The next morning, breakfast was prepared. In the meeting hall, everyone was in their place; the tables were meticulously arranged, and food and drinks were already set. A slight tension lingered in the air, with silence hanging lightly over the room.
After some time, Xu Mei entered the hall with measured steps. With a serious gaze, she spoke quietly, yet in a way that drew everyone's attention:
"Leader of the Tiger Sect, I hope you are pleased with our hospitality."
Myung Moon laughed in response.
"Everything is marvelous. One could stay here forever," Myung Moon said, his gaze briefly shifting toward Yuan Yu. His meaning was not subtle.
Xu Mei suddenly turned toward her son.
"Leader of the Tiger Sect," Xu Mei said calmly,"you already have three wives—how fortunate."
Her tone sharpened.
"We now wish to find a suitable match for our beloved son. Our lineage must continue."
She turned fully to Yuan Yu.
"Son, your beauty and talent do not belong to you alone—they belong to this family as well.Isn't it time to begin looking for a suitable young lady?"
Yuan Yu smiled faintly—but said nothing.
Xu Mei cast a brief glance toward Myung Moon as she spoke, and all eyes in the hall shifted between them. Whispers spread quickly across the tables.
A flicker of surprise crossed Myung Moon's eyes, followed by a faint, restrained smile. His jaw tightened slightly. The atmosphere grew tense.
Leader Zhen quickly intervened.
"After breakfast, I will show you the market and our family heirlooms," Leader Zhen said, steering the conversation away.
Yuan Yu did not want to go. He turned to his father.
"I'm not feeling well," Yuan Yu said quietly. "My stomach still hurts. I will remain here and wait for your return."
Leader Zhen nodded, accepting his words, and left with Myung Moon.
Along the way, they exchanged brief conversation—polite, yet cautious.
When they returned to the meeting hall, Leader Zhen presented Myung Moon with special gifts: a jade tea set, finely crafted necklaces, an antique vase, and several valuable books. Myung Moon admired them and offered his thanks more than once.
In return, Myung Moon presented gifts of his own—most notably a tea set made especially for Yuan Yu. The set was crafted from pure gold, its workmanship breathtaking.
As Yuan Yu received the gift, a strange mix of unease and reluctant admiration stirred within him. He could not deny its beauty, yet Myung Moon's intentions unsettled him.
Polite as ever, Yuan Yu inclined his head.
"I will take good care of it."
Myung Moon's gaze lingered on Yuan Yu, not the tea set.
By the end of the day, everyone withdrew to their chambers.
On the second night, when Myung Moon returned to his room, Xu Mei's words echoed in his mind—the search for a suitable wife for Yuan Yu.
The thought angered him.
In a sudden motion, he struck a cup from the table. It shattered against the floor, the sound sharp in the stillness.
His expression darkened.
"Then I won't play fair."
"Yuan Yu will be mine."
A night breeze drifted through the window, stirring the curtains as silence settled once more.
At that moment, a quiet struggle had begun—one that would not remain hidden for long.