Chapter 13 Unlikely Friendship

Deming watched Hu Dingxiang, who was sitting only a few feet away from him, his heart beating faster. Seeing Hu Dingxiang's smiling face, he could still hear the chuckle of the boss. He wanted to get up and leave, but he knew that his chances of running away were slim. He knew that he had to find a good opportunity to escape from these two bad guys. Deming murmured with trembling lips, "You…"

Hu Dingxiang gave Deming a blank look and asked, "What's the matter?" He smiled at Deming.

Deming looked at Hu Dingxiang without blinking his eyes. He was taken aback, but he said, "You...look like me... like me?"

Hu Dingxiang said politely, "My mother once told me that I have a cousin who looks similar to me. We were born two hours apart. My uncle died and the child was lost. I have been searching for the child for these years. I just want to know what your last name is."

Deming knew that the story Hu Dingxiang just told was a lie to cover up his true intentions. It's not that he doesn't want to give Hu Dingxiang his surname, but that he doesn't remember his surname. He said, "I don't remember. I don't think I have one."

Hu Dingxiang smiled at Deming, "Maybe you are the lost brother I have been looking for. How about you accompany me to Mountain Village and ask my mother to confirm?"

Deming, "I will consider it."

Hu Dingxiang took out two oranges and handed them to Guozhao Zhiqiang, "For you."

Guozhao Zhiqiang took the oranges, "Dingxiang wait."

Hu Dingxiang smiled at Guozhao Zhiqiang, "What's wrong?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang said, "I'm sorry about what happened last night." He stretched out his hand and wiped the dirt off Hu Dingxiang's beautiful, dust-free face.

Hu Dingxiang softly chuckled, "Thank you Zhiqiang." He slowly walked back to his corner, still smiling at Guozhao Zhiqiang and Deming.

Deming knew that even in his sleep, he would not forget the soft laughter. He wants to escape here. The boss once told him that this man and the boss are very good friends. They both hurt him and humiliated him. He was used for entertainment between the two. He hates them very much. Now he can write names on their faces. The boss who tortured him for nineteen years was called Hu Dingxiang. The man who ruined his innocence was called Zhiqiang.

Guozhao Zhiqiang peeled the orange and handed one to Deming. Deming took the orange and started eating. Guozhao Zhiqiang looked at Deming and smiled at Deming's innocent face.

Tam Kun is grilling two fishes by the fire pit. He was startled and said, "Look over there you two, senior brother... he…"

Tam Liang, who was grilling other fish, he asked, "What about him?"

Tam Kun said in a surprised, "He smile."

Tam Qiu looked at her two brothers and said, "Mind your own business, unless we are going to eat burnt fish for dinner."

At midnight, Guozhao Zhiqiang released Tam Kun and Tam Liang. Hu Dingxiang also sat in front of the temple with Guozhao Zhiqiang. Since leaving Tam Village, they have never had a chance to talk to each other, so the two took advantage of this opportunity during the night watch to talk to each other. The two began their conversation.

Weici said, "Brother Deming."

Deming softly whispered, "Who is there?"

Weici, "It's me Weici. I'm right next to your left ear."

Deming pleaded, "Sister Weici, please help me. I want to leave here. Please help me."

Weici said, "Okay. Pick up that log and put it where you sleep."

Deming checked; everyone fell asleep. He slowly reached for a log that hadn't burnt. He put it by the wall. Deming then slowly hid behind the broken Buda statue. He watched the log suddenly change into the same posture as he was sleeping against the wall.

Weici quickly said, "Get moving."

The next morning, everyone was woken up, ready to leave. They watched Deming slept against the wall strangely.

Tam Kun said, "From last night until now, brother Deming's posture has not changed, how can he maintain this posture for so long?"

One of the juniors said, "Brother Deming must be too tired."

Tam Kun, "No matter how tired, maintaining a posture for a period of time is quite torturing."

The other juniors also agreed.

Tam Liang looked at Deming and asked, "Where is senior brother?"

Tam Kun looked at Tam Liang and said, "He talked about making a stretcher to carry brother Deming."

Tam Qiu looked at the two brothers and said, "Ah Kun wakes him up."

Tam Kun touched Deming's left shoulder, "Brother Deming wakes up." Deming did not answer. Tam Kun shook vigorously a few times. "Brother Deming wakes up." Then Deming's body fell to the right, it was just a piece of wood.

Tam Liang quickly looked around, "Where is he?"

Tam Kun frowned, "Tsk…senior brother is going to be very angry." He scratched his head.

The early morning sun has just risen from the bright red horizon. Weici carried Deming on her back. Weici said, "Brother Deming. If there are people, I will become a little ant."

Deming, "It sounds good. Thank you, sister Weici."

Weici said, "Stop calling me sister Weici. Simple Weici is good enough."

Deming said, "Okay Weici."

Weici asked, "Where do you want to go?"

Deming said, "I don't know. I have nowhere to go. I just want to stay away from those people."

Weici, "They are nice to you. They helped you deal with your wound. So, is there any problem?"

Deming said, "I have been a prisoner in a dark dungeon since I was six."

Weici, "What? Really?"

Deming nodded and continued, "I escaped by mistake. The others treated me well, but two of those people wanted to put me back in that dark dungeon again. I couldn't fight them. I could only escape from them."

Weici asked, "Then do you have a place to go?"

Deming shook his head and said, " Anywhere far away from them would be good enough for me."

Weici said, "How about we go to Waterfall City? I heard that the mayor there treats everyone equally. No one dares to make trouble in Waterfall City. Then we go to the Wasteland. Then we go to visit the 'Wall of Heroes', then we can visit the Friendship Bridge, and look at the outside of Immortal Valley. If we are lucky, we might see a centaur. It's far to the north."

Deming smiled and said, "It sounds like a good plan, and it's also a very exciting adventure."

Weici asked, "So, do you agree?"

Demin nodded happily, "Yes."

Weici said excitedly, "Waterfall City, here we come." She began to hum. "Brother Deming, do you mind if I hum?"

Deming said, "Not at all, it sounds very pleasant."

Weici smiled and said, "Well, then I will continue to hum."

When the sun rose on the horizon in the early morning, Weici carried Deming on her back. The black ant the size of a pony, carrying a man on her back, humming and crawling along the lonely dirt road towards Waterfall City.