Meng Chin 3

Meng Chin would speak for a long time like this, her head leaning on Xiao Fan's shoulder while the person being leaned on didn't get to talk.

At all.

And it would be like this for an hour or two as Meng Chin sobbed and told her story as she made it, though Meng Chin wasn't actually telling her real story, she was telling a sob story that she was making up.

She might be lazy and all, but she sure did know when a cherry blossom tree had died, and her tree had been dead for years already, All this was about was to tell a story to Xiao Fan, who had no other option than to believe her.

In her mind, he was still a boy who wouldn't question her storytelling, and she was right because Xiao Fan was eating it all up, it was even making him have feelings of sorrow.

Xiao Fan was beginning to feel like he shouldn't be so hard on Meng Chin as she seemed to have her own problems that he hadn't taken to account. He hadn't known what Meng Chin's childhood and upbringing had been, and now listening to her story was making him feel bad for her.

The story itself was about how Meng Chin had gone through so many bad years in her family, her parents, and then with the sect.

The story was based mainly on Meng Chin's childhood. However, every positive part about it was made into a negative, letting the sly woman tell it on the go.

Talking about the sect was even easier, she only needed to take examples of stories that had happened and fuse them or pick parts of them and tell them to Xiao Fan.

The Rising Fox Sect had so many horror stories of love and such that no one even knew them all, so Xiao Fan couldn't really confirm them through others. Forced marriages and assassinations were a regular part of the sect; it was even on the level of dark side sects in them.

Meng Chin took these stories and told Xiao Fan how experiencing all this had made her complacent and a hermit who rarely spent time with others.

Xiao Fan being the person he was didn't see anything wrong with her stories and believed them as if a student listening to the teacher.

¨But, from now on I'll try my best to become a better person¨ Were her final words.

When the story hour ended, Xiao Fan had heard so many stories that he was now the one sobbing, and he even now thought that he had had it easy compared to Meng Chin.

¨You will be trying to be better... That is good to hear¨ Was the response that the sobbing Xiao Fan could give her.

Following this, it would take another moment before Meng Chin would say more as she waited for Xiao Fan to stop crying to her made out story. Seeing him like this, she did feel like she had gone a little overboard, but the effect she wanted had been applied.

Then when Xiao Fan was finally back to normal Meng Chin spoke to him ¨Now that the tree is dead I think I should start by getting rid of it¨

¨Burning the old to make way for the new¨ She stated with a newfound confidence in her tone.

Or so that is how Xiao Fan heard it ¨That's a good idea¨ And responded accordingly to her idea to start a new page in her life. Then Xiao Fan got up with Meng Chin and was then leaving the courtyard while asking her ¨I'll go and get the matches, but where are they?¨

¨They are on the mantel¨ She spoke while going towards the tree.

Xiao Fan confirmed with a nod before walking inside towards where the fireplace was.

And so back to the old Meng Chin's house, it was a house that was still filled with unnecessary things lying on the floor and dust gathering everywhere.

This would need to change and soon, he thought.

After getting the matchbox that was on the fireplace mantel, he got back to the courtyard where it seemed that Meng Chin was saying last goodbyes to her cherry blossom tree.

¨Don't think about it too much. When it's gone you can start a new, and everything will be better then¨ Xiao Fan came walking towards her while speaking.

¨Un. If you say so¨ She responded while looking up towards the leaves of the tree.

¨Trust me. You have gone through so much, moreover, there is so much talent in you that if you try, you'll be successful¨ He cheered the woman who seemed already thinking if this was correct.

No response came, but he didn't mind, right now he wanted to burn down the tree before she got any second ideas.

But he might have been already too late as when he was taking out a match from the box, for one of Meng Chin's hands blocked him from taking it.

'Is she already reverting back to her old ways?' Xiao Fan zapped a little from the fright as he thought about this.

However it was only a scare ¨No I want to change and to do so, I must burn it myself¨ She expressed, looking Xiao Fan into his eyes.

¨That is an even better idea¨ Xiao Fan agreed with her idea, and wanting to cheer her up made it known.

Xiao Fan then gave the matchbox to Meng Chin who took one of the matches out of there and lit it.

¨For a better future¨ She claimed as she was taking the lit match closer to the bark of the tree.

But doing it, she was waiting for Xiao Fan to say it and was acting slowly but realising that he wouldn't repeat it she proceeded.

Xiao Fan didn't realise what she wanted him to do or didn't feel like saying it. He simply watched a few meters behind her as the match that Meng Chin was holding touched the tree's bark and set it aflame.

The tree seemed to lit easily, since the flame didn't need any help, and only a moment later, the tree was completely lit, burning from the inside out.

It seemed that the tree was already hollow as the cherry blossom tree became a fire pillar that could be seen from anywhere in the sect.

