Cotton filling

Meanwhile, in a certain temple, generally peaceful and quiet, an energetic stranger is too much for the quiet monks there. Very expressive, very overflowing, very curious. That is how he is: a small and smiling pretty boy who goes from here to there leading the older ones by the arm where he is most curious, asking them everything that came to his mind and answering them beyond what they asked him.

—Shixiong... Shijie... —Someone whimpered from time to time. Song disciples only wanted their shifu leaves the main hall as soon as possible to goes with them... Because they had to admit it: neither their dashixiong nor their dashijie could handle the situation and they needed someone right now.

Ah, but let's not get it wrong! This does not mean they dislike this foreign boy or something like that; actually, everyone is delighted with the cheerful personality of the young Xiao and sincerely appreciates his enthusiasm for wanting to know more and more about the place where his best friend grew up. Likewise, they are very happy to finally meet the one who left that special mark on the heart of their precious little brother and they are relieved to know that he is a good boy.

But... Despite everything ...

—Wow! There are so many foxes! I've never seen a real one! —Xiao Qingchen exclaims suddenly, trotting down the hill toward the majestic pack lazily grooming themselves by a lotus lake—. And they are so beautiful~! Ah. Are they huxians? Yewan told me a little about them! He sai-

His words were interrupted as he tripped and rolled onto the most respected one of the group immortal foxes: the huxian of Song Baihua.

Song disciples rushing to arrive—:!

Xiao Qingchen—: Ah! Excuse me! I-! Uwa… Your fur is so soft, so pretty ~ Ah! It does not bother you? So let me stroke you a little longer!

— ...

The group sighs silently to themselves.

They really liked the young Xiao and they completely approved of him being part of the family as his brother-in-law... However, dealing with him brought with it a small inconvenience: it was complicated for them at times to keep up with him and they felt lost because they did not know how to interact properly with him. Should they remain formal? Not so much? Maybe closer? Would it be okay to treat him as part of the family now? After all, young Xiao is the best friend of their loved didi and will soon be their adorable brother-in-law; but... anyways... Ugh, it is difficult to decide between the etiquette for attending the visit or the one to have with the family. And not only that: if the right thing to do was to treat him as part of the family, would it be like their dì xí2 or like their mèi xù1? They fear offending him...

Wah! They are aware of their own clumsiness and so they want their teacher to be with them at this time.

—Young Xiao, brothers, sisters. Ah, is good to find you: I just made some tea. —A beautiful young lady greets them with a slight bow and gentle smile, she carrying a large kettle. Behind, a couple of her martial brothers followed her, one carrying matching mugs and the other a box full of steamy freshly made sweets—. Let's have a seat??

This Song is the most carefree of all regarding formalities, so it was easier for her to speak without fear of being wrong. She led the group to a large polished white stone table and arranged food and drink on it. The cloying aroma permeates the air, causing Xiao Qingchen to feel more eager to try the snack with each breath. The fragrance is very familiar to him and he hopes the taste is too; in this way he would endure his unhappiness for a while longer, wanting to get out of it in the form of complaints and pouts.

«I must be polite. This is not my home, I can't act like it is! », he constantly reminded himself.

—Sit here, young Xiao

Xiao Qingchen was about to do so when he noticed something:

—Ooh! The robes of this sister are so beautiful! I thought the monks dressed more simply!

To indicate his seat, that young woman had indicated it with a wave of her hand. The sleeve had fluttered under the gaze of the visitor, who noticed in fascination some beautiful silver flowers embroidered on it. Without hesitation, he took it in his hands and admired them carefully. The sister, immobile by shock, said nothing and only sought the eyes of her martial siblings to know what to do.

—They are. Just… here we like decorate.

—Oh! The others too? —He exclaims delightedly.

It does not take long for Xiao Qingchen to reach the side of the still-standing cultivators, circling them to carefully observe every detail of their uniforms. These are really precious; Qingchen especially notes the silver embroidery of each one is unique. There are patterns of lilies, camellias, and lotuses on the borders of the sisters, and peonies, lilies, and lotuses on that of the brothers; in each person the composition is different.

—Ah~! So delicate~ So beautiful~ —He sighs as he takes a random sleeve without permission, to caress the beautiful work. Feeling the shapes that form the threads under his fingers, a memory appears in his mind—. This…

Gasp. Immediately, he goes to the sleeve of someone else and also caresses its details, paying more attention to each neat stitch and technique used. He gasps once more as he realizes who made them; this causes a sudden, but faint blush on his cheeks. His eyes shine, no longer from the passionate curiosity of the last hour, but from a softer and more tender emotion that everyone present recognizes. It is warm, the hearts of the Song feel pleasant and less self-conscious: it leads them to approach the Xiao without thinking, some even offering their own sleeve to be seen as well.

