Slipping Through My Fingers | Xicheng

Chapter 5

Upon hearing the news after his arrival, Ren Tian was infuriated. How dared that grumpy purple grape send him away, just to try and take his own life during his absence. He stormed into the infirmary and his gaze right away went to the man lying on the bed. He was conscious.

"If I had no respect for you whatsoever I would punch you in the face," he stated, nearing the bed.

Jiang Cheng looked at him and smiled sadly, guilt setting into his gut. It's just at that moment that Ren Tian noticed that he had teared up on his way there.

"If I had known your intentions, I would've chained myself to you and never left your side," he sighed, taking an overall look of Jiang Cheng. "Are you okay?," he asked. "I mean, I know you're not, you wouldn't be here otherwise. But.." His voice broke, and he fell on his knees next to the bed.

"I am not, but maybe in the future I will get better. It was foolish of me, and it won't happen again," Jiang Cheng promised, delicately patting the young man's head.

"Don't say that. Never again say that it was foolish. Never. Your feelings are not foolish. You acting upon them is not foolish. You are no fool, Sect Leader Jiang," he took the hand that was patting his head in his own and squeezed it lightly. "I am sorry for not noticing your sorrow. It must have been unbearable."

"That's the thing, I did everything for it to stay hidden. But something in me just bursted, and it was too much," he sniffed, not even trying to fight his own tears. He was too tired for that. "And you have nothing to apologize to me for. You are the only person who stays by my side, no matter if I am having a temper tantrum or if I am content, and who is able to make me feel better just with your very presence next to me."

Ren Tian smiled slightly. "Of course, how could I not. You are my most cherished person in the entire world."

"Wait till you become a husband and a father," Jiang Cheng thought, but didn't voice it aloud.

They turned their heads towards the entrance to the infirmary as a young disciple entered hurriedly, stumbling over his own robe. He approached them and bowed. Ren Tian stood up and corrected his robe, which had crumpled when he knelt down.

He nodded hastily. "Yes, Shixiong. Master Wei, Hanguang-jun and Zewu-jun are at the gate, but we didn't let them in since you told us not to do so."

Ren Tian looked at Jiang Cheng from the corner of his eye, searching for any reaction. The man saw it and just slightly shook his head as if saying 'Not yet'.

"Let the fuckers roam outside, for what I care. They have no right of entry till Sect Leader or I state otherwise."

The boy bowed. "We will all do as you say. Shixiong, Leader Jiang," he paid his respects, turned around and left the room.

Ren Tian suspected that those three may follow him after receiving such shocking news, that's why he commanded the disciples not to let them in, even before hearing what happened to Jiang Wanyin. After that he was even more convinced that they shouldn't step inside Lotus Pier for the time being. At least not till his father will regain his strength and a bit of mental stability.

"You're cursing way too much, A-Tian," he reprimanded him.

"As if it really bothered you. I learned it from you after all," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Brat," he rolled his eyes. "I want to sleep a bit. Go and check on A-Ling. He insisted on cooking me some soup, and I am afraid that he may totally destroy my kitchen with his atrocious cooking skills," he said, closing his eyes, rushing him to leave with this gesture.

"Fine. Get some rest. I will wake you up when the food is ready. And edible," he added with a small smirk. Jin Ling was truly not the best cook.

***

Ren Tian was one year old when his parents were murdered by the Wens during the Lotus Pier Massacre, and when Jiang Cheng took him under his wing, unofficialy adopting him. Making him his protégé. When he turned three, he called Jiang Cheng 'Baba' for the first time, having heard other children call their fathers that way. The man looked at him fondly, with a smile on his face and something shining in his eyes.

The little boy didn't understand why the man was looking at him that way. Had he said something wrong? Had he crossed some line? Jiang Cheng eased his anxiety by taking him in his arms and hugging him tightly.

"Yes, that's right. I am your Baba," he whispered into the boy's ear, kissing his temple.

After that Jiang Cheng decided to officially adopt him, making him his son in the eyes of other people. However he hadn't changed his family name. He wanted to leave that part of Ren Tian's life in his own hands. He had the right to change it in the future, if he would wish so, but till that day comes, he should keep his biological parents' family name. He owed it to them, since they sacrificed their lives in the defense of Lotus Pier.

This little detail didn't really matter to them, as everyone knew and accepted the fact, that he was an official heir of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

When his fourth year of life came his cousin Jin Ling was born. He remembers sitting by his crib and looking at the newborn with awe all over his face. He was so small and delicate, that Ren Tian was too afraid to touch him, because he didn't want to hurt him by accident. But then Jiang Yanli picked up Jin Ling and placed him in his arms, smiling pleasantly. She showed him the right way to hold A-Ling.

"Don't worry A-Tian, you won't harm him. From now on you are his older cousin, you must take care of him, and guide him whenever you will have a chance to. He will surely look up to you, so you must do everything in your power for him to admire you, and listen to your advice," she said, gently caressing his cheek, smile never leaving her lips.

However, when the time passed and he started to understand more things, he came to see that even though adults smile at children, they are not always happy. The woman in front of him was a woman who, after losing her family, still longed for her little brother to come back into her loving arms. She wished to embrace him and say that everything would be alright if they tried hard enough. But how hard is hard enough? Was it when her husband came back to her dead? Or was it when she lied on the battlefield with a sword wound, bleeding to her death and her beloved son became an orphan?

That's when he learned that a smile is the best mask in the whole world. You can hide everything under it. Be it a gentle smile, hiding a broken heart. The sinister smile, sometimes hiding the need for consolation and understanding. The fake smile, one which hides your displeasure or bad intentions. Although that's not always the case. The gentle smile can be genuine, the sinister smile can show a lunatic, and the fake one doesn't have to show bad intentions. It varies from person to person.

Growing up has taught Ren Tian to read people, to not always believe in their sugar coated words. That's the advice that uncle Huaisang gave him, and life has just proven those words to be absolutely true.

***

He went to the kitchen to inspect if it's still intact. Truth be told, Jin Ling has already burned a couple of pots in the past, clearly not having inherited his mother's culinary skills. It sometimes made him sad, because during his childhood he managed to taste her dishes many times. Especially the lotus pork rib soup that Jin Ling was evidently trying to make. His facial expression clearly showed that it wasn't going too well.

"Here," he said, taking the wooden spoon from his hand "allow me to help."

Jin Ling jumped a bit, apparently scared by the sudden appearance of his cousin.

"Ge," he whispered in a low tone, looking at Ren Tian.

He saw A-Lings glassy eyes and took a deep breath, putting the spoon aside for a moment. He opened his arms for Jin Ling to embrace him, and so he did. The boy started crying, quickly wetting the material of his robe. A-Tian caressed his back in a soothing gesture. They stayed that way till Jin Ling calmed down.

"Okay, now come. Let's cook the soup from scratch. We don't want to give him food poisoning, do we?," he chuckled, pushing Jin Ling towards the table. "Cut that lotus for me, I will do the rest. But you have to watch carefully and learn."