shame."

Tang San's eyes widened. "Teacher Li?"

"Hmm... I don't know. Anyway, he was tall and thin, and really handsome." Xiao Wu leaned closer, looking mysterious. "Is his surname Li? Do you know him?"

Tang San said nothing, his face growing redder.

That night, the dormitory lights went out.

Xiao Wu insisted on sharing Tang San's bed, claiming, "Your quilt is so soft! I want to leave my scent on it." After a long bout of bashfulness, Tang San finally edged toward the wall and surrendered half the bed to the rabbit.

Xiao Wu slipped under the quilt and sighed contentedly.

An older student in the bed opposite was still awake. She lowered her voice and said, "Little ones, you're so lucky to have Teacher Li personally arrange things for you."

Another older student chimed in. "Of course. Teacher Li personally put in a word for us. Even the dorm matron treats our room with extra respect."

"Is Teacher Li really that impressive?" Xiao Wu perked up and leaned halfway out of bed.

"Honestly, listen carefully." The older student cleared her throat. "Li Hanqiu, nineteen years old, a Soul Elder! The youngest fully appointed teacher in all of Nuoding Academy. And he's unbelievably handsome. More than half the older girls at the academy dream of marrying him."

Tang San lay beneath the quilt, his ears burning as he listened.

"What about Yu Xiaogang?" someone asked. "I remember he's a 'theory lecturer' too. Isn't that the same position as Teacher Li?"

"Him?" The older student scoffed. "He spends all day playing Grandmaster, dresses like a slob, and brags about his lousy theories to everyone he meets. He's always picking fights with Teacher Li too. I don't like him at all. I'd much rather have our handsome Teacher Li."

Hearing Yu Xiaogang's name, Tang San recalled the scene at the registration desk that afternoon and gave a soft murmur of agreement.

Yu Xiaogang really was annoying. He had immediately declared Tang San's martial soul a trash martial soul. He could not compare to his teacher at all.

Xiao Wu rolled over and whispered curiously, "So that Teacher Li is really that impressive. If I'd known, I'd have talked to him more this afternoon. I'd love to get to know him."

Tang San pressed his lips together and hesitantly picked at a corner of the quilt.

Sharp-eared, Xiao Wu leaned closer. "Little San, is there something you want to say?"

Tang San pulled up the quilt to cover half his face, leaving only his bright eyes visible.

"I... have already become Teacher Li's disciple."

Xiao Wu sat bolt upright.

"Really? The Li Hanqiu they were talking about? The nineteen-year-old Soul Elder?"

Tang San nodded softly, his eyes carrying a trace of pride he had not even noticed himself.

"Then you're going to be amazing!" Xiao Wu grabbed his arm and shook it excitedly. "Does your teacher want a second disciple? What do you think of me?"

Tang San rested his little hand against his chin and looked at Xiao Wu's sparkling eyes right in front of him. He ventured hesitantly, "Then... shall I ask him for you when I see him tomorrow?"

"Hahaha, I was teasing you! I've only met Li Hanqiu once. I haven't even figured out who he is yet. That whole disciple thing was just something I said."

Xiao Wu wrapped an arm around his neck, a smug smile curling her lips. "Little San, why are you so earnest?"

"Xiao Wu, stop making fun of me..." Tang San turned his back to her, a little upset that she had joked about Li Hanqiu.

Although they had spent only half a day together, Li Hanqiu already held an even higher place in Tang San's heart than his father, Tang Hao.

Seeing that Tang San was upset, Xiao Wu hurriedly hugged him around the waist. Only after much coaxing did Tang San nod and "forgive" her.

The two kept whispering until midnight, when Xiao Wu finally grew too sleepy to continue. She draped a thigh across Tang San's waist, buried her little face in his hair, and fell sound asleep.

Tang San remained awake beneath the quilt. With Xiao Wu's sleepy murmurs in his ear, his mind was filled with thoughts of Li Hanqiu.

Where will Teacher take me tomorrow?