Thread by @abira_og

#JiangCheng and #JinLing centric

Sometimes, the goddess of destiny presents some people with an offer to forever change the trajectory of their fate. Some accept the blessing for what it is and some do not. From those who have accepted, some have even altered

the direction of one's fate without realizing the casualties that may have resulted from it.

Of course, the chance to change destiny only presents itself to few individuals that have had misfortune befall them yet still choose to honor the guardian and keeper of said destinies.

Such was the case at Yunmeng Jiang. Though they had forgotten the true purpose of the offerings made to the Lotus Temple, the leaders continued the offerings to the guardian without fail. Perhaps the fact that Jiang Cheng had continued on that tradition was the reason that the +

goddess paid him a visit.

While Jiang Cheng was taking a stroll in the town, the goddess called out to him, disguising herself as an aunty.

"Come, Child! What you seek is in front of you and I shall help you obtain it."

The sect leader merely huffed out an amused+

laugh before visiting her stall. The aunty looked as if she needed more customers.

"And what is it that you offer, Aunty?" he asked.

"Freedom," she said, simply.

Her stall was rather simple, adorned with various herbs, spices and tea leaves.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked.

Manners had been drilled in Jiang Cheng's head from the time he was young so he was obviously not going to refuse even if he hated small talk.

At the first sip of the warm liquid, he straightened.

"What does it taste like to you?" she+

asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

Jiang Cheng couldn't help the smile that adorned his face. "Home," he whispered.

Her curiosity morphed into a satisfied smile at his vague, yet simple, answer.

"Very well," she said as she gestured towards a wooden bench.

When had that bench gotten there? he wondered.

"Tell me, Child," she asked as she beckoned him to drink more from the cup. "What is it that you seek?"

Jiang Cheng hummed in response and really tried to think hard.

What was it that he sought?

Feeling a strange sort of contentment, he suppressed the urge to stretch and yawn.

Woah, he felt strangely tired, almost ready for a nap.

"What is it that you seek, Child?" the woman asked again, shaking Jiang Cheng out of his thoughts.

Oh, yes. He was being terribly rude.

He placed the tea cup on the table before looking back at her.

"For my sect to keep thriving as it is and for my nephew to keep being safe and happy."

The woman paused whatever she was making.

"...and that's truly your desire? Your innermost wish? For things to keep being+

the way they are?"

Jiang Cheng's forehead creased in confusion at such a weird phrasing.

"Yes?" he said and the woman shook her head and cursed out.

She quickly shoved another cup of tea in his hand, urging him to take a sip.

"Quick!" she said. "You must take a sip to wake."

Jiang Cheng didn't fight it. Which was strange because he usually would protest at least a little for being hassled like this.

After taking a few sips, he felt awareness return to his senses little by little.

What had just happened? he thought as he blinked.

When he fully became aware of his surroundings, he was sitting by himself on a wooden bench.

How had he gotten there? Did he merely sit down to rest?

Shaking it off as a one-time occurrence, Jiang Cheng moved on.

But the goddess didn't give up. For she answered and rewarded

her loyal worshippers. So, she tried again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

And every time, his answer would be the same. She was getting rather frustrated, which was saying something, seeing as she was known for a her patience.

It didn't help that her last visit to anyone had been over a century ago when chaos had plagued the world after she had granted a miserable soul his wish to change his actions of the past. So, now, her visits were rarer.

She was soon regretting making a come back to the human world when she heard the same answer from the man after he drank her concoction.

She groaned as she shoved another tea at him, his hand quickly taking it and gulping it down as if it remembered even if Jiang Cheng's mind+

consciously didn't.

"Are you really so simple minded?!" she hissed at the sect leader.

Jiang Cheng blinked at the rude aunty.

"Did you just call me simple-minded?"

She scoffed and turned away from him after snatching her cup from him. When he went to pay her, she swatted+

his hands away.

"You...!!" Jiang Cheng gasped at the audacity.

"I don't need your money!" the rude aunty barked at him and Jiang Cheng scowled.

