Few People
“My name is Cheng Yan. I’ll be your first senior brother from now,” stated the eldest.
Cheng Yan was quite laid back. He might’ve dressed plainly, but he looked erudite and humble, so he didn’t pale in comparison to the cultivation world’s genius, Bai Lang.
Mu Yu nodded then performed a hand-palm salute. “Greetings, First Senior Brother.”
“I am Xiang Nan, your third senior brother.”
Xiang Nan was a big and honest boy. He dressed casually, perhaps too casually… He had a hole in his pants but didn’t seem to mind it. Mu Yu presumed he had a second senior brother who just happened to be absent.
“Greetings, Third Senior Brother!”
“My name is Lan Ling’er. Call me Senior Sister.”
“Greetings, Senior Sister.”
“Hi, Junior Brother, I’m Kongkong. This is my younger sister, Miaomiao,” primly said the boy with the red bib, pointing to Miaomiao.
“Hi, Junior Brother, I’m Miaomiao. This is my younger brother, Kongkong,” retorted Miaomiao, poking her tongue at her brother.
Kongkong: “I’m your older brother. You’re my younger sister!”
Miaomiao: “I’m your older sister. You’re my younger brother.”
Mu Yu laughed. “Greetings Junior Brother, Junior Sister!”
“It’s Senior Sister!”
“It’s Senior Brother!”
“I refuse,” responded Mu Yu, refusing to address two kids as his seniors. Plus, they looked as though they spelled trouble. What if they tried to boss him around as his seniors?
“Shifu, our new junior is disobedient,” complained Kongkong, tugging at Feng Haochen’s beard.
“Okay now, you two. You’re not even old enough to start cultivating, nor have I formally accepted you as disciples, so stop with it. Mu Yu is older than you two. He’s your senior brother from now on, got it?” Feng Haochen placed the two kids down.
Uncle An was the only one who could keep the two mischievous kids in line.
Kongkong assumed an akimbo pose. “You have to be the witness to testify I am the elder brother, then, deal?”
“I’m the elder sister,” contended Miaomiao, shooting her brother a glare.
“I don’t know who was born first. You two figure it out!” Feng Haochen conceded, not wanting any part of the quarrel.
Feng Haochen brought the two kids back to the mountain a few years ago from a group of refugees after they were orphaned. The two were twins. Hence, nobody could confirm who was older. He didn’t designate any of them as the elder and allowed them to bicker over it.
“I am An Yuan. I will be responsible for overwatching your training. Just call me Uncle An.”
An Yuan’s gaze for Mu Yu rendered the latter uncomfortable. Mu Yu’s impression of Uncle An was a man he shouldn’t get on the bad side of due to how strict the latter was. There wasn’t going to be any slacking off with him supervising.
“Greetings, Uncle An. Are my other seniors on the mountain?”
“This is all of us,” Xiang Nan clumsily answered.
Mu Yu’s eyebrows tugged up. Unable to believe the outlandish answer, he counted again. Including himself, there were only eight people. He asked again, “This is everyone in the sect?”
“No,” replied Lan Ling’er, shooting Xiang Nan a reproaching glare.
Xiang Nan covered his mouth and shook his head, claiming innocence.
Mu Yu scratched his head. “I thought so! A sect cannot be this small!”
“You haven’t met your second senior brother yet. Including you, there are nine of us in total,” stressed Lan Ling’er.
The atmosphere suddenly turned weird. Feng Haochen gently sighed and peered outside. Cheng Yan followed suit. Xiang Nan sneaked a peek at Lan Ling’er before pretending he was checking out a rock on the ground and kicked it up. Uncle An was his usual self. The two kids stopped bickering and held hands as if they were best friends. Mu Yu was still amazed he couldn’t count their sect members on two hands.
“Wh-where is Second Senior Brother?” inquired Mu Yu, regretting asking the question he shouldn’t have asked afterwards.
Xiang Nan winked to hint to Mu Yu not to ask. Cheng Yan shook his head. Kongkong and Miaomiao looked as if they were waiting for chaos to ensue. Uncle An’s gaze on Mu Yu had the latter’s hairs stand up. Feng Haochen was the only one who didn’t look back at Mu Yu. Feng Haochen answered, “You don’t have a second senior brother.”
Lan Ling’er pursed her lips to withhold words escaping her lips.
Mu Yu wondered if mishap befell his second senior brother. “Sorry, I did not know Second Senior Brother had passed away…”
“Watch your mouth! Second Senior Brother is doing fine. He just doesn’t want t-, it’s none of your business. Just know he’s alive!” scolded Lan Ling’er, before taking a deep breath to calm herself and returning to the mountain.
Mu Yu didn’t know how to react. Things didn’t start off on the right foot for him, clearly. Regardless, the mysterious individual bugged him. He questioned why nobody wanted to mention him. Where was he if he was alive? He seemed to be a taboo topic. He wasn’t sure what opinion to harbour. Judging from Lan Ling’er’s reaction, she probably looked up to him. At least, he knew not to thoughtlessly comment on his second senior brother in her presence henceforward.
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