The Destiny of Mingjun

3

"Me?" The man tilted his head, pointing at himself. His eyes seemed to flash with amusement or delight, but I ducked my head immediately.

No good would come out of being anywhere near him.

There was no denying it. The resemblance was uncanny– everything was identical, down to the 3 tiny moles beneath his hairline. But surely there were a handful of people with dragon eyes, a heart-shaped mole on their cheekbone and sharp features.

Plenty of people smiled the same way and had the same voice. But he wasn't the unnamed man I had smuggled food out for. Nor was he the one I pushed into the river.

"Could I ask for your name? Mystic?"

"Ah, forgive me. I must've forgotten my manners." His eyes crinkled as he lowered himself into a shallow bow.

He did that too

"I'm Mei Mingzi."

'If you really want to call me by my name, I guess Mingzi would be ok.'

'Why would I call you 'name'?'

My hold on my skirts tightened. He was playing with me.

"Mingzi? As in 'name'?"

The man beamed in response, oblivious to my rising anger. I had to get out of here before I threw him into the lake.

"Ah, I must've been mistaken, then." I rubbed my silver bracelet, resisting the urge to reach for something I did not have. "You reminded me of someone I knew."

He arched an eyebrow, the action so devastatingly familiar, my reasoning began to crack. "Is that so? I have travelled far. Perhaps I would know of them."

Despite my instincts screaming at me to trust him, my rational mind screamed louder. Although uncommon, many mystics could shape-shift, and Mingzi was obviously someone of great power. If he could pry into my memories, it wouldn't be hard to taunt me using the likeliness of the man I had once known.

"That is unlikely. He had no name and was probably the most rambunctious and careless person I've ever met. He's..."

Dead.

Blown apart by fireworks during the new year festivities. Leaving a charred, badly burnt body behind. The only way of recognising that it had been him was the half-jadeite pendant he had always worn, which was found on the body.

The other half of the pendant he had given me. Although, both pendants were now locked away in a small box. Buried somewhere in the bamboo grove near my courtyard.

"... been out of touch for a long time."

The man said nothing, only tilted his head more. Eyes continued to roam over my body.

I unfurled my fingers. My skirts fell back into place. That's right. As Xiao Hua liked to say, the man who went out with a bang was just someone I had known. If we had been anything other than acquaintances, he wouldn't have gone like that.

Whether this man in front of me was him or not, it did not change that I absolutely abhorred both of them.

"I apologise for taking up your time. I'll leave now." I made to turn away, but his voice jarred me.

"You seem distressed. You keep gripping your skirts and avoiding my eyes. Have I wronged you in some way?"

'It doesn't make sense. I've never met you before today, but you seem to know everything about my body.'

Keeping my back to him, I shut my eyes. "Mystic Mei, you must be mistaken. I-"

"Is it because of my promise, Mingjun?"