Lantern Festival (Part 3)
He Qi felt uncomfortable being called "Sister Zhu" in a soft voice. He forced a kind but obviously stiff smile on his face and responded dryly from his throat:
"Um... well... hello."
He Shu, who was standing by, saw her embarrassment clearly and felt very happy. The depression he had just felt due to her constant pressure disappeared instantly.
He approached slyly, imitating Cang Jue's innocent tone, dragging out the last syllable, and jokingly said with ill intentions:
"Hey, sister, sister——"
Before he could finish his words, an extremely fast slap hit his forehead with the sound of wind, making a crisp and loud "bang", instantly interrupting his annoying teasing and smug smile.
“Ouch!”
He Shu felt pain, covered his forehead which turned red instantly, and couldn't help but scream.
Although they were no longer in a senior-junior relationship, he was still a little intimidated by Heqi's decisive and decisive style and occasional "violent" suppression.
He curled his lips in dissatisfaction and immediately became timid. He was angry but dared not say anything. In the end, he sat down obediently on the stone bench next to Cangjue and temporarily suppressed his arrogance.
"Brother He..."
Although Cangjue couldn't see, he keenly felt the subtle change in the atmosphere. He quickly spoke up and tried to change the subject and resolve the awkwardness.
He raised his fair little face, took a deep breath into the air, and asked curiously,
"What kind of tree is that in the yard? This smell... so unique, it's the first time I've smelled it."
"It's a peach tree."
He Shu's gaze also turned to the peach tree in the yard, its branches strong and vigorous in the cold winter wind, covered with a thin layer of snow. His tone softened unconsciously.
"After a while, when the ice and snow melt and the weather warms up, it will wake up and bloom into a sea of flowers, creating a beautiful scene of pink and white."
He wanted to describe in detail the lively scene of peach blossoms in spring, with bees flying and butterflies dancing and petals falling everywhere, but Heqi, who was standing beside him, suddenly fell silent.
She seemed to be pulled by something, walked forward step by step, and stopped under the peach tree.
Reaching out, his fingertips trembling, he gently stroked the rough bark. His gaze drifted, as if through the peach tree before him, he could see figures and memories of the past, lost in the long river of time, now distant yet clear.
"If only I could see it with my own eyes..."
Cangjue didn't notice anything unusual about Heqi and continued to sigh in a low voice.
They, the salamanders, have lived in dark caves for generations. Their vision has long since degenerated, and they can only rely on their other senses to imagine what the world looks like. They can't help but feel regret for not being able to appreciate the beauty with their own eyes.
"No problem."
Sang Li, who had been standing quietly behind him, patted his thin shoulder gently upon hearing his words. Her voice was still cold, but it contained a gentle soothing tone.
"When the peach blossoms bloom, not only are they charming in appearance, but their fragrance is also rich, sweet, and refreshing. You can also smell the fragrance of peach blossoms and feel the scent of spring."
He Qi suddenly spoke at this moment, his voice vague and erratic, as if coming from far away, interrupting the gradually warm atmosphere without a beginning or an end:
"I forgot to ask... This peach tree, looking at its inherent spiritual charm and aura, is very different from ordinary trees. It must be... not an ordinary thing, right? When was it planted here?"
When He Shu saw her expression, he had already guessed about 70% of what she knew. He knew that she was moved by the scene and was thinking of that old friend again.
He sighed softly in his heart, but remained expressionless, and continued to tell the truth:
"It was shortly before Tao Hua's accident... At that time, I hadn't yet descended to the mortal world. I stumbled upon a celestial peach. After eating the flesh, I felt it was a pity to discard the pit, so I casually buried it... near where Tao Hua's body grew."
He paused, his voice lowered a little.
"Later... Tao Hua passed away due to an accident. The peach tree she was born from withered and died, and her immortal energy dissipated. However, this peach kernel, which contained innate spiritual energy, happened to absorb most of the lost pure immortal energy. Thanks to this opportunity, it was able to take root in the mortal world and spread its branches and leaves."
“Really…really…”
Heqi listened, and his fingertips that were stroking the bark unconsciously curled up tightly, his nails almost digging into the rough texture.
After a while, she let out a soft sigh and murmured softly. Her voice was so light that it was blown away by the cold winter wind almost as it came out of her mouth.
He Shu was standing close, but he couldn't hear clearly. He only saw a trace of loneliness and sadness flash quickly across her face, but she soon returned to calm.
He knew that the old wound in Heqi's heart, concerning the peach painting, had never truly healed. Seeing the peach tree and thinking of her old friend, her emotions were inevitably agitated. He considerately didn't interrupt her, but simply stood there silently, letting her immerse herself in her nostalgic thoughts.
Jin Wu, who had been staying peacefully in his arms, suddenly struggled, twisted her body, and nimbly jumped from his arms to the ground.
