Wei Rou did not think much of it. She had kissed him lots as a show of her motherly affection.
She tiptoed and kissed his cheek. He smiled.
Wei Rou pushed the bottles to him, hornets buzzing inside. "What do you plan to do with them?"
"I am curious. I want to see if they can work for me."
"Well, be careful then. Don't get stung. Do you want my help with it?" she said.
"You are so sweet, Auntie. If I get stuck, I will ask you," he said. "You work too hard. You need to take better care of yourself."
She shook her head. "I am okay. Don't worry about me. Let me make something for you now."
"Okay."
Sheng Xuan kept her company as she made him a savory crepe with egg, scallion and meat.
Seeing him eat happily, she was content too.
Halfway through, Wen Zhi walked out of her pill room. Hearing Sheng Xuan's voice, the exhaustion faded from her eyes, replaced by joy. Her spirit qi activated, she arrived at the kitchen in a quick few steps.
"Xuan'er!" she called out.
Sheng Xuan rose up, smiling. "Mom!"
She quickly hugged him. Sheng Xuan hugged her back. Feeling her care, his heart warmed.
Seeing the warm scene, Wei Rou also smiled. She did not want to disturb them, slipping away.
"Have you been well? I did not see you for so many days," Wen Zhi worriedly asked.
"I have been good, Mom. Don't worry," he reassured.
Wen Zhi checked him up and down. He sensed her spirit sense scan him gently.
"You are a cultivator now?!" she exclaimed, a bright smile curling her lips.
"Yes. Your son is a cultivator now."
"I am so proud of you," she patted his back.
"Mm."
"You promise you did not have any issues?" she asked.
"Who could cause me any issue? Even if someone caused an issue, it would be your son," he proclaimed.
"Do you want to be taught a lesson?" she said, separating from him. She faked a strict face.
"No, Mom. I am kidding. I am a good kid!"
Wen Zhi chuckled.
"But there is something," he sheepishly said.
Wen Zhi paused mid-chuckle, looking at him with mock exasperation. "What trouble have you brewed this time?"
"I just went to fish, Mom," he said righteously.
"Okay... Go on."
"It's just the spot. It's one of the ornamental fish farms under the Southern Pagoda."
"You silly boy. Why did you have to fish there?"
"Mom, it had a luminous fish," he quickly said. "I caught it and used its Sun Essence Stone to complete my initiation."
Wen Zhi's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
"Yes."
Wen Zhi scanned him up and down, her eyes brimmed with pride and affection. "You know how to take care of yourself now. That makes me relieved."
"Of course."
"Bend down. Let me give you a kiss."
He bent his head. She pecked his cheek and caressed his face. She had planned to lecture him. Now, she did not have the heart for it.
"The spot you chose is not ideal but at least you got what you wanted. I will talk to your Dad about it. Don't worry."
"Thank you, Mom," Sheng Xuan grinned. Having strong parents was really convenient. He loved it.
Wen Zhi changed the topic. "Now that you are a cultivator, what do you plan to do?"
"Well, I want to see Lan'er first."
"Ah, right," she said. "It's about time you two get together."
Wen Zhi took out several bottles. "These are contraceptive and nourishing pills. Have her use them."
"Mom..." Sheng Xuan's mouth opened, then closed. Still, he took them from her.
"Are you scared I will give you a grandbaby?" he joked.
Wen Zhi gently struck his chest. "What are you saying? I would love it but you are too young. You need to build up yourself first, then think about giving us grandbabies."
"You are right, Mom," he said.
"And this is the dual cultivation art I had mentioned before." She took out a red manual and handed it to him.
Sheng Xuan's eyes lit up. He took it and stored it in his storage ring, which now answered to his spirit qi.
"Be careful with it. Don't rush into anything, okay?" she said.
"Of course."
"You promise?"
"Yes. Yes."
Satisfied with his response, she said, "For your first time, you don't have to follow it. You can directly absorb the pure yin."
"Ah, okay."
Although it was embarrassing, Sheng Xuan saw it as just cultivation knowledge. Wen Zhi did not find it awkward to explain such matters to him. She liked to communicate openly and it would only benefit him.
Sheng Xuan shifted the conversation to other matters and his Dad. During their conversation, Wen Zhi had an idea. With her son back home, she was motivated to cook a lavish amount of food. Wei Rou came in to help as well. Sheng Xuan stayed with them for a while longer before he sat outside and read the daily newspaper.
Soon, Wei Lan returned. Seeing Sheng Xuan, she could not control herself and rushed into his embrace.
"I missed you so much!" she hugged him tightly and sniffed him.
Sheng Xuan hugged her tight too, feeling her soft and curvy body. "I missed you too."
Her face was pressed against his chest. He leaned in and kissed the side of her face and her ear. Under his kisses, they turned red and warm. Wei Lan enjoyed it.
As she lifted her head toward him, he took her lips. She trembled, her fingers gripping his robe.
"Mm!"
Her eyelashes fluttered, her body went limp. She did not protest, instead kissed him back. She had missed him that much.
Sunlight drew entwined shadows on the bluestone.
Sheng Xuan rubbed his way down, squeezing her plump bottom, making her groan in protest.
Their lips smacked, tongues coiled, not separating for even a moment. Wei Lan was engrossed in the kiss.
In the kitchen, hearing the sounds, the hands of the two mothers paused, their eyes met in surprise and shame.
Wei Rou was mortified. "This girl really has no sense of decorum. I have made an embarrassment of myself in front of you, Sister Zhi."
