"Wife? Oh my, you two are quite affectionate!"
Yae Miko crossed her arms, scanning Feng Yi and Kamisato Ayaka with a playful smile.
"Guuji Yae, it's not what you think. Please, let me explain…"
Kamisato Ayaka was flustered. Being caught red-handed by Guuji Yae, what would she do if her brother found out?
"Miko, you've misunderstood. I was only pretending to be Ayaka's husband to help her with her disguise!"
Feng Yi felt a headache coming on. He shouldn't have joked around.
It seemed Yae Miko was genuinely jealous. The dangerous glint in her eyes sent a shiver down his spine.
He'd heard that little foxes were the most prone to jealousy.
Ancient wisdom was indeed reliable!
"Is that so? But I have a feeling things aren't that simple…"
Yae Miko approached Feng Yi, whispering into his ear, "Tonight, at midnight, come to the Grand Narukami Shrine and explain yourself!"
Then, as if nothing had happened, she waved and returned to the side hall.
"Let's go, Ayaka. The matter is settled, and we should head down the mountain."
Feng Yi quickly led Kamisato Ayaka away from the troublesome scene.
"Feng Yi, I…"
On the way down the mountain, Kamisato Ayaka seemed to want to say something, but then she recalled Guuji Yae's meaningful gaze and stopped.
She had a feeling that Feng Yi's relationship with Guuji Yae was not simple.
It was a maiden's intuition.
"What is it?"
"Nothing!"
Kamisato Ayaka shook her head, deciding that some things were better left unsaid to avoid further awkwardness.
On their return journey, Feng Yi and Kamisato Ayaka suddenly heard an old song drifting from a dilapidated house.
The melody was an outdated tune, and so was the singing.
Kamisato Ayaka stopped abruptly, as if she had realized something.
"Ayaka, what's wrong?" Feng Yi turned back in confusion.
"Feng Yi, please wait here for a moment. I need to buy something and I'll be back soon!"
Kamisato Ayaka left him with these words and quickly ran off.
After Kamisato Ayaka disappeared around the corner, Feng Yi searched his memory and recalled some trivial, unimportant matters.
It was said that one autumn afternoon, Kamisato Ayaka, after finishing some errands, was walking home when she happened to hear an old woman singing from an old house.
Following the sound, Kamisato Ayaka found that an old, blind woman lived inside.
Her emaciated fingers strummed a wooden instrument, producing sounds like flowing water.
Perhaps due to her keen hearing, the old woman heard footsteps and asked who was at the door.
Not wanting to bother her, Ayaka claimed to be a lost resident from the vicinity.
As a member of the Yashiro Commission, Ayaka was familiar with the lives of the common people and quickly recognized this solitary old woman, who lived alone without children, as the one who sang and busked on the street on sunny days.
The melody was an outdated tune, and so was the singing. The old woman, unable to see, had fallen far behind others.
Even in the pursuit of an eternal realm, there were people living such difficult lives.
Out of kindness, Ayaka, hiding her identity, chatted with the old woman for a long while.
The old woman treated her as an ordinary girl, taught her how to make and play the wooden instrument, and even shared some of her stored tea with her.
Compared to the premium tea kept by the Kamisato family, this coarse tea was practically grass roots.
But Ayaka treasured it and thanked her repeatedly.
On that day, she thought of her parents many times.
If her parents were still alive, they too would grow old one day.
Upon returning home, Ayaka shared this story with her brother, Ayato.
The siblings shared the coarse tea gifted by the old woman.
From then on, Ayaka visited the old woman periodically, still under the guise of a local resident, always bringing her essential daily necessities that commoners used.
Feng Yi guessed that Kamisato Ayaka had gone to buy daily necessities for this old woman.
As expected, about ten minutes later, Kamisato Ayaka returned, carrying several packages filled with daily necessities.
"Let me help you carry them!"
"Yes, Feng Yi. This is for… well, an elder who lives a hard life and makes a living by singing and playing music. I often come to visit her…"
Kamisato Ayaka briefly explained the old woman's situation to Feng Yi, suggesting he could accompany her to meet her, but she cautioned him to keep her identity a secret.
"Is it Shin-ko who's arrived?"
As Feng Yi and Kamisato Ayaka stepped into the dilapidated courtyard, the old woman's voice immediately came from inside the house.
"Grandma, it's me!"
Kamisato Ayaka responded sweetly.
"Shin-ko, you've brought a friend? Come in, come in, I'll make tea for you!"
The old woman's hearing was exceptionally sharp; she could discern two sets of footsteps.
She could even roughly determine that the friend Shin-ko brought was a male, based on the subtle differences in the sounds of their feet treading on fallen leaves.
"Grandma, no need to be so polite. I'll do it!"
Kamisato Ayaka smiled, helped the old woman to sit down, and then made the tea on her behalf.
The old lady, unable to see, was still so busy entertaining them, and so warm.
After brewing the tea, they each poured a cup.
"Young man, please forgive my poor hospitality. I have no good tea to offer, I hope you don't mind!"
The old woman raised her teacup, wanting to offer the best tea to Shin-ko's friend, but her circumstances were limited.
Simply being alive was her greatest wish.
"Grandma, you're too kind. While good tea is delicious, coarse tea has its own unique flavor. What matters is how one savors it.
Life is like a cup of tea: the first sip is bitter, the second is astringent, and the third is sweet.
Take a moment to savor it, and you'll find a sweet, fragrant aftertaste.
Simplicity is its nature, bitterness is its journey, and sweetness is its gift."
Feng Yi took a sip of the coarse, grassy tea, searching for a hint of sweetness amidst the vast bitterness. Wasn't this the old woman's life?
Finding joy amidst hardship, facing life with a smile – the old woman's noble attitude was worthy of learning and respect.
"Hahahaha, this old woman is uneducated, but I can tell you don't dislike my coarse tea. That's good, that's good!"
The old woman laughed joyfully. Shin-ko's friend had a good character and was a suitable choice for her to entrust her remaining years to.
Kamisato Ayaka also blinked, gazing at Feng Yi for a long time, surprised that he had such knowledge about tea tasting.
It seemed she had found a kindred spirit. To speak such clear, insightful words about tea, Kamisato Ayaka was curious about what Feng Yi had experienced before.
"Grandma, as always, I've brought you some inexpensive and durable daily necessities. I've put them all on the cabinet!"
Kamisato Ayaka took the packages from Feng Yi and placed them on the cabinet nearby. Her previous supplies were still there; the old woman was very thrifty and hadn't finished them yet.
"You child, I told you not to spend money recklessly! This old woman can still move and earn money by playing music. As for you, Shin-ko, you should be saving money to get married and start a family!"