This Martial Saint is Too Cautious
Chapter 37 - 29: Before and After the New Year

Chapter 37: Chapter 29: Before and After the New Year

New Year’s Eve.

This was the first New Year Lin Yan had celebrated since crossing over into this world.

"Yan’er, take your younger brother to pay respects to the ancestors."

His aunt from the Liu Family had long since arranged the three sacrificial animals and the fruits on the ancestral hall’s altar.

Lin Yan lit the incense and handed three sticks to his younger brother. The two brothers respectfully paid homage to the Lin Family ancestors. The woman from the Liu Family stood to the side, a gratified expression on her face.

Every year during the New Year, she would have the two brothers worship the ancestors. In the past, they could only arrange some simple offerings, but this year, they had the three sacrificial animals and fruits. All these changes were thanks to Yan’er.

’Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Yan’er has grown up. He has shouldered the family’s responsibilities. Your spirits in heaven can now rest in peace.’

She murmured inwardly. After the two brothers finished and placed their incense sticks, she stepped forward to straighten the censer, which Mo’Er had knocked crooked, before leaving the room.

"Aunt, I have some good news for you."

Once they were out of the ancestral hall, Lin Yan said with a smile, "I bought a house in East City. We can move in after the New Year."

"You bought a house in East City?"

The woman from the Liu Family was stunned. Although she was just a woman, she knew how expensive the homes in East City were. A single room in East City could be worth an entire house here.

"Yan’er, houses in East City are so expensive. You should be spending your money on your martial arts training right now. Buying a single room would have been enough."

"It’s alright, Aunt. I have a position with the Tang Family now, and the regular stipend is very high. Even after buying the house, I still have plenty of money left for my martial arts expenses."

Lin Yan explained, then added in a roguish tone, "Besides, the house is already bought. We can’t return it now."

Acting first and reporting later—it was the best way to handle elders who were accustomed to being frugal.

"You child..."

"Aunt, isn’t the whole reason I practice martial arts so our family can live a better life? Now that my training is showing results, if our family’s life just gets more difficult, wouldn’t I have practiced for nothing? Most importantly, it’s getting more and more chaotic around here. With you and my little brother living here, I can’t be at ease in Qingtian Town. My master warned me that a restless mind is the greatest fear for a martial artist."

Lin Yan chuckled, confident that after hearing these two reasons, his aunt would definitely not refuse again.

Just as Lin Yan had predicted, the woman from the Liu Family was hesitant at first, but after hearing his final point, that last wisp of hesitation vanished.

In her heart, only one thing was more important than her nephew’s martial arts training: his marriage prospects.

"Big Brother, did you really buy a house in East City?"

The most excited person in the family was none other than Lin Mo. A boy his age was at the prime age for running around everywhere. Lin Mo and his friends had been to East City more than a few times and had seen its prosperity, but they also knew all too well that they could never afford a house there.

"I’m gonna go tell Scruffy and the others that we’re moving to East City!"

SMACK!

Lin Mo rubbed the back of his head, looking at his mother with a wronged expression.

"Don’t go around telling everyone that your brother bought a house."

"I know, Mom."

Lin Mo’s face was full of grievance, not understanding why his mother wouldn’t let him tell people. Lin Yan, however, understood the deeper meaning behind his aunt’s actions.

Because he was a martial artist, the local gangs had exempted their family from paying protection money. The neighbors didn’t say anything to their faces, but they certainly gossiped behind their backs. His aunt didn’t want the family to attract even more envy.

Although with his current strength, the gossip of these neighbors was nothing, his aunt’s caution was not wrong.

While his aunt was inside preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner, Lin Yan went out again and headed for the Xu Family’s home.

Today, the Xu Family’s home had none of the festive New Year’s atmosphere. The moment Lin Yan stepped inside, he was hit by the strong smell of Chinese medicine.

"Lin Yan, you’re here?"

When Xu Dahai saw Lin Yan arrive, he quickly came over to welcome him.

For the past few months, Lin Yan had been asking his aunt to send some silver coins to the Xu Family.

"Uncle Xu, is Brother Ping’s health any better?"

