Rescue Me, My Love

Life in the Mundane

     Bai Xue came running to Baohu's room.  He looked down at the heart shaped face of Baohu's lovely wife.  He knelt beside the bed and took her into his arms.  He hugged her tightly as he couldn't believe she was there.  He gently laid her down and stood in front of Baohu and took him into his arms.  "My Xiao Jin Huli!  She has come back to you!!  I can't express how happy I am for you!  Love her, Baohu!  Do better for her!  I know you will, didi, I know you will."  "Da ge, I will do my best.  I've learned much and I hope Li Li will see that I'm a better man.  I will be here when she wakes up, rest assured."  Bai Xue patted his shoulder and nodded.  He left Baohu to tend to his wife.  Down the hall, Mo Yuan was gathering his students for training.  He decided it was time for his youngest to learn some serious spells and martial arts.  He was standing in the door as they all came out like little ducks in a row.  Bai Xue smiled as he saw them.  Seems like he remembered the same lessons when he was young.  Some things change, some stay the same.  He called out as he walked down the hall.  "Fuqin, I see you have your young students!  Heading to the arena?"  "Yes, we are!  Would you care to tag along?"  "I have some news for you."  "Oh?  I hope Baishan has returned home because I don't want to break up another hot young dragon and his mate!"  "Yes, she has returned.  The wedding is in one week.  No, my news is much better."  "Well, out with it!"  "Meili is pregnant!"  Mo Yuan stopped walking, turned around and grabbed Bai Xue up into his arms!  "Finally!!  Girls maybe?"  "We don't know yet.  As soon as I know, I'll be right over to tell you!!"  They small talked to the arena just in time to see Gaoxing throwing lightning bolts out of his hands.  JinDe had him hitting targets right on center.  He lined up his little pupils to try to hit the targets.  Mo Yuan came to observe.  "Fuqin!  Watch me!"  Xingfu blasted the target with lightning.  "Very nice!  Very nice!"  Fengbao stood by his Zufu and lightly tugged his sleeve.  Mo Yuan looked down into his beautiful little face.  "Zufu, me can do!"  "Oh?  Then show me!"  Fengbao turned toward the target and erupted his tails.  He fired off at least three tails that flew over the target but the effort was good.  To say Mo Yuan was surprised was an understatement.  "Fengbao!  Who taught you to use your tails?"  "Gugu Chin Chu, but she leave.  Me want Fuqin to teach me now."  "Your Fuqin will indeed teach you.  He is very powerful.  Let Zufu show you how to use your hand, ok?"  JinDe had them lined up taking shots.  Jingsi and Jiaxiao were doing very well to be so small.  They hit dead on every time.  Mo Yuan was walking back and forth with one hand behind his back.  The lesson lasted for an hour as they started showing signs of being tired.  "Alright!  That's all for today!  Let's go to the hall for snacks!"  To his amazement, they all transformed and took off.  He looked at JinDe and shrugged.
     Junjie was in the hall drinking tea with his chin propped in his hand.  Bai Xue elbowed his Fuqin and nodded toward Junjie.  Mo Yuan sat beside him and patted his shoulder.  "Why so sad, my son?"  "I'm just missing Baishan.  I know it won't be long before she's here though.  I'm moving my things into my palace today so I'll have our house ready for her.  She is sending some of her things so I'll be busy.  No worries."  "That's the spirit!  Just a few more days!"  He patted Junjie again and stood.  "Now I have some details to tend to."  He was walking to his office when he met Taiyang and Zhenzhu.  He looked at them intensely.  Their aura was disjointed.  He knew they were about to go on their high god trial.  If they could just hold off until after this wedding!  "Fuqin!  Can you help us?"  "Yes!  What are you two up too?"  "We didn't quite finish Chin Chu's gift on time but we finished it.  We wanted to take it to her or should we just send it to her?"  "I would prefer you boys send it.  Your aura is disjointed.  I believe you are about to go on your high god trial."  They both held up their hands and looked.  "Oh no!  What if we miss Junjie's and Chen Bo's weddings?  Hope we don't have to go yet, Fuqin!"  "Do you boys want me to send your gift?"  "Would you?  Come look!"  He followed them to the woodworking shop.  They had made a beautiful crib for Chu and Tian Shu.  He smoothed his hand over the woodwork and inlay.  "You boys do beautiful work!  Is it ready to send?"  "It is!"  With a wave of his hand, he sent their message and the crib.  Chin Chu answered them immediately.  "Would you be interested in doing something for me?"  Their eyes lit up as they eagerly awaited his request.  "Your mother's birthday is coming up soon.  Could I get you boys to make a chest for her?  White inlay with her name on it?  I'll draw my ideas for you."  "Would you let us draw some ideas too?"  "Of course!  Now I'm about to go find your mother.  Get those ideas to me when you can."  Bai Qian was in the nursery reading books to the younger children.  When he walked in he smiled as she was reading.  She had there attention.  "How about some kisses?"  He sat down and let them cover him.
