Said little boy was currently in a difficult situation. He had injured his ankle and he had to limp. He couldn't get his daily quota done with this problem. Although life wasn't easiest here, he had grown to like this place. He didn't want to get kicked out and moved to a different station. He didn't know what to do. He knew if he tried to work with the same vigor as he used to he'd only make it worse in the future. It was best to let it heal naturally but how could he do that as a servant? That's when a new idea struck him. He waited until nightfall to try this. He went just a wall away from Lu Meihui's courtyard, little did he know she was occupying that area at the very same moment as he.
The boy sat down in a comfortable position and put his hands together on his lap. He had heard and tried of this cultivation nonsense. Turns out he had an aptitude and could draw spirit qi. He wanted to try directing this weird feeling to his hurt ankle. And if it just made it worse, he could only blame his ignorance. As he tried directing his qi to his ankle Lu Meihui on the other side in her courtyard felt the trace of spirit qi in the air. It was faint but because the boy was so close to her she could distinguish it as another human being harnessing spirit qi.
Lu Meihui didn't want to startle whoever was in the middle of manipulating qi so she quietly searched the area until she found the young boy. She was a little surprised at how talented he was. He was extremely young and he had already built a semi-stable foundation. And she could deduct that he had no mentor or teacher to reach this level. He seemed to not notice her so she got closer and crouched in front of his face. His hair and clothes are neat but dirty. His face is also covered in dirt. Lu Meihui wasn't as bold as to touch him so she jumped to watching what he was doing. She showered him in her own denser spirit qi to examine him and his cultivation progress. It seems his ankle is injured and he's trying to direct his spirit qi there to heal it. Lu Meihui was impressed with the young boy. He figured out you could use spirit qi like this, how incredible would this boy be if given the right guidance? Using one's own spirit qi to heal themselves is a simple task only needing one to understand how to manipulate qi. However, trying to heal someone else with their one's own qi is a completely different story.
As Lu Meihui continued to observe the boy, it seemed like he was having a bit of trouble. He didn't have enough spirit qi and he was tiring himself out. Lu Meihui thought, although healing yourself is simple it would be more efficient if you had a deep understanding of spirit qi control. This boy was spilling so much qi out that anyone in a 10ft radius could recognize a novice was unintentionally leaking their spirit qi out. Only someone who was inexperienced could be leaking out this much in such irregular pulses.
I guess it wouldn't be too much trouble to help him, Lu Meihui thought. She put her finger to the boy's forehead and channeled her own qi to support his. This was easy for her with her expert control on qi and the fact she didn't need to exert too much since she was only supporting him and not trying to heal him on her own. With this, Lu Meihui thought, you're now one of my people. Lu Meihui doesn't like to share her spirit qi often, only with people she considered close. But now the situation was different and she practically had no one so she could only decide that in this life this boy was worthy to be the first person she considered her people. She only decided this after a moment of hesitation. This boy's temperament is not bad and he has a promising future. If I could guide him in the right direction, I wonder what kind of future he could have. Lu Meihui stood up and looked over the boy once again before making another decision and sitting down beside him. She looked over him once again before drawing her qi out of her body to bring a book into her awaiting hand and she began to read with ease in the night next to the young boy.
The young boy soon regained his senses and he immediately noticed the young girl next to him.
"AH-" as he was about to scream in surprise, Lu Meihui covered his mouth before he could alert the whole staff of the mansion. And that was enough for the boy to regain his bearings.
"Ah! Mistress." The boy proceeded to take a kneeling stance in front of Lu Meihui.
"You can get up, it's alright. Escort me back to my room."
"This young one understands."
As they walked back towards Lu Meihui's room, the boy realized his experiment worked and his knee felt better. He also noticed that he didn't feel as fatigued as last time he tried to manipulate his spirit qi. While the boy began inspecting himself, Lu Meihui was in deep thought. Even though she now considered this boy one of her people, she didn't know his name. And in the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, they arrived in front of Lu Meihui's room.
"You. What's your name?" Lu Meihui sighed in her heart, she didn't know how else to ask and simply chose to be direct.
"Ah, this young one doesn't have a name." The boy bowed as he answered. This girl was definitely different from a month ago, she should already know that all her servants don't have names of their own.
"..." Lu Meihui was speechless. She knows only the lowest of the low people don't have names of their own. The people that serve her are these pitiful people? Lu Meihui quickly realized why, these people were easy to silence. No one would know they've gone missing. Though, in her mind, she wondered if that was necessary, after all this is the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains. Still, she kept that to herself.
"Ok, you may leave now." After watching the young boy's retreating back, she herself retreated into her room. She gave her room another once-over. With speed and grace, she quickly packed up all her important belongings. Last night as she read next to the young boy, she realized this place was terrible for cultivation. The spirit qi here is thin and almost nonexistent. Although every place has a different concentration of spirit qi in the air, this place so below average, Lu Meihui feared that if she stayed here, she would never grow strong enough to be satisfied. However, as Lu Meihui mulled over she realized there must be a reason as to why this is. After careful consideration, she finalized her plan to leave this mansion. Well, not permanently of course.
Lu Meihui realized this area must have such a low concentration of spirit qi because the mountains must be hogging it all. However, nature doesn't just do that for no reason. There must be valuable resources there! And with all the spirit qi it's stolen from the surrounding land, cultivating there will definitely benefit her. Her and the young boy. She, of course, also decided to bring the boy with her.
He's very promising and he can also be my future bodyguard or something of the sort. It'd only be a waste if I left him here so I'll bring him with me to cultivate. Lu Meihui paused in the midst of packing.
Wait... didn't he say he didn't have a name? Perhaps as his master, I can give him one! Maybe that can convince him to come with me... And with that thought, Lu Meihui continued to pack. With her speed, she finished neatly packing by dusk. Although she was first wondering what exactly she should bring with her, she realized she could always come back.
With that, she made sure to lock the door and went out to her courtyard. The servants can just assume she had locked herself in her room for long periods of time again. She found no need in putting more effort or making more complications for herself either by informing them of her departure. Now, the only thing left to do was get the boy and get out of here.
Lu Meihui first wanted to go through what had happened to her for the last month before acting. Even if I've lived a lifetime and then brought back to life, it's still not easy to digest. After a few deep breaths, Lu Meihui's ocean eyes seem to look more profound than previously. Lu Meihui looked at her hand before thinking, I've spent the past month learning about what's around me. In that month I've never been able to take a good look at myself. That should be the first thing I do after I leave with that boy. And his name... his name shall be Li Shan! Although this name doesn't suit him right now, it will no doubt come to fruition.