"It took you a long time to climb that mountain, we've been waiting for you for hours!" I exclaimed to tease them.

"Lao Wen, shut up!" A-Xu elbowed me in the ribs! This was definitely becoming a habit. I thought I heard a laugh from my right. But there was no one there but snow as far as the eye could see. The 4 other living people were in front of me!

I looked at the 2 disciples of my soul mate in more detail. They had not changed! The joy of finding their master could be seen in their eyes. As for the latter, the sweet smile that I loved so much was floating on his face. He was happy to see them again! A twinge of jealousy gripped my heart.

I had always thought that my presence was enough for A-Xu, but he must have missed being around other people! It's true that he had grown up with people who loved him and had always been surrounded by them, even during the time of the Windows of Heaven. Sharing him with ChengLing was one thing, but with his other disciples, I think I would have a harder time!

At the same time, I should have expected it! By revealing that we were still alive to QingMing and ChenZichen, I must have suspected that they would want to resume teaching with their master and A-Xu knew it! I gave myself a slap in the face. I had to stop being selfish and think of my soul mate and what made him happy first.

"Lao Wen? What's the matter with you?" he asked when he saw me do it.

I couldn't help but make a face.

"Nothing, nothing, everything is fine and how about we go and see what kind of bed ChengLing has brought us! "With a flick of my wrist, I opened my fan to hide the redness that had invaded my face. A-Xu always saw everything, nothing escaped him!" He looked at me as I walked down to our visitors, looking suspicious.

I approached the cart and looked at the bed carefully. Considering the size of the uprights, it would never fit on the stairs.

"A-Xu, I think there's going to be a problem," the latter approached and looked at the contents of the cart in turn.

"Yes, it looks like it!" I turned to our dear first disciple.

"Cheng Ling, are you indeed the heir of Longyuan Pavilion?"

"Yes Shishu"

"Well...their specialty is mechanisms and plans?"

"Uh...yes..." I had the impression that our young scatterbrain still didn't see what I was getting at!

"Lao Wen, stop beating around the bush!" said A-Xu impatiently!

"All right, Cheng Ling do you have vision problems? This bed will never fit on the stairs! Were you planning to make us sleep on the first floor?"

"No, Shishu, I was planning to take it up the outside to the second promontory in front of your room."

I was speechless. My soul mate pursed her lips to hold back the laughter while QingMing and ChenZichen giggled as they lowered their heads and turned halfway! I looked at ChengLing with anger. And to think that I thought that I wouldn't be able to call him "young idiot" anymore, but he proved it to me! I was going to reply, but he was staring at me with the candid eyes of a puppy begging for his reward... It was not possible ! He had not premeditated what he had just said?

I sighed while shaking my head, this child would definitely make me see all the colors ! I concentrated on the two newcomers.

"Hey, you two, stop laughing, you haven't finished mounting your load! So take the stretchers and pull" I then turned to A-Xu.

"I'll guide them to the upper promontory, in the meantime, you can take ChengLing to the kitchen, I think he has some supplies to put away!"

I turned back to my two "cadets", after all I too was a member of the 4 Seasons Manor! I had a small smile in corner... I was their elder... I knew that it was not well to be jealous but nothing prevented me from playing them some small tricks in my way to my shidis ....

"And if we took the opportunity to do some exercises..."

QingMing and ChenZichen glanced at each other worriedly, then bowed to me.

"Yes , Shifu!" they said in unison.

"Very well first..." . I climbed into the cart and sat on its load.

"Forward, I will show you the way, but since there is not much distance left, you will pull with one hand each and the other behind your back! Let's go! ". I lay down on one elbow, fanning myself with my fan with the other hand to hide the smug smile on my lips.

Zhou Zi Shu for his part was watching the trio leave. ChengLing at his side.

"Master, why are QingMing and ChenZichen only pulling the cart with one hand? "

"I don't know, but it must be your shishu's idea! " I replied without taking my eyes off the little group.

I suspected that a crazy idea had been brewing in my soul mate's mind since the moment I had seen him slap his face. Just before, I had felt his gaze on me as I smiled at the thought of seeing my former Heaven's Window companions again. A strange feeling came over me and a chill ran down my back. Like a danger, without being one... I looked around the promontory. The view was clear and one could see for miles around. There was not a living soul! I must have been mistaken. With a wave of the hand, I indicated to ChengLing to come with me. He took his bag and followed me.

As soon as I got to the door, I locked it. I still had that same feeling... However, once the armory was locked, nothing and nobody could enter. I silenced my fears and turned back to my young disciple who was waiting for me with a cheerful look on his face.

"You'll see Master, I'm sure you and Shishu will be happy. The bed is just the right width to be close but also to be comfortable.

