While Cat regains his composure, Li Lianhua goes about the peeved business of brushing dust off his knee and straightening out his robes, like he has to settle his own ruffled feathers first of all. At those words, he glances up at the boy, as if that haughty mask could tell him any more about what's wrong than his closed off posture and tone of voice. It's clear he overstepped with the kite, its design either doing more harm than good or Cat being so protective of his sister that he'd rather Li Lianhua had forgotten all about her.
He should have just left the kite somewhere for Cat to find and either take or throw away as he saw fit. That had been his original intention, but with his health rallying a little and it being a good day for kite flying... Forget it. Li Lianhua can think of plenty of reasons for why Cat shouldn't take it so seriously, for how it had nothing to do with Li Lianhua really, just a random thing he found and needed help trying out, and there's food in the basket for his troubles.
"Wouldn't that be a good fortune?" he retorts, still with an undercurrent of raised hackles. But then he sighs, his gaze shifting away to the kite. There should be a better way to salvage this than to add insult to injury.
"To be honest, I thought your sister might spot it at a pretty great distance and know to follow it, if she's anywhere in town. You can't expect me to be keeping an eye out for her all the time, can you?" Not the truth, but not untrue. He won't be around to help look for long. Li Lianhua shrugs. "Besides, red kites are auspicious, can't you use some good luck? But don't force yourself if you don't want it, eh? I'll find a use for it."
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He should have just left the kite somewhere for Cat to find and either take or throw away as he saw fit. That had been his original intention, but with his health rallying a little and it being a good day for kite flying... Forget it. Li Lianhua can think of plenty of reasons for why Cat shouldn't take it so seriously, for how it had nothing to do with Li Lianhua really, just a random thing he found and needed help trying out, and there's food in the basket for his troubles.
"Wouldn't that be a good fortune?" he retorts, still with an undercurrent of raised hackles. But then he sighs, his gaze shifting away to the kite. There should be a better way to salvage this than to add insult to injury.
"To be honest, I thought your sister might spot it at a pretty great distance and know to follow it, if she's anywhere in town. You can't expect me to be keeping an eye out for her all the time, can you?" Not the truth, but not untrue. He won't be around to help look for long. Li Lianhua shrugs. "Besides, red kites are auspicious, can't you use some good luck? But don't force yourself if you don't want it, eh? I'll find a use for it."