122. Extra: Modern AU (part 1)

This chapter is brought to you...for the winner of the salted fish prize in the CG 10k event! Emi requested Modern Florist AU! Though it’s a bit more like a Florist & Cat Cafe AU (≧▽≦)

In a different timeline:

Anger and frustration and an overwhelming sense that he was not wanted, not by anyone, turned into anguish in Sun Fuyu’s heart. His qi burst out violently.

He was undergoing qi deviation.

For the first time, others were looking at him…

Cultivators tried to suppress him. Sun Fuyu mindlessly fought back, even as his own qi was tearing his body apart.

The remaining qi exploded out as a sword pierced his heart. It was painful.

So, so painful.

And then, it was quiet.

…

Loud, unfamiliar noises buzzed in his ears. Sun Fuyu bit back a groan and opened his eyes.

He was surrounded by mortals with unusual clothing and short hair, as well as some mortals dressed like cultivators. He himself was wearing a poor copy of robes, made without any charms.

“Disqualified! Fired!” a loud voice snapped. “We don’t need such a poor extra! So unlucky!”

The words didn’t make sense to Sun Fuyu, but at the same time, he understood that he no longer had a job.

Anger flared up in him. Biting back the pain, Sun Fuyu smoothly leapt up to his feet, forcing this unfamiliar-yet-becoming-familiar body to follow through with the movements. “You understand nothing! I would never be obedient to you!”

The other people around him (actors) gasped, but Sun Fuyu didn’t care.

He pushed past them. The body’s memories directed him automatically, grabbing ‘his’ bag.

His body automatically walked away from this place (film set), into a moving metal box (train).

By the time Sun Fuyu snapped out of his daze, he was standing outside a building facing a bustling street of short-haired, short-clothed people and fast metal transports.

Where am I? Who am I? What is this place?

Other people were looking at him, peeking to the side at this young man dressed in hanfu-styled clothing. But no one stopped.

Sun Fuyu didn’t know where to put his hands and feet.

The mysterious force that had moved his body here had faded away. He didn’t know which direction to go. But he had to move.

Gritting his teeth, Sun Fuyu picked a random direction.

The city had more people than Sun Fuyu had ever seen before. It was louder, noisier, and a hundred times stinkier. Poor patches of greenery tried their best to grow among the hard grey surfaces.

The florist shop was like a small sliver of Heaven in the cold city.

The shop sat on a newer street with wide pavements. There were still many people, but fewer metal vehicles, which reduced the sound and the poor smell.

Upon a staggered platform at the front of the shop were big pots overflowing with bright flowers and luscious green leaves. Through the clear glass, there were even more plants of all shapes and sizes. The qi in the air rose slightly, but noticeably.

Standing outside the shop were two people. The young-ish man had a tiger-striped cat draped on his shoulder and a white cat in his arms. The middle-aged woman was tending to the plants at the front of the shop, her eyes wrinkled with amusement as the two spoke.

Sun Fuyu couldn’t help but pause outside the florist, inhaling the sweet-scented air and the tiniest amounts of energetic qi.

“Sun...warm...good…”

Sun Fuyu stiffened. That ‘voice’ was a plant!

“Meow! The human’s shoulder is too hard! Doesn’t he know he should put a cushion so that I can lie on his shoulder comfortably!” the tiger-striped cat complained.

“Tch! The human is talking to the other human and has forgotten to pet me!” the white cat grumbled.

Sun Fuyu stared at the talking plant and the talking cats. What kind of world is this? Can those mortals hear them too? Or is it just me… He also couldn’t shake the feeling that these cats...were a little small?

His gaze didn’t go unnoticed.

Aunty Liu Jing looked up as she finished tending to the plants in the pot, and spotted the slim young man dressed in faded and torn yellow robes. His hair was a mess, his face and clothing dirt-streaked. His posture was awkward, flinching away from the other people walking around him by the pavement.

Aunty Liu’s brows creased together in a sudden worry for this young man struck her heart. She felt the need to look after him and feed him. He looked distressingly thin!

Wen Zhihao followed Aunty Liu’s gaze, and when he saw the young man, pity stirred in his heart. What kind of parent would let their poor child wander around the streets like this? Did he even have a home at all?

“Child, come here,” Aunty Liu Jing said directly. At her age, she was as direct as any of the other aunties. “Where do you live? Have you eaten?”

Sun Fuyu’s eyes widened. He hugged ‘his’ bag against his chest and shook his head. “Don’t know.”

Two gazes softened even more.

Aunty Liu Jing tucked her gardening tools into her apron and clapped her hands loudly. “In that case, come here, don’t be polite!”

“We have food in the cafe, that’s faster,” Wen Zhihao said.

“En, very good.” Aunty Liu Jing stepped into the florist shop. “Old Tang! I’ll leave the shop to you for an hour, I’ll be at the cafe! Don’t mess anything up!” she yelled.

“How old am I? Go, go, the shop will flourish without you!” Old Tang yelled back.

Aunty Liu Jing snorted. She stepped out again, smiling warmly at the young man. “Come this way,” she said kindly.

“I—”

Wen Zhihao walked over to him and nudged his arm with his elbow. “Come, as long as this little handsome brother is not allergic to cats.”

Sun Fuyu blushed. “I’m not…”

Somehow, Sun Fuyu was coaxed into the cat cafe, plied with sweet words from the older brother Wen Zhihao and the aunty Liu Jing.

He found himself seated at a low table, socked feet curled under him (shoes left at the front). In the soft coloured shop, dozens of cats dozed, stretched, played and jumped about. The white cat from before was now in his lap, purring as he hesitantly petted it.

“Purr!! I like this human’s petting better! Yes, right there!”

The aunty was seated in front of him. The older brother disappeared for a moment, and then came back with a tray. He set down a big bowl of noodles in front of Sun Fuyu, a plate of steaming meat buns at the centre of the table, and three drinks, one for each person.

“Eat up, Xiao Yu,” Wen Zhihao said warmly. “Bro Wu’s a great cook.”

“Don’t be polite, eat, eat! You’re too skinny ba!” Aunty Liu Jing coaxed/ordered.

Sun Fuyu lowered his head hesitantly. “En.”

The bowl of noodle soup was extremely fragrant, savoury and herby and spicy. Sun Fuyu’s mouth watered. He had never eaten anything good in his childhood, and the food at the Golden Sun Sect was plain porridge and vegetables.

Wielding the chopsticks, Sun Fuyu slowly started to eat. The flavours and textures burst wonderfully in his mouth.

“Sun Xiao Fuyu, does it taste good? More salt? Chilli oil?” Aunty Liu Jing asked.

Sun Fuyu swallowed and shook his head. “It’s perfect, Aunty. Thank you, Aunty. Thank you, Wen-ge.”

Aunty Liu Jing grinned. “Very good. Eat up!”

Wen Zhihao smiled slightly at the way this little brother Fuyu ate his food so seriously. He casually picked up a meat bun for himself and bit into it.

He and Aunty Liu let Sun Fuyu eat, while the two of them chatted casually. The poor, hungry kid! And look how polite he was!

Aunty Liu Jing suddenly had a secret feeling to adopt him…

To be continued! There'll be a few parts, and then back to the xianxia world ????

This AU came with some special details from Emi (e.g. the cats roasting Wen Zhihao ;P and Sun Fuyu being able to hear the cats talk!). With some brainstorming with hatcubed about what florist AUs were (the talking plants made sense too~ ????)