Most of the basin of jujubes Mother Jujube had picked earlier ended up in Xiezhi's stomach. By the time Ji Yuan noticed and reached for one, he found the basin empty. Looking at Xiezhi, he saw that the other party was already cradling a large handful of jujubes.
"What are you doing?"
Faced with Xiezhi's near-robbery of the jujubes, Ji Yuan did not know whether to laugh or cry. Yet Xiezhi merely grinned.
"Hehe, Ji Yuan, every jujube on this whole tree is yours. Just pick more."
"Couldn't you pick more after finishing these? Besides, these jujubes belong to Mother Jujube. They can't be counted as mine, can they?"
"It's all the same, all the same. I'm taking these jujubes for my disciple to eat. I know you still have to visit the Ning'an County Underworld Bureau in a while, so I'll go to Niu Kui Mountain to see my disciple first. I can test his cultivation while I'm at it."
Ji Yuan understood. He raised a hand toward the top of the tree, and quite a few more jujubes fell, landing directly in Xiezhi's hands.
"You're a true friend. Then I'll be off first."
Ji Yuan said nothing more as he watched Xiezhi leave Ju'an Pavilion. It was also what he wished to see, that Xiezhi could truly take Hu Yun to heart.
Not long afterward, the Little Paper Crane, like a miniature Immortal Crane, flew back. The moment it returned to the courtyard, it landed on the table, gave a "Chirp~," then hugged a half-red jujube and pecked at it with its beak.
"Mm, I understand."
Ji Yuan reached out and scratched the Little Paper Crane's neck with one finger. It wore an expression of great enjoyment, but then noticed that Great Master had not continued. It looked