Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 32

Ye Qinming looked at her seriously and asked, “Have you really made up your mind? You could actually tell your parents that you’re leaving home to cultivate. That way, you wouldn’t have to deceive them with a false pretense.”

Gu Xiyan lowered her gaze and thought for a long time before finally shaking her head. “I’d rather leave them with something to hold on to. Being able to stay by their side, take care of them, and make them happy is the best thing I can do. If I can protect them during my lifetime, I will return and do what I was meant to do.”

Ye Qinming frowned slightly. Gu Xiyan saw things too clearly. In the past, it wouldn’t have been difficult to achieve this. But now, with that lingering soul residing in Ji Wuyan, she could already foresee the difficulties that lay ahead for Gu Xiyan.

The two of them sat in the tree in silence for a while. Gu Xiyan tilted her head, reaching out to pluck a branch of locust flowers.

Ye Qinming watched her curiously as she carefully picked a single flower. With her long, slender, fair fingers, she gently removed the petals, leaving only the flower’s core. Then, she handed it over and said softly, “Try it?”

“This can be eaten directly?” Ye Qinming took it from her and, under Gu Xiyan’s warm smile, placed the flower core in her mouth. She tentatively pressed her lips together, and a sweet taste, wrapped in the delicate fragrance of the locust flower, spread through her mouth. Her eyes lit up slightly, and she turned back to Gu Xiyan. “It’s sweet.”

Gu Xiyan lowered her head with a smile, plucking another one and putting it into her mouth. A nostalgic look flickered in her eyes. “I told you before, locust flowers are edible. Every year, when the locust trees in the courtyard bloomed, my mother would have Ah Qi and the others gather some, coat them evenly with flour, steam them, and season them. They tasted wonderful. But this year…”

Ye Qinming plucked another flower to eat and then said, “The locust flowers haven’t wilted yet, so they can still be used. You’ve made me crave them now. I’ll pick some, and you can have someone make them for me. How about that?”

Gu Xiyan paused briefly before smiling. “Alright.”

With that, Ye Qinming swiftly leaped up to the freshest branches of the locust tree and called down, “Xiyan, gather your clothes to hold them. I’ll pick and toss them down to you.”

Gu Xiyan was momentarily stunned, but then she steadied herself against the tree trunk, hastily gathering the hem of her robes with both hands to form a makeshift pouch. Her face was serious and focused as she waited.

Standing on a tree branch, Ye Qinming glanced down at the graceful and composed Gu Xiyan, who was now holding up her robes without a care for her image. Her expression, however, remained utterly earnest. Ye Qinming couldn’t help but smile, the corners of her lips lifting higher.

At that moment, the sun was sinking in the west, leaving behind a lingering glow that painted the sky in fiery hues. And under that glow, the Demon Emperor looked down at the blind girl in white. The light in her eyes was even more brilliant than the sunset itself.

Much later, Ye Qinming would wonder—when exactly had she fallen for Gu Xiyan? She couldn’t quite pinpoint the moment. Perhaps it had been love at first sight, though she hadn’t realized it. Maybe it was when this foolish girl had willingly let her take her spiritual power. Or perhaps it had been on this very day, among the branches of the locust tree. Or maybe—there were just too many moments that had told her she had already given her heart away.

It was just that, back then, Ye Qinming had realized it too late. Or perhaps she hadn’t dared to realize it at all.

Gu Xiyan simply sat quietly in the tree, feeling clusters of locust flowers fall around her and into her arms. The sweet fragrance lingered in the air, seeping into her heart along with the taste of the flowers. She had almost forgotten that she had originally been waiting for Ye Qinming to join her for dinner.

It wasn’t until Du Juan, worried that the delay would affect the meal, came to find her that she was pulled back to reality. 

As Du Juan entered the courtyard, she saw her lady sitting on the high branches of a locust tree, cradling an armful of flowers. Meanwhile, Miss Ye was flitting between the branches like a butterfly, plucking flowers and tossing them down into Gu Xiyan’s lap.

Du Juan stood frozen for a long moment, staring blankly at the two of them. Ye Qinming, noticing someone had arrived, gracefully landed beside Gu Xiyan. “Your maid’s here. Hold your bundle tight—I’ll take you down.”

