Once back at Puqi Shrine, from afar as they approached they could see Yin Yu was leaning against the old tree in front of the shrine, his left hand playfully spinning the broom without care, and a mound of golden fallen leaves piled next to his feet. With Hua Ying hanging over his other shoulder like a koala.
Xie Lian squinted and watched him for a good while before putting weight into his steps to purposely make himself heard. Yin Yu didn’t look back, but he must’ve noticed their presence and very naturally changed his pose, continuing to sweep before turning around and acting like he only just saw Xie Lian and Ling Wen approach. Xie Lian lightly cleared his throat, “Sweeping again?”
Yin Yu nodded. Hua Ying fall slowly with the help of Rouye hold a little broom made by Yin Yu as he act to sweep the grass. Seeing him like this, Xie Lian couldn’t hold back and patted his head like an elder would and praised, “Did Yin Yu make this for you? My little baby are so cute!!."
Hua Ying Chuckle as he hold Xie Lian hand asking to be hold. Ling Wen watched them without comment, as Xie Lian pick up the little baby up led her as he opened the door to Puqi Shrine, “It’s in here…”
Yet unexpectedly, the moment he opened the door he saw a figure crouched in front of the donation box, once again sneakily stuffing gold bars in. Xie Lian quickly ran up to drag him away, “Qi Ying, stop stuffing it, that’s really enough. I haven’t even taken out the ones you stuffed in last time, it’s all stuck.”
Ling Wen nodded, “Greetings, Your Highness Qi Ying.” Qi Ying acknowledged her too, “Hi.”
There was a wooden rack standing right in the centre of Puqi Shrine, and upon the rack hung a plain hemp robe. Of course, that was only what Xie Lian sees. Ling Wen approached, looked at it solemnly for a while, but that robe did not react. She turned her head slightly, “My Lords, I want to look at it alone, is that alright?”
“That’s fine.” Xie Lian said.
Ruoye had her hands bound while little Hua Ying is protest against Ling Wen because she stole his toy. She wasn’t a martial god, so technically she couldn’t start anything. Xie Lian wasn’t that worried, and he laid a hand on Quan Yizhen’s shoulder, “Let’s go out.”
At least this case was considered closed, and Xie Lian was relaxing. It just so happened the neighbours all gifted him a batch of fruits and vegetables, so Xie Lian took them to the kitchen, ready to cook. This was what they called an undefeated spirit. After so many days, Quan Yizhen seemed to have taken his Puqi Shrine as some sort of happy farm, leaping up and down, sometimes climbing trees, sometimes stealing squashes, sometimes snagging fish, sometimes catching frogs. In a moment of Xie Lian’s carelessness, Quan Yizhen snuck into the kitchen and swiped a yam. Feeling the spot empty on the counter, Xie Lian turned his head and saw Quan Yizhen had the yam dangling in his mouth slipping out, hurrying away like a fish who escaped the net. Xie Lian cried, “It’s not cooked yet, don’t eat it!”
Yet it was precisely because it wasn’t cooked that it had to be eaten quickly. Once Xie Lian cooked it it wouldn’t be edible anymore. Xie Lian shook his head, then he saw Yin Yu walking over and his eyes turned crescent, " Yin Yu, are you free? Come help me chop some vegetables.”
Yin Yu was just about to snatch back that yam Quan Yizhen snagged, but hearing Xie Lian’s charge, he came over to help without a second thought. He put Hua Ying on the chair made by Hua Cheng few weeks ago picked up the butcher knife on the cutting board, pressing down on the cabbage, he started cutting it knife by knife, taking his task very seriously. Xie Lian watched Hua Ying, then turned his head over to wash the rice as he chatted, “My baby..it look like you’ve seen quite a number of gods and ghosts that have come to our little Puqi Shrine now, right?”
Hua Ying answered from behind him, “Ennnn Cemmm.” Xie Lian continued, “Then, Baby let me ask you: if you had to pick, who among those gods and ghosts is the handsomest?”
Hua Ying look like in a dilemma, seeming to be thinking hard. Xie Lian raised his brows slightly, "Die die. ”While Yin Yu answered, “You.”
Xie Lian laughed, “Besides me.”
“Chengzu.” Yin Yu said.
Xie Lian was going to burst a gut trying to contain his laugh. He responded with a serious voice, “En. I think so too right Baby?”
"ENNNNNN! "
After a pause, Xie Lian asked again, “Then, who do you think is the strongest?”
Yin Yu still answered with, “Chengzu.”
"NYANGGGG! "
Xie Lian swiftly continued his questions without skipping a beat, “Who’s the richest?”
“Chengzu.”
"DIEEE DIEE! "
“Who do you admire the most?”
“Chengzu.”
"BUBUBU! "
“Who’s the dumbest?”
“Qi Rong.”
Those questions were coming one after the other without pause even his son answer all the question look by Quan Yizhen who holding a pot, but he was actually able to change his answer in time, which came to show how fast his mind worked and how fast his reactions were. Xie Lian commented, “It seems you quite admire this San Lang?”
Unwittingly, the knife in Yin Yu’s hand seemed to have increased a little in speed,
“A little.”
Xie Lian said, “But, his subordinate said he’s very busy lately, so he must be very busy doing very serious things. I think it’s best if we don’t go disturb your A-Die hmm?.” He pinch Hua Ying little nose as he keep doing his work.
After that comment, the crunching sound from Yin Yu chopping vegetables suddenly became more heavy-handed. Xie Lian held onto the edge of the stove to support himself, his guts spraining from holding back his laugh. Suddenly, Quan Yizhen poked a head in from the window, taking a bite of the yam and swept a look. Then he said to Yin Yu, “You’ve chopped it to shreds, it won’t taste good anymore.”
“Hm? What did you say?” Yin Yu threatened.
Xie Lian turned his head to look; the cabbage wasn’t just shredded, it was nothing but tiny scraps at this point. He cleared his throat softly, “My gosh, your knife work is really bad.”
“…”
Throwing all sorts of seasonings into the pot, Xie Lian clapped his hands and decided to let it all simmer for two hours and left the kitchen. He glanced at Ling Wen; she was still properly in the shrine, so he continued to do his chores. From the pile of logs he fumbled out a larger piece of a plank, borrowed brush and ink from the village head’s house, then sat in front of the door, a hand holding the plank and the other holding the
brush, lost in thought. Yin Yu walked over too and Xie Lian looked up. He asked warmly, “I'm pretty sure You know how to write and read?”
“I do.” Yin Yu replied.
“Then how’s your writing?” Xie Lian asked.
“Good. " Yin Yu replied.
“I'm really sure you have such beautiful handrwitting besides,” Xie Lian said, “As long as it’s readable. Come give me a hand again.”
He passed the plank and brush over to Yin Yu and smiled, “My shrine doesn’t have an establishment plaque. How about you write one up for me?”
“…”
Under Xie Lian’s urging, Yin Yu picked up the brush. That little brush in his hand seemed to weigh a thousand tonnes, unable to be moved no matter what.
Finally, a moment later, he seemed to have conceded defeat and put down the brush and plank. A helpless voice sounded from behind the bandages, “…Gege, I’m wrong.”
That voice didn’t belong to Yin Yu at all, it was clearly Hua Cheng. Only, it was more crisp than normal, the sound of a boy. Xie Lian was leaning against the wall on the side with his arms crossed, and having watched him struggle for so long and finally surrendered, he really couldn’t hold back anymore. Xie Lian dropped to the ground laughing, “San Lang really is so busy!”
"You just realise it? "Ask Quan Yizhen holding Hua Ying. "DIEEE! "
Hi?