45. A sleeping salted fish~

Sun Fuyu’s post-mission training session with his mentor Senior Liu Zhongmin went a bit long. It was early afternoon by the time he was done. Although he could regulate his body temperature fairly well now, he still washed himself and changed into fresh robes before heading to the kitchens.

As he approached, he felt that Wen-ge’s qi was particularly soft and gentle.

Then he saw his ge asleep under the tree shade.

His robes were messily half-undone, and his hair even more messily strewn about. The skin on his arms was revealed. A cool breeze emanating from a few talismans nearby made Wen-ge’s hair and clothes ruffle slightly. He had no particular expression in sleep, but his aura was very peaceful, his lips slightly parted as he breathed.

Sun Fuyu’s heart fluttered.

It wasn’t the first time he had seen Wen-ge sleeping, but somehow, it felt different.

Sun Fuyu stepped over to him and knelt down on the edge of the blankets that Wen Zhihao was sleeping on. Sun Fuyu reached out and secretly touched Wen-ge hand. There was some ink still stuck on his skin.

Wen-ge did not wake at all, even though his senses should be very sharp. Was it because that Wen-ge unconsciously sensed his aura and automatically trusted him?

Wen-ge told him that it was good to take a break during the hot part of the day. Did he mean to have a nap together?

Sun Fuyu’s cheeks heated up. He wanted to join his ge...But they were in public!

“Ah, it’s Xiao Fuyu!” Aunty Liu noticed. “Aiya, don’t worry about your Wen-ge, he hasn’t woken up despite the noise from the kitchens.”

Sun Fuyu quickly yanked his hand back. Wen-ge still didn’t wake up, despite Aunty Liu’s call. He reluctantly stood up and went to Aunty Liu’s side.

“Good afternoon, Aunty Liu.”

Liu Jing smiled at Sun Fuyu’s obedient appearance. “I’ve made some mango ice cream for you, it is nice and refreshing.”

“I should wait until Wen-ge wakes up…”

Liu Jing leaned close and whispered, “I made many bowls of it, you can have one to yourself first and share the others with your Wen-ge. Don’t worry, your Wen-ge grew these mangoes for you anyway.”

Sun Fuyu wavered and ultimately decided to have some ice cream by himself first, along with a number of other kitchen staff.

After he finished one bowl, he accepted two new ones filled with the mango ice cream and walked out to Wen-ge was sleeping.

It was now that Wen Zhihao stirred.

A thought struck Sun Fuyu: Did Wen-ge wake because he smelted food? It was funny, making Sun Fuyu grin.

Wen Zhihao blearily rubbed his eyes, his lips curving up in greeting. “Xiao Yu, when did you arrive?” He moved aside to give Sun Fuyu space.

“Not too long ago.” Sun Fuyu sat down on the blanket and handed over one of the bowls to Wen Zhihao. It would have been nice if there was one bowl so that they could share it...But the mango dessert was too good, it was better to each have their own bowl.

“Thanks, Xiao Yu.” Wen Zhihao scooped up chilled mango-sweetness and creaminess and took a satisfying mouthful.

Sun Fuyu also ate with satisfaction. He felt as though he could feel a bit of Wen Zhihao’s qi infused in the ice cream.

“This is so delicious, does Xiao Yu agree?” Wen Zhihao asked.

“En.”

After Wen Zhihao finished eating, he placed his bowl down at the edge of the blanket, looking over at the growing tropical plants—there were many more pots now. “The bananas should be ripe next. Aunty Liu could make banana ice cream, fried banana with ice cream, banana cheesecake, banana milk, banana cake...Hm, since there is an oven, we could make pizza…” He stroked his hairless chin.

Sun Fuyu blinked at his ge, not understanding many of the all the words that his Wen-ge was saying. “How does Wen-ge know so many dishes?”

Wen Zhihao smiled sheepishly. “It’s not that I have eaten all these things, I have just seen or heard of them.” At that moment, he thought about telling Sun Fuyu the truth...but they were still at the kitchens where others could hear them.

Case in point: Aunty Liu was walking out the kitchen carrying two fresh glasses of spiritual water, handing them each one. She said to Sun Fuyu in a wry voice, “It is because your Wen-ge spends a lot of his time dreaming about food instead of cultivating.”

“What if I want to become a chef cultivator?” Wen Zhihao protested.

Aunty Liu raised one unimpressed eyebrow.

Wen Zhihao pouted. “Aunty Liuuuuuuuuuu.”

Sun Fuyu giggled behind his hand.

“Aunty Liu, the ice cream was very delicious,” Sun Fuyu said, handing her the two empty bowls.

Aunty Liu’s face softened. “That’s good.”

“It was extremely delicious,” Wen Zhihao said.

“Is that so.” Despite Aunty Liu’s voice, her eyes were still fond towards Wen Zhihao—though they grew noticeably more indulgent when she looked back to Sun Fuyu. “Rest slowly, Xiao Yu.”

After Aunty Liu left, Wen Zhihao laid back down.

With his heart warm and slightly fluttery, Sun Fuyu laid down next to him.

They didn’t nap, but they did continue to rest in a warm and comfortable silence.

Later in the afternoon, when Wen Zhihao deemed it cool enough, Sun Fuyu returned back to Liu Zhongmin’s grounds. He carried with him some extra portions of mango ice cream that Aunty Liu gave him. Sun Fuyu decided to give them to his shijies and shixiongs, so that they could also taste how good it was.

They were all training. Hu-shijie noticed him first waiting by the edge of the training square.

“Is there a problem, Sun-shidi?” she asked with concern.

Sun Fuyu shook his head. “I have something for Hu-shijie,” he said, taking out the bowls of mango ice cream from his spatial ring.

Hu-shijie’s eyes brighten. “I really shouldn’t…”

“Please, try it.”

“Alright.” Each bowl also had a spoon, so it was very convenient to eat.

Soon after Hu-shijie started eating, all of Sun Fuyu’s other shijies and shixiongs came over with curious eyes. He gave each of them a bowl of ice cream.

“Waaaa, where did you get these?”

“This is so delicious!”

“Thank you so much, Sun-shidi!”

Even his shifu Liu Zhongmin ate some. “Very delicious. What kind of low-level spiritual fruit is this made from?”

Sun Fuyu stood proudly. “Aunty Liu Jing made them from the mangoes my shixiong grew!”

Liu Zhongmin blinked. “You have another shixiong who is a herb cultivator?”

Sun Fuyu shook his head. “He’s a talisman cultivator.”

“...Ah.” Liu Zhongmin remembered her wife’s exasperated comments about Disciple Wen’s lack of direction and found herself unsurprised in hindsight.

“The kitchen doesn’t make such delicious food at all!” Hu-shijie said, perplexed.

“When did you even last eat at all?” Gao-shixiong said drily. “You have perfected inedia.”

“Hm, but it’s good that you have an aunty here,” Hu-shijie said with a warm smile to Sun Fuyu. “It’s hard in the sect if you are without family.”

“En.” Sun Fuyu lowered his head, a secretively little smile on his lips and the further details nestled in his heart. He collected the bowls and spoons after his shijies and shixiongs finished and then joined them in sword cultivation training.

That afternoon, his moves did not have any aggression. Instead, they were filled with elegance, fluidity and lightness.

NO IDEA what the Chinese term for “Martial Sib” and “Martial Sibling” (aka gender neutral) term would be >_>