Chapter Text
“Mermaids are the temptresses of death”, some say. To sing the most alluring songs for the unguarded seafarers, to present their unparalleled beauty to these men slaving day and night during the voyage… They care not for a person’s heart, be it righteous or crooked, be it young marines serving their emperor, tradesmen making a living, or marauders roaming the water for prey. How many ships have been led to their end, sinking under the rocks towards eternal slumber at the bottom of the ocean? How many lives have been lost, seeking for charming belles only to find themselves deceived by wicked enchantresses? Truly a vicious creature, the heralds of demise for men of the sea.
But who could really testify of the truth, if all those who chanced upon an encounter with these nefarious beauties ended up falling to their fatal trap?
“Mermaids are graceful sea creatures”, others say. Waving soft Dragon Silk, pure white as ice and frost. Once in a blue moon, a lucky few may find a mirage cast by these beings, an opportunity to get their hands on the mystical fabric said to never become moist even when soaked in deep water. Beautiful and gentle, when they weep, their tears will turn into shiny pearls. They have ways to heal incurable diseases, and the kindest ones are willing to grant wishes, even giving their heart to love a mortal.
But who could attest to this truth, if even the storytellers have no way of proving whether the words they speak come from experience or mere hearsay?
The sky that night was blackened as if heavens had chosen to abandon the mortal world, thunder striking like the wrath of a mighty god. Dark clouds agglomerated into thick, massive wisps, sending ruthless rainfall down onto the earth. The tides were violent; the calm surface of the sea during the day was nowhere to be seen. For sailors exposed to this weather in the open, they could only pray that nature would still have some mercy on them. There was no use trying to escape; it was already good enough that their ship remained afloat and they were tied safely up there, not thrown into the raging water.
Somewhere on the chaotic water, sharp rocks of various sizes stood still amidst the splashes and crashes of the dreadful waves. The tallest ones were no bigger than the size of a standing grown man, while the rest looked more like fragments of broken big chunks of stones. Whether there was a titan of a mountain hidden beneath the surface, one could only try to guess.
Atop this cluster of rocks, on a slightly slanted, flat crag near the center, there was an unexpected object lying motionless, something so out of place that no one would ever imagine to see in the middle of the open sea. A human, a young boy in his adolescence, was sprawled there alone under the fierce thunderstorm. His clothes were torn and dirty, rags that could no longer be discerned what color they originally were. His face was deadly pale, with the black strands of his wet, unkempt hair sticking to his face. The only visible sign of life was his unstable breathing, causing his scrawny frame to faintly convulsed every few seconds or so.
Would someone find him in this stranded place? Even if he could survive the storm, what means could he use to return to land with nothing but rocks and water around him? The boy was shifting in and out of consciousness. He had swallowed and breathed in too much sea water, and he had vomited a lot of it, as well, until his internal organs were churning. It was painful to breathe; the heavy drops of rainwater kept hitting his face, choking his nostrils. His skinny limbs trembled from the cold, but this gale did not seem like it was going to end so soon, much less pitying an insignificant existence such as him.
At this moment, it appears that death would be the kindest gift he could receive, lest he would suffer even more. However, although his life was fleeting away, the dying boy felt something holding onto his soul, keeping it chained to the world of the living. He heard a song; the most beautiful song he had ever listened to in his short, inexperienced life. The voice was soft and gentle, he could not tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman.
One thought arose in his mind: “Is this how the mermaids’ singing sounds like?” After all, who else but these half human-half fish sirens would be chanting melodies in the middle of the briny deep? Yet he could not sense any malice from it, not even the slightest hint of seduction intending to lead him into harm. It was simply pleasant to hear, like a soothing lullaby, and he did not know since when someone had been placing a hand on his forehead, sending warmth flowing into his numb, freezing veins.
His body was weakened, but somehow, there was a tiny fire newly lit aflame in his heart. With much difficulty, the boy forced his eyes open to see just who it was staying by his side in this godforsaken place.
A beautiful visage.
Dark eyes as bright as the clearest sky. Even when the night was shrouded in this savage tempest, the two spheres that were a pair of eyes were like stars twinkling down from heaven. This person was fair, so fair that the boy was afraid his filthy self would stain their existence. Long black hair fell from their shoulders, down to the surface of the crag where he lay. The boy involuntarily followed the raven strands, and it was then that he realized something was not quite right.
Under this person’s torso, the part that was supposed to be a pair of legs was replaced with something else.
Glimmering silver so pure it was almost translucent, what this person had was none other than the tail of a fish.
To the east of the Immortal Sea, there was a beautiful, prosperous city known by the name of Xian Jing, the Heavenly Capital. This port town was an important point of trade for all merchants from the surrounding regions and far beyond, a crucial source of economic development for the nation, and where nautical growth flourished the most due to its strategic location, allowing knowledge and information to flow as seamlessly as the coming and going of commercial goods.
The governor of the city was a young, yet extremely competent man, Lord Jun Wu. While Xian Jing had always been an affluent area, since the day this charismatic person took the leading seat in the government, it was as though fortune and wealth all came pouring in from his capable hands. He also had a keen sense of city architecture. From the great avenue where all public events were held to the little bridges crossing over the many waterways in town, even if Xian Jing was essentially a port city, its appearance also somehow resembled a work of art.
Though, that was what people would say if they had only visited part of the city where the government offices were, the elite residential areas of the nobilities with their meticulously sculpted pillars and elegant murals on the walls, fancy stalls and beautiful pavilions along the white pavement, a world where only the upper class - and a handful of lucky middle class - could afford to live in.
There was only one sea, but humans could build as many wharves as they saw fit along the coasts. To the eyes of the general public, Xian Jing had one principal port. It was where both the merchants and officials’ ships sailed and anchored, thousands of Junks* carrying various names and tales arrived and departed while showing off all their splendor and glory. Other than slaves and prisoners, the people boarding these ships were nothing less than honorable - great figures of the nation, the courageous navy, renowned merchants whose wealth would not run out for seven generations, exotic guests from lands afar coming to discuss important treaties or sharing cultures. The moment they stepped on land, there would always be an entire entourage to welcome them, big or small.
But there was another port, not any less bustling than this one, though in a completely different way.
Strangers knew nothing about it. The locals would not talk about it unless necessary. Visitors who had seen it with their own eyes only kept its existence in the back of their mind, proceeding with the utmost caution as to who they should and should not share this information with. Like a taboo, it remained a secret known only to a few certain circles.
And what special circle it truly was.
