Why play a sad song?

Back then Lai Yiteng's future was bright…

He'd been freshly recruited into Lotus Sect at the young age of twelve, and was taken under the wing of a high ranking elder due to his potential and merits on the exam.

He and the other disciples were sent out to gather rare minerals in Dust River Valley one day, one of the typical menial tasks that the newest disciples were given.

Dust River Valley was a lifeless and desolate kind of place with winds that raked up dust and sand into dry air. The only thing standing at the entrance to the valley was an old and dilapidated sandstone gate that looked as if it could collapse any moment.

Lai Yiteng had been going about his business when he saw a person collapsed in the middle of nowhere, covered in dirt and all sorts of wounds that were festering and inflamed. It looked like they could have directly fallen down the cliff and into the valley. Their hair was knotted and grimy, there was dried blood all over it. Not just there, but everywhere, congealed and pooled on the ground. Leaking from that person's orifices. Flies were gathering.

And yes, that person stunk horribly.

At first the young and naive Lai Yiteng thought this man must be a dirt monster that rolled down the valley. That, or simply a fresh corpse! Lai Yiteng's other peers held their noses in similar disgust.

No one wanted to take a step towards him, let alone see if he had a pulse.

However…that man's fingers twitched, a small movement that caught the eye of Lai Yiteng. He stepped forward and put his pale finger down and felt a faint, barely perceptible breath.

That man's lips almost seemed to move slightly at the chatter of all the people flocking around him, but Lai Yiteng did not know what he tried to say.

But, he was obviously still alive.

Twelve year old Lai Yiteng was brimming with the morals of society. So it was two-thirds out of moral duty and one-thirds part sympathy that caused him to drag back that man's near dead body to a village on the outskirts of the valley. He bought a room with his allowance.

Hearing the doctor tell him that the man would require intensive care to survive, Lai Yiteng really got trapped into nursing a stranger back to health...

After all, he'd already gone to all that effort. How could he just let him die at that point?

Despite all his efforts, the beggar didn't react in the way Lai Yiteng expected. He expected praise and gratitude, but this dirty beggar, dragged back from the gates of the underworld after a five-day-long fever, gave him a scalding glare as though his very soul had been offended.

That beggar didn't even speak a single word, let alone a 'thank you', and was on guard at all times.

If it wasn't for the fact the man's leg was injured to the point he couldn't walk, Lai Yiteng was certain he would have skulked off into the night never to return.

Lai Yiteng, being a valued prodigy and all, didn't have much tolerance when his good efforts were taken for granted. He really couldn't stomach that beggar's attitude after a few days. And just as his morals were upright, he was also high strung and directly spoke out his complaints.

"Stop giving me that look!" he'd said in a high and clear tone. "What, are you trying to say you'd rather be dead? Too bad. Since your sickly and half-dead self wasn't able to do anything, then whatever I decided to do with you doesn't involve your opinion at all. I could care less."

That scraggly man had raised an eyebrow, then lowered his eyelashes thoughtfully.

Slight as it was, this was actually the most emotion he'd ever shown. Lai Yiteng felt as though he'd been looked at properly for the first time.

Finally, the man uttered his first words ever to Lai Yiteng;

"What a little brat."

The man's talk was still very little from then on. Long bangs covered his eyes, his tone was gravelly, all in all he was depressed like a beaten and sick dog.

As such, Lai Yiteng never asked about what happened to him. It didn't really matter to him. Although he was slightly curious, in the end he decided to help him without consideration of that, so for all he knew the beggar was a vanquished demonic cultivator or escaped criminal.

Yes, they did make a promise.

At the time, Lai Yiteng had seen Xian Wu packing his things and knew he was leaving. Even though the strange man had been less than gracious, it was impossible to take a sick animal off the road and not grow a bit of fondness for it.

Lai Yiteng had said something offhand. "Seeing as I've gone to all this trouble to make you healthy, if you need help again, you can always send a letter to Lotus Sect."

