The wolves howled in the distance, and Lei shuddered.
"Calm down, they are pretty far from us, and they won't chase us here. For now."
"How do you know? Sounded pretty close to me."
"It's the terrain. The sound travels along the river since it's an open area, and the trees won't block it. I left my home what, nine hours ago? There are still no wolves anywhere close to us, means my smell traps worked. There is no way a wolf is patient enough to chase my faint smell up here instead of gorging on the townsfolk and herds. It's probably weaklings that were driven into the forest, anyway. The main feast is right there," Xin pointed towards the Tealstone, obscured behind the hills.
"Nice one, smartass, except your occupation as a hunter is blinding you. You know the wolves, but not their masters. Someone controlled the beast tide. And this someone pincered the city, as you said previously. They could also send the beasts to chase us, especially since we are some of the few witnesses."
"It's naive to think that I'm the only survivor. Some bureaucrats had their portal magic, and some xiandao masters had flying swords and mounts with them. What good is it in chasing me?"
"We don't know, why would this tide attack the city anyway? Who gathered it? That's what scares me."
"Look, I'm thinking about this same thing, but I'm not panicking. Calm down, you aren't helping much with your whining."
Despite his stoic demeanor, Xin was irritated by the emotions outside his perception, unable to fully comprehend or express them. Something was gripping his chest, gnawing at him. He wanted to vomit again, and his eyes were dry, as he barely blinked. Yet he kept walking.
"Huh. Where are you taking me, anyway? The trail I usually use is to the west."
"If there are indeed beasts chasing us, let's take a precaution and filter at least some of them out. I'll help you climb the hills, something a wolf or a similar animal won't be able to do, and then we'll make a hook towards Liao's homestead."
Wu Lei nodded.
All went according to plan, yet by the end of it, Xin felt beaten. Having to carry bags and help Lei climb for hours, all in a hurry, not even his bracer was able to take all of the fatigue away. By the end of this forced march, they both smelled like shit and looked on par. It was almost evening.
Yet their efforts weren't for nothing, as they could see the fires of Liao's homestead not too far away. A pretty if simple wooden outpost, made out of several buildings, housing several extended families of farmers, a roadside inn, and a stable, all surrounded by a wall made out of thick spiked logs. This homestead, along with the beautiful wheat fields nearby, painted a beautiful resonance of manmade and nature.
Xin approached the gates and called out:
"Auntie Liao, open up! we need your hospitality."
"Huh, who's that?" A male voice replied, sounding rather surprised.
"It's me, Xin, Lang Shuo's son! Auntie knows me."
"What? Let them in? Sure."
The man who opened the gate was clearly looking at them through the little gaps between the logs, and was rather suspicious of them.
"Cousin, now they are your responsibility, I'll get back to drinking," the man said, and pointed the pair towards a younger man, in his early twenties.
"Hey, Xin, it's me, Yi. You probably don't remember me, but I remember your dad. You also came when you were younger. And who's that with you?"
"I remember you, Chicklet Yi, and your funny anecdotes, hehe. This with me is Wu Lei, he is from the townsfolk, sadly he got maimed and needs help. Is uncle Luli still available as an alchemist?"
"If you can call this alchemy. You'll have to wait till morning, he got shitfaced with some goons from the Fist sect. They've been slacking off from some sort of mission for hours now, but said they're leaving in the morning. Knowing them, they'll probably slack off till afternoon, complaining about the hangover."
Xin's facial expression barely changed, but his heart jumped. These guys, again? They aren't even honest criminals, just some weird bullies, perverting the teachings of the Way into a parody of itself. I usually acted cold and aloof, but respectful, and it was enough to keep myself from harm, yet this time, with Tealstone gone, they might feel emboldened.
Lei wasn't too happy about this encounter, either. The pair looked at each other, then talked for a minute to plan ahead. Stay vigilant, don't draw too much attention or provoke them. But don't show weakness, this might be bad as well.
And so they entered the inn.
It was pretty cozy, with simple bamboo furniture and tableware, a fireplace, and some cheap statuettes of various famous martial artists on the counter. There was also a thin ladder leading to the second floor, which served as a simple communal sleeping place, with bamboo beds covered by thin linen bed sheets. No rooms, no separation, just a big floor and a bunch of beds. Some city folk would find such simplicity exotic, but most would feel repulsed and want to go home.