“Out of the brine, here comes the wine!”
The jolly cry of a man was followed by the cheers and laughter of others, then the sound of glasses clinking against each other. In a two-floored tavern illuminated by the yellowish light of muddy oil lamps, their rambunctious voices could be heard all the way to the dull, dirty street outside. There were six of them sitting around a wooden table, their ages varied between those who looked like they were at the end of their twenties and those who looked to be between thirty and forty. But how would a mere number of one’s age matter if their appearance could barely be distinguished from each other? Unkempt hair like a bird’s nest, greasy face and hands that seemed like they hadn’t been washed for months, shabby clothes with unimaginable smell - their yellowing teeth were beyond salvation, and some even had a few that were already rotten. And they weren’t the only ones hanging out in this old yet sturdy establishment. Inside the alehouse, both the first and second floor were filled with those of their kindred; each and every single table was just as noisy.
The younger ones were usually quiet and chose to listen. The mature ones initiated conversation and jests, while the most experienced would only chime in once in a while - but when they did, others around them would shut up and regard their words of wisdom. For better or worse, the aroma of alcohol wafted heavily in the air, somewhat masking the unpleasant smell from these men’s bodies.
However, no matter what they did, the distinct scent of the sea could not be erased. And none of them cared too much about it anyway.
“My Fair Lady, how much longer ‘til our chicken legs are cooked? We’re all starving here!”
A rowdy middle-aged man from that group of six, the one who initiated the cheers just now, shouted towards the bar. Following his lead, the other five people all started asking for the same thing, as well, yelling one after another like barking dogs.
“Yeah, My Lady, we’ve waited for so long. Why isn’t it here yet?”
“Is this how you treat your regular patrons?”
“If you don’t hurry up, we might start gnawing at each other’s arms!”
At last, a response finally came to hush their impatience.
“Be good and stay still, won’t you? There are only a few of us here and so many of you sea rovers. If I can split myself half and half to tend to you, I’d already done so since long ago.”
The wordings they chose for these exchanges were crude and seemed more than capable enough to start a fight, but neither the ones demanding nor the one answering sounded violent. In fact, it was more like banters between old friends, and to that reply, the six slovenly men started laughing instead of getting mad. Before long, the mouthwatering smell of chicken dish fresh from the stove glided in the air towards them. The person who had been standing behind the bar finally came out to deliver their order.
“Here. You can shut up now, you vultures. Can’t you see we’re short staffed?”
The voice was neither brash nor gentle, not too strong or too soft, but there was humor and friendliness in each spoken word. Placing the food on the wooden table, in front of those men now stood a tall young woman whose long hair was tied into a half ponytail, the locks falling over her right shoulder. Her dress was nothing extraordinary as worn by most commoners and her overall appearance was far from extravagant, just something simple that would allow her to move about freely in this busy store. Nevertheless, even if she did not look as grand as the daughters of Xian Jing’s nobility with their tailor-made gowns and intricate hand-drawn fans, her countenance was lively and charming, with bright eyes and rosy lips that carried with them a tint of smile.
When one’s sight fell upon her, even the most timid person would feel that she was someone very easy to talk to.
“At last! Our Fair Lady’s cooking is always the best meal to come back to,” the man clapped his hands in satisfaction, inviting happy sounds of agreement from his pals.
“One-Leg Bi, how many pitiful little ships did you guys raid this time? Don’t you know that the bounty on your head is getting higher and higher by the day?” the woman placed her hands on her slender hips, the way she spoke both scolding and teasing.
“Aah, as they say, the higher the bounty is, the more people actually fear you. If they put such a high amount on my head, what can I say but thank these stuck up officials for acknowledging my worth?”
The old man spread both of his hands, looked at his crewmates, then all of them let out laughter so boisterous it could be heard all the way to the second floor. The man slapped his own thigh as he cackled. Under his left knee, instead of a shank, there was a wooden leg.
Seeing their unrestrained spirits, the charming woman only shook her head and smiled a little, already knowing that this was the kind of reaction she would receive.
“That’s fine and all. But if you really want them to fear you, shouldn’t you start robbing bigger ships instead of these mediocre ones?” she asked.
"It's true… Captain Bi, actually I've always wanted to ask you this, but why don't we go for those bigger ships?" one of his younger crewmates turned at him.
"Dumb youngster. You've been with us for a while but you still don't understand," One-Leg Bi snorted, "If you can subdue those huge Junks, you'll make a name for yourself and get more precious loot to pawn, but at what cost? They'll put a high bounty on your head after just one, two acts and you'll soon score a top position in others' hunting list. What use do quick fame and quick riches have if you always have to be on edge the whole time? Don't think just because you're courageous you can win against all of them navy and bounty hunters."
"I see… So it'll be safer to go against the regular ships…"
"We might not make a bunch of gold and silver at once, but have we ever run out of wine and food? Haven't we always had our fun whenever we step on land without anyone bothering us? Besides, even if our preys are small, when joined together they're not any less valuable than one big Junk."
Catch one huge fish and you might be full once, but then you'll have to live on the run for the rest of your life unless you're certain of your invincibility. Catch several smaller fish, however, you'll still become full gradually and not have to worry about the consequences. Even if you're still going to be hunted down, at least you're not a priority. Most pirates might think this mindset is lazy and cowardly, but it wasn’t exactly wrong either. At the very least, One-Leg Bi didn't think he was wrong and had been living leisurely for many years.
“Well, as long as you’re being careful, I guess you can do whatever you want,” the woman replied, “Just don’t let your guard down because you think these smaller ships are easy targets. You’ve been a regular here since the first day we opened this tavern, Lao Bi. I don’t want to see your corpse hanging at the gallows, nor do I want to see your decapitated head put on display at the coast. I’ll be really sad.”
“My Fair Lady’s concern is enough of a good luck wish for us,” said the old pirate. She only smiled after hearing his words, and then her usual liveliness returned to her face.
“Well then, I won’t delay your meal time any longer. Go ahead and dig in, but don’t eat like rabid dogs. If you make a mess here, I swear I won’t let you off until you help me mop the floor clean.”
Hence, she turned on her heels and headed back to attend the bar. It was not very obvious at first glance, but as she walked, if one paid close attention, they would be able to see that she was slightly limping. A true pity, indeed, for someone as beautiful as her to be flawed by such a thing, but who could choose what kind of body they would be born into? In this place overshadowed by the glory of Xian Jing’s privileged establishment, there were others whose condition was worse than hers, whether physically or mentally.
