Chapter 1265: [YeXi] Natural talent
Celestial Fragrance Teahouse was located on the outskirts of the capital city. Han Yunxi remembered her first trip here was to investigate a Northern Li spy. Later on, she was kidnapped on its grounds and met both Jun Yixie and Gu Qishao.
Celestial Fragrance Teahouse had claimed a large area of land under Gu Qishao’s ownership, but after it was seized by Long Feiye, the barren back mountains were included as part of the property too. Half of the hills had been expanded to grow tea. Observing from one end, one could see the tea trees stretching across the range like a coiling dragon. Despite this, South Red Peak tea only took up a small fraction of the southern mountain due to its high maintenance requirements. Planting it anywhere else either produced inferior tea or plants that didn’t live long.
Although Long Feiye had gifted the plantation to Han Chen, the guards and tea farmers here were still his people. Han Chen only wanted the South Peak Red that was harvested annually.
After reaching the plantation, there was still some time before they could come to the south mountain. Han Yunxi suggested everyone get off the carriage and walk on foot. The group took in a deep breath of the mountain’s spring scents, which were fresh and lingered in one’s lungs. Gu Beiyue and Long Feiye walked shoulder by shoulder while Han Yunxi took Rui’er along her husband’s right. Gu Qishao walked next to Rui’er with a mischievous smile and took the boy’s hand.
But despite being familiar pals, Rui’er immediately shook him off and ran to his mother’s opposite side to walk next to his father. Not only that, he even cocked his head at Gu Qishao to stick out his tongue. If mother was holding his hand, then his other one could only be reserved for father and no one else! Even if he didn’t have the guts to reach out now, he would grow try to grow bolder with time.
Gu Qishao narrowed his eyes as his aura grew threatening. Rui’er didn’t fear him, but parroted back with a threatening glare of his own. One adult and one child thus began a contest, but in the end Gu Qishao lost willingly because he liked to see Rui’er’s wide-toothed grin. Little kids should smile often, they looked better that way!
“Little fellow, you didn’t even exist when I met your parents here!” Gu Qishao chuckled.
Han Yunxi only thought privately that she and Long Feiye weren’t even on good terms back then.
Gu Beiyue laughed silently to himself because he had come along as well. It was just that nobody had discovered him.
Long Feiye turned to Han Yunxi and asked, “Last time you were kidnapped on South Peak, right?”
Han Yunxi seemed to recall something as she pulled Long Feiye close and whispered in his ear, “I was about to leave that day but stayed back to pick South Peak Red because I heard you liked the tea. Who knew I almost lost my life trying to make you happy.”
Long Feiye had no idea. He only assumed Han Yunxi had been playing around the tea fields. He gave her a doting smile and muttered, “So it was earlier than I imagined.”
What does that mean? Han Yunxi was completely lost, but Long Feiye only straightened up with a smile he couldn’t hide. Meanwhile, Gu Qishao had taken the chance while they were talking to carry off Rui’er and walk far, far away. It was better to pretend he saw nothing! As for Gu Beiyue, he had long trailed after the departed pair in silence.
“Early? What was early?” Han Yunxi asked doubtfully.
Long Feiye wasn’t planning to answer and started to leave when she tugged him back. “Explain yourself!”
Long Feiye’s grin widened as his eyes filled with adoration and three parts shyness. He bent down elegantly and murmured by her ear, “So you liked me as early as back then? It’s earlier than I imagined.”
Han Yunxi immediately understood and flushed. She looked askance at him, not knowing what to say. Seeing her bashful self made Long Feiye break into silent laughter than soon began a chuckle. He was in excellent spirits.
“Be quiet!” Han Yunxi glanced ahead. Fortunately, Rui’er and the rest were far away by now or else she’d feel thoroughly embarrassed.
“Was there anything earlier than that?” Long Feiye asked next.
“What about you?” Han Yunxi retorted.
Long Feiye stopped joking and took her hand, his voice gentle. “I don’t know when I started liking you. How about we fall in love at first sight in our next life?”
Although Han Yunxi was still miffed and embarrassed, his words softened her heart. She raised his hand and touched the bite mark she’d left on his skin that he’d kept on purpose. He once said that birthmarks were bite marks from your lover in a past life. If the bite mark was still there when the person died, then it would become a birthmark in the next life.
Han Yunxi gently kissed her bite mark and laughed. “All right. I’ll love you as soon as I see this mark in my next life.”
Would transmigrators even have a next life? What would that be like? Han Yunxi had no idea why she suddenly thought of this question, but she didn’t like it.
At that moment, Rui’er’s wail suddenly reached them from ahead. The couple looked over, but their son had long vanished from sight. They gave case without a word until they reached the foot of South Peak. There they saw little Rui’er huddled in Gu Beiyue’s arms, crying at the top of his lungs. Gu Qishao had already started turning back to find them.
“What’s wrong?” Long Feiye asked coldly.
