Mu Dishi looked at Ma Jingguo and said, "Go pack up your bags."
Ma Jingguo's heart sank. The last time Mu Dishi told him to pick up his bags was to kick him out for the cave, and he did not see Mu Dishi for five years. He hesitated and refused to get up from the bed. He just looked at Mu Dishi without saying a single word.
Mu Dishi then said, "You can leave."
Ma Jingguo said quietly, "Why? Xiao shushu, why?"
Mu Dishi, "Because I don't want you here."
Ma Jingguo, "Xiao shushu, I've waited five years to see you."
Mu Dishi, "Now you see me. You can leave now."
Ma Jingguo stood up from the bed, feeling very angry, but he still kept a steady voice and asked, "What if I don't want to leave. Then what?"
Mu Dishi, "Why do you want to stay?" Mu Dishi looked at Ma Jingguo coldly. "This place have nothing to do with you."
Ma Jingguo then looked at Mu Dishi, "Xiao shushu, why did you kick me out five years ago?"
Mu Dishi, "I've already told you. I just need you to help me practicing the killer string."
Ma Jingguo sat face to face at the table looking at Mu Dishi, "I don't believe that is the reason."
Mu Dishi said coldly, "You believe what you want to believe."
Ma Jingguo said sadly, "You knew that once you finish the training in the 'Killer String Manual', you will seek revenge. If I am with you, I will follow you to seek revenge. That's why you kicked me out." His eyes still locked onto Mu Dishi. "The other reason is because when I put the hairpin on your hair, you knew that I liked you. Am I correct, xiao shushu?"
Mu Dishi looked down at the table, refusing eye contact.
Ma Jingguo smiled at Mu Dishi, "Xiao shushu, you've always known that I like you, is that true?"
Mu Dishi didn't answer.
Ma Jingguo smiled, "Xiao shushu, you may not know, but since I was young, I always wanted to know how it feels in your arms or being held by you. When you stand still with your hands behind your back and closed your eyes, I love that posture the most." This made Mu Dishi looked at him. He gave Mu Dishi a big smile, "When I tell you that I want to be beside you because of the promised I made with my mother, that is a lie. I want to stay by your side because I want to stay by your side."
Mu Dishi was speechless. Since the first years of being together, he never thought Ma Jingguo had these feelings for him. He only noticed that in the last five months before he chased Ma Jingguo out of the cave, Ma Jingguo thought of him more than a friend or a brother. Ma Jingguo was not afraid to show his affection toward him. For example, Ma Jingguo will wait until he comes back from his sword practice to have dinner with him. Ma Jingguo's actions toward him were like his father's actions toward his mother. Ma Jingguo was right, the real reason he chased Ma Jingguo away was because he realized that Ma Jingguo's feelings toward him is more than a friend or a brother.
Ma Jingguo smiled holding back his tears at Mu Dishi. Ma Jingguo don't know why he had tears. These tears, he didn't know whether they were happy tears or sad tears. He always knew that Mu Dishi would do everything to drive him away, especially after learning how he felt toward Mu Dishi. His heart was hurting terribly. He wants to stand beside Mu Dishi and be Mu Dishi's human shield. Shield and protect Mu Dishi from any harm. He wants to stay with Mu Dishi, but if Mu Dishi doesn't want him to stay with Mu Dishi, what good is it?
Ma Jingguo gave Mu Dishi a big smiled with his innocent big eyes and he said, "Xiao shushu, let me comb your hair for you. After that, I'll pick up my bags and go home." Ma Jingguo felt a sharp pain inside his heart as he spoken these words. His only home is inside that secluded mountain area with Mu Dishi. That is the only home he knew.
Mu Dishi, "Mm."
Ma Jingguo walked to his bag, and he took out the jade combed tied with a red string. He began to comb Mu Dishi's hair. As he combed, he stroked Mu Dishi's hair gently and said, "Xiao shushu, have I told you before, your hair is the most beautiful hair?"
Mu Dishi, "Hair are all alike."
Ma Jingguo shook his head, "No, Xiao shushu's hair is the most beautiful and softest."
Ma Jingguo combed Mu Dishi hair and tied it up with Mu Dishi's favorite hair ornament. He also pinned the jade hairpin onto Mu Dishi tied hair. Ma Jingguo then picked up his clothes he hung to dry overnight, he folded the clothes, and put the clothes inside his bag. He changed back into his clothes. He also folded Mu Dishi's pants and robe and put it on the bed.
Ma Jingguo looked hurtfully at Mu Dishi handsome face and said with pain, "Xiao shushu, you take care of yourself." He walked past Mu Dishi hoping Mu Dishi will look at him one more time, but Mu Dishi did not turn around to look at him. "Xiao shushu, goodbye."
Ma Jingguo walked out of the bamboo hut. When he believed he walked far enough, he turned around and looked at Mu Dishi's back. Only then, the tears that he tried his best not to cry in front of Mu Dishi finally began to fall. He walked away toward Mu Village leaving his heart behind.
