Chapter 9

Father-in-law ignored Lin SuCi for three days.

After the others knew about Lin SuCi’s great achievements in Mysterious Heart Sect, if nothing else, the quality of his food had improved a lot. Through various methods, Huilian had cooked three days of special kitty meals, and even prepared a can of dried fish for him.

“1 can isn’t enough, you have to give me at least 3 more! I want a spiced one, a spicy one, and a sweet and sour one!” Lin SuCi sat on the vegetable shelf swaying his tail, chewing on a piece of dried fish and sticking out three fingers at Huilian.

Huilian, who was bustling in the kitchen, no longer maintained a slightly aloof attitude towards Lin SuCi. He rolled his sleeves up and said goodnaturedly, “Ok, I’ll make you another can of the original flavor. You’re still young, you should eat less heavy-tasting food.”

Lin SuCi wrinkled his nose, “Fine, anyway Brother Huilian’s cooking skills are good.”

“It’s not Brother Huilian, you should call me Third Senior.” Huilian cut the fish as he spoke casually.

Lin SuCi did not take it seriously. “Isn’t Third Senior and Brother Huilian the same anyway?”

“How can they be the same? You’re now the new disciple in our sect, you should change your way of addressing us.”

A knock sounded on the open door of the kitchen, and a weary Ruan Linggu walked in. Towards Huilian’s words, she laughed til her shoulders trembled. “Hasn’t he already changed his form of address? Calling his master his father-in-law.”

Lin SuCi had been too engrossed in his act, and him calling Qing Fou “father-in-law” had made its way round the sect. Now, being teased about it, he was no longer embarrassed, blowing his cheeks out and tilting his head, he chewed on the dried fish and said gleefully, “Both names are referring to an elder anyway, it’s about the same.”

“But Master doesn’t feel that way.” Huilian spoke lightly and handed Ruan Linggu a piece of dried fish.

Ruan Linggu smiled cheerily, “You’re really impressive. Over the past few years, we haven’t accepted anyone into the sect. Now, Master and Eldest Senior are preparing to add your name to our books.”

Lin SuCi gripped the end of the shelf and steadied himself before jumping down. Patting away the dust off his backside, he tilted his head with some curiosity in his eyes. “Are you all really accepting me as a disciple?”

Ruan Linggu pointed towards the main hall. “If you don’t believe me, you can go ask your official keeper.”

Lin SuCi tuck the can of dried fish into the belt around his waist, then ran over with his tail swinging.

The tables had already been set up in the main hall, candles had been placed on the table at the front, and a hassock was laid on the floor.

When Lin SuCi came running over, Qing Fou was talking to Yan BoShen. Upon seeing him, he waved him over, “Come here, little kitty.”

Calling Lin SuCi over, Qing Fou scrutinized him. The little kitty who had been growing up within Cardinal Sect had now look just like part of the family. He was dressed in Yan Boshen’s clothes from when he was young, rolling up the too-long sleeves, revealing his fair, slender wrists, on his waist was a belt with a can of dried fish hanging from it, together with spell artifacts given to him by Huilian and Ruan Linggu.

Having ran over, Lin SuCi’s cheeks were tinted pink. A few strands of hair had loosened and was now tickling his eyelashes, as he blinked, the hairs moved slightly.

“Little kitty, let me ask you a question.” Qing Fou looked at Lin SuCi and paused. “Before he fell into my basket, did you have parents or other family?”

Lin SuCi recalled the scattered memories of the moment he regained consciousness and frowned. “I actually can’t remember much. I was too young, at that time, I haven’t even opened my eyes, and found myself alone in the mountains when I woke up.”

Being sneakily abandoned like this, he was afraid that behind it lay some bad implications. Lin SuCi was an optimistic person, and anyway, he was still him. He would just stay in Cardinal Sect and spend the rest of his life there, as for what happened to this body in the past, it had nothing to do with him.

After all, he was just a newborn baby, what could he have?