Xiao Qingchen wastes no time checking each one. The older ones are happy when is their turn and they see the young more and more enthusiastic.

He smiles at the end and takes a seat where Song dashijie indicates: next to him, in the center of everyone. The disciples of the immortal Song look calm and indifferent; unless one notices their low-key, expectant glances that direct the foreign boy.

—Most of these… —His lips spread into a smile—. Song Zhen embroidered them, right?

Ah, that was it.

Wait? What?

Song Meiling is the first to laugh; her demure tinkling laugh is gracious.

—Oh, Xiao-wanbei. You are adorable; I cannot hold back anymore.

Xiao Qingchen just watches her approach. He does not know her reasons.

When Song Baihua arrives at his disciples, he cannot help opening his eyes in surprise.

—You guys…

They were playing with the visitor as if he were a doll: they had surrounded him with sweets and were feeding him between games while chatting with him. Some combed his long dark wavy hair while others decorated it with a few silver ornaments. Sometimes I would see the boy say something with a wide smile and little hops instead, to which the others respond by stroking his head.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

When he looks for the origin of those dry and deaf sounds, he finds that they are actually the footsteps of one of his older disciples. She was hurrying toward the group, carrying a familiar set of robes and followed by a young, albino fox, who accompanied her notably curious and concerned. They meet with others, who bring them into the conversation. The enthusiasm of Xiao Qingchen increases with the newcomers, who incited him to try on the beautiful clothes brought on. He accepts really excited.

The gleam in the eyes of his disciples is almost the same as it appears when they babied his Zhen'er.

In silence, Master Song walks towards the group and listens to their conversation: they are just talking about their Zhen'er. The youngest looks like the happiest on the subject, asking more about him and listening carefully to the anecdotes that the elders tell him. Song Baihua also realizes that his students stopped referring to the boy as Young Xiao, now he is just Xiao-wanbei.

—Young Xiao. —Having amused enough with all that he heard, he calls the child out loud but kind. When the teenager turned to see him, they both smiled gently.

Xiao Qingchen rises from his place and bows his head, totally respectful towards the older man.

—Song-xianshi, —he greets—. My shifu...?

—This master have exchanged a few letters with her; now I await her answer to the last one. I came to tell you that we will be going to Zhen'er shortly.

They all immediately turned their gazes to their junior: Xiao boy is giggling, somewhat dreamy, and blushing. If someone were shoulder to shoulder with him right now, he would be able to hear his exciting heartbeat.

—I-is that so? —He unknowingly spreads his smile further, his hand traveling to his lips to try to cover them.

Master Song laughs a little.

—Mn. We are coordinating the place; Zhen'er said something about a bamboo forest. Is it okay for you?

—Ah, I se- Ah? Ah, yes! It's okay! —He is carried away in the cloud of a beautiful memory—. I guess A-Zhen refers to that forest... Where we met each other...

His excited tone with a touch of hope touches listeners.

—Sure.—Song Baihua tells him as he strokes his head.

—Father, when will the next letter from Master Xiao arrive?

The maiden who brought the tea earlier is the one who asks as she stands next to the youngest and rests a hand on his shoulder. Her other brothers were not long in following her and they go to their shifu with the same idea hovering around and inciting them.

—In about fifteen minutes. What is the question, LianLian?

—The reason is... because soon you will be leaving and we will no longer be able to spend time with brother Xiao, —«at least until he returns to cross our threshold and he stays,» she thinks—. So, we would like to take the younger brother for a walk before he has to leave. Father should come too.

The people behind him nod in support.

—Ah. Before that, I think we should show to Xiao-wanbei the first embroidery of our didi, —says a kind boy of youthful face—. A moment ago, he recognized them, despite not being very different from ours. Would not you like to see more of them?

This last question is directed at Xiao Qingchen. His eyes lit up and his mouth formed an 'o' in surprise; he nodded determinedly once.

—Can I truly?

His angelical gaze went towards the immortal, who is much taller than him. His large, expectant eyes contain an adorable plea that is impossible to refuse. Song Baihua relents.

—Actually, this master was thinking about it too.

About ten more scrolls are laid on the wide table in the great study. One unwinds on its own and stretches out until it hits an arm on the way.

