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Young Jin Ling looked at his uncle thoughtfully as the Yunmeng Jiang Sect leader continued to work in silence.
"A-Ling."
The deep and stern voice of his uncle jolted him out of his thoughts.
"A-Ling."
The deep and stern voice of his uncle jolted him out of his thoughts.
"Jiujiu." He said as he corrected his posture, sitting straight as a wooden ruler in front of his uncle.
Jin Ling was actually waiting for him to finish what he had to do so they can go kite flying together and practice archery.
Jin Ling was actually waiting for him to finish what he had to do so they can go kite flying together and practice archery.
"A-Ling, you can say what you want to say."
Ah~ His uncle can really read him with ease like an open book.
And hearing what was said, it once again reminded Jin Ling that his uncle was a safe space.
HIS safe space.
Ah~ His uncle can really read him with ease like an open book.
And hearing what was said, it once again reminded Jin Ling that his uncle was a safe space.
HIS safe space.
Anything he'll say will be taken seriously but without judgment. That whatever he'll tell him will be kept safe no matter what. And that Jin Ling can fall apart, vulnerabilities and all, and his Jiujiu will be there to be his refuge.
He was not only a skilled cultivator and an esteemed sect leader. His uncle was, overall, a great person.
That was why Jin Ling often wondered if his uncle can see how much of an amazing man he actually was, hence the thought that had been circling his head as he stared at him earlier.
"Jiujiu..."
"Hm?"
"Jiujiu..."
"Hm?"
"List the people that you think are great."
"What nonsense are you up to?"
"Nothing! Just wondering. So please answer me."
Heaving a sigh, Jiang Wanyin placed his brush down and paused the matter that he was currently tending.
"What nonsense are you up to?"
"Nothing! Just wondering. So please answer me."
Heaving a sigh, Jiang Wanyin placed his brush down and paused the matter that he was currently tending.
His letter for Sect Leader Lan can wait for a tad bit more.
"There's a lot. First, your grandmother. My mother. She's the strongest woman I know."
Jin Ling only nodded in acknowledgment so his uncle can continue.
"There's a lot. First, your grandmother. My mother. She's the strongest woman I know."
Jin Ling only nodded in acknowledgment so his uncle can continue.
"Also, your mother. My sister. She's the person with the biggest and kindest heart." There was a wistfully fond smile on his uncle's face, as if he was washed with a sudden wave of nostalgia.
"Sect Leader Lan. He's... He's capable in almost everything. Kind. Considerate. Compassionate."
Jin Ling resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, Zewu-jun would be on the list.
Jin Ling resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, Zewu-jun would be on the list.
His uncle had been holding some deep rooted admiration for the other man but the leader of the Gusu Lan clan had yet to notice his uncle's feelings. What an oblivious fool!
Can't he see how much his uncle struggle at keeping himself composed whenever they talk? Can't he see the tense and angry square of his shoulder, as if he wanted to bolt out of there because Lan Xichen was too much for his Jiujiu's heart?
Jin Ling could go on but that would take him a day to finish it off.
"Lan Qiren. He's a great mentor."
And Jin Ling continued to listen as his uncle said names one after another.
"Lan Qiren. He's a great mentor."
And Jin Ling continued to listen as his uncle said names one after another.
From great sect leaders, to rogue cultivators, and even those brave disciples whose names he remembers from the Sunshot Campaign.
But with each one that passes from his uncle's lips, Jin Ling grew more and more upset.
His chest started to constrict as if his heart was getting squeezed by the fact that his Jiujiu did not even come to think of himself as someone great.
His chest started to constrict as if his heart was getting squeezed by the fact that his Jiujiu did not even come to think of himself as someone great.
His eyes turned misty with angry and frustrated tears while his lips wobbled slightly.
How come Jiujiu wasn't saying his name?
And Jiang Wanyin immediately halted upon noticing the distress of his nephew.
"A-Ling?"
How come Jiujiu wasn't saying his name?
And Jiang Wanyin immediately halted upon noticing the distress of his nephew.
"A-Ling?"
This only made Jin Ling sniffle softly, digging the heels of his hands against his eyes.
"You didn't... You didn't say..."
Jin Ling struggled to say. But Jiang Wanyin's eyes widened slightly in realization.
"You didn't... You didn't say..."
Jin Ling struggled to say. But Jiang Wanyin's eyes widened slightly in realization.
"A-Ling. I think you are great. And I believe that you'll grow and become even greater."
However, his words did not appease Jin Ling who shook his head.
"No. That's... That's not it." He retracted his hands from his eyes so he can glare at his uncle.
However, his words did not appease Jin Ling who shook his head.
"No. That's... That's not it." He retracted his hands from his eyes so he can glare at his uncle.
He then crawled towards the confused sect leader of the Yunmeng Jiang clan.
And even when he knew he looked very unsightly for a Young Master from the Lanling Jin clan, Jin Ling didn't care. He needed to make a point!
And even when he knew he looked very unsightly for a Young Master from the Lanling Jin clan, Jin Ling didn't care. He needed to make a point!
Once near, he knelt beside his uncle who looked at him in slight bewilderment. He then cupped his uncle's face with his hands, squishing the cheeks in the process.
"JIUJIU! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY YOUR NAME?"
"Huh?"
"YOU ARE SO GREAT, JIUJIU! THE GREATEST! IF I WAS ASKED TO DO THE SAME THING, I WOULD'VE SAID YOUR NAME FIRST..."
"Huh?"
"YOU ARE SO GREAT, JIUJIU! THE GREATEST! IF I WAS ASKED TO DO THE SAME THING, I WOULD'VE SAID YOUR NAME FIRST..."
Jin Ling's voice then weakened as the pain and sadness came back once again.
"Don't you know you're great, Jiujiu? Why did you not say your name? It seemed like you didn't even consider yourself as someone great."
"Don't you know you're great, Jiujiu? Why did you not say your name? It seemed like you didn't even consider yourself as someone great."
The words brought warmth to Jiang Wanyin's entire being as his eyes started to well up with his own tears.
He was never really great in the eyes of people. He knew that. Growing up, he lived behind the shadows, always the second best, the second option. He was rarely enough, rarely been spared that much of a glance.
And even in the present, even when /that/ person was gone, he knew that people did not admire him. Instead, they feared him. The stern and austere Sandu Sengshou.
But Jin Ling, his sweet nephew, his A-Ling...
Jiang Wanyin took a shuddering breath before smiling softly at the upset Young Master Jin.
He then pulled him into a hug. Warm. Safe. Loving.
Jiang Wanyin took a shuddering breath before smiling softly at the upset Young Master Jin.
He then pulled him into a hug. Warm. Safe. Loving.
"Thank you, A-Ling."
People may never see him as someone great, even his own father, but Jiang Wanyin felt contented that his nephew did.
People may never see him as someone great, even his own father, but Jiang Wanyin felt contented that his nephew did.
And that was enough. More than enough.
Enough for him to start believing that maybe, just maybe, he was also someone great.
Enough for him to start believing that maybe, just maybe, he was also someone great.
[END]
Jiujiu is great agenda!
President: Jin Ling
Jiujiu is great agenda!
President: Jin Ling
