Warned by a Shadow

Qingqing stowed the pouch away in her belt and stood up as well, looking stormy. "You're not letting him off so easily?" she said in disgust. "We should at least leave him with a memento, so he won't be so thick-skinned again."

Dao Ge sighed. "Come on, Qing Xiong. I'm going to get my knife. Just leave him." Turning, he walked out of the granary, stretching his neck.

Plucking the hairpin from WangFan's body with a wrench, Qingqing wiped it clean on his clothes as the man groaned, stirring faintly. She gathered her hair and twisted it rapidly back into its knot.

The shadow on the floor in front of her warned her even before she heard SuanRong's inarticulate breathing, and Qingqing managed to turn halfway around before he grabbed her by the hair, yanking her backwards several paces. She saw the knife in the air as he slashed down, aiming for her throat.

With a wince as the roots of her hair screamed in pain, Qingqing caught his hand and twisted aside, driving his hand with the knife towards himself. She felt the man jerk slightly as the knife entered his own body, and held it there with all her might until she felt him let go of her.

"I'm not at all surprised, you beast," she panted breathlessly, struggling out of his arms as he lurched drunkenly. "Should have known you'd try again, you hypocrite coward no-good turtle's egg. That stupid Dao Ge, I told him so."

Stepping away as she watched SuanRong collapse, clutching at his chest, Qingqing found her lips trembling slightly. She brushed the back of her hand against her mouth, roughly, in an attempt to hide it, and bitterness darkened her eyes as she took a last look at the Three Gambling Ghosts.

"I always knew humans were scum," she said tightly, and then broke into a loping run after Dao Ge, gathering her hair up once more as she ran.

The empty granary gaped open, with the three prostrate bodies lying on the mouldy straw.

She found Dao Ge sitting on the roadside, examining his saber carefully for any damages.

"I say," Qingqing began hotly, and then just as abruptly stopped. She sat down beside him, and released a long breath with the air of someone who is tired out and just wants to rest.

"Huh?" Dao Ge brushed the blade off, running his thick fingers lovingly down it.

She shook her head. "Never mind." Qingqing replied lightly.

Reaching out, she touched the saber curiously. "You must have had this for years," she commented. It was a heavy, old-fashioned weapon with worn leather thongs bound around the handle, and a fine edge except where it was marred by several deep notches. The blade was shaped in a strong, powerful curve that ended with a blunt, square edge, and a hilt whose discoloured patches spoke of many years of use, under the sweat and grime of his grip.

"Probably older than you," he replied teasingly. "So handle it with some respect."

Qingqing snorted derisively. "Right, you think."

Taking it from Dao Ge's hands, she hefted it experimentally in her hands and nodded approvingly as she felt how well-balanced it was. Qingqing executed a few swings, struggling a little to keep her arm straight under the weight of the weapon. There was a little charm dangling from the handle; a faded red string with a few chipped beads knotted onto it. Her eyes lighted on it with interest, and she fingered the fraying string.

"What's this?"

He made a little gesture with his hands. "A safety amulet. Haven't you seen one before?"

Qingqing shrugged. "I've always been my own safety amulet," she said with a mischievious grin. "But heavens knows you need one. You know, Dao Ge, you ought to get a couple more to compensate for your slowness and clumsiness. Three or four more, just cover the whole handle with them. Just look at how many times you almost died in the last few days."

Dao Ge raised his eyebrows. "Bold words from the one who was responsible for much of it."

She handed the saber back to him. "Well, I'm also the one who got you out of them all, but where's my thanks?"

Reaching into her belt, she ruefully took out the purse and counted the four pieces of silver again. "To think I had ten," Qingqing said sadly. "Well, never mind. We can still have a good time. I never paid you back for the last time, and now we've even better chance to celebrate after having survived another attack by those goons."

He chuckled. "Trust you to think of celebrating immediately."

A small hand tugged at him insistently. "Come on. I, Qingqing, never leave my debts unpaid. Let's have something good to eat! I'll bet you I can drink more than you."

Dao Ge clucked his tongue. "There you go again, throwing your money about recklessly. Don't you go and get drunk again, I'm not carrying you back again unless you pay me. You look small but you're no featherweight. Look at you. Little maid with the drinking habits of an old hobo."

Qingqing's elbow dug him in the ribs nastily. "You talk far too much considering that I'm treating you. Come on, do you want it or not? Or are you going to stand here and piously moralize like a nun?"

Slinging his saber over his shoulders, he lumbered to his feet and stood for a moment relishing the familiar weight against his back. "I'm coming. Now stop making so much noise."

She stamped her foot. "You're a fine one to speak. Listen, you'd better not call me a little maid again, especially in front of others. Or an old hobo. I'm supposed to be Young Master Qing now. Since you said you're not going to tell anyone, you'd better keep your word."

Dao Ge grinned. "Fine, I'll call you a young hooligan. That's what you are anyway. Satisfied?"

Impulsively, Qingqing draped one arm over his shoulder--it was as high as she could reach to get her elbow ontop of his shoulder--and gave a little skip. "Good. What do you recommend? I've worked up quite an appetite." she said happily, with bright eyes.

"I know a place that sells braised duck stuffed with chestnuts…"