Bird Nest Soup

Fangsu followed the boy to a dilapidated house, the crooked roof tiles were barely holding on to the makeshift cementing which was mainly made of rice flour, the walls that were meant to protect the residents from the element was eroding, the floor creaked even with the slightest pressure and the support beams were bending from moisture seeping from poor maintenance. There was a slight mouldy smell that was being emitted from the walls where the moisture was seeping into.

A dry hoarse cough echoed through the small house which was quite familiar to Fangsu. The same dry cough was exactly the same as her mother's who would constantly neglect her health in order to care for her children, "A' Jin, did you have something to eat today?" The boy's mother's posture was slouched as her thin arms pushed against the wall tried to support her weight, "Do you want to eat something now?" Her thin and weak physique caused Fangsu to frown as she felt her heart being twisted at the sight of the frail woman.

A' Jin rushed to his mother, "Mummy! Why did you get out of bed! " Supporting her to an old chair so that she could rest, "You should be resting!" He rushed to the kitchen to make some tea for the client and his mother.

Fangsu awkwardly stood in the room hoping that she wouldn't be noticed, however, the mother had noticed her, "Who are you?" The frail woman seated herself in a more comfortable position. On closer inspection the woman's limb were bony thin, her hollowed cheek was devoid of colour, her hair was brittle and broken at the ends.

Fangsu grasped her finger together as she awkwardly stood in the middle of the room, "I hired your son to harvest some bird nests," Briefly explaining her presence in the room.

The woman rushed to Fangsu in a panicked manner, "Did anyone follow you to the ravine?" Tightly grasping her shoulders. However, Fangsu shook her head, assuming that no one had followed the two of them. The woman released a breath as her stiff shoulders lessened to a more relaxed state before returning back to the chair she was previously sitting on.

A' Jin came into the room carrying a tray with cups and a teapot to serve to the client, "Young Master! Mummy! Drink some tea," He began serving the tea to both his mother and Fangsu, "Young Master, can you look at my mother?" A' Jin asked. Fangsu nodded her head as she seated herself next to the frail woman, pressing her finger against the pulse. Occasionally, questions were asked about her health history and lifestyle.

Underneath her finger, Fangsu felt that the pulse was unstable and weak, "You're are suffering from anemia in combination with other health problem," Sucking in air through her teeth, "Ordinary treatments will not be able to help you," Fangsu knew that this frail woman suffers from a mouldy environment that would worsen her condition, malnutrition, stress and anemia. Treatment for the fragile woman would be the establishment of a balanced diet to accommodate the malnutrition and anemia. Moving to a cleaner environment to improve air quality.

Fangsu pitied the poor mother and son having to suffer in an inhospitable environment that would not accommodate their needs and especially since the moth was of ill health; it was of most importance that the mother to be in an environment to recuperate her health otherwise A' Jin would be left alone, "Young Master, is it incurable?" A' Jin downcasted his eyes as the low prospects on his mother's health.

Fangsu nodded her head as she held her hands together, "It honestly depends," Released a breathe as her heart ached painfully for the poor woman, "But with regular treatments then you can manage it," Fangsu summoned out ginseng, jujube and honey. Entering the kitchen, she took out a knife.

A' Jin followed her to the kitchen as she began cutting the pits out of the jujube and the heads of the ginseng, "What are you making?" Peering at the ingredients with a confused expression.

Continuing to cut the jujube and ginseng in smaller pieces, "Something to help with your mother's health and energy," After finishing chopping all the ingredients. Fangsu took out a mortar and pestle, pouring the sliced jujube, ginseng and honey together, eventually mixing the ingredients until it became a sticky mixture. Fangsu began pouring a cup of hot to lukewarm water with a spoonful of the sticky mixture, "This will help and give you a bit of energy," Entering the living room Fangsu served the beverage to A' Jin's mother.

A' Jin's mother was apprehensive about the beverage, but she lifted the cup to her lips allowing the warm liquid to pour down in her mouth and throat. The liquid warmed her internally, expelling the chill that would usually plague her every day. A slow release of energy rushed through her body as her mental state became more clearer, alleviating the tiredness that always sucked the life out of her, "What is this drink made from?" She asked as she tasted both sweetness and a slightly medicinal aftertaste.

Fangsu contained the sticky paste into a glass jar which could preserve the paste for a longer period of time, "Dried jujube, 100-year-old ginseng and some wild honey that I got today," She began preparing some herbal medicines which could help will some of the alleviate but they could only be a temporary solution.

The mother flinched at the precious medical ingredients that were used, "Ginseng! That is such a precious ingredient!" Her hands trembled as she held the drink that would have cost so much, "Why would you waste them on someone like me?" Having drunk a beverage that helped with her cold body condition whilst also boosting her energy.

Fangsu's lip curved upward as she held the thin hands, "I do not wish for a small child like A' Jin to be left alone in this world," Her voice exuded a softness exhibited kindness towards their circumstance, "Being without parents is the most terrible thing for a child as young as A' Jin," But behind that softness was a hint of sadness. Fangsu stared at A' Jin who was unaware of the meaning of her words.

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But, the mother knew behind the mask, this person was lonely and must have not had a parent in their early life, "Even still you shouldn't be handing out ginseng so freely," She appreciated that the stranger was being so adamant about her and A' Jin's wellbeing.

