Wei Ying was in two minds.
Should they get involved in whatever was happening? Was it really their business? Maybe it would be prudent to wait and see what was going on.
His initial thoughts on the current leader, Juda, was that he was more a person who based his decisions on what his image looked like, and that could be something they would be able to use.
Rhouzhe, Dunshi's mother, seemed like a nice enough person, but if she really didn't want to accept Juda's proposal, Wei Ying was worried that no one would listen to them and their support for whatever she wanted, being so small in stature to the giants and their way of life. Truth be told, nothing could stop the giants from merely squishing them if they felt like it.
"What do you mean, mommy...you can’t! What about Daddy?" Dunshi was really upset about this.
"My dear boy...this is not the time to talk about that. I have stalled him and his supporters for now, to buy us some time...I have a few weeks left." Rhouzhe looked back to see Juda entering another room. "Come...or else he'll get angry."
They hurried to follow after the leader.
"Dunshi, don't worry, okay? And don't upset Juda for now, let him tell you everything." Wei Ying cautioned, just before they all entered the same room as the leader.
Dunshi had nodded, before trying to clear his expression.
This room was a kitchen, but a really nice one. A long table made out of wood, light golden in colour, stood along one side with matching carved chairs twelve in all, lining both sides, six apiece. A black pair of exactly the same design were at the top of the table and the bottom. These two chairs were lavish with the engraved patterns of flowers and birds.
Juda clapped his hands and sat on one end, motioning Rhouzhe to sit at the other end, and Dunshi to sit in the middle.
"I have missed my mommy." Dunshi said, stubbornly sitting right next to his mother.
"Ah...that's to be expected." Juda replied, after missing his cue. He had hidden his scowl and hoped that no one had seen it.
Next to Dunshi, they placed a bowl upside down that could double as a table. And then they piled coins on top of one another to act like stools to be sat upon.
The ten guests sat around the bowl, fully aware of their sizes now, and their vulnerability here among people who were so much bigger and stronger than themselves.
The situation would have been funny if not for the seriousness of their guests. Wei Ying was still uncertain of Juda's opinion of them; did he think they were important? Probably not, but it wouldn't hurt to test the waters.
"I have cutlery." Hongse said, opening her qiankun pouch. She also brought out bowls and plates. "I also have congee left over."
Suddenly Wei Ying was very glad about that. They weren't at all sure what the giants ate regularly, since Dunshi had been studiously feasting on a single leaf whenever he felt hungry, and Wei Ying thought that might have been something reserved for travelling only.
"That sounds good." He said, not prepared for everyone to stop fidgeting and stare at him instead. "What?"
"You usually complain about congee." Hongse De remarked.
"Yeah...usually...but maybe I've gotten so used to it, that I don't want to try anything else right now." He defended himself. "I don't feel like anything spicy."
They all continued staring at him as if he'd grown another head.
"What??" He scowled.
"Wei Ying can eat whatever he feels like." Lan Zhan said, but it was aimed pointedly at everyone else, and they promptly began talking about other things.
In a low voice that was still probably overheard by the others, Lan Zhan spoke quietly.
"Does Wei Ying think this is another symptom? Of the lethargy?"
Wei Ying looked up into golden eyes full of masked concern.
"It could be." He replied truthfully. "I really don't know...I'm just glad to be able to sit down without my surroundings moving..." He grinned, trying to reassure his mate.
Yet this had become another thing to worry about. Suddenly, Wei Ying wanted to be back inside the Jingshi and not come out for days. Adventures were nice, sure, but nothing beat the peacefulness of day to day living with absolutely nothing more to worry about than what was going to be for breakfast...
So he reached over and entwined their fingers together, bringing Lan Zhan’s hand up to his mouth to plant a warm kiss on the back.
"I'm alright, my love. I know I can't ask for you not to worry about me...but it's the truth. I feel okay other than the tiredness, really."
Lan Zhan looked at him, really looked into his silver eyes, full of worry not for himself but for Lan Zhan.
Even now, when there was something wrong with him, Wei Ying was too concerned with how Lan Zhan was feeling. So he cleared his own expression and forced himself to think about a happy memory. He remembered their wedding day, and the immediate joy that had flooded through his body at the thought of their union, after being separated for so long.