Lin SuCi showed a palm-sized distance with his hands. “I was just a little kitten of this size, and was abandoned. To heartlessly abandon such a cute child like me, even if I had parents, they might as well not exist.”

Qing Fou then asked, “Then what’s with your name, little kitty?”

Lin SuCi was very open about it. “I came up with it myself.”

He raised his fingers one by one, “I woke up in the forest, and so that’s a Lin. The first thing I ate was perilla, so that’s a Su. As for the Ci…”

Lin SuCi turned and pointed at Yan BoShen who was standing by the side with his arms crossed. “When I first transformed, I saw myself in the reflection of his eyes. In his eyes, I looked glossy, just like porcelain.”¹

Being singled out suddenly, Yan BoShen reacted to Lin SuCi’s statement with a twitch of his eyes. “… Nonsense.”

Lin SuCi smiled brightly. “Don’t deny it, BoShen. In your eyes, I’m very good looking.”

He raised his head, stroking his chin, and said in contemplation, “Or is it that I’m just too good looking?”

Yan BoShen wanted to refute, but his eyes fell on Lin SuCi’s face, and his rebuttal was stuck in his throat, and swallowed back in.

The youth who still had his kitty ears and tail looked like he was around the age of fifteen. Looking a little young and innocent, and his appearance was warm and gentle. His round animal eyes were clear and bright, adding some radiance to his already comely face.

In conclusion, Lin SuCi was good looking. But compared to his appearance, it was more his vitality and energy that made people like him.

“If we’re talking about appearances, it’s still BoShen that’s better looking.” Finished stroking his chin, Lin SuCi laughed and raised his hand, pretending to inadvertently caress Yan BoShen’s chin. After taking advantage of him, he quickly took two steps back, shaking his head and laughing gleefully, “Oh no, oh no. I’ve touched a beauty. I’m not going to wash this hand today!”

Yan BoShen gazed deeply at Lin SuCi, “…”

Qing Fou gave Lin SuCi a disdainful look, and tossed a hassock at him. “Stop playing around. Hurry up and come over to kowtow and offer a cup of tea, offering your respect to your Eldest Senior.”

Lin SuCi hugged the hassock, a little confused. He then slowly realised that Qing Fou was really going to accept him as a disciple.

Cardinal Sect was a small place. There was only one hall in it, and it was not lavish, but looked empty inside. There was only a piece of calligraphy on the wall that Lin SuCi did not know how to read, two round chairs with a small table in between, and on the table was a tray with a teapot that Xiao Lan had prepared, ready for them to start.

Huilian and Ruan Linggu had both made their way here, and were standing next to Xiao Lan. On Qing Fou’s right was standing only Yan BoShen alone.

Lin SuCi quickly glanced at Qing Fou. This white hair youth who had never seemed like a sect leader in front of him now looked very dignified. The way he looked at him, had a sort of sage-like demeanor to it.

Lin SuCi bit his lip, and became serious. Carrying the hassock, he placed it in front of the chair on which Qing Fou was sitting. Straightening his robes, he kneeled down.

He had never done anything like this before. As he knelt on the hassock, he did not know what he should do next. Turning his head, he looked at his official keeper.

From above, Yan BoShen saw Lin SuCi’s pleading look. Jerking his palm, he gestured at Lin SuCi.

Having received help, Lin SuCi winked his eye at Yan BoShen in thanks. Turning his head back, he folded his hands together, and gave Qing Fou three kowtows.

“Lin SuCi, today you have entered my Cardinal Sect, and now the past is behind you, while the future would be so.” Qing Fou’s eyes drooped, and looked at the cat boy kneeling at his feet. It was rare that the rambunctious Lin SuCi was so obediently quiet, and it was even not an act that he was putting up for show. Looking at this thin youth with a bowed head, there was a never before seen meekness coming from him.

Qing Fou paused, and witnessed by his disciples around him, he finished up. “Cardinal Sect’s Motto: In Accordance with Heart. Once you’ve entered our doors, you need to respect the motto, and keep it in mind.”

