Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life-Chapter 180: Celebration

Steward Wang Defa of the Accounting Office in the External Affairs Hall, his plump face beaming like a full-blown chrysanthemum, hurried into the courtyard carrying a delicate wooden box. Two menial disciples followed behind him, carrying a brand-new stone table and stools.

Instantly, the rich, elegant fragrance of top-grade "Cloud Mist Spirit Tea" wafted through the air.

"Su Ming, look at this place of yours. You're always so busy with affairs, you don't even have a proper spot to receive guests. Please, you must accept this small token of my respect!" Wang Defa instructed the menial disciples to set up the stone table while personally opening the wooden box, revealing a set of high-quality purple clay tea ware and a sealed jar of spirit tea preserved with a jade talisman.

"Steward Wang is too kind," Su Ming stood up, his expression calm, neither overly familiar nor distant.

"Ah, still calling me Steward Wang? You're putting me to shame!" Wang Defa hurriedly waved his hands, the wrinkles on his face deepening further, "From now on, if you have any instructions for the Accounting Office, just say the word! Junior Brother, you're a man destined for great things. We'd be more than satisfied just to cheer you on from the sidelines!"

His posture was extremely humble, but Su Ming knew he hadn't come just to offer congratulations.

Sure enough, after dismissing the menial disciples, Wang Defa personally poured a cup of tea for Su Ming. The tea liquor was a clear jade green, misted with spiritual energy. Lowering his voice, he leaned close to Su Ming and spoke mysteriously, "Senior Brother Su, everyone in the Accounting Office is overjoyed about your promotion. However... there's something I'm not sure if I should mention."

Su Ming picked up the teacup, feeling its warm smoothness. He gently blew away the floating leaves, his movements unhurried, "Senior Brother Wang, please speak freely."

Seeing his steady attitude, Wang Defa felt even more awe. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Your application, Elder Ma personally submitted it. But according to the rules, it must go through a joint review by the Stewards' Hall and the Transmission Pavilion. Over at the Stewards' Hall, with Elder Ma's influence, there shouldn't be much of a problem. But the Transmission Pavilion side... you know, the elders of the Transmission Pavilion value bone structure and lineage the most, and their ways are the most rigid. Your evaluation of 'damaged Dao foundation'... I'm afraid it might... get held up by Elder Luo."

As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on Su Ming's reaction, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his robe.

Elder Luo?

Su Ming's mind stirred, but his expression remained unchanged. The one from Formation Peak is also surnamed Luo. Coincidence, or...

"Which Elder Luo?"

"One of the three presiding elders of the Transmission Pavilion, Luo Tianzheng, Elder Luo," Wang Defa's voice dropped even lower, "This Elder Luo is famously at odds with Elder Luo from Formation Peak, but the two are surprisingly aligned when it comes to 'upholding the sect's orthodoxy.' He is most averse to the phrase 'making an exception.'"

This information was worth its weight in gold.

It clearly pointed out the first foreseeable stumbling block on Su Ming's meteoric rise.

"Thank you for the heads-up, Senior Brother Wang," Su Ming put down the teacup, his tone a touch more sincere. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Not at all, not at all!" Seeing his objective achieved, the smile on Wang Defa's face grew even more genuine, "If you ever need any information in the future, Senior Brother, just give the order! These eyes of mine aren't good for much else, but I do have a bit of insight when it comes to reading people and situations."

Satisfied, he chatted for a few more moments about trivial matters before rising to take his leave. As he turned to go, a discarded talisman paper used to wrap tea leaves "accidentally" slipped from his sleeve, though he himself seemed completely unaware.

Su Ming bent down to pick it up, about to throw it away, when he noticed two characters written in very faint strokes on the inside of the paper—"Luo Tianzheng."

Inside the Xuantian ring, Lin Yu's soul consciousness stroked his non-existent chin, marveling, "Well, well, this fatty's got skills! Gift-giving, currying favor, presenting a letter of allegiance—a seamless combo move. This connection is worth keeping. Might hook a big fish later."

After seeing Wang Defa off, tranquility returned to the courtyard.

The looks Old Wang, Old Li, and the others gave Su Ming were no longer just of admiration, but now held an added firmness about the future.

If even someone like Steward Wang came to actively show goodwill, what worries could there be about the future prosperity of the Repair Hall?

However, this peace did not last long.

"Su Ming! Su Ming! We're here to congratulate you!"

Two crisp, lively voices drew nearer. Qingfeng and Mingyue, the two little ones, were actually staggering in together, carrying a wine jar half a person tall between them. The jar was even pasted with several restriction talismans, clearly indicating its extraordinary origin.

With a *thud*, the wine jar was heavily placed in the courtyard, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

"This is a hundred-year-old 'Bamboo Green Brew' we 'borrowed' from our Master's wine cellar!" Qingfeng puffed out his little chest, looking immensely proud, as if he'd accomplished a monumental feat, "To celebrate your promotion!"

As soon as the seal on the jar was opened, a clear, mellow, and sweet aroma, rich with bamboo fragrance and spiritual energy, instantly filled the entire courtyard. Just one whiff made one feel refreshed and invigorated, with every limb and joint feeling wonderfully comfortable.

Old Li and the others couldn't help but take deep breaths, feeling the fatigue of the past few days dissipate considerably.

Mingyue, meanwhile, curiously looked around the orderly workshop. The flowcharts on the walls she couldn't understand, and the neatly stacked parts on the shelves, all seemed novel to her.

She ran to Su Ming's side, tilting her delicate, jade-like little face up, and asked curiously, "Su Ming, Su Ming, now that you're an outer sect disciple, you don't have to stay here fixing these broken plates anymore, right?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously cheerful atmosphere in the courtyard subtly froze.

The smiles on the faces of Old Wang, Old Li, Zhang Asheng, and the others involuntarily faded a little. Deep in their eyes, a trace of hard-to-conceal worry and anxiety surfaced.

Yes, Senior Brother Su was now a quasi-outer sect disciple, one of the 'elite' who received a monthly stipend from the sect. Could this small Repair Hall, this group of menial disciples with bleak futures, still keep him?

Su Ming did not answer immediately.

He smiled gently. Instead of touching the priceless spirit wine, he turned and fetched a pot of spirit fruit juice from inside, pouring a full cup for Mingyue and handing it to her.

He crouched down, bringing his gaze level with Mingyue's, his voice soft yet firm.

"Senior Sister, rest assured, this place is my foundation."

His gaze slowly swept over every tense and expectant face in the courtyard.

"I will not leave. In the future, this place will be even bigger. There will be more people, repairing more things."

"Together."

These words, like a warm current, instantly flowed into the hearts of Old Wang, Old Li, Zhang Asheng, and the twenty newly joined menial disciples.

The anxiety and unease in their eyes were instantly replaced by a searing emotion called 'belonging.' Unconsciously, their eyes grew a little moist.

"Approved!" Qingfeng, standing to the side, broke the warm scene with a deliberately mature wave of his hand, "Su Ming is right! From now on, this is our turf! If anyone dares to cause trouble, just drop my name... and my Master's name!"

Finally, a burst of genuine, relaxed laughter erupted in the courtyard.