Chapter 76: Brother Shiyuan shouldn't be that oblivious to romance, right~ (Patreon)

The city district of Waifei Peninsula wasn't large, but the warmth of everyday life there was thick enough to wrap right around a person.

Shops crowded shoulder to shoulder along both sides of the street, signboards stacked one over another.

Some sold general goods, some bought antiques, and one pet shop had a board hanging by its door: PREMIUM CAT FOOD, EXCLUSIVE TO THIS STORE.

The air carried the smell of scallions hitting hot oil, tangled up with the milky sweetness of tea drifting out of some teahouse or other, the kind of smell that burrows straight up your nose.

The group followed Ju Fufu's lead down the street.

She knew the area well enough to take corners without a moment's hesitation, guiding everyone through two alleys before stopping in front of a three-story wooden building.

"Here we are, here we are! Ta-daaa!"

Ju Fufu jabbed a paw at it, her voice full of gusto. "This is the best teahouse and restaurant in all of Waifei Peninsula. Yum Cha Sin!"

Wise looked up at the sign.

The three characters on the wooden plaque, Tea Sipping Immortal, were written with a bold, sinewy strength, the edges bleached pale by wind and sun, which only lent them the flavor of years settling into place.

Two strings of red lanterns hung by the entrance, and beneath them someone had pasted up a handwritten menu notice in a loose, flowing hand.

Working the doorway and greeting customers was a young woman in a qipao.

She was tall, her dark red qipao well cut, her light brown hair pinned up behind her head with two braids hanging down on either side of her face.

Just then she was fanning herself lightly as she saw a table of guests off, calling out, "Take care now, come again," while her free hand snatched up a rag and wiped the sign by the door to a gleam.

"Sweety!"

Ju Fufu charged straight at her, tiger tail whipping around like a wind-and-fire wheel.

Sweety turned at the sound, recognized her at a glance, and the professional smile on her face switched over to a real one.

"Well, this is a rare sight, Master Fufu. It's been ages since you came by the Tea Sipping Immortal."

Ju Fufu grinned wide, tiger ears giving two twitches. "Heh heh~ Sweety! I've been up on the mountain training lately. Finally got a day off, so I brought my junior brothers and sisters along!"

"Training?"

Sweety looked her up and down. "So diligent, Master Fufu. Your cultivation must have come a long way, then. If the Tea Sipping Immortal ever gets swamped, don't you dare beg off."

"Of course not!"

Ju Fufu lifted her little head proudly and folded her arms across her chest. "The sect members of Yunkui Summit answer any call for help! We'd never stand by and watch something bad happen!"

Sweety smiled and let that go by, turning her gaze to the group standing behind Ju Fufu.

Her eyes swept over each face and came to rest on Miguel, pausing there for a beat.

"Welcome to the Tea Sipping Immortal, Masters of Yunkui Summit."

Her smile was pitched exactly right, three parts warmth and seven parts decorum, near enough that no one felt kept at arm's length, polished enough that no one could find a single fault with it. "Our pastries and dishes are the most distinctive food in Waifei Peninsula, I promise you. I don't think this trip will disappoint anyone."

Wise, at the front, gave a slight nod. "Sorry for the trouble, Miss Sweety. We'll be imposing on you."

Belle poked her head out from behind him, eyes bright as searchlights. "Hi, Big Sis Sweety! I'm Belle! Senior Sister Fufu says your food is amazing!"

The blast of enthusiasm left Sweety blinking for a second, then she laughed out loud. "Hello there, Master Belle. If Master Fufu recommended us, you've got nothing to worry about."

Ye Shiyuan stood at the back and pushed up his glasses, his voice quiet but perfectly clear. "It's been a while, Boss Sweety."

Sweety glanced over and placed the face. "Oh, Master Ye came too. The last time you were here was half a year ago, wasn't it?"

"About that."

"Master Ye hasn't changed much by the look of it. Same as ever, not much of a talker."

Sweety shook her head. "Oh, that reminds me. Where's Master Yinhu? He didn't come with you today?"

Ju Fufu chimed in from the side. "Junior Brother Yinhu went over to the ingredient stalls. He'll be along soon."

"Oh? Off to Old Zhou's place again?"

Sweety laughed. "Then make sure he swings by here afterward. He promised to bring me two catties of the mountain goods that just came in."

Listening off to one side, Wise got the picture.

Pan Yinhu's relationship with this shop went well beyond customer and proprietor.

Waifei Peninsula's specialty pastries were demanding about ingredients, and the Tea Sipping Immortal bought in such volume that surplus was unavoidable.

Pan Yinhu, a man who counted every coin, was exactly the person to turn up at the right moment and help clear out stock that was near its date but absolutely sound in quality.

For Pan Yinhu, a bargain. For the Tea Sipping Immortal, one less headache over leftover ingredients.

Everyone won.

Miguel stood at the very back of the group, holding a cup of iced sour plum drink he'd picked up somewhere along the way. He took a sip and nodded to Sweety. "Hello, Boss."

