While they hastily made their way to the small side pavilion, Little Zhuqin let go of Little Zhan and Huan's hand, knowing the boys also needed some freedom of their own. Along the way, they crossed a few curved wooden bridges and glided their hands across white peonies embedded into small bushes in the big grey, mossy stones. Along the bottom of the small bushes of white peonies were long grasses that partially covered the bottom parts of the big stone rocks. As Huan and Little Zhan were never really exposed to such a rough sight of rocky nature or white peonies growing on rocks (since Gusu Lan was known to only be a haven secluded in peaceful mists and water), the two Lan brothers often stopped in their short trip to properly take in the natural nature of the stones themselves. Lastly, the trio crossed a zigzagged wooden bridge that connected the stone paths to the small side pavilion.
"We...have arrived!" Little Zhuqin cheerfully announced as she and Little Zhan reached the pavilion first.
"You," Huan began from the near distance. "You...you have...a lot of energy...for a girl." He finished and placed both his hands on his knees just as he reached his little brother.
"Ha, ha! Does it matter if I am a girl?" Little Zhuqin laughed while Huan also laughed along with the young girl, obviously still a little out of breath.
She looked over her shoulders to see that the lacquer tea kettle on the table still had small swirls of white clouds seeping out of the top lid. Around the side pavilions of the Lanling Jin sect, it was only natural and responsible for the attendants to constantly keep the lacquer kettles warm in case anyone wanted to take a short rest. Of course, safety was a concern but who said fellow Jin attendants or even...Jin disciples, were not loyal to their own people?
At least...the Jin disciples and attendants are loyal now...loyal now...and...at least they still love their own 'people.'
Little Zhuqin hastily walked over to the lacquer kettle and saw only two lacquer tea cups on the knee length table. Although she was also short of breath herself, her cousins came first and she simply poured them two cups of warm tea. She handed each cup to them and stood back, smiling contently.
Without hesitation, Little Zhan immediately chugged the entire cup while Huan slowly took his time to savor the taste as it was the usual; white peony tea.
"Were you...that thirsty?" asked Little Zhuqin.
Little Zhan simply stared at the young girl while he held the lacquer tea cup in his hands.
"Ohhh..." Little Zhuqin noticed the same stare the young lad would usually give when he was displeased with something.
And perhaps that something...was still her (lol).
"Uhhhh....hao, hao, hao (Uhm, ok), you want more tea right? I will give it to you." Little Zhuqin laughed again, knowing that the young lad probably did not want more tea but poured him another cup anyways.
Still, Little Zhan held the warm cup of tea in his hands and continued staring directly at his younger cousin. When she moved left, Little Zhan's eyes moved left. When Little Zhuqin slowly crept to the right side, the young lad simply followed her every moment. Thinking nothing of it, Little Zhuqin playfully laughed it off. She set the lacquer tea kettle onto the table then squatted down in a sitting position while she wrapped her arms around her knees and looked up at Little Zhan.
He...was still looking at her.
"...Zenma (What is it)? Ni...ni de yanjing daodi kan shenma ne (What do you exactly see with your eyes)?" Little Zhuqin cheerfully inquired and slightly tilted her head to the side.
Holding the cup of tea in his hand, Huan looked over Little Zhan's shoulder and walked to stand between his younger brother and Little Zhuqin.
"Aha?" Huan quietly laughed.
In his mind, Little Zhan was thinking about one thing; to apologize...or not to apologize, that was the question. Since the young girl in front of him already went out of her way to apologize...AND save his little butt from getting 50 lashes (hopefully) in front of their Gusu ancenstral hall, it was quite the simple decision.
Dun, dun, dunnnn....Apologize.
Little Zhan first cleared his throat and squinted his eyes at the young girl then handed her his cup of tea. Not wanting to get up from her position, she reached out her left arm and received the cup as the young youth in front of her also squatted down into a sitting position.
"Eiii, xiao jiu peng you, ni, ni...ganma (Heyyy, little wine friend what... are you doing)?" Little Zhuqin curiously asked then quickly stood up.
Seeing that the young girl in front of him was now standing on her feet, Little Zhan also copied her and properly stood up. His back was straight, and while he gestured his hands in front of his chest, Little Zhan's face told Huan otherwise; he wanted to say 'sorry' but...his little man pride was not letting him properly do so (lol).
Little Zhuqin cleared her throat and again, slowly crept to the right side as Little Zhan also did the same thing.
"Pft, what...is this boy's problem?" The young girl laughed to herself and quickly hid behind Huan.
"Ah?" Little Zhan blankily said and looked at Little Zhuqin who was hiding directly behind his elder brother.
"Ni kan (Look), there is not enough room for you to hide behind your brother. What are you going to do now huh?" Little Zhuqin playfully mocked...while still holding onto the cup of tea in her right hand.
At this point, the young girl totally knew Little Zhan was copying her movements. For what reason? Only Little Zhan and Huan knew (lol).
"There...is enough room," Little Zhan stoicly began and dropped both hands to his sides then quickly behind the young girl. "There...is room."
Seeing that the young boy had quite the sense of humor, Little Zhuqin could not hold in her laughter and bursted out laughing along with Huan.
"You, you...just what were you trying to...I can't!" The young girl laughed.
"When I copied her movements, I was testing her patience brother," Little Zhan monotonely said while Little Zhuqin continued laughing.
"Yes you were," Huan replied with a simple smile.
Seeing that Little Zhuqin was absolutely losing herself over her laughter, Little Zhan annoyingly stared at the young girl again. Unconsciously, it was only natural to drink something when one was choking and without thinking twice about the cup of tea in her right hand, the young girl chugged down the entire cup that Little Zhan handed her minutes before.
"Uh..." Little Zhan thought.
He realized the young girl had just shared the same cup with him and for a second, Little Zhan's face turned sour. Even Little Zhuqin was able to see such reactions as she patted her mouth clean of any remaining tea water that was left around her lips.
"Zenma (What is wrong)?" She began with the same cheerful smile.
"...You know? I drunk from that cup already." Little Zhan replied.
"...Haiyou ne (And)?" The young girl simply answered then set the cup and her own lacquer box down on the table.
Little Zhan's face remained sour as a green apple and he turned away, thinking that he did not want to apologize afterall. His little mind traced back to moments ago when he was recieving quite the public lecture in front of his family members. Although he had unintentionally treated Little Zhuqin badly with hurtful words, she...stood up for him anyways, making all sorts of excuses to have him escape the anger of uncle Qiren. Again, if not for her, Little Zhan's butt would be lashed 50 times...however, even his little self could not gurantee that he would not receive 50 lashes when he returned back home (lol).
"Mei shenme (Nothing)," Little Zhan replied and looked away.
"Ooohh..." The young girl thought and looked at the lacquer tea cup on the table then looked at Little Zhan. "...Oops." She quietly said.
"Uh..." Huan looked at his younger brother then looked at Little Zhuqin.
Of course, the elder brother knew Little Zhan was not feeling too pleased about a potential stranger...or a girl sharing the same cup as him.
