The springtime meant that Shizhe's garden was very much in bloom. While typically it had flowers all year round, the ones that bloomed in spring were clearly her favorites. Xueye walked slowly as he admired them all.
"Xueye? You made it," Yuliang rose from her seat in the pavilion and joined him.
"Yes, I've still plenty of work to do but it's mellowed a bit," Xueye smiled.
"I'm glad," Yuliang couldn't help but return the smile. "As of late, Shizhe and Xinhua seemed worried you might be overworking yourself."
"With Jinse always around the office now, he wouldn't let me," Xueye giggled.
"He's the one that cleared up the issue with Jianhong, right?" Yuliang asked. She knew but she was trying to be more subtle about gleaning information about Jinse.
"Yes," Xueye sighed but there was still a smile on his face. "I feel like he's around the company more than the Fox's Den the past few weeks."
"That's odd," Yuliang hummed softly. "Did he express such interest before?"
"Not in the same way as he is now," Xueye shook his head as they both sat at the table. "He very much enjoys gaining knowledge so he's been quite obsessed with learning the trade. He's also been looking into our old ledgers usually as I do paperwork. My father wasn't the most clear about the details behind the debt. Jinse has just been going through it all looking for anything out of the ordinary."
"He's been doing this in the past few weeks? How regularly?" Yuliang raised a brow. She could tell Jinse was likely looking for something specific to be looking for so long.
"Almost everyday," Xueye stated with a nod. He glanced back over at Shizhe's home. "Is Shizhe sleeping in?"
"Perhaps. She's been having nightmares in recent nights," Yuliang explained. "I hope you don't mind it being just us until Xinhua and Shizhe join us. Also I hope you can forgive my prying, I didn't get the chance to talk to you about how you've been doing following those troubling events."
"I don't mind," Xueye smiled. "I know you mean well."
"What confuses me is why Jinse would take so long," Yuliang resumed her thinking. "Wouldn't he just go to the dates that follow the transaction?"
"He would if my father actually specified a date," Xueye rolled his eyes. "It was difficult enough getting him to even tell us the vague pretense of 'rejuvenating the company' or something like that. Really just felt like an excuse for him to slander my mother, like her illness was the reason for the company's decline."
Is he looking into this as well? How would he know? Yuliang couldn't help but think to herself. It would be quite foolish to buy the poison on the company ledger. She would have to ask for Xinhua's opinion on the matter. She still needed to verify one more thing, "When did you meet Jinse anyways?"
"When I was younger. I was occasionally sick as well. It happened during a time Dr. Jingji was helping in a neighboring town. Only his remedies helped back then so Mother risked travel so we could visit him. On the way back, we met Jinse on the road. He'd steered us away from a divine beast that was attacking passerby in the area. I kept running into him after that." Xueye giggled sweetly.
"Quite a softie compared to all those rumors," Yuliang took a sip of tea.
"Many people have come to realize that as of late," Xueye smirked.
"Talking about Jinse?" Xinhua's voice carried as she walked up the steps to join them in the pavilion.
"How'd you guess?" Xueye giggled.
"You have a particular look in your eye whenever you talk about him," Xinhua teased, sitting close to her brother.
"D-do I really?!" Xueye felt his face warm even in the shade.
"Is Shizhe alright?" Yuliang tried to spare Xueye from his sister's teasing.
"A slow start, she'll join us in a little bit," Xinhua smiled reassuringly but Yuliang didn't miss the worry in Xinhua's eyes. "Lady Li is helping her right now."
"I understand the feeling," Xueye sighed. In recent nights he'd been quite restless. He had been waking up exhausted.
"Are you still having them?" Xinhua's brows knit and her worry finally showed on her face.
"They are getting less frequent," Xueye waved his hands back and forth. He didn't want to worry her too much more by telling her he struggled to even sleep at all. "Practicing helps at least when I have the time in the evening."
"You really should take an extra day off," Xinhua huffed. "Surely you're caught up now on all that back log right?"
"I am," Xueye nodded with a placating smile. "Back to the usual workload, thankfully. It's still quite a bit. Father has been pushing more work on me. He is still angry, I think."
"When is he not?" Xinhua huffed bitterly.
"How unfair," Yuliang grumbled.
"I'm used to it," Xueye looked a little defeated.
"Have you put any thought into getting an assistant just for yourself?" Xinhua asked. When Shizhe brought up the idea to her yesterday evening Xinhua thought it a brilliant idea and was all for helping to convince Xueye. "In all honesty, I had thought of it from time to time when I was there, especially during the busy seasons."
"I do admit having Jinse's help has been quite handy lately," Xueye hummed thoughtfully. "The problem is ensuring it's not someone in father's pocket," Xueye sighed. "I worry about him trying to interfere with things more than usual. Especially the matter of trying to grow the herbs we got in from the east."
"You know, the palace can help protect this investment," Yuliang stated. "We can bring this up to Lady Mingmai. If it's contracted by the court then any sabotage will be punishable for any party found involved. It should be a good deterrent, right?"
"I don't want to impose," Xueye looked a little worried. He didn't want to utilize his friendship with upper court members over business matters. He was worried it would look as though he were using them, much like his father tended to claim such friendships were for.
"The palace contracted you to move them in the first place," Xinhua smiled. "They use them in the medical offices here as well. Having a steady supply of such rarities would be wonderful for all parties involved."
"It would help the people as well," Yuliang nodded. "There's no reason for us to deny assistance to protect this investment. I'll bring it up to her, I'm sure she would like to meet you. Shizhe likes to talk about you often."
