The General's Ice Fairy - Jing Yuan

9. A Nostalgic View

"Wow, it looks like..." it hasn't change even a bit "..someone is really vow to mantain this beauty" I said happily as I was walking behind Jing.

"I show no mercy to whoever may cause any damage to the family's garden" he said as he stopped for a moment, looking at big oak tree, that was placed in the center of the garden, with four zabuton in front of a little table.

"Is anything okay?" I asked as Jing stayed there for a while, looking at one little bird that leant on his hand almost covered by the white and comfy hanfu.

"Maybe it's better if we head back..." his smiling face towards the bird on his hand changed as soon as he noticed me already there, preparing the cup of tea.

I was so focused on trying to make the place comfortable, that I wasn't even feeling his stare much. I got the cup and slowly poured the yellow tea, making the cup face the oak tree as a ritual I used to do with him in my previous body. I looked at the zabuton and noticed the fabric looked ruined and dusty.

I put my hands on my hips and sighed annoyed "Master Yuan, the whole garden is perfectly fine, but the tea spot is awfully mantained!" I said as I turned towards Jing who was looking at me with a surprised stare. 

I raised my eyebrow and then I started looking at my hanfu if I did ruin it, but it didn't look like it "Master Yuan?" I called him out and he coughed a little bit, moving his hand towards a tree branch, to make the little bird getting off it.

He then looked at me and crossed his arms "Bai Hu, I asked to... head back" he put his hand on his forehead as I was giving him headache "And please, do not touch the zabuton" he said with a severe tone.

"They're really lovely, but they're dusty and..." I tried to speak, but I almost did bite my lips as I noticed him walking fast towards me till he was close to me and put his hands on mine that was holding one of the zabuton

"Next time, I am going to cut those hands of yours" he said calmly as he pulled the zabuton off my hands making me confused.

"Master Yuan" I called him out as he sighed and sat on the zabuton, keeping his arms crossed "You don't look amused"

"Probably because I didn't think having a woman like you would have caused such a nuisance" it looked like he was speaking as I wasn't there. I didn't even try to hide my evil stare and he laughed, making me curious of his change of attitude "I do not mean to insult you, lady Bai Hu, but you probably didn't understand what does it mean to be my servant" he said as he leant a bit on the zabuton, trying to relax.

"Did I do anything wrong?" I asked and he smiled amused.

"Maybe it's better I do explain that I hadn't tea in this place for years" he started to explain as I was kneeling on the zabuton in front of the table to be ready to give him the cup of tea.

"Why?" I asked as I gave him the cup.

His hands stopped on mine and then looked into my blue eyes for a while. I tilt my head curious from his suggestive stare.

He took the cup and looked at the yellow tea inside "This is where I used to have tea with my wife" he explained, making me paralysed on spot "We usually never asked any servant to follow us here, I haven't been enjoying this garden since her death" he looked around "No point on walking here without her"

Before I opened my mouth, he raised a bit his hand, to make me stop even before I started "Please, I ask you to stop being too irrational when you're serving a noble" he sipped some of the tea and smiled a bit, probably he liked it "Maybe I saved your life, considering how bad this tea tastes, another noble would have spread your assassination attempt and cut your head in no time"