It took small steps and sneaked to Cangjue's legs, raised its little head and sniffed carefully, and the tip of its furry tail rubbed against the back of his hand in a friendly manner, causing the ticklish boy to couldn't help but let out a clear and happy laugh.
Seeing this, Sang Li leaned over and picked up the little orange cat that was "harassing" the guests into her arms, then introduced it to Cang Jue:
"This is Jin Wu, the kitten Wuming and Qingshan raised. It's lively and very cute."
He Shu turned around upon hearing this, and saw Jin Wu unable to stay in Sang Li's arms, so she twisted and jumped down, and then slipped into Cang Jue's slightly open arms as if she were familiar with the place.
Looking at the scene of a man and a cat living in harmony, he couldn't help but curl his lips:
"It's freezing outside, come inside."
Several people stood up as they were told, except Heqi, who seemed to have taken root and still stood quietly under the peach tree. His figure looked a little lonely under the gray sky.
He Shu was the first to walk into the house and went straight to the fireplace in the corner of the study, thinking that the house would be warmer after Qingshan returned from shopping.
He skillfully picked up a few pieces of silver charcoal and was about to light them when Sang Li asked from behind:
"Where's Qingshan?"
He turned around and saw Cang Jue curiously stretching out his hands, carefully feeling around for the tables and chairs in the study. Upon hearing this, he turned around as well:
"Yeah, Brother He, what about your lover? Didn't you...haven't you reconciled yet? He——"
"S-What are you talking about!"
He Shu's heart was filled with alarm, thinking to himself, "Not good!" He rushed to Cang Jue, quickly grasping his shoulder with one hand and tightly covering his open mouth that was about to reveal the secret with the other.
I didn't expect that no matter how hard I tried to cover it up, I couldn't defend myself against this simple-minded guy!
He hurriedly glanced out the window and saw that Heqi still had his back to the house and didn't seem to notice the movement inside. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
He half-pushed and half-dragged the bewildered Cang Jue to the innermost corner of the study, lowered his voice, and reminded him urgently, almost in a whisper:
"Cangjue! Little ancestor! Listen carefully, Qingshan and I are doing fine! We didn't have any quarrels at all. What happened before was... a misunderstanding. We've already made it clear! Remember that!"
As he spoke, he glanced worriedly at Sang Li, who was watching them quietly with her arms folded. He quickly waved her over and continued to instruct her with a serious expression:
"Remember this, both of you! Especially you, Cangjue! I went to Hantan to find you purely to invite you to Luzhu Mountain so that we can celebrate the Lantern Festival together! That's all, there's no other reason! Do you understand?"
Sang Li and Cang Jue looked at each other silently. Although they had no idea what He Shu meant by this action, they both nodded obediently.
"Okay, I'll give you credit for your loyalty... But don't let anything slip in front of Heqi from now on..."
Seeing that both of them had made promises, his heart finally settled down a little. Just as he was about to stand up, he suddenly caught a glimpse of——
Heqi hadn't known when, but he was standing quietly at the door of the study!
She was leaning lazily against the door frame, a smile on her face as if she was watching a good show, her eyes fixed on the three people who were "plotting" in the corner.
He Shu's heart tightened, and he could almost hear his own frantic heartbeat. He forced himself to remain calm, forcing a smile as natural as possible onto his face, and said in an exaggerated tone:
"You came in too? Is it snowing outside? Oh, the mountain roads are hard to walk on after the snow. I have to go to the green mountains... You guys wait in the house first, I'll be back soon..."
He muttered incoherently, lowered his head and rushed out the door.
Unexpectedly, Heqi did not stop him, but turned aside very kindly.
He Shu paused for a moment, and then a slightly teasing voice slowly sounded in his ears:
"Why aren't you leaving again? It's really snowing outside, and it's quite heavy."
"I-I'll go get an umbrella!"
He came to his senses suddenly and turned around hurriedly. He saw a flash of golden light before his eyes, and an oil-paper umbrella with a peach blossom pattern appeared out of thin air and was handed to him.
"He Wuming."
Heqi looked at him, and the teasing expression on his face gradually faded.
"We've known each other for a while. We're both from the Crane Clan and have worked together in the Immortal Realm. Shamelessly, I can be considered half your family."
Her expression was solemn and her tone was serious.
"If you and that mortal truly have an irreconcilable conflict, or if you've suffered injustice and find yourself unhappy in this courtyard... you can come find me. Although I'm sharp-tongued, I can also prioritize. And... there will always be a place for you in the immortal world."
This sudden concern stunned He Shu, who had originally wanted to escape. It was as if his heart was gently bumped by something, and a complex feeling of warmth and sourness arose.
He was at a loss for a moment and stammered:
“I understand…”
He hurriedly took the oil-paper umbrella, not daring to look at Heqi again. He turned around hastily and walked into the snowflakes that had become chaotic and dense and were flying all over the sky.
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