The thought of meeting people aside from the Xu family had honestly spooked Junjie. It was just last night that he was thinking about meeting other people and all of a sudden, it was going to happen, just like that?
'Life sure is strangely coincidental sometimes.'
"So who is this mystery bachelor that I'm to meet?" Junjie quipped, feigning a bashful expression; his joke earned a scowl from Lihua, as per usual.
Xingjuan stayed silent for a moment, deep in thought before answering,
"I dunno."
"...What? So you know I have to meet someone but have no idea who it is I actually have to meet up with?" Something wasn't quite adding up here.
"Yep! You summarised that pretty succinctly. You might think this is a bit shady but its just that I haven't been to the city since I registered Lihua's birth. Last I was there the elemental appraiser was some old fogey, who I'm certain by now, has long since croaked. So I really got no clue who you're going to see."
"Right, so, that actually makes quite a bit more sense then I was expecting. It's just that, for fresh ingredients where, if not the city, do you go to buy them?" Junjie felt almost awkward now talking to the Xu family, had something changed since yesterday?
Instead of Xingjuan, Lihua intercepted, "She goes to the fresh produce store a few kilometers outside of town. I would know because I sometimes used to go with her before I had to start training your dumbass." That last comment felt a little unnecessary but Junjie was used to it by now.
"Okay, so when should we go, or should I doll up first in case any beaus approach me." He said that with a slight head tilt and puffed lips, a retake at the unsuccessful bit from before; although this time the room was silent for a moment before Xingjuan burst out laughing.
"Yeah, yeah kid. Go have a shower and whatnot and then we'll head off, I can't have it looking like I'm raising a beast. And besides you could be quite the charmer, who knows?" She threw a very quick glance at Lihua before moving about her own business.
It only took about thirty minutes before Junjie was ready to head into town. He had his hair in its usual half-up half-down style and a simple black hanfu. Noticing all the dark tones he started to think maybe some colours would greatly benefit his beauty.
.Exiting the bathroom, he went to meet the eccentric mother daughter duo.
With a few simple words they set off toward the town, in the opposite direction from where he first came. There was still bamboo forest surrounding him but this time they were following a more civilised looking path. Junjie took a moment to look at both Xingjuan and Lihua and notice that they both looked like they were going to a high end restaurant or something.
"This is something I've actually been meaning to ask for a while, but why is there a path this nice all the way out here, it's white brick and looks fully polished and everything. Can this town really afford maintenance all the way out here and for one resident at that?" It had always struck Junjie as odd but he'd never found a moment to mention it before now.
"Well, first of all, yours truly is the one who built it; you'd be surprised at the power of Qi. And also, we probably aren't as far from the city as you may think so they still keep this walkway polished all the way up to my front yard, it's quite nice, really."
That response made him wonder just how close this city really was. Whenever it was mentioned, which was already far and few between but, they had always made it sound elusive and distant like a place that would take quite a while to reach.
"Okay so, just how far are we from the city? It's probably a while right, like a few hours?" Junjie didn't even sound convinced at this point because the more he thought about it, it became increasing likely that she would say a ridiculously small distance.
"Probably about a five hour walk give or take." Xingjuan casually said.
Junjie froze in place. That was the complete opposite of what he was now expecting to hear. But something else quickly nagged him.
"But if its that far, how exactly to you plan to get there and return by sundown?"
"Well firstly, who said anything about returning by sundown. This is a celebration we're going to be going out for dinner and staying the night in a hotel."
"I'm not sure I'll have the energy to celebrate that late and after that much walking to be honest, I'm flattered but-"
Xingjuan cut him off, "We obviously aren't going to be walking, do we look like normal people to you?" With that her lips crawled their way up her delicate face.
"Naturally we're going to be flying."
Every muscle in Junjie's body tensed and he stiffened. He'd be flying, and this soon too? More importantly, he would be flying!?
For the first time in a while Lihua broke her silence with a smile akin to Xingjuan's, "All we're doing is flying, why are you scared? We can walk if you want..."
It was in that instant that every muscle in Junjie's body relaxed and he rplied with a smile of his own, "Me, scared? And of something as meager as flying, please I am not that pathetic."
"Right, let's not waste anymore time, so unsheathe that Jian and throw it on the floor." Xingjuan casually spoke.
'Okay, so what exactly does my sword and flying have to do with one another..?' At this point he gave up asking questions and hesitantly complied.
he watched in awe as in the next moment, his Jian began to levitate. He noticed the sound that it made, a deep whirring, as if the world itself was carrying his blade in the wind.
"What are you waiting for, jump on." Lihua and Xingjuan began to unsheathe their respective blades and got on without hesitation. It was now Junjie just staring at his flying sword in awe.
"Alright, if you say so..."