A Song For A Summer’s Night - Chapter 121

Long Jie was twelve years old when he had to visit his unfeeling grandfather at his fortress-looking house.

“Why did I have to come here?” Long Jie asked his aunt fretfully. “He calls my father weak, and my mother a gold digger.”

“Where did you hear that?” replied Xue Teegan.

Long Jie frowned. “I overheard them talking about him. He’s evil; mother said so.”

Xue Teegan sighed. “Well, it was your mother that instructed me to take you. Besides, as much as I, too, find your grandfather to be repulsive, foul-mouthed, indecent鈥?#34;

“You’re not helping,” Long Jie interrupted.

“The point is, you haven’t seen him in three summers, Jie. You will one day be head of the Long family, and it’s your responsibility to meet with him, learn a few things if you can. But, if he steps out of line, you must tell me right away. He acted terribly towards your mother and father.”

Long Jie didn’t feel assured. He was scared of Long Yuntian. His hair was so dark that it was if the night sky swallowed the stars. His eyes were pale-blue, ice-cold and frigid, nearly lifeless as the Northern parts of the world. He looked so much like his father that it was uncanny. But he didn’t want to look at Long Yuntian with fear, not anymore.

Long Jie held his chin high, stepping down the cobblestone pathway. A butler greeted him, and after, his grandmother ran up to him, squeezing him tight. Long Jie didn’t hide his disdain鈥攁fter all, she was utterly unreserved whenever she insulted his mother in front of him before.

He then moved onto see his grandfather. He was as tall and formidable as he remembered. Long Yuntian looked down at him with a cold expression, folding his arms behind him.

His grandfather didn’t say anything to him. All he did was turn, striding towards the garden on his own. Long Jie was taken aback. He didn’t want to see Long Yuntian, but the fact that his grandfather rejected him was something he did not expect.

“Hey, old man!” He shouted.

Long Yuntian turned his head slightly; his eyes narrowed sharply.

Long Jie ran to catch up to him. “Shouldn’t I accompany you?”

“What for?” replied Long Yuntian, smooth and deep, continuing to walk.

“There’s nothing for me to do, and my aunt won’t pick me until after dinner.”

“You can explore the house if you’d like.”

Long Jie frowned, but he didn’t stick around much. He decided to do what he was told, exploring the manor on his own terms. There were many rooms in the house that they appeared to be endless. Why was this house so vast yet empty?

For a child, exploring rooms was fun; but he was alone, so that made it rather boring.

After circling halls, opening doors, and staring out windows, Long Jie found a long training hall, with wooden floors and sliding doors.

He gaped in awe.

He walked down the hall, approaching a tapestry that hung on a wall at the end. The threads of a dragon were weaved with a black background, outlining the blue of a serpentine-like creature. Its teeth were barred; the sharp claws extended from its four legs.

There were two incense burners in front of the tapestry, over a wall shelf.

Below, rested a large glass case with two sheathed Jian swords.

Long Jie was drawn to it; his eyes widened in astonishment.

He wanted to touch them, even as the sharpness of the blades made him weary.

The glass case was locked.

He stared at them, for he wasn’t sure how long.

Long Jie heard someone call his name; startled, he got up and slipped into another room, catching up with the voice that called him. He ran into the butler.

“Young Master, where have you been? Dinner is ready, and you shouldn’t keep your grandparents waiting,” the butler scolded.

Long Jie nodded and dashed towards the dining room

He then joined his grandparents, who were sitting at opposite ends of the long table.

It was silent, except for the sound of clanging utensils and dishes.

Long Jie’s curious mind encouraged him to ask his Grandfather, “What are the swords in the training hall for?”

Long Yuntian paused.

“What were you doing in the training hall?”

“Just looking.”

Long Yuntian narrowed his gaze. His grandson locked eyes with him, unwaveringly. There was no fear in Long Jie’s eyes; it surprised him.

“It serves as a reminder.”

“A reminder of what?” Long Jie questioned curiously.

“About my family, our family, a long time ago.”

“We were warriors?” Long Jie asked, his eyes glinting in amazement.

Long Yuntian chuckled, and it may have been the first time Long Jie heard his grandfather laugh while wearing a subtle smile on his face.