Xin bowed respectfully to a trio of martial artists, all bald and wearing orange robes, and greeted them.
"May gods be with you on this fine night, gentlemen. Hope your cups are full and your food is fresh, as they say." He then turned to an empty table, leaned his crossbow and spear on the wall, then sat down, putting the backpack under the table.
He was slightly anxious, these guys probably won't like him. And indeed, they put their fists together in a salute, yet stared suspiciously from under their eyebrows. Lei nodded and said "Good evening," then sat down on his chair as well, paying them no further attention.
Xin felt the pressure rise in the air. They can tell that Lei is anxious. And that I am, too.
Auntie Liao was already rushing down from the second floor, with some wooden dishes in hand. She was a lively woman, in the dawn of her middle ages.
"Can you guys imagine, this postman ate his rice in his bed. Disrespectful, I can take it, but the man is such a heavy burden on his horse! The size on that man, what a poor creature." She furrowed her brows and made a playful gesture that symbolized her discontent. The Fist sect members didn't smile or respond.
"Who are you two, young men? Oh, my, you look beaten. What are your names?" She asked her new guests.
"Auntie, it's me, Xin. And this here is Wu Lei, he's from Clay Nest. We'd like to tell you the news."
"Xin? No way! So tall, so handsome, such clear skin and manly features. Is this the duckling I once knew? Oh, I remember your father fondly, such a scholar, such a gentleman. Let me pour you some tea, and you can tell us the news, deal?"
One of the bald men called out from a corner, "Hey, grandma, you said you don't serve tea, only rice wine, liquor, and water, how do we get this sort of special treatment? Is money not enough, huh?"
Fuck. Did the situation escalate randomly or was this man looking for a reason to escalate? Anyway, I need to ease the tension somehow. Think. Pick the most optimal words, they will be decisive.
"Why don't you shut your shutter and keep eating, you ballsack? You are a guest, respect the host or get out." Suddenly blurted out Wu Lei.
What? Xin's eyes were as big as that tiger's when he raised his spear to finish him. Auntie Liao was bewildered, too, and almost dropped a teapot in her hands. One of the monks clenched his chopsticks out of surprise, yet they slipped off each other, and one of them fell from his grip, under the table. He hoped no one would notice, but amidst the silence, it was the loudest sound in the room. What a loss of face.
"What did you just say, you mongrel?"
"Did they shave your ears off too, you ballsack?"
"Master, let me teach this man a lesson, he is courting death!"
"I courted your mom about two days ago, why don't you..."
Xin interrupted him, pulling the sleeve of his severed arm.
"What's wrong with you? Shut up, man!" Xin stood up to say something, yet the monk had already prepared to charge Lei.
"No. Sit down," the voice from behind the monk said. Another monk, behind his back, clearly his senior, pinched the skin of his elbow and forced him to sit back again, seemingly with no effort. His facial expression was calm and didn't show any sign of being drunk.
"Let's hear what this young man has to say first."
Xin's mind raced. What's wrong with Lei? What do I even say?
"Forgive me, gentlemen. My friend is not well. As you can see, he recently lost his arm, so I pumped him with some medicine, and he still has trouble differentiating between sleep and dream. You probably remind him of someone from his past, please don't take it personally.
I, on the other hand, am rather glad to share company with such refined... company in these hard times, and in these hard times... would like to share some news with you. Some bad news." Blundered it. Damn.
Auntie Liao was about to inject her own line into this conversation, yet one small glance from the older bald monk, just one eyebrow raise, was enough to make her abandon this idea.
"You are speaking about Tealstone," the monk stated confidently.
"Precisely so. I am but a simple hunter, and as I came back to the hilltop observing the town, the whole settlement was pincered. The beast tide, led by a giant black boar, was laying ruin to the town, and there was no way in or out of this vicious encircling.
Terrifying sight. As I rushed out to get some help, to warn someone, my friend and I were attacked by a group of bandits, led by a tiger yaoguai, who maimed my friend and injured me. Afterwards, we recovered and rushed towards civilization, the wild beasts following our tracks. Now we are here, and my friend is rather distressed, his medication acting weirdly, so forgive him, please. That's what a gentleman would do!"
