Mo Dao Zu Shi: Astray

Radiant, Part Four

The docks were chilly this morning.

Pan Wukun leaned against the wall, mindlessly chewing on a piece of straw grass. She was waiting for Meng Xingyao to find them a boat that was free to provide them passage on the river.

This town was bustling with crowds of people doing mercantile business, traveling, or sightseeing.

So it was going to take a while for Meng Xingyao to find a free boat person while Pan Wukun rested.

A tingling sensation nagged at Pan Wukun.

Someone was watching her.

Pan Wukun didn't move, not wanting to reveal that she noticed anything. Her eyes trailed over to the left, onto the town street adjacent to the docks.

A little boy?

The boy was dressed in lavish robes. So a noble's kid then.

The boy was fixated on Pan Wukun, his mouth hanging wide open.

Why was this kid looking at her like that? Did he think that her straw grass was candy?

Wait. Where were his parents?!

A noble boy left alone was asking for a kidnapping!

The boy's eyes lit up and he squealed as he ran across the street towards Pan Wukun.

Pan Wukun leaped away from the wall.

Shit! That carriage was going to run over that kid!

"Kid! Look out!" Pan Wukun shouted.

The boy turned his head, finally noticing the carriage rolling down the street and the horses about to trample him. His eyes widened with fear and he screamed.

Pan Wukun caught the boy in her arms and she rolled across the street to safety.

Pan Wukun panted. "Whew. That was a close one. Are you all right, kid?"

The boy trembled in Pan Wukun's arms, clinging to her tightly as he wailed loudly.

"A-Yu!" A noblewoman rushed over to Pan Wukun and the boy.

"Mother!" the boy cried.

Pan Wukun let the boy go so he could run into his mother's arms.

"A-Yu! I've warned you not to run off across the street like that! If that young man hadn't saved you, you would've gotten..." Fear filled the young woman's eyes. She tightened her hug around A-Yu. "You would've gotten seriously injured!"

The boy sniffled. "But Mother, I really wanted to see his sword!"

"A-Yu!" the mother scolded. "You shouldn't trouble this cultivator so much!" She bowed to Pan Wukun. "Apologies, esteemed cultivator. How can I repay you?"

"No need," Pan Wukun said. "Xiao-Yu is safe and that is what matters."

The carriage driver calmed his horses and rushed over to A-Yu. "Is the little boy all right? I apologize!"

Pan Wukun looked upon the carriage driver, thinking, He only stopped because he almost hit a noble's child. He would not have done the same for a street kid.

After A-Yu's mother assured the carriage driver that he was not at fault for her son's naivety, he quickly left with his horses and carriage in relief.

Pan Wukun removed Yuyun from her sash belt. She left the scabbard on so A-Yu didn't cut himself. She held it out to A-Yu. "You can't hold it since it's too big and heavy for you, but you may touch it."

A-Yu made grabby hands for Yuyun. "Lemme see! I wanna see!"

A-Yu's mother shook her head fondly. She hoped her son learned to be more careful. But he was still a child. It would be good for the cultivator's sword to get his mind off his near-death experience.