"He’s a bit better than before. He can get out of bed and walk around for a little while each day."

Lin Yan asked a few more questions about Xu Ping’s condition, then left after putting down a gift and a red envelope. He didn’t go into the room to visit, for fear of causing Xu Ping too much emotional distress.

「That night.」

The roar of firecrackers shook the heavens.

Even in a poor district like North City, the sound of firecrackers was endless. Even the Xu Family had set off a string of them at their doorway. Ten copper coins for a string, all for a simple hope: to drive away bad luck so that the coming year would be better for their family.

...

On the first day of the New Year, Lin Yan ate breakfast, then headed to the Martial Arts Hall carrying some home-brewed rice wine and cured meat his aunt had made.

Long before the New Year, their master had instructed them not to give gifts. However, he was referring to valuable presents. Two strips of cured meat and a jug of rice wine were nothing to a Martial Artist, let alone one of their master’s status.

When Lin Yan arrived at the Martial Arts Hall, he discovered he wasn’t the first one there. A crowd had already gathered in the front courtyard, exchanging festive greetings.

"Senior Brother Li."

Lin Yan had also spotted Li An. Seeing him just standing there, he took the initiative to walk over and greet him.

"Junior Brother Lin, congratulations on achieving Second-Time Skin Smoothing."

The moment Lin Yan walked over to greet him, Li An felt a wave of complex emotions. He himself had failed his breakthrough to Second-Time Skin Smoothing and had chosen to leave the Martial Arts Hall to take a position outside. He never expected to hear news shortly after that Junior Brother Lin had successfully broken through.

"I must also thank Senior Brother Li for his guidance, which helped me avoid some pitfalls."

Hearing Lin Yan’s words, Li An smiled. He knew Junior Brother Lin was just being modest. Junior Brother Lin’s success in breaking through had nothing to do with him.

’I failed myself. What the hell could I have guided him on? How to fail?’

Sensing that Junior Brother Lin wasn’t distancing himself just because he had succeeded, Li An’s heart stirred. An idea popped into his head, but just as he was about to speak, all the disciples in the courtyard who had been chatting stopped and turned their gazes toward the steps of the main hall.

Yang Qingfeng walked out from the main hall. Looking at the disciples in the courtyard, he broke into a smile. "Why are you all here so early today? I’m not serving breakfast, you know."

"Master, that’s terrible! I didn’t eat this morning, thinking I could freeload a meal here. I never thought I’d have to go hungry."

One disciple joked. Yang Qingfeng feigned anger. "You’re the one with the big mouth. As if I’d let you starve. Follow me."

In the back kitchen, breakfast had long been prepared. Even those like Lin Chen, who had already eaten, had another bowl of noodles.

After paying their New Year’s respects, the Single-Time Skin Smoothing disciples left first, while Lin Yan and the other Second-Time Skin Smoothing disciples were asked to stay behind.

"This year’s Lantern Festival will be the same as always. Each Martial Arts Hall will send a disciple to participate in the lantern snatching. What are your thoughts?"

Yang Qingfeng asked with a smile, but the moment he spoke, everyone’s eyes fell on Zhao Linyuan, including Lin Yan’s.

The original owner of his body had memories of watching the Martial Artists’ Lantern Snatching event. It was a traditional program during the Lantern Festival in Guangping County.

On the night of the Lantern Festival, in front of the City God Temple, the County Magistrate’s Office would hang up colored lanterns. All the martial arts halls would send disciples to try and pluck them. For the common people watching, it was just a lively spectacle, but for the martial arts halls, it was also a chance to advertise.

Therefore, every Martial Arts Hall would arrange for a young disciple to participate. And for a Martial Arts Academy Disciple, being able to represent their hall meant they had earned their master’s recognition and regard.

In the hearts of the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall disciples, the one who could best represent the hall was, naturally, Junior Brother Zhao Linyuan.

Although Junior Brother Zhao was the most recent among them to achieve Second-Time Skin Smoothing, the time it took him to reach that level since he began his Cultivation was the shortest. His talent was simply astounding.