It had the desired effect; Wei Ying also smiled and tried shifting closer, but it was impossible on the precarious coin pile, and Lan Zhan had had enough of this distance. He lifted Wei Ying off his pile and onto his own lap.
If anyone had a problem with it, they could throw themselves off the edge of the table, as far as he was concerned.
As they ate, Dunshi carved off a small morsel of cooked carrot and placed it in the centre of the upturned bowl. Hardly a mouthful for him, but it took up most of the space in the centre.
Lan Zhan carved off a small piece and put it in his plate, systematically cutting off smaller pieces and feeding Wei Ying, who had given up sitting upright and was now resting his head against Lan Zhan’s chest.
They listened to the conversation as it became heated.
"Your mother has promised to marry me." Juda was saying, piercing an errant pea and savagely chewing it.
"I promised to think about it." Rhouzhe replied, diplomatically. She kept her eyes down, looking at her plate. "I still have a few weeks left of my mourning. And my tribute is not finished yet."
"It's because you waste your time. How will you get anything done if you wander around the gardens crying all the time?" Juda scowled.
Dunshi dropped his fork on purpose, staring at his mother pointedly.
Rhouzhe reached out to pat his hand reassuringly and said nothing.
Suddenly, Wei Ying had an idea.
"Dunshi, will you relay a message to Juda for me? I don't think he'll be able to hear me from there."
Dunshi nodded and looked up at Juda. He pointed to their bowl.
"They want to say something."
"Of course. Let them speak." Juda replied, with a slimy smile.
Lan Zhan merely watched, content to let Wei Ying do his thing. But he continued feeding him in between sentences.
Dunshi began repeating everything Wei Ying was saying.
"My dear esteemed leader of the giants, we are pleased to meet you. In fact, our arrival here is by no means an accident, it is of a two-fold agenda. We have heard many tales of your bravery and thought we couldn't let such a wonderful opportunity slip by us. We just had to come and see you for ourselves."
Hongse threw him an amused look, while the other Flowers of Venus had disbelief painted all over their faces.
Juda was a misogynistic idiot with dreams of grandeur...they already did not like him...but they did like and trust Wei Ying, and that was why they let him continue. Master Dashi was amusing himself by singing softly under his breath whilst playing with his food, and Hui Gai was making sure Li XiWang and Rumi were finishing their meal properly.
Hui Gai was also wondering whether he could become as tall and big as the giants, whether or not it was possible to begin with, and then, would it all be for show? Or would he actually be just as strong as them? So far with his powers, he had yet to experience failure at any given challenge...and he was always looking for new ones, testing his abilities. This would be something else to try....
Xiao Zei was sitting with them, but the concern for his big friend was apparent on his face. He and Dunshi had gotten quite close especially after they had travelled together for months now. Privately he hadn’t liked Dunshi's people at all, not from what he already knew about them. They had exiled someone, who turned out to be their ex-leader's son, and that by itself was suspicious.
But the exclusion of someone who was ill, cast out because of his condition...this did not sit well with Xiao Zei at all. A family should be looking after their people, not throwing them out, no matter the concern for others and the disease to spread.
So he was already looking like he wanted to say something and, it wouldn't be necessarily kind.
"Two fold, you say?" Juda asked, drinking from a huge tankard. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, splattering the area surrounding his plate. But he was already smiling proudly, his ego full and pleased.
"Yes. We are searching for a plant, the Jiyi Huifu, and have been told it grows in these regions? As we are new to the area, we thought you would be in a position to help. Someone of your knowledge and wisdom would surely be able to direct us, even accompany us to wherever it may be growing." Wei Ying continued, proud of Dunshi for being able to repeat everything he was being told, in a neutral voice despite his dislike for the hearer.
"Of course I can help!" The leader of the giants replied with a loud guffaw. "I know where each plant grows and how to look after it. The Jiyi Huifu presents no problem for me!"
"Oh, that's wonderful news!" Wei Ying replied, genuinely happy for the first time since the start of this dialogue. "Where is it?"