Just like there is day and night, yin and yang , there are always two sides to everything. Sometimes, the difference is obvious, some other times it is obscure. When it comes to Xian Jing, to most people’s surprise, its position was leaning to the extreme side of the first category, completely unhidden and not masked with political farce and excuses. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that at first glance, the town might seem as if it was split in two.
Robbers and pillagers, extortionists and murderers, a bunch of heartless sea raiders. If the majority of Xian Jing was that of a renowned port city to serve those who live under the light, the remaining minority was exactly the opposite, though the smaller size did not cause their “splendor” to become overcast. A “Pirate Haven”, they called it. Occupying a quarter of Xian Jing’s overall territory, to the southern side was a wharf exclusive to harbor these ships with black sails, as black as the hearts of those sailors who manned the vessel. Dirty taverns, obscene bathhouses and massage parlors, dark slums with twists and turns in every corner, filthy and cracked pavement that hadn’t been cleaned for decades. The gambling dens were constantly filled with shouts and brawls, producing fatalities every few hours or so like it was regular meals. Loots coming and going from dishonest, often bloody means, were smuggled on a daily basis by shady merchants.
And who else could make these crimes possible but the unrelenting malady of the sea, the pirates themselves?
One might wonder why the venerated Lord Jun Wu and the Xian Jing officials did not obliterate this den of malice. But such a question, if it did not come from one who wasn’t adept at the art of governing a region, it must’ve come from those who had never seen what these pirates could actually do...and to whom they do the deeds.
After all, the ships bearing their own kingdom’s flag were not the pirates’ only target.
But the existence of such a shady place did not strip Xian Jing of its epithet as a “Heavenly City”. Because even if how one visualizes a “heaven” in their mind might differ from each other, at the end of the day, it should be first and foremost a place of happiness. Those residing in the port city were happy with their prosperity, those converging in malice in the Pirate Haven were no less happy to stick together with their kindred souls. If it wasn't a heaven, then what else could it be?
From the moment the charming lady came out and chatted with One-Leg Bi’s crew until she returned to the bar, some of the ruffians had been pleasing their eyes by gazing at the pretty woman running this tavern. Most of the owners of these eyes were young men around the same age as her; some sitting on the first floor, others on the second floor. One of them seemed especially captivated and had been staring at her from behind the banister, forgetting to drink the glass of wine he’d been holding in his hands.
“Hey, whatcha lookin’ at?”
The young man, still a fledgling of a pirate in his early twenties, almost jumped from his seat when his older crewmate nudged him from the side. He quickly scrambled and straightened his posture.
“N-N-Nothing, nothing at all! Just thinking for a bit!” he stammered.
The older man wouldn’t buy his answer mired with stammers and threw a quick glance downstairs. A grin appeared on his face then, revealing a row of yellowing teeth with one on the top row having been replaced with solid gold.
“Ah? You fancy her? The Fair Lady of our Haven?” he laughed.
“Why...does everyone call her ‘My Fair Lady’? Is it really her name?” seeing that he could no longer wriggle his way out of this, the young pirate decided to ask away.
“No, the name’s Shi Qingxuan. But if you call her ‘Fair Lady’, she’ll be happy and serve you the best food and drink in the tavern. She might even give you a price cut if her mood is right,” replied the gold-toothed man, “Besides, isn’t the lass real fine and fair? No one’s complaining about it when she first joked that we should all call her that.”
“Oh…” the fledgling nodded but there was still a slight frown on his expression as he looked back at the woman named Shi Qingxuan. His elder raised his brow.
“What? You’re wondering why she could roam about in this place full of filthy men like us without fear?”
“Is she actually good at fighting or…?”
“Course not. Heard that as a brat, she got sick often and almost couldn’t make it past fifteen. But no matter how tempting she looks, does anyone even dare lay their fingers on her?”
“Huh? Why is that?”
“Silly fool!” the older pirate smacked the younger one in the back of his head, “I already told you her name and it still doesn’t ring a bell?”
“Shi Qingxuan? Shi...Qingxuan…? Shi… Oh!”
If it wasn’t for the yellowish illumination of the tavern, perhaps the gold-toothed sea rover could see the face in front of him turning half a shade paler.
“Right. You dare touch the Water Tyrant’s younger sister? If that guy finds out, the gallows would be a much nicer place for you to die at.”
“Come to think of it, what did the tyrant do to the last one who tried?” their other crewmate who’d been listening to their conversation joined in, “Not something so merciful like chopping their hands off, I reckon?”
“Worse. He brought the man onboard, tied him to the tip of bamboo with a long rope and threw him into the sea, as how one would handle a fishing pole and the bait. They sailed across the sharks’ lair just like that. Heard that by the time they pulled up the rope, there was only...only…” the older pirate made a circling gesture around his own waist, “Only about half of the abdomen left. That much.”
“So did they take the half abdomen back to land? As a warning to others?”
“Nah, the rope was tied to the man’s waist. With only half of it left, the remaining flesh slipped from the bound and plunged straight into a shark’s jaw. No one dared to pull any stunts towards his sister again after hearing about it, and that was already two years ago.”
The young marauder regretted having ever asked about it, now no longer able to stomach any of the delicious food laid on their table. Not only did he lament over his ignorant curiosity, he wished he hadn’t even glanced at the “Haven’s Fair Lady” in the first place. Such beauty, so easy on the eyes, but what dreadful trial one must go through to attain this unreachable flower. If one must stake their life to court her, who would even dare to initiate a courting? What kind of unlucky star was she born with, to possibly remain unwed forever and her beauty wilted away because of her terrifying sibling?
At that moment, a shriek followed by an angry yell could be heard from the kitchen. Everyone halted their chatters and rackets; heads poking towards the direction of the noise, wanting to know what was going on. Shi Qingxuan immediately stopped whatever she was doing and left the bar, yet she had only taken three steps when one of the cooks burst out furiously from the kitchen to find her.
“What happened?” she asked the fuming man.
“It’s one of those insolent street rats again! The rascal’s stolen our food!”
Through the back door of the tavern, a small figure darted out to the dark, mucky street. The sound of feeble, yet rushed breathing echoed within the narrow space - and following behind were the yells of adult men, seemingly about to give chase. It was a scrawny young boy, appearing no more than ten years old in age. Wearing tattered clothes that looked like filthy rags, his hair was so unkempt no one could tell whether black was its natural color, or if it was an accumulation of dirt sticking to his person. His right eye was covered by these long scruffy strands, while his left eye - glistening black like an onyx - was dyed in a dire sense of emergency, a chaotic mix of impatience and fear. As he raced his little legs through the broken pavement, he was holding two white objects close to his bosom, two pieces of plain mantou .
