15 The Cackling Fox and Drunken Dog.

"I'll give you an Autophagy potion, a Proliferation potion, a Calcium shot, a Pain Reducing and Wellness draught. Those would work quickest. The rest of your ailments don't require any immediate magical intervention, so the magic-free pills we have should be effective." Ji Ru said as he swirled his finger and the concoctions all concentrated into the size of peas and piled at his fingertip. Then, he pressed it to the vein region of Tai Yang's arm. The little spheres absorbed into his skin.

'That didn't hurt at all, whoa. They don't need needles? Wow.' Tai Yang thought. Immediately, the soreness in his back started to subside quite a bit.

"How do you feel?"

Tai Yang nodded. "I feel much better."

"Oh, that's a relief." Ji Ru sighed, putting his hand on his chest. Looking sheepish, he scratched his ear. "Sorry about Wu Ji though, Tai Yang... He really doesn't have ill-intent." Ji Ru said. His eyes flicked to the bracelet Tai Yang was wearing. 

He'd noticed it the day before, but he hadn't commented on it after he noticed how Tai Yang had hastily moved it from his sight as if he wanted to hide it. 

If he wanted to hide it so badly, why was he suddenly wearing it on his wrist?

Was it not smaller?

With narrowed eyes, he pointed to it, deciding to ask about it. The previous Tai Yang had nothing like that and he was too curious. "Was that there yesterday?" Tai Yang blinked. "Ah, urm. No. I had it on a chain... You didn't notice it."

'Oh, I did, Tai Yang... But it definitely wasn't that size.' Ji Ru thought. Had... Tai Yang cast an enlarging spell?

"I didn't? That's weird." Ji Ru said, playing it off.

"It was actually really small. Prince Li Jun made it bigger."

Ji Ru's brows shot up. 

"Li Jun? As in master's brother, Li Jun? The one who kept you in a birdcage, Li Jun?" 

Tai Yang blinked rapidly, wondering if there was perhaps another Li Jun on the planet. After all, it wouldn't be the strangest thing to happen if it were true. 

"I-I think?"

"Out of nowhere?" Ji Ru pressed. 

"We... had a conversation about where I got the bracelet and then he made it bigger."

Ji Ru made a face, then sat down on the floating chair in the consulting area.

"Ha. That's interesting." Ji Ru said, poking his lower lip with his pen. "I was certain he would treat you badly."

Ji Ru put an arm on the exam table. "Perhaps you resembling Xiao Xia is deterring him from being horrible. I mean, you gotta admit, the resemblance is crazy."

"That could be it..." Tai Yang said. Ji Ru hummed. "Well, at least he hasn't hurt you. I'm glad." Ji Ru said, sighing in relief. "Now we have to watch out for Wu Ji and Rai Lin." Ji Ru said. He suddenly started to make unintelligible noises and ruffled his hair, startling Tai Yang.

"U-Um... Are you okay?" Tai Yang asked. Ji Ru sighed, standing to help Tai Yang. He ushered him over to the resting area where a large mirror stood next to a neatly made bed. 

"Yeah, just thinking." Ji Ru said, helping Tai Yang into the clothing in front of the mirror. "About Wu Ji and Rai Lin?" Tai Yang asked. He had to have been. He'd ruffled his hair right after mentioning them. Ji Ru's hands stilled. 

After a deep exhale, he started to move again, taking his hands out of his long hair. "I suppose you can say that." Ji Ru said. Hearing Ji Ru's tone, Tai Yang quickly spoke again in worry. 

"Ah! I didn't mean to pry! Sorry, sorry! I was watching earlier, and I got confused at all the intense glaring and-"

"YEEEE! Hey, hey, whooooaaaaaaa! Sunshine! Relax. " He said 'Sunshine' in English.

From the way he said it, Tai Yang was sure that Ji Ru had called his predecessor that millions of times before. He didn't comment on it.

"Don't get so worked up!" Ji Ru laughed lightly, pulling Tai Yang's cheek. Tai Yang held his cheek, looking sheepish. Ji Ru smiled and helped him fasten his outer robes. 

"You could say master and gege... dislike each other." Ji Ru said eventually, his smile falling.

