Lifting the bowl, Shan Si cupped Tao Hua's hands around it, pushing it closer to Tao Hua's face. He looked down at the contents, the distorted image of his reflection staring back at him and revealing a look of wary unease.
How could a simple drink pull him out of his awkward reverie, let alone make him talk?
"What is this…?"
After leaning back comfortably and taking a sip of his own drink, Shan Si replied, "I'm sure you know."
But Tao Hua didn't know! He tilted the bowl to the side, just as his head slanted opposite, trying to make out the substance. Bringing it up to his nose, he took a whiff only to scrunch in slight disgust.
Fruity notes mixed with something not quite chemical, perhaps along the lines of it. Tao Hua wasn't sure, but he was certain that whatever this was, it wasn't what he typically drank.
Foreigners were odd.
"Tea?" he asked.
Before taking anther drink, the bowl hovered just before Shan Si's mouth. He side-glanced Tao Hua in pity, smiling amid his sympathy.
"You really don't know?"
"No kidding." Shan Si let out a laugh, setting his bowl down. "He really did isolate you—now, don't I feel kinda bad."
From the bowl to Shan Si, Tao Hua furrowed his brows as Shan Si weighed the legitimacy of his own statement. After a brief moment of silence, he glanced up and decided, "Actually, I don't."
He placed a hand under Tao Hua's and, in one quick motion, shoved it toward his lips and tipped it back. Tao Hua's eyes nearly burst out of his head with tears, just as his cheeks puffed up.
Whatever this was, it was disgusting! Awful! Who in their right mind drank something as terrible as this?! But Shan Si kept it there, looking more devious and proud of himself than ever before, and when he removed the bowl, he kept Tao Hua's head tilted back with the knuckles of two fingers.
"I'll let go as soon as you swallow," he playfully quipped, wiping a few of the dribbles from his cheek with his thumb.
Tao Hua just glared at him, flustered, and questioned how that was even possible. The audacity of a man to sit there with a smirk on his face, forcing someone to drink this awful concoction of industrial tea…or whatever.
"Ten. Nine. Eight…" Shan Si began, his head tilting amused. "Seven. Six. Five—"
Oh, how he hated the countdowns, still! Tao Hua, with all his might, swallowed that giant gulp of liquid. It uncomfortably burned, so much so that he had to squeeze his eyes shut. Shan Si just laughed, removing his hand from Tao Hua's face, grabbing his bowl, and rising to his feet.
"See? Not so bad. Now you have one more thing you've experienced since leaving that boring town."
Shan Si sauntered his way toward his own table, plopping back down lazily, while Tao Hua bent forward, wincing at the aftertaste.
"Don't do that again," he whispered, disgruntled. "Please…"
"Hah, one drink in and you're already feisty. Exciting." Holding up the bowl, Shan Si swayed it gently. "It's wine. You'll get used to the taste after a few times. I can't believe you really didn't know what it was, Tao Hua—was there any reason your father restricted you that much?"
Tao Hua just shook his head, still ruffled from what happened. There were many occasions, banquets, meetings, that his father had Tao Hua partake, but not once did he ever allow him a drink of wine.
Gui Chang, sure? Him? Nope, and Tao Hua would never understand why either.
But even so, when he watched others influenced by such substances, it ended in two ways. The person was typically happier, or they lost complete control. Yet, Tao Hua didn't feel either, and when he looked at the remnants of liquid left in the bowl, he wondered if it maybe didn't have an effect on him.
"I see." Shan Si tapped his fingers on his table for a moment before placing his own bowl down. "We'll continue this fun after matters are out of the way. Discussion, food, and then fun."
That was true; there were still many unanswered questions left since arriving at the palace, and Tao Hua still never understood his entire purpose either. As for food…he wasn't sure how hungry he actually was, and fun?
What exactly defined the word "fun."
Tao Hua shrunk into his frame, seemingly worried about what such a word could bring. All he could do was nod lightly, prompting Shan Si to continue.
"I'll start with the basics and make it quick—your focus is on research, and there will be deadlines. Don't think my expectations as harsh or anything; it's a time constraint I can't control," Shan Si began, his hand lying flat on a piece of paper, and his gaze reeling toward it. "But you'll be given all you need…hopefully sooner than later. But there's still preparation that needs to be done before that can happen. Take this time as a chance to relax."
