36 Do You Regret It? (2/2)
It was Bai Xi. The white-haired girl had been standing there since the beginning, but had been obscured by the burly Seton. She looked at Ye Qingxuan, and unwillingly greeted him.
”She found you rolling around on the ground. If you remember anything, you should remember that you also bit her,” Seton stated. ”You had extreme blood loss and she was the only one who could give you blood. If not for the fact that Easterners reject foreign blood, I'd think you're a werewolf.” With that, Seton turned to leave. ”Rest well. You can have a break tomorrow.”
Before closing the door, he added, ”Remember. Just one day.”
--
With the slam of the door, the room sank into overwhelming silence again.
Ye Qingxuan gazed wordlessly at Bai Xi, but Bai Xi turned her head away from him. Old Phil paced between the two of them in confusion, not sure what happened. Saving someone should be a proud moment, but for some reason, Bai Xi was uncomfortable. Under the flickering candlelight, she lowered her head and toyed with the corner of her shirt, like a student scolded by her teacher.
Ye Qingxuan opened his mouth many times, but never knew what to say.
As the silence continued, Bai Xi finally could not stand the awkwardness any longer. She mumbled, ”I—I'm leaving.”
She turned, wanting to leave immediately, but a voice behind her sounded, ”Thank you.”
Bai Xi's shoulder trembled, as if she had been startled. Looking down, she stuttered for a while before uttering, ”Oh,” as if she was very unwilling. ”I just called someone over. But your eyes were telling me 'let me die.' Sorry I couldn't fulfil your wish.”
Hearing her words, Ye Qingxuan's features twisted. She was still hung up on that small detail? Children who hold such grudges would be powerful later in life. When he was her age, he was far less of an expert at street survival skills.
”Huh, you don't have to fuss over these details,” Ye said.
”I'm not being fussy.” Bai Xi glared at him.
”Right, I'm just being petty.” Ye Qingxuan finally had a thread of thought. This girl was stubborn as a mule, and he could only go along with her. Knowing this, things became much easier. Acting like this, she finally seemed like a kid.
”Are you from the East?” Ye Qingxuan pushed himself up and rested against the headboard.
Bai Xi hesitated before replying honestly, ”Pretty much.”
”Nice. Can you tell me about it?” He patted the chair beside the bed, his eyes genuine. He suddenly wanted to know more about the East that his father had always spoke of. Maybe it was that strange dream, or maybe he just wanted someone to talk to. ”My father got married after coming to Avalon so I've never been to the East. Everyone thinks that I'm an Easterner, but I don't know anything about it.”
”It's probably…like here?” Bai Xi was still unwilling to speak, but she obediently sat onto the chair. ”But the good thing is that people put free food on the streets. You would not be hungry.”
”Really?”
”Of course. Why would I lie?” The little girl rolled her eyes. ”People once revolted because they didn't like the meat that the Emperor handed out. They wanted to eat steamed buns and noodles. In the end, a general poisoned the Emperor's meat pie and killed the Emperor.”
”It must be hard work to be the Emperor of the East.”
”The Emperor is just a figurehead. The people that like to eat wheat follow one feudal lord. People who want to eat rice follow another lord. There's one lord that likes to eat potatoes. So everyone that likes sweet potatoes is forced out. Sometimes, the lords will fight over whether they want to eat sweet or savory food.”
”Why do they fight when there's so much food?” Ye asked.
”Doesn't Avalon have people who point and judge because they don't like to eat pork?”
”I haven't seen that before, but you make it sound annoying.”
”Yeah, yeah, because they are,” Bai Xi replied sassily.
See Bai Xi's earnest expression, Ye Qingxuan could not help but chuckle.