2. Cupid Call

Over the next couple of days, Mai stayed with the mysterious man who only introduced himself as a mysterious person, so she had named him Mr. M. They lived outside the Thousand Blossom City in the mountains in a simple little primitive red temple building where Mai took care of all the household chores. It was the least she could do because he had saved her. She had never cooked Chinese food before, only Japanese, so it was an eye-opener for her to be taught by Mr. M himself. His chicken soup with wide noodles tasted heavenly. There had been no change in her identity, and she still wore women's clothing.

But today she was extremely excited because Mr. M had promised to show her a secret.

"Are you ready to learn something from me, my disciple?" asked Mr. M, standing in the garden, which was part of the large forest belonging to the mountains behind.

Mai nodded and he slowly approached her showing her his right palm. He stretched out his fingers, so they were clearly visible. They had no wrinkles despite his age, and she sensed something otherworldly about them.

"We humans use our hands for many things but did you know that each finger has a symbolism depending on which culture we come from?"

He moved his slender fingers as if they were dancing magical steps and Mai swore she saw golden thin waves emanating from them. Her heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"I once had a friend who loved the spiritual and could read palms. There was definitely a fortune teller in her."

Her friend Felice was a priest's daughter and lived on the other side of a cemetery and she loved playing with board games during girls' nights which terrified Mai. Her large house only made it worse. As an adult Mai found out that it was an Ouija board they had used as children that still scared her for life.

Mr. M flicked his pinkie finger. "It symbolizes intelligence and communication."

He flicked his ring finger. "Commitment, emotional, bonding."

He flicked his middle finger. "Responsibility, protection and individuality."

He flicked his index finger. "Authority, ambition and leadership."

He flicked his thumb. "Power, strength and dominance."

Mai was completely captivated. Is he some kind of a finger god?

"I'm all ears master. Tell me more." she said becoming excited.

Her heart beat faster and she moved her fingers like him.

"I am no god just an old man. I have no heirs so is that something you are interested in?" he asked looking deep into her eyes.

Mai hesitated when she heard his question because she was afraid to accept his hand.

I can't walk around with man's hands. 

What on earth would she inherit?

She felt a scratching sensation in her throat and coughed.

She cleared her throat and asked, "If I say yes will I become as strong as you?"

"Strength can mean many things. One can be physically and mentally strong so what do you see as strong?" he asked pulling his hand back.

Mai suddenly became unsure. Martial arts looked cool, but didn't warriors always struggle with something else like communication? Many of them seemed rather... plain.

"One needs both but not everyone has them."

"Correct and that's why the world is as it is now. You don't like violence so I don't intend to teach you martial arts." Mr. M now showed her both of his palms.

Mai furrowed her brows and looked at his left hand. She had no idea what was about to happen, and a master would never reveal their abilities until they had imparted them to their disciple. She nodded and held her hands in front of him.

"Do you accept my inheritance, disciple?" He asked blinking.

"Your disciple accepts. I promise to make you proud. If I break my promise lightning will strike me." Mai replied cupping her fist as she had seen men do here when they greeted each other.

Mr. M nodded and extended his left hand gently pushing Mai in the middle of her chest. She felt a burning warm hand and the warmth spread throughout her body. Her clothes and hair fluttered, and she slowly lifted off the ground. The heat concentrated in her heart, and she felt it beat even faster. There was a piercing pain and she struggled to breathe. Taking deep breaths her heartbeat slowed down. The heat dissipated and she landed on the ground on her knees. She stood up and looked at her hands but saw nothing magical about them.

"You have inherited The Finger System from me. You were born in the Year of the Horse and in the Month of Cancer so in your case your powers come from your emotions so you must be careful before using them. The first lesson today is to teach you about the fingers on your hand."

Mr. M withdrew his left hand and flicked his pinkie finger on his right hand.

"Skill: Clear Mind. It clears the mind and relaxes one. It can also purify depending on the situation."

He brought his pinkie finger towards her forehead and lightly tapped it.

*Ping*

She immediately felt something cool going through her head and everything around her suddenly seemed clearer. She could suddenly see the tree far away more clearly and she felt she could solve a complicated math calculation even though she hated math.

"Wow master. This is... I have no words for it."

She became excited and now looked forward to learning about the other fingers.

"Try doing it on yourself." Mr. M said withdrawing his hand and placing them on his back.

Mai felt strange about performing abilities on herself. One does not strike oneself. If one could clear their mind it would be cheating.

"Isn't it cheating to do it on yourself?" she asked.

Mr. M furrowed his brows and asked, "What do you define as cheating?"

"Something that goes against what is ethically correct." Mai replied.

He scratched his chin and pondered over her words.

"Who says what is ethically correct?"

Now it was Mai who had to ponder over his words. In Denmark it was the Parliament that had the final say namely the Prime Minister but here it was the Emperor or rather the politicians who backed him up.

"That's a tough one. It's what people decide is ethically correct."

"There is only one who can decide for us." Mr. M pointed to the sky alluding to God.

"But he is not here now so who decides what is wrong and right? Do you think the world would be as it is now if it were built on honesty?"

Mai wanted to learn about the fingers but instead it had turned into a lesson about ethics, and she now regretted mentioning it.

"Okay, I take back my words, master."

She closed her eyes and felt her emotions becoming one with them. A warmth spread from her heart and her hands grew warm.

"Clear Mind." she mumbled and suddenly there was a burning heat in her pinkie finger.

She pointed it to her forehead but felt nothing magical and furrowed her brows.

She made eye contact with Mr. M. "You tricked me. It doesn't work."

He chuckled loudly. "I never said it worked. I just suggested you could try it on yourself. Those are two different things. Besides they don't work on yourself. It would be crazy if they did."

