" Qing Hua?"
" Yes my Lord."
" I need your help."
" ...Okay, I'm listening."
"What?? My lord, are you crazy!!"
" Shhh!! Peacock and A-Xiang are with me."
" ..ok. Anyways, who is Peacock?"
"..." Shen Zhufu took a quick glance at his mysterious new friend, who is doing a bad job in selling their apples and at the same time, taking care of a whining baby, " My new annoying friend."
Qing hua, " Wow, my lord made a new friend! Who is he?"
Shen Zhufu let out a deep sigh to show his frustration, " He is an headache."
Qing hua let out a little chuckle, " Nice."
" mn."
Shen Zhufu glanced over again, his mouth was left hanging and his forehead creased in pain. Cao Chang, was chasing after a young woman holding an apple and a giggling Wei Xiang in his arms.
' What?? Is?? He?? Doing????'
As if Qing hua read his mind- which she actually did, " Don't you have any matter to solve?"
He unconsciously replied earning a small laugh from the reflection on the mirror, " Eh! I..mean..no.." He chewed on his thumb nervously.
" you can go. We will discuss later." With that, there was silence from the mirror.
' She really left me.'
" Ahhh, I said I don't want to buy your apples."
' Oh! I really have to deal with this headache.'
He got up and went to deal with his headache.
Cao Chang was forcibly pulling two women and a man towards their shop, with a teary face. Was he begging them or forcing them? Shen Zhufu was confused.
Cao Chang was begging them with words of mouth but his actions were repulsive.
Shen Zhufu face palmed internally several times, ' If most businesses were like this, will they be successful? You little fool!!'
" Peacock, what are you doing?"
When Cao Chang saw him, his teary face brightened up, " Making some money."
Shen Zhufu, " like this?" He pointed to the poor victims he still held in his strong grip.
"...Then how?"
Shen Zhufu smiled a little, " Watch me." He rolled up his sleeves, " And could you release them?"
Cao Chang was at lost at what he meant but later realised and released his grip on them.
" Jerk!" Both women kicked him on his knees.
' It is time.'
He cleared his voice and said in his gentleman voice, " Sorry for what my son did," he gave out his kindest of smiles, " He is just growing."
The four of them were taken aback. The victims were immediately bought by his gentlemanly character contrasting that of his 'son' and the Wide mouthed Peacock cheeks and ears had a touch of red before he went inside to whine; Not without, stomping his feet heavily on the ground.
" What a child."The first woman said with a sigh and others agreed with her.
" Are you sure he is your son?" the man amongst them asked.
Shen Zhufu, "Ahh! He is just a pity he took after his mother. Why can't he be so gentle as I?" He wailed profusely, wiping his tears with an handkerchief while the victims consoled him. ' If he was my son, it is either he died or I die.'
" my condolences to you for having such a son." the man brought out several gold coins from his pouch hung on his waist and gave him, " Give me just two apples and keep the change. I can't blame you the father." He patted him on the shoulder and left.
The two women also bought a dozen of apples and left as much change enough for him to dethrone the emperor.
' Just be gentle and give a sad story... I can be rich if I could just sell my smiles and tears.' After summing up the money made by his 'wonders', it was enough to build himself a palace in heaven or... a memory flashed through his eyes, two people were sitting in a moving four wheeled vehicle..but who were they??? He tried remembering but to no avail. The more he tried remembering, the more the headache grew worse.
" Gege!"
A voice brought him out of his trance. Cao Chang was bending over him with worry in his usual mischievous eyes, " what is wrong.?"
" Eh!" He felt a very cold and hard surface under him. He had slumped. He couldn't remember why and how? He just sitting on their self-made counter, happily counting the money made not to long ago.
" Dada" Wei Xiang big eyes were swollen. He crawled out of Cao Chang's arms into his father's sniffing, " Dada." He snuggled close in a tight embrace, afraid that something will happen to his father, if he released his hold on his father.
" A-Xiang," He patted his caring little bird on his back, " Cao Chang, help me up." He stretched out his hand to be pulled up. He almost fell back to the ground due to the slight weakness he felt in his legs. The strong grip on his shoulders were his anchor to hold him down.
Cao Chang carefully seated him by their self-made counter and poured him some water, " Here, drink this."
"...Ahh, Thank you." After drinking the water at a gulp, like a potent medicine, his whole body was refreshed.
Cao Chang, " What's wrong?" There was an hint of concern in his voice which sounded strange to Shen Zhufu. He couldn't reply immediately- This peacock had made him really speechless.
'Cao Chang can really become a dog?'
His lips moved but no sound was uttered. He was really affected by this new behaviour of his dearest friend. Instead, he shook his head and poured himself another cup of water.
"Dada."
"A-Xiang," He took his worried struggling son from Cao Chang's arms and snuggled him into his, " Aww, my little bird is worried?" He gazed at the worried look on the little troublemaker's face.
Both father and son, lost in each other embrace. This scene made a particular person face twitch in disgust.
" Ok! Ok! Remember I am still here." He said in disdain trying to separate both of them, " Wei Xiang, as you can see, Gege is fine," Trying to separate them but neither budged. Not even Wei Xiang. As he tightened his embrace, " Wei Xiang~" He tried once more with his smiling lips twitching in annoyance, " Let go of him."
Wei Xiang turned to glance at him and returned to snuggling into his father's arms, as though, the red Peacock had said nothing.
Shen Zhufu, who silently watched the two, burst into a series of wild laughter, " Why?" He asked with a knowing smile. The red face and the strong scent of Vinegar. He let out an exaggerated gasp, " Did you perhaps drink a whole bottle of Vinegar?"
He was right. He did drank several bottles of Vinegar. The touch of pink creeping up his ears down to his neck and the unstable gaze.
It made Shen Zhufu feel content. To see the overbearing peacock like this.
' Interesting.'
" N-no... W-why would I..." he bit his lips and took a peek at the smiling Gongzi in front of him, " Whatever!" He got up, " Why would I be jealous of a small child?" with that he turned to leave but not without hitting his head on the wall, " Ahh!" He punched the wall, so hard it created a big hole in it.
" Hahahahah, make sure you fix it Hahahahaha"
" Whatever!!"
" Hahahahah"
' My stomach.'
After laughing till he was satisfied. Till his stomach turned. He got up with confused Wei Xiang, still in his arms.
" Cao Chang, don't brood like a little child," he patted the sulky peacock on his head, " Is business done for today?"
" Humph!"
' This damned peacock... he didn't even spare me a look.'
" Cao Cao."
That worked the magic. His lips twitched into a little smile. as soon as it came, it went.
" Mn, we're," His voice gruff but it couldn't hide the excitement in it.
' To easy to read.'
" Ok, let's pack up and go home."
" Wait."
" What?"
Cao Chang handed him an heavy pouch whose content tinkled" This all the money we made today."
" How much?"
Cao Chang stared at him for a moment and shrugged, " I don't know" he said nonchalantly.
' This Peacock!!'
He brought the pouch up to his ear and shook it causing the content to clash together, " Sure, it is a lot." the sound produced by the clashing content attracted Wei Xiang. He intentionally placed his ear beside his father's, to hear the fascinating sound.
A small smile appeared on Cao Chang's face, " Whatever." He got up and left without looking back.
Shen Zhufu," Hey!! Wait up!!" He chased after him, not forgetting to close the shop.