It has been some months and so since Jiang Yanli's wedding, and it is quite the peaceful life for the redhead.
Peaceful...peaceful life...
Is what the redhead wants to attain but no, life is a damn bastard.
Shijie is pregnant.
Shijie...is pregnant.
Don't get him wrong, he congratulated the girl when they first found out since being pregnant is a heavy responsibility considering you're nurturing a life in your womb, but what came next is making the redhead cry almost every night.
"Aigoo, my slacker life. Why do you always run away from the dear old me?"
Just then, Jiang Cheng appeared making Cale cry internally.
If he appears, then Shijie would make him do something almost impossible again.
"A-jie wants to talk with you."
Cale would be glad if it was just a simple talk. But knowing Shijie who is currently pregnant and is currently craving almost unattainable, least to say that the redhead already knows what will come next then.
Before the redhead could leave, Jiang Cheng offered a small encouragement to Cale that it made him want to lament more.
Walking towards to where his Shijie is, he continued to ponder.
What he wonders the most is what abomination would the girl ask him to get again. Hopefully not some blue loquats or something.
He shivered the last time she asked him to get that exact fruit. It was a bit of a hell when Jiang Yanli started crying.
It was hell, but...
He can manage.
He can always manage as long as it is regarding his people.
As Cale turns to look at some place, the first thing he sees is Jin Guangyao.
And when he took a look on the other side, it was the man's father, Jin Guangshan.
'Shit shit shit shit!'
Cale scrambled away as fast as he can away from the men.
He'd rather face Jiang Yanli's weird pregnancy cravings than to face them. Shijie's guilt tripping is better than to talk with Lanling Jin's Sect Leader.
He does not want to deal with a perverted bastard first thing in the goddamn morning, thank you very much.
But just as he said, life is a bastard.
"Jiangshuai-zun. Good morning."
He wishes that the ground would open up and swallow him whole.
As he composed himself and slowly turn to greet Jin Guangyao back, he almost punched Jin Guangshan's face right then and there for being too close for his own good.
So instead, he just respectfully backed the fuck away. He does not want to die for punching a Sect Leader's face because he's being a pervert, no matter how enticing the thought of knocking him out is.
"Good morning, Young Master Wei. Going to see your martial sister?" Jin Guangshan asked the very most obvious thing, making the redhead want to return the question with a crude face.
'What do you think? Do I look like I want to see your bitch ass face?'
"It is the case, Sect Leader Jin. Then I'll excuse myself since Shijie is urgently looking for me."
As Cale was about to hurriedly walk away, the bastard once again grabs ahold his wrist, making the redhead nauseous.
He could still remember vividly how those hands kneaded his waist and bruised his wrist at the banquet.
"Sect Leader Jiㅡ"
"Didi, there you are. I was looking everywhere for you."
To say the least, the only Jin he can tolerate is this guy.
Jin Zixuan immediately siezes the hand that was holding back Cale, instinctively placing the redhead behind him as he faced his father with a respectful smile.
"Please excuse us, father. My wife and I would like to talk to him, alone." Jin Zixuan says, heavily emphasizing the word alone.
"You may go." The man says after a while, hiding his hands behind like a prim Sect Leader.
The both of them bowed before Jin Zixuan practically dragged the redhead as far as possible from his father.
"Thank you." Cale mutters, sincere.
"Does Zewu-jun know this?"
The answer almost came instantly from the redhead's mouth the moment he was asked.
"Yes."
But Jin Zixuan knows better.
"Don't lie to me, Wei Xun."
Cale froze the moment he heard those words, stunned on how the older knew that it was a lie.
"He does know that it is your father that held my wrist on your wedding..."
Technically, he didn't quite lie.
Cale felt a hand hold his shoulders, making him flinch at first before he slowly relaxed.
"But does he know how my father kept trying to get closer to you?"
That...Lan Xichen does not.
"No..."
