Chapter 28: Accommodating Travels

The next day, Xiaogua went looking for Xiu'er all over the city the entire morning and brought A'Li with him. If only A'Li had a keen nose it would make the job a lot easier for them, but he was still a baby monkey and he was the wrong animal. Finally, they found her by the same river where they let go of Yaoyao's body.

He told her that he tried explaining everything to Kun Shang last night, even the part that they saw Chun Yi backed away from the girl's body, but Kun Shang thought it was too simple of a situation to conclude that Chun Yi killed Yaoyao and continued to call it a misunderstanding until he figured out the whole truth.

Why did Kun Shang have to hurt her this way? Just when they were about to get to know each other, someone had to come in and ruin it. He better plan an even more exceptional way to apologize next time.

Xiu'er didn't want to create any more trouble for Xiaogua, so she left the river peacefully with him.

A'Li climbed onto her and rubbed his nose with her's. It was a way for him to show sincerity.

The Bhuddist monk had left earlier that morning before Xiaogua came.

Before Xiu'er got back to the inn, Kun Shang was talking with Silang and Sher Tu in the dining room. The first floor of the inn was entirely situated with tables just like a restaurant would be. There was a stair in the back of the room leading off to the side and then upstairs. The counter where the inn owner sat to do accounting was actually right beside the front door so when customers walked in, he could greet them right away and attend to their needs.

Kun Shang told Silang and his sister to return with Sher Tu to his hometown to find their uncle. Kun Shang had been easily convinced by Silang that their uncle was the same Physician Shu from Yu Chi Village.

The only problem was that Xiu'er had been gone all night and all morning while Sher Tu needed to leave as soon as possible the next day. If Xiu'er doesn't return soon he'll have to leave the both of them behind. He waited the entire morning until the afternoon and apologized to Kun Shang that he really needed to return to the village. Maybe Kun Shang could arrange something else for the siblings afterwards if Xiu'er comes back, but Sher Tu had to go.

Silang said that it doesn't matter. If Kun Shang doesn't personally chaperone the siblings to Yu Chi Village to find their Uncle, Xiu'er will never forgive him nor get over Yaoyao's death. He could disregard the little girl's death because he had never met the kid, but Xiu'er saw everything. Along with that, Kun Shang didn't believe Xiu'er and trusted Chun Yi, someone he had barely met, who was innocent of killing a child. Why was it that if he was to choose the two people to believe, Xiu'er and Chun Yi, he chose to believe in Chun Yi? That broke Xiu'er's heart. And he owed that to her to bring her safely to her uncle.

"Shh!" Kun Shang shushed him. Chun Yi was somewhere in the inn and he didn't want her to hear this.

"Oh, so you're protecting her now?" Silang blinked in exaggerated shock. "I don't care if she hears me. I can say whatever I want. It's a free world! I can say whatever I waaant!"

The inn owner walked past them and told Silang to shut up. He closed his mouth and blinked.

Sher Tu decided to leave the capital first. After he left, Kun Shang said one last time that he was still on a long term mission and would not be able to chaperone the siblings back to his hometown anytime soon.

"That's fine with me," Silang said with his arms crossed. Most importantly, he was just happy that he scored a point for his sister.

Back in the group, Xiu'er seeing Chun Yi's face greatly aggravated her need to swing fists, but she knew it was improper to do it now. Revenge was a dish best served cold. All she could do was pretend Chun Yi was invisible and avoid eye contact at all cost to lessen her anger. Kun Shang announced to the group: Xiu'er, A'Li, Silang, Xiaogua, and Chun Yi, that they would continue going west as he found news of 'the next person'. To make travels faster, they each got a horse for themselves.

Kun Shang walked over to help Xiu'er onto her horse and suffered to open his mouth to say something. He knew he was wrong to let Yaoyao's death slide through as if she was non-existence, as if the little girl had no influence on Xiu'er. However, he just couldn't think of what to do with the situation at the time. The body was gone, flushed down the river, carrying all its evidence with it.

As Xiu'er put her left foot in the stirrup, the stepping tool that supports her weight to climb onto the horse, Kun Shang held the stirrup in place to balance her. She had always needed help in the past getting on her horse, but this time, as she put her left foot in the stirrup, she balanced her weight perfectly on it and swiftly swung her right leg over the saddle in one smooth motion. Her face was emotionless.

Kun Shang had to back away in order to not get hit by the swing of her leg. He was both surprised by how incredibly agile she was on the horse, and how stable the horse was by the way she held the reins in her hands. Kun Shang knew not to talk to her in this mood, and got on his own saddle.

They traveled for the next three days in utter silence. Xiu'er and Xiaogua were originally the heart of this group who brought laughter and comfort, but they had fallen ill to sorrow and grief.

"Brother, tell me again why Chun Yi is traveling with us." Xiu'er finally asked in a lament tone on the third day.

"Uh, well. That day, we all met under circumstances. Chun Yi was in pursuit of the Four Evil Gates Heroes who stole an important vial from their Sect. She specifically requested help from Kun Shang since she saved our lives the other night from Gou Qingzhao. Also, I personally agreed because the Fours owe me money."

"The Fours?"

"Yep, that's what I call them. The Fours."

Xiu'er rolled her eyes. "And where were you guys at?"

"We were at Apricot Reborn Brothel."

"So you did go to a brothel!"

"Shut up. It's not like you don't know your big brother." Silang chuckled, but when Xiu'er didn't laugh he quickly stopped and cleared his throat. There was a short moment of silence. He looked forward to the group where Kun Shang and Chun Yi were riding side by side and Xiaogua behind them. They were the last two in the back.

"Did she really kill Yaoyao?" Silang asked underneath his breath.

Xiu'er didn't look at him, but rather at Chun Yi. She nodded her head.

"Little Sister, I don't know about you but I can tell Kun Shang really likes that Chun Yi girl. Do you think that's gonna slow him down from whatever he's supposed to be doing?"

She didn't answer her brother. She could see that too, but for her it wasn't that obvious. Chun Yi and they hadn't met that many times, and their confrontations usually didn't last that long. She felt a slight pain in her chest at the realization that Kun Shang had chosen Chun Yi. Why does her chest hurt? What was this pain?