Chapitre 61: A family

After the casual sky gazing, both Liling and Zhangsun Shan headed back to the house. They sat on the floor silently. Neither one talked. They didn't want to mess up the beautiful silence. However, in the end, Zhangsun Shan broke it.

"Hey!" He called out.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks." He mumbled.

"Huh? I can't hear you!" She shouted before shortly cracking into laughter.

"How come you act like an old woman only this time?" Zhangsun Shan sighed before giving out a slight smile of his own. "I said thank you! You helped me and I appreciate that." He shouted this time around.

"Geez, young man! You shouldn't shout at a person like that! It's bad for the eardrums." Liling said as she covered her ears with her hands.

"This woman!" Zhangsun Shan genuinely felt frustrated with Liling's actions, however decided not to act on it. He just smiled as much as possible until his veins bulged out.

"Dang, stop that now, will ya? I just wanted to make you frustrated. Instead, you'll make me frustrated with that awful smile of yours." She sighed. This caused even more veins to bulge out. However, this was more anger than frustration.

But this didn't last long. Zhangsun Shan understood how Liling played and decided not to act out on everything she said. "Anyway, you saved me and I'm thankful for that. I wish to return the favor back, for all the help you did for me." He replied.

"And how are you gonna do that?" She asked, curious about what kinda deal he was gonna offer to her.

"Look, I don't have any money with me at the moment. If I had that, I would just give that to you and be done with it. However, even then, it wouldn't be that heartfelt." He replied.

"So, what do you have that would convey your heartfelt emotion?" She asked.

"Me. I have myself to offer." He replied, without even flinching once.Although Liling felt as if he was joking, looking at his eyes, she knew that he was talking for real.

"Are you kidding me? I'm not looking for a boy toy at the moment. And you look like a kid! My preference is mature men. So, no chance in hell!" She waved her hands in disgust.

Although that wasn't the message he wanted to convey, this statement from Liling struck him like a sore spot. "Hey, I look mature! I'm seventeen, you know?" He argued.

"Seventeen? You're still a kid. You still got a lot of stuff to experience. Being my boy toy at this age is literally impossible for you." She replied.

"Okay, first of all, I'm not talking about being your boy toy, you perverted woman!" Zhangsun Shan screamed.

"Hmm, then? Why would you offer yourself?" She asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Wait, that's the only reason that you could find? Shame on you, lady!" Zhangsun Shan cried, before turning back to his sane self. "Look, I was talking about being your servant." He replied.

"I see. I'm fine with taking you in as a servant for the rest of your life." Liling laughed as she agreed to this notion.

"Wait a minute. I'm proposing it for a six-month period. Nothing longer than that." Zhangsun Shan retorted.

"Hmm, I'd rather have the money, you know?" Liling groaned in displeasure.

"Well, you gotta deal with what you get. Even six months of my service would be hugely beneficial, you know?" He spoke confidently.

"How can you be so confident, kid?" Liling asked, mesmerised by this unique confidence shown by Zhangsun Shan.

"Ah, that's because I'm simply the best." Yet again, he didn't have even a tinge of hesitation as he spoke those words.

A year passed; which meant an additional six months went by after the promised date of departure. However, Zhangsun Shan was still in the Noncho village helping Tao Liling.

Zhangsun Shan was right. His service proved hugely beneficial for Liling; she really didn't have to worry about anything as long as Zhangsun Shan was around. However, it seemed as if she hadn't realized that the promised time had long gone. Even if Zhangsun Shan knew about it, he didn't want to remind her. In his mind, she had already become a family member of his.

It was a peaceful time in Noncho village. The bandits never came by—it seemed as if they had found another village to prey upon, so they were safe. The both of them were having the time of their life. An old woman who grieved about the loss of the death of everyone she loved and cared about and a boy of similar thoughts—they seemed to fill the void that both had in their hearts. Both became a family.

One day, before having dinner, Zhangsun Shan saw Liling praying before some torn down scripture. He had never seen this scripture before, nor had he seen her pray before a God. So, the situation seemed incredibly weird.

"Wow, are you praying for a long life or something? Is that book your new God now?" Zhangsun Shan laughed as he asked.

"I believe in no God, kid. But I believe in the greatness of this book." She replied.

"Hmm, what's so great about this book though?" He asked.

"Come here." She dragged Zhangsun Shand and made him bow down to the book. "It is said that if you bow and pray to this book, it'll cleanse your entire body." As soon as she finished her explanation, a light surrounded him. And as she said, the light seemed to take his fatigue off and heal him completely.

That's when he knew. It wasn't some divine book—well, it is, but it's a skill book and not some relic you're supposed to pray.

"This is!" He instinctively tried getting hold of it, however he was stopped by Liling.

"Nope. Don't touch it. There's a reason I didn't show this to you before." She replied.

"Why is that?" He asked.

"We weren't a family back then." She replied.

"And we are now, huh?" He nonchalantly asked. However, in his mind, he was brimming with happiness because in his year-long stay, this was the first time that Liling actually called him family. He felt like he was floating in the seventh heaven at that point.