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Bai Mei was up early, earlier then his father who had fallen aside sometime during the night in his workshop room. The yellow eyed boy had gone into the room to take the tools and jade from his hands, setting them safely aside, cleaned up a bit, wrapped the man in a blanket, then left the room once more so that he could start on breakfast. He knew that his father wouldn't sleep that long since he was in the middle of a rather detail project for one of the upper crust members of the town, as well as a few smaller pieces to sell at the market so that they could go shopping for various supplies they would need.

The boy was heading out of the room, broom in hand, when he noticed the envelope that had been tucked under the door. He starred at it for a moment before walking over to pick it up in a suspicious manner, "Ahh... so who are you from?" He asked of it, worried that it might be some sort of hate mail... though once it was opened up and he scanned it over his mood went from worried to excited, "Oh! Qiu Shui!" He gasped, looking more then a little happy over the idea that his friend was wanting to come to visit him, he would have three quiet days and with that time he chose to visit with him and his Father? That was so kind of him!

The broom was leaned against the wall and abandoned so that he could go and find himself some paper so that he could respond. How exciting! He couldn't wait! He really hadn't had anyone come to visit him here before... which had him looking around the area in a thoughtful manner, "I will need to be extra careful with my cleaning." He said, looking around the room he was in in a thoughtful manner before he shook his head, "Letter first, then cleaning." Then from there he would see about cooking a nice meal as well! Though first he would need to know which day of the three that Qiu Shui would be visiting as well as how long he wanted to visit for so he would know how many meals would be needed.

Dear Qiu Shui,

It was really exciting to get your letter! I have never gotten mail before so it was a nice surprise. I am even more excited to hear that you will be coming to visit, nobody has ever come before for a visit so I find myself already worrying over getting things all nice for you.

I have a couple questions, you said you had three days of quiet, which day do you want to come visit? I would like to know so that I can prepare a nice meal for you! I have been working very hard on getting better, I even got help with the personal chef at Song Tzue's place to help to get my skills up!

Oh, now that I think about it you will also get to see the wonderful egg that I am hatching as well! I can't wait for you visit, it will be so lovely!

Bai Mei

He moved to put it outside the door as Qiu Shui's letter requested of him to do before he went back inside and started to do his cleaning, whistling as he went.

Bai Mei had was sure to take breaks from time to time in the front room near to the door to wait, to see if the letter was picked up, and much to his delight someone appeared to take it. He watched as the small boy approached, took the letter, and was soon racing off as quickly as little rabbit might. The yellow eyed boy gave a bit of a smile as he set to work cleaning once more, seeming to be going over everything with a fine tooth comb, as though wanting it all to be perfect. Compared to have large and lavish the places that Qiu Shui, not to mention Song Tzue, came from, Bai Mei felt that his much more modest home was a little small... he wanted to do his best to make it so that people understood that it was a wonderful home despite the size.

He was soon enough distracted with preparing an evening meal for his father and missed the arrival of the second letter. In fact it was his father that found it, picking it up from the floor where he found it waiting, looked it over curiously before bringing it to his son, "I see that you have been working on getting things clean, Bai Mei, any reason why?" He asked of the boy with a bit of a smile on is lips.

Bai Mei turned to look over toward his father, spotting the letter in his hand before he hurried forward, "Ah! The... the letter, what does it say?" He asked, sounding quite excited and Jing Lin gave a bit of a smile as he held it out to him. The boy took it and opened it up, reading it over before he gave a happy sound, "He says he will come over the day after tomorrow." He read then looked up at his father, "That's alright, right? My friend coming to visit?"

The fox eyed man looked for a moment surprised before giving a smile and a nod, "Of course. I rather like the idea of a friend coming over to play with you here." The idea that anyone would visit the foxes in their den was was a rather pleasant surprise since he was sure that everyone did their best to keep far, far away from him and this place. Then again from what he'd heard there were rumors that people that came to this place vanished... silly rumors but ones that were good at keeping most people at bay, "You will have a lot of work ahead of you though if you mean to cook for all of us. Not to mention that I will be busy so you might have to entertain on your own."

"You will at least meet with him?" He asked in a hopeful manner, "He looks forward to meeting with you." He said as he tucked the letter away into his pocket and moved to get the bowl of food that he'd prepared for his father. It was pretty simple, rice and vegetables, no meat this time around as they needed to go to the market to get some.

Jing Lin took it from him then looked up at him, "He wishes to meet with me?" He sounded almost perplexed before he gave a bit of a nod, "I guess that I will need to make an appearance then." To have someone actually want to meet with him, it made him curious as to who this friend was. Not one who he'd met before so that ruled out Song Tzue as well as a few others. He had to admit, he was interested, "The day after tomorrow then."

Bai Mei was so on edge the day that Qui Shui was to show up, he was moving around the house to make sure that things were all perfect, checked in on his Father several times over to remind him that his friend was going to be over, and then back to checking on this. He was told several times over that he shouldn't be so tightly wound or else he was going to snap but his Father's words were lost on him. It was the first time they had company, it was exciting! Maybe if Qiu Shui's visit went well others would see that they weren't so bad? He could have no idea that given where Qiu Shui lived and who his best friend was wouldn't make him the best candidate for making the 'Fox' family look any better... not that Bai Mei would care even if he understood where Qiu Shui came from and what the place was. He'd been there twice already but given the times of his visits it had just seemed like a fancy if quiet establishment run by a rather loud and scary lady.

