Chapter 184
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Birds of a Feather (1)
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The couple hesitated at the threshold before being spotted by the gatekeeper, forcing them to awkwardly introduce themselves and step inside. It was their first visit, so everything felt unfamiliar, and their unintended clumsiness only made it worse.
After somehow managing greetings with the sect elders, they finally met their sister-in-law. The couple couldn't hide their mixed emotions. It brought a profound sense of the times changing. Looking back on the days when they'd envied and distanced themselves from her talent felt utterly pointless now.
"I'll bring some tea."
"I'm sorry."
Baek Yucheon conveyed his sincerity to his sister.
They'd taken a terribly long detour to get here. There had been plenty of chances. He should have done it back when she'd painfully returned to the family home. Coming now to apologize felt transparently insincere.
"It's Five Dragon Tea. It tastes bad if it cools."
"Thank you."
"And you don't need to apologize. I'm happy now."
"That's a relief, then."
Seeing his sister unchanged by the passage of time left Baek Yucheon with a bittersweet pang. The years he'd spent feeling inferior seemed futile in hindsight. She had never coveted the family, neither then nor now.
And she had good reason.
The Pine Tiger Sect had become the undisputed top sect in Qingyang County. Though Qingyang was small, the sect's reputation was spreading far and wide. It was no longer easy to approach them as before. Those days when the Baemun Merchant Group provided support were long gone.
"Miss, I'm sorry for everything up until now."
"Don't say that. I hold no grudge against you, my new sister-in-law."
Gwak I-yeong, sitting awkwardly and gauging the mood, finally mustered an apology, and Yujin accepted it calmly.
For Gwak I-yeong, this was the last thing she wanted to do.
But she wasn't blind to reality. Even the Guo Family Manor was no longer on her side. It had fallen into her brother-in-law's grasp long ago.
'Still, that's no excuse—I'm Dad's daughter!'
To rebuild with the family's backing, she needed to apologize to her sister-in-law and forge a friendly bond. For the Baemun Merchant Group, the Guo Family Manor, and their children's future. So, steeling herself despite her reluctance, she had come to the Pine Tiger Sect.
'What a pain.'
Even so, she stayed true to herself.
Someone you disliked couldn't suddenly become likable overnight. Especially not with no blood tie between you.
But her concern for her children and family outweighed her dislike by far. A single word from her sister-in-law could bolster her husband's spirits.
Baek Yucheon understood his wife's feelings but was genuinely remorseful toward his sister. He poured out the regrets he'd held back for so long.
Truth touches the heart, they say. Yujin pretended otherwise but understood her brother's plight.
Blood is thicker than water, after all.
Just like that, the siblings and sister-in-law slipped into a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
"We'd like to renew our contract with the Pine Tiger Sect this time too."
"Comparing the Baemun Merchant Group's year-end performance to the Jeongun Merchant Group's, you're falling far short. Your distribution channels are shaky outside of Qingyang."
"...Still, considering future growth potential, I believe you have more room than the Jeongun Merchant Group."
"Vague answers like that won't cut it. We need solid results and a detailed development plan."
"Our current funds are stable. We're securing distribution channels too."
"With the Baemun Merchant Group's finances, even securing Anhui Province would be a stretch. Your current capital is middling at best."
Even after years away from the Baemun Merchant Group, Yujin's explanations made Baek Yucheon and Gwak I-yeong swallow hard. Her predictions were knife-sharp in accuracy.
Though lacking compared to his sister, Baek Yucheon's experience as a merchant wasn't trivial. Yet he felt powerless before Yujin's precise, data-backed forecasts.
Gulp!
This was something else.
Baek Yucheon felt like he was facing the head of a trading caravan. It was a hopelessness even his father had never instilled. He'd thought age brought poise, but before his sister, he was a rookie again.
"The Jeongun Merchant Group dominates Anhui's commerce on the back of their victory over the upper echelons and alliances with various Jiangsu firms. Your existing deals with them are just repayments for past aid. Helping Father's group is only natural, but leaning solely on family ties won't even maintain the status quo. The merchant world is in upheaval right now. The Baemun Merchant Group can't just hold ground—you need bold direction and aggressive moves."
"...I see."
His sister was even dictating the Baemun Merchant Group's direction. Despite being the next in line, Baek Yucheon couldn't muster a proper retort. Her words rang too true.
"As I told Father, I'm the Chief Steward of the Pine Tiger Sect. I'll treat you as my brother privately, but if you want a contract, bring a solid plan and secured funds. Don't take it personally— this has nothing to do with feelings. I've always liked you, brother, then and now."
"...Thank you."
"No hard feelings toward you either, sister-in-law."
"...Thank you."
She claimed no emotions, yet her words hammered like blows. A direct insult would have been easier to counter, but she left them speechless. Every point she made was spot-on, delivered with unflappable calm. No room to argue.
