like the wind | xiao x reader

20 | awhile

| third pov |

the loud chatters of each villager were heard all over liyue, each has their own tale to tell.

and each of their own has something to grieve about.

"my husband went missing last night! almighty gods of this land...please help me find him!"

"dead? be can't be dead!"

"17 men has been missing since yesterday.."

"did you hear? the whole bamboo forest was burned down last night."

"what? how did that happen?"

"a fire started mysteriously in the middle of the day, it dispersed earlier this morning."

"the gods must've foreseen the tragedy, the forest was the only place that faced such horrible luck."

"nothing was left, the bridge that was newly built burned down like it was nothing. we're gonna have a hard time transporting goods back to qingce.."

"(mother's name) also fell extremely ill last night, she gave birth to her son prematurely."

"poor dear, i heard she recently left her husband, now she's gravely ill."

"it's unfortunate to even fathom.."

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"..jing!" (first name) yelled out as soon as she opened her eyes. frantically looking around the room, reaching something out of thin air, yet it was just like before.

all just the same.

the feeling of being in a dream.

the air blew harsh as particles of dust flew all over as it accompanied the wind. the rage of the loud blows took a toll on their fragile roof as it banged and swayed the bamboo structure.

"mom?" the little girl yelled out as she didn't find her in their bed, to no response, she made her way out of the bed.

slowly walking outside the perimeter of their small chamber, a streak of dark red slowly fluxed the floor.

"..what?" (first name) mouthed as her eyes widened to the pungent scent of rusty metallic.

following the trail of somber red, it finally led her to see her mother on the floor.

to her distress, she hurriedly ran towards her mother lying unconscious, kneeling down to touch her forehead.

"a..ah!" she yelled in pain as she felt her mother burning from the touch— as if something was convecting this heat all over her.

"help.. someone help!" she started crying loudly as she ran outside their door hoping for someone to answer her call—

that was all there ever was during the night of the burnt bamboo forest.

disdain.

despair.

revenge.

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