“In a way,” Long Yuntian replied. He didn’t want to tell a boy about a past that broke him, forcing him to become a stuck-up and cruel father to his own sons.

聽”Cool,” Long Jie responded with a smile.

They continued to eat, and Long Yuntian realized his grandson devoured his meal quickly.

“Can you show me the swords?” Long Jie asked him. It was any excuse to get to know Long Yuntian better, to understand why he was such a grouchy man.

Long Yuntian sighed. “You’re far too young.”

“No, I’m not. My teachers even say I don’t act like my age.”

“That’s because you adapt too quickly.”

“If you show me, then I’ll come back. Otherwise, I will tell my parents you treated me like garbage!”

Long Yuntian gaped. He couldn’t believe the youngster wanted to use it against him, knowing that his son would keep Long Jie away from him if he were to lie.

“Fine,” Long Yuntian replied.

Long Jie smiled widely.

Long Yuntian abandoned the rest of his meal, taking Long Jie to the training hall.

Inside, Long Jie dashed towards the glass case and sat down on the floor mat in front of it.

Long Yuntian approached it, sliding his hand over the glass. He exhaled deeply.

“The Long’s come from an old imperial background, and over the years, the traditions have been dying out.”

聽Long Jie listened.

“There was a man, a long time ago, the youngest of seven, who was born with flaming blue eyes; at birth, he was believed to the Azure dragon, the chosen one. Of course, during his upbringing, his siblings disagreed, so they challenged him. He survived and won, upholding the Long Family with honour. They called him a king for it. Wielding these swords is something only immediate family members practice.”

“Does my father know how to use them?” Long Jie asked.

“No,” Long Yuntian replied.

聽”Can you tell me more about the dragons?” Long Jie asked him.

Long Yuntian grinned subtlety. “Perhaps when you’re older,” Long Yuntian replied. He couldn’t tell a child all the horrid things that have happened in the past, not yet.

The butler came in and informed Long Jie that his aunt came to pick him up. Long Jie stood up, “Grandfather, I’ll be back tomorrow!”

Long Yuntian’s eyes widened, not expecting that his grandson would even want to return.

Long Jie visited every weekend of that summer.

“Lunge!” His grandfather instructed. Long Jie bent his knee forward as he swung his wooden sword.

Long Yuntian deflected his move and counter-attacked.

Parry, Long Jie thought. Holding the hilt, he deflected his grandfather by bringing it down vertically.

“Good,” Long Yuntian responded.

Long Jie then circled Long Yuntian; his eyes were razor-sharp and focused. He attacked, and Long Yuntian clashed with him. Long Jie was still training, but he was getting rather good at surprising him.

Long Yuntian deflected again, twisting his sword around Long Jie’s, disengaging him from his weapon.

Long Jie frowned. “I’m not good enough.”

“Come visit every summer, and I’ll show you how to get better.”

Long Jie grinned. “All right,” he said.

And every weekend of every summer, he went.

At nineteen, he struck, lunged, parried, and anticipated his opponent’s moves. Shirtless, and sweat-slick, Long Jie moved around with the grace of a water dancer. He would run laps around the estate, building up his endurance, shaping his body.

Long Yuntian watched his grandson with pride, watching him grow into the fine young man he believed him to be.

Long Yuntian’s wife stepped to his side. “I don’t see you often smile, except for when that boy is around.”

“He is the son I wish I had.”

“You had two of them, Long Yuntian.”

“I know. But Long Jie is more precious.”

His wife sighed. “As you say so.”

Long Jie stepped in front of them, bowing. “I have to go! I’ll see you next summer.”

Long Yuntian nodded. He watched as his grandson left the manor.

Afterwards, Long Yuntian received a visit from a man his age, with a young woman next to him.

“I hear your grandson is in town. I wanted to introduce him to my granddaughter, Song Luli. I think it’s been a long time since they were last acquainted,” said Song Rui.

“Indeed,” replied Long Yuntian. “But you just missed him. Maybe, sometime again in the future.”

Song Rui nodded and parted ways, leaving with his granddaughter.

“I don’t want to meet with his grandson,” Song Luli complained. “What if he’s as scary as Long Yuntian?”

“Shush,” her grandfather said to her.