For Mai to learn about the ring finger they had to go down to the city and with Mr. M's help she was disguised as a boy.

The Thousand Blossom City was bustling with old-fashioned wooden carts pulled by horses and a scent of spices, meat and vegetables hanging in the air. People walked around in beautiful colorful robes ranging from neutral white to floral colors. Women's hair was elegantly styled adorned with colorful flowers and their dresses and clothes gave them a dainty look resembling small porcelain dolls. It was the first time Mai was here because her parents had confined her to the mansion.

"Your name is Luo Tian if anyone asks." Mr. M suddenly said and her worries about the Liu family vanished.

"Thank you master. I hadn't thought that far ahead." she said looking at him and smiling broadly.

"We are master and disciple now so stop smiling like that. It makes you look like a girl." he said looking away and coughing.

They walked for some time and suddenly they stopped at a huge red building with a green curved roof where there was a large figure of a golden dragon with a serpent body on the roof.

"The Blossoming Blossom." Mai read and tasted something sour.

She squinted at Mr. M. "Master, do you have impure thoughts or are you here to sell me?"

He chuckled loudly and replied, "I have a friend who works here. He will help you with your next skill or rather his son will."

Mai hoped it didn't involve anything intimate because then she would give him the finger in revenge.

At the entrance they were greeted by two women who reeked of strong perfume and had thick makeup on their faces. They were led out to a huge courtyard with an extension to a large garden that resembled a palace. There was a strong perfume all over mixed with flowers and incense and Mai felt nauseous. She wrinkled her nose. It was a bit too strong for her delicate nose.

"Little boy, wait in here." said one of the women looking at her and they continued out to the garden leaving Mai to herself.

She had no intention of waiting and chose to explore the garden. There were small flower beds with benches and beautiful large bonsai trees that gave it a cozy look. It reminded her a lot of a romantic park but with an ancient atmosphere. Suddenly she saw a boy wearing black clothes standing and hiding behind a dark building.

She walked up to him and poked his back. "What are you doing?"

He turned around and she was met with a cute face. His hair was tied up in a bun and there was a dragon on the front of his clothes that made him look mighty.

"I don't want to go home. At least there's freedom here." he replied sulking.

"If you want freedom you must make your own rules but first you must become strong so people bother to listen to you." Mai said.

It was something her father had always hammered into her head.

The boy studied her closely and stuck his head right up in her face. He suddenly sniffed her and looked at her in surprise.

"Why do you smell like lilies? Do you work here?"

Mai felt the urge to hit him. She clenched her fist and moved it towards him but stopped herself. Instead, she gently poked his left cheek with her ring finger. He blinked and stared at her for a moment. Suddenly his cheeks slowly turned a reddish hue.

Mai noticed his reaction and furrowed her brows asking, "Are you sick?"

She leaned forward and touched his forehead. He's burning up!

"You should..."

"Will you marry me?" the boy blurted out suddenly.

Mai thought she had heard wrong. "Aren't you too young to get married?"

"I can choose my wife soon." he said sending her a charming smile.

If he's like this now, he'll be a playboy in the future. 

Mai furrowed her brows and said in a cold voice "I am a boy. Are you blind?"

"I can see clearly. You are a girl in disguise. Who are you trying to fool? So will you marry me?" asked the boy sticking his head right up in her face so their noses almost touched.

Mai felt his breath and she could smell a faint scent of flowers.

She furrowed her brows.

Why does he smell like flowers?

Unless he swings that way. 

She wanted to tease him and gave him a light kiss on the right cheek.

"Goodbye perverse boy." she said and ran towards the entrance waiting for Mr. M.

The boy stood back holding his cheeks with both hands.

"She smells nice. Those who work here don't bring their children and only certain people have access to this place. Is she a minister's daughter?" A silly smile spread across the boy's lips, and he began to daydream.

"Crown Prince Jinling. I finally found you. Come it's time to head home." An officer in black leather armor ran up to him and held out his hand to the boy bringing him back to reality.

He sighed deeply and took the hand but before they turned around the building, he cast one last glance at Mai who stood with her back to him at the entrance.

He looked at the officer. "I've found my future wife so tell the Empress she can drop all those marriage proposals."

"Crown Prince, that's something all the ministers decide along with the Empress. I have no say in it." the officer replied nervously.

Mai only waited a few minutes before Mr. M found her. He had brought along a young man holding a little boy's hand who seemed to be around the same age as her.

She blinked. Who the heck is this?

She looked up at Mr. M and furrowed her brows. "Master, are you trying to find a future husband for me? I'm not interested."

"Press him on the chest with your ring finger. That's your second lesson" he replied.

Mai focused her energy in her body and emitted a warmth that concentrated in her ring finger. She gently tapped the boy's chest.

They waited.

Mai didn't know what they were waiting for.

After a minute had passed Mr. M shook his head and said, "It seems you're not ready yet."

He looked at the man. "Brother thank you for your help and sorry for the inconvenience."

"I had time and was curious when I heard you had a disciple. He's quite slim." replied the man scratching his cheek as he looked at Mai with curious eyes.

Mr. M and Mai said goodbye to the father and the boy and headed home.

When they were out of sight the boy suddenly looked up at his father and asked, "Dad, can I marry him? I like him!"

As they walked up the mountain Mai looked at Mr. M and became curious about the ring finger.

"What's the name of that skill master?" she asked.

"Cupid Call. It evokes love and affection in others," he replied making eye contact with her. "but it seems you need to train it some more."

"How often does that skill work?" Mai asked becoming curious.

"Every time but remember your powers are driven by your emotions." Mr. M replied picking up the pace.