Chapter 6: Tongxin (Childs Innocence) Part 3

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While they hastily made their way to the small side pavilion, Little Zhuqin let go of Little Zhan and Huan's hand, knowing the boys also needed some freedom of their own. Along the way, they crossed a few curved wooden bridges and glided their hands across white peonies embedded into small bushes in the big grey, mossy stones. Along the bottom of the small bushes of white peonies were long grasses that partially covered the bottom parts of the big stone rocks. As Huan and Little Zhan were never really exposed to such a rough sight of rocky nature or white peonies growing on rocks (since Gusu Lan was known to only be a haven secluded in peaceful mists and water), the two Lan brothers often stopped in their short trip to properly take in the natural nature of the stones themselves. Lastly, the trio crossed a zigzagged wooden bridge that connected the stone paths to the small side pavilion.

 "We

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"We...have arrived!" Little Zhuqin cheerfully announced as she and Little Zhan reached the pavilion first.

"You," Huan began from the near distance. "You...you have...a lot of energy...for a girl." He finished and placed both his hands on his knees just as he reached his little brother.

"Ha, ha! Does it matter if I am a girl?" Little Zhuqin laughed while Huan also laughed along with the young girl, obviously still a little out of breath.

She looked over her shoulders to see that the lacquer tea kettle on the table still had small swirls of white clouds seeping out of the top lid. Around the side pavilions of the Lanling Jin sect, it was only natural and responsible for the attendants to constantly keep the lacquer kettles warm in case anyone wanted to take a short rest. Of course, safety was a concern but who said fellow Jin attendants or even...Jin disciples, were not loyal to their own people?

At least...the Jin disciples and attendants are loyal now...loyal now...and...at least they still love their own 'people.'

Little Zhuqin hastily walked over to the lacquer kettle and saw only two lacquer tea cups on the knee length table. Although she was also short of breath herself, her cousins came first and she simply poured them two cups of warm tea. She handed each cup to them and stood back, smiling contently.

Without hesitation, Little Zhan immediately chugged the entire cup while Huan slowly took his time to savor the taste as it was the usual; white peony tea.

"Were you...that thirsty?" asked Little Zhuqin.

Little Zhan simply stared at the young girl while he held the lacquer tea cup in his hands.

"Ohhh..." Little Zhuqin noticed the same stare the young lad would usually give when he was displeased with something.

And perhaps that something...was still her (lol).

"Uhhhh....hao, hao, hao (Uhm, ok), you want more tea right? I will give it to you." Little Zhuqin laughed again, knowing that the young lad probably did not want more tea but poured him another cup anyways.

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