Like a Feather Tickling My Heart

18 Just One Bond?

The other Elders looked on and while there were quite a few that would've liked to come with them, this was something that usually only involved the Grandelder and maybe relatives of the dragon or phoenix if they were living in the forest. Even though they were of the same tribe, they were still outsiders in regard to this particular conversation. Thus, they could only sigh in regret, hoping that they would be able to ask some of their questions later on.

Meanwhile, Lan Jing sat back down in front of the tree in her usual spot while she motioned at the seats opposite her for Zhu hong and Zhen Zhu to sit as well. Zhu Hong helped his partner take a seat and then sat down next to him, quite close.

Lan Jing watched all of this, the satisfaction in her eyes clearly visible. "So, why don't you tell me about the past week? Have you been well?" She looked especially at Zhen Zhu but also gave Zhu Hong a glance, making sure that he was alright as well.

Taking care of a recently hatched phoenix could be taxing. There were way too many new things and still a lot to prepare especially in a case like Zhen Zhu's where his spouse had only been given a week to prepare for the wedding.

Zhu Hong gave a faint nod in answer to her unspoken question but then looked at Zhen Zhu to tell the rest. This was an important moment for his little phoenix. He didn't want to take anything away from it.

Zhen Zhu didn't need to be told twice. No matter whether it was the other phoenixes or dragons in the dragons' valley or Grandelder Lan Jing, he just loved talking about all the things that his husband did for him. Thus, he immediately launched into his tale of his experiences in the past week, starting from the robes that Zhu Hong had prepared, to the way he had shown him the valley and made him get acquainted with the other phoenixes and Elder Bi's family, and also the things that he liked the most about the dragons' valley.

For at least an hour, there was nothing but the constant chattering of the young phoenix filling this building around the mother tree. Lan Jing's smile didn't dissipate in the least. She watched him, seeming to become even happier with every sentence she heard. Originally, she had had a good feeling about Zhu Hong because he had been careful in taking Zhen Zhu from her hands back then. Now, it seemed that she had really judged him right. He was somebody who took his partner's needs into consideration. Clearly, Zhen Zhu would live well at his side in the future.

When Zhen Zhu finally arrived at describing the current day and how they had come here, Lan Jing couldn't help but laugh.

"To be honest, we were a little worried when you took so long to get here. Most couples will arrive early in the day. But it was a really nice idea of your husband to do this for you." A little heads-up would've been nice but she didn't want to rain on Zhen Zhu's parade so she kept that thought to herself.

Zhu Hong could imagine what she was thinking though and cleared his throat with some embarrassment. "I guess it might've been better to fly here fast and then show Zhen Zhu more on the way back but I figured that since it would be the first time we fly together, it might be better to do it this way around. Also ..." He looked at Zhen Zhu, his expression a little difficult. He wasn't sure if he would mind if Grandelder Lan Jing knew that he didn't know how to fly yet.

Zhen Zhu looked at him, blinking his round eyes.

Zhu Hong reached out and rubbed his cheek before he turned back to the Grandelder. In any case, she wasn't a chatty person. If they told her, it would stay between the three of them. "Zhen Zhu is still growing so it's not quite convenient to fly yet. I was worried that it might be too much for him to take if I carried him at full speed."

Lan Jing raised her brows for a moment but thinking back, she figured that it also wasn't strange. "Ah, yes, that can be quite awkward. The chicks grow at a different rate. For some, it will take just a few days until they are completely grown up in that form as well and for others, it will be a few weeks. Sometimes, they just need a little more than those seven days so it is an awkward stage to fly indeed. You could have sent word that you need two more days or so though. Don't force yourself."