When Yuchen suddenly changed his plan, Yue couldn't help but groan internally, her legs almost giving out at the thought of spending more time with him until he leaves her alone. But at this rate, it was going to take a lot of time and patience for them to actually part ways.
-"I didn't know you could cook…"
She mused, trying to sound shocked as she placed her hand on her mouth to hide the frown.
-"Of course I can! I just realized that if I wanted to treat you, it's better to make you some home-cooked meals rather than buy you food. I mean, you probably eat them every day, right?"
Before Yue could answer, Yuchen grabbed her hand for the hundredth time, he intertwined his fingers with hers and pulled her into the market merrily.
As expected, the place was filled with people, some shopping and some selling. The air smelled mostly of fresh herbs, baked goods, and a hint of wild berries that were picked early this morning. But it hasn't been long since Yue ate, so she could barely acknowledge them as the scents of cattle and the citizens were more prominent. The thick crowd didn't help either. She could feel the eyes lingering, whispers loudening as if she was some sort of unusual specimen laid bare to be examined by all.
For those who are wondering what she was wearing, her white pants and black shirt did not change, but the silk wrapped loosely around her was gone, for the sole purpose of blending in. Even though her outfit was considered masculine, even fit to be worn for the lower class, her silver accessories said otherwise. In other words, depending on the world, her outfit changes to fit in perfectly.
Every time she was shoved left to right by the passerby, she had the urge to push them back until they hit something hard. To make matters worse, Yuchen had noticed the silent fumes of the dragon. He thought she had never been introduced to the real world, and now that she was, it was too overwhelming for her to bear. He squeezed her hand in reassurance and grinned at her.
-"Don't worry, Yue. I'm here, so need to be upset."
Here? He's here? Why did that matter? He was as insignificant as everyone else in this place, but their recent encounter had fooled him into thinking that they were somehow closer. Yue pitied him for his naivety, despite wanting to strangle him until his body stopped shaking. And then the most obvious thought hit her.
"What's stopping me? What's stopping me from actually doing that? What's stopping me from just transforming back into a dragon and reducing every bit of this civilization to ashes? Who will fight against me? I could just do that right now!"
Her eyes turned blank, her body tensing as if she was actually about to do it. But before so, she saw something red in the corner of her eye, its barely noticeable scent slowly becoming more conspicuous. When she turned around, Yue saw a stand selling various vegetables and spices. She didn't hesitate to approach it, casually pulling Yuchen with her as she looked at the various items before her. The stand owner, who was a man in his late 30s, with a beard and a noticeable belly, and a personality you would expect from any friendly shop owner. He looked down at Yue, then at Yuchen, before greeting them.
-"Good afternoon, my friends. See something you like?" His voice was loud, but not demanding, as it was just a simple habit of his. Yue didn't respond, since she was still surveying the counter. Yuchen, however, looked up at the man and then smiled gently at him familiarly, since he'd known him for years.
-"Good afternoon, sir. How's the business going?"
-"Oh, it's just as it is, Yuchen. How have you been? It's been a while since I've seen ya. You ought to help your old man with carrying some products."
-"Of course, sir. I was just busy helping others, you know? It's hard to keep track of who needs me all around the city." He laughed, keeping the conversation light. But Yue wasn't exactly deaf, far from it. She was always on edge, learning about her new environment and just now, she was pleasantly aware that this Yuchen boy was a popular lad among others, who was seemingly helpful, extroverted, kind, handsome and so on. It was as if he were the dream man for many girls in this city. Yue hummed softly, keeping his characteristics in mind. And when she was looking, a horn-like plant caught her eye. It had a grassy and peppery smell. Though it was mild, it was the same scent that pulled her in. She took a red one and looked up at the shopkeeper.
-"May I try this?"
-"Of course, young lady! But I must warn you, it's quite spicy for your delicate mouth."
Yue's expression brightened slightly at the words. Maybe this thing will taste just like that flower, if not better.
-"But if you really want to eat it, then let me take out the seeds-"
Before the man finished his insistence, Yue popped it into her mouth and started chewing. Both Yuchen and the shop owner stared at her in shock, but dared not demand she spit it out. Only after she swallowed, Yuchen spoke out in concern.
-"Are you okay? Do you need water?"
-"No, it tastes great. It's slightly sweet, like a fruit, but still nice and spicy." She replied calmly, looking up at the owner to ask for another taste test. The man couldn't help but cackle at Yue's tendency to prefer sharp flavor, and he didn't mind it one bit. As long as they buy more from him, that is.
-"Of course, kid! Try the green one next time." He pointed at the raw peppers beside the red ones in amusement. Yue didn't say another word and picked one to eat again.
-"This one is more spicier…"
Upon seeing her appreciative response, the man smiled before laughing again.
-"I've never met such a peculiar woman like you! No one eats these things raw, I tell you! Just from your expression, I can tell you want more…" He leaned closer to Yue, his forearm resting on the counter as he eyed her curiously.
-"In fact, who are you, kid? You look like you're the same age as my daughter. She would've loved meeting ya, I just know it. She'd show you different ways to eat these peppers because it was her favorite as well…"
Yue's eyebrows furrowed. Why was he talking about his daughter? She didn't ask. Hell, she wouldn't even bother with this information anyway. Unfortunately, to the readers, Yue was not exactly the sweet, nice and kind individual you expect her to be, and if her behavior irks you, I sincerely apologize.
She just slowly nodded while still chewing the remnants of the pepper in her mouth before responding;
-"My name is Tsung Yue…but I would rather not tell my origins right now, I'm sorry. But your daughter…"
Just as she was about to ask for the sake of being friendly, Yuchen interrupted her. He, as always, had found a way to touch her again, despite having their hands intertwined under the stand. He placed his hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her in. He then cautiously asked;
-"She's still not found yet?" He asked solemnly, his thick eyebrows tightening to show his displeasure. He didn't forget to gently squeeze Yue's shoulder, as if he was telling her that he'd handle it.
-"No…It's almost been a month now."
-"We're very sorry for bringing it up, sir…I have no words to say, but I hope you'll accept this as my sincerity." Yuchen removed his hand from Yue's shoulder and reached into his pocket to pull out a few gold coins, and placed them on the stand, the shiny metal glistening under their gazes.
-"No need for this, Yuchen…It's not your burden to carry."
-"No, I insist."
The man let out a long sigh before finally accepting the money the boy had offered him. But he wasn't exactly a greedy person; not even close. His entire life of honest hard work had turned him into a sincere individual, as if taking even an extra penny would be somehow an insult to his candid nature. He had been teaching the same notion to his children and to other younglings, as that gesture alone had earned him the respect of many. Yuchen was a good example of this. Despite his touchy-feely personality, one could see that he was the type to help anyone who needed it, and he had learned it all from this shop owner alone.
But before the supposed couple turned around to leave, the man put a few peppers of both red and green into a small pouch and gave it to Yue.
-"Please take them. No one would buy them as much as you would, and they will go bad if I don't sell them."
He lied. Plenty of customers would buy baskets of vegetables from him daily, but the absence of his daughter had created a small soft spot for Yue, as if he was reassuring himself by seeing his child in her.
Yue didn't respond; she simply took the pouch, thanked him and turned away to leave. With Yuchen as her personal bracelet accompanying her, of course!
***