Turning My Junior Sister into a Mary Sue In Xianxia Yuri World (Patreon)

Volume 4 Chapter 2 / Chapter 276: Big Brother Zhuang, Behind Closed Doors

At the beginning of March, the spring sun peeked over the horizon.

In the library of SHundred Lotus ect’s main peak, an oil lamp still burned. A man dressed in the robes of a Hundred Lotus Sect elder glanced at the morning light filtering through the paper windows and exhaled deeply.

"Hmm..."

Unknowingly, dawn had arrived.

Yet, the man’s desk remained piled high with documents. He had been sitting there, working without sleep, for five consecutive days.

Zhuang Hu pondered whether it was finally time to slack off a little.

When he had followed Ye Anping to the sect, he knew his position was delicate—an outsider, and a wanted demonic cultivator at that.

It was like being an undocumented worker.

If Ye Ao wanted, he could expel Zhuang Hu at any time without providing any compensation.

Although Ye Anping had repeatedly assured him that he and Zhuang Atin could live peacefully in the Hundred Lotus Sect, trusting the promise of someone like him...

Heh...

Thus, from the moment he arrived, Zhuang Hu worked himself to the bone. Serving tea and water to Ye Ao was just the beginning—he had made sure to curry favor with every elder in the sect, gifting them according to their preferences. He took on every dirty and exhausting task he could, as though fueled by sheer adrenaline.

As long as he made himself indispensable, Ye Ao would have no reason to drive him out.

And as long as Ye Ao didn’t expel him, Zhuang Atin would have a stable environment to grow up in, no longer needing to wander the world, braving the elements as they once had.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder why he had taken Atin in back then...

"Forget it, forget it. There’s no medicine for regret in this world. I chose this path, so no matter how hard it gets, I’ll walk it... sigh—"

Zhuang Hu sighed, picked up another document, and began to read.

But as his tired, black-ringed eyes scanned the page, they widened slightly.

"...Dead?"

The document was a condolence notice, issued when prominent cultivators passed away. Such notices were sent to various sects and later summarized in the market square newspapers for cultivators passing through.

The notice in question mourned Liu An, a mid-Core Formation cultivator and minister of the Central Region’s Overclear Sect.

For once, Zhuang Hu’s face showed a hint of anger. But after a moment’s hesitation, he returned to his usual expressionless state, wrote "Reviewed" on the document, and sent it into the pile destined for the market square.

"I’ve been on the run with Atin for years. What does it have to do with me? Why think too much about it?"

Bang!

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed as the library doors were kicked open.

"Father!!!"

Already on edge from exhaustion, Zhuang Hu jolted in shock. Looking up, he saw Zhuang Atin.

He took a deep breath, quickly stood up, and inspected the door she had kicked.

"Atin!! Who taught you to kick doors?!"

He glanced around to make sure no one else had seen it, then sighed in relief. Pulling out repair tools and paint from his storage bag, he started fixing the dent in the door.

"I’ve told you so many times to behave and not cause trouble."

"But, but, Father—"

Zhuang Atin’s face was full of panic, and she was stumbling over her words.

"Wait until I finish fixing this. What’s the rush?"

Zhuang Hu quickly patched the door, leaving no trace of damage. He couldn’t afford for anyone to catch him at fault—if Ye Ao ever used "your adopted daughter broke the library door" as an excuse to expel him, it would be disastrous.

"Atin! How many times have I told you? Be quiet and stay out of trouble!"

"But, but, Father! Aunt—Aunt is back! What should I do?"

...

"Back?" Zhuang Hu frowned, not understanding her panic. "What’s the big deal? Did you do something wrong?"

"No, no! But— but if she’s back, she’ll want to break my bones again! Father, tell her I’m not here, okay? I’ll come out after she leaves..."

"And what if they don’t leave?"

"Then... then let’s leave, Father! Aunt is terrifying!"

"... ..."

This girl had wanted a stable home so badly, yet now she was talking about running again... Zhuang Hu sighed softly and said,

"I’ll talk to your aunt later. I’ll ask her to stop trying to break your bones."

The wind stirred, and suddenly, Zhuang Atin’s ears twitched slightly. She seemed to sense Pei Lengxue approaching and, startled, quickly darted into the library. She randomly opened a cabinet and climbed inside.

"Atin—"

"Father, don’t call me!!"

"Sigh—"

Zhuang Hu sighed again, straightened his posture, adjusted his robe, and returned to his desk to continue reviewing documents.

Not long after, Ye Anping and Pei Lengxue stepped into the room.

As soon as they entered, Pei Lengxue asked,

"Big Brother Zhuang, where’s Atin?"

"I don't know," Zhuang Hu glanced at the wardrobe beside him and said, "Probably playing somewhere."

"I see..." Pei Lengxue looked a little disappointed. "I'll go ask elsewhere. Senior Brother, I'm going to look for Atin."

"Mm."

Ye Anping nodded slightly, watching as his junior sister flew off on her sword. Then, he glanced at the pile of documents in the library and felt a pang of sympathy. He asked,
"Big Brother Zhuang, I've been away for half a year, and my father’s been working you like this? Can’t you ask him to ease up?"

Zhuang Hu's expression remained blank.

"He pays me spirit stones; I do the work."

Looking at Zhuang Hu’s dark circles, Ye Anping pursed his lips, grabbed a stool, and sat across from him at the desk.

"You should still get some rest, though. By the way, you made quite a lot when you were traveling with me. Do you really need these monthly spirit stones that badly?"

"Would you ever complain about having too many spirit stones?"

"No."

"Mm-hmm."

Zhuang Hu shrugged slightly. Seeing Ye Anping come to him first thing after returning, he figured there was business to discuss. He put down his pen, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his chair.

"Same as always. Speak first."

Ye Anping looked a little awkward and raised an eyebrow.

"I just came to check on you. Can’t I show some concern and see how you’re doing?"

"Do you seem the type?"

"Ah, Big Brother Zhuang, we’re not strangers. Why so formal?"

"Get to the point."

"Sigh—" Facing Zhuang Hu's poker face, Ye Anping found himself at a loss. The game never detailed Zhuang Hu’s personality, so he had no clue about his past. All he could do was probe cautiously.

"Fine. I have something I’d like your help selling."

"Hm. Something from the Southern Region?"

"... You could say that." After some deliberation, Ye Anping took out an oiled paper package containing a glass bottle.

"This..."

Zhuang Hu initially thought it was some rare treasure Ye Anping had looted from a sword sect, but seeing it was just a paper-wrapped bottle, he frowned.

"What kind of pill?"

"I’d rather not say. Take a look yourself."

Zhuang Hu reached out, took it, and gave Ye Anping a wary glance, as though he feared it might explode. He carefully unwrapped the oiled paper and peeked into the bottle.

He froze mid-motion, then immediately rewrapped the paper around the bottle.

"... ..."

"... ..."

For a long moment, the two men stared at each other, their expressions frozen.

Finally, Zhuang Hu’s gaze slowly shifted toward Ye Anping’s crotch, his eyebrows arching.

...?

Catching his gaze, Ye Anping blinked and frowned.

"Big Brother Zhuang, is that a polite place to look?"