Black Greed

THREE

"Should I buy a hairpin, or food?" While walking idly at the streets of Xuling city, Wei MeiLan is deciding whether she should buy a food while on vacation (The head lady of Jiang Clan forced her to take a break once in a while while the leader gave her lots of money and threatened her to leave for three days. The longer she's away, the better) since she will just leave the city to next at dawn after resting on some random tree she can climb to rest.

The market is too lively, compared to other market she had been before. Many merchants and customers despite it's small space and most are occupied the river to sell.

She stopped in a stall that sells desserts, attracted by the smell of the food being sold. The cake has floral design and emits a sweet scent as it's being steamed.

"Sir, can you give me three of that?" She pointed towards the cakes.

"Of course, young lady." The seller wrapped the food and aimed to give it to her. But as she reach at the item, a gentle voice spoke behind her.

"I thought Young Master Wei joined that class together with Young Master Jiang. But you're here buying food?"

She looked back to the source of the voice with confusion. "I beg your pardon, but who are you?"

Shocked rippled at the face of the young man who mistook her as her twin brother. "I'm sorry, Young Lady. I mistook you to someone else,"

"No need to be bothered, Young Master. A'Ying and I are siblings, of course anyone can mistook us as one another. May I know which clan this Young Master belongs to?" She asked and turned back to the seller to pay for the food.

"Please let me pay for your food, as an apology of my brazenness just now," The young man tried to pay up but she's faster.

"It's fine, you don't need to," She waved her hand to dismiss the thought.

"This young man is Lan XiChen," The guy greeted her formally and saluted.

She return the salute as she introduced herself. "This lady is Wei MeiLan,"

"So you are indeed related to Young Master Wei Ying. Who would have thought that a man like him has a sister that is well mannered than him? Please pardon my bluntness,"

"I prefer to see someone insulting and degrading my twin brother than praising him in front of me. After all I know what kind of person he is. Shall we?"

She urged him to leave the stall and find somewhere to sit and talk, which he agreed.

"The Wei family are capable to produce good offsprings, but why didn't you join your brother to study?" Lan XiChen asked as they walked.

"I'm fine staying staying in Lotus Pier, Young Master Lan. A'Ying has a good future if he study well, after all he's a man,"

"Cultivation world is fair when it comes to gender; regardless whether a person is born as a male or female but can cultivate and capable, they can do everything to defend what is right," He explained.

"Do I need to study those things to be righteous?"

"Well, what I mean is—" Lan XiChen was flustered at her question.

She chuckled, stunning him. "I'm not that kind of person who are being unreasonable. I'm just teasing you. Do I need to learn how to write, count and play music? I already learned them even if I'm staying at Lotus Pier. The courtesans near are kind enough to teach me music in every instrument they are well versed of. As for the weapons, Aunt Jiang teach me well,"

"I see. But if I may be too rude, may I ask why are you out here while your brother is in Wen Clan?"

"Hm? 'Why' you ask?" Her gaze went to his face. "Aunt and Uncle persuaded me to leave the pier for a bit. As for the reason, I don't know, but they prefer that it's longer, weeks or a month. I was threatened. Now I'm bored and I might go to the next city to walk around and take a look.

"Perhaps find a secluded place and make a house and stay there while I await for their summon," She looked at her food. "I got so much money, I don't know what to do,"

Her simple idea made him come to a decision. "How about join me in night hunting? Have you done that before?"

"I don't know what is that. But if it's related to fighting, sure I can join," She shrugged. "Might as well kill this boredom that I feel right now,"

"A proper lady never utters like that way," Lan XiChen warned her. "You might not be able to find your soulmate,"

"Hmph, whoever that person is, if they can't accept me, that is fine. I still have many plans for A'Ying and I in the future," She crossed her hands behind her. "So what do you do in night hunting? Hunt animals? I can lend you my cat,"

"Cat? You have one?"

"My brother is afraid of dogs since that thing happened to us, so I can have either a cat or any animals as long as it's not a dog. So where are we going to hunt?"

"In the forest, the locals believed that a ghost is killing people that enters it," Lan XiChen explained. "We can actually go in there now since it's already afternoon,"

"Well, well, well. A ghost," She muttered.

"Are you scared?"

"It's not the matter of fear; but how can a ghost kill someone when they don't have body?"

"That's why we need to go there now while it's not that dark yet. At least we will know what is really happening in there,"

She didn't complained and just followed him until they reached the entrance of the forest. "Give me a brief explanation on what we might encounter in there,"

Lan XiChen stared at her while collecting his thoughts. He started to explain about different kinds of souls and energy. Wei MeiLan grasped the information well enough that amazed him.

'Now I understand why she refused to study for she can grasp it well, these twins are indeed smart.'

"Before we enter, I want to tell you something," She said after she summarized the summarized version of what Lan XiChen told her.

"What is it?"

"Duck!"

Who would have thought that he was distracted that even that word confused him?