"Wei Xun!" The older yells, making Cale flinch again in surprise.
"How long has been this happening?" The older then asks softly this time after seeing the latter jolt like a frightened cat, making him feel guilty.
"...Everytime we visit here in Lanling."
That exact time would be the first three weeks when Jiang Yanli is having her morning sickness.
The look on Jin Zixuan's face is one of horror. If he didn't went around to fetch the redhead, his father would continue to trudge closer to him in attempt to close the distance between them.
"I will tell this to Zewu-jun."
Cale's hands immediately flung to hold the hem of the older's hanfu in attempt to stop him.
"I don't want to worry him. He already has a lot on his plate since the elders in his clan is doubling his lessons in heirship!"
The tone of his voice was rather desperate than what Cale had wanted to say.
"But that does not mean you can't tell him what's happening to you." Jin Zixuan says before squeezing the redhead's cheeks.
Cale knows that, he really does.
But he found himself shaking his head as an answer.
He does not want to be a damsel in distress just because someone kept trying to harass him.
But in the end, he couldn't do anything to that perverted bastard unless there is evidence.
"Didi...A-Xun..."
The redhead simply sighs.
"Fine, I'll tell him..."
Jin Zixuan simply ruffled his hair as comfort before pulling the redhead away.
"Let's go then, A-Li is waiting for us."
Cale just let the older drag him away, spacing out until he found themselves in front of the girl.
"Shijie, how are you doing?" Cale asks as he went beside the girl.
Jiang Yanli visibly frowns, noticing the solemn air around her younger brother.
"Did something happen?"
Ah, it must be true that a girl's senses are heightened when they are pregnant.
"Nothing to worry about, A-Li. Didi is just tired after traveling."
Cale silently thanked the older for saving his ass before nodding.
"Jiang Cheng said you wanted to talk to me."
The look on the girl's face visibly brightened as she nodded.
"I already showed A-Cheng and A-Xian, so it's your turn this time."
The girl's hand beckoned him to come closer, and the redhead did.
"Listen, A-Xun. The child is kicking."
Cale inched his head closer to the visible bump on Jiang Yanli's stomach. And much to the girl's words, there really is something kicking.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"A-Xian kept crying nonstop when he heard it the first time, saying that he'll love and cherish the child the moment it's born just like he does to us, his siblings."
Cale simply laughs before teasing, "But I bet Zixuan-ge kept crying too."
"Hey!" Jin Zixuan says in defense, but he didn't deny it.
"But A-Xun, you're crying too." Jiang Yanli decides to tease him then, but not before wiping the redhead's tears.
"Hah! Who's crying now?"
Indeed he was crying. But Cale doesn't know if it was from the pent up stress and fear from Jin Guangshan, or if it's relief that the baby is growing healthy to be kicking so lively like that.
"Shijie...Zixuan-ge is being rude to A-Xun." Cale whines, before grinning at the man who was stupefied at his act.
"Aiya you punk." Jin Zixuan mutters before shaking his head as if he was disappointed.
Just then, Jiang Yanli cleared her throat.
"As much as I want to entertain you two, I'm quite hungry."
Oh shit. Here it comes.
"What do you want to eat, my dear A-Li?" Jin Zixuan fawns like a lovesick puppy he is.
"I want some apples."
Oh, it seems normal this time.
"The sour ones, if possible."
Cale suddenly does not like where this is going. Not when the girl is looking at him like he hung the stars in the sky.
"Then bake those said apples and shape it into a peony flower."
The redhead suddenly wants to run away and feign that he's dizzy.
"I want it filled with sichuan peppers, if possible."
Cale just wants to cry in a corner the moment Jiang Yanli's eyes landed on him.
"You can do the cooking, A-Xun!"
The redhead just smiles wryly and nods.
"Your wish is my command, Shijie."
Oya oya, Jin Ling will finally appear
:D
One more chapter and the angst will finally arrive too
Fufu ^^