Gu Xiyan had already heard the approaching footsteps. Feeling a bit flustered, she held onto the locust flowers as Ye Qinming carried her down.

Du Juan finally snapped out of her daze and quickly stepped forward. “My lady, Miss Ye, dinner is ready.”

Her gaze then fell on Gu Xiyan, still holding onto the locust flowers. She hesitated for a moment, but before she could speak, Gu Xiyan, feigning nonchalance, said, “Du Juan, sort out these locust flowers. We’ll use them to make locust flower wheat rice tomorrow.”

Du Juan immediately nodded in agreement. Not wanting her lady, whom she saw as a celestial maiden, to continue holding onto the flowers like this, she quickly stepped forward and gathered them into her own robes.

Gu Xiyan let out a quiet sigh of relief and hurriedly adjusted her attire. Some stray flower petals still clung to her clothes, and upon seeing this, Ye Qinming reached out to brush them off. She then leaned in and carefully plucked a lingering petal from Gu Xiyan’s hair.

She was close—so close that amidst the lingering sweetness of the locust flowers, Gu Xiyan caught a faint trace of tea in Ye Qinming’s scent. For a brief moment, she felt dazed.

Ye Qinming was also momentarily dazed, but when she recalled how Gu Xiyan had tried so hard to conceal her embarrassment and act indifferent, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Gu Xiyan, of course, knew what she was laughing about and sighed helplessly. “This is the second time you’ve made me look foolish.”

Ye Qinming took her hand and led her forward, chuckling softly as she looked back at her. “It’s not foolish—it’s rare and adorable.”

The glow of the sunset illuminated Gu Xiyan’s cheeks, casting a faint blush upon them.

***

After dinner, Gu Xiyan took Ye Qinming to the guest room. Since the Gu family was well aware that Ye Qinming had saved Gu Xiyan’s life, they treated her with the utmost respect, and the guest room was arranged with great care.

Once Du Juan had left, Gu Xiyan said softly, “I don’t know if you’ll find it comfortable here. If you don’t, there are some nice forests nearby. Do you prefer earth or a bed?”

Ye Qinming was momentarily speechless before bursting into laughter. She reached out and flicked Gu Xiyan’s forehead. “Gu Xiyan, what exactly are you thinking? I may be a tea spirit, but I’ve taken human form. Do you really think I’d prefer lying on the ground over a clean and comfortable bed?”

Gu Xiyan thought about it for a moment and then chuckled at her own foolishness. “That was silly of me. You should rest well. I’m going to pay my respects to my parents.”

Ye Qinming nodded but asked just as Gu Xiyan was about to leave, “How long do you plan to stay with them?”

Gu Xiyan’s steps faltered. She lowered her head and exhaled slowly. “Just two more days. Once I see that they’ve settled down, I’ll be at ease enough to leave.”

As she stepped outside and looked at the dimming sky, a trace of helpless sorrow flickered across her face. Leaving—where could she even go? She and Ye Qinming didn’t belong to the same world. She couldn’t always hide under Ye Qinming’s protection. Once Ye Qinming recovered and returned to the Demon Realm, Gu Xiyan would have to face the unknown hardships alone.

She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and followed her memory of the way to her parents’ room. Ah Er, who was on patrol, spotted her and quickly led her inside.

After helping Xie Wan finish her medicine, Gu Xiyan sat and talked with her parents. At one point, Gu Ye suddenly said, “The people we sent out have reported that someone from Dongzhou has arrived. Yan’er, your mother and I have discussed this. We want to ask the immortal from Dongzhou to take you back with them. There, demons wouldn’t dare act recklessly, and you would be safe. You… you don’t need to worry about us. Zhuo Lang and the others will take care of your mother and me. We’ll be fine.”

“Dad, Mom…” Gu Xiyan’s throat tightened.

“Yan’er, we don’t ask for much. As long as we know you’re living well, we’ll be satisfied. If our daughter is wise and achieves something great, and if—if you could come back to see us one day, that would be even better.” Gu Ye’s tears fell uncontrollably. He wiped the corners of his eyes and murmured, “We were too selfish. If we had sent you to Dongzhou earlier, you wouldn’t have nearly lost your life, and we wouldn’t have held you back.”

