Still Learning To Live As A Cultivator

Chapter Ninety Nine - We become Bowyer's Wingmen!

As the door opened, Maimai expressed a pouty face in the direction of Jin Li. The martial artist ignored her.

He was currently sipping tea, the scent of which was slightly bitter yet also refreshing. The tea cup he used looked finely made, with a dappled bronze finish and gold line motif and came as part of an overall set.  It wasn't something likely to be found in a boudoir, but looked as if it would fit well in a nobleman's study.  Maimai wondered where he had got it from and if she could get her father a set.

"C-come in," Leon ushered them both through the door. Unlike his sour lover, the alchemist seemed delighted to see them, improving Maimai's mood. She childishly stuck out her tongue at Jin Li. He still ignored her.

In a gesture of welcome, Leon poured them both tea in cups from the same set. Maimai savoured it, while Bowyer blurted in comment; "It's good!"

"Tch," Jin Li exclaimed irritably. That was his tea that was being shared. With this he couldn't ignore the pair any longer. "What are you doing here?" He tugged Leon down to sit beside him, preventing the smaller man from refilling the pair's cups after his own was. Leon rolled his eyes, but remained obedient, settling Jin Li's mood.

"Can't Leon's best friend visit from time to time?" Maimai retorted.

"No." He caught the questioning gaze of his small alchemist from the corner of his eye. "I'll allow it... but only following a card of invitation." Now it was Maimai's turn to roll her eyes. Sure sending cards to the doors of people you wished to visit or whom you wished to visit you was the etiquette amongst houses of noble and powerful backgrounds, but Leon was from a small village, don't know if they bothered with such formalities and plus, they were all at school!

Jin Li turned to question Bowyer. "And you, Senior?" Despite his bluntness, Jin Li remained respectful to those he chose to recognise.

Bowyer put on an air of humbleness; "Jin Li, I require your assistance."

"I refuse."

"Hey, you haven't heard what it is that I need you for!"

"Isn't it to practice sparring with you?" Jin Li sneered. Honestly, he didn't usually mind, but his small alchemist and himself had been apart for this whole week and even then, Leon had fallen asleep before they got to do anything last night as he had been exhausting himself with his own matters during the day. He hadn't managed to talk Leon out of wanting to descend the mountain for somethings today either. But it had been to purchase supplies which included smoked and salted meats, so Jin Li had forgiven him for spoiling his personal plans, this time.

Bowyer couldn't help but hesitate, slightly sheepish. Maimai thought it was quite a cute look on the robust man and he unknowingly was relabelled as 'bottom' in the girl's slightly offhanded view. "Well, sort of," he admitted, "and sort of not. You see, there is this girl..."

"Girl?" Maimai blurted, before blushing, inwardly crying due to this unexpected development. "Ah, I see..." she coughed before washing her mind with the refreshing sight of Leon nearly cuddled to Jin Li's side. She sipped her tea to clear her throat. "You wish to impress her?"

Leon was used to Maimai's personal outlook on life, didn't think anything of her reaction and as usual Jin Li didn't care. However, from another point of view, it could be taken with an alternative interpretation. Bowyer looked at the pretty girl again before stumbling to answer her question. "Actually, no," he chuckled awkwardly after a moment and scratched at his jaw as he glanced away with an internal sigh. "Really, I'd rather the opposite. But she and her friends cornered me a bit and I ended up promising to help her with her practice..."