"Lin, how was your lesson?" I asked as I approached her.
"Not as fun as yours!" Lin replied, her bright smile illuminating her face, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You're not wrong, Lin!" Tuan interjected from behind me, his laughter ringing out like a playful melody, yet somehow grating on my senses.
I moved to Lin's side to avoid getting too close to this pervert.
"What are you evading me for? Didn't you want to see me naked?" Tuan teased, a cheeky smirk spreading across his face as he leaned closer. "You could have just asked, and I would have shown you."
With an exasperated roll of my eyes, I chose to ignore his provocations and instead focused on Lin. "Let's go to the market before curfew hits. I need to pick up something important tonight." Lin flashed me an understanding smile, her enthusiasm lifting my spirits as we both chose to disregard Tuan and his antics.
As we walked toward the market, the lively sounds of chatter and vendors hawking their goods filled the air, swirling around us like a bustling melody. Suddenly, I caught a sharp, high-pitched nasal voice slicing through the ambient noise, startling in its intensity.
As we neared the scene, a disturbing spectacle unfolded before us-
"One yuan! I said to sell this weed flower to me for 1 yuan!" Sulie's voice rang out from the intersection ahead, laced with entitlement and impatience. She stood facing an elderly woman who appeared to be the owner of a small hand cart, the surface of which was adorned with a variety of vibrant herbs and medicinal plants.
The elderly lady, her frail frame draped in tattered old clothes and her silver hair pulled back into a tight bun, spoke with a calm yet unwavering tone. "Young lady, these are precious herbs found in the Kang Mountains. They're not just any kind of weed."
Sulie's expression darkened as she processed the lady's words, her lips curling into a sneer. "How dare you speak back to me!" she shouted, her voice dripping with contempt. Her 'sheeps' flanked her, laughter and mockery spilling from their lips like a tide of cruelty as they egged her on, berating the old woman for not caving to her unreasonable demand.
Unfazed, the old lady folded her arms, tilting her head slightly in a gesture that clearly indicated she was no longer interested in the confrontation. "Young lady, if you cannot buy this, please move out of the way so that other customers can have the opportunity to purchase," she stated, her voice calm but resolute, effectively dismissing Sulie and her entourage.
The atmosphere grew tense, and in a sudden moment of rage, she raised her arm without a moment's hesitation to slapped the old woman across the face. In that instant, a surge of adrenaline coursed through me. With my werewolf speed, I dashed away from Lin and the fully clothed Tuan, positioning myself beside Sulie just before her hand landed on the old woman's face, gripping her arm tightly to stop her attack.
"You dare bully the elderly?" I exclaimed, my voice dripping with disdain as I narrowed my eyes at Sulie. "Good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with evil." With a determined shove, I pushed her arm and hand away from the cart and the old lay, the force of my action sending her stumbling back a few steps, a look of surprise crossing her face.
"Huh?! So what if I did?!" Sulie retorted, a smug smile spreading across her lips. Behind her stood her entourage, a group of lackeys with their arms crossed over their chests, trying to project an intimidating presence. They leaned against each other, a testament to their mental strength, but the shift in their stance hinted at the unease beneath their bravado.
"You will reap what you sow," I replied, my tone unwavering as I positioned myself protectively in front of the old lady's cart, a barrier between her and Sulie's taunts.
Just then, Lin and Tuan arrived, and their presence filled me with newfound determination. Lin stepped forward with an air of confidence, her playful eyes sparkling with mischief. "Is your face itching so much that you want it slapped again?" she teased with a wicked grin, her right hand waving dramatically in the air as if to emphasize her words.
Beside me, Tuan loomed like a protective guardian, his broad shoulders and imposing stature making him look formidable. He shot a fierce glare at Sulie and her entourage, radiating an intense aura of intimidation that was palpable in the tense atmosphere. The unspoken challenge in his gaze was clear: anyone who dared to cross us would have to reckon with him.
"Senior Tuan?" one of Sulie's lackeys gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. The rest of the group glanced nervously at Tuan, their bravado faltering. In a flurry of embarrassment, they quickly unfolded their delicate hand fans, raising them to cover their faces yet leaving their eyes exposed.