"Zhan, don't be angry. Zhuqin guniang..." Huan began as Little Zhuqin turned her attention to the cousin who was once again, calling her by formal names.
"I mean A...A Qin did not mean to drink the same cup as you." The elder brother convinced.
"Dui a (That is right). I did not mean to drink from the same cup as you. But if I did not drink the tea, I would have probably died laughing." Little Zhuqin playfully added.
After hearing quite the reasonable excuses from Little Zhuqin, Little Zhan had begun to think about apologizing afterall...
"Besides, I would think all of us here share the same cup of tea." The young girl randomly added.
Of course, she did not mean to 'disgust' Little Zhan by saying that everyone shared the same cup of tea in the Lanling Jin palace A.K.A Jin Lin Tai (Carp Tower).
Little Zhuqin read the young boy's reaction and she could tell he was...'disgusted.' His facial expression reminded him of two other boys; her elder brother Zixuan and the Yunmeng youngster, Jiang Cheng.
"You...you DO know that my older brother is known as the Male princess of our Lanling Jin sect right?" She proceeded to ask Little Zhan with quite the bubbly grin.
"...Mm," The boy simply responded.
"And A Cheng is probably the Male princess of their Yunmeng Jiang sect," Little Zhuqin quietly giggled to herself.
Judging from her previous encounter with Little Zhan, and judging from her earlier interactions with him, Little Zhuqin came up with a new theory (lol).
"Since you seem to not like the idea of sharing cups, are you....maybe the Male princess of Gusu Lan?' She jokingly said and chuckled at her own joke.
"Pft,"
Even Huan could not keep in his own laughter when he quickly understood what Little Zhuqin meant by his younger brother being the Male princess of Gusu Lan.
Little Zhan's eye's widened and he gasped out loud.
"Bro-brother!" He embaressingly said.
"So...sorry Zhan...but...I think what our cousin said is probably right." The elder brother said, trying not to laugh too loud.
"You...You!" Little Zhan said out loud and irritatingly pointed one finger at Little Zhuqin.
"What? Even I am not afraid of sharing cups," The young girl said and continued to quietly laugh along with Huan.
"You..." Little Zhan said again.
Although the young lad looked as though he was going to burst any moment, Little Zhan held in his anger and made his cheeks puff up like a mini chipmunk. Then with a simple "Hmph," he turned his back against his elder brother and Little Zhuqin.
Noticing that she probably went too far into her joke...and knowing that she succeeded in secretly embaressing Little Zhan once again, Little Zhuqin stood in front of the young boy with the same bubbly smile.
"You...angry?" She simply asked as she placed her hands on her hips.
Little Zhan just stoicly stared at the young girl and did not say anything in regards to his own feelings at the moment.
"Ni bie shengqi a (Do not be angry). Wo zhe shi kan wanxiao le (I was just joking)." Little Zhuqin encouraged, although she totally knew that Little Zhan was definitely the Male princess of their Gusu Lan sect.
"...I am not a princess," Little Zhan plainly said.
Little Zhuqin almost laughed at his montone like voice but she simply held it in and swallowed her own laughter in order not to irritate the young boy any further.
"Uh, hao, hao, hao, ni bu shi Gusu Lan de nan gongzhu (Ok, ok, you are not Gusu Lan's male princess). Ni shi...uh, Gusu Lan de hen jun de wangzi ya (You are...Gusu Lan's really handsome prince)." The young girl encouraged, almost sounding as if she was talking to a very young child (they are all children lol).
Immediately upon hearing that the young boy was a prince, Little Zhan looked at Little Zhuqin and proudly crossed his arms together. Thinking back to a few minutes ago when Little Zhan was stated to be the Male princess of Gusu Lan, Huan began to think back to yesterday night when his little brother had to dress up in girls clothes.
...If Little Zhan were to dress up in girls clothes in the future...wouldn't he look just like a princess from the Gusu Lan sect? Thinking about this made Huan laugh more than ever and the little youngsters just quietly observed him. While Huan continued to laugh to himself, Little Zhan sighed again. He had wanted to apologize properly but with Little Zhuqin making random excuses that did not allow him to do so, Little Zhan quickly raised his hands up and gestured an apologetic stance towards the young girl.
"Baoqian (I apologize)," He quickly said, knowing that if he delayed even a second longer, Little Zhuqin would come up with another excuse to not allow him to say sorry as a little man.
The young girl herself knew that she did not want an apology from her cousin, whom she probably unintentionally offended first. But since Little Zhan already apologized through a series of patience and actually made an effort to say those two words, Little Zhuqin decided not to shrug him off this time.
Instead, she simply smiled at him and said, "Meiwenti ya (No problem)!"
Silently hearing the two youngsters to have properly made up, Huan stopped laughing and drunk the remaining cold bits of tea he had left in his cup.
"Now that you said sorry, I will make sure jiujiu (uncle) does not hit your butt 50 times, how does that sound?" She asked with another bubbly grin.
"...Mm," Little Zhan quietly responded.
There was an awkward pause of silence between the trio and Huan had only thought that as close cousins, they needed to properly re-introduce themselves again.
"Hao de (Ok then)!" Little Zhuqin optimistically agreed.
"Gusu Lan Huan," Huan started while he raised his hands up to his chest, gesturing an act of a general respectful salutation.
"...Gusu Lan Zhan," Little Zhan said and also gestured his hands up in front of his chest.
Although she was a girl, Little Zhuqin also had to do the same gesture and as she did so, the young girl smiled at her two cousins.
She was definitely getting along better with them than expected.
"Lanling Jin Zhuqin!" She finished with a proud voice.
"Good, now that we have properly introduced ourselves to one another, let us support each other from now on. We are one family afterall." Huan began and smiled at the two youngsters.
"We are?" Little Zhuqin and Zhan both questioned at the same time.
"We are," The young girl quickly replied and laughed at her own stupidity for answering her own question.
Well their names were already introduced...it was now time to figure who was the elder, the second eldest and the youngest out of the related trio.
"How old are you?" Little Zhuqin directly asked Zhan first.
Without giving a verbal answer, he simply raised up eight of his fingers and the answer was only obvious that he was at least eight years old. Little Zhuqin had already assumed Huan to be the eldest at that point since he was the elder brother to Little Zhan. For Little Zhuqin? It was obvious...she was the youngest (lol).
"I have been bullying my elders," She quietly reflected to herself. "...But does that matter since we are cousins? HA, HA, HA!"
"Have you gone crazy?" Little Zhan impassively inquired.
"Mei you a (No)," Little Zhuqin responded with quite the stern facial expression along with quite the serious tone of voice.
"...Hmph," Little Zhan shrugged.
He walked further down the wooden bridge then turned into a stone overpass connecting the wooden bridge to a big stone, almost the size of the small pavilion. Without a care in the world (at the moment), he wandered onto the big rocky stone and curiously climbed the big rock, being careful not to step on any green moss.
