“Ha ha ha! Look how big you two have gotten!” Jiao said to his two grandchildren, the Tiang-ji twins.

“Father Jiao!” Tiang-ji said, walking in and bowing.

“Tiang-ji Jia!” Jiao said, returning the bow. “Good to see you.”

“I hope you came with an empty stomach, I have that fine wine from the western provinces that you like.”

Jiao’s eyes lit up, “Oh, my favourite!”

“Come now, Dad.” Ling said, taking a serious tone. “It’s a bit too early to be drinking.”

Jiao deflated a little.

“No worries, we can share the bottle later tonight.”

“Very good!”

At that moment, Wang Zen walked in.

“Hello, Grandfather Jiao.” He said, clasping his hands and bowing.

“Wang Zen,” Jiao said, looking at the man. “The man we are here for. I heard the good news. Your mother is helping you become a man.”

“That she is,” Zen said.

“It is a miracle to be honest,” Jiao said. “Your in laws and bride to be are in your house and you still have those… eyes.”

Zen knew that Jiao was talking about the silver in his eyes, the symbol of his and Shibi’s bond, materialised in a contract and the dash of silver in both man and Scorch Ape’s eyes.

“As long as Shibi is my companion, I’ll forever have these eyes.”

“Please don’t start you two!” Ling said, looking between her father and son.

They both stared at each other challengingly in silence. The tension was steadily rising, everyone grew silence under its pressure. Ling was thinking about reprimanding them again but was trying to find the words. Though the two men were mounting the tension, they were doing nothing but looking at each other, what was she going to say, ‘Don’t look at each other?’

Luckily for her the tension was dispelled when Shibi came in and joined Zen by his side.

“Shibi,” Zen said.

“Oh, I see you are still here, Shibi.”

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Shibi grunted.

“Mister Jiao,” Jun Nee said, walking right behind Shibi. She clasped her hands and bowed.

Zen smield at her, knowing that it was Jun Nee who had led Shibi to them. Years ago, when Jiao went mad that Zen had made a contract with Shibi that would “taint” his eyes with silver, Zen waged a personal war against him by making sure that Shibi was always at his side whenever he was with his grandfather. This only served to make the old man angrier.

“Is that Jiao?”

Zen’s father-in-law to be said, as he entered the room.

“Mr. Choi, I believe you already know my father.” Ling said.

“Yes, though we only met once and I was quite young.” Mr. Choi said.

“Quite alright, I knew your parents back in the day.” Jiao said, as they both bowed to each other. Jiao looked at the girl behind the man. “Is this my granddaughter-in-law? What a beautiful lady.”

Jingy blushed at the compliment. “Thank you, Kind Sir.”

“Please, if we’re to be family, you may call me grandfather!” Jiao said.

She nodded, “Grandfather Jiao.”

“Yes,” Jiao said, smiling. “Everyone will be excited at tomorrow’s event, my daughter will strengthen her alliance with the nobles of the city she rules and your marriage to my grandson will be announced.”

She smiled, “I can’t wait.”

Jun Nee was walking through the halls, with a stack of papers in her arms. She needed to deliver them to the City Lord. As she was rushing through the hallway, she saw Jingyi and her father enter an empty room.

Diving back behind a corner, she stayed still and hoped that she had not been seen. She was unsure why she was acting like this, perhaps she wanted to avoid any awkwardness with Jingyi? Perhaps she did not want to be discovered as she snuck across the hallway and pressed her ear against the door of the room they had just entered?

“See, daughter? I told you that these people are very affluent.” Jun Nee heard Mister Choi say. “You are marrying into a powerful family.”

“I still have my doubts father,” Jingyi said. “Wang Zen is neither a Jiao and a Tiang-ji. And his bonds with both of them seem flimsy. His also not very powerful and his eyes, father I cannot stand those eyes.”

“It will all work out, Daughter.” He said. “He might not share their name but he is part of their family. He is loved and supported, you will be loved and supported.”

“I do not know father,” she said, a little quitter, so quiet, Jun Nee almost did not hear her and almost missed her next words. “I do not think I can do this, Father, not with him, not like this. I am going to call it off.”

“If you do that, you will be ruined.”

“What do you mean?” Jingyi said.

There was a short moment of silence. Jun Nee had begun to think that perhaps they were whispering but then she heard Mr. Choi speak again, also more softly.

“I have not told you nor your brother this but… our businesses are struggling. I’ve been trying for the last few years to try and keep us afloat but… but I have failed. Soon, I will not be able to take care of you. I am doing this so that you will be taken care of.”

“Father,” Jun Nee could hear the conviction in Jingyi’s voice. “If what you say is true, then I want to be by your side, facing the hard times with you. I will not abandon my father so I can be married and taken care off by some fool! That is what a coward would do.”

“Life by my side, carrying the Choi name will be harder than you can bare, Daughter. Trust me, this is what is good for you.”

Jun Nee heard the handle turning. In a panic, she activated her Fleet Foot ki technique flew away. She turned a corner and pressed herself against the wall tightly. Her heart beating fast, wondering if she had been discovered. She could hear the footsteps of the two walk away, seems her secret was safe but now, she was burdened with another secret.