“I can’t have it! I can’t ask for stuff from a visitor, right? Otherwise, I’ll get scolded by the old man,” Grandma Wu said, smiling. “Oh yeah, how do you know that I have a grandson? Did Weiwei tell you about him?”
“Grandma Wu, you have to take this with you. I may visit you more often in the future,” Guo Huai said. He did not explain anything and stuffed the pendant into Grandma Wu’s palm. “You must let your grandson wear it for a while, hahah.”
“Grandma Wu, why is it so noisy here? Is Weiwei here yet?” an old man said. After that, Ceasewind Grandmaster walked towards them. Guo Huai had only seen him once, in school yesterday. However, he oddly felt that Ceasewind Grandmaster was really familiar.
“Oh? I want to see how you can make Weiwei bring you here,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said with a smile, looking at Guo Huai. “She didn’t bring Kong Xuan here before, not even for once.”
Grandma Wu immediately went beside Ceasewind Grandma and pulled him hard before saying, “Old man, what are you talking about? You shouldn’t be this straightforward.”
“Stop it, Grandma Wu. I wouldn’t fancy Weiwei if she couldn’t withstand an impact this small. She won’t be the disciple of Ceasewind Grandmaster otherwise. Alright, you don’t have to join us now. Go and use the meat that the few brats gave us a while ago and make us lunch,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said, smiling.
Guo Huai stepped forward and introduced himself, “I’m Guo Huai, sorry for coming without being invited. Nice to meet you, Ceasewind Grandmaster.”
“The wonderful wine that Dezhi shared with us yesterday was provided by you, right? Since I’m taking care of your meal, should you take care of my wine today? Hahah,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said shamelessly. “Leave the cooking to Grandma Wu, I’ll bring you two to the study room. I wrote a few words this morning, come and have a look.”
‘忍者有成，燥者无功，韧者多福，争者寡欢.’ These sixteen big words were really eye-catching.
‘The patient often succeeds, while the impatient loses; the strong relishes in delight, while the weak struggles in despair.’
“Kid, don’t look at these words at the moment. Go over there and write a few words, I want to see if you improved over the past month,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said, smiling.
Guo Huai took out the writing brush he got earlier from his bag and said, “Grandmaster, I happened to pa.s.s by a store earlier and picked up a rather unique brush to give it to you. Since Weiwei is going to write a few words now, I’ll let her try it out,” he said as he proceeded to the inkstone to prepare ink for Murong Weiwei.
“Hahah, Mu Qingbai is so generous this time, eh? Since you mentioned that you’re giving it to me, you mustn’t regret it later. I’ll write you a line of words in return,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said as he smiled.
Murong Weiwei received the writing brush from Guo Huai and asked, “Brother Huai, what do you think I should write?”
“Write whatever you have in mind. Keep calm and don’t think about anything else when you write. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to perform at your best, regardless of how well you can control your hands,” Guo Huai said and walked away.
‘等闲变却故人心，却道故人心以变.’ Murong Weiwei slightly tweaked the poetry written by Nalan Xingde, a poet in Qing Dynasty. After writing, Murong Weiwei walked to stand beside Ceasewind Grandmaster.
‘How is it that promises are so easy to be forgotten, while you so insincerely accuse the heart as the denier?’
“Kid, can you write a few words for us as well?” Ceasewind Grandmaster asked.
“I guess I’ll have to show my inadequacy then,” Guo Huai said before putting his bag down on the floor. He unfastened the first two b.u.t.tons of his shirt and slowly rolled up his sleeves before washing and wiping his hands.
‘入我相思门,知我相思苦,长相思兮长相忆,短相思兮无穷极.’ The moment Guo Huai put down the writing brush, Ceasewind Grandmaster started clapping.
‘If you enter the gates of my longing, you will understand the depth of my pain; my twin states of suffering—long and short. If prolonged, yearning resurrects lasting memories that could never be cleaved apart. If reduced, yearning sears and burns each fleeting instant and has no end in sight.’ [Translation source: link]
“Excellent! I didn’t expect to be able to see words like this before I die. I can finally rest in peace…” Ceasewind Grandmaster said loudly. “Who cares about ‘South Zheng North Xue’ or ‘Ceasewind Grandmaster’? They’re all c.r.a.p compared to you! Little friend, please accept my praise,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said before bowing strictly.
Guo Huai proceeded to hold up Ceasewind Grandmaster and said, “Grandmaster, you’re overpraising me this way. They’re just a few words, you’re treating them too seriously. Let’s talk about Weiwei’s words first.”
“Alright, let’s talk about Weiwei’s words,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said with a smile. “I didn’t want to keep you as my disciple back then, because you weren’t able to walk out from Kong Xuan’s incident. When love doesn’t fade, words don’t form nicely. If you still want me to be your master, I’ll accept your request.”
“Weiwei, what are you waiting for? Call him master! Grandmaster’s writing is indeed the best in China,” Guo Huai said with a smile.
“Little friend, you’re overpraising me now. I have something that I really don’t understand. Judging from your age this young, how is it possible for you to write something that gives off a perception this deep?” Ceasewind Grandmaster asked softly.
“Other people only know that Guo Liuyi has a prodigal, good-for-nothing grandson who refused to learn anything but the five vices. However, who truly understood what this kid has gone through? It’s just that I decided to change my ways,” Guo Huai said softly.
After listening to what Guo Huai said, Murong Weiwei’s eyes reddened. What he said made sense. Just how much had this sixteen-year-old been through to be able to express this much depth in his words? She felt that this man she picked, whom even the father of sinology bowed to, was the right choice.
[TL note: Sinology is the study of Chinese language, history, customs, and politics.]
Ceasewind Grandmaster lightly nodded his head, although he still refused to believe what Guo Huai said. No matter how much he had been through, it was impossible for a sixteen years old to be able to do that.
Guo Huai looked at Murong Weiwei who was tearing, then looked at Ceasewind Grandmaster who he rendered speechless. He thought, s.h.i.t, I shouldn’t have c.r.a.p this much. I can’t just tell you that I’m Telepath Starlord who had just been banished to the mortal world, and before reaching ascension, I’ve lived for more than a hundred years in Tang Dynasty, right? “Ahem, ahem. Grandmaster, I saw a midgame Go in the living room earlier. Should we finish the game before lunch?” Guo Huai asked.
[TL note: Go: the encircling game.]
“You excel in the game as well?” Ceasewind Grandmaster asked, astonished.
“I know the fundamentals of the game. My hands got itchy after seeing the midgame board,” Guo Huai said.
“Let’s go to the living room then. Girl, I have to thank you for bringing him here today. It seems like you made the right decision for not bringing Kong Xuan here, hahah,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said, his mouth held no taboo.
“Grandmaster, I’ll start first to take advantage of you,” Guo Huai said and lightly placed a black stone on the board.
After around thirty rounds, Ceasewind Grandmaster raised his head and looked at the youngster in front of him, flabbergasted. He did not know that what Guo Huai did was possible.
“I don’t want to play anymore! You won,” Ceasewind Grandmaster said loudly. “Little friend, don’t call me grandmaster anymore. My name is Chen Yutong, a native of Yushu in Qinghai Province. You may call me Old Man Chen from now on.”
“Your surname is Chen?!” Guo Huai said, astonished. He finally knew why Ceasewind Grandmaster seemed so familiar. Back then, Sun Wukong saved a child called Chen Jiazhuang at Tongtian River, who would then ascend to heaven to become Telepath Starlord. Ceasewind Grandmaster was the descendant of Guo Huai!