Li Chenyuan raised an eyebrow at her, eyes narrowed. "So? Who are you?"
Qiu Yunru thought for a moment that he might pass out from the disrespect rolling off this kid in waves. Had he been such a terrible model as a shixiong that his shidi had turned out this way?! Didn't he always try to be respectful when he spoke?
Cai Mingzhu let out another puff of smoke, a flash of amusement crossing her face. "Cai Mingzhu. Call me Cai Dajie. I'm the Head Cook at this sect."
Li Chenyuan gave her a suspicious look. "Your eyes are green," He said bluntly. "Is it you that keeps following me around at night?"
Following him around...?
Qiu Yunru was both puzzled and shocked.
For what reason would Cai Mingzhu follow around a new disciple? It was true that her eyes were an unusual green color that was easily recognizable, and often gleamed in the dark. But he had never once seen her outside of the vicinity of the kitchens and dining halls, even at night!
Cai Mingzhu raised an eyebrow. Her expression was unreadable, and once again she blew out a puff of smoke.
Qiu Yunru coughed into his hand. That thing she was smoking--it really reeked!
"You could say I've been keeping an eye on you," Cai Mingzhu said casually. "It was probably me. What's the use in lying? It's rare to see green eyes."
Qiu Yunru spluttered internally. Externally, he managed to keep his expression one of elegant confusion. Really, what was going on here?! "Dajie? Why have you been following Li-shidi...?"
Cai Mingzhu shrugged. "Just keeping an eye out."
Qiu Yunru spat a little blood internally. What kind of answer was that?! Keeping an eye out for what?!
He remembered that time he had had to go out and get her a pheasant for the kitchens. What was it she had said to him? To watch out for that Li kid? No matter how hard he thought back, he couldn't remember any good reason she had provided back then, either?
Li Chenyuan suddenly spoke up, his voice cold. "What's wrong with you? Are you creeping on young men? You're middle-aged. Even if it's not as bad as an old man following a young woman, it's still disgusting."
Qiu Yunru wanted to bury his face in his hands. This exchange was truly--unbearable!
Cai Mingzhu merely laughed. She seemed far too amused for the situation! "Is that what it looks like? I suppose so. Should I clear my name and give you the reason?"
Without waiting for a response, she crouched down by Li Chenyuan, who was still lying back in the grass. Looming over him and casting a shadow over his face, her usually-entertained expression seemed suddenly terrifyingly blank.
"Do you know what kind of person your father was?" She said flatly.
"What?" Li Chenyuan muttered. "He was a cultivator, and he's long dead. What more is there to say? Back off! You're standing too close. Pervert!"
Cai Mingzhu sighed, the darkness evaporating from her face. She stood and brushed off her apron, inhaling another round of smoke. "So it's like that."
"Like what?!" Li Chenyuan snapped.
"Have fun at the festival!" Cai Mingzhu called, waving as she walked away down the hill. She hummed as she went, a cloud of smoke trailing behind her.
Through all this, Qiu Yunru sat there, feeling incredibly on-edge.
Something was clear to him now: judging by the grumpy way Li Chenyuan had responded...
This kid had no idea at all what kind of horrible person his father was!
He had been waiting for Cai Mingzhu to say something like this:
"Your father killed three thousand people and liked to drink their blood!"
"Your father assaulted and killed so many women that he became an urban legend!"
"Your father even drowned and burned children as a hobby!"
If she had said something as direct as that, who knew what kind of reaction Li Chenyuan would have? Denial, anger--that kind of revelation was simply too difficult to predict the consequences! And Qiu Yunru, being his mentoring shixiong, would have endlessly console him and guide him through the process of realizing what kind of shit person his father really had been!
In the end, however, she hadn't said anything like that, and had simply walked away.
Qiu Yunru was both endlessly relieved and worried.
If Li Chenyuan didn't know now, he would have to work hard and try to keep it a secret going forward. Qiu Yunru really didn't know if he himself could deal with that kind of unique emotional stress!
"Qiu-ge!"
Li Chenyuan was tugging on his sleeve, looking annoyed.
"Are you listening to me? That woman is such a creep!"
"Ah..." Qiu Yunru laughed awkwardly. "I suppose it is quite abnormal to follow people at night, yes."
"Qiu-ge looks worried. What is it?"
"Ah...it's nothing. I'm just a little hungry, and that smoke made me feel a little sick. Why don't we leave now?"
_____
Jin He City was bustling with life.
People from villages and towns to the east, north, west, and south had all travelled here to watch the famed dragon boat racing and dragon-lantern floats. The streets were packed like bags of rice, with people spilling out of the city gates as they waiting in line to pay the city entrance fee.
Being of the Li noble household, Li Chenyuan only had to flash his crest, and he and Qiu Yunru were ushered inside.
"It's still early," Li Chenyuan said casually. "The dragon boat racing is still going on, and the river will be overcrowded. Why don't we go and eat at my house?"
Qiu Yunru couldn't help but cough a little internally.
House? Was it a house, or a mansion? Imagine being able to call that sort of place dripping with gold a "house"!
"All right," He said amicably. "Only if I won't be intruding."
"Qiu-ge could never intrude," Li Chenyuan muttered.
"What was that?"
"Let's go."