Not long after Xue Zong returned, he began to prepare for a banquet and inviting guests from all over Xianzhou to come to the Xue family with great fanfare and asking all the rich and powerful in the entire immortal realm, as well as all the immortals in the Heavenly Court, to be present.
The reason is because Xue Huai’s birthday is coming up.
The Xue family holds a grand birthday party for him every year, and all the powerful and influential officials from the six realms would always attend. Xue Zong has always been a versatile person. Not to mention that Xue Huai is not bad himself. Relying on these connections, even if he is a moderate person, he can just sit back and relax for the rest of his life.
This is how the Xue family spoils Xue Huai—in addition to this, there is another reason why the birthday banquet should be held in a grand way. It is because Xue Huai’s birthday happens to be his deceased mother, Murong Mi’s birthday as well.
Xue Huai’s mother was considered to have married at that time, but she passed away less than ten years after giving birth to Xue Huai. The Murong family has a big reputation and is a famous immortal family. But Xue Huai’s grandparents have never given Xue Zong a good look, thinking that he’s the one who killed their precious daughter.
But such a pair of stubborn and old-fashioned people were quite kind to Xue Huai. After Mrs. Liu married into the Xue family, the Murong family no longer allowed Xue Zong to take half a step into the Immortal Sect again. However, Xue Huai still went to visit the elderly couple from time to time, and they also loved him to their bones.
Everyone knows that Xue Huai is going to inherit both families’ businesses in the future.
He ran to tell his father, “I won’t hold my birthday banquet this year. It’s just my seventeenth birthday, it’s not that important.”
Xue Zong insisted, “How can we do that? We do it every year, but suddenly we don’t do it this year. Others will think that I, as a father, biased the youngest son and didn’t care about our Xiao Huai. If your mother’s spirit in heaven knows about it, she will also come and blame me.”
Xue Huai smiled and said, “Is there anyone who would think that way? Besides, mother loves to be relaxed and free. She will be heartbroken when she sees me having to pay attention to formalities on my birthday.”
Xue Zong was non-committal.
Xue Huai said quietly, “I want to go pay my respects to mother and also visit my grandfather and grandmother on my birthday. Is that okay?”
The final outcome of the discussion was to hold the birthday banquet as planned, but just narrow it down to a family feast. At noon, the whole family will gather together for a meal, and it’ll be considered finished.
Xue Huai, on the other hand, asked the green bird to send a letter to his grandparents, asking when it would be a good time to visit.
The Murong Clan is two immortal continents away, and it takes three days for the green bird to travel back and forth. In the remaining time, Xue Huai devoted himself to drawing his atlas.
The Shenhua Terrace is full of blooming flowers, winter is as warm as spring, day and night are undistinguished. Xue Huai stayed for so long that he even forgot about the time.
The old man smiled and said, “Young Master didn’t go home for a few days, your playmate brings things over every day.”
Xue Huai was a bit puzzled and asked, “Who? Is it Yun Cuo?”
The old man said, “It’s the Young Master of the Zhu family, a packet of moonflower seeds came in the mail the other day. A box of Ryutai Flower Cake was delivered yesterday. Today, he sent a golden thread through a mandarin duck, and inside is a poem.”
Xue Huai pursed his lips and didn’t speak. Xue Zong, who was a father, heard it and exclaimed with a smile, “My son has really grown up! Come to look at it, you’re already seventeen. It’s time to start dating.”
Xue Huai couldn’t help but retort, “I haven’t become an adult yet. What’s the rush?”
Xue Zong glared at him and said, “Your mother and I already have you at your age, what do you say?”
He came over and indirectly asked him, “Son, do you like girls, or do you want to find a man with similar aspirations? No matter what, Dad thinks it’s okay. It depends on what you like.”
Xue Huai suppressed a smile and said, “There really isn’t. I’ll tell you when I have someone I like.”
Xue Zong calmed down, and just warning him, “Don’t pick the wrong person! Set your standards higher, status, power, and wealth are all secondary. The most important thing is that they treat you well and do not have ulterior motives. I think this Young Master Zhu is quite good. And don’t pay attention to that young man surnamed Yun, no matter what. He is very young and has a fierce aura. The immortal realm nowadays can have thousands of righteous brothers, but Daoist couples are unique. Be sure to be careful.”
Xue Huai laughed and said, “He also doesn’t like me. Father, don’t make a fool out of me. Hurry up and watch the fire. The sword in your hand is about to melt.”
However, this little incident reminded Xue Huai, and he wanted to go home and take a look.
Xue Huai has been good-looking ever since he was young, and his pursuers are like clouds. When he went to study at the Jianyuan Kindergarten established by the Fuli Palace, even the most fiery and arrogant phoenix tribe put their statues down, and all of them squeezed their round, small bodies that could not transform yet to come and play with him.
Later on, when he grew older and returned to Xianzhou, there was also a continuous stream of peers offering green eyes1Qing yan or green eyes here refers to liking, to favor or to think highly of sb..
It wasn’t known since when did it started, but the gifts and love letters that were sent to his house can already be piled up like mountains. The old man usually briefly categorizes it for him, if it was an object, then it will be returned as it is. And if it was a letter, a pouch, or something that the pursuers spend time making it themselves, Xue Huai will simply reply with a thank-you letter, relaying it along with the rejection.
Xue Huai made a trip back to the house and sorted out these things, then took some changes of clothes for himself and his father.
