The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus

57

"Come, eat some more fruit."

Madam Shi reached out to grab the plate with four plums and pushed it in front of Ling Miaomiao, sending a beaming smile her way. Her voice was very sweet and seemed extraordinarily warm.

The plums were both plump, large and round. There was even some frost on the ink-black skin of the fruit. The entirety of the table was full of plates, there were black grapes, honey peaches and scarlet persimmons. They all looked incredibly fresh and there wasn't a single scar or blemish to be found.

The cyan glaze on the teacups was extremely shiny. Bamboo leaves were drawn on the cups and the tea contained inside was clear. The tea leaves were plump and the dense fragrance of tea wafted into the air. All in all, everything, compared to Taicang County, wasn't lacking at all.

On the way here, the lead protagonists all secretly exclaimed to themselves. Li Zhun and his family had moved to the abandoned village Jingyang Slope, and had spent great effort to reform and rebuild the place. Only a bare modicum of the prior decline could be seen. Many small houses and residences dotted the green hills and clear waters. It was rare for outsiders to come and the whole place smelled greatly of a place of seclusion.

Li Zhun's home was built in the style of Jiangnan: White walls and black roof tiles. In stark contrast, there was a dense forest behind the house, giving it a heavy sense of elegance. They slowly walked up to the house, and upon opening the door, birds perched in the courtyard were startled, chirping as they flew into the sky. Then, the strong fragrance of flowers came billowing into their faces. Roses, hibiscus and crab apples. Red and pink, splendid colors of flowers with bees and butterflies lingering about. Once the young boy inside watering the plants saw them entering, he shyly dropped the pot he was carrying and ran into the rooms. The vapour in the air of the flower bed was thick enough to leave a seven-colored halo in the air.

Light streamed in through the short windows and through the motley of towering trees to shine upon the limestone bricks in the courtyard, many shapes and sizes of rays lighting up the bricks.

The air filled with the fragrance of flowers and birdsong; servants ready to serve at a call. Living like this was what one could truly consider to be a fulfilling life.

Sitting in the center hall, Madam Shi and several maids busied themselves: Refilling Liu Fuyi's cup with water, passing a handkerchief over to Mu Yao and even managing to spin around to stuff a yellow, glistening white pear into Ling Miaomiao's hand. She sluggishly blinked at the opposing small eyes, "It's sweet,
try it."

Her fingers were long, white and fair, appearing absolutely gorgeous. Other than her somewhat comical facial features, she was, from her head to her toes, and with each and every gesture or movement, very clearly a very capable and warm matriarch of a family.

"Thank you." Ling Miaomiao smiled and accepted it. She turned around to beam joyously at Mu Sheng, showing off the pear in her hand, "Hey! You.."

She had only spoken a single word before the pear showed up in his hands.

Mu Sheng's head was lowered and he absentmindedly brought out a small dagger from his robes.

He unsheathed it in one had and gave it a good few swipes with it. Upon returning the pear to Ling Miaomiao's ha had turned into an extremely moving shape of a rabbit, "Here"

Ling Miaomiao silently stared at the rabbit-shaped pear, her face practically the shape of a question mark, "I asked whether or not you wanted to eat it, why did you carve it into this?"

Their tacit understanding of one another had reached such an incredible level already.

Absolutely remarkable.