Only after delivering her strike did Lu Zhidao see the person hidden outside the door clearly. It was none other than the little beggar they had encountered earlier that day.
Unable to fully pull back her momentum, she skewed the blade’s path, bypassing the little girl and piercing the air to the side, while she used the forward force to leap past and land behind her.
The little beggar, terrified by the sudden flash of steel, fell backward with a heavy thud onto the floor.
Lu Zhidao stood firm behind her, sheathed her sword behind her back, and hauled the girl up by her collar.
“What are you doing here?”
The little beggar hadn’t quite regained her wits. She looked dazed and didn’t dare move, yet she stubbornly refused to answer. She had pulled up the hem of her tattered tunic, clutching it tightly to form a makeshift pouch, which seemed to hold something inside.
Seeing no answer, Lu Zhidao began to lead her downstairs by the scruff of her neck.
Noticing it was the little girl from earlier, Chu Ning hurried over. “What happened?”
“Sneaking around,” Lu Zhidao said, her pace unbroken, intending to toss her out.
The little beggar didn’t resist, letting herself be carried while keeping a death grip on the corners of her tunic.
“Maybe she has something to say. Put her down first.”
With a stern face, Lu Zhidao hauled the child back and released her, dropping her at Chu Ning’s feet.
Chu Ning grasped the girl’s arms to help her up, knelt to brush the dust off her clothes, and asked softly, “Are you looking for us?”
“Not her. You.” The little beggar shot a sideways glance at Lu Zhidao, then tightened her grip on her hem and smiled at Chu Ning.
Chu Ning led her into the room. “How did you know we were here?”
“I’ve never seen a sister like you before. I figured you must be new here, which meant you’d likely stay at an inn. Plus, when I saw you today, it was nearby, so I came to try my luck.”
“Quite clever. Why are you looking for me?” Chu Ning asked with a smile.
The little beggar looked down and opened her hem. It was filled to the brim with mulberries. “Wild fruit I picked,” she said with a grin, standing on her tiptoes to dump the entire hoard onto the table.
She lifted her head with a touch of pride. “They’re all for you.”
“Thank you.” Chu Ning picked up a berry; they were all perfectly ripe, red to the point of purple. “Did you pick these all yourself?”
“Of course. If you like them, I can go get more.” The little beggar rubbed her nose, then turned to Lu Zhidao, who was leaning against the doorframe. With a hint of disdain, she added, “I suppose I can give you two, as well.”
“No need.” Lu Zhidao slid her sword into its scabbard and maintained the maximum distance possible.
The little beggar didn’t want to deal with her either, but once her eyes fell upon the yi candy in the teacup, she couldn’t look away. she swallowed hard.
Lu Zhidao leaned against the door, arms crossed over her sword, watching coldly. She glanced at her candy, then at the beggar, and added flatly, “You’ve delivered them. You can go now.”
The little beggar seemed deaf to her words, her eyes shining as she stared at the malt sugar. But seeing Lu Zhidao’s fierce expression, she didn’t dare move, instead looking at Chu Ning with pleading eyes.
Chu Ning glanced at Lu Zhidao, then back at the little beggar. Their thoughts were plain as day, putting her in an awkward dilemma.
The atmosphere grew eerily quiet as the three of them circled a single piece of candy, eyeing one another. Normally, Chu Ning would have given it away without a second thought, but seeing how Lu Zhidao had carefully protected this candy all day, treating it with such solemnity and not even daring to eat it herself, she didn’t feel right making the decision for her.
I should have bought more; it’s not like it was expensive, Chu Ning regretted silently.
The little beggar gave her sleeve a pitiful tug.
Left with no choice, Chu Ning deflected, pointing at Lu Zhidao. “It’s her candy. You have to ask her.”
The little beggar had barely managed a timid glance at Lu Zhidao before she was ruthlessly shut down:
“Buy your own! Didn’t I give you money?”
Seeing her acting like a fierce animal guarding its food, Chu Ning suppressed a laugh. Lu Zhidao had been generous with silver earlier, but now she couldn’t part with a single piece of candy.
Still, Chu Ning said nothing. It was Lu Zhidao’s property; she had to make the call.
The little beggar seemed afraid of her and didn’t dare throw a tantrum. She gave the candy one last lingering look, pushed the mulberries toward Chu Ning, and said, “I’m going.”
“Do you have a place to stay?”
“I do!” With that, she turned to run.
Lu Zhidao said nothing but shifted her sword horizontally, blocking the way. She jerked her chin toward the table and said grumpily, “Take it.”
Lu Zhidao pointedly turned her head away, only scanning the child with her peripheral vision. She saw the little beggar looking back at her in hesitation.
The hesitation lasted only a moment—the temptation was too great. The girl grabbed the sticks and twirled the sliding syrup back up. She carefully extended the tip of her tongue for a tiny lick, and her face instantly lit up with a massive smile. She didn’t dare eat more, happily holding it aloft.
Lu Zhidao clutched her sword and rolled her eyes, silently swallowing her own saliva. She understood that the girl might never have tasted sugar; she understood the plight of being too poor to buy candy even if one had a little money; she knew she shouldn’t bicker with a child—but she couldn’t ignore her own petty feelings.
“Now that you have the candy, get out. Do you plan on staying the night?”