There was the sound of the door to his Father's work room opening up and Bai Mei spun around to look at the man, hurrying over to him, "Ah! Are you done with work for now?" He asked in a curious manner, reaching his hands up to rest them on the man's arm, looking hopeful.

Jing Lin gave his son a smile, lifting a hand up to rest it for a moment on his head then nodded, "I am done for a time." He said, "If I could get some tea, Bai Mei?" He asked, walking over to the low table in the center of the main room, settling down in his seat, eyes closing as he waited. He didn't ask to much from his son since the boy seemed to anticipate what he needed, making Jing Lin wonder at times if the child was training to be a wife. Not that he could think of anyone that he'd been with so often that he would actually be looking to marry, surely? He found himself opening an eye to look over toward him for a moment, curiously, then shook his head. Naw, he was far to young for such matters he decided, eyes closing once more.

A short time later Bai Mei was placing the cup and saucer down on the table in front of him, giving him a smile as he sat in a seat next to him, "Dinner is about done, it will just need to have a little heat added when Qiu Shui arrives." He told his Father, sounding as though he were barely able to contain his excitement.

Reaching out to take the cup the jade sculptor gave a smile before lifting the cup to his lips, sipping from it, "I look forward to it." He said, more to see what sorts of friends his son was making. That he was making friends in general was a good thing but friends that would come visit them was something even better.

The sound of the knocking had Bai Mei instantly up on his feet and he hurried over the door despite his father telling him to slow down, that his friend wouldn't vanish before he was able to answer the door... but there was no slowing him down. The moment he reached the door he reached out to open the door up, looking out at Qiu Shui and he gave a happy sound in his throat before he stepped back, "Come in." He said, sounding quite excited by the fact that his friend here, really here. He knew that he was planning on getting here but it was so much more now, to actually see his friend, that he had really come to visit despite the rumors.

"I am really glad that you were able to come, Qiu Shui, I have some tea made if you would like a cup and I can start heating up dinner whenever you would like." He said in a bit of a rush, but seemed to be wanting to play the part of the good host it would appear.

There was a bit of a chuckle from Jing Lin as he lifted a hand to adjust his glasses, "Bai Mei, allow your friend to come inside before you start to speak of tea and meals." He said, hoping to sooth his son just a bit, knowing the boy was excited but he didn't want that enthusiasm to put the other boy off, didn't want his son to seem desperate for friends even if that might be the case in a way.

Bai Mei looked at his father and then back to Qiu Shui, "Sorry about that." He said, cheeks coloring a little bit.

Bai Mei gave a smile, his nerves seeming to calm greatly as Qiu Shui gave him a hug, "I missed you too, Qiu Shui." He said, the dark haired boy was such a good friend and one that he would love to spend more time with though it seemed that both of them were often busy due to the lives that they led. He gave a smile to his friend, returned the hug, the drew back when the dark haired boy started to address Jing Lin.

The man looked over at Qiu Shui for a long moment, listening an eyebrow, and seemed genuinely surprised when the kid said that it was a pleasure to finally meet him, making it seem as though he'd wanted to for some time. The man starred for a moment more before taking the basket from him, "A gift? That is quite kind of you." He was impressed by the manners that this one had, better then many of the children running around town he thought to himself before he looked into the basket to see what it was that was contained within and he couldn't help but to smile that much more, "Thank you, young man. This was quite generous of you." Not only some fruit that Bai Mei was sure to love but a decoration for the house as well.

He held out the basket for Bai Mei to see and the yellow eyed boy removed the wind chimes from it, making sure to take great care while doing so before smile, "Oh wow... how pretty." He murmured before he gave them a little nudge with his free hand. They set to swinging, the different pieces tapping together, creating a rather wonderful sound that had his eyes sinking half closed, "That's such a nice sound." It had a nice, musical sound to it that reminded him of the flute that Yoru played. The gift was, on many levels, something unlike anything he'd ever been given before. The only thing that came close was the egg that he'd won at a contest, the same egg he was so diligently trying to hatch.

Bai Mei came out of his day dreaming state when he heard the rumbling of Qiu Shui's belly and he gave a bit of a giggle, "Ah! Sorry, what a terrible host I am. Here your starving and I am playing with the wind chimes." He said, sounding quite embarrassed as he carefully replaced the chimes back in the basket and hurried off to the kitchen as quickly as his feet would carry him. Once there he set to work warming up the food he'd prepared earlier, having just been waiting on the arrival of his guest before he heated it up for the three of them.

As he rushed off in such a manner Jing Lin gave a bit of a chuckle before he turned to look over at Qiu Shui, lifting one hand up to adjust his glasses before he gave the boy a smile through them, "I must thank you, its proven rather difficult for my son to make friends due to some foolish rumors going around town about us. That would be so kind to my son, doing so many things for him, it means a lot to me." He said, giving him a smile. Bai Mei had told him all about Qiu Shui and what the two had done together including the cooking lessons he'd received at Qiu Shui's place of residence.

Looking in the direction his son had gone he gave another smile, "Hes been working hard of late to help improve his skills so I am quite sure he will have a wonderful dish prepared for us all." Then again to Jing Lin a perfect dish was one he didn't have to make himself so perhaps he was being a little biased. No matter, that was the job of a parent, to be biased of their child's work.