Chapter Ninety-One: What Do You Know, You Fool?

When Xuan Xuan heard that Kuang Hongyi wanted to take her as his disciple, her eyes lit up. She had barely started learning a little about mechas, yet the opportunity to have a master landed right in her lap—what good fortune!

Kuang Hongyi, hearing Wan Qi Lianhao say that Xuan Xuan was too young, retorted, “How could she be too young? Xuan Xuan’s talent must not be wasted. I’ve never seen anyone more gifted than her.”

Xuan Xuan tilted her chin up, glancing at her father with pride—this Kuang Hongyi certainly had a discerning eye.

Wan Qi Lianhao tapped her on the head, baring his teeth in mock annoyance as his daughter puffed up with pride.

Kuang Shao, meanwhile, looked at the pile of mecha parts before him, grumbling, “She took apart my mecha like this and you call that talent?”

Kuang Hongyi pointed at Kuang Shao’s head, “What do you know, you blockhead?” Then he gestured to the scattered mecha parts on the ground and addressed Kuang Shao, “Could you disassemble your own mecha without damaging a single component?”

Kuang Shao was taken aback—had nothing really been damaged?

“Even you, who are familiar with the mecha, couldn’t have done it without flaw. Yet Xuan Xuan, a mere child, managed it in such a short time. I don’t know exactly how she did it, but that alone proves she’s a prodigy in mecha craftsmanship.” Kuang Hongyi shot Kuang Shao a glare. “At the very least, she’s leagues ahead of you.”

Kuang Shao pouted, muttering that if only they’d compare piloting skills instead. Every field has its own master!

Only then did Wan Qi Lianhao realize the significance of what had happened. His gaze toward his daughter changed. “Did you really do this yourself?”

Xuan Xuan gave a tiny, disdainful “hmph.” They doubted her, even her own father, questioning such a great, godlike alchemist as herself—unforgivable!

But seeing her little face so proud, Wan Qi Lianhao understood it had to be true. He tapped her gently on the head—she was even learning to be arrogant now.

Seeing Xuan Xuan’s determined expression, Kuang Hongyi asked her directly, “Xuan Xuan, would you like to study mecha craftsmanship with me?”

Naturally, Xuan Xuan agreed, nodding eagerly like a pecking chick.

Kuang Hongyi, seeing her agreement, immediately glanced at Wan Qi Lianhao as if to say, “Your daughter is willing. I certainly didn’t force her.”

Wan Qi Lianhao was a little helpless at Kuang Hongyi’s persistence. He asked his daughter, “This will be hard work. You might have to get up early every day and spend a lot of time on it, even after classes. You can’t quit halfway. Are you sure you want to?”

He thought his lazy daughter would refuse. She didn’t even like early morning physical training—how could she stick with something this demanding? He wanted to prepare Kuang Hongyi for disappointment, preemptively warning Xuan Xuan.

But Xuan Xuan, to his surprise, replied, “I’m willing.”

Wan Qi Lianhao felt he must be getting old—he no longer understood his own daughter’s rhythm. Usually, she hated getting up even a bit earlier; why was she willing to work hard for this?

“Can you really get up early every day? No quitting halfway. Otherwise, you can forget about your after-meal jerky,” he warned. Although she was still young, he didn’t want her to develop a habit of giving up.

Xuan Xuan nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes.”

She was truly fascinated by mecha repair and manufacturing—how could she not be willing? Physical training was another matter; she still hadn’t figured out the difference between physical techniques and battle aura, and, besides, it was just too tiring right now.

Both the path of the mage and the alchemist were arduous, but she’d persevered every day. Otherwise, with her original level of talent, how could she have made it this far?

Kuang Hongyi’s eyes shone with delight at her answer. Yet he turned to Wan Qi Lianhao, a little dissatisfied, “Children need to eat more. Punish her in other ways if you must, but don’t withhold food from her.”

He was already regarding Xuan Xuan as his own disciple and felt that Wan Qi Lianhao was being too harsh—after all, it was just jerky.

“Xuan Xuan, if you want jerky, come to your master. I have as much as you want,” Kuang Hongyi declared grandly.

Xuan Xuan’s eyes grew even brighter, and she nodded with renewed enthusiasm.

Wan Qi Lianhao pressed his hand to his forehead. He was starting to think that returning to the imperial capital had been a terrible idea.

“Will Xuan Xuan come to my place to study, or shall I teach her at the Wan Qi residence?” Kuang Hongyi asked, but before Wan Qi Lianhao could reply, he continued musing aloud, “It’s not safe for her to come here, better that I go to Wan Qi’s house. We’ll start with theory, but you’ll need to set up a small mecha lab as soon as possible.”

Wan Qi Lianhao’s eyes widened—he hadn’t even agreed yet!

But Kuang Hongyi simply carried on, “Good, that’s settled. Even if it’s a bit rushed and you’re short on people, I’ll send some of mine. That rascal Kuang Shao can help out, too.”

Kuang Shao stood by, utterly bewildered. Since Xuan Xuan appeared, he, the biological son, seemed to have lost all status. Was he really their biological child? Maybe the chubby little girl was instead?

Xuan Xuan squinted, dimples deep on her chubby cheeks—this old Kuang was truly entertaining.