Wen Zhi shook her head, chuckling. "What are you saying, Sister Rou? It's all my unruly son's fault. Don't blame Lan'er."
Wei Rou glanced in their direction. A wall blocked her sight. She probed with her spirit sense.
Sensing her mother's spirit sense, Wei Lan was alarmed. She came to her senses with a jolt, pushing him away.
Her face was beet-red. She looked in the kitchen's direction, anxious. "Are Mom and Auntie inside?"
Sheng Xuan scratched his head. "Ah, yes..."
Wei Lan's heart dropped.
"Why did not you tell me!" she said in a muffled voice, panicking.
"What's the issue? They are busy making lunch in the kitchen." He tried to hold her hand, only for her to pull away.
"No. Auntie probably saw all of it. You should have told me."
She wished there was a hole she could jump into. Her skin prickled from embarrassment.
Lacking the courage to stay here any longer, she sprinted away. Auntie must look down on her.
Sheng Xuan was dumbfounded. He hurriedly followed behind her, passing streams, rockeries, and porches.
"Lan'er!" he softly called.
Wei Lan did not stop, running past the herb fields, arriving at the back of her house.
Yellow and blue flowers bloomed over a large area beside a variety of herbs.
When Sheng Xuan arrived, he saw her seated on a patch of grass, tearing petals of a flower.
He sat beside her, only for her to turn her back toward him. When he switched position, she turned again, making him go in a circle, leaving him exasperated.
Before she could turn again, he pulled her into his embrace.
"What happened? Why are you angry at me?" he gently asked.
She did not fight against his arms, letting him hold her. He placed her on his lap and hugged her soft waist.
"You should not have kissed me while Auntie was there," she pouted. "What would she think of me now?"
"Ah, you are overthinking it. She won't care. Don't worry. She won't think less of you."
"No, she probably thinks I don't have any manners," she said anxiously, not knowing how she was going to face her later.
"Look at me," he held her face with his right hand, making her gaze into his eyes.
"Mom does not care about things like that. She actually supports it. And you are my woman, so it's only normal for us to do that," he said, serious.
"Ah."
Hearing his words of commitment, her uneasy heart quickly relaxed, instead swelling with warmth. If she had been feeling like a drifting duckweed, now someone had calmed the seas for her.
Her eyes softened with tenderness. She adjusted herself, sitting comfortably on his lap, and rested her head on his chest, listening to his steady and familiar heartbeat.
"I will believe you," she softly said.
Sheng Xuan rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. Both soaked in the silence, letting their warmth seep into each other's bodies.
Suddenly, he said, "We were not done yet."
Wei Lan looked up, shame flashing in her dark-green eyes.
"With what?" she acted clueless.
"Let me show you."
He kissed her juicy red lips.
"Ah! Mmh!"
Her eyelashes fluttered in mock annoyance but her lips moved as deftly as his.
Gentle breezes carried the fragrance of flowers. Not once. Not twice. Not thrice. These two lovebirds did not seem to know what stopping meant. Unfortunately, Sheng Xuan was no longer restrained by his mortal state.
Before he lost control and pinned her down, he pulled away.
"Why stop?" Her voice was tinged with loss. She hugged his neck and covered his lips again.
Although troublesome, Sheng Xuan indulged her while trying to cool his inner fire.
If his Mom had not planned lunch, he would have taken her to a room right away.
Feeling she had had her fill of him, she separated and looked at him curiously. "Are you a cultivator now?"
"Can not you tell?" he smiled.
"I can but I wanted to hear from you. I am very happy for you!" She sweetly said.
"Do you know how difficult it is to control myself right now?" he huskily said.
Realizing what he meant, she blushed. "I should move away then. It must be uncomfortable for you."
Sheng Xuan held her tighter, kissing her exposed neck.
"Ah!" she shivered.
"This is fine. Stay with me," he said.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "You might not be able to resist me."
Sheng Xuan's eyebrow twitched. Saying such words with her face red as an apple, she was so tempting.
"You are so daring," he kissed her cheek.
Wei Lan wanted to tempt him more but she feared he would lose his restraint. That would make returning for lunch so awkward.
"Brother Xuan, did you eat well these few days?"
"You packed me so much food. I had more than enough."
"Show me the boxes."
Sheng Xuan was prepared. He took out a dozen boxes.
Seeing most were empty, Wei Lan was satisfied. Still, she said, "You should have finished the others too. Did you not like them?"
"No, I had enough. I will just keep snacking on them."
"Wait, no. These are not fresh anymore. Give them to me. I will cook you fresh."
"They were in my storage ring. They are still hot."
"Still, you should eat fresh."
"Okay, fine."
Sheng Xuan entwined his hand with hers, kissing the back of her hand.
"Brother Xuan~" She smiled sweetly, cozying up against his chest.
This warm atmosphere was interrupted by the buzzing of flying insects. Both turned their heads to the forest beyond the walls.
A swarm of grey and black rushed toward them. In front there were fist-sized Ironshell Beetles with grey-marked carapaces. Behind there was a group of much smaller red-black Bloodeye Beetles, their eyes pulsing.
Wei Lan's eyebrows furrowed in anger. How dare they disturb their moment?
She quickly stood up alongside Sheng Xuan.
"Stay behind, Brother Xuan. Let me handle them."
"I can help."
"No, no. Stay behind. You just became a cultivator. Don't be reckless," she said, serious.
"I-"
She added, "You will distract me otherwise."
"Alright, fine."
As the swarm neared, Wei Lan stepped forward.