༺༻
f i v e
☽✧☾
Several days slid by in the bamboo valley, filled with quiet routines. Lu Hua, now comfortably dressed in simple, well-fitting robes of soft brown and green that Mei Lin had given her, felt less like she was drowning in fabric. She'd thanked Mei Lin profusely, genuinely pleased to finally have clothes that didn't require constant hiking up.
One sunny afternoon, Lu Hua sat cross-legged on the wooden veranda, happily munching on steamed vegetable dumplings Mei Lin had prepared. Mei Lin stood in the small clearing beside the house, rhythmically splitting logs with a heavy axe.
Watching the older woman's capable movements, a spark of curiosity ignited in Lu Hua. She swallowed her last dumpling and hopped up. "Auntie Mei! That looks kinda fun! Can I try?"
Mei Lin paused, wiping sweat from her brow with her sleeve. She looked at Lu Hua's eager face, then at the axe. "It requires strength."
"I can be careful! And I'm stronger than I look!" Lu Hua insisted, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.
Mei Lin considered for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. Start small." She pointed to a pile of slender branches and a smaller hatchet leaning nearby. "Use this. Keep your grip firm, and mind your feet."
Lu Hua grabbed the hatchet, feeling its weight. She placed a thin branch on the sturdy, weathered chopping block – a thick, ancient-looking log stump firmly embedded in the ground. Mimicking Mei Lin's stance, she raised the hatchet. *Thwack!* The branch split cleanly. "Yes!" she grinned.
Emboldened, she tried another, and another. She wasn't as smooth or powerful as Mei Lin, but she managed to split several smaller pieces successfully. "See? Not bad, huh?" she called out, feeling a surge of accomplishment.
Mei Lin watched for a few more minutes, a small smile on her lips as Lu Hua concentrated on her task. Satisfied Lu Hua wasn't about to lose a toe, Mei Lin set her own axe aside. "I need to fetch water from the spring."
"Got it!" Lu Hua chirped, already eyeing another branch.
As Mei Lin disappeared down a path into the bamboo, Lu Hua kept chopping. The small branches were easy. Her gaze drifted to the massive chopping block Mei Lin used for the thick logs. It was deeply scarred but solid. 'I bet I could split something bigger on that.' she thought, her confidence bubbling over. She dragged a medium-sized log over to the big block. It was heavy, but she managed.
She hefted Mei Lin's large axe. It was much heavier than the hatchet. Gritting her teeth, she positioned the log on the ancient stump and raised the heavy blade. She swung down with all her might, aiming for the center of the log.
*CRRRR-ACK-THUMP!*
The sound wasn't the clean split she expected. It was a horrible, splintering crunch. The axe bit deep – not just into the log she was trying to split, but into the ancient chopping block itself. A huge chunk of the incredibly hard, seasoned wood sheared right off the side, tumbling to the ground.
Lu Hua froze, the heavy axe slipping from her stunned fingers and thudding onto the grass. She stared, wide-eyed, at the devastation. The once-solid chopping block now had a massive, jagged bite taken out of its side. The log she'd tried to split lay unharmed beside it.
Just then, Mei Lin returned, carrying two buckets of water. She stopped short, her eyes going straight to the ruined chopping block. Her eyebrows shot up towards her hairline.
Lu Hua scrambled, her face burning with embarrassment. "Auntie Mei! I'm so sorry! So, so sorry!" She gestured frantically at the wreckage, her words tumbling out in a rush. "I didn't mean to break it! I really didn't! I'll fix it! Somehow! Maybe glue? Or... or find a new one? Where do you even get giant tree stumps?!"
Mei Lin stared at the shattered wood for a long moment, then slowly looked at Lu Hua's horrified expression. A sigh, long and deep, escaped her. She set the buckets down carefully. "That block," she said, her voice surprisingly calm, "was older than you are, child. Carved from ironwood. Nearly unbreakable." She walked over and picked up the heavy axe, examining the blade. "Or so I thought." She looked back at Lu Hua, a complex mix of exasperation and utter disbelief on her face. "You possess extraordinary strength, Lu Hua."
