Having decided to court Ai, Mo Yuan began to seriously consider purchasing a Mortal Realm property, one she could visit freely, as the Tavern he was staying in, was strictly for men, and any women that did visit, were not the kind one would want to court.
And with only a few weeks left before the school was finished, Mo Yuan began to scout the outer areas of the small town for a rural property, he wanted land and a view of the ocean which wasn't too far away. And it was while he away, that Ai turned up at the construction site looking for him.
Having also decided that she would pursue more than just friendship with Jie, and with a plan in mind as to how it would work, she had hoped to talk to him outside of their normal meal time. However finding him away, she decided to help the young boys clean up the site before her girls arrived with the last meal of the day.
It was obvious to the young men that their overseer and Ais friendship was growing, and having her there suddenly had them wanting desperately to make her feel welcome and comfortable. No other woman would have been allowed on the scaffolding, that when she began to climb to assist them with the clean up, they were all unsure of what to do. If she hurt herself, they would all be deep trouble with Jie, but she was their overseers woman, one who also gained their respect just by being associated with him. In the end, they left her to do as she pleased, but they kept a close eye on her to ensure she did not get hurt.
It was a pleasant afternoon, and many of the young men who had desired her before Jie came along, now saw her as a mother, one they looked up to as much as they looked up to Jie. She didn't know it then, but every single one of these boys would become as close as family to them both, and they to them.
And it was as she was helping them to clear away the site for the following day, that Ai began to seriously consider what it would mean for both her and Jie if their relationship was to grow beyond that of a mere couple. Would it lead to marriage? This was a serious thought that needed serious consideration, because as a Mortal, Jie would age, he would grow old. And what about children? Would it be fair to bring a child into the world? And how would she explain it to her family? To Mo Yuan?
Deciding then and there, that there would be no children, she began to think of a way around the aging process. Having seen many of her friends age over the years, she suddenly realized she herself had not and it was a thought that immediately had her going through her magical skills to get around it. The body she was using was merely a disguise, and the magic needed to hide it was just enough to go undetected, but to age the body would require even more energy, which would be discernible to her family should they come looking for her. And even though they knew she was in the Mortal Realm, they did not know her disguise or her exact whereabouts. Deciding in the end, the risk was worth keeping Jie at her side, she would use just enough energy to age herself.
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Having found a suitable area for a home, Mo Yuan began to plan his next move with Ai. Having decided to pursue her regardless of an impending marriage to Bai Qian, his time with Ai, though short compared to the Immortal world, would be a life time of memories and love that he would cherish for the rest of his days.
And he too began to think seriously of what that would mean for him when Ai began to age, he too would also have to age his disguise which was not a problem, except for the fact that it would take extra energy which he knew would be noticeable to all Immortals visiting the Mortal Realm, and being The War God, he was not meant to be there, his energy was too well known being more powerful than most. But in the end, for her love, it was a risk he was willing to take.
So heading back to the construction site to oversee the end of the day and to see Ai when she arrived with the last meal of the day, he was pleasantly surprised to see she was already there waiting for him.
"Jie." she smiled happy to see him, as she made her way down slowly from the scaffolding, her small feet catching in the gaps as she tried to navigate the breaks in the bamboo.
Laughing at her clumsy attempt to lower herself to the ground, he effortlessly lifted her from the platform to the ground to much giggling and rowdy whistling from his young crew.
"You're early." he laughed as she tried to her best to gain her composure having just been manhandled off a platform that she should have found easy to disembark from.
"You're late." she chided him softly with a small smile that he found very enchanting, and nor did he miss the growing affection behind it either, as she quickly lowered her eyes shyly.
Mo Yuans heart leapt at the thought that Ai might feel the same way that he didn't waste any more time. Leaning down, he picked up a small hamper he had prepared with one hand and took hers with the other.
"I thought, we'd eat somewhere else today." he told her, smiling down at her shy upward glances with a growing chuckle that he could feel building up within him. Then seeing her looking towards the entrance, the chuckle erupted. "I'm sure your girls can manage one meal without you." he said lightly as he led her out of the site, to his young crews loud ribbing and suggestions that were best kept to the tavern, which only made Ai blush profusely and Jie to remind himself to talk to his boys about their behavior when in Ais presence.
Leading her back to the land he had chosen for his home and without telling her why they were there, he watched as she walked about the space while taking in the breathtaking view of the ocean that suddenly came into view as she reached the highest point. Sitting down on the grass, Mo Yuan smiled, exactly where she had sat, was where his home would be built he thought, as he sat beside her and proceeded to open the little hamper which contained wine from his own cellar and a mixture of bread and light toppings.