He looked so proud of himself for finding a bed that could satisfy Lao Wen and me that I couldn't help but tease him!

"But tell me, how do you know the necessary space for two people in a bed?

My dear disciple's face turned as red as the robes of the Ghost Valley's leader!

"Well actually ... I have ... uh ... well ... it's only ...."

Evasive looks, face even more red than before... Would I have asked an indiscreet question ? It's true that he would be 17 in a few months .... he was old enough to have a girlfriend or even a fiancée... The image of his Uncle Chen Chen floated into my mind as well as that of Gao's daughter, Xiao Lian!

ChengLing had his eyes downcast and was looking at the tip of his shoes. I had teased him enough for now. I guided him to the kitchen so that he could put down the groceries he had brought! It is true that our diet at Lao Wen and me was rather frugal and cold, I would even say very cold or even frozen!

By arriving in the room of the treaties I had again the feeling to be spied! But it was impossible, the armory was locked and then Fucang was there, if someone had entered without our permission, he would have let us know!

"ChengLing , are you sure you were not followed? "

"Yes Master, I even told QingMing and ChenZichen to be on guard for our 'secret mission'".

"Alright, let's go join them, I'm a little worried that your shishu will take advantage of his Elder status!"

"Master, isn't Fucang here?" I turned around and glanced around. Then resuming my ascent.

"He must have gone to his basket. There are probably too many people for him. "

We made our way upstairs to our room. As we entered, I could see that Lao Wen had cleared the way to our future bed and had prepared in a corner something to properly welcome our visitors after their mountain escapade. A jar of wine and tea were on the table near our brazier.

I walked to the door and opened it, with ChengLing on my heels. I couldn't see them, but I could hear Lao Wen's voice spouting so-called encouraging lines.

"He said: "And like the reed bending under the wind, you will not break and follow the wind!

I suddenly saw them emerge from behind a rock. They had been quick! Lao Wen was lying on the cart, his head resting on his left fist, one knee slightly raised and fanning himself with his right hand. He really wasted no opportunity to have fun at the expense of others! I would have to pull his ear as soon as we were in private!

"Hey, here we are! We've arrived!" my soul mate said, jumping up and down from his walking observation point.

"A-Xu, you saw how fast we were! I knew that reciting poetry to them would give them the strength they needed for that final climb!"

In front of him, QingMing and ChenZichen, grimaced as they rolled their eyes. They must not have appreciated the convoluted rhymes of my dear philanthropist Wen! But it had to be said that it had been effective! They had made the last 200 zhangs (*) in no time!

"Come on, everyone at work, we put all this in the room and then I prepared a little drink! "Lao Wen said, closing his fan with a sudden movement of the wrist. I noticed a smile on his face which did not bode well for my two disciples of the Windows of Heaven!

The unloading of the cart began. After some procrastination, between my soul mate and me, it was established that we would take turns. QingMing, ChenZichen and he would lead the bed to the promontory and ChengLing and I would take him to the room.

At one point I heard screams? They were so loud that I thought that an avalanche was coming down towards us and that they wanted to warn us! I turned around, but there was no white tide coming towards us. I approached the edge to see what was going on. I saw my soul mate perched on the cart and giving instructions to my disciples, pointing his fan, right, left and gesticulating in all directions! Annoyed I shouted at him:

"Wen KeXing! Instead of playing the Emperor's civil servants, get down from there and help them to carry this amount! Otherwise, I think you will sleep on the floor tonight! Now that everyone hurries up, the night will soon fall!

The rest of the unloading went smoothly. I sent QingMing to take the cart back down to the first level, while ChengLing went to open the bottom door to put the vehicle away.

Once everyone was back inside, Lao Wen went to warm up the wine and water in the teapot. Strangely enough, Fucang still hadn't shown his nose! ChengLing and QingMing eventually joined us. My soul mate served a glass of mulled wine to our three guests. Just as he was pushing one towards our first disciple, I interrupted him.

"ChengLing is not yet old enough!"

"A-Xu, he'll be 17 in 4 months...at his age I was already drinking alcohol! "

"Lao Wen, you are not a reference in education! You were raised by the Ghost King!" I said with an exasperated look.

The former head of the Ghost Valley sighed, pouted and sulked. I took the teapot and served ChengLing a hot tea, then poured a glass of iced alcohol to my soul mate.

Just as I was about to do the same for myself, a frightened scream echoed in the room! How could this be? All five of us were at the table! I turned around to find the source of the noise. I was surprised to see Ye Bai Yi crawling backwards in the room, Fucang watching him from the doorway hidden behind the doorpost. We could read in the look of our watchdog a certain questioning: should he devour him or lick him?

(*) zhang : unit of Chinese distance, equivalent to 3,33 meters.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)