"Don't come crying to me, accusing my sect of stealing when you starve."

Saying this, he turned to leave.

"Wait," came a voice+

behind him and Jiang Cheng paused.

"If you had an opportunity to change anything, would you?"

Jiang Cheng turned to her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

The woman put down her swatter and gestured to the wooden bench.

"If you had the opportunity to change anything in the+

past, what would you change?"

Jiang Cheng took in her question without answering right away. The truth was that he wished for many things to be different but there was no guarantee that that would be a better future than the one today. And Jiang Cheng stopped dwelling+

in 'what-ifs' long ago.

"Why would you seek to change the past, something you have no control over, when you can shape a future instead?"

Saying this, he turned around and walked away, leaving a very frustrated goddess behind.

So, the goddess sought out her friend who only continued to laugh at her misery.

"Surely he wants something?" she muttered to her friend.

Her friend smirked as she dropped herself over the goddess. "Well, even the wealthiest man is proven weak when it comes to seeking love?"

Her friend's flirtatious message truly dubbed her as goddess of love. The goddess of destiny shook off her friend and made her way towards Yunmeng Jiang.

Would the young sect leader be amenable to finding love?

The next time they met, Jiang Cheng remembered the rude aunty. Usually, he would turn away to avoid causing scene but the rude aunty yelled out to him.

"CHILD, ARE YOU IGNORING ME?!"

Jiang Cheng sighed and went to her. "Aunty, do you know who I am?"

The aunty waved her hand noncommittally before brewing him tea.

"Have you ever wanted to be in love?"

As soon as there was a long pause, she smirked. /Finally/.

However, the goddess of destiny knew that the wish has to be current. The past does not matter.

"And what of now?"

"Now?" Jiang Cheng said out loud, before even taking one sip. "Now, I just wish for a peaceful home."

Okay, so not what she was aiming for but it was something, right?

"Oh?" she prompts. "And you wish for this...peaceful home?"

Jiang Cheng couldn't help but chuckle.

He shook his head before he sipped his tea.

"No, I don't need to wish for something I already have."

His smile was content as he said it. Before she could ask further, they are interrupted.

"Sect Leader Jiang! Sect Leader Jin is on his way. You must return immediately+

if you wish to avoid him being upset."

Jiang Cheng placed the cup on the wooden bench before hastily putting some coins on the counter.

"Thank you for the tea but I must take my leave now!"

The goddess sighed when she saw the sect leader racing away from her.

The next time she saw him again, it was with his nephew.

"Oh, so you /are/ still here," Jiang Cheng said as he rummaged through his bag.

He took out a scroll and presented to her as his nephew held back. "Next time you're near Lotus Pier, you should come visit.+

Present this scroll to the guards and they will bring you to me."

The goddess raised her eyebrow in intrigue. What was this human up to? Did he find out who she was?

"And why would I do that?"

The man raised his eyebrow in response. "Well, the fact that you keep haranguing+

me with inane conversations aside, you do make decent tea. Your blends are unique and my disciples would surely enjoy them. If you wish to sell then Yunmeng Jiang would love to trade with you. I will make sure that it is profitable for you."

The goddess sighed. If this is how it goes then so it shall be.

"And is this what you seek? For your disciples to enjoy all the tasty blends?"

Jiang Cheng paused, again looking confused. His nephew mirrored the same bafflement.

"What a strange way of phrasing things. Jiujiu,+

you were right. She does remind me of those ancient texts that talked in riddles."

Now, she had two almost identical men staring at her in bewilderment. So, she sighed and accepted the presented scroll. As a gesture of goodwill, she even made them another cup of tea.

All the while, she heard the nephew chattering away while the uncle listened intently, asking question or teasing at the right moments. They had almost forgotten she was there.

Tsk, humans. So rude.

But she didn't say anything to bring attention to herself.

Before she had time to concoct more schemes, she was hassled. She had gone to Lotus Pier and they had welcomed her once they saw her scroll. She had hoped that it would help her gain greater insight into the sect leader. But alas. She had forgotten how humans can be. So easily+

distractable.