What he didn’t expect was that as soon as he left the house, he met Zhu Xing, the teenager who had been delivering things to him for several days in a row.
“You, you have finally come back. I saw that you haven’t been at home these days, so I want to try my luck.” Zhu Xing couldn’t even look at him, blushing as he took out a delicate jade pendant from his sleeve. “I heard your birthday is coming soon, and this is a birthday gift for you.”
Xue Huai has been able to recognize various magical treasures in the immortal realm ever since he was a child. With just a glance at the red jade, which has a natural color and unparalleled transparency, he knew that this was a very rare treasure that could be used as a family heirloom.
He shook his head and said, “I can’t accept this. It’s too expensive. If you really want to celebrate my birthday, spend half a spirit stone to bring me a drawer of steamed buns sold by the Siren, and I will be very happy.”
He looked at Zhu Xing’s face, which turned from anticipation to disappointment, and thought to himself that he’s still a kid.
Xue Huai put the jade pendant back into his hand and was about to say goodbye when he saw Zhu Xing take a deep breath and look over nervously. “Wait a moment, Young Master Xue…Xue Huai.”
Xue Huai stopped in his tracks and indeed heard him stutter while asking, “I…before, I snatched your family’s magical weapon, it wasn’t on purpose, I… I…”
Xue Huai listened to him patiently.
Zhu Xing was too nervous, and even after talking for a while, he still hadn’t gotten to the main point. After hesitating for a long time, his mind suddenly twitched and said, “You, can you dual-dual cultivate with me?”
After speaking, Zhu Xing himself was stunned, and his face turned into a pig liver color, like a cat with its tail burned by fire. He hurriedly corrected, “I’m not, I didn’t mean it that way! What I meant was to ask if you have any plans to find a dual cultivator, I really don’t mean that…”
Seeing that he was about to cry, Xue Huai was stunned and then smiled, “I know, it’s okay. But I don’t have this plan yet, and I don’t have anyone I like, Young Master Zhu.”
Zhu Xing stared at him in a daze for a long time.
Being tacitly rejected, his first reaction was not sadness or frustration but rather—
This person looks really good when he smiles.
Curved eyebrows, like the warm sun in spring shining into the glacier that has not melted for thousands of years.
Xue Huai is the type of person who fakes his smiles very often. It is precisely because he is in a place that’s too high that even his smile is somewhat cold and unfriendly. However, his smile at this moment is different. It is like those who have always been in the dark came out and smelled the scent of flowers. This cold, aristocratic young master’s eyes actually have some shining and enthusiastic vitality.
He didn’t know what Xue Huai was laughing at.
Xue Huai was laughing—he, who was seventeen after starting over, still had the chance to see such a lively youthful spirit and sincere love. The aftermath of death and betrayal has kept him tense up until now, like a tightened bowstring. Unexpectedly, it dissipated so easily in front of this nervous and helpless teenager.
This life is real, every inch of air he breathes and every person he meets is living. This big, dream-like rebirth finally feels real.
He can laugh heartily without looking back at death, he can think of what he wants to think about and love what he wants to love.
Zhu Xing stared blankly at him, and Xue Huai patted him on the shoulder and smiled, “It’s nice to be young!” Then he waved his hand and headed towards the Shenhua Terrace.
*
“He looks really good when he smiles ah.”
Not far from the wall, the boys sneakily came out to greet their friend.
Zhu Xing was encouraged by them to come and confess his love. Although the result was not satisfactory, Xue Huai’s attitude was better than what everyone had expected.
Someone patted his shoulder vigorously and said, “Give it a go! If there’s a chance, Young Master Xue is very good.”
Some people also have a lot of questions: “What does that ‘it’s nice to be young’ phrase mean? Brother Yun is the oldest among us and is only two or three months younger than him. Does he think that Zhu Xing is still too young?”
Zhu Xing mumbling, “I don’t know.”
Yun Cuo is still in his usual position, holding a sword and leaning against the wall, not getting involved nor leaving. The silver-gray cat crouched on his shoulder, occasionally tilting its silly little head.
His gaze followed the direction that Xue Huai had left.
It seems that whenever he encounters something related to Xue Huai, he is always like this, not getting involved and just watching from a distance. He and Xue Huai had become brothers, but he didn’t say much during the banquet. Xue Huai’s relationship with the rest of them seemed to be better than Yun Cuo’s.
No one asked him what he thought of Xue Huai. Is it admirable, ordinary, or finding him interesting?
He’s looking at him, but why does he never say his name? Is this something that can’t be mentioned?
Zhu Xing looked at Yun Cuo and couldn’t help but recall the scene a few days ago when they mobilized him to let go and pursue Xue Huai, and Yun Cuo was also there at that time.
They asked each other one by one and guaranteed that they had no other intentions towards Xue Huai and would not “compete with their brothers.”
Yun Cuo at that time…What did Yun Cuo say at that time?
He didn’t say anything, he just lightly said, “You really like him, treat him well in the future, just let go and give it a try.” Apart from that, there was nothing else.
A vague idea emerged in Zhu Xing’s mind, scaring himself.
Is he not chasing, or…dare not to?
He looked at Yun Cuo and tentatively asked, “Yun Cuo, have you…given Xue Huai a birthday present? Do you want to prepare it with them again?”
Yun Cuo glanced at him and walked back without a word, then bent down to pick up his silly cat.
Yun Cuo didn’t say anything.
