Making Friends (2)

"Junior, please think about it again. If you're worried that this senior has some scheme behind it, I'm willing to give you what I promised to you upfront." Tong Wansi got nervous when he heard Yanglin's rejection.

It never came across his mind that the youth before him was more decisive than he looks.

"This junior can only continue to offend senior. The reward you promised was not the problem, but something else." Yanglin raised his hand up and sternly rejected Tong Wansi's offer without thinking twice. His facial expression remains serious and undisturbed while holding firm on his decision.

Saying that Yanglin would not regret his decision was utterly untrue. Perhaps, there won't be a single person in this world that wasn't attracted to benefits. But to Yanglin, a small gift like this wasn't worth his time.

Even if he accepted it, the gift would come with some liability and responsibility for Tong Xun.

"Fine..." Tong Wansi shook his head from the disappointment. He knows that it would be pointless to insist Yanglin accept his offer. As someone with a baseline to uphold, he could roughly guess the reason for Yanglin's rejection.

But even if he could guess the reason, he might be wrong about it. Instead of thinking about the reason for the youth not taking up his offer, Tong Wansi figured he might as well ask for the answer.

"Is there... A reason for you to reject to befriend my Xun-Er?" Tong Wansi asked. With the arrival of the food into the room, there's nothing better than speaking casually during this time.

"If junior was to think about the reason, there might be a few," said Yanglin.

"But if I have to choose one, it's because of young master Tong's wellbeing." he continued. "Have senior thought about Tong Xun's feeling?"

"Let's assume that this junior accepted senior's offer to befriend the young master. How sure are you that the young master will accept me as a bosom friend? This junior might be young, but I still know the importance of the word (Loyalty) in life." Yanglin kept speaking.

"If befriending Tong Xun is something that I have to do because of some profit, then this junior would befriend no one because there's no (Friendship) and (Loyalty) in between." Yanglin holds the cup with both hands and bowed at Tong Wansi.

"Junior spoke too much and too immature. Please forgive junior for his unbefitting attitude today." Yanglin politely proposed a toast to Tong Wansi and finished the cup of tea he's holding.

"Servants, come here." Tong Wansi kept his eyes shut for a second after he called for the servants.

"Master, what order you have for this servant?" the family servant stepped into the room. It was the same family servant that brought Yanglin here.

"Go and get Xun-Er over here. The madam too, if they're together." Tong Wansi ordered.

"This servant will go and inform the young master and madam immediately." the servant nodded and prepared to leave the room.

But before he retreated, a sound came into the room.

"No need." it was Tong Xun's voice. It seems that they've been listening from another room for a while now.

"Xun-Er greets dear father. Xun-Er hopes father won't be angry at this useless son's eavesdropping in the next room." Tong Xun apologized to his father before saying anything else. As for his mother, she said nothing, but there was a smile on her face.

She looks satisfied with her son's attitude at this moment. But the question here is, did she not tell Tong Xun to go back to his room and cultivate a while back?

....

In fact, Tong Xun was about to return to his room after he was lectured by his mother. But before leaving, he decided to ask his beloved mother a question in his mind.

"Mother, Xun-Er has something he doesn't understand." Tong Xun turned around and talked to his mother.

"What is it?" although she was angry, she's still his mother. And a mother's eternal responsibility was to answer her child's curiosity while she still could.

"Xun-Er has father and mother's support, but Yanglin only has himself to rely on. How can he still fight me to a draw? Is there something Xun-Er don't know about?" Tong Xun said.

Until now, he still failed to understand why Yanglin can fight equally against him to a draw.

Tong Xun's question made his mother extends her hand and pulled him to her side. She knew that this was a knot in her child's heart that has to be removed.

"Xun-Er... You're strong. But you lack what we call effort. Background, support, talent, luck were what we need in our cultivation, but nothing would come together without effort."

"Like building a house... Heaven can bless you with fertile land, your father can give you wood, and your mother can give you nails. Perhaps your friend would give you a hand too..."

"But if you don't put an effort, what is the use of having everything?" Tong Xun's mother gently stroked Tong Xun's head. This was perhaps something that only a parent could teach their child.

"Come. Follow your mother to a place." Tong Xun's mother said as she pulled her child's hand and hurried over to this room beside Tong Wansi and Yanglin.

...

"Let's fight again. This time, not for rewards, but to see who the elder brother is and the younger one. Do you dare to bet?" Tong Xun pulled Yanglin's collar and rechallenged him.

"I'm sure I am the older one. I am born at the beginning of the year, you know?" Yanglin chuckled as he can feel some changes in Tong Xun's eyes. This time, it was filled with the flame of competition between them.

Unlike before, there's no longer any hint of looking down at Yanglin due to his poor background.

"Xun-Er!" Tong Wansi was somewhat unhappy with Tong Xun's rashness.

But the madam came to his side and interrupted before Tong Wansi could continue to scold his child.

"Why not? If Xun-Er wins, he'll be a big brother. And if he lost, we'll have a foster son. It's fine, correct?" the madam pinched Tong Wansi's buttcheek before he could continue.

The parents were smiling at the two youths. It was the same at Yanglin's side.

"What are we going to compete, then?" he said.