Chapter 6 - Looking Good (1/2)
Qiu Ling bent over the child and held the small hand of Jing He's mortal reincarnation. A bright smile adorned his lips, which the boy seemed to reciprocate, even though he couldn't see him. Qiu Ling felt deeply satisfied. Normally, Madam Zhong wouldn't leave her son's side for even a second, as long as he didn't sleep. But now, she had prepared her husband's meal and accompanied him outside. For a while, Qiu Ling would have Jing Yi all for himself.
”Jing He.” He sighed, thinking of how only a few weeks had passed in the human realm. In the nine heavens, that hardly even equated to one shichen. He already missed him. ”How can I wait a whole mortal life for you?” He wished, Jing Yi could've answered him but the boy couldn't hear him just like all those other humans. But if Qiu Ling was honest, that might be better: He had wanted to help him through saving his mother, but now such rumors had abounded.
His face fell thinking of that. Jing He's reputation in the nine heavens was stellar, but now he had just been reincarnated in this mortal realm, and he was treated like a leper. Humans were such inferior creatures!
Hardly had he thought so, that voices spoke up outside.
”Qiguan Cheng Da!” Of course, this was Mister Pi, who was the first one to hurry toward Madam Qiguans son. ”How nice of you to swing by!”, he claimed, so as to not be too direct. His gaze flitted to Madam Qiguan, who waddled up behind him.
”Da'er!” She took her son by the arm and looked him up. ”You're looking really well!”
”Indeed, indeed!”, agreed Mister Pi. ”Being a daoist does you good!”
Qiu Ling pricked up his ears inside the Zhong's house. Daoist? What was a daoist doing in such a remote village? ”They wouldn't have called him because of you, would they?” He patted Jing He's black shock of hair. The boy gurgled happily and extended his small hands. Qiu Ling surrendered one of his fingers to him and watched, what happened outside.
Qiguan Cheng Da lifted his chin up and smiled, to give the impression of a charitable gentleman. In Qiu Ling's eyes, he seemed more like a cock, trying to become a peacock.
”Don't, don't, Mister Pi. I only felt, that it was my fate, to commit myself to the righteous cause and help the common people.”
The corner of Mister Pi's mouth twitched, when Qiguan Cheng Da spoke of 'common people'. He had watched this boy grow up! Did he really have to listen to him trying to sound like someone better? But how could he say his thoughts out loud, after he himself had written the letter to call him because of the heretic practitioner? Mister Pi could only pretend to smile and cast a meaningful glance at the Zhong's house. ”Cheng Da, good, that you came! Actually, there is someone in our village, who could use your help!”