The site for his home was perfect. They had full view of the ocean and no view of the little path that led them there, it was secluded and private from passersby and it would be a place he could bring her to without the need for fencing or any other measure of privacy. Suddenly he felt lighter than he had ever felt as a future with this woman began to take shape.
Ai too was happy, and even happier when he told her she was sitting right where he planned to build his home. He had told her he was a traveler and it had always been at the back of her mind that he may leave once the school was finished. That he was staying and building a permanent residence, not only eased her mind, it made her extremely happy. Leaning against his arm she sighed, she would not have to use his young crew to keep him there after all, which was what she had planned. Now she could definitely see a future with him in it.
Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Jie pulled her closer to him and held her as he looked down at her light smile that was still hovering on her lips.
"Ai." he said softly, waiting for her to lift her head to look up at him. Capturing her soft gaze he smiled down at her. "How did your meeting go with your intended?" he asked.
Suddenly her face darkened. She had been so lost in her thoughts of Jie, she had completely forgotten about Mo Yuan. But she would not lie to Jie, she cared about him too much to hurt him. Instead she told him that another meeting had been arranged and she would have to meet with him again sometime in the future, but she did not indicate when.
Thinking about her words, Jie too thought back to Bai Qian, but she was a long time into the future, and unless Ai asked directly about her, he would not mention her at all.
Placing his finger lightly under her chin, he lifted her head to look at her face. Whatever happens from this moment on, is fate, he thought to himself as he once again sought to find the right words. "Ai. It has been a very long time, since my heart has been moved, but you are very much becoming a part of it. I don't know what the future holds for either of us, but what I do know, is I want you in it." he said softly.
"Ai. My fondness for you is growing by the day, and I am hoping that I too have moved you in some way, that we can perhaps move forward with our friendship into something a little more permanent. Be mine Ai." he added. "Whatever you choose, I will respect." he finished, before allowing her as much time as she needed to think upon his words.
But she didn't need any time, she immediately began to cry. She had never been so happy, that he too felt the same way. And though she knew he felt something for her, she could only dream that his feelings for her would be as deep and as strong as hers were for him.
Turning her body around to fully face him, and with her tears streaming down her face, she took both of his hands in her little ones and tried her best to smile even though she wanted to laugh.
"Jie. That you feel the same way that I feel about you, was a dream that I had so desperately wanted. That you are asking me to be yours makes me so happy, thank you. I would be very honored to have you by my side, and to stand beside yours." she said so softly and so gently, it took a few seconds for her words to sink it. But when they did, Jies face broke into the biggest smile, he could not stop himself from pulling her into his arms.
Now that he knew where he stood, he could now make the arrangements to purchase the land and begin building his home, one he hoped she would in time share with him. Allowing her only a few minutes on her tears he forced her back gently and took her face tenderly into his hands.
"Ai, thank you." And before she could say anything, he lowered his head to hers and kissed her. It was a gentle kiss on her lips, one that promised many more to come, and for Ai, it was enough.
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The following day, Jie immediately set about finalizing the purchase of his land before returning to the construction site and calling an immediate halt to the building as he gathered his young crew about him.
He had heard their quiet concerns regarding their futures and what they would do once the school was finished. Many had found love with Ais young girls and they were all looking forward to where they would go next and how they could make enough money to support themselves and a possible future family of their own.
"As you all know, Ai and myself have formed a relationship." he told them to much ribbing and laughter which he expected, but raising his hand, they quickly brought themselves under control.
"I have just purchased land of my own and it is my intention to build a home for the two of us and I would like to hire you all to assist me." Immediately all eyes widened up at him.
"Hire us Jie? one asked to verify he had heard correctly.
Nodding at him, he smiled at his shocked face. "Yes. Hire. I will pay you all a wage to assist me in building my home, I want it finished quickly. Also, building a house is a lot different to building a school, you will learn through experience, so when the time comes, you will be able to build your own. You will not have to rely on having to either buy a house someone else built, or rely on someone else to build it for you." he said smiling at their rising grins.
Cheering loudly and happy that they had something to look forward to, something that would give them stability, they all threw themselves at Jie. He never knew until that very moment, how happy he really was. Fate was taking him on a journey he was excited about, one he could share with the woman that he was fast falling in love with.