"Jiujiu, you promised that you would be there!" shrieked out Jin Ling, forgetting all decorum.

Jiang Cheng sighed. "Yes and I will be. Just a day late."

Jin Ling pouted. "But I don't have that many days I can take off. It's hard to shift meetings around. Which+

means I will have one less day with you!"

Jiang Cheng scoffed. "You can always come here, you brat! Now, quit whining and eat your mooncakes."

When Jin Ling continued to pout, Jiang Cheng smiled a little before ruffling his hair. "I will come for a day longer next time."

"Two days!" came an instant reply and Jiang Cheng chuckled.

"Don't chew with your mouth open," was his only response, neither agreeing or denying his nephew's request. But they both knew that he would go for two extra days.

Strangely, however, Jiang Cheng turned towards the+

goddess and smiled.

This continued to happen. There were times when Jiang Cheng would seek the goddess out - even as the sect kept her busy with other things. He would seek her out and they would merely sit and chat idly for a while before he went back to his duties.

And, every time, the goddess would speak to him of the past, he would refuse to indulge her. Instead, he would talk of the future, his hopes for his sect disciples, the people under his care and his nephew. Without fail.

It all became clear why when one day he directed her to...her temple.

"Aunty, now that you are a part of Yunmeng Jiang, you must be made aware of our most sacred tradition. This is the Lotus Temple. Every month, we make offerings to the goddess to ensure that+

Yunmeng and all the children of Yunmeng remain thriving. The goddess has blessed us for many years, watching over us."

This intrigued the goddess and she couldn't help herself.

"And what was she the goddess of? Wealth?"

Jiang Cheng laughed and shook his head.

"No, she controls destinies and has turned tides of war many times to favor Yunmeng."

It was true that the goddess had helped those of Yunmeng many times with many things, sometimes even changing tides of war, but not recently. At least not directly.

So, she asked once more.

"And what is it that you wish for when you seek her out? Surely you have asked for things she hasn't granted yet?"

Jiang Cheng smiled at her. "My fate has brought me to my nephew being safe and alive. It has brought me to my sect living on. I would always be grateful for +

such a precious gift."

And - despite weeks of frustration - she couldn't help but feel respect for this human.

"And you seek nothing else? You want nothing else?"

The human paused before smiling. "Well, I do hope that the goddess would finally reveal herself to me instead of +

making me out to be a food?"

The goddess's eyes widened briefly before a smile stretched onto her lips.

"And what was it that gave it away?"

Jiang Cheng chuckled. "Believe it or not, it was my nephew who figured it out. It was also him that asked me to be patient with you."

It was the goddess's turn to laugh incredulously. Found out by a mere 18-year-old boy? Oh my, she was getting sloppy. She couldn't wait till her best friend hears of this blunder.

"And why did he request you to wait, may I ask?"

Jiang Cheng's eyes filled with pride.

"Because he thought you were lonely and only soliciting me for my company. When he first met you, he wanted to immediately bring you back but I stopped him."

Realization then dawned on her. She thought it was her humoring them when all along, it was them humoring her.

She didn't even have it in her to be mad. Perhaps, she was a bit lonely even if it was rather embarrassing that a young boy could see through her so easily.

"Smart boy," she said, shaking her head.

Jiang Cheng smiled in response. "That he is."

"Precious boy," she whispered.

Jiang Cheng nodded again. "That he is."

Her smile widened again. "That he is. But I was talking about you."

The smile dropped from Jiang Cheng's face, morphing into shock.

"For the last time, is there nothing you seek?"

Jiang Cheng breathes out and turns towards the temple. "I seek what I have always sought. I wish for my nephew to be safe, healthy and happy. And I wish for the children of Yunmeng to always live well. I won't always be around but I wish for all of them to know happiness"

She looks at him and smiles. "If that is what you wish then it shall be so."

He clears his throat.

