Chapter 7: Silent Sleeve Arrow

The next morning, as Tang San set out on his journey, a lively and cheerful little girl joined him at his side.

She wore the uniform of Nuoding Academy, and the two left Nuoding City together, setting foot on the road to Sheng Hun Cun.

"How much farther is it?"

Xiao Wu looked around and asked casually.

"We're almost there. Do you see that mountain? Our Sheng Hun Cun is right at its foot."

As they neared home, Tang San's emotions became somewhat excited.

He touched the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges at his waist; inside were the forging hammer he had brought for his father, brand-new clothes, and even several bottles of fine wine.

Soon, the two walked into Sheng Hun Cun.

Tang San's home was at the village entrance. Pointing up at the dilapidated sign on the roof, he smiled at Xiao Wu and said, "Look, that's my house."

The front gate was not closed, just as it had been when he left; this was his father Tang Hao's habit.

After all, there was nothing worth stealing in this Tiejiangpu.

Tang San shouted excitedly, "Father, I'm back!"

However, another person walked out of the house and said gently, "Oh, Xiao San, it's you who has returned."

Tang San couldn't help but be stunned: "Grandpa Jieke, you're here too? Where is my father?"

Stepping out from inside the door was none other than Jieke, the village head of Sheng Hun Cun. A helpless smile appeared on his face. He handed a piece of paper in his hand to Tang San and said, "Take a look; this is what your father left behind. This morning I came to find him, originally intending to have him go with me to pick you up, but I didn't expect you to have already returned."

Looking at the paper in his hand, Tang San was completely stunned; all his joy instantly turned into helpless loss.

Father is gone. Father, why did you leave? Xiao Wu, usually lively and active, remained silent at this moment. She walked to Tang San's side and quietly put away his things one by one, scooped clear water from the water vat outside, and wiped the dust from inside the room.

As the sun tilted westward, two petite figures sat side by side in front of the Tiejiangpu.

Xiao Wu turned her head, propping her chin with both hands, looking at Tang San, wanting to say something, but she held it back.

At this moment, Tang San, holding a brand-new forging hammer in his hand, spoke first: "Xiao Wu, thank you."

"Thank me for what?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

"Thank you for always accompanying me."

Tang San lowered his head, looking at the ground beneath his feet. His eyes were somewhat dazed and hazy, yet he ultimately did not let tears fall.

Xiao Wu chuckled, gave Tang San's shoulder a hard push, and said, "Perhaps your father's departure was only to let you grow better and become stronger. If you continue like this, wouldn't you be betraying his hard work?"

A bitter smile appeared on Tang San's face: "Do you know? Father is my only relative. Without Father at home, it is no longer a home."

Xiao Wu shook her head, swinging her long scorpion braid to the front, and said, "Without Father, you still have me as a friend. If you really need to find a relative, I don't mind being your older sister."

Seeing Xiao Wu's cute appearance and her small face flushed red by the sunset glow, Tang San couldn't help but smile.

When a person is at their most vulnerable in their heart, having someone by their side is an extremely wonderful thing.

Tang San actively took Xiao Wu's tender little hand and ran toward the hilltop outside the village.

Standing on the hilltop, facing the sunset, Tang San asked with deep affection, "Xiao Wu, I am asking you a question very seriously, and I hope you can answer me seriously."

Xiao Wu pressed her lips together and replied with a touch of shyness, "Do you know? Your appearance right now is very much like those old men in the academy."

Tang San slowly turned around, looked at Xiao Wu seriously, and said, "Are you willing to be my younger sister? I truly hope to have another relative."

Xiao Wu was just about to speak, but Tang San stopped her: "Listen to me finish. My background is poor; I cannot bring you wealth or power."

"I can see that your background must be extraordinary, but I have never asked, because I feared that the vast difference in our identities would prevent us from even being friends."

"However, I sincerely hope you can become my younger sister."

"Although I cannot give you what the nobles possess, I can give you my promise."

"I will forever protect my younger sister and will not let her suffer even a little harm." Looking at Tang San's eyes shimmering with tears, Xiao Wu's eyes gradually turned red. She couldn't hide her inner excitement as she asked, "What if one day many people want to kill me, and those people are ones you cannot defeat?"

A faint smile suddenly appeared on Tang San's face: "Then please ask them to step over my corpse first."

"Brother."

Xiao Wu broke the silence between the two with a single simple word.

Tang San, who had been holding back his tears, finally let them slide down at this moment. With trembling hands, he took Xiao Wu's hand: "Sister."

—Damn it! At the same time, Si Si, hiding in the shadows, couldn't help but curse.

It was truly disgusting; it was so disgusting it went straight to the heart of disgust.

She never expected that a seven-year-old brat would have such experienced methods for wooing girls.

Although she had promised Zhou Yu to let him seek justice in his own way.

But as a teacher, she also wanted to vent anger on behalf of her student.

As night fell, the two children sat on the hilltop, feeling the gentle mountain breeze blow, watching the stars and moon in the sky. The tranquil atmosphere and fresh air brought a comfortable feeling.

They looked up, seeing only countless stars and the moon hanging high; that quiet night sky and pure air both made people feel comfortable.

Xiao Wu suddenly turned her head and said to Tang San, "Can I not call you brother?"

Tang San was somewhat surprised. "Why?"

A blush of shyness appeared on Xiao Wu's face: "After all, I am also the boss of Nuoding Academy. If I suddenly have a brother, how will they look at me?"

Tang San smiled and said, "Alright, just call me Xiao San. As long as I know in my heart that you are my sister, what does the title matter?"

Having said that, he raised his arm, gently took off the sleeve arrow from his left wrist, and handed it to Xiao Wu.

"Since we have become brother and sister, I have nothing precious to give you. This is my first work, so I give it to you for self-defense."

Xiao Wu curiously took the sleeve arrow and asked, "What is this?"

Tang San smiled slightly and explained, "I call it a sleeve arrow, or it can also be called a Silent Sleeve Arrow. You only need to activate the switch, and the three small arrows inside will shoot out according to your control. You can shoot one, or you can shoot all three at once. Because the sound when activating it is very small and not easily noticed by opponents, it can produce a very good effect when facing enemies of similar strength."

Xiao Wu said in surprise, "During our sparring before, why have I never seen you use such a thing?"

Tang San smiled calmly, put the sleeve arrow on Xiao Wu's left arm, and said softly, "Fool, we are classmates and also friends. How could I use such a lethal weapon against you?"

He adjusted the size of the sleeve arrow when closed, and then he explained the method of using the Silent Sleeve Arrow to Xiao Wu in detail.

"Look, there's a mosquito!"

Xiao Wu followed the direction of Tang San's finger.

Three meters away, a mosquito was indeed buzzing past; she could barely make it out by the moonlight.

Tang San began to show off: "If I told you I could hit its left wing without killing it, would you believe me?"

Xiao Wu glared at him: "Are you joking?"

A flash of purple light appeared in Tang San's eyes; he suddenly raised his sleeve dart, and a faint shadow slipped away silently—the mosquito vanished into thin air.

"Follow me."

Tang San pulled Xiao Wu to a nearby large tree and stopped; she clearly saw a three-inch steel needle on the trunk, glinting under the starlight.

Xiao Wu couldn't help but be startled, barely suppressing a cry.

—Who's there?

At that moment, Tang San suddenly shouted loudly.

(End of Chapter)