Mulan - Shan Yu Returns

Chapter 3: Adjusting

Shan Yu woke up as a ray of sunshine peeked inside his room through the window opening. Shan Yu squirmed and stretched as he woke up. When he sat up, he yawned loudly as he stretched even wider and scratched his waist. As he rubbed his eyes, the aroma of today's breakfast tickles his nose. Breakfast?! Oh no, I overslept! I was supposed to help them! Shan Yu quickly jumped out of his blanket and hurried to the kitchen. When he arrived, Mulan and Li had already finished cooking rice and boiling the soup.

"Good morning Shan Yu," Mulan greeted him.

"Sleep well?" Li asked.

"I'm sorry, I should've woke up earlier to help you guys," Shan Yu apologized.

"Not at all," Mulan said with a slight snicker. "Go ahead and wait at the dining table."

"I can carry the tray," Shan Yu said, desiring to help.

"All right, you're in charge," Mulan said as she placed the last bowl on the tray. "But do be careful. The soup may spill if you don't."

"I will," Shan Yu said. He cautiously carried the tray and slowly walked to the dining room so that he does not spill even a drop of soup. He safely arrived and tentatively placed the tray on the table. He arranged the table like Mulan did yesterday.

"Wow, Shan Yu, you're getting better at this!" Mulan complimented.

"Heh, thanks," Shan Yu said as he rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment.

"The soup smells delicious," Fa Zhou said as he entered the dining room.

"Well, help yourself before it gets cold," Fa Li replied as she, Mulan, and Shan Yu finished setting up the table.

They had a peaceful breakfast. Shan Yu felt more comfortable than yesterday. "Shang, we need to go out to the farm and harvest some crops," Mulan said. "Many looks ready to be harvested today, and we need to plant some more rice in the water field."

"All right," Shang said as he sighed as if he now had some troublesome event.

"Oh don't sigh like that," Mulan said.

"May I help?" Shan Yu asked.

"Oh that would be nice," Mulan said. "Do you know how to farm and harvest?"

"I... uh... I don't think so..." Shan Yu replied.

"We can teach you," Shang offered.

"Ah, that would be nice," Shan Yu replied.

Just as planned, Mulan thought. "Perfect. Then we shall head out after breakfast. We got a big day ahead of us."

After breakfast, Mulan picked him clothes for farming and a hat. She had Shan Yu wear some of the clothes and hat, but none of them fit him. "A lot of these are small for you..." Mulan said as she was picking clothes for him.

"I think giving me some old cloth and long straws would be fine," Shan Yu suggested. "I don't need to wear properly."

"Shan Yu, stop beating yourself down," Mulan said as she gave a little smile. "You still deserve to be treated better." Shan Yu timidly clasped his hands behind his back. "Ah, here they are. Try these on." Shan Yu did so. They finally fit him.

"Perfect," Mulan and Shan Yu said at the same time. "Jinx!" Mulan said, then she headed outside to collect the farming tools. Shan Yu chuckled slightly for a second after Mulan stepped out.

Mulan, Shang, Mushu (with Cri-kee on his back), and Shan Yu headed out to the water field to plant more rice.

Mulan handed a handful of pre-germinated seedlings to Shang and Shan Yu. "Lesson 1: Transplanting rice." Mulan said. Shan Yu nodded with dedication. "You just stick it in, keeping the same distance from each other. Like this." Mulan showed as she stuck the seedling in the soil.