Chapter 50: Five Spirits Mountain, Senior Brother

"All of you, come out."

"Yes, Teacher." Cen Song's rebuke made the two children droop their ears and lower their heads.

The summer night sky was bright, filled with the sound of cicadas. With Cen Song’s scolding, the silent night grew lively.

"Squat properly, and stay there until you know your mistake. Only then may you stand." With these words, Cen Song swept his sleeves and left.

Under the moonlight, the two little ones held their horse stances in the courtyard.

Zimo squatted unsteadily, grimacing, his face flushed red.

"You called my name girly, but I wonder who’s really the girly one. You can’t even hold a horse stance," Chu Junhan glanced contemptuously at the boy beside her, who was clearly struggling. For her, holding a horse stance was everyday practice.

"Hmph!" Zimo snorted, turned his head away, and bit his lips stubbornly, refusing to utter a sound.

Chu Junhan’s lips curved into a smile. The child before her was just that—a child. Why bother with him? Thinking so, she cleared her throat and said, "Hey, you—sorry. I shouldn’t have hit you."

"You dare hit me, even though I’m your senior disciple? Don’t you know you should respect your elders?" The little boy pouted, his face full of indignation.

Chu Junhan pursed her lips, amused. "Just a little brat, and you call yourself an elder."

"Who are you calling a brat? I’m two years older than you. By age, the brat is you." The boy tilted his head, gazing off toward the distant woods.

They squatted in silence for a while, as summer mosquitoes buzzed relentlessly around them.

The boy scratched his neck, feeling unbearably itchy. "Hey, girly, why don’t we make peace?"

"What’s wrong? Can’t handle even fifteen minutes? Think carefully, who’s really the girly one?" Chu Junhan’s lips curled with mischief as she stared at the woods. She had no intention of backing down, not with a child.

"Why are you laughing when I’m offering truce?" The boy finally gave up, plopping down on the ground. Muttering, he said, "Well... junior, I won’t call you girly anymore. Can we make peace? This horse stance is torture, so why bother?"

Chu Junhan relaxed her fists against her abdomen, slowly straightened up, and exhaled a deep breath. Looking down at the boy sitting on the ground, she thought to herself—children are always children. "Fine, if the bed is mine, then we’re at peace."

"Then where do I sleep?"

Chu Junhan raised an eyebrow. "You’re the senior disciple, came earlier than me, and you know martial arts. Surely someone as capable as you can find a place to sleep?"

"Junior speaks sense." The boy nodded, delighted by her praise, though after a moment, he seemed to feel something was off and protested, "If the bed’s yours, where do I sleep?"

"There." Chu Junhan pointed her chin toward the woodshed. "Before I came up the mountain to study, I heard my senior was brave. Sleeping in the woodshed is surely nothing for you."

"Of course. Since you say so, I’ll let you have the bed." The boy rubbed his nose, stood up, brushed off the dust, and walked toward the woodshed.

"Thank you, Senior!" Chu Junhan grinned triumphantly. Children were indeed easy to placate.

With that, the little girl stretched, yawned, and headed for her room.

After a long day climbing the mountain, and then Cen Song’s punishment, Chu Junhan fell onto the bed and slept until midday.

"Ruoyan, little junior, wake up!"

Chu Junhan rubbed her eyes, dazed as she looked at the visitor. "What’s wrong, senior?"

"Teacher is furious in the courtyard, probably because of last night. Hurry, go see him!"

"Ah?" Chu Junhan didn’t dare delay even a moment. She hastily put on her shoes and ran outside.