★
A few weeks later, the quiet rhythm of the bamboo house was shattered by a loud, cheerful whistle. Lu Hua was weeding the small herb garden near the veranda when a figure strode confidently up the path.
He was tall, almost as tall as Li Chen, with broad shoulders and an easy, athletic grace. He had sharp, handsome features, dark eyes that sparkled with mischief, and long black hair tied back with a simple leather cord. He wore well-made traveling clothes, dusty from the road but clearly expensive. He spotted Lu Hua instantly, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe with open appreciation.
"Well, hello there," he called out, his voice smooth and confident, a wide, charming grin spreading across his face. He stopped a few paces away, leaning casually against a bamboo stalk. "Didn't know Auntie Mei had such stunning company. I'm Yan. And you are...?"
Lu Hua straightened up, brushing dirt from her hands. "Lu Hua," she answered cautiously, feeling slightly unnerved by his intense stare.
"Lu Hua," Yan repeated, rolling the name on his tongue like he was tasting something sweet. "Lovely name for a lovely lady. Tell me, Lu Hua," he stepped closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "are you seeing anyone special right now? Because a girl like you shouldn't be hidden away in a bamboo grove." He winked. "And just so you know, I have a reputation. Very... skilled. Particularly between the sheets." He gave her another roguish grin, clearly expecting a blush or a giggle.
Lu Hua didn't blush. She didn't giggle. Her face scrunched up in pure disgust. Her nose wrinkled, her lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed. "Ew! Gross! What is wrong with you?!" She took a step back, holding the broom almost like a weapon. "Get lost, creep!"
Yan looked momentarily taken aback by her blunt rejection, his charming facade slipping.
Just then, Mei Lin appeared from the house, wiping her hands on a cloth. Her face lit up with genuine warmth. "Yan'er! You're back early!" She walked towards them.
Yan's expression instantly shifted, the predatory flirtation vanishing, replaced by a warm, affectionate smile. "Auntie! Couldn't stay away from your dumplings for long!" He met her halfway, accepting a brief, fond hug.
Mei Lin turned to Lu Hua, who was still staring at Feng with deep suspicion. "Lu Hua, this is my niece, Yan. Yan, this is Lu Hua, she's staying with us for a while."
Lu Hua blinked. Once. Twice. Her mouth dropped open slightly. "Niece?" she repeated, her voice squeaking. Her eyes darted from Yan's handsome, undeniably masculine face, to the broad shoulders, then back to Mei Lin's calm expression. "Niece? As in... girl niece?"
Mei Lin nodded, a knowing glint in her eye. "Yes, dear. My niece. Yan is a woman." She patted Yan's arm. "Though she does enjoy causing confusion with that face and that attitude."
Yam grinned again, but this time it was different – less predatory, more mischievous. She winked at Lu Hua, whose brain felt like it had just short-circuited. "Surprise," Yan said, her voice still smooth, but now layered with amusement at Lu Hua's stunned reaction. "Told you I was skilled. Just maybe not in the way you first thought." She laughed, a rich, warm sound that echoed in the bamboo grove, while Lu Hua stood frozen, trying to process the fact that the incredibly handsome, incredibly crude flirt who had just propositioned her was actually... Auntie Mei's niece.
That night, the cozy bamboo house felt warmer with three people around the low table. Mei Lin served steaming bowls of rice and stir-fried vegetables. Lu Hua dug in happily. Yan, sitting across from her, seemed less enthusiastic.
"So, Yan," Mei Lin said, placing a dish of bright green leafy greens near her niece. "How was the escort mission down to Riverbend Town? Everything smooth?"