"Ei, ni xiaoxin yi dian a (Hey, you be a little careful)! If you slip and fall into the water...just remember that I do not have money yet!" Little Zhuqin cheerfully warned.
Little Zhan turned his head and looked directly at his young cousin.
"NI bu shi wo de muqin, bie shuo (You are not my mother, stop talking)," He quietly said.
Little Zhuqin could tell what the young lad mouthed....but even she had a fun sense of humor. A sense of humor for being a friendly bully that is (lol).
"Ahh? Ni shuo shenma ne (What did you say)? Wo ting budao (I cannot hear)!" She shouted.
Little Zhan irritatingly gasped out loud again and turned away then quickly turned his head towards Little Zhuqin and Huan's direction again.
"Wo shuo, ni bu shi wo de muqin (I said you are not my mother)!" He said out loud, even making his elder brother and Little Zhuqin laugh altogether.
"Wo dangren bu shi ni de muqin a, wo shi ni de piaoliang de biaomei ya (Of course I am not. I am your beautiful cousin)! Dui ma Zhan ge (Isn't that right Elder brother Zhan)?!" Little Zhuqin fimly teased back.
Little Zhan let out another irritated sigh and simply said, "...(Wuchi) Shameless," then continued making his way around the big stone rock.
While Little Zhan explored the never seen before scenery in Lanling Jin, Huan had remembered what Little Zhuqin said when they were still in the main hall.
"Zuotian, ni zenma shuo ni shi nanzi bu shi nanhaizi haishi nuhaizi ma (Yesterday, didn't you say that you were a man, not boy or a girl)?"
If Huan had remembered correctly; his younger brother had said he was a man after Little Zhuqin and their carriage were already far apart from eachother. There was also no way Little Zhuqin could clearly hear a word Little Zhan said since the horses were trotting as they rode and the gravel sliding against the wheels as they traveled. He was quite curious too because...weren't his uncles surprised that Little Zhuqin could answer Little Zhan correctly when she had not even heard what he said?
"Uh...Zhuqi...n....gu......." Huan quietly began and as he turned his attention to Little Zhuqin, she was staring quite attentively at him.
"Shenma shi a Huan ge (What is it elder brother Huan)?" She quickly replied, not even bothering to use formal names with her elder cousin.
It was only obvious that Little Zhuqin did not want Huan to use formal names...thus the stare (lol). The elder Lan brother simply cleared his throat and looked the other way.
"Uh....A Qin a," Huan spoke.
"Shenma shi a (What is it)?" Little Zhuqin cheerfully replied, sounding a little happier than before.
"Wo shi...zhen da hao qi (I am really curious)," Huan began. "...After you left, he told all of us that he was a 'man.' But from the distance, we all heard your voice, clearly responding to what he just said. Can you tell me...how you heard him?"
Little Zhuqin herself almost forgot that she was now able to hear the verbal or even mental thoughts of people. The first person she just so happned to hear was Little Zhan. She openly explained that she probably developed a new cultivatin skill yesterday, thus giving her the ability to hear what people said from quite the distance. Although Little Zhuqin did not know how far she could exactly hear, Huan expressed his amazement at the unique cultivation skill and was also introduced to her ability to smell things that people could not smell directly. It was not a way of being conceited about having cultivation skills that other people did not have, Little Zhuqin just simply thought she could share her experiences because Huan was her elder cousin afterall.
"You are a very lucky girl," Huan smiled.
"Maybe," Little Zhuqin simply replied with a cheerful grin and quickly turned around then gestured for both of them to sit down in the cushioned seats besides the table.
As they sat down on the cushioned seats, Little Zhuqin and Huan obviously did not forget Little Zhan (lol). The young boy had climbed onto the flat top of the big rock and stood there with his chin slightly up towards the sky. While one did not expect Little Zhan to be climbing rocks and claiming who is king over invisible people...he did just that.
"Pft, who says you are king? There is no king!" Little Zhuqin laughed.
"Who gave you permission to listen?" Little Zhan embaressingly said, not realizing that he had said such thing out loud (lol).
"You!" The young girl openly said.
Little Zhan just irritatingly looked away while his elder brother was quietly laughing to himself at the sidelines. Little Zhuqin poured her elder cousin another warm cup of tea and pulled her lacquer box towards her. The young girl had wanted to talk more about her bells and her red ribbon but at the moment, she was a little concerned. She had thought back to a few moments ago when the young girl saw Huan looking almost as if he was about to cry. Curious as she was, Little Zhuqin proceeded to ask just what was wrong with him earlier.
"Ah? Oh...it was nothing really." Huan said as he drunk bits and bits of the white peony tea.
Little Zhuqin could just totally say "Oh...ok then," and shrug him off or at least think that he was just weird again like how she thought he was creepy compared to the Yunmeng youngsters. But her now friendly and family instincts told the young girl that...Huan...as well as Little Zhan was not strange at all. In fact, what WAS strange (lol)?
The young girl slightly nudged her head towards her elder cousin and squinted her eyes at him. After drinking his tea, Huan noticed the silence between them and turned his head to the right to only be stared at by Little Zhuqin. However that was not the main problem. The main problem was...
With Little Zhuqin's face so close, Huan could just move a couple inches forward...and...
And (such young love)?
"What are you thinking?" Little Zhuqin cheerfully asked and tilted her head to the right.
Huan widened his eyes and gasped out loud then looked away, chugging down the white peony tea all at once.
"Ha, ha....Meishenma (Nothing)," The young lad responded, sounding a little bit embaressed.
"Hmm? Are you really thinking about nothing?" Little Zhuqin continued to press on, knowing exactly what just happened.
The elder Lan brother continued to stay silent and reached for the lacquer tea kettle.
"What are you doing?" Little Zhuqin cheerfully asked then grabbed onto the tea kettle with both her hands just as Huan accidently touched his cousins bare hands.
Huan nervously gasped again and pulled his hands away, tucking them under his sleeves.
Confused and perhaps knowing that her elder cousin was feeling flustered for unknown reasons, Little Zhuqin poured Huan another cup of tea.
"Are you ok?" She asked again, almost sounding as she was about to laugh.
"...Yes," Huan simply replied with a rather crooked smile.
Little Zhuqin could not help but had to laugh again at her elder cousin's smile.
"Huan ge, what is with you?" She questioned and set the tea kettle down on the table.
"Nothing...nothing at all," Huan replied, this time with a more perfect smile than the one seconds earlier.
"Mmm...na, hao ba (Uhm, ok then)," Little Zhuqin replied. "Then, can you please tell me why you were sad earlier?"
"...That," Huan began.
"...Are you not going to tell me because you don't trust me?" Little Zhuqin asked, sounding almost adorable...to the point where she was going to pretend to cry.
"W-What? No, I...it's just," "Then please tell me!" The young girl brightly interrupted Huan.
Huan looked at Little Zhuqin again and decided to trust her with just a few things that were on the young lads mind; his deceased mother.
"My mother....she recently passed away," Huan quietly said, not wanting to catch the attention of his younger brother who was still on top of the big stone.
