Su Wen sat back in his chair, picking up his own chopsticks, and began eating. He didn't glance at her once. The little sparrow perched nearby, chirping softly as if to keep him company. No one spoke, and the three of them quietly ate in a serene, almost surreal calm.
After the meal, his grandmother finally broke the silence. "Five days ago..." she began, her voice steady but gentle, "We heard a loud crash outside. When we went to check, this girl was lying in a crater with a broken sword." She glanced at Su Wen, then back to the girl, whose face still bore that lifeless expression. "We brought her inside right away and bandaged her wounds."
"She calls herself Du Yue," Grandma continued. "She told us… her father betrayed her. He wanted to sell her for money where she would be used as a cultivation cauldron with no dignity and freedom. Her father is a final-stage foundation establishment cultivator, and he came with four men to overwhelm her, but she managed to kill four of them. Only her father survived."
Su Wen's eyebrows knitted slightly as he listened knowing fully well that her grandmother didn't know much about cultivator's terms like cauldron, foundation establishment but he didn't interrupt her, letting her finish up the whole story.
Grandma sighed. "During the fight, she realized she couldn't control her spiritual qi and nearly lost consciousness. Her father… he poisoned her with a toxin called Clearveil Toxin, a transparent, fast-acting poison that disrupts proper qi circulation. To protect her dignity from falling into the hands of a devil, she forced herself to attempt a breakthrough to the Golden Core realm, but she failed the Heavenly Tribulation."
Su Wen felt a little strange as his grandmother narrated the story, speaking as if she understood all the terms and knew everything. 'She must be repeating it word for word, as that girl must have told her earlier', he thought to himself, once again not interrupting her.
She shook her head, her eyes softening. "The only reason she survived… was the escape sword she secretly bought and kept after saving money. Using it, she managed to flee, though barely."
Su Wen finished his bite, quietly observing Du Yue as she sat there, expressionless. The little sparrow chirped again, fluttering onto his shoulder, feeling a little emotional after hearing the story.
The little sparrow fluffed her feathers and let out a high-pitched, emotional chirp. "Chirp! Chirp! Su Wen! Treat her! Treat her now!" She hopped onto his shoulder, pecking gently at his collar as if reminding him of his "duties."
Su Wen gave an exasperated sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. 'It's not just about the serious injuries, but also about her Dao heart, which was broken after being betrayed by her father, he thought to himself, eyes softening slightly.
Grandma leaned forward and said seriously. "Su Wen, look at her. Can't you see she's in pain? Surely you can do something… at least try."
Grandpa also chimed in, "You brat, at least try to investigate her injuries if she can be healed. You cultivators can do anything, right?"
Du Yue's expression remained detached as she looked up and said, "I don't want to become a burden to you anymore...You seniors have treated me with care since the day I arrived on this mountain, not only did you save my life, but you also gave me a home to rest in and food to eat. I wouldn't be able to repay any more of your kindness. Therefore, I will leave late in the afternoon and won't impose on you anymore." She bowed her head and spoke sincerely.
Grandma's expression turned serious. "You're just a simple-minded and innocent girl… too naive to survive long in the outside world on your own." She leaned closer, her voice softening. "You should stay, a little while longer, at least until you've healed enough to fend for yourself."
Du Yue shook her head, her voice calm despite the exhaustion weighing on her. "I can't. Meeting you on this mountain was a blessing from the heavens, but I fear I can no longer repay the grace I've received."
Her gaze lowered, and a quiet thought stirred within her heart. 'I know my body better than anyone. My time is running short… and I don't want to die before their eyes, bringing them sorrow. It's better that I leave now and let the wilderness claim me in peace.'
Grandma's eyes softened even more, the sternness melting into affection.
"Silly child… You don't owe us anything. Your coming here was fate, and meeting us was simply part of that destiny."
Du Yue shook her head stubbornly, lifting her gaze. "I do. If not for you and Grandpa… I wouldn't even be standing here. I'm better now, and I don't want to cause you any more trouble."
Su Wen stayed silent, his eyes calm as he watched the little sparrow hop from his shoulder to the table, chirping indignantly at him.
Grandma, of course, wasn't giving up so easily. She leaned back in her chair, steepled her fingers, and gave a knowing look at Su Wen, clearly preparing her next move.
Grandma was grandma, after all, and when reasoning failed, she decided to bring out her most dangerous secret weapon: emotional blackmail.
"Su Wen," she began dramatically, clutching her chest, "all I ever wanted was for you to be happy and live a fruitful, worthy life…"
Su Wen blinked, completely lost. 'Wait, how did we get here?'
Before he could ask, she kept going, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "You're always so lonely and dumb! Already sixteen and not once have you brought a girl home! Not once!" She sniffled, letting out the kind of practiced sob that could win awards.
Su Wen stared blankly at her, utterly speechless. Even the little sparrow tilted her head, clearly impressed by the performance.
And then, without missing a beat, Grandma suddenly turned toward Du Yue with a perfectly straight face and declared righteously, "If you really want to repay us… then marry our grandson!"
The room went completely silent.
Su Wen froze mid-blink, while Du Yue's chopsticks slipped from her fingers with a quiet clink. Grandpa, who was halfway through sipping his tea, choked and coughed loudly. Even the little sparrow's wings froze mid-flap, eyes wide in utter disbelief.
Grandpa rubbed his chin thoughtfully after catching his breath. 'Huh… this plot feels familiar. Isn't this from The Legends of Boss Wife? The one where the wife runs the whole household with just one tear, oops I mean with one finger?'
"Grandma!" Su Wen groaned as he stood up, face darkening.
Du Yue quickly shook her head, flustered. "No..no, that's not… I can't…" Her voice faltered.
Su Wen raised his hand, his voice calm but firm. "Grandma… seriously, no. This isn't a joke."
One had just gone through heartbreak, his heart colder than frost; the other had been betrayed by her own father and lost all trust in people. Both had no room left for such things.
But Grandma wasn't finished. She squinted, a triumphant smirk on her face, like a general who had just cornered her enemies. "Then it's decided…" she said sweetly but firmly. "Either you let my grandson treat you… or you marry him. Those are your only choices." Her tone was light, but the glint in her eyes said she meant it.
The silence that followed was so thick, even the little sparrow dared not chirp, though she eventually whispered, "Chirp… Grandma's scary and awesome..."