Long after Ma Jingguo was gone, Mu Dishi finally turned around, he got up from the chair, and dressed himself. He walked out of the bamboo hut and locked the door. Then he walked to Mu Village. When he was walking out of Mu Village, he saw Yong Hao who was burning paper money for the dead, and two Sword village disciples were putting incense sticks in front of the tombstone.
Yong Hao, "Childe Mu are you leaving?"
Mu Dishi, "Mm."
Yong Hao, "Childe Mu, I've heard that you tore the Mu treasure map apart and threw it at the gathered sectors and clans in Shaolin Sect."
Mu Dishi, "I did."
Yong Hao, "It's a good thing. Child Mu, you be careful. The four clans and three sectors will not let you off easily."
Mu Dishi walked past Yong Hao and he said coldly, "If they dare to come. I have no problem ending their doggie lives." Mu Dishi proceeds to walk down the hill path merge into the main road.
Ma Jingguo walked for two hours, and he stop at a roadside tea house. He felt the pain on his left shoulder and inside his heart was unbearable. He sat down on an empty table unaware of his surroundings.
Owner, "What can I gave you?"
Ma Jingguo, "Liquor. Five jars."
Owner came back to Ma Jingguo with five liquor jars."
Ma Jingguo began drinking his pain away. After Ma Jingguo finished his five liquor jars, he ordered more. After ten small liquor jars Ma Jingguo lowered down his head on the table. Then he saw someone sitting in front of him. He raised his head; it was Kuo Changchang.
Ma Jingguo scoffed, "Why are you here?"
Kuo Changchang, "Ah Chen, you are hurt. You shouldn't be drinking."
Ma Jingguo, "I am not drunk yet. I want to get drunker."
Kuo Changchang, "If you are drunk. How can you find your xiao shushu?"
Ma Jingguo laughed holding back his tears, "I found him, but he chased me away again."
Kuo Changchang, "Let's go."
Ma Jingguo, "Go where? I can't go where I want to go."
Kuo Changchang, "Let's us go back to Jinfeng Sect. You are still a disciple of Jinfeng Sect."
Ma Jingguo cried, "Shijie, I really want to go back home."
Ma Jingguo continued to drink; he knew deeply inside his heart that he would never be able to go home. Mu Dishi will never open the ten thousand stone door for him. He has strong feelings for Mu Dishi, but Mu Dishi felt differently.
Ma Jingguo recalled the first night he stood outside the ten-thousand-pound stone door. He kept banning on the stone door and called for Mu Dishi to open the stone door. He doesn't know if Mu Dishi hear him or not. He knocked and knocked until his knuckles begun to bleed. He then waited outside patiently for three days. On the fourth day, Mu Dishi still did not open the stone door that was when he decided to go to Jiangnan by himself.
Ma Jingguo walked into a small Inn and saw a group of people surrounding a table. He made way to the crowded people. He saw a young teen about fifteen quarreling with the waiter.
Waiter, "Miss, you are a good decent looking lady. Please pay."
Kuo Changchang, "Please don't make a scene. My money bag was stolen. If I've known that my money bag was stolen, I will never order these food."
Ma Jingguo looked at the young lady and felt somewhat sorry for her. Ma Jingguo then said, "Waiter, don't make a scene, I will pay for her food. Add her tab to my tab."
Waiter, "This young man, she also booked a room as well."
Ma Jingguo, "I will also pay for that too."
Waiter, "This young man, are you just dining, or do you also want room too?"
Ma Jingguo, "Both." Ma Jingguo handed a sliver ingot to the waiter. "This should take care of everything. The rest is your tip."
Waiter, "Thank you this young gongzi."
Kuo Changchang walked up to Ma Jingguo, "Thank you shixiong. I am Kuo Changchang of Jinfeng Sect. May I know your name and where you live? I will send you back your money."
Ma Jingguo said, "Ah Chen. I don't have a home to return to."
Kuo Changchang smiled and said, "How about you become disciple of Jinfeng Sect if you don't have a home to return to?"
Ma Jingguo, "Jingfeng Sect? Where is that?"
Kuo Changchang, "Fuzhou."
Ma Jingguo then asked, "How far is Fuzhou from Guangzhou?"
Kuo Changchang, "About ten days walks."
Ma Jingguo, "You don't know me."
Kuo Changchang smiled and said, "I am good at judging people."
Ma Jingguo and Kuo Changchang took ten days to get to Fuzhou.
Mu Dishi sat quietly inside his room listening to the rain. He was thinking where he should go next. Then he recalled Ma Jingguo once told him that Ma Jingguo wants to go to Jiangnan.
Mu Dishi had lived in Guangzhou on the outskirt of Tong Village for ten years, but he had never go further than Tong's village to buy food then come back home. Sometimes he also questioned himself why when the Mu family live up North, but the treasure cave located down South.
Mu Dishi couldn't sleep, so he got up and walked around the small Inn premises. It was a rainy night, so all the oil lambs were not lit. He walked in the dark and listened to the sound of the rain, someone bumped right onto his back. He turned around. It was dark, so he couldn't really see the man's face.
Man, "Sorry."
Mu Dishi, "It's okay."
Man, "Xiao shushu, is that you?"