Yueshi, having already worn his sandals, took his time to observe Xuehua wear hers. He did not know why it was that way, but he felt as if he had a filter in his eyes every time he looked at her. Just from her leaning against the wall and inclining herself, he could feel something stir inside of him.
Maybe, his cause was a lost one.
"Miss Xuehua?" He asked playfully, offering her his hand. Seeing him like that she giggled, before surprisingly accepting his offer.
As she got closer, she sent a glance toward him, before intertwining their arms tightly. Yueshi watched dumbfounded, not comprehending how his joke led to this. 'To think he was this close to her before…' He mumbled inward, complaining about the former self of his body.
However, he did not want to give her the wrong impression. That being so, he kept his cool and thoughts in check. 'I can't look like an immature boy now, right?' What he did not know, however, was that his actions and expressions looked really childish just then.
Xuehua, seeing her brother try to act like a mature gentleman, merely smiled while shaking her head.
After that, their sightseeing - that Yueshi shamelessly called a date - brought him to a new understanding of this world.
Xuehua was extremely patient and explained things to him like a teacher. To his surprise, their home town had almost a million inhabitants, and it was merely an average-sized town. The amount aside, there were also plenty of people carrying weapons down the streets. According to Xuehua, some were wandering cultivators, but most of them were hunters.
This was a world with all sorts of mystical goods and resources. From weapon shops and blacksmiths selling magical equipment to the alchemists and talisman masters that sold pills and mystic charms. All of them required resources taken out from the vast and dangerous wilderness.
Despite having heard of it before, looking at it with his own eyes made him expand his horizons.
However, it did not take long for his focus to change from those to more inconspicuous and more desolate places and ordinary people. There was Uncle Feng's butchery, Aunt Zhao's clothing shop, the Yun twins' school for poor children… Those were places that belonged to people that Xuehua and the past Yueshi were acquainted with.
Yueshi watched as they chatted with his sister, treating her with love and tenderness. He could not help but grin at the sight. For some odd reason, he puffed his chest as he stood before them - the smug look on his face saying something like "look, look, this is my sister, you know"! It was such a childish act and behavior, that everyone had to scoff at him.
'We are poor and live in a small house. There is no comparison with those rich and pompous people. Still, I guess this kind of life is not half-bad.' Yes, their lives were a bit harsh, but if he could watch over her every day and interact with those sort of gentle and caring people, he would not mind it.
"You seem to be in a really good mood." She commented, smiling. Seeing her gentle eyes hover over him, and seeing her concerns and worries slowly melt away, he felt as if a knot in his heart – one he didn't even know that existed – was being untied.
Huh? No, his good mood had nothing to do with the soft arm interlocked with his own. Neither had it to do with the warm touch of her hands and grasp of her tender, little fingers. Nor with her twin mounds, tightly pressed against his arm. Right, nothing to do with it. Really!
Just like that, the sun that had risen when they left home disappeared while they made their way back. Yueshi was truly surprised at the sheer size of the city, having lost count of the many odd and fantastical things it withheld in its domains.
While Xuehua did not speak much about it, she seemed far more at ease right now. The Yueshi of her memories and the present him were, apparently, similar – calm and easygoing, talkative and loose-tongued. Thanks to that, she judged he had gotten better.
Yueshi was also pleased with that, after all, he did not want to worry this beautiful elder sister of his.
While they walked, Yueshi paid a lot of attention to her. Despite observing their surroundings from time to time, and checking everything she pointed at, he spent most of his time chatting and interacting with her. When they were not talking, he would make sure to inconspicuously observe her.
At times, he noted, she had this thin smile and an expression of reminiscence that was extremely charming. At others, she'd softly laugh, making him smile in answer. In some rare situations, she would look away, downcast. With every change in her expression, he could feel his mood swing a bit too.
It was irrational.
He knew her for less than twenty-four hours. So what was the burning sensation in his chest whenever she looked sorrowful? What about the fluttering butterflies in his stomach every time she smiled?
"Oh, it's time to go home already." While he was wondering, she spoke out.
He could feel her quicken her pace, dragging him along as she hushed somewhere. Despite his doubts, he did not speak up and allowed her to bring him away.
"Oh? What a nice chick! Why don't you work for this daddy here?" The answer for his doubt came from another person, and it was enough to make a vein throb on his forehead in anger.
His feet stopped in place. Xuehua, feeling him stop, could only do the same. It was not as if she truly had the strength to drag him around.
Looking around, it did not take much effort to find the man that had spoken the previous words. He seemed to be in the second half of his thirties, with a well-kept mustache and wrinkles adorning the corners of his big eyes. The lascivious grin he was sending Xuehua made Yueshi clench his fists and narrow his eyes.
Yueshi felt the need to confront him, asking who he thought he was to dare to act like that. Yet, before he could even move a finger, he was interrupted.
"No, thank you. Goodbye." Xuehua's expression did not falter as she spoke, all the while tugging at Yueshi's sleeve - indicating they should leave.
Yueshi glared at the man for another second before starting to move his feet. Still, he made sure to remember his face. If the chance ever came, he'd make sure to teach the man a lesson.
