Gifts and Smiles

YuHan Pov:

"Follow me. The place should be close by if I remember correctly." We walked on the fresh green grass past the guest rooms to the very corner of the Su Sect. It was filled with bamboo, and a small pond with orange-colored fishes swam in. I sat down near the pond, and ZiNuo sat next to me. This place was special to me. It was the only place that I could rest in peace without YiHan chasing after me.

"What's so special about this place? I don't see anything particularly eye-catching." ZiNuo's eyes wandered around the place.

"This place is great for a nap and peace."

"Oh, so Bai gongzi does slack off sometimes," he looked at me.

"Naps are a part of my break. I'm not breaking any rules."

"I take long breaks from training."

"Your teacher must have been quite frustrated by a trouble maker like you."

"I only slack off when she leaves me to train alone." ZiNuo laid down on the ground staring up. "I'm glad that your walls are slowly opening their gates to me." I looked at ZiNuo, whose eyes were closed. "You know I have the perfect gift for you." He lifted his head and placed it on his hand. "I made it when I was bored once. Hopefully, the leaves haven't rotten yet." Out of thin magic, a leaf crown appeared in his left hand. "It's as green as the day I made. Perfect on top of your head." He placed the leaf crown on my head, but it slipped off. "Seems like my measurements were not accurate. Let me fix it." His voice sent chills down my spine. I moved slightly from the sudden interaction. Why did he have to speak so close to my ear? "Hey, don't move."

Third Pov:

YuHan's face was flushed red as ZiNuo fixed the leaf crown on his head. ZiNuo fixed the crown and sat back next to YuHan. "I knew it would look nice on you," he smiled. "Look at your reflection on the pond." YuHan got closer to the pond and looked at his reflection.

"This is my first time receiving a gift from someone that isn't a part of my family." YuHan looked at ZiNuo, who's still smiling.

"Give me a small smile as thanks, would you?"

"I think I'm incapable of doing that."

"Just like this." ZiNuo's fingers touched YuHan's face making YuHan's lips form into a smile. ZiNuo backed away from what he just did. "Was that too much skinship? I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable."

"You took me by surprise, but I'm fine."

"Thank the lords. I thought you would hate me after doing that."

"I also have something for you." A red wooden box appeared in his hands. "I bought this during our time in the underground. I thought it suited you pretty well." YuHan handed the box to ZiNuo. ZiNuo opened the box to find a set of needles. "I know you already have a set of golden needles, and they probably won't break. So you probably won't ever need to use them."

"No, no, no, I could always mix the set of needles up and use different ones. It adds to the fight. Let me see how they would look when I use them in battle." He used magic to pick up the needles. He threw the needles in the air. The strings that were attached to his fingers to the needle turned into green vines with thorns. The needle pierced through a falling bamboo leaf. The leaf went from a healthy green to ashes. "YuHan, do you know anything else about these?"

"I didn't ask the owner about the needles, so I don't have much knowledge on them. Maybe if you use them during battles, you can find out." ZiNuo withdrew the needles and placed them back in the box.

"Not even the needles from my teacher can turn something into ashes. Do you think it's life-threatening?"

"I'm not in the place to answer your question." YuHan laid down on the grass and closed his eyes. "I'm going to take a nap here, don't try anything."

"I won't disturb your beauty sleep, Bai gongzi."

"Can't you just stick with one name? It's getting on my nerves."

"Okay, Xiao Han."

"Whatever you want."

YuHan Pov:

"YuHan, wake up!" I opened my eyes to see ChenYe in front of me.

"Brother? What is it this time?" I yawned.

"Every time we come here, I can always find you lying here. Stop taking so many naps and start reading or practice your swordsmanship."

"But mom said I could sleep as much as I want because I'm growing."

"Look at me, I'm also growing, but I don't take naps. Short breaks are okay, but if you want to grow up and become someone stronger than me. You should start practicing at an early age. Building a habit makes it easier for you in the future," he smiled.

"But… I want to sleep right now. I'm tired."

"Every time we are here, you're always saying that you are tired. Is there something bothering you, YuHan?"

"YiHan is always chasing after me to play, but I don't want to play with someone like him," I frowned.

"You're tired out because of YiHan. I should inform uncle Su about this. If he's bothering you from becoming better, then he's a blockage to your success."

"He's always trying to steal mother's attention from me. When our mother was not looking, he took a couple of custard tarts, and he blamed it on me that I ate them all. You know me, I never take our mother's custard tarts without permission."

"I know now. I'll tell our mother and father about it," he smiled, patting my head. "Now go back and take a nap in the guest room. We don't want you catching a cold because you were sleeping outside."

"Understood," I smiled, running off to the guest room.

I felt something against my face. I opened my eyes to see a bamboo leaf had landed on my face. I picked it up and threw it aside. I realized that I was sleeping comfortably on ZiNuo's lap. ZiNuo is asleep, laying his head on his shoulder.

"Am I not good enough?" ZiNuo mumbled in his sleep.

"You are good, very good."