The man gave a snort and finally smiled, it was faint and thin.

"I will come to repay you one day. My name is…"

It wasn't supposed to be meaningful, just small talk, so Lai Yiteng didn't take it to heart. Even if he'd developed some fondness after taking care of that beggar -apparently Xian Wu- he mostly forgot about it after a few years. He'd even forgotten the name he was told.

Back then he was only stupid and naive. A man fallen down a valley wasn't the only person he'd tried to save. That nature of his was wrong in itself.

Lai Yiteng gathered his thoughts within the small hut.

"Maybe I did know someone like that," he said to Xian Wu. "Even so, how was I supposed to recognize you? You aren't dressed as awfully and don't even have the same personality…do you have proof?"

Xian Wu gave a toothy grin. "Easy. Back then you didn't know how to keep your mouth shut and unconsciously told me a few stories. I can give you all the proof you want. Let's see…you wanted to keep a lizard as a pet, but your Master found it and threw it back to the woods. You were very aggrieved about that."

Lai Yiteng tensed a little.

"Everyone confuses you for a girl at first glance, and even I was surprised when I saw you undress to take a bath."

Now a vein throbbed on Lai Yiteng's forehead. That did not need to be mentioned.

"You were confused why everyone was acting all nice to you. Why they'd get close to you and try to hold your hand or shoulder, so I explained the matter of adolescence, which, I've always thought it strange that some Sects don't bother teaching such an important…"

"Quiet!" snapped Lai Yiteng. "That's enough." He hated being reminded of how clueless and innocent he was back in those days.

But fine, he was forced to admit that Xian Wu was indeed that shabby man from the past!

Xian Wu laughed unabated at Lai Yiteng's discomfort. He did not seem to have a care in the world.

"Sorry about the other day, I assumed you would recognize me. After that, it got hectic with all the assassins, so there was really no time to explain. I heard you went missing, then you suddenly reappeared as a wanted man. At the time I'd been in seclusion, er...sort of under house arrest, but once I heard that I've been looking for you."

"In trouble again, I see." Lai Yiteng scowled. "Rather than a help, haven't you already caused me more suffering? First I get shot by a poison arrow. Now you're even using my money to buy things."

In fact, Lai Yiteng did not really care that he'd been shot by an arrow. He cared more about the money. He only had scraps of change that he'd earned from his erhu playing, but he valued it very highly and was aggrieved to lose a single extra cent.

Xian Wu tactfully gave no response to these remarks and ladled out a bowl of soup for Lai Yiteng.

They were eating quietly, but Lai Yiteng had to admit it tasted passable. Only passable. Chunks of lotus root floated inside, the overall flavor was light, herb-y, and a bit bland. He didn't know where they were, but the outside woods were filled with yellow-green bamboo, sunlight filtering down through the window and little sparrows chirping outside.

All in all, it made for a quiet and peaceful meal.

So Xian Wu...was someone he'd met in the past. Before everything in his life had gone to shit.

Lai Yiteng had to admit that even if it caused him more trouble...Xian Wu was probably the only person who cared if he were alive or dead, and certainly the only idiot that would come look for him like this. He would never mention it aloud, but Lai Yiteng was a little touched by this.

He nibbled his lotus soup here and there.

"Xian Wu."

"Hm?"

"Why did you ask me to play a sad song back at Pleasure of Jade?"

That, actually, had been the greatest mystery in Lai Yiteng's heart. Anyone would ask for a romantic song or a patriotic one, perhaps adventurous…but a sad tune, those were rarely asked after by drunks at a brothel, and the mood of Xian Wu that night didn't make it seem like he had anything to be upset about.

Xian Wu's eyes were bright as though he understood. He replied gently, "You seemed sad, so I thought you should play a sad song and vent without holding back."

'Sad'? He looked sad?

Li Yiteng almost wanted to laugh, but instead, his mouth gave a small twist. It was as though he was trying to smile but his lips wouldn't make the right shape.

He could only shake his head and utter, "What nonsense are you spouting?"