That Fair-Faced 'Sage' {Completed}

87. Healer Wang

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A short while later, Shuǐ ChénLín poured tea into four cups, deliberately avoiding his father's scrutinizing gaze while he did so.

It was dark, and all four of them were in the gardens, which were now brightly lit by a beautiful array of intricate lanterns.

The shining 'three', stood watch, a good distance away, outside a 'no-eavesdropping' seal that Shuǐ ChangSheng had cast.

Father and son often crossed gazes, but since their arrival, they hadn't spoken one direct word to each other.

It was apparent that Shuǐ ChénLín was still angry with his father for keeping something as important as his mother's story from him, but though Shuǐ ChangSheng usually doted on his son, he wasn't willing to back down either.

Even if Lien hadn't wished it, he liked the fact that his son had enjoyed a regular life so far. He was respected by most of Jade City, and people felt assured that he was the future leader.

It would have been entirely different, if Shuǐ ChénLín had known about Lien, and worse, if anyone else found out.

Shuǐ ChangSheng sighed. "A-Chén, why have you come to see me, if you are going to be like this?" Shuǐ ChangSheng finally asked his son.

"I'm simply here to discuss about the Elder." Shuǐ ChénLín answered almost at once, as he covered the teapot and gently returned it to its seat.

Then he handed each person a cup of tea, beginning with his father, because proper manners would not be ignored, no matter how annoyed he was!

LanFen and Lu FengHo began drinking their tea at once, wishing both of them would stop being awkward!

It was uncomfortable for them, as the atmosphere had changed from the calm evening breeze of the garden, to a charged tension!

Shuǐ ChangSheng finally, sighed after some time. "At times you're like me, at times you're like Lien... Your Mother could hold a grudge as well... Once, she didn't speak to me for four whole days!"

'Say something and lighten the air!' LanFen and Lu FengHo looked at Shuǐ ChénLín at the same time.

But Shuǐ ChénLín's only response was to take a sip and gingerly drop his teacup.

"Ahem!" Shuǐ ChangSheng cleared his throat, when almost a minute had passed. "About the elder, I will go ahead and assume you've guessed who he is as well, and why we never suspected him before now..."

They all nodded.

"Can it really be Elder Shuǐ?" Shuǐ ChénLín asked after some time. Elder Shuǐ had trained him and even Lu Xian, as children.

The only memories he could conjure, of Elder Shuǐ, were warm, as Elder Shuǐ had always doted on him, and fondly called him '*Xiao Chén'...

*Little Chen

But as those memories swirled around his head, he couldn't help wondering how many of those were his genuine feelings, and how many of those might have been 'encouraged' by a suggestion technique.

Shuǐ ChangSheng gave his son the shadow of a smile, and his reply was grave. "You already know the answer to that question...

"But you three must really be geniuses... I'm in the White realm, yet I didn't notice, until a certain someone broke the spell and told me..."

There was a silence, before he continued.

"Earlier in the day, I already met with most of the Western Clan Leaders, and I mentioned my suspicions... I held the meeting at the Lu Manor, since I suspected that the technique had been cast on this manor.