A fire pillar towering a few stories was easy enough to see even from below for the sky was completely blue in the background making the smoke visible. And while the fire would be seen close only by Xiao Fan who was holding Meng Chin's hand, many others would see it from further away.

Many people had known that the cherry blossom tree of Meng Chin had been dead for a while, and now seeing it burn was only a happy thing.

The traditional faction could use this to pressure her, while the people in the progressive faction were either happy that it was gone or perceived this as Meng Chin trying to reform her lazy ways.

Anyway everyone in the sect would know something was happening around Meng Chin.

Pretty much oblivious to the consequences Xiao Fan was watching the tree burn in silence with Meng Chin while also thinking about the best way to help her move on.

There should be many ways to reform a person, but what would be the correct way in Meng Chin's situation? Xiao Fan knew that she was relying a little too much on him currently and that she would fall back to her bad habits rapidly if given a reason or a setback.

And if he was to be the person helping her to get going again, he reasoned that the start needed to be very slight, easy things with big rewards.

He even had one thing that fit the description.

¨I think the best way to start a new would be to clean your house and tend to the garden, you want to do that?¨ He broke the silence by suggesting the next action.

'Ugh, do I really need to do stuff like that...' Was the thing that Meng Chin wanted to say, but wanting Xiao Fan to like her she didn't.

For him, she put on a hopeful smile and spoke ¨Sure, let us start doing so tomorrow¨ And then tried to drag Xiao Fan towards her bedroom.

¨No no, we will start now¨ He spoke, immediately noting how her cheerfulness was vanishing and so added in ¨How about this. If we clean a few rooms today, I'll massage you after it?¨

¨Deal¨ Meng Chin said, now skipping into the house as if she was a young girl full of energy and hope.

The offer that Xiao Fan had made was enough for Meng Chin to work. This was the first time Xiao Fan had agreed to ¨help¨ her, so she didn't push it anymore.

While Xiao Fan thought that at least this was a start while walking to the direction the new reformed Meng Chin had gone.

Coming inside, he had thought that Meng Chin would have logically started from the lobby, yet she hadn't.

'Well it is a big room' He thought to himself as he was going towards the room where there was noise.

The room that Meng Chin had started cleaning from was near the lobby; however, it was a room that was multiple times smaller than the lobby. Noting this, Xiao Fan first wanted to talk about this but then seeing how energetically Meng Chin was tackling the problem he didn't want any more friction.

Also, he had noted to himself that he shouldn't be too hard on the woman, and so saying nothing, he began to clean the room with her.

Soon they were making good progress with the cleaning.

Meng Chin was holding the bag open where to Xiao Fan would put the trash inside it and then take it out when filled, though Meng Chin just acted as if she was doing something while she mostly lazed around and watched Xiao Fan working for her.

However her perfect plan was cut short, as it was still day at this point, and so soon they got visitors, or Xiao Fan got them, but living with Meng Chin, they came to her place.

These two were Fei Sun and Zhuan An who had come looking for their future husband.

Seeing the two of them when he was taking out a bag full of trash Xiao Fan went back to Meng Chin to tell her about it.

¨Meng Chin, I'm stopping for today. Zhuan An and Fei Sun are here looking for me¨ Xiao Fan came explaining into the room that they had almost cleaned.

¨What you going to leave me cleaning here alone while you go and play with your wives? No way boy¨ She refused right after hearing him speak.

¨This is your thing. I was merely helping you¨ Xiao Fan didn't understand what she was so disappointed about?

¨You said if we clean this room, you'll give me a massage, remember?¨ Meng Chin spoke the thing she was worried about so much.

Making Xiao Fan puzzled for a moment before realising his own wording ¨Ah sure. If you finish cleaning this room the deal is still on¨ He thought she was concerned about his promise.

However, she wasn't.

¨We were supposed to do this together¨ Meng Chin lamented in a voice that reminded a young girl not a sect elder twice his age.

¨Okay, okay. Then let us continue tomorrow¨ But before he ended his sentence he spoke again ¨I'll give you the massage today¨ He felt helpless against her. And he was. Xiao Fan literally couldn't do anything against her, so he promised to give Meng Chin what she wanted.

Xiao Fan might not have wanted to give it so easily to her, but oh well.

Nevertheless, now seeing that Meng Chin was finally happy, Xiao Fan knew that she was taken care of, and so went to welcome his wives waiting for him.

Yes, Xiao Fan was now calling them that, he might not have wanted that to become a reality, and it was not optimal for him. However, what was he going to do? If he wouldn't follow this, well he didn't want to think about what this crazy sect would do to him. Second, the cards were played, and he needed to play with the cards he currently held in his hands. Doing that would mean to be on the good side of these women.

Plus, why not? He, himself had been forced to this; he had no say in this arrangement! Du Lan and Qian Ki couldn't say he shouldn't have done it.

Xiao Fan conceived this to himself like this, and so, as he walked to meet them, a smile appeared on his face, for he thought he was being the sly one inside this house.