Chapter 1267: [YeXi] Kisses
Guozhang?
Han Chen didn’t spare Gu Qishao a glance as he turned to leave. Although Han Yunxi had called him father once for the sake of Su Xiaoyu, father and daughter had yet to formally recognize each other. Moreover, the ten-year agreement had yet to pass, so he was used to these children calling him “senior.”
Gu Qishao naturally knew Han Chen wasn’t an easy bone to chew, so he chuckled as always and chased after the man.
“Your Excellency guozhang, I heard you invited Long Feiye to drink South Peak Red. It’s a pity that now’s not the season.”
As expected, Gu Qishao’s words attracted Han Chen’s attention. However, all he did was stop for a second before resuming his walk. He had asked Long Feiye to drink South Peak Red with an invitation written out before he even arrived at Celestial Fragrance Teashop. But he realized his mistake as soon as he came and saw the weather. The springtime here was different from that at the Ice Sea. It was more rainy and low temperature, most unsuited for red peak to be fermented. But he didn’t revoke the invitation since it was already sent out.
Gu Qishao kept chasing after Han Chen as he spoke. “Your Excellency guozhang, there are multiple varieties of South Peak Red. Do you know where the top-tier South Peak Red hails from? It’s a secret of Celestial Fragrance Teashop!”
Han Chen stopped, amusing Gu Qishao greatly. Unexpectedly, the man only said coldly, “This tea plantation is already this honored one’s. Do you think I wouldn’t know?”
Urk…
Gu Qishao forgot about that. Long Feiye sealed off his teashop and bought all his employees as well. Looks like Han Chen had done the same to ask about all of its secrets. Since there was no hope with South Peak Red, Gu Qishao immediately changed the topic. “Your Excellency guozhang, it’s fine if there’s no South Peak Red to drink. This one personally brought Jiangnan’s best Dragon Well tea for you to taste. I ask that Your Excellency guozhang honor me with some face.”
Seeing Han Chen hesitate, Gu Qishao added, “Why not come to Mt. Dai’s pavilion to try some?”
The south mountain’s Mt. Dai pavilion halfway up the peak had the best spring water in all of Celestial Fragrance tea plantation. Han Chen should know this as well. The characteristics of tea had to start with its water. A common saying went that there were multiple types of water suitable for different types of tea, which itself had to be a certain quality. Water was still the foremost factor! The same pot of tea could taste like miles of difference when brewed with different water.
“Looks like you like tea too?” Han Chen asked coldly.
Gu Qishao was delighted. At last, Han Chen had spoken “actual words” to him.
“I won’t hide it from Your Excellency guozhang, but this Celestial Fragrance tea plantation used to be my business. South Peak Red was a variety that I and a few tea farmers developed after many years of research!”
Saying those words were Gu Qishao’s ultimate motive!
However!
Han Chen only glanced at him before replying with contempt, “Why are you bringing up such a shameful thing?”
Gu Qishao was absolutely floored and didn’t know what to say. Without a doubt, Han Chen already knew all of this. By the time he recovered his wits, Han Chen was already far away. He was about to chase after the man again when his image flickered and vanished from sight.
Gu Qishao had originally hidden away plenty of good teas to get close to Han Chen before bringing up the subject of doing the tea business in the Mysterious Continent. He wanted to seek the Wolf Sect’s protection.
In the end, he’d said all that but Han Chen was still…unfamiliar with him! He wouldn’t even drink his tea? He even…disdained him!
Gu Qishao suddenly discovered that there was someone else besides Long Feiye capable of leaving a blow on him: Han Chen. Still, Gu Qishao had no idea that Long Feiye had long arranged to meet with Han Chen at Mt. Dai Pavilion to drink tea three days before entering his closed door cultivation.
Otherwise, Han Chen should have agreed to drink Gu Qishao’s spring tea leaves.
As predicted, Long Feiye finished learning the technique to seal his internal energy within three days. When he emerged from closed door cultivation, all of the killing intent and qi aura from his Lustbite energy were gone. He saw Han Yunxi and the rest waiting outside for him.
Han Yunxi only felt that this man seemed calmer and more introspective than before, though she wasn’t sure whether it was because she couldn’t sense the stern aura on his body anymore.
Rui’er had no idea what was happening. He was playing on the side and didn’t even know his father had emerged from his rooms. Long Feiye saw him as soon as he came out and frowned, but couldn’t help smiling in the end.
“Rui’er!” he shouted.
Little Rui’er looked over and grinned at the sight of his imperial father. He was finally out after three days! Every night at bedtime, he’d ask mother, “Imperial father, imperial father…”
And imperial mother would reply, “Imperial father will be back very soon.”
He was still too far away to sense anything unusual, but whenever he wanted to be carried he would sense his father’s terrifying energy. Now he toddled over like the past and stopped just short of him, afraid to hug him directly. He looked up with a sweet smile, his baby teeth a very pretty sight.
