Stay safe out there

In the morning, Xue'er went downstairs to the common area of the so-called inn. There was still no one in sight, the store did not have a single customer.

[How is this place even staying in business?] Xue'er silently wondered to herself.

Although this place was very deserted, as in there was not a single person around, maybe thieves would even skip this place because there was not a single thing worth a copper, aside from the uses pots and pans in the kitchen. Then again, it wasn't even good metal for forging, and blacksmiths would even be unwilling to buy it.

This place was actually well cleaned so that not a speck of dust lingered in the air. She could breathe in a bout of fresh and untainted air.

She randomly sat down at a table and began to ponder how she was to spend the day.

After being told by Gan Tian Chi that she did not have any resemblance to a child, she had to think of a way to make herself fit in a little more.

"Plop!" A bowl was placed right before her face, she smelled the sweet porridge with a tinge of saltiness to it, she looked up at the man who placed it before her.

She could vaguely remember that he was owner Chao. She remembered that Gan Tian Chi had addressed him that way.

He gave her a light smile before going back to work.

Xue'er picked up a spoon, and spooned up a tiny bit of piping hot porridge and placed it into her small lips, before chewing on it. There was a small piece of thousand year egg, and minced pork meat in that spoon full. The porridge itself was pure white, almost like liquid snow, a few grains could be seen, but everything melded together very well.

[So good.] She praised silently.

She gulped down the rest of the porridge as if it had not been just freshly cooked right off the stove and was at a near boiling temperature. It gave off a feeling of being close to a furnace on a wintry day.

Owner Chao gave her a strange look as if she was a hungry child who had been starving for days. But he did not mind, after all, he was already given an advanced payment.

Once finished, there was not a single drop left, as she placed it on the counter, before she turned to leave.

"Stay safe out there!" A voice said behind her as she was out the doorway that led to the alley.

She knew what he was referring to, that scent of blood wasn't just lingering in the air so heavily for nothing. She couldn't help but be touched by the concern a stranger was giving her, but this scent did not really bother her that much.

It made her feel slightly more at home…

It did bring back some memories of the only place she ever knew. There was that stout little old man that had her call him grandfather. He… Was her teacher, her family, and her tormenter…

But all those years ago, he was also the only person she could talk with. It was this scent which lingered around the place, accompanying her.

Nodding her head, she wasn't sure if he would see it or not, and she set out to explore.

The place was not as bad as it was said to be, though that might just be because the sun was out, casting a brilliant light on all the dark places, making it seem like a more hospitable place.

At the entrance of the alley, she could see people from all walks of life going about their business, it was as if no one really cared, or maybe they really didn't know what went on in there.

The streets were quite clean, for being so remote from a real city, but for a 'Town' it was not bad. The streets were well paved with limestone in the most prosperous areas where people walked the most, it would continue to be retouched when it was in need of a repair.

Xue'er was practically invisible as she maneuvered her way through the many people. No one noticed the little girl, as they went on with their everyday lives.

As she wandered around, she remembered what Gan Tian Chi told her.

That she did not have the actions of a child. She had scoffed at him at the time, because since when was a person's act so watched upon, that they had to act their role in society.

She had shrugged it off.

It was now that she realized that if she wanted to interact with these people, she would need to play her role as a child.

[Why is this so complicated?]

She nearly cursed out. If she had come into this world a little earlier, she would not be faced with this problem.

Then, an idea popped into her head.

Maybe, she could go back to the cottage and wait a few years until she became an adult, then she could have skipped this troublesome stage of her life.

[Good idea!] She thought.

A grin appeared on the girl's adorable face it was as if she was a mischievous little gremlin ready to disobey orders of her master, doing whatever she pleased.

The small figure made its way into an alley once again and disappearing from sight.

Like the figure of something that once was there, but was gone with the passage of time.