Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack-Chapter 603 - 583: Kneel, Kneel, Kneel, Keep Kneeling
Remembering the kneeling etiquette Jimo Cheng had taught her yesterday afternoon, Luo Qianqian suddenly felt her knees ache a bit, and it reminded her of that phrase from the TV series, "kneeling is easy."
As she followed Jimo Cheng to a side, she realized there was a side door with fewer people around, yet each one bore a solemn and serious expression. At that moment, Jimo Kong was seated at the head.
Behind him were the arranged rows of seats, and Luo Qianqian couldn’t help but tremble a little, as she had never knelt to anyone apart from her own father.
Jimo Cheng sighed and whispered in her ear, "Hang in there," then moved aside, leaving Luo Qianqian alone in that vast space.
It was at that moment that she suddenly understood the fear in Jimo Cheng’s words. With so many eyes on her, she dared not even wipe off her sweat.
After glancing around with the corner of her eye, Luo Qianqian suddenly noticed some seats against the wall? They were all full, though they were currently unoccupied.
Among those standing, everyone was dressed in Tang attire except for one man in a suit who was looking down at something, totally ignoring Luo Qianqian.
"It’s about time," said Jin Feng, checking the time and nodding at the man in the suit.
"Yeah, okay," the man in the suit put down the papers in his hand, stood up, and picked up a microphone from nearby.
??? Microphone? And a presenter???
Luo Qianqian was completely bewildered, what kind of apprenticeship ceremony was this? She didn’t even know what she was supposed to learn from Jimo Kong.
"Welcome everyone, good morning. As we all know, respecting teachers and valuing their teachings was one of the finest traditions of ancient times.
The Master Says states, a teacher conveys the doctrine, imparts professional knowledge, and resolves doubts.
A disciple follows the teacher, respecting him as one would his father. Once a teacher, forever a father..."
Luo Qianqian was stunned but obediently stood and listened to the presenter’s fluent speech, somewhat feeling like this was a pyramid scheme meeting?
And also, once a teacher, forever a father, had it been so when Jimo Cheng’s time too? Wouldn’t that confuse the generational lines?
"I am honored to host this apprenticeship ceremony at Mo Studio..."
Luo Qianqian watched as a cushion was placed beneath her knees, then she understood that she was not just going to listen but also had to kneel.
Sure enough, the next second she heard the presenter say, "First bow, to the enduring heavens and earth of sun, moon, and the Big Dipper."
Luo Qianqian gently smoothed her sleeves, knelt down, and respectfully performed the ritual.
"Second bow, master and disciple hand in hand across Ming Yue and Nine Continents."
Luo Qianqian performed the ritual, yet inwardly she mused, Why not say master and disciple traveling the world together?
"Third bow, eternally grateful for the master’s immense merit for a thousand autumns."
Luo Qianqian performed the ritual. Her heart found it even funnier, and the phrase made it feel even more like a pyramid scheme, almost reminiscent of donating money at a temple.
"Rise," the presenter said, watching Luo Qianqian complete the three bows.
Luo Qianqian stood up, her face devoid of any fluctuation, even her heart was utterly calm, only feeling a slight craving for pig’s feet.
"Serve the tea."
Luo Qianqian watched as a young girl, seemingly from nowhere, brought up a cup of tea on a tray. She took the tea but did not drink, knowing the host had more to say.
"Tea has ten virtues, it shows respect, refines the spirit, and conduces to the way... The disciple offers tea to the master!"
Luo Qianqian held the tea, her steps light and slow as she moved gracefully to Jimo Kong. Suddenly, a cushion appeared beneath her knees. Luo Qianqian knelt without any signs of distress. Unexpectedly misjudging her kneel, she wobbled a bit, one knee hitting the cushion while the other missed, hanging in the air beside it. Stabilizing the tea, she raised both hands over her head, "Please enjoy the tea, Master."