Little Zhuqin's heart dropped for a second and she could immediately feel the aching sadness Huan had for losing his mother in recent days. She could not say anything and the young girl also knew that she did not know the feeling of losing her mother or even a family member...yet.
She breathed in and breathed out then straightened her body back up. If Huan and Little Zhan were her direct cousins from her mother's side, that would definitely mean that their mother who recently passed away...was her aunt.
"...Uhm...aunty...is probably in a better place now." Little Zhuqin encouraged with a smile.
"She is...better than that cold temple, she has gone to a better place." Huan quietly added.
Since Little Zhan was near by, it was only natural for the two to have a decent conversation where the young boy could still hear them. But for Huan to silently inform her of their mother's recent death, Little Zhuqin could only assume that the elder brother did not want the younger one to know just yet.
"Mmm...I know you are sad...but you will have to tell Zhan ge about aunty too." Little Zhuqin said, trying not to sound too pushy.
"That is right," Huan replied, noting that his younger cousin was quite considerate of their loss.
For a moment, Huan's face frowned and he had remembered the last few words their mother had said to him before she passed.
"...Do not practice the way of the dark arts. Always be righteous...be honest, be compassionate and follow the way of our Gusu Lan sect."
"Mother..." Huan began and held onto his mother's hand.
"Huan er, please take good care of your younger brother."
"Once you find your cultivation partner Huan er, love them dearly,"
Little Zhuqin noticed her elder cousin to be distracted by something and it was only natural for her to ask his well-being. However, instead of asking, the young girl scooted closer to Huan and wrapped her arms around the boy, embracing him.
"Do not be sad Huan ge. I do not know much but...as long as you still keep aunty in your heart, she will continue to exist." Little Zhuqin quietly reassured with a soft voice.
Huan snapped out of his last memories with his mother and blinked his eyes a few times before realizing a certain warmth around his body. He slowly looked down to his right side to see the top of Little Zhuqin's head before him. Her hair and the top of her thick ponytail had the light smell of citrus lemon. For a short second, Huan pictured Little Zhuqin wearing a floral crown that was filled with white magnolias.
Wait...why was Little Zhuqin...what was Little Zhuqin doing?
"Ah!" Huan said out loud, finally realizing that the warmth around him was none other than Little Zhuqin (lol).
His voice caught the attention of Little Zhan who began to carefully and quickly climb down the rock to go see what was wrong with his elder brother. More likely, Little Zhan wanted to see if the young girl did anything wrong (lol).
Little Zhuqin quickly looked up at Huan and blinked her eyes a few times before moving away from him.
"Ni...ni zenma le (What is wrong with you)?" Little Zhuqin asked. "I thought you needed some comfort."
"Com...comfort...?" Huan questioned then embaressinlgy fixed his clothes of any wrinkles he had.
"Xiongzhang (Brother)," Little Zhan said as he approached the two. "Is there something wrong? Did she do anything?"
"Uh..." Huan began.
The elder brother thought it was impossible for Little Zhan to not have seen what happened but he knew that since his younger brother was distracted with the scenery of Lanling Jin, it was also possible his younger brother did not see anything. Actually, if he did see what Little Zhuqin did to him (per say, hug lol), perhaps Little Zhan was not going to let the situation go too easily.
"What do you mean if I did anything? I just hu- mmfh!?" "Nothing, she did nothing. Why would she do anything to me? You are thinking too much Zhan, mind your manners will you?" Huan softly interrupted Little Zhuqin while the elder brother covered the young girl's mouth.
"Ni men zai ganshenme (What are you all doing)?"
The small trio turned their attention to the person talking and saw Zhongxin approaching them from the zigzagged wooden bridge. Athough he looked like a handsome young master, it was only natural to question who he was since he was also in a normal Lanling Jin's servant clothes.
Huan let go of Little Zhuqin and as she stood up, the two Lan brothers also stood up along with her.
"Uh, ni shi shei a (Uh, who are you)? From your looks..." Little Zhuqin began and approached Zhongxin as he stopped directly in front of her.
She noticed Zhongxin to not have the vermillion dot and yet he was in a servants garment. Zhongxin...definitely looked like a young master though.
"From your looks...are you really supposed to be a servant?" asked Little Zhuqin.
"...Greetings to xiao jie (young lady)," Zhongxin said and gestured up his hands in respect to the young girl.
"Mm," Little Zhuqin cheerfully replied. "Wait, answer me. Are you really a servant? I haven't seen you around here, are you new?"
"Yes xiao jie. I am a new servant who came two days ago. My name is Qin Zhongxin." Zhongxin replied.
"Qin...Zhongxin? Ohh, are you from the same clan as mother (Baoqi)?" Little Zhuqin kindly questioned.
"Yes," Zhongxin responded. "Also, I apologize if I was rude earlier. I was asked to come here by the order of your father and be your personal attendant for the afternoon."
"No problem!" The young girl happily said.
"Well, since you are new here, I am Lanling Jin Zhuqin. These guests are my cousins." Little Zhuqin introduced and made way to show the two Lan brothers as they took a few steps towards Zhongxin.
"Greetings to Qin-xiong (Elder brother Qin)?" Huan greeted, not knowing if Zhongxin was elder or if Huan was older.
"...That is about right," Zhongxin replied.
"Oh, then greetings to Qin-xiong." The elder Lan brother said, while Little Zhan also gestured his salutations.
"I am Gu," "No need to introduce yourselves." Zhongxin abruptly interrupted Huan.
"Eh, you!" "Xiao jie, I appreciate your cousins warm welcome. But...I am only here to serve you not your cousins." Zhongxin again interrupted Little Zhuqin.
"You...how...how dare you be this bold hm?" Little Zhuqin questioned.
She was a little upset at the tone or even, how Zhongxin was trying to shut her beloved cousins from meeting new people. Little Zhuqin questioned why Zhongxin was not open to properly meeting the young Lan brothers.
"I apologize xiao jie. But I mean what I said. I do not intend to befriend anyone outside from our Laoling Qin and your Lanling Jin sect." Zhongxin firmly said.
The two young Lan brothers just looked at each other while Little Zhuqin placed her hands on her hips.
"...Are you serious?" Little Zhuqin questioned.
"Yes," Replied Zhongxin.
The young girl knew Zhongxin did not want the two Lan brothers to properly introduce themselves to get acquainted with one another. But she wanted them to know each other anyways.
"He is Gusu Lan...Hu...a..." Little Zhuqin began but slightly slowed down and went quiet after he noticed Zhongxin's serious facial expression.
An awkward silence filled in the space between them all, and Little Zhuqin only knew that she needed to say something else since Zhongxin was insisting that he did not want to be acquainted with other people.
"Hu...a.....Hu...Hua (Flower)...There are so much flowers around here!" Little Zhuqin brightly said and cleared her throat just as the Lan brothers did the same.
"Uh, hao, hao, hao (Ok). Anyways, let us not be weird towards each other." The young girl cheerfully said and placed her hands together.
