41 Reward (1/2)
”S-sorry, sir and madam, do you know where Hilda Alley is?” A lost old woman opened her eyes wide and stared at the two before her, her eyes hopeful. She wore an old head scarf, with messy white hair peeking out from under it. She looked very old, her pallor like tallow. There was a small parcel in her arms. It seemed that she had been lost for a long time. She wandered and paced around the square, but a passerby had thought she was a beggar and shooed her away.
Her lips trembled, but she did not know what to say. She stammered out, ”Please help me. I've been looking for the whole day.”
”I don't know. Go find it yourself.” The little girl rolled her eyes and waved the woman away. ”I'm busy.”
”Bai Xi.” Ye Qingxuan raised his voice, his eyes becoming stern. ”Be polite.”
Under his stare, Bai Xi's annoyed expression faltered. Finally, it became helplessness, and she grudgingly pointed at a random direction, ”There.”
Ye Qingxuan sighed and lowered her finger. Sighing again, he told the old woman, ”We'll pass by Hilda Alley on our way back. If you do not think we walk too slowly, we can take you along.”
The old woman's mouth parted, as if dumbfounded. Her rheumy eyes were full of gratitude. ”Thank you, kind sir. Otherwise, I...I wouldn't know what to do.”
”No problem. Come with me.” Ye Qingxuan smiled and, leaning on the cane, walked to the front to lead. Bai Xi followed him unhappily. Glaring at the woman, she muttered, ”There are thousands of lost people in Avalon. Are you going to help all of them?”
Ye Qingxuan lightly knocked her head, but did not reply.
--
”Is this your first time in Avalon?” Ye Qingxuan started smalltalk with the old woman on the way back.
”Call me Emma.” The old woman tottered slightly behind him, her eyes sad. ”I spent my whole life herding sheep in the Highlands and never left. But my daughter passed away a few days ago and my son-in-law forced me out. My nephew wrote, saying I can come here, but I can't find him…”
Ye Qingxuan's face blanched, and he pursed his lips, ”I'm so sorry.”
”There's nothing to be sorry about,” Emma shook her head lightly. ”My husband told me before that there will always be misfortunes in life. Sometimes you just have to bear it. He stayed by my side during all those hard days. Times are much better now. I can take it.”
Bai Xi huffed, but did not say anything.
The old lady didn't seem to mind. Instead, she smiled and asked, ”Are you and your sister from here?”
”Sister?” Ye Qingxuan glanced at Bai Xi and chuckled. ”I guess, but she's been here longer. I'm new here too.”
As the walk dragged on, Ye Qingxuan finally came to a halt. He turned into an alley behind a row of storefronts, and pointed to a corner not too far away. ”Go from here and you'll be close. I remember that not many people live in Hilda Alley. It'll be easy to find him there.”
Emma stopped and looked at Ye Qingxuan with gratitude. ”Thank you so much for leading me. I don't know what I would do without you.”
”It's nothing. We should all help each other.” Ye Qingxuan smiled and nodded farewell.
”People come with me. My nephew is a good kid. He'll repay you.” Emma grabbed his hand, hoping for him to stay. ”You have a good heart. I'll be so sorry if you aren't rewarded.”
”It's okay.” Ye Qingxuan smiled, but when he tried to pull his hand back, he could not. He tried again, but the old woman had his hand in a death grasp. The wrinkled palm felt smooth and sticky like a dead snake. He could not escape.
He gasped, looking up at the aged woman. Emma was still smiling, happiness was written all over her wrinkled features. But her green eyes were devoid of any lonely fear—instead, they were chillingly sinister.
”Just as you said, we should all help each other.” She grasped Ye Qingxuan's hand, nails digging into his skin. Her hoarse voice was still filled with empty gratitude. ”Sir, you are a good person. Won't you help me again?” Her lips cracked open like she was mouthing something. The air was penetrated with the sound of icicles cracking.
Ye Qingxuan's vision went black, as if he were thrown into an avalanche. The instant coldness sapped all his energy, almost forcing him to his knees.
”Hey, old hag, what are you doing?” Bai Xi finally felt that something was wrong. She rushed over, trying to free Ye Qingxuan's hand. But she was caught with a backhand grasp. ”Be polite, little girl. Impolite kids don't sell well.”
Emma's voice went from hoarse to sharp. In the sun's dying light, her eyes shimmered with a green glow, like a demon. Ignoring Bai Xi's kicks, Emma grasped her chin, studying her. ”So similar…” She laughed. ”So similar.”