XiuYin wandered through the familiar layout until he reached the courtyard belonging to Lu ShiZun. However he was startled when he found the man he was looking for actually out in the courtyard, he was informed that he'd still be asleep like the lazy young master he is. What's more, he was in weird positions stretching his limbs outwards. XiuYin stood still from fear and fascination, what will he do next? He found himself wondering.
He couldn't guess that Lu ShiZun would bend down to play with a small pile of ants whilst mumbling. XiuYin's hands were almost shaking to the point of spilling food. This was nothing like what they told me ah! He thought. Before he would actually spill any food, he decided it was time to announce his presence and so he coughed twice.
After BiMing found the youth staring at him, he panicked and wondered how long he had been there for. But then he remembered that he was currently in another's body, he technically had a blank slate to start on... well a mostly blank slate anyway. He stood immediately and brushed the dust of the lower parts of his gown, that's when he realised he was still in his clothing from last night which were mucky. If he remembered correctly, the original owner of this body had OCD... He gulped before hardening his face, straightening his back and lifting his head.
"What is your business here?" He asked, in a tone cool enough to chill one to the bones. XiuYin momentarily wondered if what he saw was an illusion.
"Greetings to Lu ShiZun, this disciple is in charge of bringing your meals to you for now." XiuYin said as he respectfully bowed his head and lifted the tray in his hands.
BiMing glanced at the steaming hot food on the tray and drooled. Ah... the last time I even smelt hot food was when some rich bastard farted... He licked his lips and thanked the gods for giving him a body with authority. He nodded and said, "Very well follow me." BiMing turned with a flick of his sleeves and speedily walked towards the entrance of his residence. After stepping in he hurriedly pulled out a small table and chair so that he could eat immediately when he heard a crash and shattering of china. He turned at the sound and frowned. The youth was stuck at the entrance, one foot still in midair whilst a small bowl of vegetables had scattered on the floor.
BiMing panicked at the sight, what's happening? he thought. He saw the youths helpless eyes watch him in fear but he didn't speak, that probably meant this force field of some sort had him frozen. BiMing paced to and fro thinking, he then racked through the originals memory until he found the image he was looking for.
The boy, younger than the current body, chanted a spell around the entrance before bringing out a blade made of jade and slicing his palm. He clenched his fist and extended his arm towards the entrance and let the crimson drops of blood drip. Not long after a wall of the purest white rose from the ground, growing and growing until it hit the ceiling where it paused, shimmered like starlight before disappearing from sight. The boy sighed in relief and his expression slackened, as if he were extremely tired and finally felt safe enough to take a break.
Skipping forward in time a bit...
The boy, now a few years older was given attendants, however, none could enter without a pendant with his blood in it for the barrier's purpose was to keep out anything, anyone who wasn't him.
BiMing kept in mind where the original kept a box of jade pendants and his jade blade before rushing him off to find them.
XiuYin, still frozen on spot felt more helpless with the passing second as he saw the man in front of him pace around a few times, then stop before closing his eyes and furrowing his brows as if in deep thought. ShiZun ah... now's not the time to meditate... He thought.
When BiMing came back with a small pendant in one hand and a jade blade in another, XiuYin panicked, have I been sent up here to be made into sacrifice!? Now real fear had creeped in. But then he saw Lu ShiZun bring the jade blade up and lightly stabbed his own hand. XiuYin watched in utter confusion as he then continued to drip blood onto the pendant. BiMing then looked up in relief, with pendant in hand he reached towards XiuYin,bent down to his height and draped it over his neck.
At the close proximity XiuYin could see the flecks of silver in Lu ShiZun's dark brown eyes. Eyes that seemed too carefree for his character but nevertheless gentle. A blush rose in XiuYin's cheeks as he marvelled at Lu ShiZun's Long lashes, slightly curved eyebrows and, dare he say it, pretty eyes...
After the pendant was hung around XiuYin's neck, his suspended foot was finally allowed to land on the ground. Now standing properly he looked up at Lu ShiZun who was a head taller than him. "Many thanks to Lu ShiZun for helping this useless disciple."
BiMing felt too awkward to say it was his fault for not mentioning the barrier so he merely gave the boy a hmph. But the he looked at the food and sighed. Looking at the tray he picked up a pair of chopsticks and bent down, he began picking up the vegetables and placing them directly into his mouth. He was crying on the inside at how delicious the flavours were, crunchy and aromatic, ah the life of the rich... He continued eating without seeing the shocked XiuYin with mouth wide open staring at him.
