Mixed Robes [FengQing]

EXTRA 6: Wifey

Part 1: The Daughter of a Ghost Lord and a God

Yulan mumbled to herself as she walked through the crowded streets of a market, glancing at every stall. She wanted to buy something for Lian, and she could practically buy the market itself with a fraction of the money she had. With years of experience with her childhood friend and now wife, she knew every single thing that Lian liked and enjoyed browsing. When she went to market with Lian, Lian would mainly look for a stall for weapons or look at clothes for combat. She'd also browse instruments, and she'd spend hours looking at guqins and xiao flutes. Nobody knew why there would be weapons and full-on musical instruments for sale at an occasional market, but it worked. The sellers made a profit.

Yulan glanced at a stall for hairpins, and she pulled up the collar of her robe. Ever since she had obtained the flower seal from Lian, she had always kept it hidden beneath a high collar. It was for her and her alone to see and own, yet close people like her fathers and Feng Xin and Mu Qing knew what was on their daughters' necks. Nobody dared to beat up the daughter of a powerful god and ghost king, so she hadn't experienced its power yet. 

Sighing miserably after not finding anything suitable for Lian, Yulan made her way out of the market and towards Puqi Shrine. 

~

Xie Lian was crouched in the dirt, studying vegetables that he wanted to grow. Seedlings had emerged from the brown earth, green and cute. Hua Cheng was sweeping away dust not too far away from him, deep in thought. Yulan walked into the courtyard, looking depressed and dejected. Xie Lian stood up with a smile and dusted off his robes.

"Yu-er, did you find anything?" Xie Lian asked. Yulan shook her head, her red and silver earrings dangling. Xie Lian suppressed a chuckle and patted Yulan's head.

"It's no worry. You might find something for Xiao-Lian soon, I'm sure of it," Xie Lian encouraged with a smile. Yulan slowly nodded and stared into space. Hua Cheng turned his head and set down his broom as he walked towards his little family. A few silver butterflies playfully flew around Yulan as if to greet her, and Hua Cheng shooed them away. They flapped their wings and flew to who-knows-where, seemingly enjoying themselves in peace.

"Don't be so sad. Do you want me to get somebody to make something for Xiao-Lian?" Hua Cheng asked as he patted Yulan's back. Yulan shook her head once again. She stared up at her A-Die who was currently in a form that looked exactly like he was her age, and a sudden feeling of awkwardness descended upon her. She scratched the back of her neck and bit the inside of her cheek. An exasperated smile appeared on Hua Cheng's face, and he held his little daughter who wasn't so little anymore. Children grow up way too fast, and his daughter is already married to the love of her life. He couldn't have been any happier for her. Xie Lian beamed at his husband and daughter and happily patted both of their heads.

"A-Die... Diedie, can you teach me how to be a good wife? I don't know how to be one," Yulan pouted. Hua Cheng chuckled and patted her back. 

"You're already a great wife, you don't need to change anything. Just keep loving Xiao-Lian how you always have been. It would freak her out if anything too out of the ordinary happened," Hua Cheng answered. "Everyone has their ways of loving those around them. Just use your way of showing love to her."

"Your A-Die's right. Keep being yourself, you don't need to change anything unless something deeply bothers Xiao-Lian," Xie Lian said with a soft smile. "Other than that, everything seems perfectly fine now, so just keep being who you always were. Be our daughter, a good daughter-in-law, and Xiao-Lian's wife. That's all you need to do. You are perfect no matter your flaws, they are what make you... you. Just stay as you always were."