"I'd say you made it all up, but I've read the reports of several different yaoguai moving in this direction. Some slave yaoguai are even abandoning their masters to travel into this area. A beast tide might explain a lot. We've been sent here for recon, and you brought us valuable information. Thank you. And we'll forgive your friend if he apologizes once he sobers up. Another condition is that you hear me out and consider my proposal."
Lei got agitated again.
"Oh fuck no! Don't listen to this bald fraud! Every word of his is a lie. He slacked off on a recon mission because he is a fucking weakling. His proposal will be something like 'please become our outer disciples, shave the hair on your heads and below your waist, then farm us rice in exchange for these retarded fisting manuals.'"
Xin was in utter confusion. Why is Lei so agitated?
"Shut the fuck up, Lei, or I'll punch you out, I swear. This gentleman saved you face, be humble enough to accept it."
The "gentleman" monk breathed out with a weird whistle, probably some Qigong technique. It seemed it was hard for him to keep his composure amid Lei's babbling.
"So, young master, I can see it in your posture that you are not an ordinary man. Will you hear me out?"
"Alright, gladly," Xin bowed respectfully.
"There are some mixed signals coming from everywhere, and we aren't to reveal our mission to common folk so as to not spread panic. Yet you bring valuable news, and this deserves a reward. I see that you both are vagabonds, injured and tired. I'd like to make you an offer, and please think twice before rejecting or accepting, as no matter what you answer, your life will irrevocably change."
"Oh, here it comes..." Lei wanted to keep talking, but Xin kicked his crotch under the table.
"Our sect is looking for outer disciples, and with Tealstone beheaded, we'll look to expand. This means new opportunities to move up, for everyone. If you two truly felled a group of bandits, with a yaoguai, on your own, you'll be tested and awarded your first contribution points for this, despite not being sect members at the time.
You'll be given some basic materials and spirit stones as a starting capital, and a basic monthly allowance, enough to sustain you. As you progress in battle prowess and education, you'll rank up, which brings more status and benefits. Let me tell you about the benefits..."
Xin politely interrupted, "It won't be necessary, master. I must humbly decline. You see, master, I am not worthy of your sect, as I am both aloof and impulsive, and hate being around people for long stretches of time. My friend here, even worse. The life you described, it's good for a normal person, yet I am not fit for it. Forgive us, the problem lies with us, not with you."
"A humble, even humiliating rejection. You are smart, boy. I like it. And your friend, too, he clearly has the balls. Let me put it this way. Right now, you two are potential recruits, but if you decline, I'd have to detain you two for the disruption of public order and suspicious behavior, and you'll be escorted to be questioned by the sect's higher-ups. The question is, would you want to enter our sect as hot prospects or as detained criminals? Your choice."
"Here we go, man. You should have kicked your own crotch, you dumb fuck."
"You aren't helping, smartass. Being right and winning are two different things!"
The bald fraud started losing his patience. To insult him was bearable, but to bicker in front of him, ignoring him and making him wait was too much! His disciples were also clearly jealous of the special treatment these vagabonds were getting.
"Oh, and to add, you, youngster. I see that you lost an arm, we can heal it back."
"Lost an arm? It's there, in my bag," Lei nodded confidently.
"I see," the monk's head started turning red. Xin smiled, even if the situation was dire. Lei was a true copycat and a scoundrel. Steals my jokes, copies Jun's key. Adaptability through imitation, I assume he's just like that in combat. Interesting.
"There is someone you forgot to ask, young man!" Auntie Liao exclaimed, pointing her finger at the monk, flabbergasted at being called a young man. She continued: "You might be sect masters and all, but this poor pair has just witnessed a massacre, and were forced to kill in self-defense on top of it! I know fuck all about the sects and politics, but let me tell you something about the holy tradition of hospitality! You act like you are the masters of my inn, yet you are merely guests here! This insults the four generations of my ancestors, who built and maintained this inn, and this won't stand here!"
The old monk's face twisted, his mouth revealing a disgusted expression.
"Did I just hear what I heard? You, a peasant, threatening me, a sect master? Giving me orders, reprimanding me? I've been too kind with you all, let me think of what lesson I should teach you."
"Slap her, master! And these two, knock them out and bring them to the sect. That's what we should do!"
Auntie Liao was relentless, though, and unleashed her final argument:
"You see, young man, we've got five generations living here, and if I go and wake up the middle three, it's a sizable force of a dozen men to teach you a lesson. So how about you behave yourself and leave this place on your own? You can finish your food and drinks, I'll wait."
