The Scum Is A ***

Jing Manor, dining hall. 

A maid was walking in the hallway, her footsteps are silent as she entered the dining hall where Jing Kang was having his dinner with Lei Ling. "Fourth young master." she called as she respectfully bowed to Jing Kang when she reached him. Her quiet voice broke the silence in the dining hall. "Second young master Jing came asking for an audience with you." she said. She's referring to Jing Bai. "Second young master Jing is with young master Chen, second young master Chen, second young master Sun, second young master Fei, young master Li, young master Feng, young mistress Lei, young mistress You, young master Zuo, young master Yu and a disciple from the Righteous Alliance." she told him. She's referring to Chen Han, Cheng Sheng, Sun Yi, Fei Yin, Li Tian, Feng Mo, Lei Qing, You Rou, Zuo Zhe, Yu Sheng and Zheng Yi, respectively. 

Jing Kang heard what she said and knew they must have come to look for Lei Ling. Speaking of him, he looked at Lei Ling eating his food with gusto. He watched him looking so lively, which is the opposite of his depressed appearance earlier. "Let them wait." He told her. Even though he heard someone from the Alliance came, but since he trusts Jing Bai, he let it be. He knew it must be someone Jing Bai is chasing. 

"Yes." the maid respectfully answered and bowed before she left to relay to them her master's message. 

"What's wrong?" Lei Ling asked when he saw Jing Kang had stopped eating after the maid left. He stared at Jing Kang who didn't answer. He thought he really wouldn't answer him because he had gone silent. He was about to shrug and ignore him then continue eating when Jing Kang suddenly spoke. 

Indeed, Jing Kang didn't want to answer. However, he still can't figure out his thoughts. "Your fellow disciples have come." He told Lei Ling.

"ACK!" As expected, Lei Ling choked in his food because of shock. He almost had forgotten them and his current situation.

The maid near him immediately handed him a glass of water and napkin to wipe his mouth. 

"Cough. Cough…" Lei Ling patted his chest before he turned to Jing Kang. "Cheng-shixiong… everyone came?!" he said, his eyes wide as he stared at him before he drank his water. 

Jing Kang nodded. "They were looking for you." He repeated. "They thought you were abducted – " he told him. 

"Pppt!" Lei Ling spit out the water in surprise. "What?! Abducted?!" he said as he looked at Jing Kang. His eyes are filled with disbelief.

Jing Kang stared at Lei Ling. His gaze is blank. "… don't look at me as if I'm the one who abducted you." he told him. You're the one who told me to take you away. He added in his mind. Knowing a little about Lei Ling, he didn't tell him his thought. He can guess the guy will just explode. 

But aren't you?! Lei Ling thought but he chose to shut up. It was his fault in the first place. Jing Kang kindly helped him even if he's a stranger (not completely). 

"Do you want to see them?" Jing Kang asked when he saw Lei Ling fell silent. 

"I – " Lei Ling said and paused. "… yes." he answered and lowered his head. "I don't want to worry them more." He explained.

Jing Kang nodded in silence. "After dinner." He said. "I'll return you to them." he told him.

"Thank you… for your help." Lei Ling said and looked away. He felt embarrassed. He knew, Jing Kang never forgot what happened before. But, he still helped him.

He raised his head and looked at Jing Kang when he didn't answer. He smiled and lowered his head to resume eating his dinner. What's with this feeling of disappointment? He thought when he suddenly lost his appetite.

He sighed and lowered his chopstick. "... I'm full." He said. I should brush it off my mind. He thought and took a deep breath when he suddenly felt his chest became heavy. 

The servants noticed the atmosphere suddenly changed. Did fourth young master and his wife have a falling out?! So fast?! They thought as they looked at each other. Their gaze talked.

Fourth young master's wife's shixiongs had come to take him. One of them raised her brows.

What?! But our master and his wife had only been together for few hours…QAQ one felt brokenhearted for Jing Kang.

The other one shook her head. It can't be helped. Their engagement hasn't yet been arranged. Orz

No way… what will happen to our master if his wife leaves?! one felt she's about to cry. She raised her head and faced the ceiling to keep her tears from falling. 

They all shook their head and sighed. Jing Kang was puzzled by their servants' behavior, but he ignored them and continued to cherish the time left for him and Lei Ling. After all, they will part with each other later.

…

"Ah Ling!" Lei Qing called when they saw Jing Kang and Lei Ling arrived.