"...You're the same as when you were little."
By now, even Gwak I-yeong understood why her husband had harbored such inferiority toward his sister. She'd never spent enough time talking to grasp it. Hearing she hadn't changed since childhood made her head throb. She'd come with effort, but never again.
"Brother, convince me. I'm always open. Just know I don't hand out chances to anyone. The Pine Tiger Sect's future is bright, as you've seen."
"We'll go back and prepare with utmost sincerity."
"Here's the template I made. Fill it out exactly, and I'll review it thoroughly."
"...Got it."
Filling out that form would take no small effort. They'd have to pull all-nighters poring over ten years of Baemun Merchant Group records.
While Baek Yucheon and Gwak I-yeong endured Yujin's interrogation... reconciliation,
Baek Cheon-un and Baek Cheon-yeong went to find Mijoo.
It was partly at their parents' insistence, but also to apologize for sparking the earlier quarrel.
Gasp!
On the way to Mijoo's room, a hulking figure blocked the path. When he turned, Baek Cheon-un and Baek Cheon-yeong startled and stumbled back without thinking.
Crack!
His face twisted at their reaction. Lately, he'd even heard occasional compliments on his improved looks. All that hard work shattered at first sight—how could it not?
"That's harsh for a first meeting!"
"...No, it was a mistake!"
"They say even frogs die from mistakes. I'll make sure you never slip up again!"
"...Don't do this!"
Baek Cheon-un recognized him.
That face was unforgettable. Cheolho, runner-up of the Little Dragon Tournament and wielder of the Fierce Killing Demon Fist. His notoriety came from targeting young girls. Whoever coined it nailed it.
"Don't bully my brother, you monster!"
"Urk! This is men's business. Butt out, girl!"
Monster? I'm human!
Cheolho exercised patience. He had no intention of bickering with a girl. She was pretty enough, vaguely resembling Taejin, so he resolved to settle his grudges through a fair spar with Baek Cheon-un.
"Wait, I don't want to spar!"
"Avoiding the fight, are you?"
Fight? How the hell do I win?
This guy had traded blows with Taejin. Leagues above someone like him, who'd barely made the Little Dragon Tournament finals. And now he exuded an even stronger presence. Undeniably tougher since then.
"Why are you picking on my brother?!"
"I said it's not for women!"
Trembling, Baek Cheon-yeong still tried to protect her brother. She feared this monster might devour him. That face screamed it. He'd haunt her dreams, jolting her awake. On the flip side, she wondered just how strong he was to make her brother cower.
'He's the strongest around here!'
Baek Cheon-yeong showed surprising grit in defending her only brother. In that regard, she seemed tougher than Baek Cheon-un.
That was when it happened.
"Mijoo's a girl too."
Startle!
Cheolho, radiating demonic ferocity, whipped around in shock. She'd appeared without a sound, amplifying the surprise. Her footwork was innate—no louder than a cat's.
"Does that mean Mijoo can't step in either, brother?"
"No, that wasn't for Mijoo!"
"Women can't even speak?"
"...Of course they can. Mijoo can speak!"
"Right?"
"Yeah."
He looked like a cornered tiger. As Mijoo approached, Cheolho kept retreating. His back, which never sweated even in blazing sun, was soaked.
"Long time no see. This is Cheolho, my brother. Looks rough, but he's got a good heart. Say hi."
Seeing Mijoo handle the brute like a child made Baek Cheon-un and Baek Cheon-yeong gulp.
Dwelling on the past was pointless.
"And this is So. Cute, right?"
Grrrrowl!
Where?
A house-sized So was right there.
Splat!
Hwangbo Jin-un rolled on the ground, staring blankly at the sky. Even after taking the hit, he was too stunned to speak. Recalling their deck fight made it worse—no excuses like two-on-one this time.
Of course, remembering Taejin's Little Dragon Tournament feats, he couldn't deny being outmatched. Still, he'd trained relentlessly since then.
"You're really something. I ground my teeth through training too. How do you get this strong?"
"It's better if you don't know, hyung."
Taejin debated calling Hwangbo Jin-un "hyungnim" formally, but they agreed on casual terms. They could formalize later, away from prying eyes or after time passed.
That aside, Taejin prided himself on unmatched training rigor. Hwangbo Jin-un claimed harsh drills, but a few days with his father would shut that down.
"Tell me the secret! Don't be stingy."
"No real secret. Face death daily, and you'll end up like me."
"Dude, I've brushed death countless times. But not this fast. That's why geniuses suck."
"You're a genius too, hyung."
Just not on Taejin's level—Hwangbo Jin-un still qualified as one. Roughly on par with Nangong Hyun. Recognition within his clan meant genius without shame.
"Come on, tell me straight. You don't trust me?"
"Then trust me too."
"I trust you."
"Alright. Truth is..."