“Get back here, you scoundrel!”
In terms of value, what he stole was actually not worth that much, and kids stealing food or becoming pickpockets on the street wasn’t something out of the ordinary either in the Pirate Haven. But perhaps in hope that they could impress the charming lady of the tavern, some young pirates decided it would be admirable if they could catch this food thief and hand over what he’d stolen back to its rightful owner. Hence, the little boy soon heard vicious footsteps running after him.
Fortunately, compared to these sailors who would spend months out exploring the massive salt water towards the horizon, the boy who’d spent his entire life on land knew these complicated streets better like the back of his hand. His bare feet, although covered in soot, old and new small wounds, brought his skinny body across the street like a blast of wind, making a sharp turn at the corner. A group of stray cats yelped in surprise, scattering away in unison when he suddenly dashed around them and slipped into a cramped alley that only a kid like him could enter.
Shifting further in, he could hear the sound of those men speaking from the direction of the street that he had just left about ten seconds ago.
“Did you see him?”
“Nay. Let’s go check over there.”
The boy stayed quiet until he could no longer hear his pursuers. From their footsteps, he determined that they had gone off course and would not find him here. He took a deep breath, now finally relieved. Moving to the other end of the alley, he found himself on a bigger, yet empty street where nothing but a couple of stray cats were wandering around, scavenging for food among trash. The boy turned on his heels and was about to make off with his mantou to find a safe corner where he could eat without being disturbed.
He would never have expected that the moment he turned around, he would slam against someone and fall flat on his butt.
The two white buns fell from his hand onto the dirty road. He didn’t think he was walking too fast, neither did he feel the person he walked into was in a rush. Was his body really so light he could be toppled off with just a single bump? The boy was astonished but soon a sense of fear shook him off his daze. He quickly picked up the fallen mantou and scrambled to his feet.
“Are you alright?”
All of a sudden, a gentle voice reached out to him from above. The boy was startled. Involuntarily, he lifted his face, looking up to the person still standing before him. And then he forgot everything he wanted to say and do.
“Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself just now?”
The one who spoke to him was a young man dressed in white, wearing a bamboo hat to protect himself from midday’s heat. Was he in the beginning of his twenties or under? The boy could not tell at all, for he was so mesmerized by the person’s visage he remained sitting there, unmoving as if having been enchanted into a statue. Countenance so fair it did not appear to be from this world, the young man’s long dark hair was a perfect contrast to his beautiful white complexion, hiding a pair of delicate red coral pearls hanging from his ears. His eyes and smile were graceful. In his entire life, the boy could not recall when was the last time he had someone smiling so kindly at him like this, let alone lying his gaze on a sight so ethereal. Hence, he went dumb and was thoroughly stupefied.
On the other hand, having not received any answer but an unrelenting stare confused the foreign young man. His eyes then shifted to the pitiful steam buns in the boy’s hands.
“This is…”
With a gasp, the little tramp finally regained his lost mind, crawling backwards while hugging the mantou closer to his chest. Scraped against his dirty clothes, held in his dirty hands, rolling onto the dirty ground, the original white color of the buns could barely be seen anymore amidst the soot and dirt. Anyone would’ve lost their appetite seeing a food in this state, and even if they did swallow it, god knows what kind of illness it would cause. But still, the kid was dead set on protecting it until the end that the young man in white could not bear to see it any longer.
“Little friend,” he crouched down and smiled at the skinny tramp, “You mustn't eat something like that or else you’ll get sick.”
The boy shook his head furiously, brows knitted into a frown. Though a bit startled, the young man did not lose his smile and continued talking to him.
“Then how about I buy you a new one? These two are no good anymore, you really shouldn’t eat it. Would you like to--”
“There he is!!”
A shout came from behind them and a group of familiar faces appeared from the other end of the street. Indeed, how much luck could a filthy tramp have? Even though he managed to distract them before, those sailors from the tavern had discovered his tracks and were now sprinting towards him like a band of thugs - which was who they truly were. Before the boy could take one step away, he was grabbed by the collar and was lifted off the ground like a small animal.
“Caught you, you little rat!” the sturdy pirate who picked him up roared, “How dare you steal from Lady Qingxuan?! Should I break those arms?! Is that what you want?!”
Maybe it was instinct, maybe a screw had been plucked loose from his head, but the moment he was caught, the dirty, scrawny boy started struggling and screaming like a ferocious, rabid monster. He flailed his arms everywhere and actually managed to scratch the guy who captured him. The pirate fumed with anger at once and threw him harshly to the ground.
“Insolent cockroach! So eager for a beating, huh?!”
And thus the big, rough men started kicking and beating him; the two fallen mantou were ultimately squashed under their boots. No matter how fierce his spirit was, with the size of his physique, there was nothing the little tramp could do but receive all the hits helplessly.
Though, whatever feeble luck he possessed still had not run out, it seems. Because the young man in white was still there when it happened and, although he was flabbergasted at first, came to his rescue without thinking.
“Stop! Stop it!” he pushed all the men away. It was surprising how those fair arms turned out to have above average strength gathered within the unseen muscles, but as the ruffians were at the height of their rage, nobody paid attention to this stranger’s force that was betraying his delicate appearance. Their eyes were burning as they glared at this foreign figure shielding the thief they’d painstakingly caught.
“Step aside, good brother. Unless you want to be taught a lesson in his stead!” one of the felons barked at him.
“What are you doing hitting a child with so many men like this? Are you not ashamed of yourself?!” instead of backing down, the young man retorted.
“Well, that child just stole food from a tavern! And I’m telling you this isn’t the first time he’d done that!”
“If we don’t teach him a lesson now, will he ever learn?!”
“Move! Or we’ll hit you along with him!”
The seamen were coming at him one after another. Normal people would’ve been scared shitless, knowing that they were surrounded by these hoodlums who cared nothing for law, much less compassion. However, there was no fear shown on the young man’s face.
“Then, I’ll pay for the food he stole,” he said firmly, not turning his eyes off the pirates, “Is that fine with you, gentlemen?”
At once, the crowd was silenced. They might be cunning and shameless, but no one could refute the answer he offered because if the meal was paid for, then there was no case of thievery at all, no reason for them to keep ganging up on this worthless brat. For whatever reason, the rough men did not look pleased but they seemed to still have the brain to think. Eventually, after spitting some curses and empty threats, they decided to disperse and left the two alone.