Sweety looked at him.

Something about him set him apart from the others. He was dressed as casually as a man strolling around his own living room, and yet standing there, he gave off a steadiness she couldn't quite account for.

"And this is?"

"Miguel."

Ju Fufu rushed to make the introduction. "Brother Miguel! He's Wise and Belle's big brother!"

Sweety raised an eyebrow. "Oh! I'd never have guessed you were Master Wise and Master Belle's big brother. Forgive my rudeness, we haven't met before."

"Not at all, not at all. Just treat me as an ordinary customer, Miss Sweety."

Miguel waved a hand with a smile. "How about setting us up with a private room first? We've been walking half the day and everyone's thirsty."

"No problem at all. There's a free room on the third floor. Follow me, please."

Sweety led them inside.

Yum Cha Sin was decorated in the old style: wooden tables and chairs, calligraphy and paintings on the walls, a stair rail worn glossy by generations of hands.

The second floor already held a good number of customers, mostly locals in for their morning tea.

The third-floor rooms were far quieter.

When the door swung open, the seats by the window looked out over the street, and sunlight slanting through the lattice laid a few bright bars across the tabletop.

Everyone sat down.

Ju Fufu pulled out a chair with the ease of long habit and dropped into it.

Belle leaned in beside her to talk over where they'd go afterward.

Wise took the seat by the door and, out of habit, gave the room a once-over.

It was small. A single round table seated eight, just right.

The window faced south. Good airflow.

Little Guang sat beside him.

From the moment they entered the Tea Sipping Immortal until now, she'd hardly said a word.

She'd been looking out the window the whole time.

Not at the people passing on the street, but off in another direction entirely, toward Waifei Peninsula's cable car station.

Wise noticed.

"You want to ride the cable car, Little Guang?"

Little Guang turned, blinked once, then gave a small nod. "Mm… I just wanted to go see it."

"Then later you could—"

"Big bro!"

Belle's voice came from across the table. "Senior Sister Fufu and I are going to check out the market later! You want to come?"

Ju Fufu patted Belle's shoulder with one small hand. "Right, right, right, the market's full of good stuff. You're bound to find something you like!"

Wise took in Belle's excitement, then glanced at Little Guang.

"You two go ahead," he said. "There's somewhere I want to go anyway."

Belle tilted her head. "Huh? Where are you going, bro?"

"Just wandering around."

Belle said "oh" and thought nothing more of it.

Wise turned to Little Guang.

"Little Guang, let's go take a look at the cable cars, then."

Little Guang met his eyes.

Something flickered in those ruby eyes first, and then the corners of her mouth curved slowly upward.

Her droopy ears lifted behind her head, then flopped softly back down.

"Mm."

Across the table, Ye Shiyuan took the whole scene in.

He set down his teacup and was about to speak—

"Brother Shiyuan."

A hand settled on his shoulder.

At some point Miguel had drifted over beside him, still holding that cup of sour plum drink, wearing his trademark mild smile, looking for all the world like an older brother quietly digging a pit for someone to fall into.

"Don't even think about slipping away."

Ye Shiyuan pushed up his glasses. "I wasn't planning to."

"Belle and Fufu are going shopping. Somebody's got to keep an eye on them, wouldn't you say?"

Miguel patted his shoulder twice. "And we'll be needing you to help carry the bags."

Ye Shiyuan was silent for a second.

He looked at Belle and Ju Fufu across the table, both lit up with excitement, then at Wise and Little Guang, and finally at Miguel's crinkled, smiling face.

He understood.

"…Yes, Mr. Miguel. I understand."

Ye Shiyuan stood and waved to Wise and Little Guang. "Stay safe. Don't go too far."

Wise nodded. "Understood, Senior Brother Ye. I'll look after Little Guang."

Little Guang nodded along. "Don't worry, big brother."

Ye Shiyuan looked at Little Guang, then at Wise.

His lips moved, but in the end he said nothing more.

He turned and followed Miguel toward the door.

"Brother Shiyuan, what flavor of pastry do you like?"

Miguel's voice carried back from the corridor.

"…Osmanthus cake."

"Seriously? I figured you'd go for something sweeter."

"Is… is that so?"

"Not very honest with yourself, are you, Brother Shiyuan~" Miguel's tone was pure teasing.

Ye Shiyuan had nothing to say to that, and for a moment couldn't think how to answer at all.

This Brother Miguel. How was he even less proper than Master?

Once everyone had settled on plans, Ju Fufu and Belle put in the food order with Sweety in advance and told her they'd be out wandering for a bit, back in about a quarter of an hour.

Then Miguel and Ye Shiyuan headed out along with Ju Fufu and Belle.

Ju Fufu and Belle gathered their things in a whirlwind and bolted for the door.

At the doorway Ju Fufu turned back to shout, "Junior Brother Wise! Little Guang! Have fun on your own, but remember to keep an eye on the time!"

