Chapter 13: Placebo

"So, like… what if we need to take a bath?" inquired Cenisa. "I'm so happy you asked." he towed the wagon without looking at her. "Jing how tall are you?"

"About 76 inches."

"Translate…"

"Maybe 6 foot three or more, I don't know."

"Have you been to school?"

"I left. I did study while in Janluut and in the cave."

"What was it like?" She was asking a lot and he was honestly annoyed by the second question. "Why ask?"

"I saw your bed."

"It was fine. Nobody like me so a lot of people said, 'Get back to your cave, Jingyu'. That shit was exciting."

"Why?"

"I don't know why. My father hates me, cheated on my mom, I'm a fucking orphan."

"And you wanted to be a demon?"

"Shut the fuck up already!" he dropped the wagon. "Don't say anything the rest of the way."

"I can speak when I fucking please, nigga. Who the fuck you yelling up, pick up this wagon!"

"You do it!"

"Jing!" she didn't want to argue but it had came to this. "You what…" she hopped off the wagon sloppily. "Imma walk by my damn self!"

"GO!" he yelled. "Break leg, neck, and body. I do not care."

"Why are you mean to me!" he caught her throat and squeezed gently. "Listen…" he growled in her ear. "I will if you don't be quiet."

Why was he so angry? They stood up all night and talked what changed? He let her go and dragged the wagon behind him.

Was he serious?

She touched her neck and sat on a nearby rock. Charlie wouldn't do that. Ugh, why. Because she was so desperate for a relationship. She just watched him leave and hadn't even turned around.

"Wow…"

Jingyu walked a good distance. It was quiet and it came to him. He really left her. He looked back thinking that she followed but Cenisa was still by the rock.

He stopped and turned the wagon around. "I'll be damn." He went to get Cenisa and at the same time thought about why he left her.

.

.

.

"I WILL NOT!"

"Jingyu you have to." told Cujian. "Jiu has to be put in a body. You need to make a baby with Cenisa and steal him away."

"Stop fucking with me!"

"I'm not fucking with you!" insisted Cujian. "You just told me, that's what started the damn curse in the first place!"

"I know--" Cujian didn't even know if he made sense. But he wanted it to end. He had explained to Jingyu that Jiu has cursed by the wrong soul being put into the body. Jiu was born without one and a soul was crafted by the priest, however it became corrupted.

"I have to give up my own for some bullshit tradition this family started?" Jingyu didn't aggree with it at all. "Wha--What religion do you have, to keep doing this shit. I refuse."

"You refuse?

"Get her pregnant, I might have to kill my child because everybody should know the tale of the oni--"

"That."

Jingyu's body was still. "That?"

.

.

.

Jingyu's explanation into the relationship was that she was pretty. He had merged with Janluut and people left a sweet memory.

And the fact, his girlfriend also died jumping off a cliff--but that was beside the point.

Maybe he was lacking confidence to be around women again. Maybe he didn't think he was up to par. He defintely fucked Xinchou. He didn't get her pregnant; he thought about. He wanted to be mean.

What if he got Xinchou pregnant and ran? That was a plan for revenge, a source of fucking karma. But now he was red to the bone. Then again, he could go back and--NO!

He knew why he wanted to separate from Cenisa. No, not the fact when they first met he wanted to suck a titty out of curiosity. But the fact he was hostile and was the cause,

He did it.

He wasn't a jiangshi, didn't want to be. A demon, definitely. A murderer? Yep. A rapist? Probably. Where did he learn it?

From Te-Kou. He never should have started messing with him but he would be lying if he said it didn't feel good.

Nobody told him to follow him to the cave. He wanted to rest. And Bolin, fuck him too.

He did it! He killed the Headman's son. Why did he do? Because it was funny. No. That wasn't it…

Ma needed his karma, he was spoiled. Bolin was even worse not to mention the lost girl they found outside the village. Ma treated her like a pet, telling her she was homeless and had to work for his family.

Though the village was connected to the Xiyi through trade and Jingyu was a Xiyi. The Tingtai was just a small cut from the family. Like a drunk uncle.

Hualing would have been a yiji, she could play the flute.

He finally saw Cenisa and he was thankful she didn't move. He sighed, she ignored him. She scratched her elbow and looked at him. They said nothing.

"And?" she ogled her head. HE raised a brow, "Come on!"

"Why?"

"Because it could rain, you might get sick, you could die. Is that what you want? Death?"

"Maybe…"

"You stupid."

"No…"

"Alright bitch…" he moved to her. She got up and he chased her. Jingyu lifted her up and put her on his shoulder. "Let me go!"

"On the wagon." he put her top and took an extra rope to tie her to him as he pulled the wagon down the road. "I could still run!"

"I know…" he pulled the rope and she fell off the clutter. "Come on!" he tugged the rope again. "This is slavery!" she yelled. "I'm not finna move!"

"You will." He pulled the rope dragging her. Cenisa fought to stand up and the two were in tug of war. "Jing!"

"Nisa!" he hoisted the rope up and pulled. She dragged the dirt with her. "Come on. To Janluut!"

"I HATE YOU!"