Immortal Mortals

Blue Belt Vine

Taking a large sip of tea to wash it down he looked up at her in awe.  "You ran a business in town Ai?" he asked shocked.  This girl was one surprise after another, he thought to himself.

Nodding her head lightly, she told him of the small eatery she used to own, but was destroyed during the great destruction, though she did suggest it was something she would like to pick up again one day, which surprised Jie, but he understood it.  Her small business had actually been quite successful, perhaps it was something they could look at together one day.

Though the thought of Ai running a business on her own for 20 Mortal Years surprised both Bai Zhen and Zhe Yan, the girl could barely roll her lazy butt out of bed let alone have the stamina to run a business and a successful one at that.

The men ate quickly to please Ai, before the children came in chatting excitedly among themselves.  "Father, don't be gone too long, I want to paint a family portrait."  Meili squealed excitedly as Tai disappeared to find the right outfit for it.  It wasn't often that Meili included him in her paintings, and being very talented, he was just as excited at the thought of a family portrait as they all were, though the challenge would be a self portrait which she would add once everyone else was in it.

Running off to join her brother, Jie and Chang Li rose.  "We won't be long Ai, stay here and help Tai choose the right outfit, you know how hopeless he is when it comes to co-coordinating colors." he laughed, leaving his whip behind, something he needed as his horse was still somewhat feisty.

Weaving her small hands around his waist, she gave him a quick hug.  "Alright, but be home for dinner." she shot a warning look at Chang Li as Jie lay a soft kiss on top of her head before nodding and heading out the door and straight for the stables.

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Slowly Ai began to clear away the dishes and refreshments as the children busied themselves with their preparations and excitement.  She could clearly hear Meili's light giggles and light ribbing at the choice of garment he was going to wear for her portrait sweeping down the hall and into the main room, and Tai's exasperated voice at her constant teasing, though she could feel the excitement in the air even though her own thoughts were less so.

That she and Jie had not cleared the air between them, had been playing on her mind all day, though she did gain some comfort from his gentle touch and warm smile when he had returned with Chang Li and that made her smile a little, but she knew Jie well, he was still feeling the effects of their argument no matter how much he tried to hide it, because she knew he had been, especially with the return of Chang Li.

And that had her thinking about Chang Li.  For some reason, he felt very familiar, yet she knew she had never met him before, in fact she knew nothing about him, Jie had never mentioned him even though it seemed as if they were very good friends, close friends even, especially having invited him to stay the night, which he had never done before.

The man also had an uncanny way of turning all the conversation back towards herself, whenever she had tried to ask questions about him, she had learned very little about him that she was becoming suspicious.  This was the first friend from Jies past that she had ever met, yet to be so close to each other, why had he never spoken of him before.  If he were not such a close friend of Jie's she might have suggested he find somewhere else to stay.

Though Meilis instant liking for the man, did ease her suspicions considerably.  The childs strong intuition could be relied on when it came to meeting people for the first time, especially men, in fact, the child had thrown her arms around his waist, and for her, that spoke volumes, even Tai seemed to like him.

But her thoughts on Chang Li did not last long, they immediately swung back to Jie. She had made too many mistakes and she knew it, because he was now suspicious, but how she was meant to overcome them she did not know, she could only hope he would let it all go.  Though making up always worked, he was a typical male who could be so easily swayed with the suppleness of her flesh.  She merely had to smile a certain way, look demure, blush heavily,  wear the clothing that he liked to see her in, the ones which showed off her figure and he would be hers for the taking, so with that in mind she ran back to their room to find her prettiest dress, under the pretense that it was for Meilis portrait, and she would even do her hair up the way he liked it she thought happily to herself.

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Finding the white cloth laying across the plant that Ai had used to make the amnesia potion, Mo Yuan took a good look at it.  Far from being a bush as he had imagined it to be, it was in fact a vine, which Ai had growing across the ground, allowing it to grow wild, a vine that Zhe Yan had called Blue Belt due to the small blue flowers that wove itself around the vine and one that produced its own unique energy.   He remembered seeing the plant growing close to one of the waterfalls at The Peach Grove, but as it had been mingled in with many other plants and vines, he hadn't really paid it much attention.

"Perfect!  This is ideal." He informed Zhe Yan.  "Alight, now listen, this is what's going to happen.  Then quickly filling him in on his plan, Zhe Yan could not hold in the laughter, though Chang Li looked as if he were going to be ill, but nodding that he understood, they all went to prepare themselves for what was about to unfold.

Remaining behind his barrier, Zhe Yan immediately left for the house while Jie and Chang Li left for the horses.  "Take Meilis  horse Bai Zhen, it the most gentlest of the lot." he said as he quickly mounted his horse and Chang Li threw himself up onto Meilis, then leading the horses towards the garden, they slowly made their way towards the vine while watching the house.

Back at the house, Zhe Yan made sure the children were nowhere to be seen, before making his way quickly to Ai.  Finding her in her bed chamber, looking absolutely beautiful, he suddenly swallowed hard as strong feelings of guilt began to wash over him.  "Im so sorry Xiao Wu." he whispered as he returned to the main room.  Finding what he was looking for, he knocked Jie's whip to the floor causing the metal embellishments to clang hard and loud on the wooden floorboards, before racing back towards Jie and Bai Zhen.

Turning at the sound, Ai frowned.  Thinking Jie had returned, she quickly made her way back to the main room but other than the sound of the children laughing in their room, there was no one else about.  "I must be hearing things." she said chuckling lightly as she turned towards the hall, when her sight fell upon Jies whip lying on the floor.  It wasn't like Jie to leave his whip behind, he must be distracted having Chang Li here, she thought to herself as she bent down to pick it up.  

Then thinking that perhaps he may have decided to leave it behind, she moved to the window to look out towards the stable when she saw Jie and Chang Li heading straight towards The Blue Belt Vine, a vine that would make his horse rear up in fright if he got too close and an area they had never taken their horses before.  "Jie No." she whispered as all color drained from her face and she took off running to stop them.

 "JIE STOP!" she screamed as she ran to catch up with them, but the faster she ran the closer they got to the vine.  She was almost within hearing distance, when suddenly Jie's horse reared up.

Terrified, Ai watched the scene unfold as if in slow motion.  No sooner had the horse reared up, than Jies hand reached back for his whip which she still had in her hand before he was thrown violently backwards into the fence that she had erected for the vine to climb.  The horses foot then came up and kicked back at Jie as he was falling, but what she didn't see was Zhe Yan quickly throwing a spell to block the hit from the horse, before sending another bolt of energy to break Jies leg.

Screaming once as the pain ripped through him, Jie suddenly stopped moving, as Chang Li quickly dismounted and ran to his side.  By the time Ai arrived, Jie was lying motionless and his leg was bent at the most awkwardest angle she had ever seen.