Chapter 26 - Handsome Stranger

"What's with this beauty trap huh, who are you and where's my XiaoLong, how'd you get in here and you've better not have hurt him!" Shinah growls at the boy.

He sets aside the towel and uses his spirit energy to dry off the remaining wetness out his hair frowning with a sour expression. He then picks up a broom and begins to sweep ignoring her completely.

"You!... XiaoLonnnnnnnngg" I call out looking around the room carefully. "Darling I'm homeee."

The boy's smile etched its way back into his face but he continues to let her do her own thing.

"You ..have you seen my dragon? I know you can understand me. . .This ... this is my Mindscape and if you don't help me find him. I'll toss you right out on your sorry little ass. He's my people and my people aren't to be messed with!" She announces proudly before rushing outside to look by the pond.

"Xiaolong where are you?"

Ohh Duhh! I'll check his message, I pull up the screen.

*Ping! Faithful Healer Skill Reacquired*

*Ping! New Message From Master XiaoLong*

*Ping! New Task Received*

I swipe the screen to hear XiaoLong's message.

*Ping! Playing Recording from Master XiaoLong*

[RAI SHINAH YOU UNGRATEFUL GIRL... how dare you leave this Young Master, after I personally cared for your injury's. Do you think those elixirs come out of thin air? No I painstaking cultivated them myself for two whole weeks! And as soon as you wake up you jump out of your Mindscape, while I was retrieving water for you. Good! Very good, fine I'll be cultivating in seclusion again without telling you anything of the memories I remembered! You.. don't die... and continue to cultivate on your own from now on! -Splashh- System end recording]

Was that water?

What did I even do, I didn't know of those things you did! I'm not to be blamed...

"Ughhhh.... I didn't know you did those things! How can you just leave like that! Ugh talk about the kettle calling the pot black!" I slump down against a tree depressed. "You didn't even say goodbye, I didn't mean to upset you ... I just thought my brothers died.... I thought you of all people could understand how I felt... Hmph... fine, I don't care .. you can stay in seclusion. I'm calling quits to this partnersh—"

"Don't you think that's a little selfish.. how can you make a two person decision with only one present?" a soft voice from behind me questions.

I wipe away my tears, looking up at the beautiful boy's face.

"... No, because it's how I feel. He's allowed to feel angry ...but so am I. We're both entitled to our own opinions and feelings...

Besides it's not like I'd really tell him that, I only said it to alleviate my own sadness.

XiaoLong is one of the few important people in my life.

A moment of sadness won't change or break that. But I think he's still a selfish little shit for leaving me suddenly.

Mmm but I suppose he felt the same way when I left him." I sigh sadly.

"Mm." He nods and sits next to me offering me a green apple.

"Thanks, I'm Rai Shinah by the way, whats your name and why did XiaoLong bring you here?" I ask as I eat the apple, it's spiritual energy rejuvenating my mood.

"... to look after this place." he says after a moment of hesitation.

"Really! Oh that's great there's so much here I can't possibly do it alone... Aw see that little guy does care, even when he's upset he sent me, you to look after our home." I say with a smile as I get up and dust myself off.

"Well ... whatever your name is since we'll be living together from now on let's do our best to get along okay? I'll make a move first I left my brothers quickly, and they're probably worried about me. If you need me just send me a message through this screen. Here I'll show you how to work it."

I open my eyes, and two stubborn brothers pretend to be angry and quickly look away from me.

I run over to Shen.

"First brother? What's a matter.."

"Hey little brat why do you only ask about your first brother, your third brothers here too! Not only did you have the guts to escape into cultivation before explaining yourself, you play innocent and ignore your third brother here and his good intentions."

"Don't you dare scold me when look at what your good intentions did to our Second Brother, besides I didn't escape I had urgent cultivation matters to attend to." I huff angrily at Kiyoshi.

"You.. you.."

"You.. shut up. Shen... don't be upset with Little Shin'er okay. I wasn't feeling well and had to fix some stuff in my Mindscape." I pull at his sleeve shamelessly.

He picks me up and checks my vitals. "What happened? Explain your pain to me."

"Oh.. ha ha ...It's nothing now Shen don't worry, besides don't you want to know what happened yesterday?"I try to deflect his attention.

"Let's wait for Akuma, he's getting your breakfast."

Once he arrives Shen and Akuma set up a sound canceling barrier formation. While Kiyoshi and I eat.

"So little brat, you came back from death too?"

"Yea..." I whisper sadly.

"When were you reborn and what's the last thing you remember before you ...?"

Akuma holds my hand squeezing it for comfort while Shen sit next to me and glares at Kiyoshi.

"I vaguely remember most of my past life, the last thing I remember.... is losing my... child.. I was about to be twenty-five when Lu Remington murdered our child and me. I was reborn the day I went to Aunties house and she was almost poisoned. By the way what happened after I came home? Is Auntie okay?"

I quickly tell my brothers everything I could remember that happened to me in my past life including my mistakes and following consequences.

I leave Xiaolong and my past lives out, not wanting to overload them. But express my desire to rewrite my past mistakes hoping for a better future.