Chapter 16 — Pleasant Company

Wednesday right after work, Lin Che immediately got to making the house more presentable, whilst Shen Yue had been preparing each course of dinner since around three o’ clock.

He moved the vacuum cleaner in parallel lines across the carpet in an attempt to keep his mind away from all the thoughts he had about the guest of honour. He just couldn’t stop thinking about how the man currently en route to this apartment had been responsible for his death in at least one life, and that he was now expected to open the door for him and offer him tea.

“Grab the foldable table from the storage room. We’ve got more food than the one table can support,” said Shen Yue, from the kitchen doorway. “And you can quit with the vacuum cleaning whilst you’re at it — you’ve already gone through the entire apartment twice over.”

The smell coming from the kitchen was what Lin Che could only describe as rich and slightly floral. Supposedly, Shen Yue went to the pharmacy earlier that day to purchase some of the ingredients for the evening’s meals, making sure to grab the things which actually tasted good and only had a minor effect, as Qi-enriched food was more of a bonus than a serious way to gather energy.

Lin Che was just glad it wouldn’t taste like the potion sludge and poison tea he’d been consuming all too regularly.

He opened the door to the storage room and fished out the aforementioned table and tucked it under one arm, still smug about his new strength.

Body refinement was what Shen Yue called it. The first proper steps into becoming a true cultivator, and something which he’d achieved much faster than the average disciple if you only took this life into account.

He placed the table down in the living room and pulled on the mechanism to extend its length. “When he asks what I know,” he called to the kitchen, “I only know about the community and that cultivators exist. Nothing else.”

“Yes,” came the response.

“And I’m interested but haven’t started anything.”

“Yes.”

“And if he finds out, Hu Baolin gave me the techniques, right?”

“Yes. Just stick to the script and delegate to me if you’re stuck. Otherwise, just be yourself.”

Lin Che thought about this and decided that being himself would require some editorial intervention. He went back to the kitchen and helped himself to a taste of the broth cooking in the pot whilst Shen Yue was distracted by something else.

Ding dong! Ding dong!

“Door,” she commanded.

***

Shen Bowen stood outside as muscular as Lin Che remembered, which he now felt was slightly less impressive than he had initially thought, and wore an outfit which screamed wealth. He wore a branded white shirt and suit trousers, and the watch on his wrist most likely cost more than the entire building they were currently residing in. His hair was slightly greying, but he certainly looked much younger than he really was.

Lin Che recalled his interactions with Shen Bowen before the wedding. The first time he saw his profile picture, he had assumed he was Shen Yue’s older brother or some cousin of a similar age.

“You must be Lin Che,” he said.

“Yes.” Lin Che stepped back from the door. “Pl—please come in.”

A thread of Qi from Shen Bowen’s eyes hooked onto Lin Che’s face and pulled its way through his nostrils and around the brain. From there, it worked its way down, methodically scanning through his entire body, giving him an itching sensation from within. Lin Che resisted the urge to circulate the Hollow Bell Technique to scratch the itch.

It came and went in less than a second.

Lin Che smiled and took his coat.

“It smells wonderful,” said Shen Bowen, as they passed the kitchen doorway. “Yue-er, you’ve been practising.”

“Sit down, uncle,” said Shen Yue, from the stove.

“She always says that,” Shen Bowen said to Lin Che. “Since she was small. ‘Sit down, stop hovering.’ A very bossy child.”

“I can hear you,” said Shen Yue.

“I know.”

“I like what you have done with the place,” he said to Lin Che.

“Really? We haven’t done much since moving here.”

Lin Che was glad that Shen Bowen decided to talk about the housing, as it gave him reason to not look the older man in the eyes and instead look at walls and furniture.

“Exactly. Reminds me of when I used to live here.”

“Lin Che, the kettle’s ready,” shouted Shen Yue.

“Coming!” he called back. Then, in a quiet voice, he said to Shen Bowen, “Please make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back with some tea for us.”

Lin Che left the room.

***

“You cannot leave me in there alone with him,” he whispered to Shen Yue.

“I don’t know why you’re so scared. Just stick to the script, and if there’s silence, there’s silence. You don’t have to fill in the gaps.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Look, I can see the food is ready, so come to the living room with us. I’m sure your uncle would love to have a conversation with his favourite niece.”

***

Lin Che poured the tea and sat across from Shen Bowen at the table. Shen Yue sat on the sofa, lighting some incense placed in a bowl on the coffee table.

“Yue-er tells me you’ve been helping Hu Baolin on the weekends,” said Shen Bowen.

“Just started recently,” said Lin Che. “It’s interesting work, and very different from logistics.”

“How much has it exposed you to? In terms of our community.”

“Enough to understand the basics,” he replied. “There’s a community and some familiar faces locally, but I’m still learning the herbs and compounds.”

“But not the practice itself?”

“Not yet.” He paused. “It’s something I’ve thought about, but Shen Yue refuses to help me start!” He laughed.