eunoia | bl | tgcf

Chapter 5: Part Two

Chapter 5
The Bride, the Ghost, and the Flower

Part Two
butterflies and orchids

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Yunlan-shifu, today, I shall help the common people once more.

Today as well, may you be proud of my conviction...

They have only met up a couple of times yet Xie Lian shall forever remember the words that Yunlan-shifu stated in those short days.

His words have become a thread that he desperately held onto in the past, a thread that Xie Lian will always hold in his hands.

May we meet again.

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"He's here," a young man in red mutters under his breath. Glancing at the young woman drinking tea by his side, he still cannot help but show a look of incredulity on his face. "You really know him, Jiejie?" His lost memories cannot come back, hence, when this older sister told him that she knew Xie Lian, it ruffled his feathers.

How come his intuition never said anything?!

"San Lang," the young woman massages her temple, already annoyed by this same question that has been asked again and again the past few years. "If that question slips out of your mouth again, I will go back home."

"Wait, wait! Jiejie!

"Jie!

"Yun-jie! I was kidding! Don't be mad." The young man called San Lang clings onto Yun-jie's arm. "I was only teasing you. Later, I will buy many sticks of candied fruits just for you. I will buy it after dinner, okay?"

Yun-jie's lips are set into a frown, making San Lang a tad bit nervous but when she sighs in defeat, he immediately brightens up and hugs her arm tighter. "I won't ask that question again. I swear, jiejie."

"I do not entirely trust your words but-" a metaphorical arrow strikes right through his chest. "-I shall give you the benefit of the doubt. The next time I hear you ask, you can cook by yourself."

"Yun-jie really is the best," San Lang acts coquettishly, utterly unashamed. "You cook the best dishes, even better than professionally trained chefs!" Mountains of flowery praises leave San Lang's lips. He has grown to become fluent in spouting bullshit praises that it became second nature to him.

To coax this jie, one must have a wide vocabulary and a flowery mouth that can spit compliments one after another.

Just like how San Lang does it.

Look.

Yun-jie's already cracking a smile.

But in an outsider's view, this young lady called Yun has barely smiled at all. Her lips are set into a straight line, gaze as chilling as the northern snow. One look and someone may just freeze in place out of fright.

Yet San Lang knows that Yun-jie is holding back a smile.

After all, after not smiling for many centuries, Yun-jie has forgotten how to properly express herself.

Leaving her with, well, a rather... stiff smile.

Yes, a very, very stiff smile.

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