Winning the 10 point match was a little difficult since Ying Yu was prepared for her sudden bursts of speed. However, with Shiroās vast combat experience and understanding of her body, she was able to narrowly dodge Ying Yuās strikes just in time to counter with her own. The final score, 10-0.
"Thank you very much for your tutelage. Iāve learnt a lot in todayās spar. If you donāt mind, can we do this more often?" Ying Yu asked with a happy smile.
"Weāll see. I may be here for a while so if we get the chance then sure." Shiro smiled before making her way back to the sect master.
". . ."
Looking at Attie who was sitting on Li Jianās shoulder while he was contemplating about something brought quite a weird feeling to Shiroās heart but she ignored it for now and reached out for Attie.
"Ah not yet. Do you not want to fight against anyone else? Get some exercise?" Li Jian asked with a forced smile.
Furrowing her brows in suspicion, Shiro shook her head.
"Itās ok. Iāll take my son and be on my way now..." She said slowly as she reached for Attie.
"Ok, listen, can Attie become my grandchild?" Li Jian asked seriously as Shiroās smile twitched.
He didnāt want to beat around the bush and make excuses so he decided to come out with his thoughts.
"Heās my son."
"Not flesh and blood. Like how people have stepfatherās, Iāll just be his step grandpa."
"I donāt think thatās how it works."
"We can make it so that it works."
"But he has his real grandpa and grandma. My parents are still alive."
"What about the fatherās side."
"He has no fatherās side."
"Then I can be the grandparent on the fatherās side."
"What part of he has no fatherās side do you not understand?"
"If he has none, we can just make it so that he does."
"How desperate are you to have a grandchild???"
"LISTEN! Not being able to have children does quite something on a manās psyche ok!? I want to be called grandpa by my grandkids but itās not possible so Attieās the next best choice!" Li Jian confessed as he slammed his hand down on the ground.
Widening her eyes from the sudden slam, Shiro looked at the man once more.
"You canāt have children?"
"No."
"Is it relationship problems or..."
". . . I just canāt ok."
". . ."
". . ."
". . ."
"So am I Attieās grandpa now?"
"No!"
"WHY?!"
"Because Iāve literally only known you for a week!" Shiro stood up.
"A week is nothing! There used to be marriages happening when people knew each other for only 2 days!"
"Thatās the past old man! And itās something else entirely!"
"The past is the foundation of the future!"
"Whatever, Iām going." Shiro shook her head and wanted to leave. Who knows if this old man was about to kidnap her son when sheās not looking.
Glancing at Li Jian, Attie thought about it for a moment before smiling and giving him a small wave.
"Attie donāt wave to strange creepy old men. He looks 30+ but his actual age is deceiving." Shiro lectured as Attie retracted his wave.
"Damn it young lady! Just let this old man have his wish ok!? Why are you like this?!"
"Because heās my son! Why donāt you just adopt one if you want a grandkid!"
"Thatās not the same!" Li Jian stood up.
"Why isnāt it the same!?"
"Because my boy Nan Tian only has eyes for you! Iāve tried to match him a few times already but he rejected them! I thought it was a romance thing so I had my elders read some tips and books online to see how they would woo the opposite s.e.x and help him but it didnāt work! Even after all the elders tried to teach him, he still hasnāt wooed anyone!"
"Wait, youāre the cause of his initial approach??" Shiro glared at the old man in annoyance since he was the catalyst that pushed little beggar on a path to become a stalker.
"Yes because he never showed interest towards girls! At one point I thought he was gay so I tried to match him with males and he got pissed off at me!" Li Jian confessed.
". . ."
"Since he only has eyes for you, Attie is the closest thing to a proper grandkid ok!? Just let this old man have his wish!"
"Like I said, no!" Shiro huffed before leaving.
"If you give me food, Iāll be your grandkid. And before you say anything, Iām kidding." Yin called out nonchalantly as she was currently holding a roasted chicken drumstick.