"Let's only show Senior Tuan our good side," one of the lackeys whispered to another, her voice laced with anxiety. "Yes, yes, let's take a step back from Sulie and pretend to be mere bystanders." The lackeys reluctantly shifted away from Sulie, their confidence evaporating in the presence of our formidable trio.
Sulie turned to examine Tuan with a focused gaze, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she realized she was revealing a less flattering side of herself. With a theatrical flourish, she backed away from our small group and strode into the bustling crowd on the street, her friends trailing behind her. They moved like a pack of frightened animals, their 'tails' tucked between their legs as they faded from view in the throng of people.
I raised my eyes to Tuan, wearing an uncertain smile that reflected my skepticism. "You're po-pu-lar?" I inquired, my voice tinged with doubt. Tuan simply shrugged in response, his laughter ringing out with genuine amusement, as if he found my question endearing.
"You really don't know how popular he is, Meimei?" Lin chimed in, making her way toward us with a look of admiration in her eyes as she regarded Tuan. "He's ranked in the top three of the Synergistic Serpent Team! Can you believe that?"
She continued, her enthusiasm bubbling over. "With him and the other top two members, they can complete a single mission together. That's equivalent to us needing fifteen people to accomplish the same task!" Her energy was infectious, and I found myself captivated by her excitement.
Still, I couldn't quite shake my skepticism. I shifted my gaze from Lin's animated face back to Tuan's, grappling with my lingering doubts about his strength and capabilities, especially considering that I had nearly put him in a vulnerable position earlier...almost slicing all his clothes off exposing him naked. The contrast between what Lin claimed and my own experience with him was disorienting, leaving me conflicted about the reality of his prowess.
"Little two misses and little mister, thank you for standing up for this old lady," the woman said from behind us, breaking the awkward stare I was sharing with Tuan. We turned around to see her smiling gratefully from behind her stall.
As I looked down, I noticed the 'weed flower' that Sulie had carelessly dropped on the ground just moments before. I remembered this flower; we called it a dandelion. I picked it up and walked over to the old lady, handing her the dirty flower.
"It's what we youngsters should do for our elders," I smiled gently as she accepted the flower from my hand. Tuan and Lin smiled and nodded in agreement.
"It's rare to see youngsters with this kind of attitude towards their elders," she remarked, her eyes glimmering with gratitude as she glanced back to her stall. She began rearranging the dandelion among the array of other plants that decorated her cart.
"It's been so long since I've been out. Oh....., if Laogong knew that nothing has changed since our departure, would he still miss this world?," I heard the old lady whispering under her breath. Unbeknownst to her, my werewolf hearing caught every word. "Except for these three youngsters; it seems their parents raised them well."
I saw her smile again as she lifted her gaze to study us, and I noticed a radiant smile break across her face, illuminating her features with warmth and kindness. She continued to gather her belongings, carefully closing the lid of her stall with a gentle click, nodding her head in approval as if something wonderful was unfolding. With a friendly wave of her hand, she seemed to encourage us to go about our day, a gesture that felt both dismissive and inviting all at once. Once she ensured that her small handcart was securely closed, she began to push it forward, the wheels squeaking softly as they turned.
"My name is Mei," I said with a smile, stepping forward to introduce myself. I moved alongside the old lady, gently offering my help with her handcart. "Do you need assistance getting your cart home?" I asked, wanting to let her know that I was happy to lend a hand.
"Hello, I'm Lin," Lin said, her voice warm and cheerful as she stepped up to assist. She took the handle side of the old lady's cart, her determination evident as she replaced the elderly woman.
"My name is Tuan," he said as he introduced himself. He then grabbed the handles along with Lin and me, taking over to push the handcart forward.
The old lady let out a joyful laugh, her eyes sparkling with appreciation as she nodded her head in delight. "I need to go to Kang Mountain," she said, her voice filled with purpose. We exchanged knowing glances, nodding in understanding of her request. With a shared sense of determination, we all began to walk together toward the entrance of the mountain, feeling confident as we navigated the familiar path leading to our destination.