     Shandian Li opened her eyes to see Baohu holding her hand waiting for her.  "My love!  You have ascended!!"  She sat up and he brought forth her aura.  She held out her arms and hugged him.  "Baohu!  I'm back!  My love, where are our boys?  Can I see them?"  "They are in the nursery.  We can go see them, if you wish."  She stood up and nodded.  Once more they held each other close.  He took her hand and led her down the hall.  They walked in to see his Fuqin covered in children.  Jingsi saw Baohu first.  "Si ge!  Come!  Si ge!"  He took Li Li's hand and led her in.  He sat on the floor and motioned for her to do the same.  Jingsi, being rather intrigued, came and sat in his lap.  She looked straight into Li Li's eyes and stared.  She turned to Baohu and hugged him.  "Si ge!  Her Li Li?  Her mother to Fengbao and WuYun?"  "Yes, Jingsi.  She has come back to us.  What do you think?"  She jumped over to Li Li and sat in her lap.  "Hmmm, you love Si ge?"  "Yes, I do."  "You stay home now?  You let Jingsi ride on you?"  "Yes, Jingsi, I will, for you see, I love you too."  Fengbao and WuYun were sitting in Mo Yuan's lap carefully watching the scene unfold.  Baohu watched them closely and decided to call them over.  "Fengbao!  WuYun!  Come to Fuqin!"  They both transformed and belly crawled to him.  He picked up one in each arm and hugged them.  "Boys, this is your mother, Shandian Li.  She has been through a trial and has come back to us.  Do you want her to hold you?"  Fengbao spoke to her first.  "You really mama?  You come back for Fengbao and WuYun?"  Tears were streaming down her face as she held out her arms.  "I have come back to you, if you want me.  Do you wish for me to stay?"  They both left their Fuqin and ran into her lap.  They made little snuffling sounds as they nuzzled her neck.  She smiled and held them tight.  "Mama is very sorry she had to leave you.  It was a trial, but I am here now and I won't leave you again."  She kissed them both and held them close.  Mo Yuan sat by Bai Qian and watched as Baohu and his sons reunited with their wife and mother.  "It seems my dear, that we are blessed again.  When we get these other two weddings done, it's vacation time!"
     For the few days before Junjie's wedding, Shandian Li spent every minute she could with the younger children.  They all loved her immensely.  She told stories, played games and helped them train.  Baohu, basking in his happiness, returned to his duties with a spring in his step and a fire in his heart.  When he came to the arena to train, he was his energetic self.  He trained hard, expected his disciples to train hard and he was as tough as nails.  That is until Shandian Li walked in the arena dressed out in her new armor.  She walked to the middle of the arena and drew her sword.  "Bai Baohu Zhe!  I, Shandian Li, your wife and partner have a bone to pick with you!!"  Students scrambled out of the arena.  JinDe walked by her and smirked.  "Try not to hurt him too bad!!"  She grinned.  Baohu walked over to her and smiled.  "You wanted me Xiao Zhanshi?"  "Indeed I do!"  She swung her blade at him and knocked him backwards.  "Now do you understand, War God?"  He stood up, wiped his hand across his mouth and grinned.  They attacked at the same time.  Their blades clashed with power.  He was quick but so was she.  She moved with the power of the wind.  Their blades were clashing when Mo Yuan walked into the pavilion and sat by JinDe.  "So she challenged him, hmmm?"  "Yes, indeed!  It's on!"  "He better not hurt her or I might just have to jump in the arena.  That is if Fengbao and WuYun don't do it first.  Or Jingsi and Jiaxiao.  Here they come!"   Mo Yuan stopped them.  "None of you are to interfere!  Do I make myself clear?  This is between them!!"  "But Fuqin!  We don't want Li Li to hurt Si ge!"  "Not one move do you make!  I will bind all six of you!  Now sit and watch!"  Mo Yuan sat down and grinned.  Baohu was about to get a lesson.