It was hard for him to just leave. The perverse light twinkling in the man's eyes as he leered at Xuehua from head to toes was disgusting, to say the least. If it wasn't because Yueshi did not want to dissatisfy Xuehua, he would not leave.
It also did not help that this was some sort of red-light district, filled with brothels and lustful men. Causing a disturbance here would only bring a bigger headache.
He also wasn't a fool. He could see that the crocks around the man were his bodyguards, indicating he had a certain level of status.
Yet, just as they turned around intending to walk away, a tall, black-skinned man stopped them dead on their tracks. Yueshi had to look up to see his face, only to catch sight of a hideous and disfigured figure. The thing did not even resemble the face of a human.
Hurriedly and unconsciously, he covered his sister's eyes with his hand. 'There is no way I can let she catch sight of this… thing,' holding back the urge to puke, he looked back at the middle-aged man.
The man approached at slow, slightly unbalanced steps. Yueshi could smell the scent of alcohol as he approached, making his brows wrinkle in response.
Xuehua seemed just as dissatisfied, wrinkling her nose as she used one of her free hands to pinch her brother's nose close.
For a moment, silence reigned. The opposite group stared at the brother and sister pair with strange faces - one was covering the other's eyes, and the other was pinching the nose of the first. It looked comical, bordering stupidity.
Yueshi eventually gave up on covering her eyes, scratching his cheek awkwardly.
However, Xuehua was not concerned with how people would look at them. Instead, she seemed worried he would pick up such habits. "You should never, ever, drink." She advised him, gently.
Yueshi gave a soft chuckle. "If big sister says so."
It was surprising how, even now, she was only concerned about him. It was also obvious why she had increased her pace just before - she did not want him mingling around brothels and bad people, under the risk of being seduced by the bountiful ladies all around.
By now, the mustached man was just a few steps ahead of them. Ignoring the siblings 'little moment' he opened his mouth.
"What a cute little thing you are." His eyes were hazy as he looked at Xuehua with a sickening expression. He did not even try to conceal the craving in his eyes as he continued, "if you come and play with daddy, I can give you the world…"
He then continued to ramble for minutes about how he could give her precious jewels, allow her to met interesting and successful people, and even change her whole life. Yueshi felt nauseous hearing his dumb pick-up lines and lust-laced words. He did not even notice that his fist was already clenched and crackling.
"So, what do you say?" His voice was coarse and confident as if he expected a positive answer.
However, he was obviously wrong and Xuehua did not even need to think and just wanted to refuse.
Yet, when the man's hand reached out for her face, both Yueshi and Xuehua were dumbfounded. Had they been living in a shell until then? Since when touching someone willy-nilly had become the norm?
Thanks to that, as if by instinct, Yeshi's hand lashed out – instantly slapping the guy's hand away before he could place his disgusting and filthy hand in his sister.
"Do me a favor and keep those dirty hands away." Yueshi's voice was unusually cold as he moved a step forward, standing between the man and Xuehua. Still, he made sure to pay attention to the other people too.
For the first time, the mustached man spared Yueshi a glance with his murky eyes. He rather disliked handsome men and Yueshi, having inherited his mother's genes, was fairly handsome. Although he lacked in manliness he had a certain charm that only made the other man more annoyed.
"Fuck off, pretty boy." His eyes narrowed in two slits as he spoke, showcasing his anger. "I am speaking with the lass right now." He then proceeded to try to break free by dodging Yueshi's small frame so he could take another look at the girl he had taken an interest in.
However, Yueshi gripped his arm, his nails piercing his flesh because of the strength. "Argh," a sharp, high-pitched shrill escaped his throat as he retreated a step.
"Bastard!" His scream was so loud that a few people turned to look in their direction. At the same time, he sent the black-skinned man an eye signal.
Almost immediately, Yueshi felt a stifling sensation as if something heavy was pressing him down. However, the worst part was the bestial and brutal presence he felt at his back – as if he had become prey to a hungry and voracious beast!
"You have chosen the wrong time to act as a hero, bitch!" Yueshi wanted to retort that he wasn't acting like a hero, however, the sheer pressure made it hard to utter a single word. It was the first time he went through such an experience.
For a moment, many thoughts crossed his mind. He still had to go back and help his mother; he also wanted to help this beautiful, new sister of his lead a better life. Ah, he also wanted to see so much more of the world.
Yet, could it be that he was going to be killed today?
He could even faintly hear the words people would be saying in the morning about this event – two poor, young siblings offended a rich guy. One was killed on the spot and the other sold to the brothels.
While he felt as if the world around him had been locked down he heard the screeching sound of wind being torn apart by a fast movement. Suddenly, he felt someone push him away.
'No way!' Without even looking at it, he knew who it was. Only that frail-looking girl who had been quietly standing behind him could do it.
Only then did he understand that she had been quiet not because she had nothing to say or was not angry, but because she was getting prepared – prepared to help him when he most needed.
Her judgment of the situation was far better than his, and she had known from the start this was not a situation they could defuse.
'Ah! How foolish…' Yueshi could only conclude he was a humongous idiot.
Falling to the ground after being pushed away, he immediately turned back – only to see a heavy ax descending with great speed and power toward his overprotective sister. The sister that, in mere instants after their meeting, had touched his heart.