120: gap

On this day, Su Wan was in the back garden of the Lin Manor, guiding Jingshu and Jingwan as they practiced a set of basic Soft Body Footwork. Lady Zhou approached slowly with a maid and stood under the corridor, watching quietly.

Once the lesson ended and the two Young Misses bowed and withdrew, Lady Zhou stepped closer with a smile. "Miss Su, your teaching is truly effective. In just over a month, the complexion and posture of these two girls have clearly changed."

Su Wan leaned down and said, "It is because the two Young Misses are intelligent and diligent."

Lady Zhou walked alongside her along the corridor and asked as if making small talk, "I heard that Young Hero Chen entered the Jiǔqū Refining Pool to Cultivate a few days ago. He must have gained quite a lot, right? He is truly young and promising; he will surely make a name for himself in the future Martial Examination."

Su Wan felt a slight chill in her heart, but her expression remained gentle. "He is indeed diligent and had some insights within the Refining Pool. As for the Martial Examination, he still needs to do his best."

Lady Zhou nodded and said seemingly at random, "A talent like Young Hero Chen—I wonder if his Family has arranged a marriage for him? A young talent like him must have many families wishing to form an alliance."

Su Wan's fingertips curled almost imperceptibly.

She looked up at Lady Zhou. This matriarch of the Lin Family still wore a gentle smile, but her eyes held a certain deep meaning.

"His ambition lies in the Martial Dao; he has no heart for such things for now," Su Wan said calmly.

"The Martial Dao and a household do not necessarily conflict," Lady Zhou sighed softly. "In my Lin Family's current generation, there are also a few good children. For instance, my nephew Zhou Wenxuan, nineteen this year, has already earned the Xiucai degree and is studying at the Prefectural City Academy. His appearance and talent are both top-notch. If he could befriend a hero like Young Hero Chen and they could help each other, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?"

She paused, her gaze falling on Su Wan's face, her tone becoming even more gentle. "Miss Su, you have been with Young Hero Chen until now, and your deep affection is clear to us all. However, you also need to plan for the future. If Young Hero Chen rises rapidly in his career in the future, he will always need a virtuous wife of equal social standing to manage his internal and external affairs. Although you are a good match, ultimately... your background is somewhat lacking. But do not worry; if you are willing, I can find a good marriage for you, and I certainly won't let you be mistreated. My Lin Family's side branches also have several young talents, either serving in the yamen or managing businesses, all of whom are steady and reliable people."

As her voice fell, the corridor became dead silent.

The distant sounds of maids and servants moving about only served to make the silence here feel more oppressive.

Su Wan slowly raised her eyes.

She still stood straight, her hands folded in front of her, her posture as quiet as ever. But those eyes, which were always gentle and smiling, were now as clear as a cold pool, reflecting the dappled shadows of the bamboo outside the corridor.

"I appreciate Madam's kindness," she spoke, her voice not loud, but every word was clear. "As for the position of Instructor at the Lin Manor, I will naturally do my utmost. As for other matters..."

She paused slightly, meeting Lady Zhou's searching gaze, and said slowly, "Though I, Su Wan, come from a humble background, I also know the weight of 'loyalty and affection.' Chen Linsheng saved my life and we share the bond of companionship; in this life, I am willing to follow him and assist him on his path of the Martial Dao. Whether a social standing is high or low is not my concern; future prospects and interests are not my calculation. As for the talents of the Lin Family, they will have their own good matches; I would not dare to presume such a connection."

The smile on Lady Zhou's face faded slightly, a flash of surprise in her eyes, which was immediately replaced by deeper contemplation.

She had thought this gentle woman would be panicked, aggrieved, or try to test the waters, but she hadn't expected her to refuse so calmly and firmly, with a tone that carried an unquestionable resolve.

"Miss Su's devotion to loyalty and affection is admirable," Lady Zhou, after all the matriarch of a great Family, quickly recovered her composure, her smile becoming gentle again. "In that case, we shall not mention this matter again. Regarding the duties of the Instructor, I hope you will continue to put in your efforts."

