(Unknown location)
Kwit-Kwit-kee-kee-kee-kee
The sound of the eagle awakens the man laying on an old bed.
He opened his eyes and saw the eagle standing on the table filled with different bottles of potions, next to the table was a very big pot. Underneath was a blue flame burning rapidly.
The steam coming out of the big black pot was red.
The man in his late 70s was seen wearing a muggle attire under his black robes, he hurried up and looked into the pot.
"The steam!! it... it is different!!!", he exclaimed and looked at the eagle who seemed concerned as well.
Without hesitation, he hurried out of his darkroom, the brightness would have blinded him if he was not wearing his old rusty glasses.
The man was seen clearly, his left leg was not in a good shape making him limp towards a big tall door.
"Impossible!" he mumbled before knocking on the door.
He waited patiently for a response before walking into the chamber, appearing in front of a man sitting alone in the big room while stroking a black leopard's body gently.
"What brings the great Gen in here?".
"The bird lives!" Mr. Gen replied quickly, breathing heavily.
There was a short time of silence in the room, as if the man had communicated with the leopard through his mind, the animal jumped off.
He finally stood up and walked towards Mr. Gen with the leopard slowly walking behind him.
The man in his early 40s was seen wearing a Black Mamba, a thorn-like outfit.
"What do you mean... what lives?".
His voice was as deep as the roar of a lion, hoping it wasn't what he was thinking about, he looked at the old man for a response.
The aggressive growl of the leopard made Mr. Gen shiver.
"I... I was as shocked as you are sir..." Mr. Gen repeated in a stutter.
"Dai Yu lives, I saw it in my vision while sleeping some minutes ago..." he added and suddenly heard his master's loud deep laughter.
Mr. Gen watched the man move away from him, he continued.
"I... I never thought it could come back to life after you killed it so many years ago... my father's father's father that worked for you never saw it, it is strange how it is suddenly back now... Dai Yu is a big threat to us, sir, she must be destroyed" he added.
The growl of the leopard got closer, the old man shivered as he wouldn't look up at the leopard that kept staring at him.
His master's laughter suddenly stopped.
There was another short time of silence, the man turned to Mr. Gen who was looking down at his feet with fear.
There was just a question he needed to ask, "Has she chosen her owner yet?"
"I believe so sir... the bird doesn't take time in doing that..." the old man responded as he waited for his master's decision.
The man walked back to his seat.
Mr. Gen was still unable to look up as the leopard was still around.
The animal finally returned to its owner, watching the old man from afar.
Mr. Gen who has noticed let out a sigh of relief.
"Gen!"
"Yes, master..."
"Figure out who Dai Yu had chosen, we would get to her through the human...". the man said as he continued stroking the leopard head.
"Dai Yu... you must be so tired of the spirit world to have come back to earth... that wouldn't be a great idea... I killed you once and I will do it again, this time... I will make sure you don't get a life again".
The leopard snarled immediately.
****************
Mr. Ji Zhang was sitting around his workers in the meeting room, right in front of him was a file he was examining carefully.
The atmosphere in the room was a good one, everyone was wearing a smile as they watched the man.
"The product has really increased during the week, all thanks to the Lei's company we had collaborated with, they sure helped us a lot".
A man sitting next to Mr. Ji Zhang said.
You can tell in his way of speaking informally that was he someone close to Mr. Zhang.
The other men in the room agreed.
Mr. Ji Zhang nodded excitedly, he looked up at his workers and said, "Thank you all for the hard work and commitment to Ji's company..." he turned his face to the man sitting next to him, "especially you Yang Wei... you introduced us to Lei's company, you have done well for this company my friend".
The sound of applause was heard all over the room.
Shortly, Mr. Ji Zhang announced a hangout to celebrate the little progress after the meeting.
"I hope Xiaofan would be as smart as her father later in the future", Yang Wei said.
Mr. Ji Zhang nodded slowly, "Definitely... she is a smart lady... I am teaching her to be smarter... she has to be, she is the heir to all I have".
"As it should be", Yang Wei said.
(Mr. Ji Zhang's apartment),
She yawned as she opened her eyes, the chirping of birds was not as loud as she expected it to be.
Xiaofan stretched her arms and chewed her mouth slowly, she rose, and instantly her unclear eyes saw a bird flying towards her window from a far distance.
She hurried to the window and as the bird got closer, it appeared to be a Cuckoos bird that had landed on a tree.
The girl felt disappointed, she walked away from the window.
"Why do I feel this sudden love for the bird... some weeks ago, I literally want it gone and now I long for it.... strange," she said as she took off her onesie.
"Owls can't fly during the day anyway", she added before stepping into the shower.
The water hit her body rapidly as she turned the shower on.
Yi Chen suddenly popped up in her head.
She turned the shower off and frowned, "What is wrong with him? why does he want to make things so awkward between us?... why did he use Mr. Darcy's quote from pride and prejudice? out of all quotes?....ughhh".
Feeling the water slowly dripping down her body, she walked out of the shower and grabbed her towel.
"We are best friends, he better stop whatever he is thinking".
After a long while.
Xiaofan opened her door and walked down the stairs, she noticed how quiet everywhere was, not surprised because it was a Saturday.
The girl got to the last steps, she looked around scornfully.
"I am sure the stepmother sent Meili out to get stuff for her as usual while she is inside with her precious daughter..." she said and immediately heard a harsh voice coming from her stepmother's room.
Having nothing to do at that moment, she suddenly felt the urge to eavesdrop.
"What do you mean I didn't do it right? I made sure the stupid maid gave her the biscuit, I saw her give the biscuit to the girl... it just didn't work".
Xiaofan's eyes got brightened, she remembered Meili bringing her biscuit some weeks ago saying it was from her stepmother, the girl refused to believe what was going through her mind at that moment.
"That biscuit... I... the bird took it", Xiaofan whispered, unknowingly her elbow hit the doorknob.
The sound caught the woman's attention, she stopped talking and immediately stared at the door.
Xiaofan let out a gasp.