Orion and Wang Lingxin arrived at the Liu family estate. Throughout their journey, Wang Lingxin remained silent, clearly rattled from the earlier altercation with the thugs. Orion observed her, holding her hand gently, unsure of how to provide comfort.

Upon their arrival, Orion approached a servant, requesting an audience with Patriarch Liu. After a brief wait, the servant returned, guiding Orion to a small pavilion situated by a large pond within the estate. There, Liu Ming sat leisurely, enjoying his tea.

"Greetings, Patriarch Liu. I apologize for interrupting your teatime," Orion greeted.

Liu Ming chuckled, standing up, "It's quite alright, Mr. Orion. Please, join me for some tea," he motioned to the available seat.

"Thank you," Orion replied, taking the seat.

Once Orion, Wang Lingxin, and Liu Ming were all seated, Liu Ming, with a warm smile, inquired, "Is there something you wish to discuss, Mr. Orion?"

Orion began, "Patriarch Liu, I wanted to discuss..." It then relayed the events concerning Wang Lingxin and wondered if the patriarch might be able to offer assistance.

Liu Ming nodded, "Although such practices are illegal in our kingdom, there are those blinded by greed who still secretly engage in them. Bribes often smooth out any potential issues with officials, allowing such transactions to continue," he sighed.

Wang Lingxin, looking crestfallen, lowered her gaze. Hearing Liu Ming's words, she realized there might be other girls facing the same dreadful fate as her, sold to become a servant against their will.

"It's just a simple matter," Liu Ming remarked, signaling to a nearby servant. "Address the matter concerning Miss Wang Lingxin," he instructed.

"Yes, Master," the servant responded, bowing before departing promptly.

"Patriarch Liu, will this bring any troubles for you?" Orion inquired.

"Mr. Orion, you needn't be concerned. It's just a simple matter," Liu Ming assured with a smile.

"If Miss Wang Lingxin wishes, she can reside here and work either within the estate or at one of our various shops. If she possesses any potential for cultivation, we'd be willing to guide her, allowing her to become an accomplished cultivator and join our ranks. What do you think?" Liu Ming proposed.

However, Wang Lingxin, her voice meek and eyes cast downward, said, "But I want to stay with Master Orion. I want to be his disciple."

Orion hesitated, "I...". How could it guide Wang Lingxin in cultivation when it wasn't a cultivator itself?

Despite Orion's attempts to persuade Wang Lingxin to remain with the Liu family, she was adamant about accompanying it. She couldn't return to her uncle's household, given the uncertainties that might await her there. With a metaphorical sigh, Orion rose, expressing gratitude to Patriarch Liu for his assistance. After a brief conversation, Orion took its leave.

It appeared that Orion would be in Wang Lingxin's company for the foreseeable future, at least until a solution presented itself. Orion escorted Wang Lingxin to a guesthouse, instructing her to wait while it went shopping. Yet, Wang Lingxin was persistent about joining, and after some gentle pleading, Orion relented, allowing her to accompany it.

Inside the Fragrant Lotus Pavilion a rather famous restaurant, a cup was hurled at the thug leader who had previously been beaten severely by Orion. It struck his forehead with a sharp clang before shattering on the floor, blood seeping from the wound.

"You dumbass," sneered a portly, balding middle-aged man, the owner of the Fragrant Lotus Pavilion. "A simple task of retrieving a girl, and you fail? To top it off, you get your ass beaten?"

"But Master, the armored man was incredibly strong," the thug leader protested.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear excuses. Gather everyone, find that armored individual, and bring both him and the girl here. Now!" the owner barked.

Once his minions had departed, the restaurant owner muttered, "What a bunch of incompetent bastards." He settled into a chair, sipping tea to soothe his frayed nerves. A servant approached, extending a folded piece of paper.

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"Master, a message from the Liu family," the servant announced.

"The Liu family?" The restaurant owner's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had long attempted to foster connections with the influential Liu family, only to be rebuffed at every turn. "Why would they reach out now? Hand it over."

After scanning the contents of the message, cold sweat broke on the restaurant owner's forehead. "This is a disaster," he murmured. "Quickly, recall those idiots. They've not only proven their incompetence but have also landed us in a world of trouble!" He immediately ordered the servant to summon back the underlings sent to capture Wang Lingxin and Orion.

