Chapter 10
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: To You Who Hates Me
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I shot up and away from him, scrubbing my lips furiously with the back of my hand. It must've been scraped, because dirt and the taste of blood smeared across it.
"Seheon?"
"Biyeon?"
The Namgung family head and Mount Hua Sect's top disciple called out to us in voices thick with bewilderment.
I glanced down at Namgung Seheon with uneasy eyes. The boy's face was flushed bright red as he lay there in a daze.
He wouldn't throw a tantrum and demand I take responsibility just because we kissed, would he?
This was an accident. A stroke of unfortunate misfortune.
Before the Namgung family head could shift his attention from his son to me, I bolted.
Just try demanding responsibility for our first contact. I'll show you the taste of my first punch.
* * *
"Our little kid sure caused a huge ruckus yesterday, huh?"
Speak of the devil and he shall appear—no, rumors spread a thousand miles without legs, and my lip-contact incident had already made the rounds through the entire Mount Hua hall in a single day.
"A guy who's supposed to become a Daoist, and he's already going around kissing boys from outside the sect."
I stomped my feet and yelled in front of Uiseong, who grinned slyly as he teased me.
"Nooo! I didn't do iiiit!"
"Uiseong, stop teasing the kid."
Even as Uihyeon scolded him, that sly smile never left Uiseong's lips. Sensing I'd just keep getting picked on if I stayed, I bolted out of the room.
"Biyeon, what kind of mess did you get into yesterday? The whole hall's in an uproar."
"...Don't ask. You'll get hurt if you know."
No sanctuary in my escape. Was this what they meant?
Wandering around looking for somewhere without people, I spotted a small figure in the distance, scowled, and abruptly changed direction.
Why the hell was that kid here again?
"Hey! Wait up!"
Just then, Namgung Seheon caught up, panting as he slapped a hand on my shoulder. For a direct descendant of the Namgung family, his stamina was pathetic....
I ignored him and kept walking, but he grabbed my left arm, clung to it, and hung off me with his whole body.
I dragged him along before shaking off my arm and flinging him away, snapping irritably.
"Ah, what! Why are you following me!"
"You're really not coming to my house? Dad says he needs your permission to take you. I heard from him—you're four years old too, right? So am I."
"I said I'm not going. My home is here."
My blunt answer made Namgung Seheon's lips pout out a full three inches. I sighed as I faced him.
"Why are you so desperate to take me with you?"
He ruffled his curly hair in frustration and grumbled.
"Because... you don't bug me. The kids who come over saying they're my friends are all so annoying. If you're my playmate, it'd be easy and fun for both of us."
I gaped at the absurd reason.
If he'd said he fell for me at first sight, it'd be romantic and cute. But this? No romance, no heartwarming feels.
So, the reason this guy was so persistent about dragging me to the Namgung family was because I wasn't annoying.
"Why are they annoying?"
"They touch my face, keep following me even when I tell them not to, act all friendly when we're not."
Ah, I see.
I spun around and grabbed both his cheeks, kneading the soft flesh. His face turned red as he swatted my hands away.
"See? I can annoy you plenty too."
"No, it's different!"
"You're full of it. What's different?"
"You're the first one to scowl right in my face after looking at me."
Don't pull that cliché arrogant male lead crap from romance novels.
"You'll meet plenty more living like that."
I shot back indifferently and turned away, but Namgung Seheon stuck right back to my side.
"Go away for a bit. Everyone teases me when they see us together."
"Why tease?"
"Why do you think? Because of yesterday."
I tapped my lips with my finger, and realizing what I meant, his face flushed crimson.
Now that he got it, he'd stop clinging, right?
But after I waved him off and turned, I felt him stick right back to my side.
I turned with a what-the-hell look, and he averted his gaze awkwardly before mumbling.
"...I'm lost."
"You got lost yesterday too. Are you directionally challenged?"
"No!"
His even redder face and shout only made it more believable.
Ugh. I scratched my cheek with a groan. He was still a guest at Mount Hua, and I couldn't just let a four-year-old wander this huge hall alone.
"Fine. I'll take you. Follow me."
Worried I might ditch him, he grabbed my hand tight. I shook my head and led Namgung Seheon toward the Jade Purity Hall.
"Wow, living the good life, huh?"
"Aren't you a bit young to have a boyfriend, Yeon?"
Whistles and teasing voices rang out. I ignored them completely and dragged Namgung Seheon along.
