He clutched his chest dramatically, his knuckles white, his breath coming in shallow gasps.
"Please, Clan Head... such jests... they... they are bad for an old man's heart!" Genuine terror flickered in his wide eyes.
Elder Sun, finally wrenching his gaze from the miraculous well, took one look at Joshua's panicked, parchment-pale face and erupted.
"HAHAHA!" His booming laughter shook his ample frame, tears squeezing from the corners of his eyes.
"Oh, Joshua! Your face! Priceless! Look at you, flapping like a plucked goose dropped in a snowdrift! The Clan Head was clearly yanking your chain, you old pessimist!" He slapped his thigh, his laughter echoing louder than his initial greeting.
Fang Yuan chuckled and finally let the laughter fade, his expression softening into something more sincere.
"Ah… haha, I'm sorry. Truly, Elder Joshua," he said, inclining his head slightly, "It's always been fun teasing you, but I suppose I went a little too far this time."