The little beggar beamed at her, said her goodbyes to Chu Ning, and bolted out the door before Lu Zhidao could change her mind.
Chu Ning chased after her for a few steps, worried about a child being out alone after dark, but was blocked by Lu Zhidao’s sword.
“It’s dark. It’s dangerous for a child to be out alone.”
“She’ll be fine. She won’t die.”
Chu Ning peered out, but the girl was already long gone. She retreated, pulling Lu Zhidao back into the room and closing the door.
Lu Zhidao was conflicted, mourning the loss of the candy but unwilling to show it lest she seem small-minded. She sat at the table with a stony face, staring blankly at the empty teacup.
“If you intended to be kind to her, why were you so mean?”
“Who’s being kind to her?” Lu Zhidao looked up defiantly.
“You’re the one who stopped her on the road today, gave her silver, and gave her candy. How is that not being kind?”
“I just couldn’t be bothered to argue with a child.”
Lu Zhidao’s heartbreak over the candy was impossible to hide, yet she had given it up anyway. Since she stubbornly refused to admit it, Chu Ning teased, “That’s what you get for not eating it sooner.”
“I don’t even like it.”
“Oh…” Chu Ning nodded with exaggerated gravity. “Well, that’s perfect then…”
Lu Zhidao’s face darkened and she stopped responding. She got up, poured some water, and wiped her face vigorously.
Chu Ning returned to her desk to paint. “I’ll paint a while longer. You go to sleep first.”
“Fine,” Lu Zhidao replied flatly. Feeling a lump of frustration in her chest, she didn’t even look at her, simply pulled off her outer robe and lay down.
The room fell into silence. Late into the night, feeling tired, Chu Ning set down her brush, finished her nightly routine, and prepared for bed.
Walking to the bed, she was startled to find Lu Zhidao’s eyes wide open, lying as stiff as a board and staring at the ceiling. Chu Ning gave her a gentle nudge.
“What?” Lu Zhidao barked.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can’t sleep.”
Chu Ning climbed onto the bed and lay on her side to face her, propping her head up with one hand. Her long, black hair slid down her arm, releasing a faint, elusive fragrance.
Lu Zhidao glanced over and immediately looked away, but after a moment, she couldn’t help but peek back with her peripheral vision.
“Let me guess why you can’t sleep,” Chu Ning said teasingly, twirling a strand of her hair as she recalled the day’s events.
Lu Zhidao remained motionless, only slightly turning her head. Usually, she just noticed Chu Ning’s bright smile and the dimples that made her look dainty and cute. But now, lying there with her hair loose and flowing, there was a hidden charm in the corners of her eyes.
Lu Zhidao instinctively shifted her gaze again, but Chu Ning wouldn’t let her off. She brushed the tips of her hair across Lu Zhidao’s cheek, drawing her eyes back.
The hair was as soft as silk and carried that faint scent. Lu Zhidao racked her brain but couldn’t name the fragrance; she only felt it was soft, small, and entirely unthreatening, making her lower her guard.
“I haven’t offended you, you don’t seem to care about the money, and you don’t seem to actually hate the beggar…” Chu Ning analyzed to herself. Suddenly remembering something, she asked with a mischievous glint, “It couldn’t be over that piece of candy, could it?”
Lu Zhidao said nothing, stubbornly turning her head away to avoid her gaze.
“Mumu!” Chu Ning leaned over her, taking her chin in her hand and forcing her head back around. She asked softly, “You haven’t had a single taste the whole journey?”
Perhaps because it was late, her voice had softened with the night air.
The more Lu Zhidao thought about it, the angrier she got. She gritted out two words: “I. Haven’t.”
Not just this journey—she hadn’t had it in her entire life.
“If you liked it that much, you shouldn’t have given it to her.”
Chu Ning wanted to laugh. She had thought something dire was keeping her awake, only for it to be a tiny piece of malt sugar. She began to coax her gently, “We’ll buy more tomorrow. Don’t be angry, okay?”
“Childish.” Lu Zhidao turned over huffily. It wasn’t clear who she was calling childish, but her heart softened at the words. The regret remained, but she could no longer feel angry.
She stared blankly at Chu Ning, momentarily dazed. She wondered what she had done to deserve the luck of being so close to her. Thinking of the journey ahead, Lu Zhidao felt profoundly fortunate.
Chu Ning retreated to her side and lay down, murmuring, “It’s not really childish. Everyone has things they value.”
“Mm,” Lu Zhidao responded quietly, a warmth spreading through her chest. For the first time, her irrational little emotions felt understood and validated, making her feel a bit bolder.
After tossing and turning for a while, she finally plucked up the courage to turn back to Chu Ning and added softly:
“Remember tomorrow.”
“Remember what?”
Lu Zhidao silently rolled back onto her back, like a snail that had just extended its antennae only to retract them the moment they were touched.
“I’m teasing…” Chu Ning nudged her. “I’ll buy it tomorrow. You remember to eat it.”
“Mm,” Lu Zhidao hummed in the back of her throat. She turned back over, and the two lay on their sides facing each other, their eyes meeting.
Chu Ning couldn’t help it; she covered her mouth and laughed. Lu Zhidao, embarrassed, rested her head on her arm. She wanted to look away, but her eyes couldn’t help but linger on the girl.
“Your smile is very warm.