Quality time; dinner
In the vast of Wuxia Peak, Wang ZhenXian immediately laid down all the scrolls on the ground while unraveling the discussions written on the long sheets.
The Universal Scrolls took up fifty meters long that he doesn't know where to start. But due to his magnanimous determination, he started to read the characters on the scrolls.
When he was almost in the near end, he gets his guqin and started playing the visualizing the tone. What he played is one of the tranquility songs. The dreamy tone resonates throughout the Wuxia Peak and the birds that are lazily nesting in the plum blossom branches sleep from the tone of the music being played.
Tranquility song is a guqin technique performed for calming one's mind. Throughout, Zhuàngguān Continent it is the strategy that is typically enacted by a martial artist to slowly get the heart to serenity and over time heal the broken soul.
It is the basic tone but only a few knows it.
When he feels like he already put the discussions in mind he went to the next scrolls and begins reading it starting from the very beginning. This time it is a music of attack.
The tones are almost the same as the tranquility song but only a few notes are being modified. A wrong pluck on the guqin and it would turn to be a series of attacks on the soul.
Wang ZhenXian is innately expert on musical instruments, as result he learned the tones and the fingerings like a piece of cake.
The sun is already set when he finished his assigned tasks and he felt hungry. He, therefore, remembers that starting the other day he only drunk wine, and eat peas. Those that are stacked to him were already eaten.
In a flash, he went to the kitchen of his bamboo hut. He has the urge to eat so he needs to cook. Speaking of eating, he remembers Yan Jiangquing. For the last few days he has never seen his Shizun eating and he doesn't know if his Shizun is eating or not. He never sees him eating in Wuxia Peak.
There is nothing wrong with it as Yan Jiangquing usually eats with his brother, Yan LanJin, and only went to Wuxia Peak when he has already eaten. So Wang ZhenXian has never seen him eats and thinks his Shizun never eats.
He thought the other is practicing inedia.
Wang ZhenXian looks at his kitchen and only found sticky rice in his sight. As he was already familiar with how the ancient times cook food. He now knows what to do, for the first time! And tried to copy what he saw to the cooks on the Yan Sect.
He instantly took out a small clay pot and start the fire. Clean the rice and add some water, his recipe is porridge!
Never in his wildest dreams that he would only be eating porridge almost all the time.
When the rice is almost cooked a series of footsteps could be heard from the outside. The sounds of the footsteps are so audible as if it is willfully done to notify someone inside the bamboo hut.
Wang ZhenXian then concluded that it must be his Shizun who is back from his classified works.
A moment later, when the porridge is cooked. He immediately took out the pot on the fire and get a bowl so he could start to eat. He doesn't mind his Shizun anymore or he felt like he would collapse from hunger.
"ZhenXian..." A gentle voice sounded. Wang ZhenXian who hungrily took out a spoon full of porridge suddenly burned his tongue, startled from the sudden call.
He eventually got up and put the bowl on the small bamboo table and run to the door: "Shizun you are back!" He joyfully beams while opening the door meeting the phoenix eyes of the other.
Yan Jiangquing's aloof nature gives out a gentle smile: " Mn"
The reply caused his disciple to retract his beaming aura. Thinking that his Shizun might be in a bad mood based on the manganese reply.
Seeing Wang ZhenXian suddenly turned sullen. He promptly added: "Have you eaten?"
"I.. I haven't finished eating Shizun". His disciple mumbled.
Yan Jiangquing indifferently replied: "Why?"
The response made Wang ZhenXian wanted to slap his Shizun for once.
Didn't he tell me a while ago to study? Now he is asking why?
He mournfully thinks in his mind. His Shizun is very weird, mah!
The absence of reply didn't made Jiangquing angry, instead, it adds up the worries to Wang ZhenXian: "...If you haven't eaten, let's go eat. I brought food"
After the exchange of words, Yan Jiangquing went inside the bamboo hut of his disciple.
Wang ZhenXian's room is a whole empty room, only a screen and a small plum blossom painting could be seen devoid of any materials. On the ground lies the scrolls that are already folded back to their original shape close to each other.
