Chapter 5 : Heartbreaker

"Li Wei, tell me about yourself," she stare at the young guy eating dinner in front of her. Judging from his temperament and the way he eat, she can clearly see that this guy have a good upbringing, probably coming from a good, well educated family.

He stare at her for a while, stuffing another meat inside his mouth.

'For a 10 years old, her cooking skill is not bad.'

"Oh well, seems like I just need to interrogate you myself," she put down her bowl and stare at him.

"How old are you?"

"14 years old"

"Where are you from?"

"Donghai Province"

'Well, where the fuck is that, my knowledge about this place is so basic. Ahh nevermind…'

"I saw you reading the book on that table. You can read?"

"Of course..."

"So which school you go?"

"School…?" He paused for a while, thinking, "I went to school for a while, then I learn reading from a friend."

'Ahh I see. I'm home-schooled too. My master make me learn...'

"So by the way, why did you end up being sold as a slave?"

He stay quiet for a while, sorrow and sadness can be seen from his eyes.

"You know what, nevermind, you don't have to talk about it. I won't make you talk about it."

"Its okay, since you saved my life, I trust you with my life," he drink a cup of tea before continuing, " I was born in Donghai Province. My family is a merchant family doing business at the city. Donghai city is a city by the sea, it's a port famous for trading goods from all around the continence. Our family is one of the richest family in the city."

'Ahhh.. rich guy indeed.'

"When the war broke out 5 years ago, a lot of innocent citizens where killed in our city. The enemy's army are everywhere, killing thousands of lives. Because of the rich resources in our city and its location as a harbor city, the invading country wanted to take over the city and conquer it."

'5 years ago.. Her parents in this world were also killed in the war.'

"The night the army invade our city, it was chaos everywhere in the city. There is almost no where to run. Thousands of army are invading the city, they burn building everywhere and kill innocent lives. My parents took me through the secret path to the port, where a boat was waiting to take us away. However that night, we encounter an army blocking our path. My father try to divert their attentions so my mother and I can run away safely. We promised to meet at the port, but he never make it there."

Thinking about that bloody night, he can never forget how his father die brutally in the hands of the troops, while his mother and him hide in the shadow, trying not to cry watching his father who desperately trying to save his family.

"My mother and I managed to get away from the city that night, and the boat take us to a small fisherman town. My mother however, started to get sick. She was too depressed because of my father's death. Watching her cry everyday breaks my heart. She looks like a body without a soul. She cry all day, she refuse to talk with anyone, she even refuse to eat. 2 years later when I was 11, she passed away. I was so happy when she passed away, because I know she finally got what she wished for – she just want to be together with my father again. I scatter her ash in the ocean, then I join a merchant boat and sail around the continent."

He paused for a while, drinking another cup of tea.

"Since the past couple of years, I sailed with the merchant. However, few week ago, our boat was attacked by pirate when we were nearby this province. Most of the crews on the boat are either killed or captured as slaves. The separate us and took us to different places. They sold me to a mine owner and I was forced to mine. After few days there, the mine owner's daughter saw me and took a liking to me, and said that she want me to be her husband. She must be crazy, she's too violent and too ugly, I would rather die than marry her. So I try run away when she took me home, but I was captured back instead. They torture me for a week or so, before they sold me to the slave trader. That's how I meet you."

"Ahh I see.. Such an unfortunate life you have lived. You must suffer a lot."

There was a long pause between them.

"Li Wei, I don't need a slave. I'm not going to treat you as a slave. I don't buy you because I need a slave or whatsoever. I just want to save you back then. I couldn't stand seeing a helpless human dying before me when I have the power the help them. Its against my principle in life."

"I know. I can see that you're that kind of person."

He look at her and smile. That was the first time she saw him smile since the first time they meet.

'Ahh.. he's kinda good looking, he's gonna grow up to be a heartbreaker. I'm certain of this.'

"Since master is currently not here, you can stay around and help me. I kinda need help watering the herbs. That's where all the money for our foods come from. So it's a very important task, okay? You don't have to worry about foods or place to live while you're here, we'll split the profit when we make some sales in the city."

"Don't worry about the money – as long as I have food to eat and place to sleep, I'm good enough." He's grateful enough that the little girl saved him from dying few days ago. Few days ago, he really thought that it's the end of his life. He really give up that time, until he saw the little girl standing in the crowds with eyes full of compassions.

"All my money are earned from growing herbs and making medicines, and occasionally treating patients in the city and nearby town. Master left a lot of books on medicines and poisons in the medicine room, you can read any book there if you want. Other than helping me to water the herbs, there's nothing much to do here, so feel free to do anything you like," she paused for a while, thinking "well I guess that's all. We'll go with the flows."

"Alright, I guess its settled then."

***

Its been 4 years since Ning Qiuyue brought Li Wei home to the peak of the mountain.

This year, he will turn 18 years old, and Ning Qiuyue turns 14 years old.

As she has predicted, 18 years old Li Wei is indeed a heartbreaker. Whenever he went to the city for business, flock of girls start following him around, trying to get as close as possible to him, throwing their self to his arms, climbing his bed and trying all means to get him. Who knows how many girls were lining up to be his bride – he play along for a while, entertaining them for a while before he got bored with the girl, toss them away and then he will play around with another girl. For this reason, Ning Qiuyue hates to be around him when they go to the city and pretend she didn't know him. There is only 2 outcomes when they go to the city together – either she will be attacked by his crazy lovers who hate her because he always stick around her, or she will end up forced to match make the girl and Li Wei.

"Brother Wei Wei, please stop attracting girls and using me as a repellant!"

"Hey, it can't be help that your brother is so good looking that girls are lining up and throwing their self to me, okay?"

"…" This has been their arguments since who know when.

Li Wei has been studying the medicines books left by Ning Qiuyue's master, and he been especially interested with studying poisons. His knowledge in poisons are much better than Ning Qiuyue herself, who in the past 4 years, focused herself on 2 important aspects – practicing medicines so she won't disappoint her master, and indulging herself in cuisines and delicacy. She turns to a mini version of her master who spend a lot of times cooking in the kitchen. With Li Wei around, she doesn't have to worry much about making money. Li Wei is so efficient, with his innate talents and experience as a merchant, he soon turn into a money making machine in the past few years.

And thus their daily routine will be - One person busy healing a patient, while another one was busy poisoning people. What a deadly combo!

Since she started gaining weight from eating too much, Li Wei has no choice but to start training her hard and polishing her martial arts before she turn to a pig!

"Brother Wei Wei, time out! Time out! Ahhh stop hitting me!"

"This is what happened when you eat too much and refused to train! Look, even a pig can run faster than you!"

"Brother Wei Wei, how can you treat your sister like this? Wu wu wu…"

"Since when did I become your brother?? I don't have a piggy sister like you!"

"I'm not a pig!"

"Who say you're a pig? Don't put the pig's clan to shame! Even a pig is better than you!"

"Monster..ahhh.. Save me! Wolfie, save me!"

The wolf and the tiger staring not far away, 'sorry miss, we don't want to get hit by Li Wei'

This brother of hers turns out to be a bigger monster than her master. At least her master won't cut off her eating portions and make her suffer on diet.