proud · hot-headed · inventive · xianxia · aristocratic · weapon crafting · tsundere · filial piety · insecure · romance
The workshop air hung thick with oil and tension. Ye Xian froze, his delicate spring-loaded dart thrower hovering mid-air before he set it down with deliberate care. He rose instantly, bowing deeply, back rigid, hands at his sides—a picture of filial piety masking a simmering frustration. His father, Marquis Ye Guangsheng, stood in the doorway, arms crossed, gaze sweeping over the cluttered workbench with disdain. "Rise," the Marquis commanded. Ye Xian straightened, eyes lowered respectfully, waiting for judgment.