"You're the weird one," Little Zhan openly said.
Zhongxin turned his attention towards Little Zhan and it was only obvious that the older lad was not pleased at how the younger Lan brother was acting towards the young mistress of the Lanling Jin sect. Noticing the somewhat tense situation between the two, Little Zhuqin quickly stood in front of Little Zhan and quickly waved both her hands at Zhongxin.
"Ni a (You), didn't you say you were here to serve me? If you are here to serve me then you have to also answer what I ask you no?" Little Zhuqin asked.
"...Yes," Zhongxin said and looked away.
"Then," The young girl began as Huan slowly pulled his younger brother away.
"Then answer what I asked you earlier please," The young girl said and nudged her head up at the older lad.
Zhongxin thought for a bit and had remembered what Little Zhuqin wanted to know.
"Oh...to answer xiao jie's question, I am supposed to be a servant."
"...Really?" The young girl asked.
Zhongxin simply nodded.
"But why do I get the feeling that you are...not?" Little Zhuqin brightly inquired.
Knowing that Little Zhuqin was indeed the daughter of the Jin leader, Zhongxin obviously could not continue to hide the fact that he was the eldest young master to the leader of the Laoling Qin sect. As he told Baoqi and Guangshan earlier, Zhongxin was the eldest son of Qin Cangye. He was ordered to come into the Lanling Jin sect and be a servant.
"Servant? I heard that my father accepts guest disciples all the time...so why did your father send you in as a servant when you are his son?" Little Zhuqin proceeded to inquire.
"That is right. Qin Xiong if you do not mind me saying this, but what A Qin said makes sense. Why...didn't your father just send you in as a guest disciple?" Huan asked.
"...I...am not sure either. I am just doing what my father asked me to do. He asked me to serve the Lanling Jin sect and that is why I am here." Zhongxin stated.
The older lad certainly knew that his father was not the one who ordered him to serve the Jin sect.
Seeing that the older lad in front of her should be given the title of a guest disciple versus a servant, Little Zhuqin placed her hands on her hips then smiled at him again.
"Would you like to become a guest disciple?" Little Zhuqin asked.
"No," Zhongxin rejected.
"Hey, didn't you say you were here to serve me?"
"...Yes," The older lad quietly responded.
"Serving me means doing what I ask and listening to my requests right?" The young girl inquired.
"...Shi...xiao jie (Yes young lady)," Zhongxin hesitately replied.
"So...does that mean that if I ask you to become a guest disciple, then would you become one?" She continued to press on.
"...I...but I..." Zhongxin slowly said.
"Aiya, you should feel lucky that this young lady is trying to help you become a proper man in our Lanling Jin sect." Little Zhuqin proudly said and pointed at herself while the two Lan brothers quietly let out a small laugh.
"But xiao jie, even your father was not able to make me become a guest disciple. Forcing this on me...don't you think it is a little..." Zhongxin said, feeling a little overwhelmed.
"If he couldn't, then I will. HA, HA, HA!!" The young girl loudly laughed.
The older lad just remained quiet.
"Besides," Little Zhuqin stopped laughing. "What kind of father sends in their eldest son as a servant? I do not mean to say servants are bad but people should be given the best."
Only Zhongxin himself knew why he was sent in as a mere servant.
"...Well, the cultivation world is quite competitive. If Qin xiong's father sent him in as a servant..." Huan slowly began.
"Bu xing (No, this will not do/This is no good). I will ask father and see if he would like to take uh...Xin ge (Elder brother Xin) as a guest disciple." The young girl began and looked out into the rocky scenery filled with white peony flowers.
"Would Xin ge...be interested?" Little Zhuqin questioned with a smile then looked at the older lad, tilting her head to the side just abit.
Zhongxin was about to reject the idea again but he simply could not help embracing the young girl's smile and remained silent. He was indeed loyal to his own Laoling Qin sect and did what his father...or his mother asked of him, which was to become a lowly servant in the Jin sect. But if Zhongxin thought again, his mother did not forbade him to climb the ladder...climb the ladder, as in, rise in status from a servant to a general guest disciple. Besides...who could resist such a sweet smile from the young mistress...right?
"...Do what you want," Zhongxin finally said and crossed his arms together.
Little Zhuqin cheerfully grinned and when she was about to jump up in success, Little Zhan gave her quite a stare.
"What? Never saw someone succeed before?" Little Zhuqin playfully inquired and stuck out her tongue at the young lad.
"...Hmph," Little Zhan simply ridiculed and turned around to look at the scenery.
"This is good! When you become a guest disciple of our Lanling Jin sect, you can gain so much more than being just a servant." Little Zhuqin encouraged.
"But why do you insist that I become a guest disciple?" Asked Zhongxin.
Little Zhuqin honestly did not really know why she wanted the older lad to become a guest disciple. She had possibly just thought that since the older boy looked like a young master from another clan, it was only right that he was a guest disciple and not just a plain servant. Although she did not mean to confuse people and make people think that she had a problem with servants. In fact, Little Zhuqin did not have a problem with servants in general but the young girl had just thought...Zhongxin deserves to be a guest disciple not an errand guy. It was just a child's intuition.
"Uhm..." She began.
Huan observed their conversation and smiled then gestured up his hands at the elder lad.
"Qin xiong, if I may comment." The older Lan brother began. "If Zhuqin gu-"
The elder Lan brother had almost forgotten that Little Zhuqin did not like to use formal names with them as they were direct cousins with one another.
"Uh, if A Qin had chosen to talk with her father about making you a guest disciple, I would assume that she only has great intentions for doing so. My younger brother and I had just met her for the first time but we can already see that A Qin likes to find the best in others. If she thinks something is not right, A Qin will stand up for her decision and if someone says something wrong, she is not afraid to speak her mind." Huan thoroughly explained.
"Xiongzhang (Brother), are you sure she has all those qualities?" Little Zhan quietly whispered as Huan lightly nudged his younger brothers elbow.
"Although A Qin is still very young, she is already able to see the goodness in others and I would only assume that she knows you deserve better." The elder Lan brother added.
Little Zhuqin quietly stood in awe as her elder cousin helped to explain to Zhongxin of why she was pressing on about being a guest disciple versus being a servant. In addition, Huan obviously put in some good words for the young girl and she secretly appreciated it.
Zhongxin also stood silently to himself and took in all considerations Huan had to say. His eyes slowly looked at Little Zhuqin then he looked at the two Lan brothers. Zhongxin then looked at the young girl and let out a long sigh.
"You ok? Are we...saying too much? That is ok isn't it?" Little Zhuqin asked.
"What? Oh, I apologize Qin xiong, if I said too much." Huan apologized.
"There is no need to be sorry," The older lad began and looked down onto the wooden floorboards of the bridge.
