Washing her father's clothes in the nearby stream, she saw Elder Jack's lanky figure leaving his house and walking toward theirs. What did he want this early in the morning?
She stood up, and as soon as she saw the familiar face following him with his parents, she knew what was happening - a particular coward complained. She dried her hands in her skirt and ran towards them, hastily trying to intercept them before they arrived. If they woke up, Father, things would worsen since he was already in a bad mood.

"What is it?" she asked with defiance, her arms crossed, "A certain someone not embarrassed enough by being beaten by a five-year-old?" shooting a vicious glance at the boy, he jumped backward.

Elder Jack let out a dejected frown and muttered, "What did I expect?"

"Not an apology, hopefully, since I know the ropes. I punched him trice, one at his chin, one at his rips, and in his stomach, the last two after he took out his soul weapon, a sickle. I started using him as a punching bag because he called my brother, me, and my deceased mother names. I do not even want to mention what he wanted to call my mother. A respectable, honorable woman who died in childbirth." she pronounced every word clearly, so there would be no misunderstandings and rattered the report down in dry monotony.

"Tang Yin, I know from experience you are speaking the truth, but this does not justify why you beat him up.", Elder Jack explained, and that had her snort. Yes, it was the same as every time someone complained. This one even had to take his parents along cuz he was too much of a goddamn sissy.

"Then can we cut the chase and come right to the penalty you will be asking for." she rolled her eyes in disrespect, "Oh, and by the way, when are you finally going to do something against the insulting because you did nothing the last years. So now I have Laundry to wash, a garden to tend to, and soon a fence to repair. Hopefully."

Behind her, someone snickered lightly, and she turned around to see the village's Teacher, Teacher Lee hunching over his walking stick and holding his belly while amusement glowed in his eyes, and he tried to stop himself from laughing. "Our fierce little Yin.", he said caringly and glanced to the elder, who was visibly displeased, "I came to tell you your and your brothers' test results."

He looked towards her and pointed for her to get her brother. He would deal with this, inwardly thanking him since she didn't want to get punished again. She ran towards the cottage where her brother met her halfway. With the adults arguing in the back, they remained where they were and observed silently. It was nothing new. Teacher Lee was one of the few that regularly defended Tang Yin. He even petitioned the village would gather money for her and Tang San to visit a proper primary school at Nuoding.
Soon he returned with the village elder, telling the other family to leave. They unitedly glared at the siblings one last time before heading away.

Soon both elderly men arrived, and while Elder Jack patted Tang San's head fondly, he glared at Tang Yin and was frowned at by Teacher Lee, who patted them both.

"You two did as expected, full points in all questions; you even got extra points in a few topics, especially you, Yin. Your text was a pleasure to read.", he said and gave her a scroll, "I asked an old friend of mine in Nuoding City, regardless if you show promise in Spirit Power or not, the academy will accept you both as working students for the soon to start the semester."

"Thank you, Teacher Lee.", she said, and they bowed to him. Then, next to him, the village elder shook his head, "If the two of you didn't have Tang Hao as a father, it would be much better. How did he get two Children this clever? He must have done something grand in his former life, even if one of you is an unbearable menace."

Tang Yin couldn't help but grin at the elders' words, who gave her a frosty glare that ended in Tang San looking at him with eagle eyes.

"We are just that great, right brother?" she asked jokingly, and Tang San wisely kept silent.

"Y-you, " The elder wanted to protest but stopped himself. "The spiritual awakening ceremony will be in two days. I expect the best behavior from you, Tang Yin. You only need to be half as polite as your brother, and everything will go well." He said, putting an apple into each of their hands, "For your successful test."

With that, he patted them before leaving.
"Now, brother mine, how is your forging going?" she asked him, walking towards the open door.

"Didn't you want to finish Dad's clo..." she interrupted him by whistling a happy tune. But, of course, that could always be done later, much later, much later.