"It is my duty."

In the evening, when Su Wan returned to the small courtyard in Yuqian Lane, the sky was already nearing dusk.

Chen Linsheng had not yet returned—lately, he often went to the Lei Family Training Grounds to spar in archery with Lei Hao, or went alone deep into the Jiuqu River to consolidate his Perfection Realm of Aptitude for Water.

Su Wan lit the candle and sat by the window, but she did not pick up her needlework or flip through her martial arts notes as she usually did.

Lady Zhou's words from earlier that day were like a stone thrown into a heart-lake, stirring up ripples.

She was not ignorant of the ways of the world. Now that Chen Linsheng's fame was rising and his potential was limitless, he would naturally attract the attention and solicitation of various parties. Marriage alliances were one of the most common and effective means.

The Lin Family was a mid-tier Family in the Prefectural City. If they could form a marriage alliance with a Martial Artist of infinite potential like Chen Linsheng, it would naturally be a good thing for the Family. And Lady Zhou's proposal to find her a match was, on the surface, "planning" for her, but in reality, it was a subtle reminder that her status was unworthy and a way to pave the road for a possible alliance—if Chen Linsheng really married a Young Miss of the Lin Family, Su Wan's existence would become an embarrassment.

Her fingertips brushed over the fine wood grain on the window frame, a trace of complexity flickering in Su Wan's eyes.

She was not afraid of hardship, nor did she fear a low status. From the day she decided to follow Chen Linsheng and leave Qinghe County, she had been prepared to walk through the wind and rain with him, whether the future held splendor or thorns.

But if one day, his path required the help of a "well-matched" status, the support of a Young Miss from a great Family, and she became an obstacle... her heart tightened slightly.

No, it wouldn't happen.

Su Wan shook her head gently. She understood Chen Linsheng; he was by no means someone who would cling to the powerful or betray loyalty and affection. She knew the pride and devotion in his bones better than anyone.

But the world is fickle, and the human heart is hard to fathom. Even if Chen Linsheng did not change, what about external pressure? The Lin Family was only testing the waters today; what if a higher-ranking Family extended an olive branch tomorrow? Envoy Ling Feng, the Prefectural Governors Mansion, or even the Army Breaker Manor... how could the current Chen Linsheng easily resist the will of those great figures?

The candle flickered with a pop, pulling her thoughts back.

Su Wan took a deep breath, and determination resurfaced in her eyes.

Regardless, she could not lose her composure first. Rather than worrying about an unknown future, it was better to grasp the present.

She stood up, walked into the courtyard, and slowly drew that Willow Leaf Saber.

The blade reflected the moonlight, flowing with a cold luster.

The Plain Heart Art Mind-Cultivation Technique quietly circulated within her body, and her state of mind gradually became as still as water.

The saber light rose, like willow leaves fluttering, light and agile, yet hidden within was a resilient and unyielding force.

Since teaching and learning could allow her to understand the Cultivation Technique more deeply, she would teach even more diligently and refine herself.

Since the Lin Family's Library Pavilion was open to her, she would use this Opportunity well, reading extensively to improve her knowledge and cultivation.

Since Chen Linsheng was walking a path of the Martial Dao full of challenges, she would work hard to keep up with his footsteps; even if she could not fight side by side, at least... she would not be a burden.

The saber momentum grew faster, her figure like a butterfly.

Under the moonlight, the woman danced alone with the saber light. Her brow still held its usual gentleness, but it now possessed a strength of character that had never been shown before.

She did not know what the road ahead held, but she knew—

Regardless of the wind and rain, she was willing to walk with him.

As for those tests, calculations, and hidden troubles... she would meet each challenge as it arose.

She, Su Wan, though not from a famous Family, also had her own integrity and principles.

She sheathed her saber and stood still, her breath steady.

She looked toward the quiet alleyway outside the courtyard gate, as if she could see that figure on his way home through the night.

The corners of her lips curled slightly, as gentle as ever.

A Sheng, I will walk even further with you.