Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Granting Wishes
"Tsk, Tsk, what a rude and lazy man, just because he sits on that gold chair, he could just watch on the side without lifting his finger."
LiHua heard the old man's grievances but did not know how to react to so she just passed the pouch to the old man and he thanked her in return.
"Oh, old grandpa, it is not a big thing. It is only morally right to do so, and moreover I didn't do much. It was mostly Bing HuLu auntie who did the hard work, so I cannot take all the credit. Eh? Where did Auntie go to?" LiHua looked around for the missing Bing HuLu aunt.
"Good deeds is to be repaid in bounds, but right now I have nothing much on to offer... but I do have those two strings left." The old man's long bushy eyebrows wiggled and raised in delight.
"Little girl, this old grandpa is very good with prayer for good marriages. How about I pray for you for such? How do you wish your future husband to be? Talented scholar? Strong general? Handsome? Kind? Rich? Romantic? Or all of the above?" Typically, young maidens, they would shyly decline at first but deep in the hearts, all of them would want good marriages.
"Ha? Husband? I don't need one. I'm still so young and I'm happy now just with my family...but," LiHua hesitated and looked at the old man, with her curious eyes sparkling.
'Ok here it comes, why do girls have to make such a roundabout?'
"Old grandpa, how about friends?"
'Friends? Isn't she a little straight forward for wanting more than a husband? Is this how the young now thinks?' The old man became a little worried at such notion.
"Can I ask for influential friends who can help me when I need them?" LiHua pulled the old grandpa's sleeve. LiHua felt the old man had supernatural powers and who knows if his prayers are truly good for wishes to come true? Could he be immortal sage who grant wishes like the mortal tale she read before?
The old man's white eyebrows twitched then he laughed, moving his long white beard bobbing up and down. "Why don't you just ask for all perfect, rich and powerful husband instead for the ultimate supporter? Isn't a husband more dependable than friends?"
"Sigh, not to hide the truth to you, wise immortal, but I'm just a new immortal. And as a new immortal, its better for me to acquire more friends than just one husband."
"If so, I'm not sure what is considered influential but I will be happy to be a friend of yours. Why don't you come to Heavens to look for me in the Court of Moon?"
Court of Moon? There was already Moon Goddess, ChangE, she did not know the goddess had a grandfather.
"Grandpa, are you powerful? Is your court fun?" This old man looked more like a doctor than that young doctor she saw in her last mortal realm trip.
"Yatou (girl) disdain Grandfather?" The old man asked her.
Trying to appease the old man, "LiHua does not dare to! I highly respect the elderly and would not dare to think less of Yue Grandfather or his residence. The main consideration in becoming a good friend is not to see his background or status but be sincere in making friendship." She nodded at said sincerely with her eyes sparkling with pure intentions. Addressing from "grandpa" to "Yue grandpa".
The old man chuckled at her cheekiness and gave her a token to welcome her to his court. 'Apparently, this Yatou (girl) did not know who I am. Very interesting.' The old man thought while stroking his long beard and said farewell before he disappeared to fly off to heavens.
LiHua smiled at the sky, pleased that she had made a new friend in the Heavens. She skipped back to the candied hawthorn stall but Bing Hu Lu aunt was not in sight, she could only sigh, thinking that she would how to make candied hawthorn in the future and she could only go to the tea pavilion.
The inn pageboy told her that her guest had already arrived and led LiHua to the table. LiHua saw a familiar back of a tall person facing the window. The person turned back and LiHua recognized the warm eyes – this must be Kai Zong's descendant. He gave her a small smile, "this young miss must be Xiao Ming's granddaughter? My grandfather, Kai ZongSheng, had mentioned about your grandfather and now us, as the younger generations have the fate to meet. I am Kai ZongYi, pleased to make your acquittance."
Kai ZongYi was a little taller, shoulders a little broader and a little better looking, he was like an upgraded version of his grandfather. He asked she had tried the city's famous steam chestnut cake and LiHua replied that she tried the roasted chestnuts but she did not see any steam chestnut cake. Kai ZongYi paid the tea money and led LiHua to the cake store. There was a long line queuing up to purchase the steam cake, and from far, LiHua could smell the chestnut and honey sweet smell and was distracted by the steaming bamboo baskets on store's table that she failed to notice the horse carriage coming in a fast speed towards them.
"Get out of the way!" The driver shouted when he lost control of the carriage.
The carriage snapped off and careened forth, LiHua had broken her trance from looking at the steaming cakes when the smell of the horses neared. She quickly grabbed Kai ZongYi to her back and kicked away the carriage from the crowd easily like swatting a fly. Everyone looked at her amazingly, such a petite young girl could push away such a heavy thing like the carriage, she was only a tenth of the weight.
Oops! LiHua's hand still on Kai ZongYi's arm, moved to his wrist and grabbed him to quickly fled the scene, missing the look that Kai ZongYi gave while looking at her hands on his wrist. They arrived near a bridge and LiHua panted from her run, Kai ZongYi was still like a refined scholar, no creases on his fine pale blue robe and no sweat from running with her.
"Li young miss, thank you for saving my life back there. I like to repay you with…"
"Wait, wait, wait," LiHua tried to catch her breath, "don't repay me with yourself! All the plays when the hero saves the maiden, they always want to repay with themselves and the women would then end up pitiful."
ZongYi smiled slightly wider than usual and his eyes curved a little, these Kai family, so stoic and stingy with their smiles, whenever they smile, the lips would only curve up a little. "Li young miss, you misunderstand me, I like to repay you with my family's heirloom." He took off the necklace he was wearing and pass it to her.
"Kai Gongzi, I find that your family is too overly generous. Your grandfather met me, I mean my grandfather once and gave him a token to his residence, that looked like a fort than a house. Then you, meeting me once, is gifting me a family heirloom. This is not meant for daughter in laws for your family or anything like that right?" LiHua looked at the beautiful stone on the necklace admiringly.
There seemed to be a flame in the middle of the blood red gem, every facet sparkled under the sun.
"I hope you can accept it as for saving my life, my benefactor, and I have considered you as part of my closest family member. But if you do want to become Kai family's daughter in law, all you have to do it to wrap your hands around it, think hard and make the wish." Kai ZongYi winked at LiHua.
"You are joking! But really can the stone grant me wishes?" LiHua blinked back at Kai ZongYi.
"If you are in any mortal danger, hold the stone and help will come your way." Kai ZongYi said seriously, almost convincing her. This was like her family's Magical Emergency Bell but nonetheless, this could be her back up help. Wait, whose help will come? The mortals have short lifespan…
"Someone will be sent to help you. You have to keep it close to your heart for it to be effective and please don't show to people, it only belonged to Kai's family." Kai ZongYi seemed to be able to read her mind and confirmed her reservations.
Whoa, what a treasure, she thought to herself, no longer doubting and accepted the gift graciously. She then promised to help the Kai family in future generation whenever she could, to which, Kai ZongYi smiled back again.
Scored another smile. She put on the necklace and thought that she quite like the Kai's family smiles.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone