HATEFUL RIVAL'S REBIRTH - 仇恨对手的重生

CHAPTER 26 - FAREWELL AND HELLO

  TianJiu stood at the gates of the sect, his hands fidgeting nervously under his sleeves. He could feel his body shifting, very soon, he will be back in his original body as JingHe. He really wanted to run right now but a tearful LiGe and a pouting TianXia stopped him from doing so.

  LiGe ruffled TianJiu's round head, his eyes teary and a little snot running out his nose. "You rascal, stay safe ok...gonna miss you... come visit us ok?"

  "OK..." not possible since I'm returning to my normal body.

  "And... write us letters ok?" LiGe bent down and hugged TianJiu.

  "O...K..."

  "Can't you convince your parents to let you stay? I'm a little attached."

  TianJiu grimaced and shoved LiGe's face away, "You're snot is dripping!"

  LiGe "Wuuuu"

  TianXia grabbed LiGe's collar and exerted enough strength to throw him behind himself. his eyes said shoo shoo, it's my turn. TianXia kept the pout on his face as he looked down at TianJiu.  He sighed, "I'm... not practised in goodbyes... don't really know what to say so... here." TianXia took out from his sleeves an elegant tassel, light blue with a jade bead tied to the centre. TianXia kneeled down and tied it onto TianJiu's belt, "I made this last night. There's a small protection spell on it." TianXia sighed again, stood up and pinched TianJiu's cheek. "Don't forget us..."

  TianJiu looked up. TianXia's lowered eyelashes did not conceal the sadness that glistened in his eyes. TianJiu felt needles prick at his heart with jealousy, why was TianXia so sad at TianJiu's departure... he didn't brood like this when he (JingHe) went into 'closed meditation'. But for TianJiu he looked on the verge of tears! He humphed in his heart, somehow he's feeding himself with vinegar. TianJiu looked up, now also pouting, "how could I ever forget about you TianXia gege..."

  "Hmph." TianXia looked around and frowned, "Strange, ShiZun would know that you're leaving today...where is he?" 

  TianJiu hummed and said, "I already bid him farewell... I must go now." TianJiu raised his arms and hugged TianXia's waist. "I'll see you around LiGe! TianXia!" Before he turned and ran with the speed of the devil, disappearing in a flash.

  "th-that little brat! How can he run off just like that?" LiGe bellowed.

  TianXia sighed and blinked away the moisture in his eyes, it was best he ran away, perhaps if they prolonged the farewell TianXia would be tempted to persuade TianJiu to stay... ugh he'd become soft after his rebirth but he has to draw a line.

  Meanwhile TianJiu crept into a cave on the side of the mountain and a millisecond later, clothes ripped as he reverted back into JingHe. JingHe shook and looked at his hands. "Finally... If I ever turn into a child again I'm walking off the sects mountain edge!" He muttered. Then he saw the tassel that had come undone and fallen to the ground. He picked it up and stared at the elegant good luck knot as his thumb rolled over the jade bead. He tilted his head at the odd familiarity of the tassel before tucking it into his pocket. Right... time to 'wake up' in the meditation cave. 

  On his way, he thought about what TanXia's reaction would be like after not seeing him for so long. Would he smile?... No, he was familiar with TianJiu...not JingHe...

  Well, I'll just make him familiarise with JingHe too, he thought.

  TianXia sneezed, "Ugh...someone must be thinking bad about me..." He muttered before walking over to drag LiGe away by the collar.

  "Hey hey hey can't you treat me more gently? Where are we going?"

  "I need a drink."

  "Oi... you're what, fifteen? sixteen? how are you drinking like an old man for gods sake."

  "LiGe, do you have a partner?"

"no."

  "Do you have acquaintances you require your services at this moment?"

  "N- Yes yes!"

  "No you don't so you're coming with me."

  Tears streamed down as LiGe obediently let TianXia drag him off.

  "Hey, how about inviting that new room mate of yours? that young master."

  TianXia thought for a second before saying, "Yeah why not...the more the merrier right?"

  Right, the more the less burden I'll have handling you! LiGe thought.

  Luckily it was a weekend, the training was lax on the disciples and it wasn't hard to find young master Qian. They'd settled in a small courtyard outside TianXia's house on the stone tables. 

  An awkward silence had stretched on for a while.

  LiGe "..."

  TianXia "..."

  A'Qian "..."

  LiGe coughed into his fist before saying, "...So, Young master Qi-"

  "Tell me TianXia ShiXiong, how did you become a disciple here?" A'Qian cut in, ignoring LiGe completely.

  LiGe .....

  TianXia bit his lip to stop a chuckle from escaping, "Ahem... Kai ShiZun brought me here when I was very young."

  "I see, do you like it here?"

  "...I suppose so."

  "I don't see you with many people other than that kid and this guy (referring to LiGe), any close friends?"

  "...Not really I guess..."

  "Hey! I'm not just 'this guy'! I'm TianXia's close friend! Closer than TianJiu!" LiGe couldn't handle being ignored anymore as he burst out. He glanced at TianXia nervously waiting to see  if TianXia would deny his claim. He didn't.

  Seeing that TianXia did not deny it, A'Qian's eyes finally turned to LiGe. With a cold glint in them, he propped his head on a hand, "Is that so~"

  LiGe felt a shiver run up his arms as he slid across the stone seat and plastered himself to TianXia. He felt an impending sense of danger and felt that TianXia would be the only useful shield...

  TianXia raised his brows at the odd conversation before drinking the contents of his cup, at the same time pushing the sticky LiGe as far as he could. Just before he was about to respond, footsteps could be heard from behind.

 TianXia's breathing came to a pause. He'll never know how, or why. But he knew at that time who the person behind hims was.

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A/N- Ayyyy... I'm a bad author I know I know... Why do I update so inconsistently... 

On a lighter note... TianXia and JingHe will be sharing a bed starting from now! XD Thank you A'Qian for taking JingHe's room ohohhoh

And for anyone still following this story, thank you for reading. I always love your comments and appreciate your support :)

Hope you enjoyed!