Jiang Cheng deserves a break

Chap 7: Jiang Cheng has a Crisis

Narrator's Pov:

A sampan boat docks at Lotus Pier. The boat lets out a creak as the man rowing the boat stepped off first, before parting a curtain attached to the roof of the boat. Out emerged a middle-aged woman dressed in faded purple and white robes.

Her hair was pulled up into a half-up, half-down bun, with twin hair-pins in the shape of a camellia flower holding up her greying hair.

From the busy streets of Lotus Pier, two figures dressed in clothes opposite to each other stand out. They walk towards the woman, one practically running and the other at a more sedate pace.

"Shu-yiyi, you're back!" Wei Wuxian greets with his usual enthusiasm, and wrapped Shu Jinghua in a tight hug. Jinghua found it hard to hug him back with her hands carrying her luggage.

She puts down her bags then holds Wuxian at shoulder-length and smiled, "It is lovely to be back, Master Wei."

"Hello Madam Shu." Lan Wangji says with a proper bow, unlike his husband.

"Han Guang Jun, that is unacceptable. Both of you are like family to me." Jinghua shakes her head and she wraps him in a quick hug. "You will call me Shu-yiyi, too."

"Shu-yiyi." Wangji repeats when he parts from the hug, which makes Wuxian squeal like a schoolgirl and clutch his chest, "Gah! So cute!"

The three walk towards the main Jiang sect compound. Wuxian loops an arm through Madam Shu's, while his free arm carried one of her bags, and he skips alongside her. "I am so glad you're back! The report papers have been insufferable without your expertise."

"Wei Ying does not help with the paperwork." Lan Wangji states, matter-of- factly. He was carrying the heavier luggage, and had been trailing behind them.

Wuxian stopped mid-walking, causing Jinghua to have to stop too. He unlooped his arm from her and slapped his spouse's chest lightly.

Wuxian gasped in mock-offense, "Who says!? Lan Zhan!! How could you do this to poor, old me? You're suppose to be on my side!"

Wangji only responded with a playful, "Mn."

The three fall into a laugh (except Wangji's is more of a small puff of breath) and continue their way to the throne room. They are shortly stopped again, when a small army of children run up to them--specifically to the Chief Cultivator.

"Wah! Gege is so pretty!" A little girl said.

"Everyone! Look at his hair! It's so shiny, and long too!" Another said. "Pretty-gege, can we braid your hair?"

One thing led to another, and suddenly the adults were joining a *braid-train. A young girl giggled as she parted Lan Wangji's hair into three sections, then began twisting and turning the delicate strands into a large braid. Some of the older ones who were more skilled with hair-styling, helped to weave in vibrant flowers into his hair. All the while, Wangji stayed as still as a rock, but gently reminded them not to knock over his guan.

"Shu-yiyi, may I ask a favour of you?" Wei Wuxian whispered to the older woman who was sitting beside him. The children have sectioned his hair into two and tied them into twin buns on either side of his head. Although, the left bun is placed slightly lower than the right one.

The right corner of Jinghua's lip quirked up, "Only if it isn't another one of your elaborate attempts to prank your brother." She teased. "I want to keep my job, you know." She had just finished braiding a little girl's hair and tied it off with a pink ribbon. "All done, sweetie."

The little girl felt her braid with her fingers, then bounced up with glee. "Thank you, Madam Shu!" The girl ran off gleefully.

The black-clad cultivator bursted out laughing but his laughter soon dissolved into a gloomy chuckle. "The favour does regard Jiang Cheng..." He trailed off.