Yuxuan (REMASTERED)

Chapter Thirty

"Ah," Hansel leaned back in one of the chairs. "I missed this taste... fresh tea, as in London."

"I'm glad that you enjoy it. Tea is a very lucrative business here. There's much more variety in China." Lester nodded, before sliding a stool in front of Yuxuan.

Yuxuan was sitting near Hansel, observing his actions carefully. He mimicked his posture and poked one of the tea cups around with his finger. He seemed very interested in the movement of the liquid.

"Yuxuan, would you like to try some?" I stepped in his line of sight, before grabbing the teacup off the table and extending my pinky. "It's a custom in London to hold it like this."

Yuxuan gazed at the cup lazily. Then he shifted his eyes over to Lester, who was lighting a candle.

I felt a twitch of pain in my chest. Was he disinterested in what I had to say?

Of course, he was. Perhaps he was still quite upset with me mentioning my home even after all of that happened.

"Yuxuan, I understand that your kind is very scarce."

"My kind?" Yuxuan raised a brow.

"Urm, your people. Your friends. I've heard there aren't many of you left. I'm sure you know why?"

"Chasers," Yuxuan responded.

"Chasers," Lester hummed. "That's what you refer to them as?"

"Yes, he means hunters..." Hansel chimed in. "When one of the children was gunned down, Yuxuan led us away from the danger and to a new habitat. But how were we found? Perhaps there wasn't any more left to run..." He sipped the rest of his tea.

"Chasers, bad." Yuxuan gritted his teeth.

"That, I understand. But, I do hope you don't think of us here, in this room as chasers?" Lester frowned, hoping to be reassured that Yuxuan trusted us. But he also wanted to make sure Yuxuan wouldn't hurt him.

Yuxuan glanced around, his eyes lingered on me for a bit. "I don't know."

"Have faith that we aren't here to hurt you." Lester grabbed Yuxuan's shoulder. "You are a gift. It's a great opportunity that we are even here to meet you. Do you realize how much history you hold?"

"... No?" Yuxuan balled his fists.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"No."

"He's saying that you are a very important person, Yuxuan." I smiled.

"Oh." Yuxuan huffed, not at all phased.

"Alexandrea, do pass me the notebook from that drawer over there." Lester pointed. I did as he said, and pulled a dusty book from the desk drawer. It was covered in it, and I brushed the dirt off with my hands.

When I passed it to him, Lester unraveled it and opened it. There were so many notes inside the pages, along with a few interesting sketches of symbols.

Yuxuan caught a glance of them and snatched the book out of Lester's hands. He flipped through the pages promptly. His expression changed with each page he turned.

Lester glanced at me surprised before continuing. "Yuxuan, do you know these symbols?"

"Yes." Yuxuan slammed his fingers down on a page and leaned closer to it. His index finger trailed down the sketch of what looked like to be a totem.

"This..." Lester coughed. "Many years ago, when I first arrived here I encountered a tribe like yours. A woman of that tribe gave this to me. But I'm so curious... that woman along with the tribe left me behind and went into hiding. I thought it was a part of your culture. Is it normal for them to do that? Did your parents abandon you?"