- Chapter Start –
Twenty minutes later, Di FeiSheng still hasn't returned.
"Forget about him. Let's eat before the soup gets cold." Fang DuoBing serves Li LianHua a bowl of the rich chicken broth with vegetables.
"Thanks, XiaoBao." Li LianHua gets a whiff of ginger which means his senses are still working. "It smells good. Let's eat."
Fang DuoBing preens at the praise and digs in. As the meal wears on, his smiles droop and his eyes go to the open doorway every other minute.
With a sigh, Li LianHua sets down his chopsticks.
"XiaoBao, what did you say to Di-mengzhu earlier?"
Fang DuoBing hunches a shoulder at once.
"I didn't expect for him to… hold you like… likethat."
Li LianHua ignores the prickle of heat in his cheeks.
"Well, you two and Hulijing crowded into my bed last night. How much room do you think there is?"
Fang DuoBing squirms, his shoulder going higher.
"I know, but just two days ago, he refused to even admit that he cares for you. Now, he's… handsy."
"It's fine." Li LianHua couldn't deny the hug felt good. Except for one tiny – or not tiny at all – detail. "Anyway, it's between him and me."
Fang DuoBing pouts at once.
"Don't you think I would've have pushed him away if I didn't like it?" Li LianHua asks only to realise his mistake when Fang DuoBing's eyes widen.
"I mean, I can take care of such situations," he adds hastily.
"Can you? In your current condition?" Fang DuoBing asks, tipping his chin up.
"Yes, I can," Li LianHua says firmly.
Fang DuoBing's gaze drops.
"Oh. I guess I overreacted, huh?"
"Yes, you did. Give our Di-mengzhu some face, hm? He's a good man." Li LianHua smiles at Fang DuoBing's sceptical look. "Not good in the way you are, but he has honour and he would never hurt us. Either of us."
To his credit, Fang DuoBing doesn't mention the Gang Qi incident. His eyes stray to the pot of soup and he nods, straightening his shoulders.
"Right. I'll go bring him breakfast and apologise."
"No. I will." Li LianHua reaches for the clean bowl and adds rice and soup to it. "You finish your breakfast and clear up. Come on, Hulijing. Let's go find A-Fei."
- o –
Di FeiSheng is standing beside a small stream a stone's throw from Lotus Tower. It's obvious he's annoyed, from the stiff set of his shoulders and rigid line of his jaw, to the tight way his arms are folded across his chest. He's also glaring at the stream with such ferocity that Li LianHua half expects the water to start steaming and frothing.
He stops half a dozen feet away, paying no mind to Hulijing who goes off exploring, his mission accomplished.
"Di-mengzhu."
"What happened to A-Fei?" Di FeiSheng doesn't turn around.
"A-Fei would've joined us for breakfast."
"After getting told off by that brat?" Di FeiSheng snorts. "Lost my appetite."
Li LianHua bites back a smile.
"Why, Di-mengzhu, I do believe you're sulking."
"I am not!" Di FeiSheng whirls around to glare at him.
"Ahh. Then you're being cruel, forcing a dying man to bring you breakfast." Li LianHua injects a note of patent self-pity in his voice.
With a deadpan look, Di FeiSheng comes over to take the bowl from him. Even after being outside for a while, his fingers are warmer than Li LianHua's which have been clasped around the bowl.
"Thanks."
"Thank XiaoBao. He's the cook."
"Thanks for bringing it here," Di FeiSheng says without missing a beat. He lifts the spoon to his mouth and looks surprised.
"I know, I know, his cooking is better than mine." Li LianHua's tone is wry.
Di FeiSheng doesn't answer, but proceeds to demonstrate his agreement by practically inhaling the contents. Then he sets down the bowl and spoon on a flattish rock nearby.
Li LianHua eyes said rock briefly, wondering if a certain young master frequented this spot for some alone time.
"Did he tell you what he said?" Di FeiSheng is staring at the stream again. At least he's not frowning anymore.
"No. But I think he regrets it now."
"He should."
"Mind telling me what it was?"
Di FeiSheng looks at him and then away.
"It's not important. Let's go back."
"By the way, my bed isn't made for three," Li LianHua says. "You can have the one upstairs. It's bigger so you'll be more comfortable."
Di FeiSheng turns to face him again, eyes narrowing.
"Fang DuoBing can sleep there. I'm comfortable sharing yours."
Li LianHua's heart skips a beat for no reason at all.
"Really?" He says before he can stop himself. "So comfortable that you – that your body -"
"Docontinue." Di FeiSheng has a sudden glint in his eyes.