The young man sighed and shook his head. A smile returned to his handsome face then, as he crouched down again beside the boy.
“Silly little thing…” he gently picked up the fallen child and had him sit up on the pavement, “Why must you put yourself in danger like this?”
While saying that, he took out a clean, white handkerchief and started dabbing at the traces of blood on the boy’s face and lips. The little tramp did not say a word, but stared at his beautiful savior. It should’ve hurt when his wounds were touched, but he didn’t feel anything other than the fabric of the handkerchief was really, really soft. He had no idea what kind of expensive item it was and suddenly feared it would become unsalvageable after being used to wipe his grubby self.
The young man realized what he was thinking and laughed.
“It’s alright, don’t worry about it,” he said. Only after the small face in front of him looked considerably cleaner and more human-like that the young man retracted his hand. He asked him again. “Little friend, what are you called?”
For a moment, the boy forgot whether he had a name or not. The one black eye visible on his face stared into the older person’s in a daze, finding his own reflection within those dark and gentle pupils. After a while, finally he somehow managed to find a way to open his mouth.
“...Hong… Hong-er…” he said; his voice weak and faint, but still there was some vigor in it, as if his spirit could not be broken despite how hard he had been kicked and beaten just now.
“Hong-er,” the stranger repeated, nodding to himself, “I’m Xie Lian.”
Little Hong-er did not say a word in response. He only remained staring at the person in front of him, and it was unknown whether he was actually listening or not. Xie Lian wasn’t bothered by the fact that this tiny vagrant had given him the statue-treatment several times in a row. In fact, he thought the dirty kid looked somewhat adorable despite the filth and grime covering him from head to toe. His heart softened with pity, yet he tried not to let it show on his face.
Carefully, he picked up the boy from the ground and held him in his arms. Hong-er did not expect to receive such a treatment. He would have never even expected that someone would be willing to treat him like this in the first place. When he placed his hands on Xie Lian’s shoulders, he saw that on the pure white fabric, his palms had left two dirty black stains. He had no courage to see how much dirt his entire clothes had rubbed off on this person, hence he struggled to break free.
But Xie Lian kept holding him and gave a few gentle pats on his back.
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” he said with a laugh, “Hong-er, I told those guys that I will pay for the mantou , but I have no idea where you took them from. I’m also not very familiar with the area, so would Hong-er be so kind as to show me the way?”
His question went into one ear and out of the other; the tramp was too dazzled looking at him from up close that he forgot how to speak. Xie Lian, on the other hand, thought that perhaps he had chosen words too difficult for a child to understand. So he decided to try again, this time with shorter sentences.
“Hong-er, I want to pay for the mantou . Could you show me where the shop is?”
Only then did the boy was shaken out of his dream-like state. Hesitantly, he lifted his hand and pointed in one direction. Xie Lian gave an affirmative “Mn” and nodded, then he calmly began walking, following the boy’s guide.
In the meantime, despite the brief commotion caused by the larceny of two steamed buns, the atmosphere in Shi Qingxuan’s tavern did not take long to return to its normal state. In the first place, Shi Qingxuan herself did not mind that much for the value of the stolen food really was not worth it for a group of grown men to give chase over. Anyone owning a tavern, a restaurant, or something of the sort in this place would have experienced having these little tramps snatching food from their shop from time to time. It couldn’t be helped. Just as how poor fishermen, slaves, and those from the lower class joined a pirate crew for better opportunities in improving their life condition, these children, too, were only trying to survive.
This part of Xian Jing had always been pretty lawless, anyway. If she did not want to have thieves sneaking into her place, what she should do was to strengthen the security of her tavern, not hoping for the burglars to be caught and brought to justice.
Just then, the front door opened and someone walked in. Shi Qingxuan’s expression immediately brightened as she greeted them from the bar.
“Welcome! How many peo--”
The words were caught in her throat. The customers who entered the tavern, if not rowdy pirates having just harbored on land after months of marauding at the sea, would be merchants and illegal traders who definitely couldn’t step foot in the “brighter” part of Xian Jing. Never once in her life did she see any decent person walking into this place, and yet today the impossible happened.
Seeing a white-clothed, beautiful young man calmly sauntering into what looked like a criminals’ den as if he was strolling in a garden, Shi Qingxuan’s fluent speech temporarily lost its capability. And her bewilderment was further enhanced upon noticing the creature being carried in this fair person’s arms.
“Good sister, may I please have a table for two?” Xie Lian asked politely, still holding Hong-er, who was now clutching at him while sweeping a cautious look around. He had been persecuted by these bunch of felons just now and probably many more times in the past. The child’s black eye looked at every single person inside the tavern like a wounded animal baring its fangs when cornered by enemies.
Fortunately for him, in this lair of evil, other than the young man who had saved him, there was still at least one more good person.
“Of course. This way, please.”
Shi Qingxuan, having overcome her initial surprise, returned to her friendly self and showed them to an empty table at the corner. It was small and obscure, but rather separated from the rest of the tables occupied by those rambunctious pirates. In a sense, taking this initiative without being asked was nothing less than generous of her.
Xie Lian put Hong-er on the chair, then took the seat across from him afterwards.
“Good sister, your store looks amazingly popular,” he commented.
“It is. We’ve been in business for a long time. Everyone who has visited Xian Jing will always know us,” Shi Qingxuan replied proudly. Then, she slightly bent down and whispered. “By that, I mean ‘this’ side of Xian Jing.”
Xie Lian was silent for a short while, but then he broke into a small laugh. Shi Qingxuan thought this customer was different from the ones she usually had, but he didn’t look like a bad person - which in itself was already peculiar.
“So, what will this good big brother and...this little brother be having today?” she asked with a smile.
“Oh, that’s right…” Xie Lian searched into his lapel and produced a money pouch, “This little friend said he took some food from your kitchen earlier. I am here to help him settle his debt.”
This time, it was Shi Qingxuan’s turn to be silent, not expecting this turn of events. He looked at the boy dressed in rags. Of course, even if Xie Lian had cleaned his face considerably, the traces of injuries on Hong-er were still there. He was so scrawny and probably malnourished that Shi Qingxuan couldn’t help but sympathize with him.
“Are you the one they were hunting down just now? You poor thing… Did they hurt you?” she extended her hand, intending to pat his head. However, with everything he’d gone through, whenever he saw an adult holding out their hands towards him, most of the time it never ended in anything good. Hong-er instinctively retreated until his back was pressed against the wall; that ink black eye of him glaring at Shi Qingxuan in what looked like a combination of fear and warning.