It is a very clean room to the point that no things could be of sight.
Wang ZhenXian came back from the kitchen holding a small pot and two bowls. When Yan Jiangquing saw what's inside the bowl his long eyelashes flutter like a butterfly's wings.
"Is this what you call your food?" Yan Jiangquing commented. Wang ZhenXian who heard the words turned his gaze to his Shizun.
What else would you call the porridge is? Of course, it is food ba! It's not like you gave me money to buy other ingredients to make food. I am penniless so this food is what I am only capable and I'm starting to get used to it anyway...
"Yes, Shizun is right." Wang ZhenXian bitterly replied. Hearing his disciple's reply Yan Jiangquing promptly took out the food in his soul ring.
The appetizing aroma assailed to Wang ZhenXian's nose waking his hunger once again.
"Shizun! You brought food?". Wang ZhenXian suddenly turned energized from what he saw and smelled.
In a wink, the table is filled with his favorite food. Starting from the fragrant chili braised chicken breast that turned red from the chili powder, there is also a whole chicken soup that clearly shows the white meat of chicken and the mouth-watering fragrance of soup, he can't help but swallow his saliva. It looks delicious and juicy that Wang ZhenXian almost starts to droll.
The Venerable Shizun who finished arranging the food on the table coughs a bit: "I haven't eaten, so let's eat together."
Wang ZhenXian is shocked by his Shizun's actions. But he is hungry so he doesn't mind anything at all. Scooping the chicken broth and filled his bowl.
"Wah! Shizun is so kind. The food tastes so good." Wang ZhenXian immediately beams from happiness. His stressful thoughts and muddled mind were thrown outside in his mind. Only food can conquer his bad mood and changed his mindset!
Yan Jiangquing lightly chuckled seeing his disciple. He never thought his disciple is this cute when given food: "Eat a lot".
Yan Jiangquing murmured with peach color ears. He tried to hide his bashful appearance and started to dig in but the first food that he put on his bowl is the porridge that is situated on the side of the table. Upon opening it the distinctive sweet and smoky smell of the sticky white rice meets his nose and eyes. It looks freshly cook and appetizing: "Your porridge also tastes good. The rice is tenderly cooked".
Wang ZhenXian almost spat out the food in his mouth when Yan Jiangquing said those words. He doesn't notice that his Shizun is scooping his porridge as he was busy filling his mouth to feed his hungry growling stomach.
"Shizun should not eat that it is only pure rice." Wang ZhenXian refuted.
"Mn. But it tastes good compared to the one that I ma...." Yan Jiangquing was startled by his words. It's a slipped of a tongue but his disciple picks it up.
"You cooked Shizun?" Wang ZhenXian's eyes go round from excitement and shock. His Shizun cooked porridge? It's unpredictable ba!
Yan Jiangquing suddenly turned indifferent. Wang ZhenXian who knows what the aura implies and it is a short word for 'doesn't want to reply' immediately does not pursue the case.
As a result, the dinner turned mute that only the sounds of the clacking bowls and spoons could be heard. And just like that, the dinner comes to an end.
"Shizun...thank you for the food." Wang ZhenXian said after he finished eating.
Yan Jiangquing who is about to stand halted and took another thing in his soul ring. The thing was covered in white sheets so his disciple wasn't able to know what is inside.
"I heard that you like to eat peas with wine so I bought some."
Wang ZhenXian stopped breathing for a moment when he heard his Shizun said those things. His Shizun is very kind to him to this day but somehow it scares Wang ZhenXian even more.
"Shizun, why did you bought me wine? I thought you hate student who drinks."
Yan Jiangquing coughs and averted his gaze: "It's for staying true to your words. You do your assignment and you stayed in Wuxia Peak. Take it as your reward for being a good boy."
Wang ZhenXian doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Him, being a good boy! Of course, he has to, or else he would be castigated again by your sharp gazes and cold treatment.
"Then would Shizun keeps his disciple a bit of company." Wang ZhenXian uttered. Drinking alone is not his cup of tea. It would only add up to the melancholy and darkness in his heart.
