Reminisce

"Old Long, have that thing completed yet?" asked Mu Xinyi to the artisan in front of her as soon as she arrived. However, the sound of people talking while making the clay makes her voice drown. She went and ticked the back of one of the men in the workshop and the man known as Long Mong quickly looked back.

Long Mong. He is a well-known artisan in Hépíng who specialises in pottery. Many people buy pottery from him including some high-ranking nobles, but truthfully, he also specialises in other things – The thing that only Mu Xinyi knows.

"It's been months, old long!" She said with a familiar tone.

Long Mong was dejected looking at Mu Xinyi's face; he shows the obvious on his face. The appearance of innocent 16 years old boy that perfectly fits her makes him annoying, 'there are still unsettle things between us,' thought him with a complicated heart.

"So, today you're are a poor boy or…beggar?" Long Mong asked Mu Xinyi as he eyed her up and down. She wore a pair of low-grade clothes that a commoner usually wears. With a face full of dirt, people would think of her as what they saw—either a lowly commoner or a beggar.

"She always put on a disguise, who exactly is she…" whispered Long Mong slow enough that only he can hear it even though his other 3 workers sit not far from him.

His eyes still observe Mu Xinyi from top to bottom. Mu Xinyi noticed his attention. A fun idea came to her mind. Thus, she started acting twit, "Oh, no! Don't look at me like that, you pervert old man!" She hugged herself like a v*rgin girl who wanted to protect her precious body.

Reacted to Mu Xinyi, Long Mong directed his eyes elsewhere, wanting to turn a blind eye but, Mu Xinyi did not give up acting silly. She began to check and tighten up her clothes – Long Mong ended up bursting out laughing.

"Bahahaha…hahaha. What's happened to you today?" Long Mong wiped a tiny tear that come out from his eyes. For him, Mu Xinyi is too amusing today which is not as 'active' as always. He also felt like he just regaining another strength to do work.

"Of course, I'm scare right now! What else do you think when you look at me like that? Eww…what a pervert old man?!" replied Mu Xinyi with a joke.

Long Mong still laughing. He knew that Mu Xinyi only mean to tease him. He stood up and go to his house just behind the workshop to take the thing she had asked him to make three months ago.

After a while, he comes back. His clear front appearance in Mu Xinyi's eyes gives her another idea to tease him. "Seriously, you should fix your hair and shave all that, your beard and sideburns, Old Long!" she nagged with a high-pitch voice which will annoy anyone who heard it while pointing at Long Mong's face. The 3 workers there closed their ears in hurry. They looked at her unsatisfied.

"Ahem. Ah, my throat so sore today…what's wrong with my voice?" she gave an excuse. The 3 of them continue working.

Long Mong shook his head.

Meanwhile, Mu Xinyi did not feel any fun teasing him anymore – Although she nags him outside, deep in her heart, she hopes that Long Mong will understand the meaning behind it.

"Did you hear me, Old Long?"

Long Mong ignored her. He had been listening to this kind of talk since they first met. It's not that he did not want to, but he is still not ready to face the 'real' world yet.

"Here." Mu Xinyi immediately took what Long Mong give her. It was wrapped tightly in a thick brown cloth.

She lifted it without removing the cloth, 'it feel pleasantly light despite the cloth still intact and the scabbard still on the sword,' she was pleased with the sword—the items she had asked Long Mong for.

Satisfied with the outcome, instantly, she pulled out an ingot of gold from her sleeve and handed it over to Long Mong. Long Mong's workers were shocked – their eyeballs almost come out. They gulped seeing the gold that never even once in their hand.

Casually, Mu Xinyi said, "Take it. I don't have anything smaller than that."

Shaking his head, Long Mong accepted it without arguing because it was the usual thing that happened between them. He thought there was no point in arguing with the girl in front of him about such things.

*****

After a long chat in the pottery shop, Mu Xinyi waved her hand, saying goodbye to Long Mong, her trusted acquaintance. She left with a smile on her face. Though not last than 3 seconds, her eyes expressed opposite expressions, burying the smile that can lie others' eyes.

Long Mong looked at Mu Xinyi's back as she left. His chest tightened – He suddenly remembered the first time they meet. The memory surely was not that good, but for him, it was unforgettable because of how their first encounter was.

*****

Two years ago,

In Dà (big) forest, which is located near the abandoned village in Hépíng city, Húdié (butterfly).

Cling. Clang. Cling.

Long Mong turned his head toward the sound of clashing swords. Carefully, he walked with a light step so that no one would notice him. Unfortunately, when he almost arrived, the sound was suddenly gone. Only the dead bodies of several men in black can be seen.

Zzap.

"What—"

"Who are you?"

A sharp sword thrust against his neck. With a clean and smooth movement of the other person that appear out of the blue, Long Mong stopped breathing for a moment - he was startled. He did not even get the slightest chance to block against it.

'…so fast!' He grumbled. Luckily, his good body reflects instinctively. He managed to stop turning his head to the other side as he felt a murderous aura approaching him. If not, his head would have already hit the ground.

Haa…huff. Long Mong drew a deep breath. Standing calmly, he is thinking on how to get out of the situation. Shortly after getting an idea, he slowly glanced toward his back, where that person was currently standing.

"I'm not with them."

Tap. Blood flow out in instant from his neck – The sword had pierced his skin.

'Urghh…This is mad!' he looked at the sharp sword that had no shiver on it, 'she didn't believe me even a bit…'

"It's true, I'm just a passer-by. I got lost in this mountain."

"Ha, you're a wicked man!" The voice behind his ear changed to hostile. Long Mong blinked several times, he did not expect what he said to have the opposite effect.

Swoosh. The atmosphere abruptly heated—it becomes tense. His body felt hot and his instinct tells the danger is coming.

'Shit!' Long Mong used Thousands Wind Steps when he saw a blind spot. Seeing his opponent's aggressive fighting style, he believed that this person—this woman—surely wanted to kill him. So, he decided to flee to save his one, and only life.