The act of dressing was another tender affair.
Looking at the trail of finger marks across that fair, porcelain skin, Yang Kai's heart ached with guilt. He berated himself inwardly — what had gotten into him to leave such marks? He swept his palm over her, and pure energy surged forth, flowing into Su Yan's body, fading the red marks considerably.
It took no small effort before the two of them were finally dressed, and they flew together toward Jade Tree Peak. Along the way, Su Yan's cheeks remained flushed. Yang Kai kept stealing glances at her, feeling as though he had discovered some hidden side of his Senior Sister that no one else had ever seen, and a quiet sense of pride swelled within him.
That side of her... bloomed only for him alone.
When they arrived at the cottage on Jade Tree Peak, they found his father fussing over the flowers and herbs out front.
Yang Kai greeted him, and the father and son exchanged a look. Yang Siye covertly gave a "don't worry" hand signal behind his back.
Father, you truly are a saint — Yang Kai was overcome with gratitude.
Turning around, Yang Siye called out, "Suzhu, your son is here."
"Tell him to scram!"
Yang Kai sniffed and cast a look of wounded grievance at Yang Siye. So this is what you meant by "don't worry"? Father, I truly was wrong to trust you — now hand me back my Dragon-Sinew Tiger-Bone Pills!
"Mother!" Su Yan called sweetly.
"Ssu Yan's here?" Dong Suzhu paused in surprise, then hurriedly said, "Come in quickly."
Su Yan shot Yang Kai a meaningful glance, and the two of them stepped inside.
The furnishings within were simple, revealing that only the two of them — husband and wife — lived on Jade Tree Peak, without a single servant. They passed through the main hall and into the side room, where Dong Suzhu sat before her dressing mirror, brushing out her hair — black locks cascading like a waterfall, silky and lustrous.
Upon seeing this, Su Yan immediately stepped forward and said softly, "Mother, let me help."
Dong Suzhu smiled and handed her the comb. "Then I'll trouble you."
"No trouble at all. It's only proper."
Dong Suzhu sighed. "Daughters really are better. Little Ssu Yan, if only you were my daughter — I've been craving a daughter like crazy."
Su Yan smiled behind pursed lips. "I am your daughter, Mother. And yours isn't just me, either. The other sisters may not be here in person, but they're certainly thinking of you."
"Of course they are. Little Qing Luo, little Ning Shang, little Xue Yue — every few days they have someone bring me letters with their regards." The smile on her face suddenly vanished, and her gaze fixed on Yang Kai's reflection in the bronze mirror. She sniffed. "Unlike someone who, after ten months of carrying him in my womb, spread his wings and flew off the moment they were strong enough. As if he still has this mother in his heart."
Yang Kai stammered, "Mother..."
"Oh my..." Dong Suzhu feigned surprise, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "And who might this be? How did he wander into my room? This boy has no manners at all — did I invite you in? Su Yan, throw him out for me."
Su Yan hung her head. "I can't beat him."
Dong Suzhu's eyes went wide. She slapped the armrest. "He dares to hit you? That's it — I'll sort him out!"
"No, no, no." Su Yan's face turned crimson, and she couldn't help but recall the wildness of the previous night, which made her legs go a little weak.
She had indeed been "hit" last night — and for quite a long time at that. Her backside still stung a little.
Dong Suzhu declared, "Don't be afraid of him. What's so special about being a powerful cultivator? What's so special about being a Star Lord? If he bullies you, you tell me, and I'll beat him."
While she was saying this, Yang Kai walked over and crouched beside Dong Suzhu, leaning his head toward her.
"What are you doing!" Dong Suzhu glared down at him.
"If Mother wants to hit someone, her son is offering his head — otherwise you'd have to take extra steps to get to him." Yang Kai grinned sheepishly.
"Get that head out of my face, you shameless thing." Dong Suzhu's attitude swung between cold and warm — cold toward Yang Kai, warm toward Su Yan — making the temperature in the side room feel alternately icy and toasty.
Yang Kai grabbed Dong Suzhu's hand and placed it on top of his head.
Dong Suzhu kept her cold expression. "Don't think I won't hit you just because I can't bear to."
"As long as it eases Mother's anger, I'll take however many hits."
"Those are your words!" Dong Suzhu gritted her teeth and raised her palm, bringing it down hard.
Yang Kai didn't even blink.
The palm came to a stop an inch from his head, sending a little gust of wind through the air. Dong Suzhu glared at him. "One of these days you're going to anger me to death!"
How could she bring herself to strike? From the moment she had carried him for ten months and given birth, this child had become the center of her entire life. Even a scraped knee on him would make her heartache to death — how could she ever raise a hand to hit him for real?
"You're just counting on the fact that I can't help but dote on you." Even as she spoke, her eyes began to glisten with tears, and she wiped at them.
Yang Kai rose and put his arm around her shoulders, speaking to the woman in the mirror. "Mother, you mustn't cry, and you mustn't get angry. Too much anger and too many tears might give you wrinkles."
"Wrinkles?!" Dong Suzhu was alarmed. The tears in her eyes were forcibly held back as she examined her reflection in the mirror. "Where are the wrinkles? Where? Did you see any?"
"Even if there were wrinkles, there's nothing to fear." Yang Kai reached out and, with a flourish as though he had prepared this in advance, produced a jade box before Dong Suzhu.
"What's this?" Dong Suzhu took the jade box and asked.
Yang Kai said solemnly, "Find a chance to take it. It will preserve your youthful beauty forever — you'll look sixteen forever."
Dong Suzhu's face immediately brightened with delight. "Really? That wonderful?" She hurriedly tucked the jade box into her own storage ring and said with false indifference, "You didn't need to bring a gift just because you came home."