Chapter Thirteen - The Mysterious Merchant (1)

Two years later

"Come on, don't you crave power, I can give it to you just-" the screeching voice echoed in Yue Chen's head.

Ignoring the temptations that were thrown at him Yue Chen continued to play his flute.

"Chen'er head into town with Li Li for some items for dinner"

Lowering his handmade flute that had gently rested on his lips Yue Chen nodded indifferently.

"Visit a stylist while you're in town, I can't even see your face anymore!" turning around Doctor Jia entered the house again.

"Alright" Yue Chen nodded once more in response. "Is Little Gila coming?"

Noticing Little Gila hadn't stuck her head out the door and start crying to tag along Yue Chen couldn't help but ask.

Doctor Jia shook her head with a smile "Gila is studying the Vessel Severing Method, she isn't to be distracted until she has finished.

"Oh" with a simple 'oh' Yue Chen chose not to inquire further as this hadn't been the first time Little Gila has had to enter closed door practice,besides she was Doctor Jia's apprentice after all.

"Li'er! Chen'er is going to leave without you!" Doctor Jia shouted into the house.

"I- I'm sorry!"rushing out of the small house Li Li arrived next to Yue Chen while gasping for air. "Did you wait long?" puffing heavily she struggled to regain her breath.

"Yeah" Yue Chen nodded innocently.

"Can't you be a bit more modest?" Li Li pouted and stomped angrily.

Ignoring Li Li's banter Yue Chen reached out and stroked a strand of idle hair from her face.

Unable to react in time Li Li froze in place as her face flushed red.

"My, she's as red as an apple!" Doctor Jia teased while watching her daughter's bright red face.

"M-mom!" Li Li almost teared up at her mother's tease and immediately turned her face away to hide her embarrassment.

"Be back before lunch gets cold" Doctor Jia said and entered the house.

The two nodded and went in their way. As the duo walked along the dusty road Yue Chen could sense the awkward atmosphere but couldn't come up with the right words to start a conversation.

"Hey" Li Li finally broke the silence "the empire you're from- the Xuan Empire, is it a good place?"

"A good place? I don't know" Yue Chen shook his head " Most of my memories of the empire go back to as far as six years old, most of which are in pieces and even with only fragments of memories I don't really have a good impression of the Xuan Empire. Apparently my adopted father found out I was cursed as an infant only after he had taken me for a bath. At that time the Gou Family had been deciding whether to kill me or place binds around my heart, should I ever defy the empire they would..... ultimately my adopted father was against it all and decided on his own to forgo my potential risk to the empire, now that I think about it, maybe they should have killed me to begin with." with a self ridiculing smile Yue Chen looked up at the expanse of blue in the endless skies.

"Don't say something like that, don't treat your life... like it was a mistake" a tear drop trickled down Li Li's cheek as she stared into Yue Chen's eyes.

"Geeze you're a real crybaby" Yue Chen smiled and patted Li Li's head "Where do you store all these tears? is there a tear compartment in there? it no wonder you drink so much ....ow ow" the crushing pain that came from Li Li's foot on his own signaled Yue Chen to keep his mouth shut.

"You have no tact, you bastard" Li Li cursed angrily.

"Out of loyalty my father decided to inform the Emperor of my curse. Soon everyone in the empire knew the Gou family was sheltering a cursed child. To make matters worse this cursed sigil seemed to have a will of its own, inhabiting my shadow and moving around on its own. No matter where in the empire I went a single glance at my twisted shadow said everything. The people never tried to understand me, they never cared to be honest. When I looked into their eyes all I could see was fear and scorn. At my first day at school in the empire, I was about 7 years old at the time I never made it past the school gates before rocks came flying my way. It was a friendly greeting I was told. That day I got beaten so badly I couldn't move my hands to feed myself for three months. The Emperor turned a blind eye to my mistreatment and the citizens saw that as a green light, they would beat me at the first sight, without ever telling me why- but I already knew the answer....this continued for two years until my adopted father decided I was to do home schooling. The empire never treated me like a person, so if you ask me, that place isn't any better than a gigantic sty filled with dirty pigs.....did you start crying again?" Yue Chen asked with a wry smile and tapped Li Li's shoulder " If you cry anymore you'll become a dehydrated old granny"

"W-who are you calling a granny!?" wiping her tears stomped away angrily, leaving Yue Chen behind.

"Ah....." Yue Chen shook his head silently and pledged to never speak of his past to Li Li again.

Within a few minutes the duo entered the town square and began to search for goods to prepare dinner.

After gathering sufficient food Li Li took Yue Chen to the Town Stylist to get his hair groomed.

"Huh? you don't know what to do with your hair?" Li Li rubbed her chin like an old man while thinking "how about going bald?"

"No way" Yue Chen immediately refused. He wouldn't have the courage to look at his reflection without cringing if he did.

"Haha I'm just kidding!" Li Li stuck out her tongue while picturing a bald Yue Chen and couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Yue Chen asked in an irritated manner.

'Li Li must have been taking revenge for me teasing her'

"Can you get it out of my face without cutting it? Yue Chen asked the stylist.

"I'll try" the stylist said with an amused smile on her face. Li Li's earlier remark had also caused her to laugh a great deal

The stylist in charge of Yue Chen was only slightly older than Li Li by a few years but she didn't seem much older than the two.

"Your hair is beautiful" the stylist complimented while running her hands through Yue Chen's hair. Leaning forward slightly she whispered into his ear. " It's a beautiful pitch black.

"Thanks....I guess?" Yue Chen replied awkwardly.

Watching from the side Li Li couldn't stand the intimacy and immediately parted the two "distance... don't cling to him...it's inappropriate"

After leaving the stylist the two lingered around the city, visiting various stalls.

Suddenly the clattering of horse hooves resounded through the town square, drawing Yue Chen's attention.