Initially, Fang Jian and Tao Hua's friendship was granted by Wan Mie's, who offered his blessing to allow them to engage in whatever shenanigans Fang Jian had planned.
However, that's where it stopped.
According to Wan Mie, his blessing didn't extend to others, and especially not a touchy self-proclaiming Daoist Master. As per Shan Si's strict orders, Weng Jing was to keep his distance from Tao Hua; therefore, Tao Hua and Fang Jian arriving at his front doorstep was cause for discipline.
But, to their luck, Wan Mie had gone easy on them. Kind of.
This was likely due to Tao Hua's insistence. He took full credit for the idea, profusely bowing and apologizing without giving Fang Jian a second to speak.
A rare circumstance, his act of sheer determination left the pair with an uneven punishment and little time to look into their findings.
Fang Jian was sent to her room and dealt with a house arrest that apparently threw her into a tantrum, tossing things everywhere in her chambers, while Tao Hua was to assist Wan Mie in his study the day after.
When he arrived, he half-expected to deal with what Suo Han often cried about; what contributed to "being out there," but that wasn't the case at all. Instead, he stood next to Wan Mie—ahead of the bench filled with herbs, metals, and powders—assisting in the preparation of each ingredient, primarily for future use and to be stored away.
Next to the bench was a stove, and atop it a ding, which was a basin used for concocting certain elixirs. It stood on three legs and was etched with peculiar-looking patterns.
Now, Wan Mie's study was a rather unique one, with a lot of character. It wasn't tidy, and filled with more items than he had storage. Piles and piles of papers, scrolls, plants, and even the bones of various creatures.
Tao Hua just shivered and ran from it, questioning if that was even for alchemy purposes.
No thanks!
Wan Mie was in high spirits, and he often discussed the origins of each herb, mineral, metal, and plenty which Tao Hua never once understood. How cinnabar was precious and necessary to extend one's life, calling it a dragon of pure yang.
To place it next to snow was considered the perfect alignment of the universe, so said Wan Mie.
Tao Hua was amazed, especially at how much Wan Mie placed importance on such things as spiritual values and the heavens. When mentioned, he spoke softly, as if treating the topic more delicate than unrefined gold.
It was truly a waste for someone so dedicated to the art of cultivation and Daoism to only end up losing their core.
I wonder if there's a way to restore it… Tao Hua thought, sliding over another ingredient and sending Wan Mie on another rant. If he still had it, perhaps he'd be able to break the curse. Didn't he say he was stronger than Shan Si? Maybe I should ask…
But the mere thought of Shan Si made Tao Hua dizzy, so rather than implore further, he shook his head and left it for another time.
Instructed to stand away from the bench and ding, Wan Mie eventually sent Tao Hua to organize up some of the shelves. To put it bluntly, they were in complete shambles, defining the words chaotic and disarray.
Letting out a small sigh, Tao Hua approached them trying not to laugh. He began to tidy each up, one by one, realizing that Wan Mie was far worse at organization than Tao Hua ever was.
He sorted through a few of the empty vessels until his hand hovered over a familiar tin. Picking it up, he examined it carefully, tracings over the pattern.
It was the same style of tin Shan Si had used back in the Tao Esate, when tending to his wounds. The one with the poultice.
So it was originally from Wan Mie? How…nice. I think.
Grabbing a glimpse of Wan Mie, Tao Hua found himself at odds. Wan Mie was distracted, staring intently at a piece of paper in his hand. His eyes meticulously ticked down each ingredient on his list, his thumb following, and the other pushing in his bottom lip.
How could someone like him be the brother from Shan Si's story? Tao Hua thought, frowning. Neither of them speak about their family, so how am I supposed to know? I mean, it's highly likely there's more than two siblings, so Wan Mie could just be an unfortunate victim.
Tao Hua frustratingly sighed, turning back to the shelf and messily piling up the tins, jars, and other vessels. It would be easier if the past just never existed.
Finally! The entire shelf was organized. It wasn't award-winning by any means, and would possibly cause Qian Jue an aneurysm had she seen it, but by both Wan Mie and Tao Hua's standards, it was good!
"Impressive, Rabbit's Foot!" Wan Mie patted his shoulder. "I didn't even know I had half of the stuff on here. What a pleasant surprise."
Bashfully, Tao Hua smiled. "What should I do next?"
Wan Mie's hand drifted off Tao Hua's shoulder, and he casually pointed it toward a chair off on the side of the room. "Make yourself comfortable and rest for a moment."
Glancing over at the chair, Tao Hua blinked. What merit did Suo Han's complaints hold, and why would he fear them? Was it that Wan Mie only went easy on Tao Hua due to his association with Shan Si?
Regardless, Tao Hua took him up on that offer and made himself comfortable in the seat. It was taller, and Tao Hua had to crawl atop it—which he found odd for such a technical study.
Then again, was Wan Mie even normal?
A small, innocent smile caressed his lips at the thought.
After Wan Mie sorted away some of the ingredients, he began grinding out a few more powders and prepping the ding for use.
"So, Rabbit's Foot," Wan Mie started, his focus still spent on his project. His address was said plainly, and without even a hint of discontent. "I hear the rabbit's been quite the adventurer lately. Is this true?"
Tao Hua froze mid shuffle. He peered up, through the loose strands of his hair, and watched as Wan Mie tilted a bowl in his hand from left to right; one eye shut,and the other narrowed on the powder within it.
"Sorry?"
Lingering the jar over the ding, Wan Mie gently shook it until the contents sprinkled into the bowl. He didn't straightforwardly answer Tao Hua, just mumbled, "Yes. Very curious, too."
"Um. I…" Tao Hua's eyes shifted, yet he somehow managed to keep his posture straight. His hands folded on his lap, one over the other, just as he swiftly tried to clear the air by managing a lie.
His worst skill!
"U-Uncle Mie must be confusing for another…maybe."
"Hm, is that so?" Wan Mie turned toward Tao Hua, eyes shut, and a smile melting right into them. "If I recall correctly, there was a little white rabbit hopping around the palace, adorned in rouge. Perhaps age has done this old man in. Could Rabbit's Foot enlighten him for a moment?"
Chapter end.