The younger one started their cultivation journey, the better. Now that Gu Xiyan was already eighteen, she would have to put in far more effort, and with her blindness, the path would be even more difficult. This decision had been made out of sheer helplessness.

Gu Xiyan gently patted her parents’ hands to reassure them. “Dad, Mom, you don’t have to worry. None of those troubles will happen again. Qinming said she can help me—she can make sure those demons won’t bother me anymore.”

Gu Ye and Xie Wan exchanged glances, a sudden hope igniting in their eyes. “Truly?”

“Dad, Mom, you must have already guessed who Qinming really is. She’s not an ordinary person. She has great power—she has saved me multiple times. Even the injuries on your body, Dad, were healed by her. That’s why I trust her. If she says she can do it, then she can.”

With that assurance, Gu Ye and Xie Wan were overwhelmed with joy and repeatedly expressed their relief. Only after their emotions had settled did Gu Xiyan bid them goodnight and leave. But as she walked away, the smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a bittersweet ache in her heart. She couldn’t tell if she felt more relieved or burdened.

***

The next morning, when Ye Qinming woke up, she saw Gu Xiyan already sitting outside. Though her expression was calm, she didn’t look particularly well-rested. 

Hearing the movement, she turned her head and smiled. “You’re up.”

“Mm.” Ye Qinming walked over, and Gu Xiyan poured her a cup of tea, handing it to her.

“Did you not sleep well last night?” Ye Qinming asked as she sipped her tea, tilting her head slightly to observe Gu Xiyan.

Gu Xiyan smiled faintly and shook her head. “I was thinking about some things, so I didn’t sleep well.” She didn’t give Ye Qinming a chance to ask further, instead speaking with mild enthusiasm, “I had the kitchen prepare locust flower wheat rice this morning. Want to go take a look?”

Gu Xiyan had noticed that Ye Qinming seemed quite interested in human food. Though she had a lot on her mind, she didn’t want to dwell too much on sorrowful thoughts.

Ye Qinming raised an eyebrow and followed Gu Xiyan to the kitchen. The freshly picked locust flowers had already been washed and drained, and Chef Chen, the kitchen chef, was preparing the other ingredients.

“How do you make this?” Ye Qinming asked, intrigued by such a down-to-earth, homey dish.

Gu Xiyan stepped aside, rolled up her sleeves, and washed her hands. “Mr. Chen, may I try making it myself?”

Chef Chen smiled warmly. “Feel free, my lady. Everything is ready.”

Ye Qinming found the process fascinating and moved closer to watch as Gu Xiyan carefully added flour. Curious, she pinched a bit of the flour between her fingers, licked it, and found it tasteless—strangely so. She frowned and immediately spat it out.

Gu Xiyan, as if she had seen the whole thing, chuckled and explained, “This is ground wheat flour. It’s not edible as is, but once it’s steamed, it will taste quite good.”

She gently mixed the locust flowers, making sure they were evenly coated with flour, then began adding the seasonings one by one. Though she couldn’t see, she identified each ingredient just by scent and roughly gauged the right amount—something she had taken the time to learn in her free moments.

Ye Qinming noticed that Gu Xiyan’s fingertips were covered in flour. She reached out, experimentally touching a bit of it herself, then, as if on a whim, reached over and brushed a stray strand of Gu Xiyan’s hair back behind her ear.

Gu Xiyan pressed her lips together slightly, then obediently said, “Thank you.” However, two white streaks now adorned her fair cheeks, making her look both adorable and a little ridiculous.

Ye Qinming had done it on purpose, and she immediately let out a muffled laugh. Gu Xiyan, still unaware, looked a little confused. The contrast between the white flour on her soft, elegant face somehow made her seem even more delicate and endearing.

A strange warmth welled up in Ye Qinming’s heart. Without thinking, she reached out with her clean fingertips and gently wiped the flour off Gu Xiyan’s cheeks. The sensation of her soft skin under her touch was unexpectedly pleasant, and Ye Qinming suddenly felt as if her fingers were burning. She quickly withdrew her hand.

Gu Xiyan realized what had happened and took a small step back. “What kind of person does that? Are you bullying me just because I can’t see?”

Ye Qinming let out a quiet laugh, her fingers curling slightly as she absentmindedly rubbed them together. A complicated look flickered in her eyes—this wasn’t like her at all.