Chapter 110: I’m This Kind of Person. -03
“Just how did you?”
“That’s what I want to ask. Aren’t you in the middle of a war with the Nine Heavens Gate right now?”
Peng Hwayeong, who was a head taller than Tang Seorin, narrowed her brows as she asked.
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t understand why Tang Seorin was here.
“There’s no need for me to fight as well.”
“Then shouldn’t you be in Sichuan Province?”
“I came because I had business.”
“At a time like this?”
“The Nine Heavens Gate is nothing special.”
Tang Seorin replied in a tone that suggested it was no big deal.
Though the Nine Heavens Gate was said to be the ruler of Miaojiang, the power of the Sichuan Tang Family was by no means inferior.
They had merely joined forces with other factions to minimize casualties.
You could say their interests had aligned.
“Really? I don’t know much about the Nine Heavens Gate.”
“But all four siblings came?”
“Father forced my brothers to come.”
At Peng Hwayeong’s words, Tang Seorin let out a faint chuckle.
Quick-witted, she immediately grasped what that meant.
However, the moment she met the brothers’ sticky gazes, her mood plummeted.
It seemed the two brothers had no sense of their place.
“It has been a while, Young Lady Tang!”
“We apologize for not attending the Supreme Family Head’s seventieth birthday banquet last year. We wished to go, but circumstances prevented us.”
As if they had never worn sullen expressions, Peng Chu-yeong and Peng Juyeong beamed brightly.
They were delighted by Tang Seorin’s unexpected appearance.
At the same time, both of them were thinking the same thing.
“It has been a while.”
“Hahaha. But what brings you all the way to Shaolin, Young Lady Tang?”
Peng Chu-yeong asked with a hearty laugh, showing off his masculinity.
Unfortunately, Tang Seorin had absolutely no interest in him.
She hadn’t in the past, and she never would in the future.
“I came to see Young Master Ban.”
“Pardon? B-Ban Hojin?”
“Oh? Are you close enough to call him by name so casually? As far as I know, that’s not the case.”
Tang Seorin wore a meaningful expression.
As she knew it, the person who had ultimately driven Peng Chu-yeong and the man beside him, Peng Juyeong, into closed-door training was Ban Hojin.
Of course, he hadn’t acted directly, but the result had been the same.
So rather than being close, it would be more accurate to say he treated them carelessly.
“We only know each other by sight.”
As if to prove it, the faces of Peng Chu-yeong and Peng Juyeong stiffened in an instant.
Just thinking of Ban Hojin made their teeth grind.
Thus, neither brother bothered to hide their hostility.
Jealousy lay beneath it as well.
“Then shouldn’t you refrain from speaking so casually?”
“He isn’t here, is he?”
“And I’m older than him.”
At the sight of the two brothers speaking as though they would at least win in age since they couldn’t win in skill, Tang Seorin let out a hollow laugh.
They were pitiful beyond measure.
Even their sisters, Peng Suyeong and Peng Hwayeong, seemed to think the same, slightly frowning as they looked at their brothers.
“By the way, why did you come to see Ban Hojin?”
“Do I need to explain my reasons one by one?”
“N-No, that’s not necessary.”
At her tone, sharp like the poisonous thorns of a toxic rose, Peng Chu-yeong shrank back despite his large build.
Tang Seorin’s gaze was that fierce.
“I’m curious too. Can you tell me?”
“No.”
They were the same age, but that didn’t make them friends.
They merely knew each other’s faces and exchanged greetings in passing.
That was the extent of Tang Seorin and Peng Hwayeong’s relationship.
Thus, Tang Seorin haughtily turned her body and walked in the direction of Ban Hojin’s quarters.
“She hasn’t changed.”
“People don’t change easily.”
“But her purpose is probably that, right?”
Peng Suyeong, who had been silently watching the conversation without even exchanging greetings, fixed her gaze on Tang Seorin’s group with certainty.
She hadn’t been told the reason, but everyone here knew.
Why Tang Seorin had come all the way to distant Songshan.
“If not, there’d be no reason to come this far. You saw the Tang Family Head’s eyes too, didn’t you?”