Yan paused, a piece of rice halfway to her mouth. For a split second, she looked genuinely confused, like she'd forgotten what mission Aunt Mei was talking about. Then, she pasted on a bright smile. "Oh! Yeah! Riverbend. Fine. Totally fine. Easy trip. Nothing to report." She shoveled rice into her mouth, avoiding Mei Lin's eyes.
Mei Lin watched her carefully but didn't press. Instead, she nudged the dish of greens closer. "Here, Yan. Your favorite. Mountain spinach. Steamed just how you like it."
Lu Hua saw Yan's nose wrinkle almost imperceptibly. Yan stared at the greens like they might bite her. "Uh, thanks, Auntie," she mumbled. She picked up a tiny piece with her chopsticks, poked at it, then put it down without eating it. "Actually... I think I might be... changing my diet? Trying new things? Less greens lately." She gave another unconvincing smile.
Mei Lin didn't say a word. She just nodded slowly, her eyes thoughtful as she watched Yan push the spinach around her bowl. The comfortable silence from earlier meals was replaced by a quiet tension Lu Hua couldn't quite place. Yan ate quickly after that, focusing only on the rice and meat.
Later, Lu Hua was in her small, comfortable room, brushing out her hair after washing her face. She was tired from the day and looking forward to sleep. The quiet rustle of the bamboo outside was soothing.
Suddenly, the door slid open without a knock. Lu Hua jumped, clutching her chest. "Yan! You scared me!"
Yan stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the low light from the main room. She looked serious, her usual playful smirk gone. "Sorry," she said, though she didn't sound very sorry. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, leaning against it.
Lu Hua sat down on the edge of her bed, still a little startled. "What's up?"
Yan crossed her arms. "Just wanted to talk. About the area. Things Auntie Mei might not mention." Her voice was low. "There's been... trouble. Demons."
Lu Hua felt a chill that wasn't from the night air. "Demons? Like... scary monsters?"
"Yeah," Yan nodded grimly. "Different kinds. Shadow Stalkers that slip through cracks and steal your breath in the dark. Rock Grumblers that shake the earth and pull you underground. Nasty stuff." She paused, her dark eyes fixed on Lu Hua. "But there's one kind... worse lately. They prey on young women."
Lu Hua swallowed. "Prey? Like... eat them?"
"Worse," Yan said, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "They snatch them. Grab girls right from their homes, their villages. No one sees them coming. They just... vanish." She took a step closer to the bed. "No one knows exactly where they take them. Some say deep into cursed mountains. Others say they sell them across dark seas. Doesn't matter. They're gone."
Lu Hua hugged her arms around herself. The cozy room suddenly felt less safe. "That's... horrible."
"It is," Yan agreed. She straightened up, her hand resting casually on the hilt of the sword she always wore. "That's why I'm telling you. Auntie Mei's strong, but she's not a fighter. Not like me." A flicker of her usual confidence returned. "I know how to use this," she tapped her sword. "Really well. So, while I'm here... you stick close to me, okay? Especially at night. If anything weird happens, you shout for me. I'll protect you." She gave Lu Hua a firm look. "Just in case."
Lu Hua looked at Yan – the handsome face that had tricked her, the sword at her hip, the serious expression replacing the earlier flirty arrogance. It was scary, but having someone who claimed they could fight demons nearby felt better than being alone with the fear. "Okay," Lu Hua said quietly. "Thanks, Yan."
Yan nodded, seeming satisfied. "Good. Get some sleep then. I'll be right in the next room." She gave Lu Hua one last long look, then turned and slid the door open, stepping back into the dimly lit hallway. She closed the door softly behind her.
Lu Hua sat on the bed for a long moment, listening to Yan's footsteps move away. The rustling bamboo outside sounded different now – less soothing, more like something hiding. She pulled the thick quilts up to her chin, the comforting smell of the herbs in the room suddenly seeming thin against the terrifying picture Yan had painted. She lay down, staring at the ceiling, the image of girls vanishing in the night filling her mind. Yan's promise of protection was a small comfort, but sleep felt a long way off.