บท 168: Take Your Time
Jing Yi sat down in the preparation room, his gaze never leaving the familiar figure of his mother. Five years, even though not much had changed in that time it was still too long. He didn't even know where to start to catch up.
Madam Zhong smiled and patted his head. "It's alright. You're back for now. How long can you stay?"
Jing Yi looked over at Qiu Ling with a little worry. He wanted to stay for as long as he could but he also knew that that wasn't possible. The Grandmaster had indicated that they should return after a year and by then, he'd have to have attained the root stage. There was no time to spare. Maybe it had been too much to even come here.
Qiu Ling smiled. Of course, he didn't care at all for what his Master had said. Root stage or whatever, those were all labels the mortals had invented. What did it have to do with them? He was a dragon and Jing He was a god. It didn't matter much. When Jing He woke up in his real body all of this would just be like a dream. He could take his time cultivating. After all, wouldn't he still be faster that way than if he just used up his mortal lifetime?
Furthermore … if Jing Yi ascended and then woke up, he wouldn't have to see him die. That was actually his main reason. He just didn't want to experience the day where Jing He died in his arms. Not even if it was just a mortal reincarnation of his. He just wouldn't be able to take it. So … Wasn't it better if he ascended and finished his trial in such a way?
Qiu Ling didn't believe that Jing Yi would be unable to ascend. He'd just need a bit of time to get it right. And since he would help his beloved with figuring everything out, it certainly wouldn't be long before Jing Yi ascended. What were some weeks when they could have an eternity after that?
"We can stay for some weeks or even some months if you like."
Jing Yi looked at him. Those words held a special temptation to him. He wanted to become a cultivator but he also loved his mother very much. Wouldn't it be nice to stay at the capital for so long? He could imagine it: How he would help his mother out by greeting the guests and carrying their orders over. They could eat together and talk over their meals just like how they had done when he was little.
His gaze dimmed when he thought of the consequences, though. "The Grandmaster said —"
"Oh? Did he say something?" Qiu Ling put his elbow on the table and propped his head on his hand.
Jing Yi sighed and shook his head. There was no use in talking with him. "I guess we'll stay for a week at most."
A week should be alright … It's not like I could magically start cultivating now that I've left the sect. Quite the contrary. It will become even harder to find out anything in regards to cultivation. I can only hope that I stumble about the solution somewhere but that place will certainly not be the capital.
So … As much as he wanted to, he couldn't stay for too long.
Madam Zhong nodded. "That's already quite long. Come, wait a bit, I'll get you two some snacks." She stood up, hurried over to the kitchen and put some of the snacks her son had always liked onto a plate. She couldn't help but sigh when she looked at those snacks.
It had already been five years. Each day she had taken a look at the entrance of the teahouse and hoped that her son would walk in. Now it had finally happened. He would only stay for one week but that was better than nothing. At least, she could spend some time with him again.
"Ah Lei, you probably would have liked how our son turned out. He looks already so mature. He's even managed to live alone for five years in that Yun Zou sect. The two of us can be proud of him." She sighed again. It really would have been nice if her husband was still alive and could see Jing Yi.
In the end, Madam Zhong could only stop thinking about it. She picked the plate up and went back to the preparation room. Seeing Jing Yi sitting harmoniously next to Qiu Ling who was eying him from the side she smiled. So that man had really followed him and it seemed he still hadn't given up. Did her son know already?
Madam Zhong placed the plate between them and sat down again. "How is your life in the sect? Do you get along with the people?"
Jing Yi nodded. "Mn, it's nice. You probably know already but Shao Hai has entered the Yun Zou sect, too. And then there's that boy called Xiao Dong. He was in the teahouse once before."
"Ah, I remember him. He came with his mother." Indeed. That had been the lady who helped to drive away that terrible Li Bo. If not for her, she wouldn't only have lost her son but would even have had to watch him becoming a slave.
Now that she thought of it, that woman had been associated with that Daoist Master, too. Madam Zhong looked at Qiu Ling and smiled slightly. "It seems you're doing good there."
Qiu Ling smiled back and leaned over to Jing Yi. "You two certainly have a lot to talk about. How about I help a little in the teahouse? Then your mother wouldn't have to worry about the customers while you're talking."
"But you're a gue—"
"Alright." Before Jing Yi could refute his mother had already accepted.
How couldn't she? That man was constantly winking at her, hinting that now was the moment she could finally advise her son in regard to what they had talked about back then. His gaze seemed to say 'Aren't I the best possible son-in-law you could wish for? Look! I'll even go and work for you to let you have some time with your precious son! So, shouldn't you tell him that marrying me would be the best decision of his life?'
Since he was so eager to help Madam Zhong didn't mind giving him some work to do. "Just go and stand at the counter. If someone comes in, go up and greet him, show him to a table and ask what he'd like. Are you able to do that?"
"Of course!" Qiu Ling stood up with a bright smile. He didn't go without saying farewell to his beloved, though. He bent down, cupped Jing Yi's cheeks and kissed him, his lips lingering for a while. "Mn, my lo—" Qiu Ling coughed. Ah, his beloved had asked him not to call him that! He couldn't break his promise! "Junior martial brother, I'll be back soon. Don't you worry about me!" Then, he turned around and went to the counter, leaving Jing Yi to face his mother alone.
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