A small bit of relief, as Tao Hua didn't know the first thing to research or what Shan Si had planned, but he did recall him mentioning something better than The Bookstore of Siyue Town. Could that have anything to do with it?
He'd have to wait and see; remain patient.
"What exactly is it you want me to research?" asked Tao Hua. "It's too confusing… Will I have someone to help me?"
"Of course. Do I look like a miscreant to you? I have standards," Shan Si replied, but Tao Hua only looked away, causing Shan Si to hold up his hand. "Don't answer that. We'll be working together when I'm at the palace, doing research on a few things in particular: relics, curses, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. When I'm not here; I'll leave you with the appropriate tools necessary for your research."
"Away from the palace…? Are you leaving?" Tao Hua asked, slight concern becoming of him. Though he wasn't sure if his reaction was due to a sudden wave of sadness or the wine. Maybe both?
"Awh, is someone going to miss me? Cute," Shan Si teased childishly, nearly causing the poor man to have a heart attack. However, his mood quickly reverted back to his serious demeanour. "Once every month or two. Gone for seven days maximum, and resting for an additional seven, although…
Shan Si glanced away, his lids halfway falling. "Recently it's only been three. How odd."
Tao Hua didn't fully understand, and the discussion only raised even more questions. In spite of himself, he asked, "Why do you need to rest? Last time, you used a lot of energy shooting fire and stuff due to me…it can't always be like that, right?"
The words just began flowing out uncontrollably, even though Tao Hua shortly regretted saying them afterward. Shan Si just observed without a word, his expression obscured and mysterious.
"Um, what I mean to say is…" But the problem was, Tao Hua didn't know what he meant to say, so he just kept talking at a speed he'd never attempted before! He clumsily said, "You're not going to be gone a lot? Am I not going to see you like the last three days? T-That's not fair!"
Tao Hua quickly clapped his hands over mouth, eyes widened.
Shan Si's lashes lowered until his eyes shut, and a smile crept onto his face. Laughing once, he said, "You need to be careful with your words, Tao Hua. Is that one bowl already doing you in?"
Immediately, Tao Hua nodded quickly, his hands pressed to his face, and eyes narrowed toward them. "I said too much."
"On the contrary—it's fine with me. Avoid it with others," Shan Si warned; however, that warning was ominous without explanation. He moved on from the subject, initiating his next point. "You're twenty, right?"
Why did his age matter? For some reason, the question made Tao Hua anxious, and he immediately defended himself. "I am! Old enough to get married! I-I was even going to get married before you kidnapped me! Is any of this important?!"
"I'm not accusing you of anything, Tao Hua," Shan Si mused, though less so at the mention of marriage. "But I do have a question."
Why did I say that?! Tao Hua lamented, every part of him sinking in a light, fluttery feeling. For all I know, he could be younger than me. I don't get it; I don't get it…I don't get it!
Unable to control his reactions, Tao Hua drove his head into his hands and groaned at each thought of "I don't get it", merely causing Shan Si to laugh.
"What…?" Tao Hua asked, glancing up at him through his fingers. "Just say it already."
"Nothing, nothing. Your tolerance is lower than I thought," Shan Si responded, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back. "You can have more when we eat. Now, to my question: if you're twenty, why hasn't your father given you a courtesy name? Hasn't gotten around to it or has he deemed you unworthy?"
In the oddest, weirdest way, the thought of tasting that wine again repulsed him, but there was an ever-growing desire that made him yearn for another bowl. Even if his body felt dipped in a boiling tub of water, it was the type that actually bathed one in whimsy.
Tao Hua shrugged, stubbornly looking away. "Would you give a name to a child you wanted dead? My mother gifted me this name."
Brows raised, Shan Si didn't say much, but that smile of his nearly wiped clean off his face. Eventually, he glanced down and said, "No. I wouldn't. I'd find a way to have them killed, truthfully."
Tao Hua frowned, his head lowering.
"One of the same. You were right." Shan Si sighed. "Even the most lustrous of jewels aren't safe from the fox's hunger."
Looking up at Shan Si, who didn't seem to return the favour, Tao Hua felt a mix of complicating emotions. But before he could respond, the door had slowly swung open.
Standing in the frame was Qian Jue, hands placed ahead of her. She said, "Dinner, My Lord."
"Good timing," Shan Si straightened himself. "While you're at it, bring in a few more jars, Qian Jue."
He looked straight at Tao Hua, just as he finished off his statement.
"I've grown curious."
Chapter end.