     She knew she had new power, but she also knew she wasn't his equal.  She just wanted him to realize he didn't have to shoulder everything alone.  Still grinning, she swung her blade and it hit him square in the chest, knocking the wind right out of him.  Feeling like he had been squarely kicked in the chest, he grabbed across himself, staggered and grinned.  "So Xiao Zhanshi!  You want to play rough!  So be it!"  He started jumping around the arena until he came up behind her and caught her from behind.  He turned her around and threw his charm spell right into her face.  She sighed as he caressed her and whispered in her ear.  "Come to me.  Come, let me love you as I've waited for you.  Let's go to a place and mate there."  He cloud jumped them away to Yanhua cave.  Seeing him cast his spell, Mo Yuan counted on his hands and smiled.  "Give or take around thirty months."  JinDe looked at his Fuqin and smiled.  "Yanhua cave?"  "Indeed!"  Mo Yuan gathered the children together to take them into the arena.  He lined up their targets when WuYun asked the question.  "Where Fuqin and Mother go, Zufu?"  "A magical place where they can be alone for a while.  They need it."  Gaoxing laughed.  "Like you and Mother when barrier on door?"  He looked at him with a very stern face.  "Yes, so don't ask anymore questions.  Come show me your spells!"  After an hour spent with JinDe, they were tired.  He took them for snacks and back to their room.  He looked around and realized it was a nursery, not a room for growing little boys and girls.  He would get Qian'er and they would change it for them. 
     He and Bai Qian were drawing plans when Taiyang and Zhenzhu came in.  "Ah!  Just the ones we need!  We have a serious problem.  Jingsi and Jiaxiao need their own room as do Fengbao and WuYun.  There is a room next to Baohu's room that can be converted for the boys.  The nursery can be made fit for Jingsi and Jiaxiao.  Can I get you boys to build the room for Fengbao and WuYun?  Make sure it's what they need."  "Fuqin, we're your men!  We'll get right to work!  Are you leaving design up to us?"  "Yes I will.  I trust you boys to get it right.  Let's get to work!" He walked with Bai Qian to the nursery so they could redesign it.  She walked around it, ran her hand over a crib and looked at all the toys there.  She hung her head and sighed.  He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.  "Mo Yuan......are Jingsi and Jiaxiao really our last children?  Can there be no more?"  "My love!  Don't be so sad!  We have all of our children and our grandchildren.  I'm afraid for you to have another!"  "But dearest, I guess I just feel so inadequate.  I'm getting old!"  "My dearest Qian'er, you are not old!  Enough discussion!  Let's redecorate this room for our baby girls!"  She shrugged and they set out to clean out the room and redo it.  Later that afternoon they brought Jingsi and Jiaxiao into their new room.  Each one had a bed of their own carved with lotus and peach blossoms on it.  They had their own desks and an area to study and play with their toys.  They looked at their parents and frowned.  Bai Qian, seeing that frown, wondered what was up.  "Why the frowns?  Don't you like your new room?  Isn't it pretty?"  "Jiaxiao looked around and patted her Fuqin on his chest.  "We no have room to play with didis.  We need play room.  Big play room."  "I see.  Well Fuqin will just have to make you a play room, how about that?"  "Ok.  Room pretty.  Now go play."
