The Endless Promise

50. Memories Of Caoyang 2

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After the garden encounter, Weiyan privately felt Bailong was being too nice...

It didn't make sense that the same Black Dragon she had seen wreak such havoc, was trying to keep her alive, and even help her working conditions.

But then, she recalled something Immortal Pei said:

"He is extremely tricky and lies effortlessly!"

Weiyan shook her head.

'Yin Xiaolong certainly has an ulterior motive.' She concluded, though she wasn't sure what it could be.

Either way, her life had become much easier.

She woke at dawn, washed herself, and then ate a small bowl of rice gruel in the kitchens.

After that, she made her way to the herb garden, which was by far larger than she initially thought, so she spent all morning watering less than a fraction of the garden!

A central gong sounded at noon and evening, signifying the times for lunch and dinner.

But the servants eyed Weiyan coldly during meals, and bits of their auras seeped out, making her unable to eat more than a few bites.

"Just eat here." Bailong said one afternoon, after the gong sounded.

He waved a hand over his work table, and a platter of prime roast pheasant appeared, with a bowl of rice and a few side dishes.

"I summoned them from the dinning hall, so it's the same thing everyone else is having."

"I'm not hungry." Weiyan denied, just before her stomach let out a timely and embarrasing growl.

Bailong smirked and she hastily swivelled to hide her face.

"It'll go bad if you don't eat it." He warned simply, and then vanished, leaving her alone.

Weiyan's pride lost the battle and she rushed to the meal and ate without thinking twice!

It was only after she finished a sizeable portion that she realized,

'He helped me again!'

But after that, Weiyan ate her meals in the garden.

Every day, she came to water the herbs and watched Bailong work from afar.

Two different souls spent the days in the magnificent herb garden... none bothering the other.

But soon Weiyan's glares turned to curious stares, as she watched Bailong fit here and there, personally tending the garden, or grinding seeds, or pounding herbs, or mixing some potion or the other.

It was especially a wonder watching him refine pills, as he manned all three furnaces at once, creating different colours of flames and formations for each one!

Still, no matter how invested he was with work, he halted once the meal gong sounded. He would summon the meal and then vanish, leaving Weiyan to eat alone.

But one day, Weiyan called out, "Wait!", just before he disappeared.

A mildly surprised Bailong turned to look at weiyan, who approached without saying anything.

She suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist. "If I spoke from a distance, you may still choose to vanish, so I'll hold onto you first.

"I'm merely a servant here, so you shouldn't need to leave because of me. Your presence won't stop me from eating." She said, not meeting his eyes.

Bailong looked at her hand. "Hmph. Who says I can't disappear, if you hold me like this?" He vanished and appeared a short distance away, leaving Weiyan clutching empty air.