Both Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan raised their eyebrows almost at the same time, but they weren’t surprised. The “Fair Lady” of the tavern immediately flashed her most charming smile and talked to him again.
“Silly little puppy, I’m not going to hit you,” she laughed, “It’s just two mantou . If only you’d come up to me and ask, I would’ve given them to you free of charge.”
“See, Hong-er? She’s not a bad person, is she?” Xie Lian told him, “Now that you know this, what should you say to this good sister?”
The boy stared at Xie Lian, then at Shi Qingxuan. To be regarded with kindness by two people in a single day, within the span of a few hours, would he have exhausted his entire life’s worth of luck or was this nothing more than a fever dream? He cast his gaze down, then looked up at Shi Qingxuan again hesitantly.
“...Hong-er...was wrong…” he said; his small voice dyed with uncertainty.
“That’s a good boy,” this time, before Hong-er could flee, Shi Qingxuan ruffled his messy hair, turning it into a bird’s nest, “Well then, this matter has been settled. Would this good brother and Hong-er like to have anything else to eat or drink?”
“Let’s see…” Xie Lian rested his chin on his hand, “I will have what the house recommends. As for this little friend, do you have anything suitable for a child?”
“No worries. We’ll think of something,” Shi Qingxuan winked at them, “I’ll be right back.”
She glided back to the bar, giving instruction to the cooks in the kitchen. Only when he saw her walking away did the boy notice this lively sister was limping, and for the first time he actually felt some guilt for having stolen from her. He stared to the floor, seemingly deep in thought and not willing to lift his face. He had no idea that the person sitting across the table had been watching him for a while; a gentle smile plastered on his fair countenance.
“Hong-er,” all of a sudden Xie Lian called his name, startling the little vagrant, “If you don’t mind, would you like to tell me why you steal from this good sister’s kitchen?”
The boy opened his mouth but closed them again, looking down with a frown. Even if Xie Lian spoke to him softly, his appearance was like that of a child being harshly scolded by his parents or teacher. He clammed up, unable to answer.
“Then, I will change the question,” said Xie Lian again, “Hong-er, were you hungry?”
The tramped looked at him, then quietly nodded his head.
“Did your mother not give you food?”
“...Hong-er...does not have a mom.”
Xie Lian’s eyes briefly dilated. He shifted forward, lowering his voice as soft as possible so as not to scare the child.
“Then, how about your father?”
Father . When he heard that word, in Hong-er’s mind appeared the image of a dilapidated house crammed together with others of similar condition along the fishermen’s slums at the coast. In that house, there was a man who only knew how to drink all day and beat him up whenever their eyes met. He couldn’t recall when was the last time that person was sober, and even if he was, in Hong-er’s memory, he would still get beaten nonetheless. And then there was a woman with two children a few years older than him. She treated them nicely, but towards him, she was always bitter and often called him names - though never with his own name. Those children always took his food, made him sleep outside with nothing but a piece of rag for a blanket, while the two adults in the house turned a blind eye to their doing. Only when he retaliated did they react, screaming and beating him up as if he was always the one in the wrong.
These daily occurrences, he had tried not to ponder too much on it. Whenever they started yelling at him, he would go away and roam the streets, fending for himself. Perhaps his brain intentionally made it so he wouldn’t keep these in mind for long. However, it was impossible, after all. No matter how hard he tried to suppress them down, once he recalled one fragment of it, the rest would follow. Each and every single beating, each and every single curse he had been slapped with… All of a sudden, a great resentment burst within his heart, suffocating him.
...Resentment? No. Rather than hatred, towards this unfairness he had been living with for years, he only felt...confusion. He could not understand, and they never allowed him to understand.
“Hong-er?”
Xie Lian was dumbstruck. From the boy’s visible black eye, tears rolled down his thin cheek, all the way to his chin. Hong-er frowned and bit his lips, but in the end, he still could not stop these droplets from rushing out like water streaming from a broken dam. He covered his eyes, rubbing them with his skinny arms. But the more he tried, the harder it was for him to stop. He became frustrated.
Immediately, Xie Lian pulled his chair and shifted to sit beside the little tramp, holding him close.
“Is it something painful?” he asked, stroking the small back of the child, “It’s okay, you can cry. I’ll be here.”
No one had ever said they would be there for him, let alone actually staying by his side like this. Instead of joy, tears poured even harder from Hong-er’s big eyes as if he was inconsolable. He latched onto Xie Lian and cried, burying his face between the creases of that soft white fabric. Amidst the cheers and laughter of the ruffians in the tavern, his sobs and sniffles drowned like an insignificant raft being swallowed by the stormy sea.
Still, the hand stroking his hair and back remained gentle.
At that moment, Shi Qingxuan returned with a tray of food. Her mouth was left half opened, a cheerful greeting she wanted to say became stuck in her throat as she was suddenly presented with this unexpected sight out of the blue.
“Is something...the matter?” she asked with a worried look, carefully placing the plates one by one on their table, “Why is this little friend crying? Is it his injuries? Did those filthy pirates actually beat up such a young child on the street?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Xie Lian smiled at her, then patted the boy on the back, “Hong-er, food is ready. Aren’t you going to eat them?”
Timidly, the little vagrant peeked to the table, afterwards to Xie Lian’s face, before giving a small nod. His hands were still gripping onto the young man’s clothes, hesitant to let go. Seeing him, Xie Lian let out a soft laugh. He pulled out his handkerchief, folding the used outer part to reveal the still clean inner side and wiped the boy’s face. Once again, Hong-er witnessed how that soft white fabric was stained by the dirt on his person, this time his tears and snot. The tramp unconsciously felt some sort of resentment towards himself.
Now that he had calmed down, Shi Qingxuan handed him a spoon.
“Here you go,” she said. Hong-er held the utensil in his hand, staring at the murky silver color. It was unknown whether it was the real thing or just a paint, but either way it did not matter for the boy. What matters was the fact that he was holding it in the most wrong, awkward way, but he had no awareness of his mistake. Neither Xie Lian nor Shi Qingxuan criticized him, however, as they let him scoop up a spoonful of warm soup like that, sipping the liquid. Hong-er didn’t say a word, but his black eye visibly widened at the taste.
“Do you like it?” Xie Lian asked him. The skinny vagrant nodded, and a smile rose to the young man’s face. “Then, no need to hold back. You can eat as much as you like.”
