Chapter Seven
Zhe Yan dubiously eyed the god in front of him, “Don’t your disciples ever wonder where you run off to these days, Mo Yuan?”
Mo Yuan answered without missing a beat, “Although it doesn’t concern them, my disciples are aware whenever I’m not in the Mountain.” He lifted the package on his hands and added, “How else am I supposed to give you these?”
Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen certainly shared a glance before the former received the parcel from Mo Yuan, replying, “They’re merely tea cups.”
“And you said you wanted them,” was Mo Yuan’s reply, giving the flowering trees a cursory look that Zhe Yan most definitely noticed.
Zhe Yan sent him a perceptive look before gesturing for them to walk towards the hut, “I didn’t mean it to be urgent but I appreciate it nonetheless. Moreover, you could’ve just sent one of your disciples. You needn’t have bothered coming here if you were engaged with something more important.”
“Zhe Yan, kindly cease your worries.”
Zhe Yan barely stopped himself from smirking, “I’m not worried though.”
Occasionally teasing Mo Yuan has been Zhe Yan’s current favorite form of entertainment despite Bai Zhen’s constant chiding looks, keen that Mo Yuan’s visits were because of his whimsical house guest.
Mo Yuan’s visit after years and years of sequestering himself in his beloved Mountain has been pleasant shock, even with Dong Hua’s presence and his artless form of explaining important things.
Zhe Yan had been awfully distracted, especially when he got into a little squabble with the venerable former Emperor, and so lost in his thoughts he’d forgotten about Mo Yuan. But Zhe Yan was a clever god and after the God of War’s second unexpected visit, it became fairly obvious that his interest wasn’t because of his sudden want for companionship with his old friends.
A startling discovery, Zhe Yan should add, considering his last failed love interest with Bai Qian.
If Zhe Yan had to say something, it’s that Mo Yuan needed to look back and reflect, and ultimately learn the delicate art of communication, especially when it came to his affections.
Perhaps he should regard Ye Hua as an ideal example. The Third Prince had been smug when he told Dong Hua about his delightful contribution on Ye Hua’s rather audacious attempts on Bai Qian, forgetting the fact that his nephew has always had a no-nonsense mien about him.
Zhe Yan indicated for Mo Yuan to sit as he prepared to brew tea, sending Bai Zhen a grateful look as the younger god placed a plate of freshly baked mooncakes on the table.
“I’ve put a mark on the savory cakes if that’s what you prefer to have with your tea. I know you’re not fond of the sweet sort,” Zhe Yan said as he took a seat on the unoccupied side of the table.
“Mooncakes?” Mo Yuan asked with slightly raised eyebrows, sounding slightly incredulous for his chosen snack.
Bai Zhen piped in with a smile, “Aunt Lin Hua visited the mortal realm and came across them. She requested Zhe Yan to make them when she arrived.”
“She’s partial to the sweet ones however, so don’t be shy and eat up,” Zhe Yan added.
Mo Yuan indicated for the tea kettle, “I’ll wait for the tea at least.” A pause before he added, an odd note on his voice, “Though it’s quite rare for her to not be here.”
Zhe Yan had a quirk on his lips, deciding to overlook his poor attempt of being subtle, “She’s on a trip with the children. They arrived yesterday and Lin Hua’s been making sure they have ample of fun before they’re returned to their parents. Not that you’d know about it, of course, since you haven’t been here for three days.”
Bai Zhen gave him a reprimanding look when he couldn’t hold back his jab and Mo Yuan gave him a look that clearly read he’s caught something.
A wonder since he could be a bit thick sometimes.
Bai Zhen, who seemed to be feeling particularly benevolent today, asked with an affable smile, “Did you need something from Aunt Lin Hua, High God Mo Yuan? You might have to wait for a while since we don’t really have any idea when they’ll be back.”
Mo Yuan shook his head, “It's fine, High God Bai Zhen. I’m merely wondering.”
“Some of us can be perfectly indolent for days.”
Bai Zhen sent him another look but Zhe Yan simply continued to brew their tea, looking unperturbed.
The younger High God cleared his throat and answered, “You have a point, of course, High God Mo Yuan, but she also offered to care for the children.”
Mo Yuan nodded, understanding, but turned to Zhe Yan and pointed out, “However, your cottage doesn’t have enough space for more guests.”
“Of course, it doesn’t, especially when there’re two children involved. It’s why I found it best they reside in Qing Qiu with their doting grandparents and only come out here to play,” Zhe Yan answered, sounding slightly offended that Mo Yuan was picking out his inadequacy to bring comfort to his guests.
Not that he was wrong of course, but Zhe Yan had designed his cabin and ten miles of peach blossom for his own solace and had never really thought he’d be accommodating a few more unconventional people.
