Ch 3

Shu Yi and Xiao Fang trudged along the winding path, the forest giving way to open plains. Xiao Fang kept chattering nonstop about everything and nothing, while Shu Yi nodded absentmindedly, half-wishing for some peace and quiet.

"…And then I climbed the tallest tree in the village! Everyone said I was crazy, but I didn't fall! Well… not until I saw a squirrel and got scared—"

"Xiao Fang," Shu Yi interrupted, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Do you ever stop talking?"

Xiao Fang grinned. "Nope! Talking is my talent!"

Shu Yi sighed. "Great. I've picked up a chatterbox."

---

By midday, they spotted a small town in the distance. Xiao Fang's eyes lit up. "Finally! I'm starving!"

Shu Yi felt the same. Her stomach growled in agreement. "Alright, let's find some food and maybe a place to rest."

As they entered the town, they were met with curious stares. Shu Yi's patched-up robes and Xiao Fang's scruffy appearance didn't exactly scream wealth.

"Keep your head down," Shu Yi whispered.

Xiao Fang nodded but immediately pointed at a food stall. "Look! Meat buns!"

"Do you have money?" Shu Yi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Xiao Fang scratched his head. "Uh… no?"

Shu Yi groaned. "Of course you don't. Fine. Let's figure something out."

---

A Deal with the Shopkeeper

At the food stall, the shopkeeper eyed them suspiciously. "You two buying or begging?"

"Neither," Shu Yi said confidently. "I'm an alchemist. How about I trade you some medicine for food?"

The shopkeeper folded his arms. "Medicine, huh? Let me see."

Shu Yi pulled out a small vial of bright green liquid. "This is a pain relief potion. One drop is enough for a whole day of relief."

The shopkeeper looked skeptical but intrigued. "Hmm… alright, I'll give you two meat buns for it."

"Five," Shu Yi countered.

"Three," the shopkeeper said.

"Deal."

Shu Yi handed over the vial and took the buns, giving one to Xiao Fang. He bit into it immediately, his eyes sparkling with joy.

"This is so good!" Xiao Fang said with his mouth full.

"Chew before you talk," Shu Yi muttered, taking a bite of her own bun.

---

Trouble Brewing

As they ate, a commotion broke out near the center of town. A large man in fancy robes was yelling at a group of villagers.

"Where's the payment for this month? Don't tell me you're all broke again!" the man shouted, his face red with anger.

The villagers looked down, murmuring nervously.

Shu Yi watched from the side, her curiosity piqued. Xiao Fang tugged on her sleeve. "What's going on?"

"Looks like someone's throwing a tantrum," Shu Yi said.

An older woman nearby whispered to them, "That's Lin Bao, the town's overseer. He's been bleeding us dry with his taxes. If we can't pay, he sends his thugs to take whatever they want."

Xiao Fang's eyes widened. "That's terrible!"

Shu Yi frowned but said nothing.

Lin Bao scanned the crowd, his gaze stopping on Shu Yi and Xiao Fang. He sneered. "You two! Outsiders! What are you doing here?"

"We're just passing through," Shu Yi said calmly.

"Passing through, huh?" Lin Bao's eyes narrowed. "You look like troublemakers to me. Maybe you're hiding something valuable."

The thugs behind him started moving toward them. Shu Yi sighed. "Why does trouble keep finding me?"

---

The Potion Plan

As the thugs closed in, Shu Yi quickly pulled out another vial from her pouch. This one was filled with a shimmering red liquid.

"What's that?" Xiao Fang whispered.

"Something that'll buy us some time," Shu Yi replied.

She threw the vial at the ground, and a loud boom erupted, sending red smoke everywhere. The thugs coughed and stumbled back.

"Run!" Shu Yi grabbed Xiao Fang's hand, and they dashed through the crowd.

Lin Bao's angry voice echoed behind them. "Catch them!"

---

A Narrow Escape

After weaving through the narrow alleys of the town, Shu Yi and Xiao Fang finally slipped out through a hole in the wooden fence. They ran until they were far from the town, stopping only when they couldn't hear any more shouts.

Xiao Fang collapsed on the ground, panting. "That was close!"

Shu Yi leaned against a tree, catching her breath. "This is why I hate towns."

"What do we do now?" Xiao Fang asked.

Shu Yi thought for a moment. "We stay away from Lin Bao, for starters. And next time, we pick a quieter place to rest."

Xiao Fang nodded. "You're really smart, Shu Yi!"

"Yeah, yeah," Shu Yi said, waving him off. "Let's just focus on surviving, alright?"

As they walked further away from the town, Shu Yi couldn't help but wonder how many more "Lin Bao" types were waiting for her out there.

"Living on my own terms is turning out to be harder than I thought," she muttered to herself.

---