Flashback: The Roasted Pheasant (2)

"Miss them?" Mei Lin scoffed, then softened. "Maybe if it was my Shijie. I only consider her family. And you, of course. That's about it. Honestly, I'm enjoying the change. Now my seniority has increased greatly. There's only my darling Shijie above me in my generation," Mei Lin chuckled happily.

Zhang Wei decided to pray to Buddha instead of Taoist god Xuanwu, since the temple was probably under Buddha's purview. He prayed silently yet sincerely, pitying the fate of her poor Shimeis. He had no doubt she would be busy bossing them around. Considering how well he knew her, he was sure she had already been taking out her frustrations of their training sessions on them. 

Mei Lin sighed softly, her gaze drifting toward the distant mountains, her voice serious for once, "There's so much to see beyond these mountains. I can't wait to get out, even if it's just changing temples and eventually preaching Buddhist philosophies to the public for a while before going into closed cultivation."

Zhang Wei followed her gaze, agreeing. "The world is vast, and we've only seen a fraction of it."

Mei Lin smiled, a genuine smile that lit up her face. "Exactly. And who knows? Maybe one day I'll make that journey north myself."

Zhang Wei looked at her thoughtfully. "If you do, make sure to leave a trail of peach blossom petals for me to trace. I'd hate to lose my best student."

"Don't worry," Mei Lin said, her eyes twinkling with mischief, "I'll leave a trail of pheasant bones for you to follow."

Zhang Wei chuckled at the image she conjured.

Mei Lin reclined on the grass, musing aloud, "How do you feel when you think of your master?"

Zhang Wei choked on his pheasant at her unexpected question. "What do you mean?" he asked, taken aback.

"Don't you revere him? Look up to him?"

Continuing to chew, Zhang Wei nodded thoughtfully. "Well, yes, of course. Meeting my Shifu changed my life. I'm forever grateful."

"You know," Mei Lin began, "What I feel for Mother Superior isn't reverence. It's pure, unadulterated fear. Something in her eyes scares me. It's been like that since I joined the nunnery. I asked my Shijie about it, but she scolded me, saying that I think too much and my view on life is twisted." Mei Lin's serious tone switched to a lighter one, "I sincerely hope that baldy stays gone for a long time. It's just nice not to feel like I'm constantly being watched."

Trying to lighten the mood, Zhang Wei responded, "Fear, huh? I guess I'm lucky then. My master isn't the type to inspire fear. Honestly, I'm more scared of my Da Shixiong, even though he's far more approachable."

Mei Lin remarked, "I didn't know your relationship was so good."

Zhang Wei reminisced with a smile, "It isn't always smooth sailing. He's constantly scolding me to behave like a Taoist, have some conscience. Once he starts, he nags endlessly. Sometimes, my master has to step in for me. But it's not just him; there's my annoying gossiping Shidi, proud but sweet Shimei, even that bastard Second Shixiong. I wouldn't give them up for anything in the world."

Curious, Mei Lin asked, "All that is good, but why is your Second Shixiong a bastard?"

Zhang Wei's face soured. "His name is Zhang Pei."

Mei Lin immediately asked, "Are you related? You never told me you had a brother."

Zhang Wei's revulsion was evident. "You can't accuse me of being related to that puffed-up bastard with dung for brains," he sulked, "That's why I hate sharing a surname with him."

Mei Lin laughed, patting his back. "Apologies Scholar Zhang", she tried to control her laughter, "It is a common surname. Don't be so petty."

"Must be nice," Mei Lin said wistfully. Well he was lucky. Mei Lin only had her Shijie from her sect with whom she was close to. "So, Scholar Zhang, how did you end up with you fellow disciples, wielding a sword instead of a quill?"

"My master brought me in, seeing the potential in me—a diamond in the rough, if you will." Zhang Wei boasted.

"A very, very rough diamond," Mei Lin teased. "Must have taken ages to polish that."

Zhang Wei rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips. "What about you, Priestess Mei? How did you end up hiding from the world in a nunnery?"

Mei Lin shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Oh, you know, the usual—plague, famine, being considered a burden by my family. Classic tale of abandonment."

Zhang Wei raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought you were just avoiding chores."

"Chores? Ha! More like avoiding starvation. They sent me away to lighten their load," Mei Lin said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "But hey, I got pretty good at blending into the background at the nunnery."

"Background? Mei Lin, you're the loudest background noise I've ever heard," Zhang Wei said with a laugh.

"You think I'm like this all the time? You have the knack for bringing out the worst in me. I don't usually talk this much," she shot back, grinning. "Seriously though, what about your hometown? I bet you were the pride of your village."

Zhang Wei's expression softened. "I'm from Sichuan. I don't remember much about the village. I came here when I was very young. I just remember that the food was spicy and life was vibrant. I miss the flavors sometimes."

"Vibrant? Let me guess, you were the local troublemaker," Mei Lin said, poking his arm playfully.

"Troublemaker? No, no, I was a model student," Zhang Wei said, feigning innocence. "Just ask my Shifu, he paused, "Well, actually, don't."

"Spicy food, huh?" Mei Lin mused, a devious glint in her eye. "No wonder you're always adding so many spices to our meals. You're a glutton, Zhang Wei."

Zhang Wei chuckled, opening his robe and gesturing to his collection of vials, each one with filled with a different spice. "Perhaps. But remember, you're benefiting from being this glutton's friend."

Mei Lin took another bite of the flavorful pheasant, sighing with satisfaction. "Well yes. This is delicious."

"Glad you think so," Zhang Wei said, leaning back with a satisfied smile. "Just imagine how bland your life would be without me."

"Have some shame Zhang Wei." Mei Lin playfully  ignored him.

"Oh, Priestess Mei, you'd be bored out of your mind without me. Admit it." Zhang Wei kept pestering her.

Mei Lin shook her head at his childishness, turning her face away from him, and taking the last bite of her pheasant. 

Zhang Wei pulled at her bulging cheek, and she swatted his arm away.

"You won't get in trouble for sneaking out this often, would you?" Mei Lin asked him.

"Student Mei, you need to have more faith in your Teacher Zhang," Zhang Wei boasted.

"I'm asking seriously, you brat," she pulled his ear.

"Believe it or not, there is no equal to your dear teacher's lightness skill in the entire Azure Cloud Sect." Mei Lin cocked an eyebrow at him. "Well maybe except my master and the elders," Zhang Wei acquiesced, "But I'm faster than my Da Shixiong by now. The best in my generation."

Mei Lin's eyebrow raised as she processed Zhang Wei's boast. "Wow, a new persona emerging?"

"You may not know this Student Mei, but your teacher is the Flying Dragon Zhang, the rising comet in the Azure Cloud Sect, unmatched in speed and grace."

Mei Lin retorted with a smirk, "Don't you mean Big Mouth Zhang Wei, weaving tales faster than the Flying Dragon Zhang can run."

"Hey!" Zhang Wei protested, "One must respect their Shifu."

"Shifu?" Mei Lin laughed at Zhang Wei's audacity. He had promoted himself from teacher to master. "Shifu?!"

"Student Mei, a teacher for a day is a master for a lifetime."

Mei Lin says, "I remember the origin saying goes, 'A day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father.' There's no mention of a master."

"Well, Mei Lin, I'm honored you think so highly of me", Zhang Wei smiled evilly, "but I don't want a daughter like you."

Mei Lin kicked him as he rolled on the grass laughing, thinking she should have kept her mouth shut. Big Mouth Zhang truly had no equal.