No one really knew but when Zhongxin observed Little Zhuqin and the young Lan brothers, the lad could not believe...or at least, was a bit envious of how close they all seemed. When he had thought back to being in the main hall with the two Lan elders, the two Jin elders and the silly trio...plus the male princess of Lanling Jin, Zhongxin felt a little bit...overwhelmed. For almost the entire time, Zhongxin had kept his hands in two fists and silently preached to himself of why he even took the duty his father....or mother assigned him.
"Zhong er, go into the Lanling Jin Sect as a servant and no matter what, make sure you become that girl's personal servant. If you cannot become her personal servant, then at least, make sure to keep your eyes on her and tell me how I can make your younger sister improve. You must succeed for our Laoling Qin sect. And for me...you must get revenge for me."
When he was in the main hall with the two families, that was the first time he actually saw Little Zhuqin; bright smile, mischevious and bold words. Zhongxin had quietly observed them but he kept his attention on Little Zhuqin the entire time. When she smiled or laughed, he would feel a sharp pain inside his heart.
"She is similar to my younger sister," He had thought. "How can...how can mother make me do this just for revenge?'
While the older lad had thought that he was not fit for this 'revenge' plan plotted by his mother, Zhongxin also felt that he was chosen because he had a purpose. That purpose was to give his younger sister the things and the love that Little Zhuqin was receiving as the young mistress of the Lanling Jin sect. Not only that...
...Little Zhuqin was the only and beautiful daughter of the Jin leader.
For his younger sister and for his mother...Zhongxin needed to do just what to Little Zhuqin...?
He needed to...
Needed to?
"Wei, uh, Xin ge (Hey, Elder brother Xin)?" Little Zhuqin said out loud and waved her hand under his face.
Immediately, Zhongxin snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Little Zhuqin then at the two Lan brothers.
"You looked a bit troubled. Do you...want some tea?" The young girl inquired with a smile.
"Bubi le (No need)," Zhongxin replied firmly and let out another short sigh.
From a distance, a few attendants approached them followed by Baoqi. The mother had called out to the children and informed them of dinner time. Little Zhuqin grabbed her lacquer box then all of them followed after Baoqi to the main dining hall. As they made their way for their afternoon dinner, Little Zhuqin cheerfully shared about what went on when she was with the Lan brothers (minus the story of their deceased mother). She had also asked her step-mother if her father was willing to accept Zhongxin as a guest disciple instead. Baoqi listened attentively and had only stated that in regards to making Zhongxin a guest disciple, Guangshan would definitely agree to Little Zhuqin's idea.
Although Baoqi agreed...she still had her doubts of why her elder half-brother's son was in the Lanling Jin sect.
Arriving to the main dining hall, they were all helped to their seats. As a servant and a guest disciple to-be, Zhongxin bid temporary farewell to the trio, the elders and Zixuan then excused himself. The Lan family members sat on one side while the Jin members sat on the opposite side of them. Both leaders of their respective sect sat next to each other in the connecting corner of their clansmembers in the middle of the dining hall. Qiren sat across from Baoqi, Huan sat across from Zixuan and Little Zhan sat directly the opposite side of Little Zhuqin. As the young girl sat in her seat and waited for all the food to be served, Little Zhuqin was reminded of when she ate with the Jiang family. Her first visit to Yunmeng and her first dinner with the Jiang family, the first one to sit directly across from her was Jiang Cheng then it was Wei Ying then now it was Little Zhan, her cousin. Of course, the seating positions did not matter and why should the person eating across from her even matter?
It was only natural for her to think it mattered because this was the first time she was being introduced to different people and this was the first time she was introduced to the idea that she had 'cousins,' so as a mere child...it just mattered. It was a small thing...but it mattered to her.
In Wei Ying's case though...what DID matter?
Little Zhan looked up at his younger cousin and slowly panned his face away, probably still trying to get use to her now that they have 'partially' made up.
As the last remaining dishes of food were being passed out, Little Zhuqin's face began to turn a bit sour and if anything, almost gloomy. While the elders were busy talking to each other, and Little Zhan busy trying to avoid the young girl who was going to eat across from him, Huan and Zixuan were the first to notice her almost unusual behavior.
"A Qin, are you ok?" "Qin er, are you ok?" Both children asked.
Little Zhuqin looked up at them while the two boys looked at each other. One could tell Zixuan was irritated or at least, questioning why an almost outsider was being so close with his younger sister. The elder brother let out a short sigh and turned to his younger sister while Huan could only stay silent from a near distance.
"You don't look so good Qin er, what is wrong?" Zixuan asked.
"...You know?" Little Zhuqin slowly began. "I feel...suddenly I feel like I want to eat with my mother."
It was only natural for Zixuan to respond the same thing to her without really knowing how the young girl had felt for the first time at the moment.
"Would you think she appreciates your company?"
For a minute, Little Zhuqin sighed and slightly slouched her shoulders. She just thought there was something wrong with her feeling and the young girl wanted to trust her instincts...but how could she? She knew her mother usually would not appreciate having her in any situation but this time, Little Zhuqin's heart just felt really heavy and uneasy.
Heavy and uneasy...as if her mother...
...Was going to disappear soon.
Disappear?
The young girl could feel as if her heart was being squeezed from within. As a child, it was only natural to take deep breaths to calm herself and after she did so, she swallowed her own breath then quickly turned to her elder brother.
"Xuan ge," Little Zhuqin began with a whisper. "Have you...ever had a such a bad feeling, it seems like the bad feeling will come true?"
"Mmm..." The elder brother began.
Zixuan turned away to think for a bit and coincidently met eye to eye with Huan who was still looking over their way to ensure that Little Zhuqin was in fact, ok. He, as usual, irritatingly clicked his tongue at the young lad. When he panned his view to answer Little Zhuqin's question, Zixuan had also noticed Little Zhan to be looking their way. After having a short eye contact with the male princess of the Jin sect, Little Zhan simply looked away and began to quietly converse with Huan.
"If you are talking about having bad feelings and thinking they will come true...I have experienced a lot," Zixuan replied to his younger sister.
When Little Zhuqin questioned about having bad feelings that were going to come true, in Zixuan's case, it was having the bad feeling that his little sister would end up becoming cultivation partners with other people...except for him. Even he had a bad feeling right now that the two Lan brothers were interested in Little Zhuqin, despite being cousins. Heck, Zixuan also had a bad feeling that Little Zhuqin possibly liked them...?
The young lad shook his head to the thoughts and only cleared his throat then let out a short sigh.
"You have? I...I have not experienced too much bad feelings but just now, I feel...I just feel as if I should go eat with my mother." Little Zhuqin quietly insisted with a light smile.
"Hey, look at you. Didn't you tell me that since we had guests, we have to treat them properly? Treating them properly only means to also eat with them right? Look at you, already forgetting your own words," Zixuan lightly lectured.
"Aiya Xuan ge, you are not listening to me." The young girl disappointedly remarked.
"I AM listening to you. I already told you that it's best to not eat with Lan furen, er, I meant your mother because she will not like it." The elder Jin brother replied.
Feeling as if Zixuan was not really answering her questions in regards to having the sudden urge to eat with her mother, Little Zhuqin took short breaths then stood up from her seat just as the servants finished serving tea.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Zixuan inquired, looking up at his younger sister.