Lei chuckled. This master might be strong, but taking on a dozen men, with two of them being strong mortals, is still pretty risky. And this guy already dodged his mission in the first place, he hides his fear behind the pretense of being sophisticated and reasonable, but when it comes to fight or flight, he is "flight." The bald fraud, just as I thought. Lei was lost in his funny thoughts, yet his hand painfully pulsated, reminding him of his loss and snapping him back to reality.
The monk stood up and went past Lei and Xin, to the second floor, acting detached as his disciples followed him.
"Master, why didn't we teach them a lesson?"
Everyone could hear the argument happening above, the walls of the inn were pretty thin, and the doorway wasn't very tight.
"You see, my disciple, it's actually a show of strength. A show of resolve. If these mortals raised even a finger on us, we'd have to slaughter them all, and then kill this old woman as well, for egging them all on."
Auntie Liao was furious, her expression saying 'who did he just call old?'
The monk continued, speaking to his disciple, his true audience located below, of course:
"To leave this inn with a dozen corpses, to leave so many children without fathers, and elderly people without caretakers, over some situation created by two outsiders, would be a truly careless act. And these two, we have no time for them, let them pray that our paths won't cross again. Still, we should thank destiny for providing us with valuable intel. Our mission is over, let's go and collect the contribution points."
"Master, I see now, your wisdom is as profound as always!"
In just two minutes, the trio left the inn, seemingly ignoring the other guests. The monk threw a coin into a wooden bowl standing on the counter without even looking, calmly proclaimed 'Should be enough,' and left. Great precision on that throw, Lei was impressed.
Xin exhaled.
"The fuck is wrong with you? Lei, what was that?"
"I don't know, man, I just had this feeling these guys will try and probe us, and I followed my instinct."
"In what world is calling a master a bald fraud in front of his disciples a way to de-escalate conflict?"
"I'd rather get my shit kicked in than grovel again. You were pathetic."
"So you saw your past self in my current act? Sort your past out, but don't involve me. I am just trying to survive. You might feel like you've been born again, this miraculous survival giving birth to your new 'know-it-all can-do-it-all' attitude. You won't last very long, cease it."
"What's done is done, I have my reasons to be angry with them, and all's well that ends well, don't you agree?"
"No, I don't agree. I think you are an idiot. You also stole my joke without giving me credit, you scoundrel."
"It was an obvious joke to make. Your jokes are ordinary, being funnier than old man Jun is not an achievement."
"Oh, Xin, I am glad that you made a new friend, but it's getting hot here when you two argue. Let me open the windows."
Auntie Liao hustled around. Soon, she was joined by a bunch of family members, all interested in knowing what happened and why the masters left the homestead. Fist sect's members were known to cause trouble.
Xin exchanged some nostalgic stories with several people he knew. The childish games they played, the game that his father hunted and brought here to sell, the gossiping, and such. Yet soon, the pair grew tired and were pretty embarrassed to stay around all these interested people, as they looked and smelled like dead pigs.
Chicklet Yi took the liberty of inviting the pair to his family's sauna, a small building near their longhouse. The pair washed themselves, tended to their wounds, and washed their clothing, leaving it to dry near the fireplace. They also didn't forget to cook the meat that Xin caught, as it would spoil otherwise. The rabbit's fragrance, mixed with wild herbs, was enough to drive the dogs outside crazy. The bathhouse had a small guest room, cozier than the inn, and that's where they fell asleep.
In the morning, Xin sought out uncle Luli. This man was related to everyone in this homestead, being everyone's great uncle, grandpa, or a cousin, sometimes several of these at the same time. Rural stuff. The man sat in his room, a primitive shack next to the longhouse of his extended family, and was mixing some medical herbs in his mortar.
"Good morning, uncle Luli. It's been ages since I last saw you."
"Oh, son, I know it feels like a lot of time has passed for you, but for me, it was mere moments. Time speeds up as you age. You blink once and you are on your deathbed, just like that. Remember it, and live accordingly. Still, in the memory of your father and out of respect for the misery you lived through, I asked Liao not to charge you, and I'll also help with some supplies if I can."
"Thank you for this perspective, elder. I will accept your gift without hesitation, as my mother always taught me."