Reacting would just make it worse. Sigh, adults could be so childish.
"Ah, that's the kid?"
As I walked briskly, a voice dripping with malice pierced my ears.
"Lucky him. Getting dumped in front of Mount Hua means he's got the Core Disciple spot locked in."
I halted at the sharp sarcasm that followed.
It was refreshing to feel hated after only knowing affection for so long. Yeah, sometimes you gotta learn to handle a little hate.
I glanced sideways at their robes.
One plum blossom embroidered on the chest—that meant third-generation disciples.
For reference, two meant second-generation, three meant first-generation.
Four petals like theirs indicated Outer Disciples or Secular Disciples.
Core Disciple robes had five petals.
I turned and stared them down openly. But they seemed to have a grudge against me already and didn't care. They smirked maliciously, continuing loud enough for me to hear.
"Yeah. I should've begged my parents to dump me in front of Mount Hua too."
"Senior Hwiun is so unlucky. Even among orphans, some get left at Mount Hua and snag Core Disciple spots easy, while others grow up on the streets and barely scrape into Outer Disciple."
"You think they'll really give him a Core Disciple spot no matter how he does on the entrance exam?"
"His name's practically a title. Didn't you know the next Core Disciple's name starts with 'Bi'? And haven't you seen the elders make a fuss every time he does anything?"
"Hah, some of us bust our asses and still fail the exam, ending up like this."
Wow, impressive. How trashy did your personality have to be to vent jealousy at a four-year-old?
Not everyone at Mount Hua was friendly to me, obviously. With so many people, not all could like me.
Plenty adored me, but just as many were indifferent. I didn't crave coddling from them anyway.
But outright hostility like this? First time.
They probably hadn't picked fights before because I usually stuck with Core Disciples like Uija and the others.
But right now, I was a kid without a guardian. Perfect chance to mess with me, huh.
Namgung Seheon, who'd been tugging me to hurry, clicked his tongue and muttered pitifully.
"Dad said talking behind backs is bad."
"If we're splitting hairs, this isn't backtalk—it's frontalk. They're doing it right in front of me."
Namgung Seheon blinked at my deadpan reply.
I shook off his hand and marched right up to the whispering trio, still sneaking glances at me.
"You know, doesn't living like that get old?"
"What?"
"Why take out your anger at failing the Core Disciple entrance exam on me? If it's that unfair, just work harder and pass next time."
I smirked crookedly as their faces twisted.
"Hey, you done talking?"
The apparent leader jabbed my forehead with his finger.
"Nope, not yet. Does bullying a four-year-old make your lives better? Sigh, you guys have it rough."
"Everyone goes 'so pretty, so pretty,' and you think you're untouchable? You're not even a proper disciple—just an orphan with no ties growing up at Mount Hua."
The finger poking my forehead dug in harder, making my head wobble.
"Getting dumped in front of Mount Hua hall—that's the peak of your life, right? I wanna see the faces of those parents who bothered leaving a brat there."
Wow, even parent insults. Guess the entrance exam doesn't test personality? Or maybe that's why they didn't make Core Disciple.
"Look at those eyes bulging. Go on, cry and call for the elders. Let's see if they come running for a precious guest like you."
But they overlooked something.
I grew up learning the law of the jianghu: repay favors and grudges in full.
You think a seedling from a world where knives flash at the slightest provocation would just take this lying down?
And to someone from hell-Joseon who'd dealt with classmates prying about my mom since elementary school, this level of parent-bashing was nothing.
I seized the finger slamming into my forehead and charged, throwing my weight into it. A hand pressed firmly on my back, adding more force.
Glancing back, I saw Namgung Seheon with a sulky expression, arm extended. Oh, pretty quick on the uptake.
The rigid finger couldn't withstand the weight and snapped upward with a crack.
"Aaagh!"
The guy shoved me away hard, clutching his fully reversed finger as he screamed in agony.
I reflexively rolled with a falling technique, landing unscathed. Oops.
This puts me at a disadvantage.
His finger's broken, but I'm spotless.
The visual impact's bigger than I thought.
While they were distracted by the pain and shock, I stealthily rubbed my forehead and cheek against the rough dirt ground.
Skin scraped, blood beading up. This should be enough.
The sudden commotion drew eyes from other disciples.
Seizing the moment, I sucked in a deep breath and bellowed.
"Waaah! Sect Leader Graaaandpa!"
Summoning the Sect Leader ends my turn!