Upon returning to her mistress chamber , what greeted her is the gloomy face of Mu Jin, " Where did you go?"
Jin Zan proudly raise her tray, " I made a soup for our mistress, and also prepare some portion for us." Her eyes is telling her not to scold her since she gave her a portion.
Mu Jin can only helplessly sigh, " Only soup and it took you long enough to go back ?"
" I met a brazen dog while cooking. By the way, Mu-jie jie I'm afraid the soup is getting cold, mistress must be warmth and hungry. I also kept some pastries for mistress to enjoy." Her smiling face is truly blinding to see that made Mu Jin twitch her eyebrow. " Then give me the tray and prepare the pastries and tea for our mistress."
Mu Jin had always gave in to Jin Zan since she is older than her, They grew up together and experience how desperate it is to fight for your life and have the chance to see the tomorrow. She remembers the first time she saw the five-year-old girl Jin Zan in rags, silently curling in the corner. She thought she was like the other children who already gave up hope and choose to wait for their life to be extinguish. She has seen how the other groups of children bully and steal her small food, she never retaliates nor complaint but only blankly staring at them. She ignores them since this is not new to their environment. They are the children that had been bought by the black market to kill themselves inside of the ring and be an entertainer for the rich nobles who are willing to bet. She even remembers her crying mother and siblings while her drunkard father is holding the 5 golds given by her buyer, she was only 4 years old and now it was already three years since that day.
She choose a secluded place so she can sharpen her small dagger when she heard a continuous sound of being hit of a stone, she curiously take a peek and become horrified of what she had seen.
A small child expressionlessly holding a sharp stone that was full of blood and non-stop hitting a body that she can no longer identify. Her body is small, full of dirt and nothing but bones yet her eyes is colder than any killer that she has seen.
Upon noticing her presence, the child calmly raise her small face and stop her action. Mu Jin bravely met her blank gaze and thought to herself, it may not be a bad idea for this small child to end her life. Killing one another is not a serious matter in their place but a joyous event since the mouths to be fed will be lessen. After all it was " The survival of the fittest ".
Mu Jin Believes that the child would take her life but instead, she watch the child raising her small hand and continue to hit the destroyed face of the corpse. "It was already dead". Mu Jin can't help but to interfere, and she closely observe the body that was lying in the ground. She finally knew who is the pitiful corpse and it was the leader of one of the groups who loved to steal and bully the child. The red string in his arms confirmed her speculation because it was the bracelet that was stolen from her. The child didn't raise her head but slowly remove the red string.
Seeing her bloody hands, the child hastily wipe it and pick the red bracelet. She weakly stand up and walk towards Mu Jin. "Here", she timidly said.
Mu Jin can't help but be suspicious and hesitated to accept her bracelet. The child small hand forcefully grab her arm to open her palm and put the bracelet. "Why?", is the words that came out from the mouth of Mu Jin. She was forcing herself not to be overwhelmed by her emotion, she though the feelings and memories that she had with her family is already buried and her heart became numb, yet holding the red string made her realize how she longed to see her mother kind smile.
"I knew you exchange your bracelet to give me a blanket, you also deliberately provoking them and picking fights to shift their attention to you. Sometimes you intentionally left half of your food beside me. " Mu Jin can see how the child is uncomfortable in telling her doings, she thought she was a clueless child and naïve. She can see her youngest sibling to her that is why she unconsciously assisting her.
The small child suddenly point the body that can't longer be identified because its face was destroyed by the sharp stone. " I heard them planning to do something bad to you, he said to play with your body first then kill you. I knew their plan, so I dig a hole and cover it to trap his feet. I hit the back of his head with a big stone then I decided to destroy his disgusting face." The child is narrating the way she kill the boy without batting an eye as if she was only telling how to wash the dishes.
Seeing the small body of the girl and how fragile it is brings pity to anyone however what truly lies is a merciless and cunning mind. She knows how to blend to anyone and purposely hiding her capability yet can patiently waiting the right time to strike.
When Mu Jin took a step forward the small child startled and take a step backward, but Mu Jin captures her two small and bony hands. She can see the palm is full of blisters because of the force while hitting the face of the boy. She rip a small part of her robe and clumsily wipe the blood and cover it, since water is also a rarity in their place.
"Do you have a name?" Mu Jin asks deciding it was not bad to trust her life in this little one, she was once forsaken by her blood related family for a 5 golds but a mere stranger and a five year old child gave her a reason to live and try to believe again.
The child only confusedly shake her head while staring at her palms that was now covered by a piece of cloth.
" Then I will call you Jin Zan and we will be a sworn sister from now on." Mu Jin slowly tie the red string in the small wrist. "This red string shall be the proof of our bond, if you refuse then fell free to cut it in front of me and treat each other as stranger since we no longer owe each other anymore."
The Child blank look slowly became more lively and at that moment Mu Jin knew she can't say no to that limpid eyes of hers. The child grab her hands and with her small voice she timidly call her "jie-jie".
For after so long, a smile can be seen at Mu Jin face and decided to treat this small child sincerely.
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Mu Jin can only be grateful for the fateful encounter with the Big Madam which is the deceased mother of Su Qian MEng, because she let them see the sunlight again and gave them the chance to escape the hellish place.
After receiving the three bowls of soup, Mu Jin noticed how the other bowl has only a half portion of soup, she questioningly looking at Jin Zan. "Don't worry Mu jie-jie, the smaller portion is for me. Remember the brazen dog I met earlier, I gave the other half since the dog is giving me a pitiful look". Jin Zan answer while pouting.
Mu Jin only give her a doting smile "I know you can't help yourself but to give to those who are hungry, later you can scoop some soup from my bowl to fill yours."
Jin Zan happily hug the other girl whom she treated as her sister, companion and best friend, "Mu jie-jie is still the best!".