A small figure waited patiently in a corner, eyeing a stall that was selling fresh, piping hot meat buns. As soon as there was a sizeable crowd around the stall, the small figure dashed forward, squeezing through the people until she was at the very front.
The stall owner who was busy serving customers saw out of the corner of his eyes, a pair of dirty hands snatching his buns, one in each hand.
"Hey, you stinkin' brat!" the stall owner waved his fist as he tries to grab the thief but the small figure agilely slipped away into the crowd of people, disappearing completely. "If I see you again next time, I beat you until you're half dead!"
The bun thief is naturally the newly transmigrated Jia Li, who with meat buns in hand could care less about what kind of threats the stall owner can throw out. After taking off her red robe, she was left with an outer robe that was plain but still made of expensive fabric. Moreover, it was black which suited her preference just fine since it won't dirty easily.
It has been three days since she transmigrated, and she had more or less accepted the fact that she was in an entirely different world. Don't underestimate her ability to adapt, by now she had perfectly melded into the behavior of a typical slum kid. Not that it was hard when she had prior experiences.
The sun was already setting, the sky brilliant streaks of red and orange. Jia Li's current mission is to find a place where she can spend the night and peacefully her eat dinner.
For the past few days, she had been staying in a secluded corner but that place seems to be a popular gathering place for troublemakers. Earlier today, she had found an abandoned temple in the forest. Jia Li decided to head towards there to sleep tonight.
The temple wasn't far into the forest, just a bit past the river that she had woke up in. It was shaggy, the doors barely hold together and Jia Li can see visible holes on the tiled roof. Inside was a statue of a deity, a few rat chewed cushions and dark yellow drapes, all covered in a thick layer of dust. Jia Li propped herself onto the altar, leaning in a relaxed position and began eating one of her meat buns.
This place..... it's not bad. If she fixes it up a bit she might be able to call it home.
"Creak" The sound of the rusty temple door opening made Jia Li's busy chewing stop.
Jia Li sat up, her entire body tense.
At the door was a boy dressed in a tattered gray robe, his eyes bounded with a dark piece of fabric. His voice was raspy like he wasn't used to speaking much. "Who...are you?"
"Er..." How can he see me when his eyes are covered? "I just happen to find this place by chance. Does this temple belong to you?"
The boy gave her a long look and even though his eyes weren't visible, Jia Li was under the impression that if they were, they would be sharp and calculating.
The boy walked towards a corner where there were drapes piled together, presumably his bed and sat down making himself comfortable. His whole demeanor became lazy, like a tiger in his own den.
"And if I say it does?"
"....." Whatever, on the account that he did find this place first, I'll play along with him.
Jia Li extended her arm, offering him the other uneaten bun. "Rent?"
The boy accepted the bun but didn't eat it right away. "You didn't answer my question, who are you?"
Jia Li finished off the rest of her meat bun before asking, "My name or who I am?"
The boy thought about it for a moment. "Just your name is fine."
"Jia Li."
"I'm Ling Guan, no family name." Waving the bun in his hand, he gave a mischevious smile. "Since I've accepted your bun, I guess you can live here."
Sure, whatever you say.
Some time into the night, Jia Li tossed and turned on the altar but couldn't fall asleep. She decided to try her luck and tentatively called out, "Ling Guan?"
Surprisingly, Ling Guan wasn't asleep either and answered her. "What is it?"
During the past few days, Jia Li had no one to talk to despite all the things that had happened. It felt nice to have someone to talk to right now but she didn't know what to say. Randomly she picked a topic. "The stars are really beautiful here huh?"
She meant what she said. Through the cracks in the roof, she can see countless stars scattered across the sky, some shining colors she didn't know stars could have. It was a spectacular sight.
"Mm? Are they? They look normal to me." Ling Guan sat upright on his makeshift bed. Maybe it's because he has been alone for too long but he didn't really mind talking with this person.
"Say, judging from how you're dressed, you don't seem to be an orphan." In a teasing tone, he continues, "Did you run away from home young miss~"
Uhhh, sorry but she can't answer that even if she wanted too. She wants to know her body's identity too.
(;￣Д￣）
"Well if I say I lost my memories, would you believe it?"
Ling Guan didn't let up and continued to tease her. "Hmmm, whatever you say young miss."
Jia Li, looking for a change of subject decided to ask something she had been curious about.
"Why do you have that cloth over your eyes?"
Ling Guan notices the change of topic but lets it go. If she doesn't want to tell me there's no point in forcing it. "Can't you tell? I'm blind."
Jia Li smirked like she had caught him lying redhanded. "Then how did you know I was in here earlier?" The way he acted was nothing like a blind person. At least carry a stick around or something to make it more convincing.
Ling Guan wasn't fazed at all and said in all seriousness, "I'm a blind with supernatural powers."
What is she? Five? If he's going to lie at least lie better.
The next morning, Jia Li came back to the temple after finding some food for breakfast. There was few stalls and crowds this early in the morning so Jia Li decided to just catch some fish from the river. It was still spring so the water was warm and fish plentiful. Jia Li simply rolled up her pants and waded in the river before catching a few of the slower ones.
"What's that?"
Ling Guan dumped the content of the bag onto the floor. There were fruits that looked a bit bruised and odd bits of meat wrapped in paper. "Breakfast."
Ling Guan didn't say anything as Jia Li helped herself to an apple. "Here, I caught some fish from the river. Do you know how to make a fire or are we eating it raw?"
"Gather some wood. I'll make a fire."
A few moments later, the smell of freshly roasted fish wafted in the air. They ended up roasting the fish outside so the temple doesn't accidentally catch on fire.
Jia Li squatted while eating a fish.
"What are you planning to do today?"
Jia Li looks up from her fish. "Uh, find something for lunch? I was wondering if I can find more stalls that sell meat buns like yesterdays. They were really good. You want to come?"
Ling Guan smiles while biting into his fish. "Sounds good, I'll come along."