"Oh, your mother, a unique woman. It's a shame things ended this way." He sighed.
Xin didn't want to relive this again and wasn't too interested in Luli's version of events.
"At the same time, I won't test your generosity. I come to you with an offer. I have some furs to trade, and some smaller hides, and a bit of fresh meat. But I also have alchemical ingredients that you might like. Rare."
"Oh, I see. Bring the meat and hides to Liao, she'll compensate you fairly. Pull the ingredients out, boy." He rubbed his hands. Xin opened the bag of holding, pulling out a jar with salted organs of the beastman. Luli was excited and took a sniff.
"Oh, so pungent. Still fresh, and the qi! Look, the water is in conflict with the qi emanations, as the water is Yin and the organs are Yang! Yet the salt and vinegar create a layer between the two energies that allows them to balance each other out! Your father taught you well, son.
So, these are the organs of that beastman yaoguai you killed? Liao told me the story you told yesterday. Seems that you grew into a fine warrior as well. And that friend of yours, gods almighty, he has some balls, might have as much Yang as that tiger, hehe."
He playfully squeezed one of the balls with his finger, which weirded Xin out.
"Let's stop admiring my friend's balls and get back to business. What can you offer?"
"So, the organs can be useful to physical cultivators, but the penis and the testicles are a true treasure. They can cure impotency, and they could also cure Yin deviation in females. Taking our good relationship into account, yet being mindful of the fact that the materials will deviate by the time you'll be able to sell them to anyone else, let me give you my offer..."
So the supposed tragedy I lived through lasted me a night in the bathhouse, a bowl of rice, and a cup of tea, and now you are back to being an old fox, huh? You could go a long way if you joined a sect, old man, but I guess these peasant cousins of yours were too tight to pass by. Xin remained motionless, yet smiled slightly.
"I see your line of reasoning, but I'd also like to raise the fact that most of the yaoguai seemingly escaped or left to join the beast tide, so now this good is in deficit."
Luli had nothing to counter this with, yet pretended that Xin's counterargument rivaled his urgency argument. It probably didn't, but Xin can't raise the tension before he even hears an offer, or he'll look too eager.
"So, my offer is such: the whole package, eight spirit stones. And some medical herbs I have here on top, please see for yourself."
He tried to give Xin some pouch to hold, yet Xin coughed and firmly pushed it aside.
"Uncle, please see the light! My father always considered you a fair man, a scholar, and a good comrade! Please understand my situation! Eight spirit stones? Is this enough to pay for the risks of the fight I endured? Is this enough to bring Lei's arm back? Is this enough to kickstart my cultivation journey to avenge the town? It's not, clearly!" Xin didn't care about avenging Tealstone, of course, but it was a nice pressure point.
"Look, you are a young man in his prime. How old are you, nineteen? You can't think so radically, take it easy! Slow down your mind, and also consider my side of the business! How can you ask me for favors, you are young, virile, talented, you can't use your temporary struggles to push for a lower price, you've got a whole life in front of you!"
Virile, huh? Wait, did this old fucker just slip? Let me test.
"Uncle, you see, this Yin deviation thing is extremely rare. Such deviation is cured by the powder concoction, right? But it will increase the male's virility if made into a pill, mixed with wind dew herbs and gelatin, correct? I think I can replicate this, so I might try to do this on my own."
"No! No way, it's too complex, you won't be able to refine the ingredients properly, and there is a very strict condensation procedure!"
"Look, uncle, eight spirit stones sounds like an insult to my name. The beast cultivated for a hundred years at least, and was a hassle to kill. This good is quite unique, a normal tiger's genitals will only have a fraction of its effect. I don't know who your potential client is, but if they found out that this good was wasted because we couldn't come to an agreement, how would they react? They'd probably wave their flaccid genitals in anger!
The way I see it, the pill is not just a temporary potency booster, a course of these pills can restart the system that is long past its due. It's invaluable. Raise your offer or I'll leave and attempt to make the pills myself. I will not be insulted by such lowball offers again!"
"You dare, junior? I've been kind to you, and asked for nothing in return, and now I just haggled a bit, as is customary! Let me raise my offer."
"I am listening." Xin felt a bit of Lei's attitude rub off on him, giving him more freedom to spread his wings in the negotiations. Xin wasn't bad at this stuff, he just preferred not to bother too much, so he could get back to work. Or at least that's what he told himself. This time, though, he was determined to strike a good deal.
