White wood gazebo under the Golden Wisteria tree.
Lord Raine sat alongside his wife, looking sternly at the elder and the boy before him.
"Elder Zhu, I'm grateful for the offer, but I don't think we could return to the school, given our current circumstances. As for Jena, I could understand, but we're not ready to enroll her yet, much less be used for anything. As her father, I fear many things for her, if we're not around."
Elder Zhu looked down and sighed. "That year, we had nearly lost you and your family to some idiots. A pity, Jena was injured too. I was away at the border and she didn't get to meet this grandpa. Oh, that's right, didn't some schools or sects come here already?"
Lord Raine had a helpless look on his face. "I had tried my utmost best to reject or avoid them. This concerns my daughter's safety, after all."
Elder Zhu sighed. "Aye, the school wants to take her in too. That reminds me… I've got two brats to take care of. This one here is your cousin Stea's child, Shui. That other one ran off god-knows-where in this estate, Ran. I'm hoping to take Jena and the boys into the school."
Lady Raine shook her head in dismay. "Let us discuss for a bit. I still think it's too early for her."
Jena's maidservant arrived to Lord Raine's Courtyard, announcing. "Little Miss has arrived."
Jena arrived just outside the gazebo, staring at her parents, the elder, and the boy.
She walked up to her parents and sat in between them, inquiring about the elder and the boy.
Lord Raine's and Lady Raine's hearts winced, because Jena couldn't hear nor speak. They could only do hand and finger motions to communicate with her.
They both motioned to her. "This is Elder Zhu, and that boy is your distant cousin, Shui. There's another boy somewhere named Ran. Elder Zhu wants to take you to school."
In the midst of the silent conversation, Elder Zhu lit up. "This must be Jena? You two have such an
adorable daughter! Shui, say hello to Jena!"
Shui looked at Jena who was still facing her mother, and simply said hello. She didn't react. He was puzzled.
Only until Lady Raine nudged her did she turned to face Shui and Elder Zhu, and bowed in response. Jena simply motioned to her father. "I want to go to school."
Before Lord Raine could motion back a reply, that little boy who bumped Jena had arrived, screaming something again.
Jena saw that everyone turned their face around to see the boy who bumped into her earlier. She assumed his name was Ran. He was pointing his index finger at her.
Her parents' and Elder Zhu's faces grew increasingly dark, before Elder Zhu flew up in rage and caught Ran.
Jena will never forget this scene. Elder Zhu stripped Ran of his clothes, and spanked him many times. He also checked his forehead and held him up by grabbing his undergarments. Afterwards, he made him bow in apology. What an interesting moment of life. She secretly took joy in her 10 year old mind.
Jena simply waved her hands so Elder Zhu could stop spanking him. Ran will have to thank her later, otherwise the spanking would continue to traumatize him.
Elder Zhu was awed by the mercy Jena has given to the brat Ran. Although Jena couldn't hear, Jena could see that Elder Zhu was glad and thankful.
After the meeting was over, Elder Zhu happily left with the boys since they're staying at a city inn.
Jena was sent back to her room to rest, fearing that she wasn't able to cope too well with the interaction.
Lord Raine and Lady Raine agreed to send Jena to school, under several conditions that which Elder Zhu happily agreed upon.
Later that day. Jena's room.
Jena was sitting on a chair, fiddling with a Amethyst Wisteria flower stem, pondering.
[I have been deaf and mute for four years… I don't think, it's any better than listening to trash talk. I'm living dead, not listening or speaking to anyone… My hands… They just won't do… ]
Jena winced thinking about it. Using her own hands and fingers to communicate is tiring. There is absolutely no way she would be able to communicate with strangers. In the worst case, she would end up dead.
She placed the wisteria flowers back into a glass vase, held up her left hand, and summoned her Insignia.
It is an illuminating, pink, palm-sized diamond surrounded by a ring. Tiny blue specks floated around it.
Jena stared deeply into it.
[Magic… It can be anything, huh…]