“Visitors only come and go and Bai Zhi’s children were the only ones who spent a stupendous plenty amount of time in these parts. As they still do, you can see,” Zhe Yan quipped with a tilt of his towards their youngest tablemate. “But the Fox Clan has always preferred the cozy and rustic way of life, so different from the extravagance of the Heaven Kingdom. I fear the children might find some things lacking, especially when I’m not sure how long they’re going to stay.”
Bai Zhen huffed an annoyed breath but didn’t say anything.
Mo Yuan replied with knitted eyebrows, “It’s unlikely for Bai Qian to remiss in teaching Ah Li about Qing Qiu’s ways, as has her niece with her son.”
Zhe Yan scoffed, “They’re not missing anything, I’m telling you that much. All I’m saying is that the Fox Den was a much better choice despite the fact that all of us were more than capable on child rearing. That doesn’t mean we want the brats running around unattended and uninhibited in this vast forestry.”
“You let Qian Qian run around when she was under your care,” Bai Zhen drily emphasized, “And stop calling them brats.”
“But look how she turned out.”
“She turned out much better than we’d expected,” Bai Zhen acquiesced with a nod even when he looked a bit hesitant.
Zhe Yan sighed, “I didn’t know what Bai Zhi was thinking when he saddled me with your sister. Straighten out her unruliness…”
Mo Yuan glanced at him askance, “Is that why you smuggled her into my Mountain?”
“You can’t accuse me of sneaking her in when you saw right through the disguise. You knew who she was and yet you took her in anyway. Besides, she needed the additional discipline and for that, you have my thanks,” he expressed with a winning smirk sent his way. “But we’re veering off the topic. Don’t you have anything more important to do other than send packages?”
Zhe Yan knew he didn’t have anything but Mo Yuan had the cheek to actually pause and think about it before giving off his answer that he didn’t.
He continued to prod, “Not even planning on secluding yourself?”
“No,” Mo Yuan answered as he eyed the mooncakes, considering on getting one, “Most likely not anytime soon.”
“Hmm... Then let’s talk about why you’re really here, shall we?”
The question took him off guard, his response quick and atypically thoughtless, “What do you mean?”
“Lin Hua,” Zhe Yan answered, not sparing any confusion and tackling straight into the matter they’ve all been skirting around for weeks.
Zhe Yan was rewarded for his candid effort when he saw Mo Yuan flinch―just about―and his sculpted face contort, very barely, into something close to mortification, which Zhe Yan had a feeling was more because of how he was found out and was called out for it rather than his actual feelings.
And clearly buying for some time to perhaps explain himself as he decidedly plucked a mooncake from the plate, the sweet one, and took a bite before drinking his tea.
Bai Zhen stayed silent but the glower he kept giving him was so fierce he might as well say something. Zhe Yan picked up his own cup and looked back as innocuously as he could, but Bai Zhen was already so used to his ways and simply gestured his head towards their current guest, his disapproving gaze still holding his as if saying ‘fix-that’ before turning to his own cup of tea.
Zhe Yan sighed deeply, this one conceding defeat. Perhaps he’d been too hasty to confront this particular topic, and was going to say something, move on to another topic, when the god himself spoke out, “I suppose… you were not wrong, Zhe Yan. You’ve always had the talent for reading people so easily.”
Zhe Yan stopped the urge to say he was rarely wrong and simply preened at his comment.
Mo Yuan continued, “But yes, it’s because of Lin Hua.”
“And why is that? Have you developed strong feelings for her?” Zhe Yan paused for some dramatic effect while swirling his tea, “Affection, perhaps?”
Zhe Yan looked up just in time to witness a hue of red color his face, even though his dark eyes reflected a little bit of uncertainty.
Zhe Yan spared him the verbal confirmation when he added, a comforting note in his voice, “You’ve only ever had few conversations with her so far. There’s plenty of time still.”
Bai Zhen stared at him in disbelief for his implicit yet unnecessary blessing and even Mo Yuan thought so too when he gave him a doubtful look as he understood his intent.
But Zhe Yan plowed right through, intently looking at him as he also tried to get his next message across, “But you do know you’re going to try even harder, don’t you? Many has been vying for even a scant of your attention and yet you only ever made an effort for one other woman before. I don’t think Lin Hua’s uninterested but something has always held her back.”
The smirk he gave to Mo Yuan was cutting sharp, “How far you’re willing to push… That clearly depends on you.”
Bai Zhen finally spoke up, his derisiveness transparent, “Are we seriously discussing how High God Mo Yuan should woe Aunt Lin Hua?”
“Yes,” was Zhe Yan’s immediate response that startled Bai Zhen, “She might look like it but your aunt certainly isn’t some delicate fairy who can be easily swayed by some thoughtless, sweet words and you best remember that, Zhen Zhen.” Then he chuckled and humorously added, “Everything must start somewhere however, and I don’t think such thoughts are in her head at the moment. It almost sounds like you’re going to have to start from scratch. It’ll be a humbling experience, don’t you think?”
“I don’t necessarily need the advice,” Mo Yuan replied with narrowed eyes, “But I’m grateful nonetheless.”