Jing Kang brought Lei Ling to the pavilion connecting the Jing manor where he lives and the manor where Jing Cheng and the twins live with their uncle - Jing Rui.

"So he's really with fourth young master Jing…" Chen Han sighed in relief. It's better that Lei Ling is with Jing Kang than him being abducted by some stranger. He didn't consider that Jing Kang is a complete stranger to the Xinfaxian Sect.

Everyone was relieved and overjoyed as they gathered around Lei Ling after Jing Kang separated himself from him when they reached the pavilion. However, Sun Yi, Jing Bai, Zheng Yi and Fei Yin were silent as they stood on the side, watching them. Everyone was surrounding Lei Ling while Jing Kang stood alone on the other side, also silently watching the Xinfaxian Sect disciples with Chen Han celebrating. 

"Thank you, fourth young master Jing, for taking care of Ah Ling…" Lei Qing said and bowed to Jing Kang.

Jing Kang nodded with a bit of arrogance. However, they already knew him after what Jing Bai told them, so they didn't mind it. "It was perfunctory." he said with elegance. 

"Fourth young master Jing, please take this token of gratitude." Cheng Sheng said as he handed a bottle of pills to Jing Kang. "Our shifu made them." he added.

Jing Kang doesn't want to receive any goodwill from them. But, when he looked at Lei Ling smiling brightly while Lei Qing hugged him, he nodded. "Thank you." He said and took the bottles of high-quality magic pills.

"It is us who should thank you." Cheng Sheng said and looked at Lei Ling. He smiled at Jing Kang before he joined Feng Mo, Li Tian and You Rou as they hugged Lei Ling with Lei Qing.

"Fourth young master Jing." Lei Ling called.

Jing Kang slowly turned to face him, only for his pupils to shrink when he saw him bowed to him.

"I apologize when I hit you earlier after my match. And, thank you very much for helping me." Lei Ling told him, then raised his head. He grinned at him, before he turned his back and left with his fellow disciples and Chen Han and Sun Yi.

"Ah Kang…" Jing Bai called when he saw Jing Kang's stunned expression.

Jing Kang rarely showed emotions on his face after he and his father had falling out. Zheng Yi, on the side, just silently listened.

"You've… never permitted anyone into the manor." Jing Bai said as he looked at Jing Kang who was still looking at the direction the Xinfaxian Sect disciples left.

It was because Jing Kang cherished the place where his mother lived. He thought, permitting anyone other than him and his father inside the manor is disrespecting his mother. Even their servants didn't change over the years.

"You…" Jing Bai said and paused. "... personally letting in the Xinfaxian Sect's shidi inside…" he said and didn't continue, since both of them know the consequences of Jing Kang's actions. He looked at the Jing Manor which is completely silent.

Among them grandchildren, Jing Kang is the most favored despite their grandfather hated Jing Kang's father. Thus, he granted Jing Kang's wishes. However, Jing Kang had only one wish: never to let anyone inside the manor where his mother lived. Lei Ling's appearance in the manor, and Jing Kang personally bringing him there only meant one thing: Jing Kang wanted to marry Lei Ling, despite Lei Ling not knowing about anything.

Jing Bai knew Fei Yin and Sun Yi had already noticed Jing Kang's intentions earlier. However, they remained silent since they found that Lei Ling is unaware of the consequences of Jing Kang's actions. Fortunately, they didn't show signs of disapproval. However, they also didn't make any movements of approval.

Zuo Zhe and Yu Sheng had been silent the entire time. They looked at the Xinfaxian Sect disciples together with Sun Yi and Chen Han, flying in front of them.

"Was it interesting?" Zuo Zhe asked Yu Sheng as he was enveloped by Yu Sheng's embrace while they flew on Yu Sheng's sword.

"It is." Yu Sheng chuckled.

"It isn't for me." Zuo Zhe answered.

"Why?" Yu Sheng asked. However, he didn't hear Zuo Zhe's answer. Yu Sheng let him be until they descended inside the Yunxiao Inn. "One has a trouble of communicating and expressing his feelings. The other one has low self-esteem and is running away from his problems. Isn't this interesting?" he asked Zuo Zhe and walked towards Fei Yin to ask for their arrangements.

"… it isn't." Zuo Zhe answered and sighed. He followed Yu Sheng. It isn't his problem, anyway. There's no use for him thinking about it.