"L... Lu ShiZun! You mustn't! That's dirty! I'll fetch a new bowl of pickled vegetable right away!" He remembered that elder brother disciple mention how precious food was to this ShiZun who didn't need food at all, but he didn't realise it was to this extent!
BiMing glanced up with scornful eyes and raised eyebrows, tch, youngins these days are spoilt, they don't know how precious a hot meal is! He thought. "What's your name kid?"
XiuYin gulped at being asked his name, he stood straighter and answered, disregarding the fact that he did not like being called a kid one bit, he was already fifteen and Lu ShiZun only looked to be in his mid twenties at most. "Younger Disciple is XiuYin, family name Wang."
"Well then XiuYin, tell me why I can't eat these vegetables."
"T...To reply to Lu ShiZun, It's because they've fallen to the ground."
"Is my ground dirty?" BiMing asked whilst wiping the floor with a finger and looking at his jaded skin, it was no darker than it was originally.
"...No Lu ShiZun..." XiuYin said, extremely intimidated by the man who was crouching like a hooligan on the floor with a godly appearance.
"Then tell me, if I were to discard this food, which is clean, what would a poor child somewhere think of me? A child that might scrounge through bins and spoilt packages to find anything even a little edible?"
XiuYin was speechless, he could not answer. He didn't know that Lu ShiZun would be so aware of the poverty many children went through and seeing him continue to eat off the floor, respect and something more bloomed for him in his heart.
BiMing on the other hand, slapped himself in the face for telling the young lad off, he was just feeling a little emotional about the food freely provided to this body that looked identical to his whilst in his world he had to do those exact things like scrounge through the bins because his career wouldn't spare him a penny. "Forget about that now... You are to bring me all my meals from now on?"
"Yes Lu ShiZun." XiuYin answered dutifully.
"Very well, try not to slip next time, whilst I will do anything to save food, eating off the floor isn't a habit of mine." Haha, that's a half lie, maybe not a habit but I've done it more often than not... Not that he'd need to know...
XiuYin smiled awkwardly before noticing the bleeding of Lu ShiZun's hands. Why hadn't he healed himself yet? "Lu ShiZun, your hand!"
BiMing glanced down and cursed, what a bloody mess, pun intended. "It's fine, it's healthy for small wounds to heal on their own."
"Then as repayment please let this younger disciple bandage it up for you, it's because of me that you're bleeding at all." XiuYin set the tray on the small table and knelt on his knees and bowed, heads on hands, hands on the floor.
"Ayia! Up up, get up, fine you can bandage my hand but don't bow..." BiMing sat in a chair as he fussed at the young boy. No one had ever even shook his hand, let alone kowtowing... XiuYin grinned and pulled out a small string of bandage from his space ring of the lowest level. he pulled a chair opposite of Lu ShiZun and began work. BiMing propped his head on his free hand and watched the youth diligently work away, eyes focused on his hands. The youth had straight eyebrows and a proud nose, high cheekbones and a jawline that'll sure kill the ladies in the future. BiMing sighed, inwardly wishing that he had those masculine looks.
"It's done Lu ShiZun, please don't let it near any water." XiuYin said, looking proudly at his work by turning Lu ShiZun's hand over and over again.
BiMing chuckled at the childish action.
XiuYin smiled as he turned the hand over when the sleeve rose up a little revealing a small bit of the lower arm, he saw a gash of darker skin with pink edges, "Lu ShiZun there's anot-"
BiMing pulled back his hand on instinct and habits don't die just because he has a new body. His original body had many scars, old wounds and new, so when he interacted with people which didn't happen a lot, he would always hide his wounds to avoid questioning. But seeing the the arm he just retrieved, he also saw that gash. Perhaps this pampered young lord isn't that simple...
XiuYin frowned as Lu ShiZun pulled back his arm and fell into deep thought. "That's all for now, thank you. I'll see you at lunch." With that he was dismissed a Lu ShiZun stood and left with a flick of his sleeves. Very dirty sleeves might he add. He watched after the mans retreating back with conflicted emotions before he himself got up and left.
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A/N- WOOP! with the completion (kind of) of my first novel I can now move on to this. I'm working to give it a good balance between plot and romance hehehe...
Hope you enjoyed!
Happy New Year!