—Ah, Xiao-wanbei, —calls the dashixiong of the Song when he sees the drawing exposed to the side of Xiao Qingchen, waiting to be taken—. That painting is the first in the album of Yewan. When he first came to our sect.

—Ahh! So cute~! Yewan is so pretty!

Song dashijie hugs the foreign boy tighter and hums—: Each of us has our own album, but one of our youngest shidi is the most robust. We could not stop drawing it; every moment seemed perfect to us to record on paper.

—Look here, Xiao-wanbei. In this A-Zhen is sleeping under a tree, and in this other, he is playing with the huxian who came to greet you. Our didi dislikes when we portray him, so we have to do it without him noticing.

Xiao Qingchen laughs—: Always so shy!

—Dashixiong, I found a painting of didi following you, —warns a young man to his right, who has promptly snatched the paper in his hands—. Fu. Shixiong, it is from the time when xiao shidi wanted to be like you and followed you everywhere. Shixiong must overcome it.

—I cannot, —he sobs.

—Oh, Yewan looks like a chick~! —Xiao Qingchen comments.

—Ah, Xiao-wanbei. Look, here are some embarrassing ones. Didi would kill me if he knew we painted it, —«and ten times more if he knew we showed it to you without his permission,» he omits—. But it's you, —«our brother-in-law»—, so, that is fine.

Xiao Qingchen, full of expectation and curiosity, receives the offered sheet and opens it.

Oh, God.

—So adorable! Where is the embarrassment?!

A small Yewan fast asleep in the arms of his dashixiong while biting the thumb of one hand and clinging to the chest of his brother with the other… Where is the embarrassing thing, Brother Xiao asks ?!

He just laughs and moves his legs when he cannot bear the cuteness. Song Baihua looks at him pleased.

—More? Is there more? —The youngest asks excitedly.

Kind, a sister hands him another rolled sheet. Xiao QingCchen thanks with a nod and takes it; he does not take long to open it and see it.

His animated countenance changes to a calmer one. His tender heart sighs.

—Nice.

Xiao Qingchen strokes the paper in his hands following the fine and delicate lines that make the face of his best friend. This is a cute little four-year-old Song Zhen who plays with a pink bouquet of aleli. He is not the only one in the image; Master Song carries him in his arms and covers them both from the cold with a large layer of fur. Little Yewan clings to the robes of his teacher and seems not to want to part with him for a moment. His rosy face is totally expressionless, but his pose exposes his reality.

Xiao Qingchen feels fluffy from the beautiful painting, especially the main character and his clean gaze filled with curiosity and some fear.

—Mn. A-Zhen is so precious and that is why we teach him to write his name with that character.

—However, he is currently very serious, easily annoyed, and smiles a few times, —Song dashijie complains—. As a child he was more precious and beautiful than he is today, do not you think?

Xiao Qingchen keeps looking at the drawing, he smiling and tender when he answers:

—No, he still is precious. And it's sure he will be even more beautiful in the future.

~

An hour has passed. Immortal Xiao has invited young Song to have lunch with them before they both go to the meeting place. His students had been delighted with the stranger and took him here and there, spoiling him and playing with him. Such was the excitement that, before Master Xiao knew it, her mischievous disciples had already prepared their freshly cooked lunch on the table "especially to their dì xí."

Thanks to this, Master Xiao had to give Master Song the notice why they would take a little longer.

—Look, Song-didi! Meimei has brought the first uniform that A-Qing wore, isn't it pretty? He was only four years old when shifu brought him, that's why it is so small! Ah, look at these little gloves ~

Song Yewan, after immediately setting his chopsticks aside and cleaning his hands, carefully, receives the tiny white and green outfit and appreciates its design. He is touched by the size and the infantile ornaments, he caresses them with great affection. It is not difficult for him to imagine a cute milk boy dressed, playing alongside his brothers while laughing. Pretty and charming, his signature blue eyes shining and his wavy hair bouncing.

—Very pretty. —Song Yewan smiles hiding behind the childish outfit—. Xiao-xiong must have been very pretty as a child.

—He was, he was. He always had that appearance of a beautiful doll! And he still has it. Don't you think, Brother Song?

—Definitely.

The smile of Song Yewan remains as he says it; his soft voice tone and his tender look are noticed by the rest, who get excited.

—Young Song.

Master Xiao just returned. Between her palms, she holds a couple of qiankun bags; one of them is familiar to the child in the dining room.

—We have to go, —she says when she approaches him and strokes his head.