The masked stranger chuckled at her statement, "Ginseng is simply a plant," They stretched their limbs like a feline, "It can always be grown again," She was shocked to hear such a thing from the stranger. People spend big money on ginseng and even though 100-year-old ginseng was uncommon it was still quite pricey.

A' Jin confusedly tilted his head at the value of ginseng but decided it was something expensive that normal people couldn't afford on a daily basis, "Mummy! The Young Master wants to eat bird nest soup!" He had nearly forgotten the request that the client had wanted to eat.

The woman widened her eyes in shock but complied with the request as she entered the kitchen with the newly founded energy to cook a serving of birds nest soup. Prepping the ingredients necessary for the bird nest soup was simple since the ingredients were readily available such as red dates, birds nest and rock sugar. After 5 hours of soaking, she began cleaning the bird's nest and began to cook. In a ceramic pot, she poured the pre-soaked bird nest with red dates and water. After that, she placed the ceramic pot into a steamer for 30 minutes for pouring in rock sugar to sweeten the fish since the bird nests don't have any flavour before letting it stems for another 15 minutes.

After the time was up, the bird's nest soup was ready to serve. Both Fangsu and A' Jin excitedly awaited for the dish and were ecstatic to see the beautiful clear bird nest which had increased in size which gave the soup a gloopy consistency and the rehydrated red dates were sweet in flavour. However, the cozy atmosphere was disturbed. The rickety wooden door that enclosed the house from the cold spring wind swung open with a massive bang.

A massive man stood at the entrance of the door; his stomach protruding out from his body like there was a sack of rice under the shirt, greasy sweat lined the surface of his skin creating a perfect opportunity for pimples to form, his lips were like a fish whilst his face was squarish in shape, "Where is the rental payment for this month?" He slammed his hand against the wobbly wooden table, breaking it. His humongous hands were so big that if he were to hit anyone they would go flying with one go.

The mother rushed A' Jin and the masked stranger into the kitchen so that she could deal with the ginormous man but there followed crashing in the living room as if things had been flung around. Fangsu began moving, concerned for the frail woman's safety. Seeing the frail woman tumble to the ground clutching her red cheek which showed a clear hand mark. Anger began fuming into Fangsu's body as she used the butt of her weapon to hit the pressure points, however, her weapon bounced off the massive amount of fat. The rebound caused Fangsu to tumble down to the rocky floor.

The man hand gripped Fangsu's neck whilst lifting her up high in the air, "You dare disturb me," Her feet dangled in the air as she clawed at the gangetic man's hand. His crushing strength blocked the air from entering her throat. Her hand reached for her dagger at her back, unsheathing the dagger quickly followed by a swift stab into the arm that was clutched around her neck, "You little brat!" As his grip loosens around her neck releasing the pressure that blocked her airways. Fangsu gasped for air like a fish out of the water as her vision began to haze in and out of consciousness from the lack of air.

A small silhouette rush in front of Fangsu and mother, A' Jin, standing bravely in front of a man that was at least 10 to 12 times his size, "Don't hurt my mother and the young master!" Stretching his arms apart attempting to block the view of his mother and Fangsu from the violent man. But, the huge man swung his hand, easily swatting away A 'Jin into the wall. His mother went scurrying to check A' Jin.

Fangsu could not tolerate people who hurt children, especially men with power over people. Like her biological father, "Dai-Tai," Just one mention of the name and Dai-Tai materialised in front of Fangsu, "Kill him," There was no hesitation anymore.

Dai-Tai licked her lips as she stared down her prey, "I thought you never ask," Plunging her hand into the huge man body splatting all the blood and guts all over the walls, unfortunately, onto Fangsu as well. The strong metallic smell of blood rushed into Fangsu's sensitive nose which caused her to grimace in disgust. She watched Dai-Tai pick up a soul from the recently deceased man, eating the soul with peer disgust. As she sheathed her weapon as she peered through the red hole, weirdly Fangsu was unfazed by the grotesque scene that lay in front of her. Seeing that her outerwear was dirtied by the disgusting blood that was from the detestable man she removed her outerwear to reveal a black pitch black innear robe which completely changed her overall appearance to someone who was not to be trivial with.

A' Jin's mother was preoccupied with the unconscious boy gently shaking his shoulder in an attempt to wake him up. Fangsu walked up the pair, "I'm sorry but the both of you must leave this place," Placing a hand on the mother's shoulder, "Because I killed that man in your home and if I were to leave the blame will be placed on you," The mother just sobbed, unsure of the future held for her son and herself.

As uncertainty remained in her heart but as she went to look at the masked stranger. Finally realising the living space was stained red and the mangled body that laid on the floor, "What did you do?" Instinctively, she placed a hand over her mouth.

Fangsu opened her mouth but closed it immediately knowing that she was basically a murder, "I don't want to see A' Jin alone without his mother," The answer was as simple as that. She began quickly organised the accommodation at the capital at Chen Household thinking that Xiao Cheng would want a friend that was similar in age as himself. She had also used the mother and son pair to send some letters to her family and the employees to tell them about her travels. As she assisted the mother and son pair in packing before waving them off.

Fangsu hurryly cleaned up the blood stains from the walls and floor boards, however, the floor boards had soaked up some of the blood leaving a stain. But, it was the better than leaving the bloody scene in the house. The huge body was left behind to clean up, but lugging such a heavy corpse would be too noticeable and hard to carry. So, she began chopping the corpse limb by limb and ditched it into a hole.