"As you can see, standing." The young girl simply replied then stuck her tongue out at her elder brother.
"Where are you going? We are about to eat," Zixuan whispered.
"I know we are about to eat," Little Zhuqin replied. "But I will not be eating with you today."
She walked around her table to the other side than began to pull the table to the opposite side where Little Zhan was sitting.
The elders paused in their conversation and had their attention on Little Zhuqin.
"Qin er, what are you doing child?" Baoqi questioned. "We are about to eat."
For a moment, Little Zhuqin did not mean to ignore her step-mother since she was so focused on carefully moving her table, and she was also focused on her heart telling her...something was going to happen to her mother soon. After she successfully pulled her table and neatly lined the edge across from Little Zhan's table, she quickly walked over to her seat cushion then brought it over next to her table.
"Qin er," Baoqi lightly said again.
"Uh, I am just doing what Xuan ge asked me to do," Little Zhuqin said then smiled at her mother. "He asked me to treat the guests properly." She jokingly mocked.
"Xuan er did?" The mother slowly asked with quite the fake smile then looked at Zixuan with almost...menacing eyes (lol).
"W-wo meiyou (No, I didn't). I...didn't say such things." Zixuan defended.
"Treating them properly only means to also eat with them...who said this huh?" The young girl cheerfully argued.
Remembering that he DID say something along those lines earlier, Zixuan only kept quiet and with a simple "Hmph," he crossed his arms together.
"...I didn't mean to directly eat WITH them. Sitting so close to them too..." Zixuan quietly mumbled to himself.
Feeling some sort of victory over their small and unreasonable dispute, Little Zhuqin finally sat on her cushioned seat. Her cheerful smile almost faded when Little Zhan slightly scooted back and pulled his eating table along with him.
"...What are you doing?" The young girl asked.
"You're too close. I can't eat like this," Little Zhan simply replied.
Little Zhuqin thought she had the energy to playfully joke around with him again but she simply sat quietly in her seat and just looked at her food. Now that they were about to eat, the young girl's heart just felt heavier. Since Zixuan did not really listen or bother to give heartwarming inputs for her thoughts and since Little Zhan seemed to also not want to hear what Little Zhuqin had to share (or simply eat with her lol)...she felt a little loss as to who to talk to at the moment.
...Maybe Huan?
She looked up at Huan who silently sat in his seat and gave her quite the welcoming smile she was waiting for. Noticing that his younger cousin was giving her attention to his elder brother, Little Zhan could only assume she was going to move her table again. He knew the young girl was also hungry from having to deal with them that early afternoon.
And what else?
Little Zhan had also noticed that the young girl was not being verbally playful like earlier so he also assumed...there was something on her mind right?
As predicted, Little Zhuqin was about to scoot her table over to Huan but Little Zhan hastily pushed his eating table towards her, hitting her table on the front side.
The young girl looked at Little Zhan as the young lad scooted forward with his seat.
"...What were you going to do?" He quietly asked.
"Well, you seemed as if you will noy eat if I sat here so I was going to move and sit with Huan ge," Little Zhuqin bluntly explained.
"Well..." Little Zhan began. "...Sit there...but don't be too noisy."
Little Zhuqin slightly blinked in and out for a bit, wondering if the stoic boy in front of her really meant what he said. She looked back at the smiling Huan who only gestured for the young girl to sit down and eat with his younger brother since she was already there.
But Baoqi obviously thought differently.
"Uh, Qin er child, be more polite to your Gusu cousins. Let them have some space and go back to your original seat." She kindly encouraged.
On the other hand, the Jin leader cleared his throat and only again, flared his fan open.
"Wo de hao Qin er a (My good Qin er), you can stay there and eat with your cousins." Guangshan strongly encouraged, still sounding a bit troubled by his interaction with Baoqi earlier in the main hall.
"But dear," "Come, let us toast to our wonderful family from Gusu!" The Jin leader interrupted Baoqi and held up his small cup of...tea...TEA not wine, TEA.
While he held up his small cup of TEA (in place of wine, because disciples from the Gusu Lan sect cannot hold their liquor OR drink wine in general lol), Qiren and Qingheng also rose their cup up, chest length. Although the Jin mistress felt a little embaressed, she also held up her small cup of tea and drunk it after the men had drunk theirs.
"...This...is some good...tea," Qiren said.
"...It sure is," Guangshan replied with a nervous smile.
"I apologize Shan di. Our Gusu Lan cannot drink wine and in place of wine, you had to serve us tea instead. It is a bit embaressing." The Lan leader apologized.
"Don't mind it. I remembered you telling me earlier that your younger son does not mean to be rude with my daughter, but if Qin er does not mind that, even I do not mind drinking tea instead of wine." Guangshan reassured.
"Hao, shuo de hao Shan di (Well said, very well said Shan di)!" Qingheng laughed and toasted another cup of tea at the Jin leader.
Baoqi observed the interaction between the two leaders and could only lightly ridicule at the thought that Little Zhuqin was potentially growing closer with the Lan brothers...or more precisely, Little Zhan. Thinking about all this made the Jin mistress frustrated and unsatisfied with how her plan was utterly ruined in one day or at least, in one moment. However, she calmly composed herself and had thought that she was going to just play along for now until the chance came for Jiang Cheng to take over the position of becoming Little Zhuqin's future cultivation partner.
"Young sister-in-law, what is the matter? You look a little troubled," Qiren spoke and placed a small piece of roasted duck meat in his mouth.
"Oh...I do? Oh no, it is just..."
While the elders continued to converse, the children silently kept to themselves and ate the food in front of them. At least Zixuan and Huan were.
"Wei, uh, xiao jiu peng you (Hey, little wine friend)," Little Zhuqin began.
"...Are you really going to keep calling me that?" Little Zhan questioned.
"Yes," The young girl bluntly replied with a smile.
For a moment, Little Zhan let out a short sigh and placed a small piece of steamed fish in his mouth. Compared to the food in Cloud Recesses, the food in Lanling Jin was only expected to be rich in flavor...and rich in flavor the food were. The young boy wanted to continue looking down at his table of food but he had remembered his little cousins' unsual behavior; Little Zhuqin was not as playful or annoying as she was earlier (lol). It was only natural that he asked her what was wrong...but even Little Zhan could not find the right words to start the conversation because both of them were only starting to become relatively 'close' (lol).
"...So...what is wrong with you?" He generally questioned and looked up at Little Zhuqin.
Unlike how she would immediately respond to anyone's question, Little Zhuqin just sat in her cushioned seat and quietly stared at her food. It was almost like she was possessed, but the young girl was only thinking about one thing; her mother.
"Hey, are you dea....I mean, you are not sleeping with your eyes open are you?" Little Zhan asked again and slightly waved his chopsticks at his younger cousin.
For a second, Little Zhuqin blinked her eyes and looked at Little Zhan.
