15 Lunar New Year (I)

I am in debt,

With fate,

Entangled with regret,

And I will never I'd hate.

***

THE YEAR 1904, a century away from the present time.

"Don't follow me or I'll kill you," Althea muttered in a menacing voice as she stepped swiftly down by the steep stairs of the mountains. Qing Long knuckled his fists and immediately followed Althea while clasping the sheath of the Jian on his hips. Althea's robes flowed softly on her heels as she went downstairs in a hasty move while she was knuckling her fists.

Everything that was coming out from Qing Long's mouth was absurd, and she could not contain the rage that was rising in her veins. How could he know her grandmother's name? Althea walked towards the corner of the mountains and just brushed her wooden slippers by the soil. She stepped down rapidly as Qing Long followed her hastily, holding the Jian on his side.

Althea was knuckling her fists as she reached the side of the Yangtze River and she was surprised when she saw glinting lanterns hanging on pieces of wires. The whole street of the grassy and dew lawn was lightning up a little, fireflies were circling down by the bushes. The Yangtze River was so silent, the solitude crumbling through the depths of her soul, and Althea didn't notice how peaceful it might be.

She widened her eyes as the disbelief that was painted all over her pupils earlier vanished into thin air. It was the first time she would be spending the night over while wearing satin robes and in a different timeline, even though she doesn't understand why she was there. She swallowed as she eradicated her knuckled fists and walked leisurely to the wet lawn.

She gasped as she saw the glinting reflection of the lights by the waters of the river and her eyes welled up with tears immediately. She reached the corner of the street, where people can be seen down by the mountains where Qing Long's cave was confined, the hustle of the people chattering was evident as she stood there, frozen by the beautiful picturesque.

She sighed as Qing Long hurriedly stepped behind her. Qing Long looked at the ornaments that were hanging and he formed his mouth to a letter O, which made him astonished. Althea swallowed as she looked down and shook her head as she realized where she was. She immediately walked past ahead of Qing Long without noticing him and she found herself entering the crowd, waiting for the time of the Lunar New Year to arrive

She hitched the skirt of her robes as she looked around. The cold breeze blustered on the crowded street, with the stores for silk, cloth, and salt open, the customers were rushing to buy some of the goods. The ornaments lighted up the whole area by the color of blush and she felt alone midway. Althea sighed as she realized that her hair had been tied up in a bun with an ivory ribbon.

She sighed as she continued walking down by the street with no direction on her mind. She just thinks of her grandmother, who had been smashed by a truck on the pedestrian lane in the city of Shanghai, while she was watching on the other side. Althea stopped at the corner by the entrance of the center, while the tears fell down on her cheeks unnoticeably.

Lots of kids were playing paper airplanes by the center of the Qing Empire and she looked up as she saw the festive inside the square. She saw countless designs by the center, with the door of the Crescent Hall, the door gods had been engraved on it.

The eyes of the door gods signified that they were ready to protect any family or groups of people who will enter the hall. Althea looked up at the center square and it was filled with a lot of people celebrating the Lunar New Year. The mock dragon was silently placed on the front of the hall, ready for the dragon dance later for the opening remarks of the ceremony.

She sighed as she furrowed her eyebrows while the stars sparkled in the night.

Wang Qing Long could be a dragon himself, right? So he will be a dragon anytime now or...

As soon as Althea thought of it, she turned around to walk out of the center square, not wanting to celebrate anything because of how she had revealed something while she stopped. She looked up and saw that there was someone holding a candle by his hands, his head was looking around by the people, and Qing Long became anxious as Althea went missing right by his eyes.

He sniffed a little, as he thought that maybe he could track her smell, but he failed. Althea stopped by the entrance as the wind blustered upon the crowd, but it didn't even bother the people even the slightest. She swallowed as Qing Long's head was getting nearer and nearer, and she felt something by her chest.

Althea opened her mouth slightly as her heart was beating louder than usual. She creased her forehead a little as the noise of the people around the area muffled in her ears as if someone covered it with their hands. Qing Long was tracking everyone, with the ones wearing white robes, but with no success.

Until he had felt something that was looking across from him. He looked up and saw what he was looking for. He was still holding the lit candle upwards, and the bustle of the people was still evident. Althea was looking at him with those loathing and puzzled eyes, and he was there, frozen, trying to find her as soon as possible.

It has been hours since they met, but why does Qing Long felt something thumping right on his chest? He swallowed as he walked up a few steps and stopped at a safe distance. He was standing six feet away from her. He lowered down his hand and held onto the candle. Althea pursed her lips a little as Qing Long looked up at her.

Althea noticed that he was hiding the Jian underneath his robes, probably he didn't want to be caught. Qing Long blew the fire on the candle skeptically while Althea was observing him. She gritted her teeth as she spoke up, "Why are you here? Why did you follow me?"

Qing Long halted abruptly from what he was doing as the robes on his ankles flowed. He licked his lips a little as he fastened the blow on the candle before clearing his throat. Althea furrowed her eyebrows a little as she was waiting for an answer.

Qing Long tilted the corners of his pinkish lips a little and said, "I need to protect you, that's all."