A Friendly Aunt

Being asked this question, Elder Fa also started to ponder. "I think that you are right and very much so. Your Master was never a simple person. That was what I always liked about him." She couldn't help but smile and there was a hint of youthful charm on that face that was already showing a layer of maturity by now.

Mei Chao Bing looked at her, and couldn't help but remember the day when she had stood out in front of the people of the four righteous sects and boldly confessed to his Master when the competition of the Western Gate had been held.

She had just been newly-appointed as an Elder of the Zhen Yan Sect and with now matching his status, it seemed she had finally taken a heart and gave it a try. It was a pity that his Master had always been such a cold-hearted person.

Seeing a beautiful woman standing in front of him and declaring her love in that kind of way, he still didn't take any pity on her and rejected her harshly. For some time, people had been whispering about it in all those sects. At that time, the competition actually hadn't seemed like such a big thing anymore. The confession and his rejection of it had definitely overshadowed everything.

Mei Chao Bing still remembered the hurt that had flashed past Elder Fa's eyes on that day. Maybe if he had just rejected her bluntly, she would've been able to take it. But the words he chose … Each and every one of them had been cutting deep. As if he had been out to humiliate her at the very beginning.

He hadn't thought about it very much back then but now he wondered just what had driven his Master to do this. Was it because she was from the other side? After all, he had long suspected that his Master had actually been a spy from the very beginning rather than turned a traitor later on.

So maybe the thought of getting together with somebody from the other side was loathsome to him. Or maybe it was that he feared he might be suspected if he spent more time with anyone. After all, he had always kept to himself for all these years. Even the other Elders in the Teng Yong Sect weren't close to him. Who could get behind what was happening?

Yes, Elder Fa would've been a danger to him and whatever mission he had had. Still, he was a heartless jerk.

Elder Fa laughed when she saw his expression and she shook her head at him. "I can imagine what you're thinking. You shouldn't worry about that though. It's been a long time since then. I'm over it."

Mei Chao Bing slightly tilted his head, wondering if she was just saying that to comfort him or if she actually meant that. "If that is the case, then why do you still not have a new partner? I don't think that you would have to suffer such a rejection another time. Whoever you asked now … I'm sure it would work out."

Elder Fa sighed and shook her head at him. "You're actually a bit of a brat, do you know that? How old are you now? Twenty-five? Thirty?"

Mei Chao Bing's lips curved up. "Twenty-eight. You��re really good at guessing, Elder Fa."

"Yes, I am. It's good that you still remember that I'm your Elder. If you talk to anybody else like this, you would really get into trouble." She pointed at his nose but Mei Chao Bing didn't seem worried at all.

"If you're worried about that, then you shouldn't have used me to spy on my Master back then. Naturally, I would have a difficult time looking at you like the other Elders. I never saw any of them as a friendly aunt, after all." He paused for a moment and then leaned slightly forward, giving her an inquisitive look. "Say, do you still give out candy?"

Elder Fa chuckled and then opened her spatial bag, throwing a few pieces of candy on the table. "There, you can take a few. Give them to your little fiance later on. You look like you're a little too old for that already."

Mei Chao Bing hesitated for a while but then actually picked them up and stuffed them into his own spatial bag. "Thank you. I will tell Fen'er that you have specifically thought of him. I'm sure he will be happy."

Elder Fa laughed but then turned serious almost immediately. "That aside, let me think a bit more about your question. I'm sure that we can figure it out together. We definitely need to. Whatever your Master has in mind, I don't think it will be a good thing when it comes to fruition. We definitely need to prevent that."

Mei Chao Bing nodded and then got up. "Then I'll leave you to your thoughts, Elder Fa. I'll go back to the others for now. I think that we will set off tomorrow morning. If you can think of something, tell me. Otherwise, we will likely come back here on our way back to the town where the Teng Yong Sect is set up. We can talk again then."

She nodded and then watched him leave, slightly sighing when the flap fell close behind him again. Yes, just what was it that Elder Feng was thinking? If only she could guess his mind. But whether it had been back then or right now, he really remained a complete mystery to her.