“Daddy, back!” he cried.
Long Feiye wanted to pluck Rui’er into his arms but endured, afraid of frightening the little fellow with any sudden actions. After all, he didn’t know a thing. Kneeling down, he looked at Rui’er and wondered what to do next. Rui’er only smiled at him nonstop as if seeing his father’s face was already a joyous event.
Long Feiye couldn’t resist in the end. He gently stroked Rui’er’s hair with his hand. When he did this usually, Rui’er wasn’t too afraid. Sometimes when Rui’er played for too long and didn’t want to get him, he’d pick up his son by the collar and haul him away. Rui’er wasn’t afraid of such contact either.
Long Feiye stroked Rui’er’s head but didn’t remove his hand like usual. Instead, his fingers went to touch a check and then lifted his little hand. Rui’er’s smile gradually stiffened as if sensing something. Before Long Feiye could hold his hand, he suddenly groke free. Both Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue felt their hearts chill at the sight. They assumed that Rui’er was rejecting his father again. Long Feiye’s heart seized as well.
Instead, Rui’er opened his arms and threw himself into Long Feiye’s arms with a deep hug!
But Long Feiye was too tall and big and Rui’er just too small. Although he’d stretched his arms to the maximum, it was still impossible for him to hug his father tightly. He let go as soon as he failed and went to hug Long Feiye’s side, nice and tight. He didn’t say anything, but his expression was very quiet. His face was plastered against Long Feiye’s arm as he seemed to feel for something.
Long Feiye didn’t dare to move as long as Rui’er held still. Very soon, the boy let go of him again. He ran to the front and went on his tiptoes to circle his arms around his daddy’s neck. This way he could hug him firmly and completely.
At last Long Feiye gave in and hugged Rui’er back until he was protectively encircled in his arms. Although he was full of words to say to his son, he chose silence. Nothing could be compared to a warm embrace to let his child understand. Rui’er didn’t speak either, and father and son tacitly entered a period of warm silence.
It was Han Yunxi whose eyes turned red at the sight instead. She really wanted to cry. She understood! She knew all too well how much Long Feiye had looked forward to this, and how Rui’er desperately wished for his father’s arms. Only this contact could make Rui’er’s childhood complete; only this intimacy could complete Long Feiye’s life as well.
She was just happy and fulfilled to see this happen.
Gu Beiyue smiled lightly while Gu Qishao grinned unconsciously as well. This time he wasn’t jealous and also felt elated. The feeling flabbergasted him: what was he so delighted for?
Little Rui’er held his daddy for a long time before he finally looked up at him. He stared and stared before his lips burst into another grin. Boldly he reached out a hand and touched his father’s eyes, nose, and lips, then said sweetly, “Daddy…daddy…”
Long Feiye’s heart melted.
Rui’er called and called before wrapping his arms around his daddy’s neck again. This time he began to cry. “Daddy…dadddy…”
Now Long Feiye’s heart was breaking into pieces. Besides holding him, he didn’t know what else to do with the child.
As Rui’er wept, he looked up again and laughed through his tears. “Daddy! Daddy!”
The smile shining through his teardrops was tender, clean, and pure. It seemed capable of washing away all the dust and storms in Long Feiye’s life, all the suffering and filthy things he’d experienced.
Long Feiye gave Rui’er a gentle kiss on his forehead and murmured back, “Rui’er, you and your mother must have come here to save daddy.”
Rui’er didn’t understand, but since daddy had kissed him, he immediately returned the kiss on Long Feiye’s forehead as if he didn’t want to lose too. Long Feiye couldn’t help chuckling, a pure sound of joy that seemed to come sincerely from his heart.
Rui’er wasn’t satisfied with just forehead kisses and went on to kiss both of Long Feiye’s cheeks and even the tip of his nose. He kissed his father like how he kissed his mother, cycling between the forehead, left cheek, and right cheek. Even ten times wasn’t enough!
Long Feiye started off by letting Rui’er kiss him, but in the end he started kissing his son back for every peck. Father and son remained kneeling on the ground as they began to play around. As Long Feiye kissed Rui’er, he didn’t forget to wipe away his son’s tears. His gentle, smiling form was enough to daze his onlookers.
Leaving aside Gu Qishao, even Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue were stunned by the sight. Long Feiye actually plays kissing games?
If outsiders heard of this, they’d probably gossip about it for three months.
Just like that, little Rui’er never feared Long Feiye again after he sealed away his internal energy. From this day on, the boy stuck to him like glue.
After noon, Long Feiye invited Han Chen to Mt. Dai Pavilion for spring tea, but Rui’er insisted on staying in his lap and pestering to be held. Han Yunxi was about to coax him off when Long Feiye said, “It doesn’t matter. I should make up for what’s owed in the past.”