"I won't always be around but you will always be welcomed in Yunmeng. And Lanling Jin at least until my nephew is a sect leader. Our doors will always be open for your company."

She huffed out another laughter hearing this.

"Rest assured, Child. I came to the mortal realm for one purpose and that was to listen to a prayer. Destiny is delicate and such gifts cannot be easily granted. The gods urged me to at least come down to seek out a worthy believer+

and I already knew of your worth from the first sip of that tea. If your only wish is for the children of Yunmeng to thrive then it shall be so. Including your nephew, who showed kindness when he could have chosen greed. You have both pleased the goddess of destiny so yours+

will be that of peace and contentment."

With that, the goddess of destiny disappeared with a gentle breeze, yet again leaving a blinking Jiang Cheng behind.

He smiled as he kowtowed down towards the temple.

And the goddess of destiny fulfilled what she promised.

Extra:

JL: Jiujiu is she really gone?!

JC nodded and JL sulked.

JL: I didn't even get to say goodbye.

JC couldn't help but chuckle fondly and then pull his nephew for a side hug.

JC: come, now. the goddess is rather busy granting and changing destinies.

JL kept on pouting. Later, he found a rather unique blend of tea in his office. He smiled seeing it for what it truly was - an apology. The goddess was still watching over him.

"Thank you," JL whispered.

Extra #2:

JL looking pensive.

JC: brat, are you listening to me?! I am trying to teach you something here.

JL latched onto his jiujiu's elbow.

JL: jiujiu, you don't think there's something strange about that old woman? she seemed so...sad and lonely.

JC: we are not +

adopting her. she's not a pet.

JL: her look reminded me of you after you go and visit your ancestral hall 🥺🥺

JC paused. Did it? Wait, no. Stop it.

JC: we can't just pick her up and bring her over. I gave her a scroll. She can come when she's ready.

JL: okay.

Few weeks later:

JL: JIUJIU!! JIUJIU!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!

JC's quiet morning just got more exciting. He sighed as he put down the paper work and walked towards the voice.

JC: brat, does your sect really have nothing to do?! you just visited two weeks ago.

JL: jiujiu 🥺🥺

JC gentles his features and gestures his nephew to walk closer towards the kitchen. Might as well get breakfast too while they are at it.

JL: Jiujiu, I was cross-referencing some things from Lanling library with Yunmeng texts. And I think you might find it interesting.

After breakfast and much discussion:

JC: ...of course the random lady who harangues me has to be a goddess that we continue to worship. just great.

JL: but but...jiujiu, do you believe me? 🥺🥺

JC sighing and then smiling.

JC: you did good with this investigation. now, if +

you just keep showing the same determination in running your sect, it will continue to thrive.

JL, wondering if that's a scolding or a compliment: 🙄🥲

JL: ...so now are we bringing her over to Lotus Pier...? 🥺

JC rubs his tired eyes. Of course, his nephew won't let the go.

JC: no. she will come when she's ready.

JL: fine 😞

JC, nudging the pastries closer to JL: she will come around but it won't be any sooner just because you go hungry.

Later:

JL: Jiujiu, it says that the goddess of destiny can change courses of destinies regardless of when+

Is there anything you would like to change?

JC didn't answer right away.

JC: there are many things I regret, many things I wish I could go back and do differently. However, if I were given a chance, would I actually change them? I don't believe I would.

JL: really? 🤔

JC laughed at the curios expression on his nephew's face.

JC: no, because no destiny can promise me that every future will have you and my sect safe and thriving. what use is a different future when I cannot even ensure that the people I care for will be happy? +

there are no guarantees for happiness, a-Ling. One must forge their own paths and find what that means for them. I am content with where destiny has left me. So, what use would that do to me now?

JL: really Jiujiu? Are you certain your sect and a-Ling are enough to keep you forever content? 🥺🥺

JC laughed.

JC: no need to worry about unnecessary things. Just eat your pastries, brat.

JL, still 18 and quickly distractible with jiujiu's pastries: okay!