Chapter 22: The Fu Family

The two men followed Leng Ling into the guest receiving hall. The hall floor was made of white marble. The walls covered in milk jade. Furniture of yellow wood and tapestries of yellow silk were spread around the outside of the room.

Leng Ling sat down at a yellow wood table and chair set at the end of the hall with a lotus and dragon tapestry above it. She sat on a chair decorated with a lotus and indicated for them to sit at a guest set on the side of her. The other chair beside her was decorated with a dragon. Her table had a mix of lotus and dragons carved around the edging.

Tang Tao and Fu Ru sat down where indicated and stared in shock as three fire wolves entered the hall from the left side. Two of them held a tray of tea on their heads. The smallest of them placed her tray on the table between the two men. The second wolf placed his on Leng Ling's table. Leng Ling then poured out tea into three large bowels for the wolves and a cup for herself. The wolves lay down around her with their bowels.

"Young Master Ru, Young Master Tang, these are my adopted siblings. The Fire Wolf King, Leng Hui, found me as a baby. Father Hui and Mother Fei raised me with their own children. They are Leng Bao, Leng Bojing and Leng Ai.

Bao'er, Bo'er, Ai'er this is Tang Tao, the Young Master of the Tang Family and Fu Ru, the Young Master of the Fu Family and Brother Bohai's cousin, my biological brother.

Please get along."

A rough but gentle voice came out from the largest wolf.

"Don't worry, Ling'er. As long as they do you no harm, we'll get along fine."

"Yes Ling'er. Just as Big Brother says. As long as they do no harm to you, we'll be friends."

The middle wolf's voice was warm and less gruff than the larger wolf.

A soft and gentle female voice followed from the smallest wolf.

"I will always do as you say, Ling'er."

"I would never harm my best friend's fiance, Miss Leng. Or her family." (Tang Tao)

"My only objection is you calling me, Young Master Fu. I'm your big brother. At least call me brother, as you do Hai'er, please."

Leng Ling studied Fu Ru taking note of the sincerity in his voice and expression.

"All right then. I'll call you Brother Ru, as you request. Please do not be upset if it takes me time to warm up to you. I am still a little wary of humans and the Young Lady of the Fu Family did not leave me with the best impression of my biological family."

"Ah, that's right. I remember you calling Miss Fu a banshee the other day. I'm curious as to why that is? She's usually described as the epitome of grace and beauty."

Tang Tao laughed. He was not exactly fond of the Fu Family Miss himself. She was a little too arrogant in her behaviour whenever he had dealings with her.

"Hmmm? Did Meilin make a fool of herself? That's unusual."

Fu Ru was confused. His cousin usually portrayed the best of herself in public.

"Perhaps you need to speak to Brother Bohai to confirm this matter, Brother Ru. He was there. All I know is a very spoilt brat forced her way into Brother Junjie's residence, injuring his staff when they refused her entry and then proceeded to try and whip me. She then continued to act like a banshee after I punished her on Brother Junjie's behalf and as Brother Bohai escorted her home."

Both Fu Ru and Tang Tao's face paled. Long Junjie was known for not allowing females into his residence. Leaving aside the fact that Leng Ling was apparently the only non-family female allowed in the residence, that Fu Meilin forced her way into his residence and even injured his staff, made the Fu Family lose face. She was lucky to come back alive.

"Thank you for your mercy to Meilin, Little Sister. I will make sure she receives adequate punishment, when I go home."

Fu Ru stood up and bowed to Leng Ling with his hands grasped together, gratefully. Leng Ling merely waved her hands.

"It's not a big matter. I have fixed Brother Junjie's residence so that only the people he approves of will be able to enter from now on and provided the medicine for his staff to heal. I only apologize that the whip your family gave her is now broken. I'm sure a heavenly grade weapon wasn't cheap to provide the Fu Family Miss."

"No! No! Meilin should never have had that whip in the first place. It was made by our Mother especially for you. I'm not even sure how she managed to get hold of it in the first place. It's supposed to be locked up in our family's private treasury with everything else that she prepared for you when she first got pregnant." (Fu Ru)

Leng Ling looked surprised.

"Our Mother made that whip? I'm even more sorry that I broke it at the time then. If you bring me the pieces, I'll repair it. I wouldn't want Mother's things broken."

"You can repair it? Are you an Artificer like Mother?"

"Mmmmm. Artificer, refiner and I'm currently learning arrays. The array that prevented your entry was created by myself. I have the same one set up at Brother Junjie's residence also. Speaking of which, pass me the quartz rings. I'll give you these instead. Make sure you drip some blood on them, so that they recognize you."

Leng Ling took back the yellow quartz rings and handed over a couple of spare blue opal ones instead. Tang Tao and Fu Ru quickly followed instructions.

A short time later as the three humans and three wolves were chatting, three chimes sounded out. The two men looked confused at the sound. Leng Ling smiled as she lifted her wrist. The images of three men showed above her finger.

"Brother Junjie, Brother Bohai, Brother Hu, we're in the main greeting hall."

Tang Tao and Fu Bohai looked confused for a moment before Long Junjie's voice came back through the ring.

"Got it. See you soon, Ling Ling."

"So, this is what you meant by being able to communicate through the rings? That's amazing Miss Leng!" (Tang Tao)

"That's nothing Tao'er. You should see her bracelets. Sister Ling'ers equipment are amazing and above Immortal grade, I swear!"

A calm prideful Hu Feng strolled into the hall behind Long Junjie and beside a laughing Fu Bohai. Long Junjie strode up beside Leng Ling and sat in the chair decorated with a dragon. The other two men sat in the table chair set opposite Tang Tao and Fu Ru.

"I'm surprised to see you here Ru'er. Did you come to meet Ling'er? She looks just like Aunt Di, doesn't she?" (Fu Bohai)

"Mmmmm, Little Sister is the spitting image of our Mother. I only found out by chance when I spotted Tao'er trying to get in. I didn't even know my sister was here until he told me you guys had found her. How could you leave me out of the loop like that, cousin?"

Fu Ru gave Fu Bohai a disgruntled look and received a cheeky smirk in return.

"Ling'er has no intention of returning to the Fu Family Residence. She's her own person. I figured you'd find out about her eventually and wanted to keep our beautiful and talented little sister to myself for a little while longer."

"Ingrate! Who's your sister?! She's my little sister. You're just her cousin!"

Fu Ru turned away from Fu Bohai's smirk in disgust. A bell like giggle drew the attention of all five men along with the three wolves. Tang Tao and Fu Ru held astonished expressions while the rest smiled at her indulgently. Leng Ling's giggle never failed to bring them joy.

"Brother Ru and Brother Bohai are very close." (Leng Ling)

"They'll never admit it though." (Hu Feng)

Both of the Fu men glared at him in response.