Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 586 - 585: Beginning to Coax Tian Peng
Lord Chai Shao scooped out the noodles and placed them into a bowl, and then at the right moment, a servant poured bone broth over them. Lord Chai Shao then took two pieces of braised meat and a bit of the braising broth to drizzle on top before sprinkling chopped green onions and cilantro. That was it; the dish was ready.
"Try it, my young friend, it will surely astonish you," Lord Chai Shao said.
"I’ll savor it," Tian Peng promptly replied.
To be honest, the presentation was now more than just a little improved; it truly looked like a gourmet dish. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Taking a chopstick-full, Tian Peng’s eyes suddenly widened.
Perhaps because his expectations had been so low, the taste that far exceeded them left him quite astonished.
The edges of the noodles were thin, soaking up the broth, while the thicker middle part had more bite to it.
The noodles were neither too soft nor too hard, and the toppings were rich in flavor.
Tian Peng praised, "It’s indeed delicious; no wonder the young master was so confident. It turns out that you truly possess the skill, Lord," he said.
Lord Chai Shao did not downplay his abilities, and with a smile, he replied, "See, I told you these noodles are absolutely delicious. Once you’ve had them, you’ll be thinking about coming back for a second time."
Tian Peng lifted the bowl and took a sip of the soup. The flavor was rich, with the essence of big bones and braised meat.
It even included a splash of hot oil chili and Shanxi’s special vinegar, making it sour and spicy and very bold.
"I can’t very well come to bother you every day," Tian Peng demurred.
The flavor was indeed good, but the idea of bothering the Lord Mansion daily just for sliced noodles, not to mention playing the sparring partner, didn’t seem right to him.
Tian Peng felt it wasn’t worth it; while the noodles were tasty, doing so much didn’t seem worthwhile.
Chai Wei watched his father with a tense expression.
"Coming to Chang’an City to take the martial arts exam is for the sake of serving as an official in the court. Once you’re an official, you’ll surely stay in Chang’an. I’m not trying to rope you in," Lord Chai Shao explained.
"Your martial prowess is formidable; my son cannot even compare to a single hair on your body. I was thinking it would be beneficial for you to frequent our mansion."
After all said and done, he still wanted to use him as a sparring partner.
Tian Peng was not interested in the deal and continued to decline, "The young master is exceptionally talented; I merely rely on brute strength. I am no match for him."
Lord Chai Shao laughed, "Whether it’s brute strength or not, others might not see through it, but do you think I can’t?"
"I’ve heard, after all, that you’re tied with my son for first place in archery and horsemanship. If you claim brute strength in combat, I might just believe you, but surely you can’t explain archery and horsemanship with brute strength, can you?"
"Haha, I just have better aim, nothing special," Tian Peng responded with a laugh, trying to gloss over the subject.
"The Lord Mansion has more to offer than just sliced noodles, and there’s so much more to enjoy in Chang’an City," Lord Chai Shao said.
Lord Chai Shao was laying it all out for his son; he himself wasn’t born into wealth and had worked his way up, so he did not look down on Tian Peng.
Besides, his son had always been proud and aloof, as if nothing in his eyes was ever worthy of attention.
His son had always been disdainful of others, and now, nearly of age for the capping ceremony, he still didn’t have a single friend. When other young masters sought him out, he was indifferent, and such behavior was far from desirable.
Lord Chai Shao was in a state of desperation; finding a friend for his son who also possessed formidable abilities was not an opportunity he wished to miss."I don’t have much desire for amusement, especially since I am here for the exam, and even if I wanted to have some fun, I would have to wait for a few days, until after the martial examination is over, then we can talk about other things," Tian Peng continued.
"Indeed, let’s wait until after the martial examination to discuss further," Lord Chai Shao said, following Tian Peng’s words. Then he thought of something that might help him get closer to Tian Peng, "Young brother, are you staying at an inn?"
"Yes, I’ve just arrived in Chang’an and don’t really know anyone, so I settled down in an inn," Tian Peng replied truthfully.
"Ah, the outside world is still the outside after all, it’s not as good as home, nothing beats the comfort of your own home," Lord Chai Shao said some seemingly nonsensical words.
"Yes, nowhere is quite like home," Tian Peng agreed with him.
"So, young brother, where are you staying now?" Lord Chai Shao asked.
He was obviously waiting for him to say it.
When Tian Peng was in the Heavenly Court, and the majority of the divine officials in the Heavenly Court were not born immortals; most of them had ascended from the Human World.
Everyone was a standout in the Human World, but once they reached the Immortal Realm, they became just ordinary members. Those who did make a name for themselves in the Immortal Realm were also formidable.
Tian Peng had only become famous due to his physical strength, and while he could handle himself in his own territory, he felt clumsy around that group of divine officials and didn’t like to associate with them.
The divine officials often spoke indirectly, always hiding meanings in their words, and sometimes even stopping before they revealed too much.
Being a straightforward person, he often failed to grasp their hints, leading to many embarrassing moments.
However, in the mortal world, their scheming seemed rather immature.
Just as Lord Chai Shao had begun his sentence, Tian Peng immediately guessed what the Lord intended to say.
First, he mentioned how nowhere is as comfortable as home, then he asked where he was staying.
As he was not from Chang’an, of course he would be staying in an inn, and not having much money, the inns he stayed at were the cheapest.
Likely, before long, Lord Chai Shao would start asking if he wanted to move into his mansion.
Tian Peng considered his words, then said, "Yes, I am staying at an inn."
"Which inn?" the Lord asked. "There are several streets and inns in Chang’an, perhaps a few of them even belong to our family. If I find out clearly, you might just be staying at one of our inns, and I could take care of you then."
Who’s ’we’ with you, Tian Peng complained inwardly, but did not say it out loud.
"Uh, it was a bit of a rush when I left, and I’ve forgotten the name. It’s no bother, staying at an inn doesn’t require much looking after. If I’m hungry, I eat; if I’m sleepy, I sleep. I’m an adult, can’t I manage these things on my own?"
"What you said makes sense, my friend, it’s truly me who’s overthinking," Lord Chai Shao said. "Probably because, after seeing you, it felt like we’d known each other forever, and you seemed so familiar to me—I got worried in my concern. It’s like you’re as young as my own son, and I just asked a bit more out of concern. I hope you won’t take it the wrong way."
"You caring about me is something I’m happy about, how could I possibly take it the wrong way?" Tian Peng said. "I eat well, I sleep well, so please don’t worry about me, Lord. However, it’s getting dark, and I think it’s best I leave soon to avoid disturbing you and the young master’s rest."
"How could you possibly disturb our rest by being here?" Lord Chai Shao said. "But young brother, you are planning to return before it gets dark; is the inn far from the examination site?"
"Not very far," Tian Peng said. "But I am on foot and can’t move very quickly. If I wait until dark and then have to walk at night, it may take even longer. Lord, please let me go now. I’ll pay another visit another day."
"No need to wait for another day," Lord Chai Shao said. "Look, our mansion has plenty of space. Why don’t you stay with us? The examination is only for a couple of days, and since both of you are heading to the examination site together, it’d be convenient as well."
"Right, Zhu?"
