The lonely star in your sky [Xu Kai]

The change in the air

Lu Yan felt bad too,but Mei was disobient, determined, and overconfident. So he wanted to show her her place as an apprentice. By then, he had accepted the fact that she calls her master ,as she doesn't have any memories. He was okay with that,but not admitting she had committed an offence was inappropriate for a goddess like her.

As her master he should have properly educated her not to do something vulgar in the near future, and that's what he did.

He wanted her to repent on her own actions so that she won't repeat the same mistake over and over again. To do that, he needed his allies to not to assist her. Nevertheless, he was ready to let her go if she apologised to him in a proper manner. But she was too unruly to accept her wrongdoings.

She was supposed to be punished by the heaven as she offended none,but a true god,but he forced stop the lightning in the midway having mercy on her. This wasn't the first time he did something similar. Once he saved Qin Ru in the same manner.

So his rude behaviour towards her  was something he did out of affection for her own good, though she took it the wrong way.

When she was hurt,when Jing Ling attended her wounds, Lu Yan was truly grateful to him,but he still didn't go easy on her as he wanted her to discover her own capacities. So he commended others not to  intervene. For he knew as a goddess, she had to learn how to bear a lot of burdens on be half of the mortal human beings.

In a way, his punishment was part of his teaching. So he was on her side all the time but not the weather. When that drizzling first started,when she cursed him, pointing her finger towards him,he smiled for her childishness but never wished any harm should befall her.

Though the mid deck was well lit with the moonlight ,he sent some light over Jing Ling's hand just to check on her. To check whether she needs any assistance or so. Of course, he couldn't go there and inquire that in person as he had his own pride as a true god. But when the weather worsened every passing second, he became more anxious. At one point, he decided that he could not just overlook the matter. So, keeping his pride aside , he plodded towards the reed plank holding a blanket and some ointment for her wounds, which was good for scars. But what a timing Jing Ling came for her help as a blessing.

Lu Yan was indeed relieved to see him there. He thanked him in secret and wished Mei should recover soon.

Jing Ling brought Mei back to bed with the help of goddess Sun Shi. He knew both Sun Shi and Qin Ru were never in good terms ,but he was thankful to her at this critical moment. Both of them attended her all night.

Mei regained her strength thanks to their nursing in no time. So, when it came to the daybreak, she had been feeling a lot better. But her happiness didn't last long ,as Sun Shi's grandmother ,the mighty goddess Wu Zhong, had summoned her at the glimmering Palace at the upper god releam the very day. So she had to leave for a few days. Little did she know that a few days at god, releam was like a few months in the human releam.

Mei didn't want to see her going. She wanted her to stay,as she didn't want to be tortured by him all alone. But Sun Shi was not in a place to refuse her grandmother's invitation,as she held a prior position among goddesses.

Sun Shi bid goodbye to her friend and took her leave after informing the matters to true god Lu Yan. He gave his consent to do so.

Soon, Mei regained her full strength within the very day. Thanks to Jing Ling's care her wounds healed almost  within a day. Her fever ran down, and she was back on tracks.And she knew god Lu Yan was gonna start the accedemic work right away, but what a surprise he didn't.  Later, she got to know from  Jing Ling that true god Lu Yan had received some authorised task from heaven to attend. Even she could see him turning pages of huge books and jotting down things.

Anyway, she couldn't be more happier than not having his lectures.

In the absence of Sun Shi, Mei only had Jing Ling to associate. She didn't want to be an eye sore to Lu Yan being around him,so she always ran after Jing Ling. She helped him tend the flower beds,picking herbs, and so on.

Sometimes, she came out to put new flowers in the vase on the stone table but never gave Lu Yan a look. Soon after the work was finished, she ran in searching for Jing Ling.

Their bond was becoming stronger day by day. One day, Jing Ling brought a tonic he peepared from the herbs. Which was very bitter in taste.

"Jing Ling, what's this? " She asked, disgusted by the taste.

"That's the price you have to pay for."  Replied Jing Ling.

"The price???" She asked in wonderment.

That's when Jing Ling held a bunch of peaches in front of her.
She still looked at him in bewilderment.  Then he himself had to explain.

"Hey, you just had the tonic. You can have these peaches now,"

Her face lit up with the happiness.

"Really" Came the answer from her. Then she grabbed the whole bunch of peaches and went on munching them. She was super duper happy. Without knowing, she had come to the Eastern deck where Lu Yan was checking astrological charts while having big bites of the peaches.

When their eyes met, she froze at the same place. She couldn't look him in the eyes. She remembered the last torture she went through, and it made her angry. So she rolled her eyes another direction and sneaked away from there like a cat, taking small steps.

It was the sixth day after their, and the days were becoming boring without any new happenings. So one evening, Mei requested Jing Ling to take her down the mount lookout to a human dwelling where she could taste the street snacks.

"Pls Jing Ling , pls..pls...pls.." She begged him with puppy eyes.

"I have heard they are selling these eye candy, snack called sugar hwark which is sweet and sour. Now you have the tonic,pls bring me there ,pls...pls....pls...."

She used every tactic she could think on Jing Ling to make the thing done.

Her attempts didn't go in vain.
Jing Ling promised her that he would take her there soon.

The very next day, when he went to pour some tea into master Lu Yan's cup, he  initiated the conversation in a low voice.

"Master...."

Lu Yan replied to him with a "hm" still burying his head in the parchment he was working on.

"Master, these days there are no lectur....."

But he was cut in the midway by Lu Yan.

"It's good you came here in advance. Jing Ling, you have to take these parchments to the council of true gods. They contain confidential information.  I have no other to trust with these. Go there and wait there for some time and bring me a reply."

He said while rolling them into a bundle.

Jing Ling became speechless for a second. He knew he shouldn't disobey his master. He was always loyal to him, but when he thought of Mei ,he pitied.

"But master," came abruptly from him mouth, which alerted Lu Yan.

"Do you have anything  to say, Jing Ling?" He asked in concern.

Jing Ling couldn't bring himself to utter that. Whatever the thing, his master came first than anyone else.

"No, nothing. I will do my best." He said with a smile

"Hm....then go"

Right away, Jing Ling turned into his true form of fiery pheonics and flew to the sky, not taking a second look at the Mount Hut.

Lu Yan watched him go.
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"Don't worry, Jing Ling, I will bring her there."

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