“I did. But ties between people can’t be forced. If Young Master Ban had been from a prestigious family, it might have gone as they wished, but unfortunately, his sect is Shaolin.”
“The Abbot said he would not get involved at all. He said he had no such authority. Perhaps if it were Young Master Ban’s parents.”
“But even if they try to approach his parents, would it work?”
“It won’t be easy.”
Like Peng Suyeong, Peng Hwayeong wore a skeptical expression.
Judging by Ban Hojin’s conduct thus far, even if his parents told him to meet someone, he would surely refuse if he disliked it.
“Let’s go too.”
“Enough of this useless talk.”
“What do you mean useless?”
After Tang Seorin left, Peng Chu-yeong returned to a displeased expression and spoke irritably.
But Peng Suyeong was no less stubborn.
She had been bickering with her brothers for years.
“We are having unnecessary conversations.”
“Isn’t your attitude too different when Young Lady Tang is here and when she’s gone?”
“Are you the same as Young Lady Tang?”
“Seriously. This is why men…”
“Anyway, we’re going to Shaolin. You two can go to Ban Hojin.”
At Peng Chu-yeong’s words, both Peng Suyeong and Peng Hwayeong looked bewildered.
They hadn’t expected him to openly disobey Peng Mancheol’s orders like this.
“What do you mean?”
“Father told us to go see Ban Hojin, not that we absolutely had to meet him.”
“Father won’t stay silent.”
“He’ll see him. But not today.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten Father’s words?”
Peng Suyeong placed both hands firmly on her hips, as if declaring that she would report exactly what had just happened.
Yet despite her threat-that-wasn’t-quite-a-threat, Peng Chu-yeong only let out a snort of laughter.
“As if I would forget. It’s just not today. I’ll go when the time is right. And since we’ve come all the way to Shaolin, at least one of us should pay a visit to the Abbot. That’s proper etiquette.”
“To me, it just looks like you’re trying to weasel your way out of it.”
If one listened carefully, she wasn’t wrong.
They had come all the way to Shaolin, and not greeting Damhyeon would certainly be a breach of etiquette.
However, in Peng Suyeong’s eyes, it seemed like he was exploiting that fact, which was why she kept nagging.
“Weasel out? As the Young Lord, I’m saying I’ll greet the Abbot. What you do and what I do are different.”
“Your tongue’s gotten sharper?”
“To your eldest brother?”
“You have to act like an elder brother to be one.”
“Ugh!”
Unable to win even a single exchange against Peng Suyeong, Peng Chu-yeong thumped his chest in frustration.
Judging by the sound alone, it was loud enough to make one think he had beaten someone senseless, and a few passing Incense Flower Guests glanced their way.
The martial artists, on the other hand, simply ignored it and walked on.
“I’ll let it slide this time. But not tomorrow. I won’t say anything today, but if you don’t go tomorrow either, I’ll tell Father. He personally asked me as well. You know that, right?”
“…I said I’d go.”
“We’re men too. If we promise something, we keep it.”
As Peng Suyeong’s nagging continued without end, Peng Juyeong added a word, as if to support her.
If they didn’t stop her now, it felt like she would go on for another meal’s time.
“Go on. And don’t misspeak in front of the Abbot.”
“Are we children?”
“Children who only grew in body and height.”
“You really—”
“Hurry up and go.”
Seeing Peng Chu-yeong’s face flush red as if he had reached the limit of his patience, Peng Hwayeong stepped in at just the right moment.
Peng Chu-yeong and Peng Juyeong snorted loudly, clearly displeased, before turning around.
They even walked heavily on purpose, making the ground tremble.
“Children. Truly.”
“They’d better not cause trouble again.”
Peng Hwayeong was genuinely worried.
It wasn’t that Ban Hojin ignored them—he was simply indifferent—but if they rubbed him the wrong way, it was certain things wouldn’t end well.
Moreover, not only Ban Hojin but also Seo Jo-woon and Moyong Cheok were formidable experts. Peng Hwayeong sincerely worried for her brothers.
“Did you see how they ran off the moment you stepped in?”
“That’s because I’m the youngest.”