Lin SuCi kowtowed seriously, and under Yan BoShen’s signal, he took the tea that Xiao Lan had prepared, offering it respectfully to Qing Fou. “Master!”

Qing Fou took the cup and looked at the kneeling youth. He smiled and nodded his head slightly.

“Did you understand what your master just said?” He asked casually.

Lin SuCi shook his head honestly, “I don’t understand.”

Qing Fou, “…”

“Sometimes, I really don’t know what’s going with you, little kitty. When you’re smart, you’re frighteningly sharp. But when you’re dumb, you really seem like a baby animal.” Qing Fou exclaimed.

Lin SuCi thought about it, then decided to throw the blame on others with a thick skin. “It my be because of my elders. When I was small, they would always give me their advice and preach at me, leading me to have a vague shadow of them around me.”

Qing Fou said earnestly, “If possible, I hope I’ll never meet your elders in my life.”

Lin SuCi replied carelessly, “Don’t worry, you won’t be able to meet them even in your next life.”

After paying respects to his master, next he was to offer his respects to his seniors.

There were few people in Cardinal Sect. Second Senior Xu WuWang and Sixth Senior ZhongLi Haiming were not around, and Lin SuCi was already familiar with the rest. All he had to do was sweetly address them with a different name.

Fifth Senior Xiao Lan, Fourth Senior Ruan Linggu, Third Senior Huilian were all addressed beautifully by Lin SuCi, and finally Eldest Senior was left.

Yan BoShen, whose chin had just been touched, looked at him in silence.

Lin SuCi smiled cheerily and called, “Eldest Senior.”

His voice was clear, sounding forceful, and did not have any trace of embarrassment over having teased anyone, and was righteous.

Yan BoShen did not respond immediately.

Lin SuCi grinned wickedly, touching his lips. Before the word beauty could escape his mouth, his lips clamped together as though they had been glued shut, and his mouth could not open.

Only then did Yan BoShen slowly acknowledged him.

Lin SuCi blinked and looked around. His newly recognised seniors all avoided his gaze, looking all over the place but never looked at him.

As the Master, Qing Fou rubbed his eyes, pretending, “Ah, I’m so sleepy. I want to sleep now, you should all leave first.”

Lin SuCi’s mouth still could not open and was kicked out like this. He hurried after Yan BoShen.

“Mm mm mm!”

Lin SuCi could not speak, but he could run quickly. Pounding after Yan BoShen, and when he took a turn, he leapt onto him, hugging his neck firmly, and clung onto his back while shaking him.

Yan BoShen was completely unprepared for this. With arms around his neck, the little kitten’s body temperature which was higher than his surrounded him.

“Mm mm! Mm mm mm! Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm!”

Lin SuCi could not open his mouth, but he could still make sounds. As he shook Yan BoShen, he hummed, making a rhythm of it.

Yan BoShen’s face darkened, and he wanted to toss the naughty kitten away from his back. However, it was as though Lin SuCi was coated in oil, extremely slippery. Yan BoShen spent a lot of effort, but could not catch him.

Helpless, he raised his hand and snapped his finger.

“Get down!”

Lin SuCi grinned, but still did not climb off Yan BoShen’s back. Instead, he hooked his legs around his waist, and hugged Yan BoShen’s neck tightly. “Eldest Senior is so heartless, hurting my little baby heart. I’m sad, I can’t walk anymore, I need Senior to piggyback me.”

Piggyback… Yan BoShen closed his eyes, raised his hand, and his slender fingers again snapped crisply.

In the next moment, the smug little kitty froze.

Yan BoShen slowly peeled the little kitty off his back.

Lin SuCi could not move, and watched as Yan BoShen patted his sleeves. The corner of his mouth revealed a tiny curve to it, and he left without looking back.

Tsk.

Lin SuCi waggled his tongue, and found that he could still speak. Laughing wickedly, he raised his voice, and the loud and clear cry was deafening. “Eldest — Brother! Your — trousers — have — fallen!”