Moon Pavilion, fifth floor.
In the quiet, elegant hall, Tang San was cultivating Xuantian Gong.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Exiting cultivation, Tang San looked over to see his aunt and Chu Chengzhou coming up.
After a year apart, he felt his aunt looked much younger, several years younger than in his memory, like a beautiful woman in her early twenties.
As for Chu Chengzhou, he still looked as annoying as ever.
"Aunt, you're back…"
Just as he was about to rise and greet her, Tang San was shocked to discover his aunt's hands were linked around Chu Chengzhou's arm, an intimacy that needed no words, and her face was radiant with happiness.
Boom.
"You two…"
Pointing at his aunt and Chu Chengzhou, Tang San's face was full of disbelief.
He had long realized Chu Chengzhou had designs on his aunt, but in Tang San's view, his aunt would never accept it, seniority being what it was.
He never expected that while he was away in the Slaughter City for training, his aunt had been taken down.
If he had come back a year later, would he already have a little cousin?
"Xiao San, welcome home!"
Chu Chengzhou smiled, speaking in the tone of an uncle.
Although the Tang San of the original trajectory had some issues, Chu Chengzhou bore him no grudge, and now that he had become Tang San's real uncle, he had no thought of striking at his eldest nephew.
The Sea God's position was reserved for Xiao Wu. Without the talent boost from the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid and Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, and without Swan Kiss of Snow destroying the Slaughter City, Tang San might not catch the eye of the Asura God King.
So long as Tang San could not become a god, Douluo Continent would not become the Tang Clan's continent, nor the Douluo God Realm the Tang Clan's realm. This eldest nephew, Chu Chengzhou would accept.
As for Tang San's feud with Spirit Hall?
His second aunt-in-law was not truly gone and still had a chance at revival.
And once Qian Renxue ascended the Angel God throne in the future, Tang San, who would at most reach below level one hundred, would know he could not take on Spirit Hall. With his mother revived and the root of hatred gone, that grudge would naturally fade with time.
"Aunt!"
Ignoring Chu Chengzhou, Tang San turned to his aunt Tang Yuehua.
"Xiao San, it's enough that you're back safe."
Tang Yuehua released Chu Chengzhou's arm, stepped forward, and took her eldest nephew's hand.
"Aunt, are you really…"
Tang San pointed at Tang Yuehua, then at Chu Chengzhou, face full of indignation.
Tang Yuehua flushed and nodded. "Xiao San, your aunt is with Chengzhou now. From now on, call him Uncle."
"No…"
In an instant, Tang San took three steps back, wearing a mask of pain.
The man he disliked most had really become his uncle. The feeling was beyond words.
"Xiao San, don't worry. I will treat Yuehua well. From now on, your affairs are your uncle's affairs."
Chu Chengzhou patted his chest in assurance.
"You… hmph."
With a cold snort and a fierce glare at Chu Chengzhou, Tang San turned and went straight back to his bedroom.
Bang.
The door slammed shut.
Tang San was afraid he could not hold back and would plant a few punches on Chu Chengzhou's eye socket.
This guy was truly infuriating. If not for his aunt being present, he would have challenged Chu Chengzhou to a life-and-death duel.
"This child. Chengzhou, don't be angry. Xiao San just can't accept it for the moment, but he will be fine."
Seeing her eldest nephew leave on the spot, Tang Yuehua felt annoyed and a bit embarrassed, and spoke to Chu Chengzhou.
Your aunt is this old. Is it easy to find a match? And you still don't accept him?
If not for having raised this eldest nephew with her own hands, Tang Yuehua would definitely have given him a proper scolding.
"It's fine, Yuehua. I won't take it to heart. Xiao San is not only your nephew. He is mine as well."
Holding the elder sister in his arms, Chu Chengzhou gently patted her back and comforted her in a low voice.
Giving your uncle attitude? Hmph. Let's see how your uncle handles you later.
"Mm, you are good."
Tang Yuehua nodded, face full of happiness.
"Yuehua…"
"Mm? Mmph…"
Chu Chengzhou lowered his head and kissed those moist red lips.
Night fell, and it was dinnertime.
In the hall, after the maids had set out the dishes, Tang Yuehua called toward the bedroom, "Xiao San, dinner."
Click.
A moment later, the door opened and Tang San walked out expressionless.
By now Tang San had calmed down.
An aunt is an aunt, not his mother. She was not young, and finding a man to live with did not require a nephew's consent.
Even if it were his own mother remarrying, as a son he could not stop her, much less an aunt-nephew relationship.
If he really quarreled with Chu Chengzhou over this, would that not embarrass his aunt?
His aunt had raised him for so many years. As a nephew, he might not be able to repay her, but he could not make her unhappy.
Moreover, Tang San had to admit that Chu Chengzhou was the most outstanding Spirit Master of the younger generation on the continent.
If not for the great gap in age and for the fact that the man had more than one girlfriend, Chu Chengzhou would not be a bad match for his aunt.
To put it harshly, with a mutated martial soul, unable to become a formal Spirit Master and already not young, his aunt might not even match such a prodigy.
Now that his aunt had found someone she liked, as her nephew he should be happy for her.
That said, calling Chu Chengzhou "Uncle" in the short term was absolutely impossible.
A moment ago they had been peers, and now he had to call him Uncle? Tang San could not bring himself to do it.
"Aunt…"
Glancing at the smiling Chu Chengzhou, Tang San greeted Tang Yuehua.
"Mm. Xiao San, sit. Tonight's dishes are all your favorites."
Tang Yuehua pulled Tang San to sit at the table.
"Xiao San, I heard from Yuehua you like drumsticks best."
Once seated, Chu Chengzhou smiled and placed a drumstick in Tang San's bowl.
At this moment, Chu Chengzhou had fully slipped into the role of a good uncle.
Tang San: …
"Xiao San, eat."
Tang Yuehua smiled and rubbed Tang San's head.
She could see that her eldest nephew's rejection of Chu Chengzhou had eased a lot.
If he truly rejected him, he would not have come to dinner.
Staring at Chu Chengzhou for three seconds, Tang San lowered his head and quietly ate the drumstick.
The drumstick was fragrant, but to Tang San it tasted like wax. In his heart he repeated over and over: For Aunt's sake, I won't be angry, absolutely not.
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou and Tang Yuehua both nodded in satisfaction.
T/N: For 40 chapters ahead on my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle