Accompanying the Phoenix – Chapter 3

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A day in March is when the night is long and day is short. Before the rooster could sing “Cock-a-Doodle-Do!!” Chen Li was already awoken, alerted by footsteps. But when she tried to open her eyes, the only thing she could see was darkness and fabric of a cloth covering her eyes. [Ah!] Chen Li thought, [How when did this get on here?! How did she get blindfolded?] She was terribly confused and surprised as the thought worriedly, [Could it be that she’s in that damned emperor’s Cosmo Sack? Or did the purseurs finally catch up to her?] Chen Li felt waves of panic as she struggled crazily, eventually managing get out, before breathing out a sigh of relief. There was not a celestial emperor, and nor was there her pursuers. She’s still lying down on the soft grass, under the grapevines. Her body, too, was still the same as before, a white, featherless, chick. It was morning, yet it was still dark with heavy fog everywhere.

Chen Li heard quiet voices talking out in the front yard and cautiously approached it. The voices were becoming louder and louder, and even from the distance she was from, she could tell that it was very crowded. From behind a door, Chen Li poked out her head and saw torches illuminating the area, 2 carriages sitting grandly. Nearby, is the commoner girl, her mother, their nannies and servants loading up the carriages with Xing Yun. In the end, when all was packed, the servants silently retreated inside and there only stood Xing Yun and the mother-daughter duo.

The middle aged mother started speaking, “Your parents passed away very early, only leaving you. Throughout all these many years, we were neighbors yet when you need help and support the most throughout the years, we have not aided you. Now when we say our farewells, my family feels very guilty. I fear that we will not meet again, even after 10 million years, so you must take care of yourself.”

“Aunty, don’t worry. This Xing Yun knows.” Xing Yun smiled at the lady who gave a sentimental sigh and got back inside the carriage.

The girl and Xing Yun were left standing alone.

The girl looked down, not saying anything but her eyes are bright and misty. Xing Yun spoke first, “You are heading south, there must be many peach flowers, other good men.” He looked at south at the tracks. “I am not a good man.” Those 6 words weighted heavily. Chen Li lifted up her head to stare at him- His face is emotionless, radiating an almost dark and unearthly beauty, his eyes calm. It is not that he is heartless, but rather is that it is his nature to have no heart. Chen Li couldn’t help but revaluate him inside her heart- It seems like this man is even more complex than what she first thought.

The girl, who was listening to Xing Yun, eye’s reddened as tears fell out. She bowed deeply to Xing Yun to say farewell. “Brother Xing, you must take care of yourself in the future.”

She went into the carriage and they set off, never to see again in this lifetime. Chen Li couldn’t help but sigh herself. Xing Yun, too, watched the carriage rumble away, disappearing into the distance.

Occupied by the sound of rumbling caused by the carriages, no one could hear Chen Li who sneakily snuck outside. Her eyes were lively with sprit as she looked left and right to see no one around but Xing Yun, who was completely focused on his old neighbors. So she bolted into the alleyway, making her long awaited escape!

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