I'm The Protagonist?! 15

One good thing about having a neglectful parent? They would hardly miss your presence when you are out of the house.

This made this trip possible for her.

Feng Shi focus on the road ahead of her as the passing cars slowly dwindled so does the tall building turning into a grass land.

She hummed a song she once sings as a movie queen to pass the time but after a while, driving started to get lonesome and yet so familiar.

Fortunately, after a three-hour drive with her radio on full blast, the gateway of the small village finally came to view.

She parked the car in the abandoned market before stepping out and she almost instantly inhaled the cool air contrary to the stifled one in the city. It is one of the good things in the countryside, a breath of fresh air.

Despite how backward the place was, it is undeniably soothing and a very welcomed sight. That is until she went farther into the village.

She could not help the frown on her face as she carefully stepped into the muddy road up the hill. Her boots getting stained as she went up farther and the smell of pigs getting worst. She had been to villages before but they where not this unkept. Though that might be because they were chosen as a set but still. It appears that only this place is left un-clean.

Muddy, uneven roads almost tripped her into face planting on the ground! The weeds are overgrown, and the bushes and trees make her believe that a snake or a bug is waiting to jump on her.

“Tsk” She hissed as her sleeve got caught on a branch making her rip it. Fortunately, enough, she had enough commonsense to wear treading short, a pink plain t-shirt and white jacket, Though the jacket may not have been the best most suitable color for this.

‘This better be worth it’, she grumbled to herself struggling to get out of this damned path already.

Her eyes brightened ever so slightly when she finally reached the house.

It was made wholly out of wood with some parts already crumbling and the roof rusted.

She better not have come here in vain.

Feng Shi hesitantly knocked on the door but no one answered making her frown deeper.

Again, she knocked only this time harder and harsher, the sound echoed in silent place before a stumping was heard from the inside.

Angrily, the door was knocked open by a dark skinned fat guy almost in his thirties. “What?” The guy spat out before noticing her.

Feng Shi’s eyes narrowed and chilled as the man was surprised before whistling lecherously and checking her up from head to toe as if he was already stripping her in his mind.

She didn’t know where the urge came from but her immediately reaction was to draw a sword and make this preposterous man into a eunuch.

She glared at this bastard before snapping her finger in his face as his eyes take on her breasts. They may still be developing but she is already full in that part.

“Eyes up here” She almost growled and the man did look up and smiled at her face with a hungry grin making Feng Shi almost physically recoil in disgust.

Her entire being wanting to end and mince this man into pieces already.

“Hey, sweetheart, are you lost? Why don’t you come inside and let me… entertain you?” The man laughed at his own pun and Feng Shi did not have the patient to deal with this idiot.

“I don’t have time for this triviality. I came to see your grandmother, where is she?” She icily stated trying not to act upon the thoughts in her mind.

“Oh, skipping to the meeting the parents step already? I like it” He smirked this time stepping towards her breaching her personal space.

This time, she was no longer holding back, she used the energy Xiao Wang had left inside her to temporarily strengthen herself. He had told her that this was only for when she is in danger but… well danger can be considered in many ways to begin with.

“Listen up here, you fool. I don’t have the time or patient to deal with you so if you want to keep that pathetic tiny little thing between your legs, you will do as I say and fetch your grandmother or else. Are we clear” She warned as the entire place feel like it was about to freeze over.

The man paled when he saw her eyes, like that of a serpent ready to bite her pray.

Feng Shi could not help the evil grin that crossed her face, perfect for her title as a villainess.

“I- I’m so-sorry! Please spare me! My beloved grandmother only has me to take care of her! My- my grandmother! You want my grandmother, right? She- she went to the neighboring town this morning, but she will be back tomorrow!” The vile man begged with his entire body shacking in fear turning from an arrogant lecher to a pathetic fool as she had initially thought him to be.

She could not help the distain in her eyes before stepping away and turning around not sensing a lie in his last sentence.

He claimed to love his grandma and yet, he was willing to throw his grandma to the wolves when he have yet to know her intention to the old woman.

Said man’s legs failed him. With a loud thud, he fell to the ground staring at Feng Shi as is he was looking at death himself.

To her utter distaste, she had to travel to that unkept grounds again and will do so tomorrow. If only her glares could burn the entirety of it, she would be in a blazing hell.

Returning to the quaint town again, she immediately looked around for an inn.

Despite the backward technology, she found herself enjoying the peaceful town aside from the curious stares as she clearly does not belong here in the first place.

