## AST 392 - Buying All Her Tea Leaves... Qingqing!!

It was unknown what Qing Shui was feeling as he carefully hung the third Portrait of Beauty. The three portraits reflected each other’s exquisiteness, and for a second, Qing Shui was totally amazed.

At the same time, he had a profound feeling: he was uncertain whether he could actually collect all of the twelve Portraits of Beauty. But what was the purpose of collecting all of them? Furthermore, it must just be a coincidence that she looked like the lady in the portrait. It must be...

Qing Shui also could not help but think about the Palace Mistress of Misty Hall. He remembered the fantastic Sea of Flowers Dreams and the mysterious Fate that brought them together. She had even saved him once.

Looking at the pieces of fox fur that he bought earlier, Qing Shui decided to start working on them. Even with minimal effort, Qing Shui could create something much better than what was sold in the stores. Furthermore, in his Ancient Art of Forging, there was a specific skill just for creating fox fur coats.

Creating a fox fur coat did not require any thread or needle, as he only needed everything from the fur itself.

Qing Shui found a style called Art of Regality in his Ancient Art of Forging. He started to use the Qi from Ancient Strengthening Technique to wash and treat the fox fur.

The process of crafting fox fur or beast hide armors were actually quite similar to that of battle armors. There were only some differences in technique, as well as the amount of heat used. The heat needed was different due to the nature of the materials.

Right now, as Qing Shui was using fox furs, his purpose was very simple. The coats just had to look luxurious and protect the wearer against the cold. Thus, he crafted them with this in mind, not adding much additional attributes to them. Regardless, he could not imbue any fantastic attribute using fox fur as a material.

Fox furs were not a type of tough hide. They were vastly different from the tougher-than-steel skin of the Golden-Ringed Snake King.

Crafting was a very dry yet strenuous process…

After Qing Shui was pleased with creating the shape, details, buttons and collars, he used his hands as hammer to continue tempering the fox coats.

He had to use his palms, the back of his hands, and even his fingers.

Time passed quickly. He was fully immersed in crafting the particular fox coat.

In this world, Qing Shui could be considered a master tailor, but this was not because he was particularly gifted in this area.

It was only because he knew the Ancient art of Forging.

The coat flashed with a white brilliance which was mixed with a slight hint of color. Only under scrutiny did Qing Shui realized that there were two other colors mixed into the white.

Usually, it was difficult for the color white to overpower other colors. However, this white brilliance was so intense that it could conceal the two other type of colors. The pure white was so distinct that it could overpower even the beauty of the other colors.

Qing Shui could feel the lightly imbued Qi flow on the fur coat. He scanned it with his Heavenly Vision technique.

The fur coat provided a gentle warmth, like that of spring. The defense attribute was +10%, limited to only the areas it covered.

The speed attribute was +10%.

Strength attribute was +100, Stamina attribute was +50, Agility attribute was +100, and Endurance was +100.

Qing Shui did not know if he should feel happy or regretful. He felt that the forging process was extremely smooth this time around. Unfortunately, he was only crafting this fox coat and its ability to protect against the cold had already met his expectations.

The +10% for both the defense and speed attribute made it comparable to his battle armour. His battle armour had a +30% defense attribute, but speed was more important.

Qing Shui did not know what to feel. He could only guess that the success in crafting was because fox furs were the exact matching materials for the skill. He looked at the remaining fox fur.

It was getting late, so Qing Shui washed up and left the realm.

He had a night of dreamless sleep.

On the second day, the Lai residence provided a sumptuous spread of breakfast. Even though it could not be compared to that of what they have at Qing Residence, they were now at Lai residence. One would feel tired if they eat exotic delicacies everyday, so this was a good chance to eat something different.

Qing Yi looked distracted as she ate a little. Qing Shui could see the slight red rims around her eyes, and she did look tired. Qing Shui grimaced a little as he knew that his mother did not sleep last night.

Finally, Qing Shui and Shi Qingzhuang accompanied Qing Yi out. As the three of them left, Qing Luo stopped Qing You, who was very adamant on following.

They left the Lai residence in a carriage and sped toward the once familiar location.

Qing Shui was not sure if he will be able to meet Qingqing at that location, as the news he had was from some time back…..

Qing Yi held clasped her hands tightly together. There was a hint of worry on her taut face. And she hadn’t realized that her fingernails were already buried into her skin.

“Mother, don’t be too anxious. Soon, everything will work out fine!”

Qing Yi nodded her head vehemently.

It suddenly started to snow; the weather turned colder and colder.

Qing Shui saw his mother shivering a little.

Qing Shui took out the fox fur coat from somewhere in the carriage. This did not surprise them, as they were all desensitized from the number of unexpected surprises that Qing Shui gave.

“Mother, wear this!”

Qing Shui did not say much as he draped the coat over his mother.

Instantly, a warm feeling enveloped Qing Yi. It was strange. The fox fur coat was unnaturally warm and she could feel that her speed and strength had increased.

This was what her son gave her. She could not resist examining it. She found that the fox fur coat was a seamless one piece. She had never seen such a meticulously crafted coat. Such craftsmanship seemed almost impossible for mere mortals.

