"Remember, you have to come and see when the time comes, so until then, make sure to take good care of yourself." Bonanus tilted her head, her smile bright, like flowers blooming in spring.
Time flowed slowly.
For an elderly man, Yu Xie always felt that time passed quickly.
After getting up in the morning, it seemed like he hadn't done anything, and before he knew it, the sun had moved from east to west, and it was evening again.
Today was no different.
He and Bonanus sat under the eaves, where she shared stories about the other yakshas while Yu Xie quietly listened.
"Last time, Xiao was mistaken for Menogias and got thanked profusely by someone. Xiao just calmly said, 'I'm not Menogias; you've got the wrong person,' and the atmosphere instantly became super awkward. I nearly stubbed my toes from trying not to laugh."
"Then there was that time when Indarias insisted on comparing his cooking skills with Bosacius's. She even dragged Xiao in as the judge. In the end, Indarias made a bowl of almond tofu and won the competition, but I don't think it was because Indarias was the better cook; it was just that Xiao really likes almond tofu."
"Oh, oh! And once we drew on Xiao's face while he was asleep! He didn't notice for a long time after waking up. We were trying so hard not to laugh!"
Listening to these mundane stories, for some reason, there were many moments when Yu Xie suddenly wanted to reveal his impending departure.
If he said it out loud, everyone would surely come to see him, and at least he could spend some final moments together with them.
But he feared that doing so would only make it harder for him to part.
As one nears death, reluctance only brings sorrow, both to oneself and to others.
He needed to let go a little, to be more carefree, leaving behind a true impression of the "Defensive General" in everyone's hearts.
This was Yu Xie's requirement for himself.
So he held back the urge to speak.
Gradually, dusk fell, and it was getting late, so Bonanus went home.
Yu Xie sat cross-legged on the corridor under the eaves, watching the sunset after the rain.
Unlike the passionate sunset of a clear day, the sunset after the rain was gentle, with rays of light seeping through the clouds, much like the mindset of a person in their twilight years.
Peaceful, yet filled with regret.
At that moment, he suddenly heard voices coming from outside the courtyard.
"Ge Chen, why did you come all the way here to cook for Yu Xie?"
"That's because… he's lazy, yes, he's lazy. He doesn't even bother to cook properly."
"But I don't think Yu Xie is lazy. He's cooked for me many times, and it was really delicious."
"If you don't believe me, just go inside later and see. Look, at this hour, there's still no smoke rising from his chimney. He probably hasn't even started cooking yet. He might just plan to throw something together again tonight."
The conversation paused, and then Yu Xie heard familiar voices calling out to him.
"Yu Xie, are you home? Gan Yu and I are coming in!"
The unlocked door of the courtyard swung open, and a girl carrying something led a cute little girl into the yard.
The girl had light blue hair and wore an exquisite outfit, a blend of blue and white with hints of dark colors, the hem of her skirt swaying gently in the breeze. Her hair looked meticulously styled, held in place by hairpins.
The little girl also had light blue hair, but it was a slightly darker shade than the older girl's. Her chubby face was incredibly adorable, and she sported two small red-black horns on her head.
"Ge Chen, Gan Yu." Yu Xie greeted the two.
"Yu Xie!" Little Gan Yu let go of Ge Chen's hand, her face instantly lighting up with a bright smile. She then ran across the steps, kicked off her shoes, and plopped down next to Yu Xie with a thud.
"Have you eaten yet?" Little Gan Yu blinked her big eyes.
"Not yet, how about you?" Yu Xie looked at Gan Yu, then at Ge Chen.
"Neither have we." Ge Chen slowly walked over, gesturing with the ingredients she was carrying. "So we came to borrow your kitchen."
"That's great! I'll get to taste Ge Chen, the True Monarch of Langshi's cooking again." Yu Xie smiled.
"I was just thinking, with no one to cook for you, were you planning to just throw something together again?"
"Pretty much," Yu Xie nodded, a faint smile on his face. "Just a simple meal for one."
"Even if you're alone, you should still eat well," Ge Chen sighed slightly in exasperation. "I recently learned a new dish, so I'll make it for you to try."
"I want to taste Ge Chen's cooking too!" Little Gan Yu said cheerfully.
"Gan Yu, don't eat too much, or if Liu Yun finds out, she'll say I'm not controlling your diet," Ge Chen cautioned.
"Don't worry, I won't tell Master!" Little Gan Yu replied earnestly.
Ge Chen didn't say more, just smiled and skillfully entered the house with the ingredients in hand.
This wasn't her first time cooking for Yu Xie. She was worried because he lived alone and never cooked properly.
After all, they were friends and comrades in battle, so she often came by to whip up a hearty meal for him.
That was the excuse Ge Chen gave herself, but the real reason was known only to her.
Under the eaves, only Yu Xie and Gan Yu remained, sitting on the wooden floor and gazing at the rosy clouds in the sky.
"I haven't tasted the dishes made by Ge Chen in a long time. I'm really looking forward to it," Little Gan Yu said, looking up at the sky with a slight smile.
She was so adorable, like warm sunlight, capable of dispelling the gloom in one's heart.
"What does Liu Yun usually cook for you?" Yu Xie casually asked.
He realized that they had never had such everyday conversations in the past.
"Hmm…" Little Gan Yu pondered, "Usually, Master makes some home-cooked dishes. If she's really busy, she'll use her mechanisms to help out."
"Those must be Liu Yun's proud mechanisms, right?"
"Yeah! Master's mechanisms are really impressive. As long as you prepare the ingredients and put them in the mechanism, it will cook the dish by itself after a while, and the taste is quite good. If you don't want to cook, I can ask Master to send you a cooking mechanism. She'll definitely agree."
"No need, I don't mind cooking."
"Hmm… that's true. You've cooked a lot of delicious dishes for me, and I still remember how tasty they were. Someone who hates cooking shouldn't be able to make such good food; I knew you weren't lazy!"
"Oh? Who said I was lazy?"
"Um…" Gan Yu hesitated, knowing she shouldn't speak ill of others behind their backs. "No one! You must have misheard…"
"Was it Ge Chen?"
"No, no!" Gan Yu was startled, her face flushing red from lying as she waved her hands hurriedly. "Ge Chen, the True Monarch, didn't say you were lazy. Really!"
Seeing this, Yu Xie silently smiled and reached out to pat Gan Yu's head again.
In truth, Gan Yu usually didn't like others touching her head because it sometimes accidentally brushed against her horns, which she didn't enjoy. However, she didn't mind when Yu Xie did it.
"Gan Yu, if in the future…"
Halfway through his sentence, Yu Xie still couldn't bring himself to say, "If in the future you want to eat the dishes I make but I don't have time to cook for you…"
"No matter what, you must eat well, okay?"