Races: Online

There were things that Han Jing worried about—which he dutifully tried not to worry about. That was almost ironic, but it was working. If it actually made any sense because time was a great distance-giver to one's problem. For Han, it has been nearly two weeks since he last saw Timothy and Iola.

Perhaps it was safe to assume that they were in far better lands.

Han almost got over it, and Han Jing tried not to think too much about them. However, when he stepped in of the apartment with Faeran… he saw her. Now it wasn't like they've not seen each other for the past weeks, but both of them had gotten busy. Chan Lee with her studies and Han Jing with his life.

"Oh hello there, Han Jing!" Chan Lee stepped down from the stairs carefully and greeted him with a bow. "And oh, um, to your friend too?" She gave the Wood Elf a warm but polite smile.

"Faeran," the Wood Elf introduced despite his mother knowing him as Hazel.

Han Jing cleared his throat and waved. "Yeah, good morning or noon I think… going out to eat, Chan Lee?" She looked like she was dressed up and about to go on somewhere fancy? He didn't know. But he might have bet that it was the same guy. Timothy's look alike—and now he was back to square one again, wasn't he?

"Mhmm, it's a little late brunch—what about you?" She grinned slightly at him, completely unknowing of his thoughts. "I've heard that you've been in the flower selling business? Madam Dongxia showed me all of her flowers earlier on the rooftop, they're blooming really well."

"Oh yeah, I'm actually working with my friend here." Han Jing motioned to the guy behind him. "But it's just a temporary gig, nothing too special. Might have to pack up after a couple of days or so?" He still couldn't actually do magic that well even when he had earned the [ Mana Control ] and much less made flowers sprout like the Wood Elf.

"It's a good business during this festival, so I think it's actually great. Don't put yourself down too much."

"Ah yeah—thank you." Han Jing scratched his head and took a step back. In the corner of his vision, something sparks to life and the Wood Elf gives him a pointed look. It was a pink stargazer lily, and he was glad that the guy didn't think of doing some weird stunt like red roses. Han Jing quickly took it from Faeran and then offered it to Chan Lee. "Not sure if you like flowers, but here's one on the house."

He was pretty sure that the Wood Elf was rolling his eyes, but then he spoke up. "Lilies are supposed to mean something like 'happy union for a hundred days' if I recall? But then again, that's for white ones and not that pink—bold, prosperity and abundance. Sometimes seduction."

Han Jing coughed.

He didn't know that, and it earned a certain laugh from the young woman in front of him. "Thank you for the flower. I do hope that I'm actually able to grow in abundance like this flower and the same for you. I'll do my best to look for clients for you, Han Jing. "

That wasn't the reason why he gave it to her… but he still nodded along. "Yeah, that sounds great."

"You work hard!" Chan Lee fist-pumped at him. "I'm sure this will turn out great."

He grinned and copied her. "Yeah! If I have you cheering me on—I think I'll be fine."

"Of course! I gotta get going now though, thank you again and have a good day?" Chan Lee waved at him and the Wood Elf before she left. But right before she left the door, she said. "If you have some time… I haven't actually brought your family anything, do you like mooncakes?"

"They're great, of course I eat them."

She smiled. "Don't tell your mom, but I'll bring a box or two for you guys and then maybe Madam Dongxia as well. Don't you think that the rooftop would be a perfect time to gaze at the moon and stars?"

Han Jing stared at her, she was already at the door. The flower in her hand and a smile on her face. Was this her way of dropping hints and letting him know that she wanted to stare at the moon with him? "It's the Moon Festival for a good reason after all. Will you be here… during the festival?"

He almost expected that she would be gone.

"Probably," she scratched her cheek. There was a sheepish smile on her face. "Most of the people who celebrate it are families and close friends, but I can't afford to go home when classes resume the very next day."

That made sense… but what about Timothy's look-alike guy? What was that guy doing? Surely he should have invited her to his family or something right? The thought frustrated him a lot more.

"But ah, I really better get going. Thank you for the flowers and please have a nice day to both of you." 

The moment she was gone—Han Jing gave a pointed look at the Wood Elf. "Did you do something weird with the flower…?"

Faeran gave a laugh. "Why do you think that I'd do something peculiar like that? A flower is already beautiful on its own and requires nothing special. Unless you think I hexed the young woman or anything?"

Han Jing wanted to say something, but only nodded.

"Hmm… a flower can make a woman pleased so I suppose it could have made her a little more chattier than you're used to." Faeran rubbed his cheek. "I do think she was genuinely kind with you though and sincerely wanted to talk with you."

That sounded like a ticket to a great friendship for Han Jing, now didn't it? He sighed inwardly but nodded. "It's been some time yeah, she's naturally friendly. Let's get back to my apartment so you can talk to my mother."

"You use me quite a lot when I haven't actually called for the things that you owe me."

Han Jing scratched his head. "I mean you can already see that I had trouble with magic even while you taught me, so I guess you don't expect much either."

"Well, there is that."

He only rolled his eyes at that remark.

.

.

.

When the two of them finally reached his apartment unit, things would actually start out well with his mother. She was pleased at the visit of Hazel and served them some snacks until the Wood Elf mentioned the trip and his mother threw a look at him.

"Oh… but Han Jing, you promised me—"

"I'll buy the groceries early for the festival, mother," he said with a reassuring smile. "But I really have to go with them or else the others will dunk my head in the water the next time we meet. Plus, it's not really that often that my friends and I get together since they're often far away."

Far in distant realms in this case and one from underneath the sea too.

His words earned a frown from his mother. "Your father is rarely at home too. It would be nice if you had stayed back—I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear about the flower business."

Or he would roll his eyes at it and call it a girl's job. Granted, that was how Han Jing expected it to be until he showed off that he was actually earning decently, but then the man would go on about and speak about the wasted degree—and he wasn't going to be here for any of that.

"I'm sure that he'll be… but it's nothing really permanent. But I really have to go—I think one of my other friends has got another business prospect to offer to me." The hardest part of being Asian was getting permission even at his age, and the fact that he was still living under the same roof was another bonus effect to that.

"I thought it was a get together to celebrate the festival with your friends?" his mother asked. But there was a look of consideration on her face. Perhaps she was thinking about how good he had been with helping out their family. She smiled lightly. "Somehow you really have managed to meet a lot of good people haven't you, Jing?"

"The internet is great, mom," he said.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Well, it's a lot better I give you permission than have you run off in the middle of the night."

"He did that?" Faeran asked. The Wood Elf was enjoying a cool glass of lemonade made by his mother.

"Yes, your friend here was a little of a headache during high school. I'm glad that you and the others are helping my son shape up." His mother thanked him.

The Wood Elf puffed up but then said, "He's been an excellent help as well, Mrs. Han. I won't take all the credit. He actually helped my daughter—"

"Daughter?" A look of surprise crossed her face.

"I don't look much like a father, do I?" the Wood Elf chuckled. "I look extremely young."

"Yes… you don't. But ah, my son helping your daughter?"

His mother threw him a look that said 'I thought they were a woman' and Han Jing slapped a hand over his face. He didn't think that the Wood Elf would bring up Ellynn, so he had to intervene. "I once helped her in her studies… online? Tutoring?" It was the other way around, but it was best that this wasn't actually brought up at all.

"Maybe I'll try to see if I can bring her around."

Those words made Han Jing stare at the Wood Elf for a moment. Did he actually hear him speak correctly, or did he misinterpret it? He got it wrong, didn't he? Someone from the Creators' World to here?