“I don’t know. As soon as we reached this place, he started crying!” Gu Qishao’s anxiety was written all over his face.
“Is he feeling uncomfortable somewhere?” Han Yunxi asked urgently.
“I’ve checked, his body is normal,” Gu Beiyue replied immediately.
As soon as Han Yunxi reached out a hand, Rui’er threw himself into her arms to hide. No matter how strong or weak a mother was, her arms were still the safest place for her child. Rui’er’s sobs stopped as soon as he reached Han Yunxi’s arms, the tears trickling soundlessly down his face instead. Han Yunxi held him tight and wished she could hug and protect him like this for the rest of her life. Long Feiye creased his brows with heartache, but still forced himself to take a step back.
Whenever his son was feeling terrified and helpless, his only choice was to keep his distance. He could tell that Rui’er was afraid.
“Rui’er, what are you afraid of?” Han Yunxi coaxed.
Rui’er looked at his far away father as more tears poured down his cheeks. He was frightened, but he didn’t understand or know why. Still, he was certain it wasn’t his imperial father this time.
“Is it imperial father?” Han Yunxi asked.
Besides being afraid of Long Feiye, Rui’er had never acted like this. But Long Feiye hadn’t held him and kept his distance! Riu’er looked at his father for a while before bursting into harder sobs. Long Feiye looked away, afraid to see the sight. He quietly retreated backwards step by step. But Rui’er suddenly started to struggle out of his mother’s arms and ran towards his father. He almost hugged Long Feiye, but stopped short in the end.
“Not scary…” He looked up at his imperial father with tears in his voice. “Not scary!”
He wasn’t afraid of his imperial father, but still looked terrified.
Well! The group was completely lost and couldn’t help but feel helpless and pained. Abruptly, Rui’er looked towards a small path on the right and darted behind Han Yunxi in fear. “Scary...scary…”
So it was someone else? Besides Long Feiye, Rui’er was afraid of other people too?
While the group reeled at the revelation, they saw a familiar figure emerge from the undergrowth. He was tall and broad-shouldered with a cold face and icy eyes. Dressed in spotless white robes, he lacked the handsome looks of an immortal but emanated the dignity of some esteemed god. It was as if the mortal realm had no way to stain him with its dust.
He was Han Yunxi’s birth father and one of the Mysterious Continent’s top five powerhouses, Han Chen.
As soon as he appeared, Rui’er clutched his mother’s legs for dear life and didn’t even dare to cry. Han Yunxi quickly picked him up and kept a wide distance from Han Chen. But he had already noticed Rui’er and kept his gaze fixed on the boy.
“So that boy is Xuanyuan Rui?”
“Rui’er’s afraid of you too?”
Han Chena and Long Feiye spoke at the same time before Gu Beiyue interjected, “No, Your Majesty, His Highness Crown Prince is more afraid of senior.”
“More afraid of me?” Han Chen didn’t understand.
Long Feiye immediately told Han Chen about Rui’er’s condition and his past. Hearing this, Han Chen’s cold expression immediately turned flabbergasted. He even grew suspicious as he asked, “Is this true?”
“Completely true!” Long Feiye declared. “Senior, you can see the truth yourself if you take a look personally.”
Han Chen didn’t hesitate to pursuit with Long Feiye and the rest following. Han Yunxi had brought Rui’er to the nearest tea courtyard and finally stopped his crying when Han Chen appeared at the doorway. Before he even stepped inside, Rui’er ducked into her arms and started to wail.
He was only one years old. How much could a child understand or bear? Han Yunxi didn’t know what to do. Her heart ached as she wished she could bear the burden of this instead, even ten times the burden if need be. Now she was at a loss.
Perhaps this was the heart of all fathers and mothers in the world.
Han Chen and Long Feiye could hear Rui’er crying from outside, but the former still walked in. Rui’er was terrified by the sight and stopped crying immediately, but his little body was trembling uncontrollably.
“Could it really be…” Han Chen trailed off before waving his hand. A flash of violet light emerged in the air before quickly disappearing. Gu Beiyue and Gu Qishao were both ignorant of its meaning. Long Feiye was lost too, but he could clearly sense that Han Chen’s overwhelming aura and power had completely vanished after the action.
Very soon, little Rui’er stopped crying and making a fuss too. Han Yunxi was the first to notice the change and looked tensely towards Long Feiye. She held her child tight, afraid to make any movements. Long Feiye seemed to understand as well and remained tense and silent.
In the quiet room, even Han Chen was still as he surveyed the child. Soon enough, Rui’er began to move. He sneakily lifted his head from his mother’s arms and slowly turned towards Han Chen. Tears still shone at the corners of his eyes, making him look a mixture of clueless, pitiful, and shy.
Everyone was too tense to even breathe, afraid of startling him again. But Rui’er only looked at Han Chen a little longer before he grew bold. He slid out of his mother’s grasp and, after some hesitation, walked carefully towards Han Chen.
This…
So Rui’er wasn’t afraid anymore?
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