It has been two weeks since he had been away from the Sect. Shi Lihua had to recover enough to be able to travel back to the central, and assigning the next family after the Qi family had taken a few more weeks. The Elders and Luo Yang had gone back ahead to guide the sect.
It still had the beautiful ancient stone gate even though the spring water has frozen long ago reducing the once tranquil vibe he had loved. Shi Lihua didn't express it but he must have really missed the pink garden and missed drinking peach tea under the roof of the pavilion. He immediately disappeared into the garden.
Wu Huan smiled intending to follow. Unfortunately, he was ordered to go back and to clean their rooms. They have also been informed that their master made a trip to the mountain to investigate after they just left for Mo city. It would be another few weeks before his arrival back to the Sect according to the letter he had sent. Wu Huan barely stepped foot on the pink bridge before a swarm of disciples rushed out of the training ground to greet him. Three of the faces stood out to him the most, Zi Xue, Cui Jun, and Bai Lei.
Zi Xue had been the ultimate second Shixiong that helped him settle it. Even though he wasn't very good in his sword skill, his stamina was amazing. Out of the three times he had received his 'playing' punches in the stomach, two times had felt like his intestines would drop.
"You're finally back. How was your trip, kiddo?" Zi Xue hook a heavy arm over his shoulder and raised his brow. He was still as casual as ever.
Cui Jun hugged his arm with a grin, "I only expected young master to come back alive. I guess you must have made it by sheer luck." Cui Jun was most likely his best friend out of everyone. But Wu Huan hated the constant underestimation in his voice. You really couldn't love someone for every part of them.
"I'm at Nascent Soul stage now," Wu Huan glared.
The bustling group of disciples was reduced to silence.
"Wait, you guys don't believe me?" He felt irritated that he was probably guessing it right. Why did no one ever believe in him?
Bai Lei was the first to speak, "Doesn't that mean it's impossible to catch up to you now?" Bai Lei was a sixteen-year-old outer disciple who was originally very awkward and discouraged. Wu Huan had befriended him after he saved him from falling off a cliff. There was no one clumsier than this teenager.
"Bai Lei, stop with that negative mind," Cui Jun humped disapprovingly. "If a loser can do it, we all can do it."
"That's right," Zi Xue knocked him in the stomach suddenly. "Kid, tell us your techniques. So I can find myself a wife. I'm already thirty."
[What does that have anything to do with finding a wife? His mind is weird sometimes.]
"You want to know?"
"Uh-huh," Cui Jun narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
"Then help me clean my room."
The disciples other the three started dispersing one by one back to the training ground. Most of them had an uneasy expression. Cui Jun and Zi Xue also found it as their cue to leave despite being called back. Bai Lei averted his eyes seeing Wu Huan frustrated at the sudden reaction, "I'll help you clean."
"Oh, Bai Lei. You're the best."
When he opened the door, the smell of wine attacked his nostrils. "What in the world..." he groaned, stopping himself from puking out the sour smell.
"This is why they left us to clean the room. They have been drinking here while Sect leader and the elders were away."
[People would think the Taohua's disciples are all graceful and obediently. They didn't know I got stuck with two mischievous ones.]
Wu Huan gingerly began to pick up the empty jars. At least, he was glad they didn't thrash his belongings. "They only are doing this because it's my room, right? They would cut off their hands first even before thinking of doing the same to shixiong's. "
"You're right," Bai Lei muttered before leaving to retrieve a bucket of water and tablecloth. When he came back, he went straight to his agenda, "Anyway, Wu Huan shixiong, can you tell me what happened during your mission?"
Wu Huan raised a brow, "This matter is not good for someone your age."
"Someone my age? Shixiong, I have been here nearly my whole life."
"So?"
"I got my nose stuck in many secrets. Me inquiring you is also a part of it."
Wu Huan turned to examine the other's expression. The almond eyes seemed to not waver.
"Great. Why don't you tell me the secrets then? In exchange for my information."
Bai Lei agreed, "Fine. What do you want to know?"
Without much thought, there was something that already popped up in his mind. "About Shi Lihua shixiong."
The kid scoffed while wiping the table. He made a show of throwing it into the bucket. Dirty water splashed out slightly. Somehow, it began to make Wu Huan nervous. "You must have wanted dirt on your shixiong, huh?"
"It's not that!"
"I know you two aren't getting along."
"..."
"Well?"
"Well, that's where you're wrong. The trip wasn't nothing."
Bai Lei looked utterly suspicious but he simply hugged his arms and propped himself on a dresser nearby. "What do you want to know about shixiong then? Whether he likes men?"
Shocked. That was how he felt. He must not have known this kid long enough. "What the? Bai Lei! What did you just say?"
"Isn't that what you wanted to know?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Huh? Well..."
"No worries," the kid closed his eyes looking like he went through talking like this a million times. "I'm not surprised. Besides, you're not the first."
Wu Huan did feel like a mountain of swords just rained on him. The shock kept coming and he wasn't prepared. So that was why this kid knew. "T-there are others?"
"Why not?"
[Don't sound so casual! I'm being serious here.]
"Why would they even ask a kid like you anyways?" He tried to play down his anxiousness.
Bai Lei looked like he was just underestimated, "You must have forgotten the fact that Shi Lihua shixiong was the one who took care of me when I have just arrived."
"What? He did?"
"..." Bai Lei must have given up, "Whatever. The answer is I'm not sure, either. But, there was someone."
[There was...]
"However, no one in the Sect knows except for me and Lui Yang shixiong. Then again, if you want full details, you can go to the shixiong but you probably will fail anyway."
He was silent for a while trying to process it all in. He didn't even know how to feel. "No doubt about that..."