Their eyes burn holes in her body but she had learned how to ignore it all.

The one story or two story buildings are small. Most are even unpainted but the flowers designing them are flourishing. Even the roofs are all painted red.

It was not all peace in the town. From the far distance, she can hear the wail of a child and the angry scolding of what she assumes is their mother.

A Lady in her early twenties, with her kimono and hair in a bun, was watering her plants and humming to herself.

At the benches below the tress, where old ladies chattering to each other about their day and family. They occasionally glance at her curiously though so perhaps they are also talking about her.

Feng Shi walked towards the lady watering her plants trying to not be intimidating in any way. With a friendly smile she waves at the lady who was watering her plants.

The lady stopped what she was doing and put the watering can down as she walk towards her.

“Excuse me? Can you please tell me where I can find an inn?” She asked politely and was repaid with a smile.

“You asked the right person. My grandmother owns the best hot spring inn in the town. Even some tourists come here just for it.” The lady immediately boosted. “Just let me put this thing away and I will lead your there”

“That would be much appreciated” She replied because after going to that dump, she urgently needs a bath as she still feels like the dirt is somehow stuck in her skin. Not just from the place itself, but from the way that that pig looked at her makes her skin crawl.

The town is clearly a clean and silent place, she wonders why the people living here can tolerate such as area without complaining.

She didn’t wait long before the lady came back. Through their walk into the inn, she learned that the lady’s name was Xiao Lin and her grandmother is Xiao Ling. Her parents ae currently in the city to buy some things for the Inn to celebrate some upcoming festival.

Despite the town looking unassuming, its history is actually interesting.

This town was once just a wild forest but when war struck, a family fled and went in hiding here. They built this place slowly. From a single hut, it quickly grew as people came here for safety away from the heat of the war. They all worked together to build a strong wall.

One day, a general showed up injured from an assassination. Since no one knows this place existed, the general was shock but was grateful to the villagers for taking him in and helping him. In exchange for the great favor, the general had his men help build this village in a strategically way for protection.

Feng Shi was amazed at how the buildings, despite looking scattered, where actually designed that way so that the villagers can use the topography of this place to confuse and evade invaders. A tunnel system had also been established in case they cannot over come the danger.

The Xiao family, was the first family in the story and the one who found and healed the general was the daughter of the Xiao family then.

It is spread to the neighboring towns about the legend of how the general and the lady of the Xiao’s feel in love and got married but it was actually just one of the soldier who married into the Xiao family.

The general just came to visit often because he got along with the Lady and the soldier was a close friend.

Since the people prefer the romantic story between the general and the lady, that is the one spread to foreigners but the Xiao family advertise the truth since they are proud of their ancestor who still fought bravely in the war even if he was just a soldier, he still contributed to the country.

Listening to her tell their history, make Feng Shi realize even more that despite this worlds being just a small part of her life as a passing soul, it still have life, reality to the people who exists here.

“Oh, were here. Grandma! We have a guest!” Xiao Lin bellowed to the top of her lungs.

“You stinky girl! Do you think your grandmother is deaf or are you planning to make me deaf! You still have the face to come back to this old lady after running away ?!” Another loud voice replied as a woman with white hair, wrinkly face, green kimono with lotus flowers design, appeared.

The old woman was being supported with a walking stick but actually look energetic and healthy. Her eyes contradicted her words as it was full of fondness and knowledge that can only come with age and experience.

“Ouch, hey grandma cut it out that hurt! How many times do I have to tell you I don’t want to be an inn keeper! Also, grandma your embarrassing me. Be careful that guests stop coming because their afraid of you” Xiao Lin complained as Grandma Ling lightly hit her with her walking stick.

“Greeting, grandmother Xiao Ling.” Feng Shi politely greeted the old woman who was trying to hit her granddaughter who kept dodging.

“Oh, hello child. Are you here alone? Do your guardians know you’re here? Come, come, let’s talk inside. Just call me grandma Ling, that’s how everyone here calls me” Grandma Ling sweetly talked to her making Feng Shi have a whiplash at the sudden change. This old woman changes face faster than her! Amazing!

Looking at Xiao Lin who was embarrassed for her own grandma’s wo face attitude, she could guess that this is not just a onetime occurrence.

“Well, now that I’ve brought your costumer here, I’ve got to go. Got a cat to water and plants to feed after all. Bye grandma love you!” Xiao Lin said already running away.

“That child” Grandma Ling sighed lovingly. “Just ignore that foolish kid, come let’s talk about your stay here.