Severing Time & Space

An Offer Accepted

The group got up early the next morning and went into the parlor for breakfast. Perhaps because she knew who Zhou Lihua was, the person serving them was the inn's proprietress.

She was an older woman who looked to be between middle and old age. Her graying hair was tied into a neat bun and a few strands framed her face. She wore makeup to cover the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. It was clear from her appearance that she wasn't a cultivator, since people who cultivate usually looked a lot younger than they appeared.

The proprietress came out of the kitchen alongside a pair of servants and presented them all with that morning's breakfast—a literal smorgasbord of food. There was congee, of course, a traditional breakfast food, but there was also steamed buns, dumplings, noodles cooked in sesame oil, and jian bing (breakfast crepes filled with eggs, scallions, and soybean paste).

They were also served tea.

"Thank you for the meal," Zhou Lihua said to the proprietress with a polite bow of her head.

"Not at all! I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for gracing our establishment with your presence, most esteemed guests," the proprietress said with an even more pronounced bow.

Everyone began eating as the proprietress and her servants left their table. Wu Jian decided to try a bit of everything and found the jian bing to be his favorite. The crepes were soft and had a nice texture, while the filling of eggs, scallions, and soybean paste enhanced the flavor. He wished the Wu Clan would serve this instead of congee every morning.

"Jian, you should eat some of these vegetables," Wu Meiying held up her chopsticks, which had freshly steamed veggies on them.

Wu Jian looked away. "... I don't need them. I already ate some vegetables."

"You had one bite of broccoli. That's not nearly enough. You're a growing boy, so eat your veggies."

"I... I don't... want to..."

Wu Jian would not call himself a picky eater. He ate his vegetables at dinner, but that was when they were drenched in various sauces and seasonings. These veggies were just steamed. They hadn't even been flavored with salt. How could Wu Meiying expect him to eat those?

"Please, Jian? Do it for me?"

"Ugh... okay! Fine! Fine! Just stop looking at me like that!"

Wu Meiying's large eyes that all but begged him to do as she asked disappeared and a smile replaced her pleading expression as she held out the chopsticks to him.

"Thank you, Jian. Now, say 'aaah.'"

"Aaaah."

Wu Jian grimaced, but he opened his mouth and let her place the food inside. They didn't have much flavor. The veggies had been steamed and were soft, but texture was the only claim to fame these things had.

"Oh, my. Wu Meiying has a really good handle on Wu Jian, doesn't she?" asked Zhou Lihua.

Hou Jingshu sighed. "Yeah... she seems to know exactly what to do to make Wu Jian do whatever she wants."

I can hear you two, you know. Don't make it sound like I'm her loyal puppy.

Though he couldn't deny the two of them were correct. Had he ever been able to deny Wu Meiying anything when she really wanted something from him? Not that he could recall.

Once they finished eating, the group left, their destination Wong Jiu's home. As they walked, Wu Jian noticed the bags under Hou Jingshu's eyes.

"Are you okay?"

She glared at him. "Do I look okay?"

"You look tired," he said.

"And who's fault do you think that is?" She sighed irritably. "Between Zhou Lihua flirting with you and Wu Meiying trying to slip into your bed when I wasn't looking, I am thoroughly exhausted. I barely slept at all."