Chapter 113 - Changes At The Ao Household

Across Turning Leaf town, long after the sun had set, Ao Yang heaved a sigh of relief as he stepped into the warm house and the smell of Hou Jia's cooking. On most days, the veteran stonecutter would have been home hours ago, particularly in the rainy season. While there were people who wanted new decorative downspouts or who had pieces of stonework that needed repair or replacement during the rainy season, most people sought out his expertise in the spring and summer months when the weather was better for outdoor work. 

During the rainy season, Ao Yang typically focused his business on his smaller and finer work. Jade pendants, rings, tokens, and small statues that were intended to be displayed indoors rather than outdoors would dominate his time. Ao Yang wasn't a jeweler, and he knew his limitations well. The jade thumb rings that he had made for himself and Hou Jia were simple things, their only decoration was the inscription inside that carried the opposite partner's name so they would always have each other in hand and mind. 

At his shop, Ao Yang would normally be making basic things that would be appreciated by many and were purchased for Mid-Winter and New Year's festivities. Since the explosive banquet, however, Ao Yang had a line out of his shop longer than he could possibly get through each day. Cultivators who had never been a patrons of his business had come to him asking about a custom jade ornament or a nameplate for their homes. Mortals who were members of the wealthy upper class in Turning Leaf town had come to commission large works in granite or marble, some even requesting full statues cut from large pieces of Impure grade jade. 

"Are you finally home A'Yang?" Hou Jia called, stepping out of the small family kitchen and looking at her exhausted husband. "Did they swarm your shop too?"

"Too? Were things rough at the bakery today?" Ao Yang asked, removing his wet outer layers and moving to wrap his strong arms around his delicate wife. "I had so many people who didn't seem to care much about the work they were commissioning or the pieces they were buying so long as they could say they'd bought something from me. It was exciting at first, but it by the end of the day I felt like all the joy had been taken from the work."

"I sold out before mid-day," Hou Jia said, melting into her husband's strong arms, leaning into his vast physical strength to hold herself up. "I made another batch of everything that was quick and easy and sold out of that before it had time to cool. I closed the shop early. I don't know what to do," she continued helplessly. "Wen isn't here to help me set up the shop in the mornings anymore, she's not coming home to help clean things up at the end of the day, it's impossible to keep up with everything by myself."

"I miss Wen's help too," Ao Yang said, giving his loving wife a gentle squeeze. "I was just thinking today that I missed spending time in the shop with her, showing her how to use the tools and having her help around, even when it was just the little things. But our little girl is all grown up," he continued with a sigh. "She's finding her own adventures now."

"I don't feel like she grew up at all," Hou Jia said, her heart aching as she gave voice to the feelings that had been bottling up within her. "It's almost like she ran away from home. She doesn't come home for dinner anymore even when she got back from their hunting trip. Ye Kexin said she visits the Feng residence every now and then to practice while Feng Leiren is teaching Xi'er but she's not staying with them for dinner either. Is she taking care of herself? She didn't look entirely well at the banquet," she finished, holding back a soft sob. 

"I'm sure she's fine," Ao Yang said, pulling back and looking into Hou Jia's moist eyes. "Xi'er is watching out for her and while I had my doubts, Tang Jin and Zhang Bai seem like decent enough fellows. Wen'er is just following in her mother's footsteps. She's stretching her wings and getting ready to fly into a life of her own. You weren't much older than she is now when you fell into my devious claws," he added with a smile, reaching out to tickle her soft waist. 

"Stop that," Hou Jia squealed. "You devil! You know my father still hasn't forgiven you for putting your hands where they shouldn't be under the table the year we met. He still calls you a 'stone-clawed demon' when I go home to visit you know." 

"How was I supposed to know your cousin was hiding under the table and that he'd expose me to your entire family!" Ao Yang protested. "And I'm sure he doesn't care anymore. He's just practicing so he can play the indignant grandparent if someone tries to snatch his only granddaughter away."

"Well, someone clearly has," Hou Jia said grumpily. "I can't even blame the City Lord for it. I just wish… I wish she didn't stay so far away from us. I barely recognized her at that banquet. It's like someone possessed our daughter when she became a cultivator and now she's turning into someone else. We're still her parents. If she's struggling, she should tell us so we can help her get through it."

"It's just youthful pride," Ao Yang said, dismissing his wife's worry. "She gets it from me. Remember how many years you had to nag me to ask for help? I imagine that Xi'er has to do the same. But maybe there's something we can do to remind her where home is. Mid-winter is coming soon. Our daughter has managed to leap over the dragon gate and she's starting to soar. I think I should carve her a new pendant to go with the one I gave her before," he said, rubbing his hands together eagerly at the idea of starting a project for someone he cared so much about. "We should plan for a proper celebration and let her know that we expect her to come home for it. She can bring her new friends."

"Two young Soldiers," Hou Jia said, shaking her head. "I imagine I'm going to need to make a huge feast just to keep up with everyone's appetite. I'm supposed to go to a garden party with Ye Kexin at the City Lord's manor soon," she continued. "I suppose I can ask Lady Wan Yue about how I should prepare if we're going to host cultivators for a party. I wouldn't want to offend anyone! Offending cultivators seems tremendously dangerous," she said, thinking back to the banquet and its many dramatic moments. 

"I don't think it's all that bad. Soldier Long Ma sent a messenger to my shop today saying that he felt that our families had gotten off on the wrong foot. He's asked me to come visit to discuss a replacement memorial tablet for his brother," Ao Yang said. "I think it's his way of trying to keep his own pride while offering an olive branch. I may not be able to help Wen'er with the other things she's facing, but if I can help smooth things over with Soldier Long by having a man-to-man chat with him, then this father knows what he should do. Who knows, she and Tang Jin weren't friendly at the start, maybe things with Long Ma will turn around too."