Heir of Haishan

Bandage My Heart and Make Me a Promise

Yaoguang Shoal's blood-red afternoon sun was most beautiful just before it dipped below the horizon. Every day, when the girl walked along this same route along the beach, she could enjoy this scenic setting star before she made her usual long, plodding hike toward Liyue Harbour. She'd only reach the bustling port's south wharf, by night. She'd limp from hawker to hawker, peddler to peddler, haggling and bargaining, sometimes pushing, sometimes conceding, all the while shouting until her throat felt like it was bleeding. The young Ningguang wouldn't allow herself the luxury of sleep (often next to the crates by the waterfront) until she'd made a profit on the toys, trinkets, and jewellery she'd meticulously crafted and strung with her own hands. Then she'd head back to Yaoguang Shoal, and the backbreaking schedule would begin anew. Day after day after day.

Key to her business – and her eye for seeking out wealth and quality – were the many beautiful seashells and starconches that could be located along the shoal, and finding at least twenty of these would be enough to make ten or twelve nice pieces of accessories to sell at Liyue Harbour. It helped that Ningguang had a sharp eye for beautiful things, and she loved her work of collecting shells because of this. Of course, even with her business savvy, she never quite managed to make every shell into an ornamental art.

Too often, almost every other day, she'd give one shell away – one shell to the girl that played pirates and sailors with her friends on Yaoguang Shoal.

She came up to her that afternoon, just like usual. Ningguang was crouched down, her bare feet sinking slightly into wet sand as she sifted through the damp grains for any shells. "Hey, boss lady," greeted the little girl, who was dressed in a short and tattered red blouse. Like Ningguang, she too came from poverty, and barely had enough to eat each week.

Ningguang turned, and smiled up at her. 

"Hello, Beidou."

As a child, Beidou still had her other eye, and they shone affectionately down at Ningguang. White and dark brown hair blew lightly in the shoal breeze. "Have you come to steal another shell from me?" asked Ningguang. "You're lucky I've managed to collect a few already. Why don't you save me some trouble and pick one for yourself – "

Ningguang's smile faded when she noticed that the shallow waters were running slightly red. Was that blood? Her heart sinking, she glanced at her new arrival's legs. As the water receded, she saw that Beidou's small feet were blistered, bleeding, and cut. Her slightly plump toes, her soles' chubby contours – they looked like they'd been slashed and bruised. 

"Oh, Beidou! Your feet – they're bleeding! Badly!"

Beidou scratched her cheek with a finger, looking somewhat nervous. "Ah. Ah, hahahaha. Well, I'm not the one walking miles on end every single day. Look at your beautiful feet – tough, coarsened, callous. Much stronger than mine."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Ningguang, her voice sharp. "Where have you been going?"

Beidou looked sheepish as Ningguang rose, watching her closely. "I... might have followed you on your trips back to Liyue Harbour. I haven't been stalking you," she added quickly, holding her hands up. "I always trailed along at a distance, so you wouldn't notice. My mates and I wanted to be like your secret bodyguards, you know? Keep you safe without getting in your way?"

"Absurd," cried Ningguang. "I can take care of myself. How long have you left those cuts and bruises untreated? They might get infected." She grabbed Beidou's arm and marched her to the shade of a nearby tree, sitting her down on a rock as she took out some strips of cotton cloth from her bag. Beidou shifted awkwardly as Ningguang went on bended knee, tending to her left foot first. She hurriedly wiped the sand and blood off of the brunette's soles and ankles. She grimaced in horror and frustration while staring at the bleeding extremities.