"… anyway, we should go back." Li LianHua doesn't care that he's changing the subject and very abruptly at that. "XiaoBao will think you're such a slow eater."
"Let him think what he wants," Di FeiSheng says. "Li LianHua –"
Snatching up the bowl, Li LianHua starts retracing his steps.
"Li LianHua, wait!"
He doesn't. He knows that Di FeiSheng cares for him, just like Fang DuoBing cares for him. He also knows that Fang DuoBing sees him as a friend, mentor and shifu. He just doesn't know how Di FeiSheng sees him.
- o –
To Li LianHua's relief, Di FeiSheng doesn't say anymore, not even when they reach Lotus Tower and find it empty. Seeing the stack of dirty dishes, Li LianHua sighs and pushes up his sleeves. Two hands land on his shoulders and steer him to the table, pressing down until he sits.
Di FeiSheng then rolls up his own sleeves, displaying sinewy forearms, and tackles the dishes with surprising efficiency. He's rinsing off the last bowl when Fang DuoBing runs up the steps with a sack of paper lanterns.
"Oh, thanks! I was going to do those." Fang DuoBing grins at him before turning to Li LianHua. "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival! The moon is going to be at its roundest and brightest tonight."
Li LianHua glances at Di FeiSheng, wondering if he remembers a crescent moon in the carved window of a certain newlywed's chamber, and a pot of marital wine. He gets a small nod and smile in return.
"I'm being left out again," Fang DuoBing grumbles to no one in particular.
"If we're having dinner at Tianji Hall then why did you bring the decorations here?" Li LianHua asks.
"This is just some of it. We can enjoy the full moon here after dinner. You don't have to do a thing. A-Fei and I will hang them up."
"I will?" Di FeiSheng doesn't look pleased to be roped in.
"XiaoBao, today's an auspicious day," Li LianHua says. "You should enjoy it in the company of your parents."
"I'd much rather enjoy yours," Fang DuoBing states. "Right, A-Fei?"
"You should join your parents," Di FeiSheng says without missing a beat.
"Hey!"
- o -
The rest of the morning is spent sitting at the table outside and watching Fang DuoBing practise the XiangYi steps. There's not much for Li LianHua to correct; a foot placement or two, the tilt of a wrist, the angle of a shoulder. Other than that, Fang DuoBing is a joy to watch.
With a stab of nostalgia, Li LianHua wonders if this is what his shifu felt upon seeing him and Shan- he pushes that thought away and sits up straighter as Di FeiSheng sits down beside him, cup of tea in hand.
"In your letter, you said that Fang DuoBing would one day surpass you."
Li LianHua nods, not taking his eyes off the graceful, twirling figure on the grass.
"That day won't be long now," Di FeiSheng continues.
Li LianHua turns to him in surprise, seeing the approbation in those sharp eyes. All at once, he feels a sharper pang in his chest – piercing yet sweet – and a yearning he can't quite put into words.
For the past ten years, he's lived under the shadow of his impending death, reconciling himself to losing his senses one by one, and eventually his martial arts and his memories. He'd dedicated himself to finding Shan GuDao's body only to realise how wrong he'd been.
But maybe…maybethat mission hid a silver lining – driving him to live a decade longer so that his path would cross Di FeiSheng's again, and Fang DuoBing's. Because in truth, he doesn't want to die anymore, not when he has these two by his side. Except that he doesn't see a way out after having given away the Styx -
"He's coming over," Di FeiSheng says in a low voice. Standing up, he positions himself in front of Li LianHua who hastily presses his sleeve to his eyes.
- o -
Lunch is fried noodles with sliced fish and vegetables, delivered by A-Li who keeps giggling whenever she looks at Li LianHua. After the meal during which Li LianHua yawned three times, he's chivvied off to bed for a nap. He makes a token protest, unwilling to show that his energy is flagging once more. When he closes his eyes, Di FeiSheng and Fang DuoBing are sitting at the table, sipping tea and trying not to look like they're keeping an eye on him.
When he wakes up some time later, he's alone. He looks at the small space on either side of him and frowns. The bed he's slept in for the past ten years now feels oddly big for one.
"- red then green then yellow."
"Red thenorangethen yellow then green!"
Getting out of bed, Li LianHua goes to look out the window. Fang DuoBing and Di FeiSheng are hanging lanterns from ropes strung between the plum blossom trees and bickering as usual.
Fang DuoBing looks up and waves at him, his frown vanishing.
"Li LianHua, you're awake. How do you feel? A-Fei is terrible at matching colours!"
"I am not."
"Yes, you are!"
- Chapter End –