"Excellent reaction, Yanqing"
The young boy lifted his head up at his teacher, using his sword to support him up. Jing Yuan was standing unhindered like he hadn't even started. They were training, and Yanqing had just blocked a sudden attack that shoved him back hard.
"But you need to anticipate it more quickly. Always expect that your opponent will pull at an attack you that you don't see coming" the white hair general explained, putting away his weapon and walking up to his student. He lend a hand, helping his student up on his feet.
"Understand?"
"Yes, general" Yanqing replied, bowing his head down as a way of respect. "Still, you have been improving in your training. Why don't we go find get a small snack? Perhaps a drink like boba? My treat" Jing Yuan offered him. "Sure! I've been wanting to try that boba drink you told me about" the boy said excitedly, making his master chuckle.
"Jing Yuan"
The two boys turned around at a voice, and found Yukong. The blue fox approached them and the general smiled at her calmly, knowing that meant one thing. More duties and matters to attend to. "Ah. Lady yukong. A pleasure to see you. To what do I owe the honor?" He greeted her politely, the two exchange a brief conversation of some matters relating to the setllaron hunters.
Once they finished, the white hair general went back to his student. "We'll continue training once I've finished with this. For now, you can go ahead and take a break" he instructed him. Yanqing pouted, annoyed that he wouldn't get to try boba. However...
"Sigh. And I was really in the mood for it"
He heard heard his teacher mumble disappointed, watching him leave as Yanqing put his hands on his hips. "Huh. General Jing Yuan must have a hard time to enjoy himself. Not even to get boba" he told himself, feeling sorry for the general. His eyes then widen at an idea and a smile forming. "But perhaps getting him his favorite boba will cheer him up! He'll be so happy!" He exclaimed determinedly, running off to the kitchen inside.
"Ok let's see" he said, holding his chin as he examined the ingredients he brought. Even the ingredients to make homemade boba pearls. "Ok. Looks like that's everything. Now let's take a look at the recipe" he said, turning torwards the paper on the table but his arm had knock the milk and it spilled onto the recipe.
"No! No no!" He shouted, quickly picking up the milk carton and putting it far away. His hands reached to the paper but hesitated that he might rip it. "Um...ok. no worries. I think I can still read it" he told himself, still seeing some of the instructions.
He started getting to work on the boba. However, once it was out of the pot and he tried rolling it, it was hard as a rock. "I mean it doesn't have to be round or soft right" he said, thinking it would be ok. It wasn't. Once he added it to the drink, they were sinking and they didn't taste good either. "Bleh! Aw man! Jing Yuan is not gonna like that!" He said dissapointed with his head shaking as he went back to redo them.
He tried again and they came out soft but it was too soft that it dissolved in the water when he boiled them. He thought he could salvage them, but that wasn't much use because they fell apart. Sighing, he rubbed the dissolved boba on his shirt. "One more time. General always said if you fail, come up with a new strategy!" He reminded himself confidently, trying again with boba and tasting it with the milk and well...things got messy and there were some upset stomachs from taste testing it.
Later....
Jing Yuan had finished matters with Yukong, heading back to his office with the blue fox at his side. "Rest assured, Yukong, we will find this Blade. The knights are doing everything they can" he told her calmly as she smiled at him. "Excellent general" she told him as the two bowed their heads to eachother in respect.
"Excuse me, general. But is it ok if I come in?" His prodigy's voice came up. "Sure, Yanqing. You can come...in" he said, his eyes taking a brief glance before they went up back, confused at what was coming to him. Yanqing came in with his face, clothes, and hair covered in smeared boba, caramel, and some milk. He whip cream on at the corners of his mouth
"Y....Yanqing! What happened to you?!" Jing Yuan asked stunned, wondering what happened to him. Yukong also seemed surprise but she smiled amused, the fox chuckling.
"Oh just was whipping up something in the kitchen" he said casually, holding something behind his back. "Really? Because you look like you just came from a battle with the kitchen" he added with amusement. "I will take my leave now, general" the blue fox told him, finding something good to talk about with Tingyun later as she left.
"I got something for you, Jing Yuan!" Yanqing exclaimed, taking out something that made his master's yellow eyes widen in excitement. His favorite boba milk tea, the immortal's delight, appeared from behind the young boy.
"I made it myself!" He told him with a large smile on his face. "Yanqing. How thoughtful of you. Thank you" Jing Yuan told him, grateful for his student's kindness as he took the drink. "And don't worry. I taste tested too" he assured him proudly, making Jing Yuan's eyebrows rise up.
The general took a sip and smiled at the sweet taste of milk tea, a crunch of the crushed almonds with the whip cream topped with caramel drizzled on it. "It's delicious, Yanqing! Thank you. Truly" he told him, finding it lifted up his mood. Yanqing smiled, happy to have made his master smile.
"Here. Would you like a sip? You've been wanting to try it, and you've earned it" Jing Yuan offered him, but Yanqing held his hands out no. "With all respect, general, no thanks. I taste tested it so many times, and my stomach can't take it" he explained uneasy as he held his stomach. Just looking at the drink made him queasy.
Jing Yuan looked at him puzzled but smiled and chuckled. "Well then, next time when you feel well. Thank you, Yanqing" he told him gratefully, rubbing the boy's head fondly as Yanqing smiled at him. Although, Jing Yuan was gonna have to check the kitchen to see how much a mess Yanqing needed help cleaning up with.
