Li Junzi lifted the teapot, poured tea into two cups, and placed them on the table.
"Have a seat first," Li Junzi gestured toward the only two chairs by the table.
Lin Luoyu glanced at the two chairs. With three people in the room, if she and her junior brother sat down, that would leave Li Junzi standing alone.
It wouldn’t be proper for disciples to sit leisurely while their teacher remained standing.
Lin Luoyu was about to decline, suggesting that she and Cui Hao stand instead.
But just as she turned to give Cui Hao a look or a signal, she found him already seated in one of the chairs without hesitation or waiting.
It was as if he were declaring, "I’ll listen to whichever of you speaks first."
Cui Hao didn’t hold back either. He picked up the teacup, and the faint scent of low-quality tea wafted up. After a sniff, a hint of pity flashed across his face, and he shook his head slightly.
The tea was not only poor in quality but also brewed carelessly—just leaves tossed into the pot without any technique.
Still, refusing to drink after being served would be impolite.
So Cui Hao reluctantly took a sip, then set the cup down and looked at his senior sister.
Wasn’t this obedient and respectful enough?
Unfortunately, Lin Luoyu’s gaze wasn’t exactly gentle—more like she wanted to stab him twice.
Cui Hao returned a look of confusion and grievance.
Lin Luoyu narrowed her eyes.
Cui Hao hesitated, then slowly rose to his feet. As her gaze softened slightly, he understood.
He didn’t need to listen to Li Junzi—only to his fourth senior sister.
Quickening his movements, Cui Hao stepped behind Lin Luoyu and stood there obediently.
Since he’d promised her earlier, he wouldn’t go back on his word.
After all, she was his senior sister. A little grievance was nothing.
"You were already seated—why get up?" Li Junzi motioned for Cui Hao to sit back down. "Mortal tea can’t compare to the brews of immortals. Don’t mind it."
Cui Hao remained silent, standing behind Lin Luoyu with his head lowered, ignoring Li Junzi’s words entirely.
For a moment, the room fell into an awkward silence.
Lin Luoyu had no choice but to glance at Cui Hao and say, "The teacher is speaking to you."
Cui Hao immediately lifted his head and flashed Li Junzi a bright smile.
Li Junzi studied Cui Hao for a moment, then turned a suspicious gaze toward Lin Luoyu.
"You haven’t been bullying your junior brother, have you?"
This junior brother was more obedient than a village dog.
In her letters, Lin Luoyu had written that everyone in the sect treated her well—no bullying, only kindness.
Looking at her fine robes and this junior brother beside her, it didn’t seem like she was the one being bullied.
More like the bully.
Was the immortal sect really this extreme? All those years of careful upbringing, and now a few months among cultivators had undone it?
Lin Luoyu hurriedly explained, "Of course not! My junior brother just has a lively personality."
Li Junzi’s questioning gaze shifted to Cui Hao, who responded with several vigorous nods.
Yes, his senior sister’s words were absolutely correct.
…What?
Still, Li Junzi had taught Lin Luoyu for years and trusted her judgment. Maybe this junior brother was just like this.
Li Junzi turned back to Lin Luoyu. "Since you’re back, you won’t be leaving too soon, will you?"
"Not in a hurry," Lin Luoyu replied quickly.
Li Junzi nodded. "Then I’ll prepare a meal. We can talk more after eating."
Lin Luoyu almost mentioned that she’d reached the Foundation Establishment stage and no longer needed to eat, but she swallowed the words.
It had been so long since she’d tasted her teacher’s cooking.
"Alright…" she agreed softly.
"What would you like to eat?"
"Anything you make, Teacher. I’ll love it."
Li Junzi smiled—a familiar expression that warmed Lin Luoyu’s heart. Then she turned to Cui Hao.
"And you? Is there anything you’d like? As long as the ingredients aren’t too rare, we should have it."
Cui Hao had a basic grasp of their relationship by now.
In response to Li Junzi’s question, he shook his head slightly, indicating he had no preference.
Li Junzi hesitated. Was this boy mute?
From the moment he entered, he hadn’t spoken a word—only nodding or shaking his head.
But she couldn’t ask outright. There might be some painful reason behind it.
With a quiet nod, Li Junzi stood and headed for the door.
"Stay here and behave," Lin Luoyu instructed before following Li Junzi.
She’d come all this way—of course she wanted to spend time with her teacher. If she just sat there, Li Junzi might really think they’d grown distant.
Cui Hao nodded again, then let his gaze wander around the room before settling on the bookshelf.
Many of these books were familiar to him. He hadn’t studied them deeply, but he recognized them.
They leaned heavily toward Confucian classics.
Was this teacher of his fourth senior sister a Confucian scholar?
No wonder Lin Luoyu had seemed a bit rigid when he first met her.
Outside, Li Junzi said nothing about Lin Luoyu following her.
The kitchen was in the lower right corner of the house, near the vegetable garden.
Li Junzi stepped into the garden and began picking vegetables with practiced ease. Lin Luoyu fetched a basin of water to wash them.
It felt just like the old days—as if they’d never been apart.
As she washed the vegetables, Lin Luoyu asked softly,
"Was that letter sent at your request, Teacher? If you wanted me to come back, why didn’t you write to me yourself?"
Li Junzi struck a flint to light the stove. "I didn’t ask them to write. But after news spread that you’d joined an immortal sect, people kept coming here with gifts."
"I had to scold them before they finally stopped."
"Lately, though, there’s been some demon activity. The Xuanwu Kingdom is in turmoil, and the Demon Suppression Bureau is too busy to deal with minor threats."
"A few days ago, someone asked if I missed you. I said of course I did."
"Probably, they wanted you to come back but were afraid of angering you, so they tried to get a word from me first."
"What did the letter say? That I demanded your return?"
Lin Luoyu shook her head. "They didn’t dare go that far. It just mentioned the demon in Lin Family Gully—nothing about you."
"After receiving it, I checked with the Demon Suppression Bureau. They confirmed the sighting but said the threat was minor. They advised the villagers to evacuate temporarily while they handled more urgent matters."
"I sent you so many letters, but none were answered. When I heard this news, I thought…"
Li Junzi chuckled. "You thought I’d passed on and abandoned you?"
Lin Luoyu nodded earnestly.
Li Junzi seemed pleased. "Joining an immortal sect has made you more open. In the past, you’d blush saying such things. Now you don’t even flinch."
Lin Luoyu didn’t argue. After all, her time in the sect had toughened her considerably.
By the standards of her fellow disciples, her current "thickness of face" was probably still a joke.
Lin Luoyu asked with some confusion, "Since you're here, sir, why haven't you dealt with those lingering resentments?"
Li Junzi didn’t answer the question. Instead, her gaze shifted to the hearth fire as she countered,
"Is your junior brother mute? He hasn’t said a word since entering."
"He’s not…"