Wang ZhenXian instantly cleaned the table and put the peas in the green bowl, prepare the cups, and heated the wine after that he sat down facing his Shizun.
"Do not drink too much, you would be practicing sword techniques tomorrow." The Venerable Shizun reminded his disciple.
The other raised his lips and said proudly: "Yes, Shizun doesn't have to worry."
A few moments later Wang ZhenXian poured a cup of wine to Yan Jiangquing: "Shizun drink up! My grandfather always said to me before that moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits, such as: Reducing the risk of developing and dying of heart disease. Possibly reducing the risk of ischemic stroke-like when the arteries to the brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow. Possibly reducing the risk of diabetes."
The swift lecture caused Yan Jiangquing's long eyelashes to tremble: "You just really want me to drink, do you?"
Wang ZhenXian smiled like a blossoming flower in spring: "It's part of that."
Seeing his disciple's smiling face Yan Jiangquing also chuckled but suddenly clenched his hands underneath his wide sleeves. And right away, took the cup in Wang ZhenXian's hand and drink it rather rashly.
Wang ZhenXian who got his cup taken was aghast by the act and only reacted after a minute: "Shizun that's...my cup..."
"I know..." The response was even more unreasonable that Wang ZhenXian's eyes twitched.
Eh, what just happened?
"Why?" Wang ZhenXian whispered in his being.
"Because it's sweet when it's from you". Yan Jiangquing's answer caused his disciple to fell in his seat.
"Shizun, are you drunk!" He asked in terror.
The question makes Yan Jiangquing to turned his gaze to Wang ZhenXian: "No...I am not".
"Ah, maybe we should stop drinking now. It's getting dangerous..."
Wang ZhenXian is about to support his Shizun to stand so they could cease the session but was startled when Yan Jiangquing suddenly waves the cup in him: "I want to drink, pour me a cup. You are the one who told me that you want company. Now that I want to drink you won't drink. Take responsibility..."
Wang ZhenXian doesn't know if he should cry or cry. Now he is in a dead spot with no angle to hide.
"Shizun you should stop drinking you are drunk now. I am sorry I didn't know that you have a very low tolerance for alcohol. I should have not given you a cup." He mournfully said. T_T
"No...drink! I want to drink~ drink~my ZhenXian pour me a drink~". Wang ZhenXian's face twitched by the singsong voice. His Shizun is really drunk. He wanted to laugh but seems like tears would flow instead. He just fishes out a big problem. And being called "my ZhenXian" all his hair stand ga! Goosebumps!
"Shizun...your ZhenXian ehm... would pour you a drink.. okay but only one. After this, we should go sleep okay." Wang ZhenXian tried to negotiate with the drunk Yan Jiangquing who on the other hand only stared at him with a pouty look and dreamy eyes.
A few moments later and Yan Jiangquing replied: "Mn, last".
He sips the wine on the cup and suddenly stands and walks one step forward and three steps backward this scenario didn't go to waste as Wang ZhenXian almost died from laughing.
A few moments later, Yan Jiangquing wobbled for a bit good thing Wang ZhenXian is fast enough to support his drunk Shizun.
After a few coaxing and comforting he was able to bring Yan Jiangquing to his bed. He can't bring him back to Jiangquing's room or they would tumble on the ground.
Assisting a drunk person is way harder than assisting a patient.
Shortly thereafter, he laid down his Shizun to his wooden bed. He removes the brocade white boots on Yan Jiangquing's feet and the outer garments while murmuring: "Shizun I won't let you drink anymore".
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Small Theater Today:
Venerable Shizun: I bought you wine and peas.
Wang ZhenXian: Really, thank you Shizun. *Hugs his Shizun
Venerable Shizun: *very happy
Wang ZhenXian: Shizun what do you want in return?
Venerable Shizun: a kiss perhaps...
Wang ZhenXian: eh!
END
A/N: Finally, I am writing in my age chapter. Yow! Comments and votes are very much appreciated 🤍🦋