READ WEBNOVEL Chapter 57.5: Bonus Scene – Teatime
On a certain pleasant evening, three people sat around a table, busy with paperwork. One was the sect master of the Drifting Clouds Sect, Lu Feiyu. The other two were his direct disciples, An YaLing and Li Yingzi.
Unlike his disciples, Lu Feiyu had been working since morning and felt very exhausted by now. So in a dignified tone, he called, “YaLing, pour me some tea.”
Pausing in his work, An YaLing smiled and nodded. “Right away, Master.”
Putting aside the papers in his hand, An YaLing diligently began preparing the tea and retrieved some clean cups from his storage.
But Li Yingzi was not willing to see his senior brother so dutifully attending to someone else, so he snapped at his master in irritation, “You have two good hands, don’t you? So why don’t you pour it yourself, old man?”
Unbothered, Lu Feiyu bared his teeth in a smile as he countered, “A good disciple pours tea for his master. What’s so difficult to understand about this, you stinky little brat?”
At the side, An YaLing sighed in resignation as he thought, ‘Oh dear gods, here they both go again.’
Not seeing his senior brother's expression, Li Yingzi sneered at his master. “Oh? Then if you aren’t going to use those chopstick-thin arms of yours, how about I slice them off for you?”
Chuckling, Lu Feiyu retorted, “And with what would you do that? Your bone stick?”
In a disdainful tone, Li Yingzi returned, “It’s a bone pearl flute, you stupid geezer! And I can at least bludgeon you to death with it. On the other hand, what exactly can you do with your feathers? Tickle me to death?”
Lu Feiyu narrowed his eyes, the pleasant smile still on his face. “Is this how you show gratitude to your savior, boy?”
Li Yingzi immediately grew irked at that annoying, sarcastic tone. “What savior? Are you delusional? You only picked me up from―”
Deciding that it had gone on long enough, An YaLing interrupted, “Now, now, you two. That’s enough. Master, your tea is getting cold. And Yingzi, calm down. I’ll pour some for you as well.”
Lu Feiyu very gracefully accepted, “Very well, since my darling disciple has reminded me, I will partake of your efforts.”
Miffed, Li Yingzi muttered snidely, “Presumptuous, prissy, pompous old ass.”
Narrowing his eyes, Lu Feiyu asked, “What was that?”
Sneering openly, Li Yingzi had no qualms about speaking his insults out loud. “I said you were a presum―”
An YaLing felt that he had to intervene again. “Stop it, Yingzi. Drink your tea.”
Since it was his senior brother who was ordering him, Li Yingzi obediently replied, “…Yes, Senior Brother.”
“Hmph.” At the side, Lu Feiyu did not forget to express his smugness.
Li Yingzi’s eye twitched, but he forced down his irritation and decided to relish his senior brother’s tea. Then in a quiet, needy voice, he asked An YaLing, “Senior Brother, can you sing me to sleep today?”
Lu Feiyu's eyes immediately narrowed.
Not sensing the strange competitive atmosphere that had suddenly sparked between his master and junior brother, An YaLing easily agreed. “Alright then, after we’re done with this work, we’ll go to your room and I’ll help you sleep.”
Li Yingzi shot a self-satisfied look at his master out of the corner of his eyes, infuriating Lu Feiyu to no end.
So with a sad expression, the sect master also looked at his head disciple. “YaLing, why have you never sung me to sleep before? Your master also wants to hear your voice when you sing.”
An YaLing looked at him confusedly. “But Master, you don’t need to sleep. And if you want me to sing, I can do it right now.”
Lu Feiyu’s mouth twitched. It’s not the same! If you sing for me here, I can’t make that brat jealous and it won’t be fun at all!
But outwardly, all Lu Feiyu said was, “No need.” Gritting his teeth, he pretended not to notice his second disciple's look of victory.
For the next few moments, the sound of tea being sipped was the only thing heard in the room.
Then Lu Feiyu brightened as something occurred to him. Turning to his darling disciple once again, he advised, “YaLing, since your junior brother is a cultivator, he also doesn’t need much rest. So there’s no need for you to go out of your way to sing him to sleep today. You should spend this time with your master instead and let me teach you some new cultivation methods.”
Li Yingzi’s eyes seemed like they were attempting to spit fire towards this shameless master of his. This blasted old man! Li Yingzi knew that Lu Feiyu was simply messing with him on purpose! He hoped someone would quickly come and take his bothersome master away to hide in a remote cave somewhere so that this meddlesome old man would finally leave him and his senior brother alone!
Not reading the undercurrents, An YaLing tilted his head cluelessly as he replied, “But, Master… Though Yingzi technically does not need rest, he is still a young boy. He is only nineteen, he still has a lot of growth to go through, and growing teens need a lot of sleep. But since he has trouble sleeping, I still think it’s better if I sing to help him sleep after all.”
Lu Feiyu’s smile froze.
That smirking, smug expression on the little brat’s face was almost unbearable.
Gently placing the empty cup down, Lu Feiyu stiffly rose and left.
He had borne enough indignity today! If he had to stay there anymore, then he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from slapping off that provoking smile from that annoying little rascal’s face! He would not let himself be driven to such uncultured behavior, especially not while in his darling little head disciple’s presence.
And so, Lu Feiyu really had no choice but to leave.
Watching his master almost running out of the room, An YaLing contemplated out loud. “I wonder if Master suddenly remembered some urgent business.”
Li Yingzi simply sneered at his master’s rapidly retreating figure. Good riddance at last!
Then turning to An YaLing, Li Yingzi opened his arms and hugged him tightly, burying his face in his senior brother’s shoulder and luxuriating in the faint fragrance emanating from him.
Chuckling while remembering how the old man had fled, Li Yingzi praised, “Senior Brother, you really are the best.”
“Huh?” An YaLing felt that his master and junior brother were getting harder and harder to understand these days.
Li Yingzi sighed contentedly. “Nothing, it’s nothing.”
With a smile, An YaLing affectionately patted his junior brother's head that was comfortably snuggling into his shoulder. “Yingzi, come on now, get up. Let's finish all this paperwork so that I can sing you to sleep soon.”
“Okay.” Li Yingzi got up and diligently began going through the paperwork again, the thought that he would be able to hear his senior brother singing exclusively for him spurring him to put in more effort.
And thus, teatime was concluded as the two disciples continued their work in silent harmony.