Paoxiao entered the study, quite reluctantly. Looking over at Li Yu Rong, who bent over his desk, with eyes roving over maps stretched across its length, he felt even more that he didn't want to be there. A feeling of oppression pressed against him, locking him in place and only allowing him to stand there stiffly.
He didn't know, nor care, what caused this temperamental half-demon to be in a black mood, but he wished that he would have called him after he was over it. Paoxiao had a strong desire to walk right back out the door and head for the tree he generally rested in, nearby Nastasia's room. She had just begun to play a tune on her flute that he had yet to hear.
It was a relaxing and soothing tune and now, because of Li Yu Rong, he'd been deprived the pleasures of listening to it.
Looking up from the maps, Li Yu Rong shot Paoxiao a look entirely drenched in reluctance. However, being that he decided to follow through on Hui Se Ying's advice, he had no choice but to hand the task over.
Even if he wanted to do it himself.
"In two days we'll be leaving for the Spirit Realm. It's time for the five guardians to meet and discuss the state of things over the past year." Though it was difficult and though he wanted the excuse to see her, he managed to say the next line after a bit of silence. "I'll be taking Asya along, so I'll have to trouble you to deliver the message."
Overlooking the part of being tasked with delivering this message, something Li Yu Rong would generally take himself, he zeroed in on the first part. Exclaiming in shocked indignation Paoxiao almost marched forward to slam his hands on the desk. Though angry, he was still quite aware that Li Yu Rong was stronger.
"To the Spirit Realm!? Are you crazy? She's human! You should know that humans aren't like us, able to handle different energies for a time, and I doubt the contract you tricked her into will make much of a difference. I don't know what you're thinking or are trying to-"
Li Yu Rong held up a hand, a hard glint in his red-eye, effectively causing Paoxiao to abruptly fall silent. 'If it weren't for the contract,' Paoxiao comforted himself, 'then I wouldn't have to dance around him carefully.' For, definitely, his reflexive action wasn't because he feared Li Yu Rong.
Certainly not.
Lowering his upraised hand to rest over the maps, his fingers tapped across them in his irritation. It couldn't be helped, however, as he had to rely on Paoxiao to deliver this message and so he had to waste time on unnecessary words. Words that wouldn't need to be said if he could go and see Asya himself.
Holding back a suffering sigh, Li Yu Rong said. "Lu Se Ying tested her and said she would be fine to come along. She isn't from our realm, naturally, she wouldn't be the same as the human's from the Mortal Realm." His fingers twitched and his legs felt a bit restless as the great want of going to see Asya himself rose up, making it nearly impossible to sit still.
Although Paoxiao wanted to say more against this, it was hard to refute when a master of Lu Se Ying's caliber gave the "ok." In this world, there will probably never be another doctor who could even reach one-tenth of his ability.
Paoxiao's lips pressed into a thin line. Though he didn't want to, there wasn't much of a choice but to give into to Li Yu Rong's wants. "Fine," he muttered, "I'll go and tell her." As he left the study, once he had gotten the go-ahead, he couldn't understand why Li Yu Rong didn't go himself.
No matter when it was, even if he were extremely busy, he would find a moment to slip into her room. Paoxiao's brows furrowed as he thought about it, golden eyes darting back to the study's entrance before giving up on the thought entirely. It was better if Li Yu Rong was losing interest, it didn't really matter was the reason for it was.
Now, if that lack of interest goes deeper, then eventually he'd be able to bring Nastasia away from whatever plot Li Yu Rong wanted her for. As he pondered this he considered where to bring her after they managed to get away. He couldn't stay in the Mortal Realm for too long before requiring to be near spirit energy. He also didn't know how long she would be able to last in the Spirit Realm.
Either way, he thought about it, should he run away with her, they wouldn't be able to last very long. There was also the option of getting her back to her own realm, but that one wasn't a very welcome one. If he went that route, then it would be like losing a sister all over again.
The possibility of being able to follow her was very low. Even if he were able to manage for a while, there's a good chance his body wouldn't be able to adapt to her world's energy. During his deep ruminations on what to do, he soon found himself outside Aysa's door.
Since it was unlikely to work, Paoxiao put the thought to the back of his mind. He knocked on her door before opening it to enter. As he thought, and why he didn't wait for a response, was that she would probably be preoccupied with her designs and writing.
Nastasia was working at a roundtable, sitting on a round stool, completely immersed in perfecting the plans and designs littered across her vision. Paoxiao realized, with some regret, that if she were working it would be quite sometime before she took a break to play her flute again. Even then, he might not get to hear that tune she was playing earlier, though he supposed he could just request it.
After writing down a few more things, Nastasia set her ink brush down upon the brush holder and looked up to see the person that entered her room. Seeing that it was Paoxiao, she offered him a small smile and gestured for him to take a seat at her table.
Coming over to sit, Paoxiao immediately blurted. "That guy, he wants to take you with him Spirit Realm!" He slapped his knee on the last word and looked over at Nastasia with his golden eyes and youthfully handsome face twisted into a, "can you believe this nonsense," expression.
Nastasia blinked twice, stunned. Her thoughts didn't turn like Paoxiao's around the unfathomable act of taking a human to the Spirit Realm. She didn't understand the implications to find herself shocked over it. Instead, she was rendered so only due to the fact that Li Yu Rong had been avoiding her ever since that night. Not to say that she wouldn't have reciprocated the behavior should she be given the chance to come across him at all these last few days.
Because of this she couldn't help but be thrown by the news, but also feel a sense of budding anticipation. If they were going to be traveling together then, of course, they would have to meet each other face to face. In that case, she would need to prepare herself for a confrontation as there was no way they could continue to pretend the other doesn't exist if they were to travel together.
And, though she didn't allow herself to pay attention to it, she missed Li Yu Rong's presence. At night she found herself restless in sleep and during the day she found herself waiting for him to randomly show up as he usually would.
So, yes, though she didn't allow herself to pay attention to it, there was a budding anticipation and giddiness at the thought of being forced to confront that night that couldn't be pushed down. Since she was having trouble containing it and needed to keep herself rigidly to the path of distance, Nastasia turned her thoughts to the shop that was still in its infancy.
If she were to go on this trip then she needed to have things well prepared that the shop could continue on a path until she returned to take its reins. So, after her inward struggle, she said to Paoxiao. "How many days is the trip?"
Crossing his arms over his chest, legs also crossed, he tilted his head as he thought about it. Strand's of unbound orange streaked black hair came tumbling passed his shoulder as they hung at the side of his face. He recalled past days when he would use the opportunity to try and make his way past the gate. "Though he didn't say, these things usually last a week."
Nodding, Nastasia picked the ink brush back up and dipped it into the inkwell. If this were the case, then she needed to write instructions to be handled while she was away. Luckily the construction of the inside and the production of the products was set to be completed in a week at the earliest.
"Paoxiao, there not much time, help me tell Jiang Ya Lin and Liu Yating what to do in the next days, please?"
Her large, limpid, blue eyes looked up at him pleadingly. Being looked at in such a way, how could he refuse? Thus, Paoxiao nodded. "Of course I will."
Giving him a smile in return for his answer, the two of them got down to business, quickly working out a plan to be carried out over her possible week-long absence.