Between the lines

The guest

The morning was brilliant. After so many days of rain and cold, the warmth of the sun seemed like a blessing. Hua Qiangu just stood there, next to the cave that led to her realm. She stood in the sunlight, enjoying the touch of light and warmth on her skin. She wore a light violet dress she'd bought a few days ago. She decided it was time to give up her royal garment for a while and try something simpler. She didn't want people to know who she was and get afraid of her. She was a demon, indeed, but it didn't mean she wanted to cause fear all around her.

She couldn't decide how to do her hair. She wanted to try something very special. As special as the day which was about to start.

"Ready?" She asked as Tom and Zhu Ran finally joined her outside. They didn't take much stuff with them. Just what they considered absolutely necessary.

"You look charming." Tom complimented her. Hu Qiangu smiled gently while Zhu Ran pretended not to have heard Tom.

"If Chang Liu or any other sect tries to attack you during my absence do not hesitate to call me." Hua Qiangu instructed the Custodian of Law.

He hadn't been happy to be called from his seclusion. He hadn't gotten over his resentment and he kept on blaming Hua Qiangu for the death of the Holy Ruler. Yet he didn't dare to say it in her face. Hua Qiangu knew it, too, but she was aware he would take good care of the sect during her absence.

"We hope your journey will prove useful to all of us and you will find what you were looking for, Senior Demon God." The Custodian of Law bowed in front of her. He would rather see her dead, but he couldn't deny her presence was the only thing that prevented Chang Liu and other sects from trying to conquer the Seven Murder Fraction.

"Good luck, Shan Chunqiu. Take care of Sha Qianmo in my absence." She said her goodbye and she meant what she'd said. Everything was in the past. She carried no resentment towards him. Towards no one.

Despite all the differences between them, they both used to care for Sha Qianmo. Each of them had loved Sha Qianmo in their own way. San Chunqiu knew deep down that the Holy Ruler would want him to take care of his "Little Thing", but it was too difficult for him. He could let go of the past not even for his Holly Ruler.

"He will be in good care. I promised." San Chunqiu assured her. She smiled gently and turned towards her people.

"Any news from Chang Liu or other sects?" She asked the people. She'd sent a patrol the day before to check if the other sects had any intention to start a war again.

"They seemed peaceful, Your majesty. Bai Zihua had decided to retreat to his Hall of Emotionless. None is allowed to disturb him. Mo Yan had taken over his position, but he'd stopped encouraging the other sects to fight against you. There are rumors he regretted his past actions and now he is trying to make up for it."

"How does he intend to make up for it? My mother is dead. He can't change that." Zhu Ran cried out.

"Make sure he really feels guilty and has no intention to send another army against us."Hua Qiangu instructed them.

"Sure."

"He can't change it, Zhu Ran, but for the moment it's great that he has finally decided to stop attacking us. Do not try to find arguments against him. I know you hate him, but killing him won't make up for your mother's loss either. It won't heal your wounded soul."

"Did that Mo Yan kill your mother?" Tom couldn't help asking, suspecting his story and Zhu Ran's were much alike. "Why? What about your father? Doesn't he..." Even if he'd never had a father or a mother to help him, Tom knew from his schoolmates that parents were those responsible for taking care of everything, including revenge. Though Zhu Ran wasn't a kid and Tom felt a bit awkward for treating him like one.

"He is his father." Hua Qiangu whispered discretely. Zhu Ran guessed what she was telling Tom and continued.

"My mother was a demon and he killed her after he'd found out who she really was. She hadn't dared to tell him about me. I was only a few years old. That day, I swore to have revenge on him."

"I'll help you. My father was a monster, too. I killed him." Tom admitted.

"You won't do anything stupid. None of you." Hua Qiangu intervened. "This time it's different. I'm here and...I won't allow you to continue with this useless revenge plan. Clear?" None of them answered. "Clear?" She insisted as she was aware of what they might have been thinking.

"I won't promise anything." Tom declared.

"Don't ask me to forgive him. I will never." Zhu Ran retorted.

                                                                         *

They traveled all day long. The sun shone above, the water glittered beyond. All around them the clouds looked like scarlet sheep running in the sky.

"We're going to stop here for the night." Hua Qiangu announced as they approached a small village. The smell of warm food made their stomachs growl. They have hardly eaten anything that day and they couldn't wait for dinner.

Much as they tried, no door was opened for them. They were hungry and the night started to get chilly and no one wanted to invite them inside. Eventually, they found an old empty cottage and entered. It was cold and dusty inside, but at least they had shelter.

Hua Qiangu didn't hesitate and she decided to clean the place. She changed into a more comfortable garment and without much ado, she began to dust the furniture, sweep the floor, and even start a fire. Tom watched her with awe, surprised by her determination. Soon Zhu ran joined her and Tom decided to give them a hand, too. From time to time, he cast a fugitive glance in her direction. He didn't know why he needed to see her or what he actually wanted.

It was warm inside and Zhu Ran even managed to prepare a dinner from a rabbit he'd caught and some old rice they found inside the cottage. Tom brought fresh water. He was used to heavy work at the orphanage, but he'd never worked with such a light heart. Hua Qiangu started to sing a cheerful song and Zhu Ran soon accompanied her. They went on for a while.

Then, out of the blue, Hua Qiangu stopped and her eyes fell on a fury ball of something that had been attracted by the warmth and food. It was a black cat with white spots which made it look like a panda bear. However, the poor thing was so skinny that its head was too big for its feeble body and one could notice its bones through the light cover of fur and delicate skin. Its fur was also dirty and, as Hua Qiangu soon noticed, it was full of fleas.

But it didn't run away as Hua Qiangu tried to approach it. He just stood there and watched her with big yellow eyes. Hua Qiangu gave him a bit of their food and the cat ate it greedily. Tom was a bit reluctant about the cat as none could deny it was ugly. Yet he didn't dare to say it aloud and Hua Qiangu was too preoccupied with feeding the cat that he knew it was impossible to convince her to get the cat out. He was convinced he would get fleas, too.

Carefully, Hu Qiangu boiled some water, and put it into a little basin she'd found inside the cottage. Then she poured some cold water over it until the water became suitable for a bath. As she finished she took the cat and gently started to wash her, trying to remove all the fleas from his fur.

"Will you help me?" She asked the boys as she realized there were too many fleas to deal with alone.

With a full belly and free from the tormenting pain of having its blood sucked by those tiny black tyrants, the cat slept peacefully next to the fire, covered in a fluffy towel.