Hong-er stared at Xie Lian, then to Shi Qingxuan. Not a single one of them had a disapproving look on their expressions. His gaze shifted to the plates laid all over the table, every single one of them filled with warm dishes with delicious wafting smells, just out of the kitchen a moment ago. All of a sudden, it was as though something had snapped inside of him. Completely forgetting his surroundings, the boy downed the bowl of soup in one go, grabbed a chicken leg and started gnawing through the flesh, all the way to the white bones. Like a voracious predator that hadn’t been fed for ten years, he snatched one plate after the other and devoured all the meals.
“This little fellow… While I’m flattered that you like our cooking that much, if you dare make a mess here, I won’t let you off until you help me mop the floor,” Shi Qingxuan laughed. He turned to Xie Lian, who had just taken one plate for himself and started eating slowly like royalty. “Good brother, is this your first time in our town? I have never seen you around here before?”
“As a matter of fact, yes,” replied Xie Lian, “It’s my first time in Xian Jing, and I have to say, this port city is just as fascinating as people say.”
“Brother, you don’t have to be polite. If it’s the Xian Jing that everyone knows, of course it’s fascinating, but our ‘Xian Jing’ that you’re currently standing on should be far from that. In the first place, how come you end up here?”
“No, no, I am not lying. This side or that side, both have their own charms incomparable to each other. I was simply wandering around from there and somehow ended up here. Who would’ve thought that I would run into little Hong-er and meet this good sister during my walk?”
Shi Qingxuan studied the person in front of her. He was exceptionally good-looking, his smile was cordial, his manner of speaking was proper, and although his attire looked simple, there was still an unusually graceful air around him. Between the renowned port city and this Pirate Haven, although both were located in the same territory, there was a clear border that one couldn’t pass simply by strolling across. The lawful city would not allow the lawless to step foot in there without specific reason, and the lawless slum would devour the lawful if they dared throw themselves into this pirates’ den. For this person, on his very first visit, to be able to wander between the two places as if walking in his own backyard, did he possess some sort of high authority, an impeccable strength, or an extremely smooth persuasion skill?
Was he even human at all?
But it was an open secret that in this Pirate Haven, and probably every den or criminals out there, a person could be someone, anyone with their background painted in black or white or grey, could still have two living parents or had committed parricide, could be escaping from danger or was the harbinger of danger itself. Unless it concerned the safety of the haven and its inhabitants, or if the said person had undertaken something that required his past deeds to be questioned, it was simply unnecessary to be curious about another’s identity.
After all, in this lair of felons, the only thing they could brag about was their criminal records, not the merits they had gathered in their life.
Therefore, Shi Qingxuan easily pushed her inquiries aside and resumed a friendly casual chat with this stranger in between her duty managing the tavern. Who cares where he came from? If she could obtain a new friend, above all a decent-looking one, in this sea of murderers and pilferers, why would she let this opportunity go to waste?
Time passed, and after a long while, all of the plates and glasses on Xie Lian’s table were finally depleted. Having stuffed himself full after no one knows how many years of constant starvation, Hong-er grew sleepy and dozed off right where he sat. Maybe it was contentment for having eaten a good meal, maybe it was exhaustion from running around the streets and getting prosecuted by those ruffians, or maybe it was a sense of peace, because for once, he could let his guard down and ceased to remain on alert towards his surroundings. Xie Lian did not disturb him, only giving a soft pat on his head as he watched the little vagrant snoozing, using his arms as a pillow on the table.
A sigh escaped his soft lips. Lifting his face, he gazed up to the window across the bar, a small distance away from where he and his new little friend were sitting. When they entered this tavern, it had only been a little past noon, but now the light of the sun had gradually shifted to gold. Unlike the men and women partying around him - mostly men - who did not seem to care whether it was day or night, Xie Lian’s time was limited. Albeit feeling reluctant, he could not stay for too long.
“They must be frantically searching for me all over the city,” he thought, a brief look of amusement flashed across his dark eyes.
Hence he stood from his seat, carefully as not to rattle the wooden table and wake the sleeping boy in the process. He approached Shi Qingxuan who was attending the bar, taking out his money pouch.
“Fair Lady,” he called her, having learnt of her nickname within the short period of his stay, “I would like to pay for the bill.”
“Ah, this good brother, are you leaving soon?” a little bit disappointed, but still lively, Shi Qingxuan turned to face him; her rosy lips blooming into a lovely smile, “I thought you would be staying for dinner with that little friend.”
“I would love to, but unfortunately there is somewhere else I have to be,” Xie Lian bowed apologetically. With that said, he took out a handful of silver from his pouch and placed them in front of Shi Qingxuan. The “Fair Lady of the Pirate Haven” frowned, taking only a few pieces of silver and pushing the rest back to Xie Lian.
“You guys eat a lot, but not that much. This is enough,” she said. Yet Xie Lian returned those glimmering chunks, putting them directly in Shi Qingxuan’s hand.
“The one you already took is for today’s meal. This one is for the coming days.”
Noticing the bewilderment in the other’s eyes, Xie Lian shifted his gaze towards the boy still dreaming peacefully on the table. He spoke to Shi Qingxuan again in a low voice.
“If he comes here again in the future, would this good sister be kind enough to provide him with food? His situation back at home seems to be somewhat complicated, so I thought I want to help lift his burden, even if it’s just a little bit.”
Shi Qingxuan stared at Xie Lian, then at the silvers in her hand, the little tramp, and back to the silvers again. In the next moment, her eyes slightly squinted as if forming an almost invisible smile, and the corners of her lips were pulled up. She grabbed Xie Lian’s money pouch, poured all of the extra silvers into it, and pushed it back to its rightful owner. She signaled for Xie Lian to come closer and whispered in his ears.
“I have a better idea…”
Hearing her suggestion, the young man in white at first raised his brow, but soon enough he, too, smiled in satisfaction. He withdrew and looked at Shi Qingxuan, nodding his head.
“The Fair Lady is indeed clever and generous,” he said. Fixing his attire, he bowed to Shi Qingxuan and bid her goodbye. “Very well then. If fate allows it, let us meet again in the future.”
Thereafter, he put on his bamboo hat and stepped out of the tavern.
It could be nothing more than a coincidence, or it could be because the bereavement of another’s presence that was supposed to be near him was gone for too long, Hong-er was startled awake without warning. His black eye widened upon seeing that Xie Lian was no longer in front of him. Jumping down from the chair, he darted across the tavern towards the door in a mad dash.