     Taiyang and Zhenzhu had finished up the room for Fengbao and WuYun.  They even carved a door for their room and made them some new toys.  They brought them to see it.  Fengbao and WuYun looked at the door of two white Hulis together.  They opened the door and ran in to see their new room.  They ran from one area to the other.  Fengbao was so excited he was bouncing from one area to another.  "Is it really ours?  Me so happy!!"  Leaving them to their happiness, Taiyang and Zhenzhu left them and stepped into the hall just in time to meet their mother and Fuqin coming with the baby girls.  "Ah, just the boys I need.  It seems Jingsi and Jiaxiao are upset because they don't have a playroom.  There is a storage room right next to their room that we can convert.  We will do that tomorrow, if you boys are available?"  "We will start on it bright and early."  Mo Yuan heard the voice in his head.  "Can we go to your study and show you something?  Mother can't see it!"  "Qian'er, would you go to the hall with the girls?  I'll be right there."  "Come my little ones!  Let's go see if Chang Shan made apple cake for you!"  They flew off in a hurry as she giggled and walked behind them.  When she left, Taiyang grabbed his Fuqin by the arm and hurried him along.  They threw up a barrier and laid out a blueprint on his desk.  "Look at this and tell us what you think!"  Mo Yuan sat down and looked at the drawings.  It was a chest of exquisite design.  It would be black with inlaid pink peach blossoms around it.  The main mural was that of Jinlong with Bai Qian in her fox form laying on his back with her tails waving in the wind.  They were in their little flower filled valley.  He was speechless.  He laid down the drawing and looked at them standing there anxiously awaiting his opinion.  "Well, Fuqin, what do you think?"  "It's beautiful.  Just beautiful!  Start on it right away!"  Mo Yuan stood up and walked around his desk.  His boys that were so damaged by Jinlong, had grown up on him.  They were as tall as he was.  "You boys have grown up on me.  Xue and JinDe were your age when they took up their positions that they have now.  They were your age when Baohu and Jinzi were born.  Now here you are.  I must say your artistic ability never ceases to amaze me.  I have another commission for you after you make the chest.  Come to my office in the morning and I'll show you."  "Fuqin, does it bother you that Taiyang and I prefer to be artists instead of warriors?"  "Silly dragons!  I want you to be what you want to be!  Look at Jinzi!  He's not a warrior.  Be what you want to be!"  "We will talk to you tomorrow then!"  "We best hurry or there will be no cake.  Jingsi eats like a full grown dragon!" 
     Construction noises woke Mo Yuan up bright and early the next  morning.  He sighed and got up to dress.  He covered Bai Qian and left her a rose and a note.  He walked down the hall toward the noises.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu were trying to clean out the storage room.  They had found a box of toys.  "These are very old, Zhenzhu.  Do you think we could clean them up for Fengbao and WuYun?"  Zhenzhu had a wood carving of a horse in his hands looking at it.  "I believe we can.  Fuqin can look at them."  "They were mine when I was little.  Restore them for the boys.  It seems I'll need to get some more toys for Jingsi and Jiaxiao."  "You mean like this?"  Taiyang waved his hands and produced two very finely made dolls that looked like Bai Qian.  Mo Yuan looked at them and nodded.  "Just how have you learned this magic?  You boys are a plain marvel!"  "Zufu Bai Zhi taught us wood carving when he would come.  We read books.  Practiced a lot.  Shushu taught us how to sketch."  "I'm very impressed.  When the girls awaken, let's give the dolls to them.  I want to see their reaction.  Now let's clean this room.  I'll go through the things here."  It took him two hours to go through everything.  Scrolls were sent to the library.  The toys were set aside to take to the woodshop.  The last thing they found was a very old crib.  Mo Yuan ran his hands over it slowly.  A tear ran down his face as he looked at the designs on it.  It was twin dragons together.  Two golden dragons.  "It was mine.  Mother had it made for Ye Hua and I.  You know the rest.  I was in it alone.  Can you restore it?  I wish to give it to Ye Hua."  "We will fix it!  No worries!"  "Alright!  Let's clean this first and get this started!"  They took a break for breakfast and went straight back to work.  When Jingsi and Jiaxiao awoke, Mo Yuan called Taiyang and Zhenzhu to bring those dolls.  "Good morning my Xiao Bailongs!  Taiyang and Zhenzhu have a surprise for you!  Do you wish to see it?"  Jingsi, always the nosey one, grinned.  "Oh?  What it be?"  "Look and see!"  They each held a doll.  Jingsi's eyes got round as she held out her hands.  "Oooo.  It mine?"  "Yes, it's yours.  Jiaxiao?  Do you want yours?"  She grabbed her doll, looked at it carefully and changed the robe color to Kunlun blue.  She hugged it close.  "Dolly needs a bed, Lui ge.  You make?"  Taiyang wove his hands around in a very intricate pattern and produced two beautifully made doll beds.  He set them up for them and they turned their backs on them all to tend to their dolls.  Mo Yuan shrugged and left them to their new toys.  The play room was finished with shelves for the toys, a nice big rug on the floor, a tea table and seat cushions.  A big painting of Jinlong was hanging on the wall.  Bai Qian came in to inspect.  "Very nice!  Very nice!  Now we can have our rooms clean.  Where are Jingsi and Jiaxiao?"  "They have a new interest now."  "Oh?  What would that be?"  Taiyang and Zhenzhu made them each a doll and a bed for the doll.  They are in their room playing with them now.  Bai Qian walked to their room and looked in.  They both were talking to their dolls and hugging them.  She smiled and backed out the door.  They walked to the hall for tea.