“It’s no trouble,” Zhe Yan cheekily answered as he nibbled a piece of cake with deliberate ease.
He relished how discomfited Mo Yuan looked like, the latter glaring daggers at him as if hoping he could smite him on his seat. He probably could but Zhe Yan wouldn’t go down without a fight.
“Then I wish you luck, High God Mo Yuan,” Bai Zhen expressed with a sigh, sounding completely sincere, “Although I don’t think we’ll be your greatest obstacle.”
“Ahh, that’ll be Dong Hua for sure.”
Bai Zhen opened his mouth to refute but thought about it for another moment before nodding, trying not to look too much sympathetic for the ancient god in front of him, who Zhe Yan noticed was looking deep in thought as if he wasn’t there when Dong Hua dropped the biggest story ever told.
He was about to say something about it, simply to pester Mo Yuan again, when a piercing crack that almost made him lose his sense of hearing was heard and two bawling children instantly appeared right after, mud-spattered and looking disheveled.
Bai Zhen immediately went to the children and tried to settle them down as Zhe Yan checked for any wounds that needed urgent healing, all the while asking, concern thick on his voice, “What happened?? Where’s your aunt??”
A sniveling Ah-Li brokenly answered, “We… We were in the woods and… and we… we were j-just picking fruits when e-evil snake spirits a-appeared…”
Finding no grave and minor injuries on both children apart from their unkempt appearance, Zhe Yan gave them a cup of water to help settle down their nerves.
Everyone felt the cold waft of wind pass through them and after essentially inhaling his water, Gun Gun spoke up, his voice ringing with escalating dread, “We left Aunt Lin Hua all by herself in the forest!” He turned to Bai Zhen and insistently tugged his sleeves, “Uncle! We have to go back and save her!”
Bai Zhen wiped the child’s face, soothing him, “She’ll be fine, Gun Gun. Our aunt's quite powerful, don't you know? A few evil spirits won’t defeat her.”
Zhe Yan chimed in with a gentle smile, trying to lighten the mood as he offered the fretting Gun Gun a cake, “She should be, especially when she’s had the experience of minding your father. He was brilliantly insufferable when he was with us.”
Mo Yuan nodded in agreement, likely remembering the memories of juvenile competitiveness and innumerable competitions of who was the best.
There was another crack, this one barely audible coming right outside the cabin. Not a moment later, Lin Hua came through the door, likewise looking tousled.
The children immediately shot up from their seats to crowd around her, voices in varying level of decibels as they tried to express themselves.
“You took your time,” Zhe Yan remarked after giving her an appraising look despite knowing she was most likely fine.
“I wanted to test something,” she simply said, flitting a glance at him as she finished mollifying the squawking children. She darted an inquisitive gaze at their current guest of the day, gave him a bow before disentangling Ah-Li and Gun Gun from her bodily presence, grousing about untidiness and feeling sticky.
“You look fine, Aunt,” Bai Zhen commented as he settled the children back around the table.
Lin Hua answered, “I casted a charm before I went in. Can’t let the children see me bloody and maimed, can I?”
Zhe Yan asked with slanted eyebrows, looking dubious, “Are you implying you had a difficult time handling a few snake spirits? Truly?”
"I'll have you know they were more than a few," Lin Hua groused with a glare, “And I was trying something.”
“What was it?”
Her lips quirked upwards to form a smirk, looking unpleasantly full of herself, “That’s for me to know and for you to find out, knowing your horrid need to know everything.”
“That’s obviously a lie,” Zhe Yan countered with a visible pout.
“Is not, but if that’s what you think then who am I to stop you...” Lin Hua replied with another shrug, completely looking disinterested. She gestured a hand outside and added, “I’m going to take another bath then. I always prefer having one rather than simply relying on a Cleaning Charm. I'll leave Ah-Li and Gun Gun to you for a while.”
And without hearing any reply, went towards the comforting haven of his bath springs.
Reassured now that they've seen Lin Hua, the children stopped making a fuss and began mumbling about also wanting to bathe but Bai Zhen, being the doting uncle he always was, ensured that the children were properly fed first before hopping into the springs.
Giving the trio a fond smile, Zhe Yan turned to Mo Yuan and let out a forbearing sigh as he perceived the latter’s yearning look lingering to where Lin Hua took off.
By the stars, Mo Yuan wasn’t even trying anymore.
Zhe Yan spoke, his voice faint as he tried not to rouse the curiosity of the children, lest they suddenly have to explain something, “It is such a rare sight indeed, Mo Yuan.”
Mo Yuan finally detached his gaze from the door and gave him a glare.
Zhe Yan continued, picking up his cup of tea from the table as if it was nothing, “You’ve never been this obvious before either but I understand, considering this new situation. Oh, well. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
Mo Yuan didn’t reply and instead munched on another mooncake.
Zhe Yan let him be, choosing not make another comment about how he was acting so uncharacteristically petulant.