"Eight spirit stones, but I'll throw something extra. Cultivation materials, any of the five basic elements, enough to raise you to the Foundation stage. But I take the whole organ package."
No way. It's a great offer, I'll just need to find a breakthrough environment and I could move to Foundation stage! Except, there is a complication. The conflicting elements. I have to either purge one of the dominant elements in my body, and hinder my cultivation and damage my meridians, or purchase extra resources to resolve the elemental conflict.
"I disagree. I don't like this offer, sorry."
"Huh? What's wrong with you?" Luli was nervous, and he started getting angry at this once polite and quiet youngster.
"Remove the spirit stones. I don't need them. I need wood materials and metal materials for a dual element breakthrough. I'll get the conflict removal materials myself, doubt you have them.
Now, let me share my other demand. Since you aren't fighting anytime soon, you can share your combat medicine with me. You'll sell it to me for discount prices, included in the reward for all the organs. You will advise me a bit about a breakthrough as well. What do you say? You do this and your troubles go away, forever."
Yes, I know about your problem. And now you know that I know. I want to become a new me, and you want to bring back your old self. An equal exchange, isn't this what alchemy is about?
"By the ancestors! You are shameless, young man! You are clearly asking too much. Let me look through my ledger and see what we can do!"
The man disappeared for several minutes, then came out with some sort of notebook, flipping through the pages with a troubled expression.
"I see. This works. This is not good. Oh, and this doesn't fit. Yes, it's all clear now." He suddenly closed his book, snapping the pages together.
What a joke, I bet it was all a show to test my nerves. Another counteroffer? I hate this.
"Alright, how about this. I give you four-thirds of the materials needed for a Foundation stage breakthrough, thus just enough for a dual-element breakthrough, and a pouch of healing medicine for you to inspect. You pick six spirit stones worth of medicine from there, with a 50% discount. Then you get lost; you've insulted me greatly today. And my cultivation advice? Don't dual breakthrough, it will bottleneck you."
"We have a deal. Hand over the materials. And let me see the pouch." The pouch had a lot of pills and other medicine, all marked with scratches, each representing a certain hieroglyph. Elemental resistance, stamina, Qi intensification, reflex boosting, qi active pastes to coat weapons in, and plenty of other stuff. What a collection, this guy isn't as poor as he pretends to be! I was right to haggle!
Xin's choice? Two pills of blood restoration, two pills of wound mending, and two little packages of boar hide ointments.
"Thanks, uncle. I hope we trade again, and I hope the medicine works."
"Oh, spare me the niceness. Scram, kid. I liked your father more." They exchanged the other goods, mostly in silence.
Xin also went and traded with Auntie Liao, selling her his game for a decent coin. It should last me for some time, but I need to be careful. The city is known for burning through cash if you aren't.
Xin went back to his room in the sauna building. Lei was already there, accompanied by two peasant girls.
"Oh, there he comes, that hunter guy I told you about! As I said earlier, there was something I lost that day, but there was also something I gained. A treasure."
"Oh, young master, you mean that friend of yours? You two complement each other so well!"
"What? I meant my newfound determination, or the power within me to adopt and overcome obstacles, that sort of stuff! Very profound."
"Yes, but you two also look like a righteous duo, ready to soar to the skies! We hope you will stay for a bit. We wanted to maybe go and take a walk near a river this evening. Our father doesn't mind. Would you care to join?"
"He won't be joining you," Xin proclaimed.
"Hey, pal, the fuck?"
"We need to be moving. These nice women are good humans, and I wish them well, but they are distractions in our pursuit. We need to leave. Gather your things."
The girls felt confused and humiliated.
"Man, the last time I listened to you I lost my arm, what else do you have in store?"
"If I have to hear you bitching about your arm one more time, I'd rather you stay here. And by the evening, you'll get 'fisted' by you know who. So look, I promised to bring your arm back, but you need to cooperate. Pack your things. I am serious."
Lei looked at the girls and smiled, trying to hide his embarrassment for being scolded like that. He shrugged and smiled innocently.
"Sorry, girls, next time, I guess. 'Good humans,' hehehe, you've got a way with words."
They stepped outside.
"Where next?" Xin asked.
"I thought you'd tell me, what's wrong with you?"