Jimo Kong took the cup, slightly lifted the lid to smell, his eyes hinting at a subtle shift. He glanced at Jimo Cheng standing by his side, then regained his composure, drank the tea, and placed the cup on the table, sighing, "Good tea. Good child, rise now. This is a gift I have prepared for you." He then handed Luo Qianqian a sandalwood box, "Just like the ones I gave your two senior brothers, no more no less."
Luo Qianqian bowed deeply as she received the box: "Thank you, Teacher."
"Jin Nian, introduce Jin Yuee to the elders," Jimo Kong instructed calmly.
With a smile, Jimo Cheng performed a salute and complied. At that moment, Luo Qianqian realized what the two rows of chairs against the wall were for. Observing people taking their seats one after another, and the woman appearing beside her carrying several cups of tea, Luo Qianqian’s lips twitched slightly. She wondered, did she really have to kneel to each one?
Jimo Cheng picked up the cushion Luo Qianqian had misplaced, gave it a light pat, then frowned as he looked at his fingertips. Placing the cushion beneath Old Master Jimo’s feet with utmost seriousness, he pointed at it, then as usual, picked up another cushion and followed Luo Qianqian from the left, "This is your great master uncle."
Luo Qianqian proceeded to kneel before each person, her expression unchanging, eventually becoming numb to the act. Though the cushion was not as hard as the floor, it was still unfamiliar to her.
From initial indifference to a slight furrowing of brows, progressing to tightly clenched teeth and a rigid expression, Luo Qianqian had knelt before dozens, maybe even a hundred people. While each person didn’t say much, they each presented gifts, accumulating into a considerable show of reverence.
"Jin Yuee, no need to kneel next," Jimo Cheng finally said in relief upon reaching the end of the two rows of chairs, "What comes next is those of the same generation."
Luo Qianqian, looking toward the even larger number of people still standing, swayed slightly but managed to steady herself, relieved that she no longer had to kneel.
"This is Jin Feng..." Luo Qianqian began offering tea again. After all, a senior brother is akin to a father, and it’s said that an elder brother is like a father.
Luo Qianqian wondered why it was always ’like a father’? Could it not resemble something else?
A day’s teacher, a lifetime’s father, an elder brother as a father — was this because she had no father of her own?
Just as Jimo Cheng had said, by the time the ceremony ended, it was already noon, and that was without the elders above Jimo Kong making an appearance.
The initiation ceremony concluded with a banquet hosted by Mo Studio, and everyone withdrew to have lunch since it was already midday.
Yet Jimo Cheng watched as Jimo Kong left with the cushion, then took Luo Qianqian back to the room where they had started, "This is Grandpa’s private reception room. Usually, besides me and senior brother, no one else comes here."
He then had Luo Qianqian sit down and fetched a large box from a cabinet, placing it at her feet and opening it to reveal various medicines. Jimo Cheng looked at Luo Qianqian, "Roll up your pants; I need to apply some medicine, or you might not be able to walk tomorrow."
Luo Qianqian didn’t fuss like the ancients might have; after all, it was just her knee, which was usually exposed when she wore shorts or skirts. Rolling up the trouser leg, she let out a low hiss of pain, ’hiss,’ not seeing the full extent of the redness on her knee until she rolled the trousers above it. She felt completely wronged but seeing Jimo Cheng unscrewing the lid of the medicinal wine, she stopped him, "I’ll do it myself."
Regardless of anything else, he was still a man. She wasn’t worried about any scandal, given that she was already engaged to him, but she was mainly worried about the pain.
Jimo Cheng gave her a look and gently said, "Should I ask Grandpa Luo to help you apply it?"
Luo Qianqian quickly shook her head. With Grandpa’s strength, she’d be in even more pain. She withdrew her hand that had reached for the bottle of medicinal wine, "Then be gentle..."
Jimo Cheng poured the medicinal wine onto his hands, rubbed them together, then carefully placed them on Luo Qianqian’s knee, "I’ll try..."
