" Gege, spare me!"
' You haven't seen anything yet! This is just the beginning! This for frustrating me! For lying to me! But really, how did we get to this point? Ahhh!!'
A while ago,
" Cao Chang!!!"
Everywhere was a direct opposite of what the peacock told him or what he had at least expected. Though he wasn't expecting much from him a person is allowed to have some expectations, Right?
It was a total mess with black and red scattered everywhere, types of furniture scattered around, a big hole, which looked like a man dent on both the walls and floors, acidic stench filled the building, a large opening caused by fire, on the roof and partially burnt this and that scattered around.
' This damned peacock!!' the corner of Shen Zhufu's mouth twitched in anger boiling deep within him. " Wow! What a great surprise!" His voice was acidic as the stench with his eyes, daggers piercing multiple holes through the quivering surpriser in front of him.
Cao Chang rubbed the palms together as he avoided looking at him. He had realized his mistake which is; ' Don't mess with that gongzi.'
" Shit!" He mumbled under his breath.
Shen Zhufu, " What did you say?"
"N-nothing... Haha," Cao Chang nervously glided towards him and shamelessly wrapped his arms around his shoulders. His voice is shaky and raspy, " Don't think that..."
Cutting him off. Shen Zhufu, " Think what? Did I say anything?"
Cao Chang lets out a nervous chuckle and removed his arms from him. Cao Chang, " Nothing, this wasn't a surprise."
" Then what is the surprise?" he folded his hands in front with his brows arched, " That would make me so fascinated." stressing the very last word and waving a hand towards the black-stinking surprise. He was so surprised that he could give him a hug of death with so much gladness he made him feel.
He slowly turned to face the shivering peacock.
Head bowed, hands behind him like a little child awaiting his punishment for his wrongdoings.
Shen zhufu used the edge of his palms to rub his heavy eyes due to pent up frustration. He just couldn't lash out at him. it didn't sit well in his stomach.
He heaved a very deep sigh and shook his head. Shen Zhufu, " Well then, " he clasp him on the shoulders with a smile, which couldn't reach his eyes, " You could clean up this place, all by yourself." with that he released his strong grip on his shoulder. He glanced to see the other expression and he never felt so alive and pleased with himself. ' This is more enjoyable than lashing out at him.'
The peacock's mouth fell open with widened eyes. His mouth open opened and closed as if he wanted to argue out his punishment but no words came forth.
Cao Chang, "...B-bu..."
With a finger on his lips and the other on the peacock. Shen Zhufu, "Shh, no buts."
Shen Zhufu took his seat, sitting Wei Xiang on his lap, with so much pleasure that it showed on his face. leaving the pale-faced peacock to his punishment.
' This is so much fun.'
" Gege~"
A low voice behind him brought him back to the present.
"Mn." A worn-down peacock dressed in hemp, holding a tray in one hand and a broom in the other. His dishevelled hair, rumpled clothes, stains smearing his clothes not excluding his face and anywhere exposed, sweaty, he looked like he used his whole body to clean up his mess, or rather, his surprise.
Shen Zhufu, " Bring it, " he beckoned to him. With watched as the teacup and kettle were replaced with the clean teacup and kettle filled with hot fresh tea. " Pour it for me." He watched him pour the tea, not without shooting his lips forward as if he wanted to complain but never did.
Shen Zhufu had so much fun. Fun that he felt so pleased with himself.
Seeing the peacock hiding its prideful wings to become a quivering chicken. So much fun indeed.
While Still enjoying himself, Wei Xiang suddenly jumped off his lap, clapping his hands and giggling, and went to a corner with wobbly steps. Under his shocked father and peacock nose.
"A-Xiang!"
Without thinking twice, they both towards the direction he went. Though, the peacock showed some slight hesitation.
"A-xi-"
A happy giggle and jargons of a little bird at the darkest corner.
'A-Xiang..' Shen Zhufu ran towards the sound. Wei Xiang was found playing with a toy and blabbing jargon as if someone was once there. Without caring much about who he was speaking to, She Zhufu took the baby in his arms and took him out of that place that made him slightly uneasy.