“Hmph! Not because you’re the youngest. It’s because they’re afraid you’ll beat them up. Forget pride—they’d be too embarrassed.”
Staring at her brothers’ retreating backs, Peng Suyeong huffed.
It felt like they had aged for nothing.
Yet even though her voice wasn’t particularly quiet, Peng Chu-yeong and Peng Juyeong didn’t turn around once and simply kept walking.
“Let’s go too, Sister.”
“Alright. Watching those two only makes my chest feel tight and my head ache.”
“I don’t think the place we’re heading to will make us feel that comfortable either.”
“It’s fine. Seorin will fail anyway. If it were easy, would we be acting like this?”
As if she had already forgotten about her brothers, Peng Suyeong broke into a bright smile.
There was no need to rush.
“Honestly, I think so too.”
“We just have to do our best in our own way. If only you grow stronger, it’s a profitable deal.”
“And maybe find you a match along the way?”
“Hohoho.”
The wildcat-like demeanor she had shown earlier vanished, replaced by Peng Suyeong twisting her body shyly. Peng Hwayeong burst into laughter.
For all her fierceness, Peng Suyeong was still a woman.
“Thank you.”
Receiving the tea that Ban Hojin personally poured for her, Moyong Heesu accepted it politely with both hands.
Then she smiled sweetly at Ban Hojin.
“It’s nothing.”
“You must have been surprised by our sudden visit, right?”
“I wasn’t surprised. Cheok is here.”
“You could’ve at least sent word before coming. What if we had missed each other?”
Moyong Cheok spoke in a grumbling tone.
Yet unlike his words, his eyes were full of concern.
The distance from the Moyong Family to Songshan, where Shaolin was located, was considerable.
Though she had come with escort warriors, worry was unavoidable.
“Did I come alone? I came with the escort warriors.”
“Even so, it doesn’t hurt to be careful.”
“So should I just stay shut up at home?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Seeing Moyong Heesu pout her lips, Moyong Cheok softened his tone.
It wasn’t that he didn’t understand her feelings.
He simply wished she would think more carefully before coming.
Or at least send a letter in advance so he could go out to receive her.
“Father told me to come see you. He said that no matter how much you’re his son, isn’t it too much that you never contact home? You didn’t even send a single letter during the Spring Festival.”
“Ahem! Did I?”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Moyong Cheok.
None of them had expected that he hadn’t even sent word during the Spring Festival.
However, Moyong Cheok had his reasons.
He had been so absorbed in training that he hadn’t even realized the Spring Festival had come.
“Father is one thing, but Mother was very hurt. If you go back to the Main House, she’ll probably grab you first.”
“Gasp!”
Moyong Gung wasn’t frightening—but Mother was different.
No, rather than frightening, it was more accurate to say he grew weak before her.
Thus, Moyong Cheok wore a startled expression.
“You’d better write a letter now. And send it by the fastest messenger hawk.”
“That would be best, wouldn’t it?”
“No matter how quickly regret comes, it’s already late. But if you don’t move the moment you regret, it only becomes later still. And treat them well while they’re here. Just as our time passes, our parents’ time is flowing too. Perhaps even faster.”
“Ah.”
For some reason, Ban Hojin’s words didn’t merely strike Moyong Cheok’s heart—they pierced it.
The thought that time might flow differently felt branded into his chest.
“For the record, I send letters regularly.”
“I’ve always known that Elder Brother is quietly attentive. I’ve seen you send messenger pigeons regularly.”
“And how did you see that?”
“Wouldn’t it be because I take such devoted interest in you, Elder Brother? Hehehe!”
“So you’ve been steadily sending letters to the Main House too.”
Ban Hojin nodded.
He could guess how she had found out.
“Actually, I send them too. Not to Father, but to Mother.”
“Hah. So I’m the only bad one here.”
Moyong Cheok blinked.
Then he looked at Seo Jo-woon as if staring at a traitor.
Seonwu Bang was an elder brother, but Seo Jo-woon was different.
However, Seo Jo-woon remained confident.
“This is something you should do on your own. If someone tells you to do it, wouldn’t that be even stranger?”
“Excuse me!”
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