The snow was getting heavier.

Within a short time, it was snowing heavily. The ground was dyed white by the snow very quickly. Grey clouds hung in the skies as a piercing north wind began to blow.

“Today’s weather is so cold, and it is even snowing. Qingqing wouldn’t be on the streets today.” Qing Yi anxiously remarked. She was worried, yet disappointed. She felt conflicted as she wanted to see Qingqing, yet she did not want Qingqing to be out on the streets.

The weather was just too cold!

“We are reaching soon. If we don’t see her today, we will come back again. Anyway, we are bring Qingqing back with us soon.” Qing Shui consoled with a smile.

“Will she take me as her Mother? I have never raised her. She is already an adult. Will she hate me? Qing Shui, I am so worried…” Qing Yi said worriedly.

“Mother. Qingqing can survive till today because she is waiting for her mother to save her. If she only had those Yan bastards, she would have chosen to depart from this world.” Qing Shui gently consoled his mother, not forgetting to curse the Yan Clan.

The beast carriage stopped after some time. Qing Shui, Qing Yi and Shi Qingzhuang got down from the carriage.

“Please wait here for awhile. If we don’t return after some time, you can leave. Here is the payment.” Qing Shui told the driver while he paid for the trip.

“Okay.”

There were some people on the streets, but most of them were wearing very thick clothing as they admired the falling snowflakes. Every now and then, a few “ball-like” children ran past them. They were wearing such thick clothing that they probably wouldn’t feel a thing if they fall.

The three of them were quickly covered in snow from head to toe.

Qing Shui and Shi Qingzhuang were already seasoned martial artists, so such cold did not bother them much. Qing Yi,who was wearing the fox fur coat, felt even warmer than the both of them.

However, Qing Yi’s face felt painful as the piercing knife-like wind blew against her.

But this was all unimportant!

This was because she could see the very skinny woman at a far distant. There was a small size carriage next to a tea leaves booth, one that the figure was tidying. It was unclear whether she was keeping the tea leaves or arranging them. There was a large umbrella-like shelter over the booth, but the woman’s body was still covered in a thin layer of snow as the wind blew at her.

Even though this was her first time meeting her, Qing Yi had a strange feeling. Facing Qing Shui, she asked, “That is Qingqing…”

Qing Shui was also upset by the scene and he nodded silently.

Perhaps it was because the snow was so heavy that everyone’s head was covered, perhaps it was because she was standing a little too far… Otherwise, Qing Yi would have been able to tell with one look that the skinny woman standing in the middle of the freezing cold, the person who was seemingly ajar with the world, was her very own daughter…..

Qing Shui walked towards her unhurriedly. Approaching the tea leaves carriage, he could see that the woman was so cold, her face and hands have already turned red as she shuffled her feet on the spot.

Qing Shui felt a lump in his throat. He could not stop his eyes from watering up.

Real men bleed and do not cry. That was a load of bullshit! Qing Shui believed that he was mentally strong, but looking at the scene in front of him, he could not control himself….

Men who do not cry are only people who have not felt emotional pain at that level of intensity...

Qing Shui’s heart was filled with anxiety as he stood in front of the tea leaves carriage. He watched the woman, his blood-related big sister, silently. At that moment, he felt a indescribable bond between the both of them.

It was a vague and undefinable mysterious feeling, and it was coupled with a warmth in his heart. He wondered if he felt this telepathy because they were related.

The woman looked up to face the snow-covered man. He was very handsome, and his most captivating feature was his pair of clear eyes. But they seemed a little red now.

“How much is the Red-maple fish tea?” Qing Shui queried softly.

“Ten copper coins!” the woman answered in a gentle quick voice which carried a sense of loneliness. It was a kind of deep loneliness that reached to her inner soul, and not something that can be showed through pretence.

“Mountain-flower tea?”

“Ten copper coins!”

“What about Mountain-pear leaves?”

“Ten copper coins!”

…………

After inquiring, Qing Shui found out that the tea leaves were all ten copper coins each. What can you get with ten copper coins? You can’t even get a filling meal with ten copper coins.

Qing Shui felt as if his heart was sliced and he slowly attributed the cause of these emotions to Yan Clan….

“I want this, this and this…” Qing Shui ordered all the remaining tea leaves. He only wanted her to be able to go back “home” to the shelter that would definitely be warmer than standing out here.

In total, it was merely two or three taels of silver. Qing Shui received the tea. He did not dare to pay her more or look at her face once more. He was afraid that she will see the tears that were falling from his eyes.

“Qing Shui, please let me go over there. I don't need anything else, I just want to let her wear this…”Qing Yi sobbed with tears streaming once she saw Qing Shui. If Shi Qingzhuang had not literally held Qing Yi back, she would have done that in a heartbeat.

Qing Shui did tell them not to go over. It wasn't the right time. They just had to hold back a little while more. It will just take a while.

“Qing Shui, you told me that she was waiting for me, that I was her hope. Then, why do we do have to let her suffer like this? Qing Shui, I feel terrible, really terrible…” Qing Yi has already long taken off her fur coat, wearing it made her heartache worse. She could not care, even if the freezing cold wind made her shiver.