"Mm." Tai Yang nodded as he watched him in the mirror. He had noticed that much.

"It's a bit complicated, but I wasn't originally from this kingdom. You see..."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"-and that's how it is."

"I'm really sorry, Ji Ru." Tai Yang said after a while. Ji Ru looked at him, only realizing that the atmosphere had gotten so gloomy. 

"Ah! Don't be! Don't be! I was one of the lucky ones. I got to be with the person I loved in the end after all. I love Li Wei, Li Jun, and you more than anything. I'm happy that I get to spend forever with you three. And Li Jun is... He's my brother-in-law. He can be mean, but I know he's actually a kind person. Besides, master defends me when Li Jun gets out of hand. And with the tricking... I make sure to use it against him if I want my way, so I lost most of the anger at him at this point." Ji Ru snickered in a devious way. Tai Yang let out a small smile. 

"I have to say, you and Li Wei look good together. When I saw him walk to you in the courtyard, I knew you two were made for each other. I mean that."

"It's because he's a giant. I hear it makes me look like a cute princess next to their tall, dashing prince charming of a spouse." Ji Ru openly laughed at his situation. 

"You can't tell me you didn't feel inferior when you first saw those brothers. I've given up on the idea of masculinity near them. I can't believe there was a point where I thought I'd never be the little spoon. As a man now tentatively trying to grow a uterus for one of them, I accept defeat. The Universe is a cruel place, uhuhuhuhuuu."

"It's okay, I feel inferior too. They're huge." Tai Yang agreed shamelessly, relieved that someone else felt small and mediocre compared to them. 

"Hey, we actually have a running joke amongst the servants and workers in the castle. Li Wei and Li Jun could be the runts of a giant's baby litter. That's why they're stronger than the average immortal and gigantic compared to everyone else. I mean, come on, 189? Share the wealth, please. I'll give you my right kidney, left lung, and half my liver. I've already offered up my posterior, there's nothing else I can give."

Tai Yang couldn't help the squeaking, cackle laugh that erupted from him, shocking himself at the sound he was sure he hadn't made in years. 

"It's true! I'm telling you they're giants! That's probably why Li Jun always says, 'I'll step on you!'" Ji Ru made a deeper, constipated sounding voice. "It's because somewhere deep inside him, he probably knows his true giant heritage, unless he's related to Big Foot." Ji Ru said, lifting his foot.

"Now that you mention it, he does have a big head too." Tai Yang said through his strange wheezing, cackling laughter. Then realizing what he said, he gasped and slapped his hands over his mouth.

Ji Ru who was laughing too paused and blinked at Tai Yang. 

Then they both burst into laughter again. "I can't unhear that statement, even master says so! It must be true, I'm going to stare at his head all the time now, like-" he poked his own head, "-will he topple over if I poke it?"

Ji Ru couldn't take it anymore and fell sideways on the bed laughing as Ji Ru made gestures of Li Jun's head deflating. 

'It's nice to hear him laughing again. Sorry, Li Jun. Sorry master. I'll plant a thousand Humming Blossom trees for mocking you.' Ji Ru thought to himself as he laughed like a drunken dog while Tai Yang flailed about, cackling like a fox.

 Li Jun and Li Wei both sneezed as they stood in Li Jun's study. Wiping his nose, Li Wei glared icily at his sibling.

"I can't believe you let him stay."

"How was I supposed to say no when Xiao Xia was asking me, with her face?" Li Jun asked, sitting at the throne-like chair behind his desk.

"What was she supposed to ask with? Her arse?" Li Wei asked, slamming his hands on the table in anxious aggravation.

Li Jun clicked his tongue. 

"Be quiet, I really haven't done anything wrong. I'm in charge, and so, I'm allowed to invite whoever I please. I know you're upset only because you're insecure about him being here around Ji Ru. Don't take it out on me."

Li Wei pursed his lips. Li Jun was probably the bluntest person in the Universe.

"Make him go."

"I can't. Xiao Xia wants him here, and we've already agreed."

"I can't believe you agreed like that."

"I couldn't think straight when she looked at me, okay? Lay off it. We'll have to work around this." Li Jun said, running a hand through his hair.