Wan Qi Lianhao hurried to intervene, “Uncle Kuang, there’s no rush. I’ll need to discuss it with my father first. Besides, with your status, it’s not right for you to come in person to teach Xuan Xuan.”

Kuang Hongyi glared, “What status? I’m only her master—that’s all there is to it!”

“It’s only the third day of the new year, so there’s no reason to rush. Please, let me speak to my father first and arrange things properly,” Wan Qi Lianhao said, half-laughing, half-crying. His daughter wasn’t going anywhere; why the rush?

“Still need to discuss with Wan Qi Yi?” Kuang Hongyi glared, then declared, “Fine, let’s go right now—I’ll go with you.”

Wan Qi Lianhao was dumbfounded—what was this, a battle?

Kuang Hongyi glanced down at his oil-stained clothes, muttered, “I’ll go change. Wait here,” and disappeared.

Wan Qi Lianhao looked blankly at Kuang Hongyi’s retreating figure. “What’s your father up to?”

Kuang Shao spread his hands. “I have no idea.”

The original plan had been to visit the Kuang family and then the Zhan family, but now it seemed they wouldn’t make it. Kuang Hongyi dragged Wan Qi Lianhao and Kuang Shao along, storming off toward the Wan Qi residence.

Kuang Hongyi not only changed into proper attire, but even trimmed his beard. Only now did Xuan Xuan see his square face clearly—not as refined as Kuang Shao’s, but upright and honest, the sort of face no one could distrust.

Kuang Hongyi’s arrival stirred the whole Wan Qi household. Even Wan Qi Yi, who’d been buried in his study, came straight to the living room. “What brings the Kuang family’s patriarch here?”

“Third Young Master sent word that the Kuang patriarch is here to take Miss Xuan Xuan as his disciple,” replied Wan Qi Yi’s longtime attendant, Wan Qi Fan. True to his name, he was plain and unremarkable—so much so that even after ten glances, you wouldn’t remember his face.

Wan Qi Yi paused in his steps, glanced at the attendant, and his voice grew louder, his address changing, “That old Kuang wants to make Xuan Xuan his disciple?”

“Yes, Third Young Master said so,” replied Wan Qi Fan.

“But the Kuang patriarch is a mecha craftsman! Why would he want our Xuan Xuan as his disciple?” Wan Qi Yi was clearly displeased.

“Your subordinate doesn’t know.”

“He doesn’t need to come here just to take a disciple, does he?” Wan Qi Yi pressed.

“Your subordinate doesn’t know.” He understood now—his master simply thought the Kuang patriarch had come to steal Xuan Xuan away, and so looked on him with nothing but suspicion.

“If you don’t know anything, what are you doing here?”

Wan Qi Fan thought to himself, I’m just lying here and taking a beating—your subordinate has no intention of stealing your granddaughter, Master.

Seeing that Wan Qi Yi was already striding angrily ahead, Wan Qi Fan hastened after him.

When Wan Qi Yi arrived in the living room, he saw Kuang Hongyi just stepping through the main doors. He went forward, about to say “You’re a rare guest indeed,” when Kuang Hongyi interrupted without any pleasantries, “I want to take your granddaughter as my disciple. When would be a good time?”

Wan Qi Yi’s words stuck in his throat, his gaze toward Kuang Hongyi growing even more hostile. His precious Xuan Xuan had just returned and he hadn’t spoiled her enough—yet here Kuang Hongyi was, trying to snatch her away. What was he up to?

“Heh, has the Kuang patriarch come to pay a New Year’s visit? Please, have a seat,” Wan Qi Yi deflected, ignoring the matter of apprenticeship and leading Kuang Hongyi to the sofa.

He wasn’t about to let his granddaughter be taken just like that—what would become of his reputation as the Federation’s toughest old fox?

Wan Qi Lianhao sat beside him, holding Xuan Xuan, with Kuang Shao as well. Even Tong Wan, who was preparing dinner in the kitchen, came out to join them.

Kuang Hongyi sat down, but Wan Qi Yi kept steering the conversation away from Xuan Xuan and her apprenticeship, skirting the topic entirely.

Every time Kuang Hongyi tried to raise the subject, Wan Qi Yi would divert it elsewhere, until finally he said, “Xuan Xuan is just a child. What’s the rush? Are you saying you wouldn’t visit us if not for her?”

Kuang Hongyi, still hoping to take on his granddaughter as a disciple, was too embarrassed to challenge him outright, and so went along with the deflection. Watching this exchange from the side, Kuang Shao was secretly amused.

Even at the dinner table, Kuang Hongyi hadn’t managed to broach the topic, and went to the dining room with his neck stiff with frustration.

Wan Qi Weihao and his brother joined them; only Wan Qi Lianjun and Wan Qi Lianchen were absent.

Xuan Xuan didn’t notice the subtle struggle over her apprenticeship. She only saw that with Kuang Shao and the others present, there was a lot more delicious food at home. She was too busy eating to pay attention to anything else.

Watching her eat, Kuang Hongyi felt a pang of sorrow, convinced that his disciple was being mistreated in the Wan Qi household. They must be too strict—just look how fast she was eating! Who knew what she had to endure when he wasn’t around? Perhaps he shouldn’t come to Wan Qi’s house at all, but just let Xuan Xuan come to his place to study—then she could eat whatever she wanted and wouldn’t be mistreated. Even if she was usually disciplined, he could fatten her up at his house.