Friends and Enemies

Abruptly Qingqing chuckled. "You want me to tell you my story, don't you, thinking you can give me advice as a naive young thing? Ah, you're a sentimental old thing."

Dao Ge looked a little abashed. "Eh, I'm not so benevolent," he said crossly. "If you don't want to talk about it, fine. It's not like I'm dying to hear. I, Dao Xieming, don't throw my words where they're not wanted."

He turned away resolutely. Qingqing laughed softly to herself, then sighed. "Well, I have nothing interesting or worthy to tell, anyway. Nothing like what you have in mind, that is."

"She saved my life once. That was how we first met. We wouldn't have been friends otherwise. We didn't have anything in common." She grinned at the memory. "Quarrelled pretty often, though of course I could never beat her in a fight. But I taught her some things too," she added with satisfaction, remembering their excursions to town.

"The fool went and fell in love with a worthless man, however, and sacrificed everything for him. I warned her. I told her he wasn't worth endangering herself for, but she didn't listen. Pah, so much for being older and wiser and more powerful than me! She got into so much trouble, she almost lost her life except for me. Never thought I would ever be the one rescuing her."

She continued, fiercely, "And then she disappeared--searching for him, no doubt!--without leaving any message. What kind of friend would do that? No, we're not friends." There was a trace of hurt in her voice, under the anger.

"She doesn't want to burden you," Dao Ge said immediately. Qingqing glanced sharply at him, but he was not looking at her. His eyes were fixed on the dirt between his feet. "She didn't abandon you as a friend. She wants to resolve this on her own, without dragging her friends into it. She doesn't have the face to see you until she does--you've done what you could for her, and she knows it. There's no need for you to feel bad; she doesn't want to be any more in your debt."

There was a pause, several moments too long, before he added quickly, "In my opinion, that is. I'm just theorizing."

"In your opinion," Qingqing repeated mockingly. "You sounded pretty convinced just now."

Dao Ge wisely said nothing, and after a while she continued restlessly, "Well, it won't be that simple for her to resolve it. She's up against a powerful enemy, the same one who almost killed her last time. Anyone would give it up after having lost so thoroughly once. But no, she's still determined to find her man at all costs." Her voice was scathing.

She stamped her foot irritably. "If the fool is so determined to die for love, why, who am I to stop her? I can't be bothered if she insists on ruining herself."

"You're a loyal fellow, little brother, that's why. You don't forget your friends, just as you don't forget your enemies." Dao Ge said softly. He dared not speak louder because Qingqing's glowering face showed she was in a touchy mood, and he had already learnt to humour her.

Qingqing said nothing for a long while. "I'd like to kill that monk," she said at last, savagely. "Eat the flesh from his bones piece by piece. Wipe that prim look off his face. Who does he think he is."

Dao Ge looked alarmed. He inched away from her uncomfortably. "Well, I'm not wrong about the enemies," he muttered to himself uneasily. "Looks like I just need to make sure I never make an enemy of you, little brother Qing."

He jumped violently when he realized she was glaring at him. "Eh?"

Qingqing was feeling vulnerable for having said so much, and turned prickly in an effort to cover it up. Hearing him mutter to himself had just made her feel keenly insecure. He was just another mortal, after all. How could he understand?

"I knew I shouldn't have talked about it. Now I'm in a bad mood. I'm going to go amuse myself. Don't follow me." she snapped.

Dao Ge watched her march off in amazement. "Well!" was all he could say, too shocked even to be offended.

Qingqing kicked a pebble in her path with so much vim it hit a passing dog in the flank and made it yelp. "Doesn't want to be a burden?" she repeated to herself through her teeth. "What does that mean? That old man's just trying to sound wise. Condescending bumpkin. What does he know."

Her face was more thoughtful than usual, however. Two girls passed by her, arm in arm, and stole glances at her with bright eyes as they did so.

"Look, don't you think that young gentleman in green over there is as handsome as your beloved Fangzhi?" giggled one, a delicate-looking maid dressed in yellow with jade drop earrings. "He's got such delicate and elegant features, and a graceful air."

Her friend, who was plump and pretty with the kind of eyes known as peach blossom eyes, shook her head behind the handkerchief she held demurely over her mouth. "Don't be silly. Fangzhi Ge has a more noble expression, though this gentleman isn't bad either. You're interested in him yourself, aren't you?" she teased. "Shall I help you inquire about him? For all you know he might be single and eligible. I can ask him who he is right now if you want!"

"You're embarrassing me in public," whispered the girl in yellow, hitting her playfully on the arm. "I'll teach you a lesson when we get back home. Let me see shall I tell Fangzhi Ge what you said of him?"

Mortified, her friend shook her. "Don't you dare! I won't lend you my rouge if you dare to do that, Xiu Meilin!"

"Then you'd better get me some mung bean biscuits! The sweet type, mind, not the salted."

"Fine, whatever you want, sister!"

They hurried by with little skips and hops, stifling their laughter and whispering eagerly to each other.

Qingqing watched them wistfully, without the heart even to take offense that they had decided this unknown Fangzhi was handsomer than her.