"Master, I am willing to represent the Martial Arts Hall in the lantern competition." Zhao Linyuan didn’t feign modesty and stepped forward directly.

Yang Qingfeng smiled faintly. His chosen candidate was also Zhao Linyuan.

"Does anyone else have an opinion?"

"Master, Junior Brother Zhao is the most suitable to represent our Martial Arts Hall."

"None of us are as suitable as Junior Brother Zhao."

The other Second-Time Skin Smoothing disciples all voiced their agreement. Yang Qingfeng nodded. "In that case, the Lantern Festival’s snatching will be entrusted to you, Linyuan."

"I will do my utmost and not bring shame to the Martial Arts Hall."

Looking at Zhao Linyuan, who had everyone’s support, Lin Yan felt no envy. He didn’t enjoy being in the limelight, and he had to admit that, for now, Junior Brother Zhao was indeed superior to him.

’The Martial Arts Tree is my biggest secret. Outsiders don’t know that I can’t fail when I try to break through. Comparing the two of us, there’s still a gap between me and Junior Brother Zhao.’

...

...

「The next day.」

Lin Yan carried a gift box and headed to South City with his aunt.

The Lin Family didn’t have many relatives on their side. This time, the two of them were heading to the Cai Mansion to pay a New Year’s visit.

To avoid any unexpected incidents of being looked down upon, Lin Yan had chosen to wear his Martial Arts Hall disciple uniform. The Cai Mansion was a prominent household, and the doorman should understand what this attire represented.

In Lin Yan’s heart, this great-aunt from the Cai Mansion had done him a great favor. Without the Cultivation Technique she had procured for him, his path in Martial Arts would not have been so smooth. This was a debt of gratitude he could not take lightly.

During the New Year, the Cai Mansion would undoubtedly be bustling with visiting relatives. If he had dressed as he usually did, the doorman might have treated him and his aunt as poor relations and given them the cold shoulder.

To be given the cold shoulder, or even be mocked to the point of conflict—to let such an avoidable situation happen just for the sake of feigning weakness wasn’t being low-key, it was being foolish.

Arriving at the Cai Mansion’s gate, just as Lin Yan had expected, the doorman saw his clothes and hurried down the steps to greet him.

A Second-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist was a major figure, even for the Cai Mansion.

"May I ask the purpose of your visit, sir?"

"My aunt and I are here to pay a New Year’s visit to my younger aunt."

Lin Yan stated his purpose, and the doorman quickly led the two of them into the mansion. Inwardly, however, he was puzzled. ’The Third Mistress has a nephew who’s a Second-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist?’

The doorman had seen Lin Yan and the woman from the Liu Family once before, but more than half a year had passed. Moreover, after practicing martial arts, Lin Yan’s physique had grown considerably, and his appearance had changed drastically. It was normal that the doorman didn’t recognize him.

The woman from the Liu Family looked at the path they were taking into the mansion with a puzzled expression. She had never been led this way on her previous visits to the Cai Mansion.

"Young man, where are we going?"

"With a sir and madam visiting, we are naturally going to the main hall."

The doorman replied politely. Today wasn’t the first time he had welcomed relatives of the various mistresses. He had already received several groups, but he had always arranged for them to be taken to the courtyards where their respective mistresses lived.

According to the rules of previous years, the three mistresses would each receive their own relatives. The master of the house would then take some time to visit each of the three courtyards, and meeting the relatives once was considered the completion of the formalities.

But a Second-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist was different. He absolutely could not be slighted.

He had been able to work as a doorman at the Cai Mansion for over a decade precisely because he understood the master’s way of receiving guests.

P.S. Thank goodness I have some stockpiled Chapters. My son had his first birthday three days ago, and he ended up with a fever for three straight days. It really proves the old saying that big milestones bring trouble. For the past few days, Jiu Deng has just been uploading stockpiled Chapters and has been too busy to read everyone’s comments. Thank you all for the monthly tickets, thank you to reader "20" for the Alliance Leader award, and thanks to readers like "Loves Literature" and "Time Thief" for their donations. Lastly, please keep up with the latest Chapters; your continued readership is really important!