"A-Xiang, " He subconsciously released his breath he never knew he held, " You scared me." He hugged the baby in his arms. The toy in Wei Xiang's hand caught his attention.
It was a Bolonggu carved from fine wood. It was not the toy itself that had his interest but the ancients carved on it. It looked strangely familiar but unfamiliar at the same time.
His hands unconsciously took the pouch hung on his waist.
It had the same ancients as the toy.
Shen Zhufu, " My A-Xiang, who gave this toy?" he asked the giggling child who just reply him with a giggle. ' Right! He is just a baby.'
" Gege?"
He deep in thought that he couldn't hear that he was being called until a tap on his shoulder brought him back.
Shen Zhufu, "Mn?"
Cao Chang wore this undeniable serious look on his face which usually held mischief.
Without all the mischievousness and all, he looked more mature and more handsome.
It was unthinkable.
' Unbelievable! so this Peacock could have this serious look?'
Shen Zhufu eyed the ' serious ' Peacock with doubt. Shen Zhufu, " A-Xiang, am I seeing things? Where is Peacock? Who are you? But please, replace Peacock..." He kept on spewing nonsense nonstop
"Gege?"
Shen Zhufu, "Yes." He stared at the serious-looking Peacock with a smile a matured gongzi should have. A serious Peacock and a matured gongzi can now speak with ease.
" ...I..." Cao Chang shook his head as if to arrange his thoughts probably, not to step on this gongzi's toes. He had learned his lesson. Probably.
He silently went close to the matured gongzi and wrapped his arms around his shoulders.
' what's up with him?'
" Hey, peacock?"
Cao Chang snuggled into his shoulders with a contented sigh, " Gege~"
For the first time, Shen Zhufu felt the tiniest emotion for this poor peacock. His heart throbbed seeing the ever proud peacock behaving like a lost puppy. He decided to give him his full attention. Even if it was once. Just for now.
" Mn" He patted the sulking Peacock on his head, " There! There!"
They both stayed like this for a while till a little troublemaker, who silently drank two spoonfuls of vinegar slapped the head resting on his father's shoulder.
" Ouch! A-Xiang, what was that for?" the victim of the mighty attack held his head and groaned in pain.
Whilst the attacker just glared at his victim before snuggling into his father's arms.
' What just happened?'
The said father was left speechless. He just couldn't comprehend what had just happened. But it was hell funny, that he couldn't resist the temptation of laughing.
" Hahaha," He laughed till his stomach hurts, " A-Xiang my dear, you shouldn't have done that," He said those scolding words but he was very much glad inside it happened, " He is your uncle."
' A-Xiang, you just made me proud.'
Shen Zhufu, " You should be thankful it wasn't so hard to create a deep hole in your skull... Hahaha"
' I wish he gave you a big dent in your skull...probably, to make him wiser"
Cao Chang threw up so many tantrums. Tantrums are so unbearable. He stamped his feet several times, groaned and rolled on the ground crying like a little child.
" Stop that," Shen Zhufu let out a deep sigh of frustration as he massaged the growing wrinkles off his forehead, " you aren't a child. I wish he dug a hole in your skull." Irritation was evident in his voice.
It seemed the whining peacock's plan had slapped him right on his cheek. Several times. He got up from where he sulking like a kid with a single leap. With a grin, he carefully went closer to him and of course, avoided the glaring crimson orbs of a certain child who almost broke his skull.
Shen Zhufu watched him, knowing what he was about to do.
Well, what can he do? Sigh, once a child, will always be a child. He just had to put up with this childish Peacock. Let him speak whatever nonsense he wants to say. A rule of the several rules of being matured Gongzi is patience. He just had to endure. He had to.
The said peacock shamelessly knelt in front of him with a quizzical look on his usual playful face. Then he opened his mouth shattering every single hope a certain gongzi has.
" Let's show off our apples for sell."
Shen Zhufu's face twisted awfully.
' I should have known..'
What can he do? other than helplessly contain this frustratingly shameless Peacock.
" Fine," He got up with Wei Xiang in his arms, he headed to the door, " Are we going to show off on an empty stomach?" His lips curved up a little into a smile before walking out leaving the peacock dwelling in confusion.
" Gege~ wait for me!!"