Orion resumed shopping in the market, this time accompanied by Wang Lingxin, whose cheerful demeanor seemed restored. Orion purchased clothes and various other items for her. Upon their return to the Liu family estate, a servant informed them that the issues with the Fragrant Lotus Pavilion and Wang Lingxin's uncle's family had been resolved. Wang Lingxin was given the choice to either stay with the Liu family or continue with Orion, a testament to the Liu family's influence as one of the major factions in Yanjing city.

At the guesthouse, Orion instructed Wang Lingxin to take a bath and change into the newly acquired clothes. That evening, a servant approached the guesthouse to ask if Orion would like to be served dinner. This time, Orion accepted and requested a meal for Wang Lingxin.

After a short while, the dinner was prepared. Several servants arrived, carrying trays laden with food. Once the dishes were set on the table and the servants had departed, Wang Lingxin exclaimed, "Wow, the food looks amazing, and it smells delightful!" She eyed the variety of appetizing dishes, clearly eager to begin.

"You can start eating," Orion offered.

"Thank you, Master," Wang Lingxin replied, taking a bite. "Wow, this is delicious! I've never tasted anything this good before. Master, you should try some."

"That's alright. You can have it all," Orion responded.

Across the table, Orion observed her quietly, still pondering her unexpected presence in its journey. How had she come to know so much about its circumstances, including the existence of Orbiter? While Orion had chosen to accept her claim of receiving information from someone from the future, it found it hard to believe that it would ever be a master to a human disciple. How could it, a robot, teach cultivation? Could this mysterious individual from the future be someone other than a disciple, perhaps even a future adversary of Orion's?

As Wang Lingxin continued to enjoy her meal, Orion posed a question, "Are you certain you want to accompany me?"

"Yes, Master, I want to go with you. I don't want to return to my uncle's house or stay with the Liu family," Wang Lingxin replied.

"Master, can you take me with you, please?" Wang Lingxin said, giving Orion a pleading, puppy-eyed look. Some rice grains were stuck near her mouth. "Even if I can't be your disciple, I still want to be with you. It's okay if you want me to be your servant."

Orion let out a metaphorical sigh, "Alright, we'll stay in this city for a while, then head to Fengxian."

"Really, Master? Yay!" Wang Lingxin cheered, raising both hands in excitement. "Does that mean I'm now your disciple?"

"Let's hold off on that decision for now. I won't be teaching you cultivation anytime soon, but when the time is right, perhaps I'll consider it," Orion explained. Internally, it added, before teaching you about cultivation, I need to learn it first.

Wang Lingxin seemed a bit dejected, "Oh... okay..."

After dinner, the servants cleared the dishes. Once alone, Orion and Wang Lingxin sat together. Wang Lingxin asked, "Master, what are our plans for tonight?'"

"Tonight? You should rest. It's getting late," Orion replied.

"And you?" she asked.

"I have much work to do," Orion informed.

Wang Lingxin sounded disappointed, "So, we won't be sleeping together?"

"Why would we need to do that?" Orion inquired, puzzled.

"Because my future self told me to," she replied.

"Do you even understand what that means?" Orion probed.

"Isn't it just sharing a bed? I used to sleep with my parents," Wang Lingxin replied, looking a bit perplexed.

Orion tried to clarify, "If you sleep on the bed and I work here at the table, since we're in the same room, it's still 'sleeping together,' right?"

"That makes sense," she agreed, "I'll go to bed then." Feeling sleepy, Wang Lingxin headed towards the bed.

As Orion prepared to retrieve many items from the storage ring for that night's work, Wang Lingxin's sleepy voice chimed in, "Master, can you tell me a story before I sleep? Just like my mother did in the past?"

"Of course," Orion responded, bringing a chair over to the bed and sitting down. "Have you ever heard of the story of Cinderella?" Orion began, referencing one of Earth's classic tales. "She was a young woman, much like you, who faced hardships from her family, yet never lost her kindness." As Orion started the early chapters of Cinderella's life, emphasizing the struggles and challenges she faced, Wang Lingxin was drawn into the tale. She found herself connecting deeply with the beginning parts of Cinderella's journey. Before Orion could delve further into the story, Wang Lingxin's eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep. Orion adjusted her blanket and tucked her in gently, saving the continuation of Cinderella's story for another night.

As Orion watched Wang Lingxin sleep peacefully, it thought internally, maybe I need to create some toothpaste for her, adding another item to its list of things to research and develop.

"Finally, time to get to work," Orion murmured. Spirit stones and alcoholic drinks will make for interesting topics tonight. As Orion retrieved various items from the storage ring, it prepared for a long night of non-stop work.