Earlier, she was eating in the canteen with Iziuel before sensing that Shiro was walking around so she wanted to come talk to Shiro only to stumble on the two of them arguing about how he couldnāt be Attieās grandpa.
"Aināt that cannibalism?" Shiro raised her eyebrow.
Looking down on the chicken drumstick, Yin shrugged.
"This one doesnāt fly and it canāt breathe fire. Not the same. Anyways, itās just a name mum. Isnāt having more people keep Attie company good?" She asked as Shiro glanced back at Li Jian who was trying to get Attieās attention.
Thinking about it for a moment, Shiro agreed that it was good but it was quite... odd to have Li Jian become Attieās grandpa.
After all, with how Li Jian phrased it, Nan Tian and Li Jian would essentially become Attieās fatherās side of the family.
Quickly shaking her head of the thought, Shiro refused once more.
"Well just because you canāt be called lil broās grandpa doesnāt mean you canāt treat him well." Yin shrugged and took a bite of the chicken.
"But he wonāt call me grandpa then." Li Jian sighed.
"Itās not like he can talk yet since heās young. Anyways, Imma go back to Iziuel now. sheās still waiting in the canteen." Yin waved her hand before jumping into the shadow.
āDid you come here to make trouble for me?ā Shiroās smile twitched before turning back to Li Jian.
"You can stay with Attie but just so that weāre clear, youāre not his grandpa ok?"
"Why are you so against it? Like your daughter said, itās just a name." Li Jian pouted slightly as Shiro felt a shiver down her spine.
The sight of a middle aged man like Li Jian pouted gave her quite the shock.
"Well itās because Lilā Tian will be akin to Attieās dad if thatās the case." Shiro said while glancing away.
Tilting his head for a moment, Li Jianās lips curved into a sh*t eating grin.
"Ah so thatās the case. Hahahaha! Young lady, your thought process is quite ācuteā hahahaha! Youāre one of those tsundere things arenāt you? Ok ok, I got it. I āwonātā be Attieās grandpa." Li Jian laughed as he gave her a knowing wink.
Since sheās one of those tsundere people, Li Jian understood that he essentially needed to reverse her sentences.
You canāt be Attieās Grandpa -> You can be his grandpa but not yet.
"Eat sh*t and die old man! What do you mean Iām one of those tsundere things!?" Shiro gritted her teeth since she felt like she was about to bust a vein talking to this old man.
The worst part of it was that she couldnāt harm him either since she owed him a debt of gratitude. Not only did he save Nan Tian, he had also saved her a few times with the healers. On top of that, he even provided some manpower during the fight against Aekari.
"Hahaha, itās ok, I understand." Li Jian smiled.
"If you want to visit Lilā Tian, his room is on the third floor of the main building. It shouldnāt be too hard to find." He chuckled.
"Iām not looking for him!" Shiro huffed before storming off. The longer she talked with him, the more she felt she was about to lose her mind.
Seeing Shiro walk away, Li Jian gave Attie a wave before pouring himself another cup to tea.
āNan Tian, you found quite an interesting person.ā He thought with a smile.
###
Asking around for where the library is, Shiro realised something. She hadnāt asked permission to use it yet.
". . . F*ck." She muttered since it meant that she needed to go back to the old man after literally just telling him to āeat sh*t and die.ā
Seeing Shiro frown slightly, Attie tilted his head before reaching out to Shiro and pushed the side of her lips up into a smile.
*Ba-dum
"Ahh why are you so cute!" Shiro smiled and hugged Attie.
"Mommyās just thinking about how I should talk to that old man again, donāt worry."
Hearing this, Attie puffed out his chest and patted it, as if telling Shiro to leave it to him.
"Ah itās fine Attie, you donāt have to worry." Shiro smiled before turning around.
Taking a deep breath, she mentally prepared herself to talk to Li Jian again.