"You..." Little Zhan began, wanting to ask if she was generally ok.
"Nothing...it's nothing," The young girl started and straightened her body back up.
Little Zhan observed as the little girl picked her chopsticks up and reached for a small piece of roasted duck meat.
"Wo bu xiangxin (I do not believe it/I am not convinced)," He began with quite the monotone voice.
"Ah?" Little Zhuqin asked and looked up at Little Zhan just as she placed the duck meat in her mouth.
"...You were going to ask me something," Little Zhan straightforwardly said.
"...Ohhh," The young girl said and placed her chopsticks on the table. "That..."
"...What,"
"I was just going to ask...have you ever had such a bad feeling that you feel it will come true?" Little Zhuqin asked with a somewhat nervous smile.
The young lad just silently took in her question and had thought, "Of course, I have."
"Lately, I have not seen my mother at all. I feel as if...she is no longer here with us." He had thought to himself.
However, even the young lad knew how to hold back and simply replied, "Mm."
"You know...I know my mother is not really good and she has probably done a lot of bad things to be isolated alone in Jinxing Hall. But...she is still my mother afterall right?" Little Zhuqin proceeded to quietly ask.
Hearing her statement, Little Zhan became a little tense. He knew Little Zhuqin did not know just what the main disciples of the Gusu Lan sect was there for; her mother's rightful execution.
"...Mm," He again responded.
"Ei Biao ge (Hey Elder cousin), to be honest? I feel like my mother is going to...." Little Zhuqin began but paused in her statement before finishing what was on her mind.
Little Zhan gradually placed another roasted duck meat in his mouth and chewed slowly, almost avoiding direct eye contact with his younger cousin. Thinking that she was making the situation itself depressing and at most, awkward, Little Zhuqin let out a short sigh then lightly slapped her cheeks.
"Aiya, hehe, suan le suan le (Forget it, forget it)," The young girl said. "Then...then what about you? What bad feeling do you have?"
Little Zhan did not want to make the current situation about him...but since his younger cousin asked...perhaps it was only right to answer what was on his mind.
"Wo muqin (My mother)," He began.
While the elders continued to converse with one another, Huan's attention quickly turned to his younger brother who had suddenly mentioned their now deceased mother.
"Uh...ni de muqin (Uh, your mother)," Little Zhuqin started quietly.
Now it was the young girl's turn to become tense. She knew the young Lan brother's mother was deceased, according to what Huan said and Little Zhuqin believed him wholeheartedly. However she had also remembered that Huan had yet to properly tell Little Zhan just what happened to their mother. Bearing that in mind, she slowly rose her cup of tea and was just about to drink it.
"I have not seen her for a while. I was wondering if something happened to my mother," Little Zhan openly shared.
Immediately upon his correct judgement, Little Zhuqin and Huan swallowed the wrong way and began to momentarily choke on their food. As Huan showed quite the elegance in choking on his food, Little Zhuqin purposely gagged on her tea and looked at Huan, mentally questioning the elder cousin if Little Zhan was aware that their mother was deceased. Huan only shook his head side to side, perhaps indicating that his little brother was not informed of the full detail just yet.
The elders stopped conversing and turned their attention to the young children.
"Huan er, zenma le (What is wrong Huan)?" Qiren questioned.
As Huan began to gain his proper posture back, he cleared his throat and drank a small sip of his white peony tea then turned to face his uncle.
"I apologize for the rude behavior uncle. But..." The young lad began. "The food was just so good."
The food was obviously rich in flavor...better than the food in Cloud Recesses. But of course, Huan did not choke BECAUSE of the food alone.
"Qin er, then what about you? You also seemed to have choked on your food too," Guangshan began, almost chuckling at his younger daughter.
"Uh, w-wo a (Uh m-me)?" Little Zhuqin questioned and pointed at herself while she also began to regain her proper posture back.
"Yes you," The Jin leader replied with a smile.
"Uh...haha," The young girl nervously laughed. "There are so many guests, how can I not choke on my food?"
"Shenma (What)? What does that mean?" The elders questioned as they laughed merrily.
"Oh, I mean...with so many guests, how can the food not taste good? Haha...ha," Little Zhuqin corrected herself and slightly scratched the side of her head.
As the elders again started their own conversation regarding the beloved children in the eating hall, Little Zhuqin turned her attention back at Little Zhan who sat there quietly, not uttering one single word.
"Uh...your mother," "Rude," Little Zhan montonely interrupted and let out a small sigh.
"Uh, bu shi a, bu shi guyi de (Uh, no that is not it, it was not on purpose). I really did choke on my tea." The young girl reassured with a smile. "Hey, but about your mother...she..."
"Mm?" Little Zhan asked.
"She..."
Little Zhuqin wanted to say something...say something positive about his mother and help cheer up her elder cousin who was at least correct about something happening to his mother; she was already deceased afterall. However at this point, it was either to tell the truth in place of his elder brother or hide the truth until the time was right. But...Little Zhan already seemed to know what was happening no? Besides, the young girl certainly knew her stoic cousin was not heartless just because he had such an odd personality. She knew he cared about his mother...and besides, who did not care for their own mother? Little Zhan had only guessed right too because...would it not be suspicious to suddenly feel at loss?
Would it not be suspicious for Little Zhan to hear the same excuse from Huan over and over again?
Would it not be suspicious to see his own father 'mourn' over a particular something?
Also, would he not find it suspicious to suddenly not hear his beloved mother's tender voice...for several weeks?
Little Zhuqin quickly shook her head side to side and having lost her appetite from all the frustrating thoughts circling inside her head, she only sighed again. She was thinking about the bad feeling she had about her mother...Little Zhuqin was also thinking about the Lan brother's mother who was now deceased and was now a living memory inside their hearts. The current situation was perhaps similar as the trio had one thing in mind; their mother.
But the young girl did not want to continue glooming over such case and although Little Zhan did not give her an exact opinion about her bad feelings in regards to her mother, he at least listened right? Little Zhuqin quietly gave her thanks to the young lad and quickly drank the remaining tea she had left.
While the Jin and Lan family finished their dinner with an aftertalk, the sun was already starting to slowly set. The rays of orange, light pink and soft purple were lightly blurred into the afternoon sky. The time for Yunlin's quiet execution was fast approaching, but even the children needed some more time to get acquainted with eachother.
Perhaps getting acquainted with the Lan brothers were an excuse to get Little Zhuqin thinking more about them rather than her mother but the young girl simply agreed with quite the excited smile. She was definitely concerned about her mother before she ate dinner that afternoon...but afterwards, the feeling just completey faded away. It was just a bad feeling at the moment and although her little self took the bad feeling into consideration...what else could she have possibly done to get rid of it?
Before departing ways, Huan had secretly informed his father of Yunlin's plan to attack Little Zhuqin that night. While Guangshan, Qingheng, Qiren, Baoqi and surprisingly, Zixuan had a last meeting in the private meeting room to go over their plan for the night, the Lan brothers and Little Zhuqin was in Xuanzhu Hall.