"Got it."

The room went quiet.

From outside came the distant calls of street vendors, and a song playing on somebody's radio.

Wise looked at Little Guang.

Little Guang looked back at him.

"Shall we?" Wise stood up.

"Mm."

Little Guang rose after him, her droopy ears swaying once.

One behind the other, they walked out of the Tea Sipping Immortal.

The street was full of people coming and going, sunlight spilling down from overhead, warm and easy.

Little Guang walked beside Wise with a much lighter step than usual, and even those droopy ears carried a hint of a skip.

"Curious?" Wise asked idly.

Little Guang thought about it. "Well, the thing is… I don't think I've ever ridden one."

"Not even once?"

"Mm." Her ears pressed flat for a moment. "Back when I was up on the mountain, there was never a chance to go down. And afterward…"

She didn't finish.

Wise didn't press.

Some things were better left understood without saying.

"Then might I have the honor of inviting my 'esteemed' Senior Sister Little Guang to ride the cable car with me today?"

Wise struck a formal inviting pose and bowed slightly.

Little Guang glanced at him, her mouth curving, a little embarrassed. "Honestly, Wise, you don't have to be so serious about it~"

The two of them followed the street toward the cable car station.

Waifei Peninsula's cable car had been built on the slope east of the city district, linking the overlook halfway up the mountain with the commercial district at its foot.

Even from a distance you could see the cables strung across the open air, cabins creeping along them like little boxes hung from the sky.

About ten minutes' walk brought them to the entrance.

The line was short, only three or four people.

Wise bought two tickets and handed one to Little Guang.

She took it, looked it over for a moment or two, then tucked it carefully into an inner pocket.

Wise noticed the gesture but said nothing about it.

Their turn came.

An attendant slid the cabin door open and motioned them in.

The cabin was small, with two seats facing each other, the window side offering a wide-open view.

Little Guang took the window seat, hands resting on her knees.

The moment the door shut, the cabin gave a lurch and she tipped forward slightly.

Then the car began to climb.

The view outside unfolded piece by piece.

Streets, rooftops, the mountains in the distance, and farther out still, that thin tear in the cloud layer along the horizon.

Little Guang watched it all, her droopy ears swaying gently in the breeze.

Wise sat across from her and said nothing.

It was a good while before she spoke.

"Wise."

"Mm?"

"Thank you."

Wise blinked. "For what?"

Little Guang didn't look at him; her gaze stayed on the window.

The car had climbed halfway up the mountain now, and the buildings below had become blocks of color, large and small.

"You knew I wanted to come here," she said. "That's why you said you 'happened to have somewhere to go.'"

Wise was quiet for two seconds.

"I really was curious to see all of Waifei Peninsula," he said. "And besides, if something matters to you, I figure it's probably worth giving it a try."

Little Guang turned her head and looked at him.

Her ruby eyes were impossibly bright in the sunlight.

"Mm." Her mouth curved. "You really are kind, Wise."

Thick-skinned as ever, Wise took the compliment without so much as a flinch.

For a while after that, they both turned back to the window.

The car kept climbing, and the cabin fell silent for a few seconds.

Then Wise's phone rang.

He pulled it out and looked. A message from Belle.

[Belle: Bro! Senior Sister Fufu and I found so much good stuff at the market! Guess what I saw!]

[Belle: Image]

The picture showed a mask shaped like a big orange cat head, a good eighty percent likeness of Ju Fufu.

[Belle: Senior Sister Fufu's face went green when she saw it hahahahaha]

[Belle: Oh right! What about Senior Sister Little Guang? Did you two make it to the cable cars?]

Wise read it for two seconds, then tapped out a few words in reply.

[Wise: We're here. Mind yourself and don't get lost.]

He sent it and slid the phone back into his pocket.

"From Belle?"

"Mm. She found an orange cat mask at the market. Senior Sister Fufu's about ready to explode."

Little Guang laughed out loud.

It was a soft sound, but in the sealed cabin it came through with unusual clarity.

Listening to it, Wise felt his own mouth curve without meaning to.

The car reached the station.

The instant the door opened, mountain wind poured in, carrying the smell of green grass and damp earth.

Little Guang stood, walked to the cabin door, and looked out.

There were only a few people on the overlook.

Ridgelines rolled away into the distance, and overhead the sky was a blue so clear it looked transparent.

Sunlight fell across her and traced her outline in brightness.

She glanced back and smiled at Wise.

"Let's go."

Wise stood and stepped out of the cabin with her.

At the railing of the overlook, Little Guang leaned over and looked down.

The whole city district of Waifei Peninsula lay spread out beneath them.

Those streets and rooftops had turned into something like a scale model, the crowds flowing back and forth like ants on the move.

"Can you see Yunkui Summit?" Wise asked.

Little Guang pointed to the northwest.

Behind the line of ridges, the outline of a single peak showed faintly.

It was wreathed in cloud and mist, too hazy to make out clearly, but it was there all right.