"Can you blame me?" Shizhe's weary voice carried over from down the path. She ran her hand across Xinhua's shoulders as she passed her lover to wrap her arms around Xueye. "Xueye is just the best!"
"Thank you," Xueye giggled, patting her arm.
"Sorry I'm late," Shizhe pulled back but lingered a bit. A weary and worried expression on her face.
"Are you okay?" Xueye couldn't help but worry seeing how affected she was.
"Just tired," Shizhe sighed as she sat in the remaining seat. She was afraid to elaborate upon her recent dreams but the one last night, she had seen Xueye suspended in the flooded capital. She knew the implication of seeing the fully submerged city meant the whole city was in danger, all the ones she cared for as well but this was the first time she had seen anyone specific in this nightmare. She was genuinely scared when she saw him drifting lifelessly. "What about you? Nothing troubling?"
"No more than the usual annoyances at work," Xueye smiled reassuringly. "I'm glad to finally take time to visit but don't push yourself on my account."
"I'm fine," Shizhe yawned. "Some tea and food will help. Lady Li said the food is almost ready, she'll bring it shortly."
"I was just telling Xueye that he should consider taking on an assistant," Xinhua smiled at Shizhe who lit up.
"I agree," Yuliang chimed in. "Especially, if it means you get to join us more often."
"See, you enjoy being around him too!" Shizhe jeered.
"I didn't deny your earlier statement," Yuliang smirked.
"Okay, okay," Xueye found the bubbling happiness in his chest a little unsettling. He wasn't used to letting people in so easily but Shujing, Shizhe and now Yuliang just seemed so genuine. None of them had much to gain from him, so it was hard to deny their care was genuine, despite what the whisper of doubt in the back of his mind often said. Xueye was hoping desperately that he was right and history wouldn't repeat. He decided he wanted to enjoy this feeling as long as he could. "If you all want to spend time with me so badly I guess I have to consider it."
"Since you want someone outside of our father's influence I might be able to help," Xinhua interjected, she figured with Shizhe's meddling Xinhua could at least be a mediator and make it easier for her favorite people. With Shizhe's help there was no doubt the person would be a perfect pick.
"Do you know of someone?" Xueye raised a brow.
"Perhaps, I'll make some inquiries and let you know," Xinhua giggled as she glanced at Shizhe who looked absolutely delighted.
"You'll have more time to perform if this works out too!" Shizhe beamed, still hoping to set up a grand stage for Xueye.
"That would be nice," Xueye let out a contented sigh. "I've been practicing a bit more in the evenings but nothing special. Just going through the motions since I've been out of practice so long."
"With the Sparrow Feather Festival not far off do you think you'll perform during the festivities?" Shizhe asked with an excited curiosity. "It would be the perfect time to do so."
"I haven't thought that far ahead just yet," Xueye chuckled nervously. He liked the idea of it but he wasn't sure if he would be ready over the course of the next month. Sure he wasn't having a hard time getting back into the motions but it had been years since he did anything that wasn't just for friends. "I don't know if I'm ready yet…"
"Take your time," Xinhua placed a hand over his. "There's no rush."
"Yes! Of course!" Shizhe said quickly, having also picked up on Xueye's hesitation. "Whenever you are ready we'll be there! Even if you need a small audience to test the waters."
"Thank you," Xueye smiled. He shifted the more he thought of it. This was a different feeling that he was used to. "I guess I've never been so nervous about performing before. I always looked forward to it. It feels a little silly."
"Well you gave up on it, didn't you?" Xinhua looked guilty, knowing part of it was because she set him on this path. "That's what you said."
"I did…" Xueye looked down in his lap and started fiddling with the hems of his sleeves. "I just never thought I would have the time for it again. It feels easy to slip back into it, but what if I still can't do it?"
"You can do anything you want to," Shizhe said softly and sweetly.
"I don't know what I want…" Xueye sighed.
"Or perhaps you do but are not ready to commit," Yuliang voiced objectively. She could see a sense of want in Xueye's eyes but also a little fear.
"Perhaps," Xueye sighed. "I just feel like I forgot what it's like to want things. It gives me a little anxiety, admittedly."
"No one can take it from you if you, the worst is they set you back," Yuliang voiced softly yet firmly. "Don't let anyone set you back enough to think you'll never get what you want. Not even yourself…"
"Are you going to take your own advice on that?" Shizhe jabbed teasingly.
"Shut up," Yuliang rolled her eyes with a faint smile.
"Practice what you preach!" Shizhe giggled.
"We'll see where the cards fall," Yuliang sighed. "Perhaps time will free up soon and I can pursue my own wants but I suspect it will be quite busy for some time."
"Don't miss out," Xinhua smiled knowingly. "Even if it's busy there are always ways to get a little time to yourself or others you want to spend time with."
"She's rubbing off on you," Yuliang glared at Shizhe briefly. She shook her head. "Still, with Xinhua assisting me, perhaps there will be a little more time."
"Happy to help!" Xinhua beamed.
"Have you been settling into the new position well?" Xueye asked.
"It's an adjustment but these two have helped a lot," Xinhua giggled softly. "I may be busy for a while but once I find the rhythm it'll be much easier to spend time with you all now. At the very least I'll have to join these weekly garden parties."
"You both do, it's mandatory," Shizhe jokingly ordered.
"You heard her," Xinhua smirked over at Xueye.
"Yeah, I'll be here," Xueye laughed. "I have to eat after all."