“Hey, little friend!” Shi Qingxuan called him, “That good big brother is already gone. He asked me to-”
Hong-er looked at her once, but after hearing the words “gone”, his breath was caught in his throat and he paid no mind to Shi Qingxuan any longer, sprinting out of the building.
Out on the broken pavement outside, it was still bright but the sun was already leaning towards the west, onwards in its way to sink into the faraway horizon. Hong-er looked to his left and right, for some reason feeling that person might have gone towards the direction of the port. He rushed to the main street, and after one turn finally managed to spot a familiar figure in white, wearing a wide bamboo hat. A rare smile of relief appeared on his small face, but just as he was about to take another step forward, his movement was halted by the sight in front of him.
Two men appeared from the other direction; their built and countenance opposite to each other. One was tall and upright, bearing a resolute look in his eyes. He was handsome and well-built, one who had spent adequate time under the sun as proven by the color of his skin, light brown like wheat. The other, on the contrary, had features that were so refined, pale and delicate, his soft black hair whisking gently behind his back along with the wind. This pair rushed in long strides towards the young man in white, both having a complicated expression on their faces. Confusion, worry, panic, and a little bit of rage were flashing one after another in their eyes as they stood beside him, one on the left and one on the right.
“ Dianxia !”
“Where have you been?!”
Xie Lian immediately lifted his index finger to his mouth, shushing the both of them. From the distance where Hong-er was, he could not make out what they were speaking about. All he saw was those people growing farther and farther away, and once they were gone, he would have no idea where he was supposed to look for that person.
An unknown feeling ran amok in his heart. The boy trembled. Before he knew it, his fists had clenched into a ball. He screamed to the top of his lungs.
“ GEGE !!”
His voice, louder than he expected, startled not only Xie Lian and his two companions, but also himself. Hong-er was shocked into silence, his heart beating fast as though it went mad. Seeing that Xie Lian was turning around, however, he discarded any internal turmoil he was having and ran straight ahead, latching himself onto the older man’s legs.
“Hong-er?”
“ Gege , are you leaving?” he asked, his voice no longer carrying the same strength it presented when he shouted just now, instead slightly shaking.
His sudden arrival bewildered the two men who had recently appeared. They gave each other a strange look, afterwards casting this very questioning stare towards the two people in front of them - an adult and a midget.
“Where did this little tramp come from?” the young man with fair complexion blurted out, but immediately shut himself up upon receiving a disapproving frown from Xie Lian.
“Hong-er, why are you here?” crouching down to match his height, Xie Lian stroked the boy’s hair, “You shouldn’t be running around so soon after eating. It’s bad for your tummy.”
Instead of answering him, Hong-er clutched even stronger at the hem of Xie Lian’s clothes.
“ Gege , are you leaving?” he asked again, repeating the same question.
“Mn, Gege has to go somewhere. But Hong-er does not have to worry. The good sister at the tavern will take care of you from now on. Be a good boy and listen to her, will you?”
His smile was as kind as the first time they met, but now it gave the young vagrant neither elation nor comfort, only immeasurable anguish. A child as young as him, no matter how hard he tried to hide his feelings, the expression on his face easily betrayed his intention. Xie Lian was well aware of what the boy wanted. Unwilling to see him shed tears once again, yet knowing that he was unable to fulfill his wish, in the end, he could only pull the boy into his arms and hugged him tight, rubbing his tiny, fragile back.
“Where are you going? Will I ever see you again?” - These questions roiled Hong-er’s mind, but even if he wasn’t smart, somehow he understood that the answer to his inquiries would not be something he desired. Hence, the boy did not speak another word, only circling his scrawny arms around the other’s neck. If this were to be the last time he could be with this person, then he wanted to preserve this moment for the rest of his life.
“ Dianxia - Err, I mean, uhh… Sir… We have to go.”
The tall built man, unbefitting of his appearance, stuttered as he tried to speak this one single sentence. Xie Lian, however, did not laugh at him, simply throwing a brief glance in his direction and nodded. He let go of the boy, who did not struggle or make a single voice, and cupped his little face in his hands.
“ Gege has to go now,” he said, “Hong-er, take care of yourself.”
The little tramp stared at him. And then, for some reason, his eyes were distracted by a certain object at the side of the road that Xie Lian could not comprehend. He left the bewildered older man without a word, trotting towards a chunk of soil outside an abandoned dilapidated building, underneath a cracked block of rock on the pavement. In the elite, lawful part of Xian Jing, there would be beautiful flowers and many types of green plants grown in a neat line on each side of the road, outside several buildings, and in the gardens. Here, only meager bushes and some wild plants scarcely grew unattended in the most random spots, wherever their roots decided to take place.
Still, the boy seemed to have discovered something and quickly returned to Xie Lian’s presence.
“What is it? What did you find?” the older man asked. Hong-er looked up to this beautiful person who was many heads taller than him. Then, he held up his right hand, opening his little palm. On the surface of his soot-stained, parched skin, a small white flower was revealed, bathing under the golden light of the sun.
Xie Lian was stunned. Yet he commented nothing on the boy’s extremely humble gift, a smile so graceful and kind bloomed into his face. He took the flower from Hong-er’s hand and kept it in his person. In return, he reached for his right ear, removing the red pearl jewel hanging from the lobe. His action startled the two men standing at his side.
“ Dianxia - I mean, Sir, you can’t do that-!” the tall, sturdy man began to panic, while his fair companion was frowning so hard that his fine brows were about to be stitched together. Calmly, Xie Lian shook his head and smiled.
“It’s okay,” he said. Then he returned his attention to the boy, taking his hand and placing the red coral pearl on his palm. “Thank you for the flower. This isn’t much, but I hope this small trinket will somehow be of use for you.”
For the last time, he stroked the unkempt black hair of the tramp before standing up, fixing the position of his bamboo hat. Looking at his anxious companions, Xie Lian smiled and gestured to them that he was done.
“Feng Xin, Mu Qing, let us go.”
Despite their remaining doubt, the two men spoke no more and obediently complied. Standing in the middle of the road, with a jewel in his hand, Hong-er could only watch as their figure grew smaller and smaller into the distance, as if swallowed by the sun. Unconsciously, his small palm curled into a ball, holding the red pearl jewel between his fingers. In his heart, the mounting sadness had been hollowed out all of a sudden. In its place, a new, indescribable feeling - somewhat akin to reverence but not exactly that - started to bud little by little, like a tiny sprout being showered by fresh water.
His dry, broken lips murmured a single word in silence.
“ Dianxia …”