Ye Xiu's persuit lasted long until they entered the crowded night market.
This night market was an extended from river festival that took place yesterday, so there were still many people that gather outside their house and crowded the street.
Ye Xiu, who hugged Senja tightly slipped between the crowd of people and lantern, leapt trough the fence and building until he shook all of his pursuer. He only stopped when they arrived at the narrow alley that was less crowded.
Ye Xiu set Senja down, the little girl still sobbing and grabbed in front of his robe tightly, didn't want to let go. As if, the moment she loosened her gripped, Ye Xiu would leave her alone. She would be abandoned once again.
It was true that Ye Xiu would leave her, but it was because there was bigger problem that Senja couldn't possible to understand it, even if Ye Xiu explained it to her.
"Senja, you must be brave. You have to smart enough to protect yourself. Stop crying. Your tears won't fix anything." He said sternly to the little girl. "Don't let them bully you."
Senja repeated shook her head. Didn't want to listen whatever her Uncle Ye Xiu told her, she just want to leave this place. She even didn't want to meet her grandfather as she urged Ye Xiu to move again. She dragged Ye Xiu by his robe. However, her strength definitely not strong enough to make Ye Xiu take a single step. But, Senja persisted.
"Let's go Uncle, let's go… We have to go from here." She was pleading while kept trying to drag Ye Xiu away from their pursuer. She urged him to make another move so they could make a distance from her grandfather and her father.
"Uncle, we need to go…" Senja whimpered desperately to make Ye Xiu move. Both of her small hand was grabbing tightly Ye Xiu's robe.
"Uncle is sorry, Senja." Ye Xiu whispered.
***
In the distance among the sea of people, Elder Dam gnashed his teeth when he realized that the person he was after had disappeared. Even so, he kept squeezed his body between the masses, trying hard to not let off his anger to innocent people surround him who delayed his movements.
Xiao Jun who was running at the back of Elder Dam and Wang Yu, slowly separated himself, blend among the people and turned to another direction. He didn't realize that Xiao Tianyao caught his movements from the corner of his eyes and followed him.
Xiao Jun moved with flexibility and easily avoided bumping into other people. He stopped at the same alley where Senja was crying endlessly while trying to drag Ye Xiu away. The light was very dim in this place.
Xiao Jun tall figure was standing not too far from them. Even though his body was covered by shadow of the building beside him, Ye Xiu somehow realized his present and looked at into the dark alley.
The other people who were passing by in the other of the street wouldn't be able to realize that he was standing there, except Xiao Tianyao who has been tailing him and now stood at the back of the wall.
"Don't interfere in this matter." Xiao Jun talked to the silence street, as though he knew that his brother was there, "Let me handle this."
Xiao Tianyao who was hiding in the corner of the wall emerged from the dark. "You better tell him not to do stupid thing like this again." He said coldly to his brother.
Xiao Jun turned his body and faced Xiao Tianyao while smile blossomed on his face. "Don't worry, I will give him a piece of my mind." He assured him.
At the same time, Xiao Jun stepped forward to the dim light and revealed his present as his eyes met with Yu Xie' and tacit understanding dawn to them. "I owe you." Xiao Jun said to Xiao Tianyao.
"You owe me too much." Xiao Tianyao was acquiesced his statement lightly.
"Well, the road is still long for me to pay you off." He replied jokingly before he leapt to Ye Xiu direction.
Both of them dashed toward the north, where the port was located. Leave Senja alone.
The moment Xiao Jun had disappeared Xiao Tianyao walked leisurely toward the girl who was still sobbing relentlessly. He didn't have experienced with children, especially the crying one. So, he simply leaned his back against the wall behind him while kept watching on Senja.
The girl didn't realize that there was another person there and Xiao Tianyao didn't have any intention to disturb her sad moment.
Senja was wailing and rubbing her eyes. But, because she couldn't be able to catch up with Ye Xiu and she had no idea where she was, she couldn't roam around carelessly.
Honestly, Xiao Tianyao didn't quite understand with his brother intention. He had feeling that there was something very confidential going on between Xiao Jun and Ye Xiu. But, since Xiao Jun didn't mention anything about it, he would find out by himself.
Ever since their parents died, Xiao Jun had take over all of the responsibility. Xiao Tianyao knew, how scary power struggle that had happened back then. Both of them would have died without anyone knew if it wasn't for Xiao Jun astuteness.
Although Xiao Jun didn't talk about the tragedy of their parents, Xiao Tianyao understand that it wouldn't be so simple like it appeared on the surface and everything that Xiao Jun did now most likely related to that matter.
After sometimes had passed Elder Dam and Wang Yu found their location, the moment the old Commander looked at his dear granddaughter, he launched toward her and hugged her tightly.
"Don't cry my child. Don't cry, grandfather here." Elder Dam stroke Senja's back and smoothed her hair. However, Senja didn't stop instead she cried louder.
She didn't want to return with her grandfather and her father. She wanted to go with Uncle Ye Xiu. Her eyes wandered around while she tried her last attempt to look for Ye Xiu. But, he was nowhere to be found.