Jinde went right back to their chambers just as he had promised and then indeed stepped out and walked over to the lake. He sat down at the edge, letting his legs soak in the water while he pulled out the bag that Xin Lan had given him, and opened it.
He took out the first item, turning it over in his hands. It was a small hair ornament the didn't look very valuable but when taking a closer look, he could see a few inscriptions on it. Jinde took down the veiled hat and put it down on the ground, instead inserting the ornament into his hair.
A gentle energy flowed out of it, making him close his eyes and hum in contentment. Whether it was the material that had been used or the inscription, both seemed to be nourishing for the soul. And the best thing about it was that it would work without him doing anything at all. That was different from using the spiritual energy around him, slowly guide it into his body, and then use it to repair his soul himself. This was much more comfortable. It seemed that Xin Lan had really been able to find some helpful things.
Looking further, there were a few ingredients in the bag that he put aside first since he would need to prepare them before using them. Some objects could be used just like that hair ornament though. There were a jade ring and a small bracelet. Looking at them, Jinde's lips twitched.
With his hair and eye color, he had always been pretty eye-catching. Thus, from a young age, he hadn't liked jewelry very much. If he could, he would always keep it to a minimum. At most, he'd usually wear a hairpin to keep his hair in place and one spatial ring on his hand. As for anything else … He'd gladly do without it.
Strangely enough, he felt like Xin Lan had always liked seeing him adorned with jewelry. This certainly wasn't the first time he had brought something like this back. Normally, Jinde would just say his thanks and then ignore the matter, maybe wearing it for a few days so Xin Lan wouldn't feel that his presents weren't valued.
Well, this time around, he really couldn't complain. While he still didn't like the look of the jewelry on his body, the comfort it gave him was very much appreciated. If he kept this on, then even when he left the lake, he would be able to heal a bit all the time. Maybe he would even be able to leave this dimension after a while and go travel with Leng Jin Yu. He would definitely like that very much.
Happy with this part, he continued to take out the rest of the things that Xin Lan had brought with him. Most of it was herbs like the ones that he had already put aside but there were also some other materials.
Jinde looked at one of the stones for a while longer, weighing it in his hand. For one, he could throw this in the lake and it would likely help with recovering while he soaked in it. But maybe it would also be a good idea to use this around the house. That way, he would be able to take some breaks and spend more time with his husband. He could maybe soak in the lake for just the day and then get out at night. It would certainly be very nice.
Thinking about it, he pulled his legs out of the lake and stepped back into the chamber, observing it. The best effect would be had if he kept it close at hand. So if they went to sleep at night together, then having it around the bed would be for the best.
Jinde went over but hesitated at the last moment. While it was true that this would allow them to spend more time together while still not impacting his healing process too much, it might still be a bit strange to have something that another man had given him this close by while they slept with each other. Leng Jin Yu hadn't had anything against taking Xin Lan's gift but this might be different.
Jinde sighed and finally went to put the stone on the table. Anyway, he could ask Leng Jin Yu when that thing with Ma Zhi Wu was over. Then they could decide together. Maybe he was thinking too much again. That would definitely be for the best.
Jinde went back and outside, sorted through everything, and then stuffed the herbs back inside the bag while everything that he might want to keep in the room was put on the table. Afterward, he went back to the lake to soak in the water for some more time.
The things Xin Lan had brought him were quite good. He could feel the difference to how it was before when he had to use spiritual energy to repair his own soul. It was effortless but compared to soaking in the lake it was also just a trickle of energy. He definitely would have the best effect while he was in the water. Something that had been brought for the High Heavens just was that awesome. Well, he probably shouldn't have expected anything else.
Thinking of the High Heavens, Jinde couldn't help but think of Xiang Yu as well. He hadn't seen that fallen god in quite a while. And Xin Lan's reaction to that had also been a little strange. He wondered if something had happened between the two of them.
He really would've liked to go and ask Xin Lan but he also knew that he should keep out of things. Just what he had said about Zheng Yin before had already been overstepping some boundaries. He needed to start to let go just as much as he had wanted Xin Lan to let go of him. Otherwise, the two of them would just keep being entangled. That wouldn't be fair to anyone.