Violetgrass

Roommate

A little girl had taken up residence in Baizhu's sickroom with Chaoxing. She'd taken a tumble down the stairs, and her mother had rushed to Baizhu to get her patched up. And for all Baizhu refused, the mother had given him as much compensation as she could afford.

The little girl, on the other hand, was very sweet. Chaoxing wasn't very fond of children, but decided they had their own charm after living with one. She stayed as an in-patient for a week, and the two of them had had many conversations regarding all they'd seen down in the harbor.

Lumine had bought Chaoxing's beads from her house, and Chaoxing had taken to teaching little Meifeng how to make a necklace, after Meifeng requested it of her.

While she was busy fumbling with the beads and the string, Chaoxing made her a bracelet as a keepsake. Baizhu sometimes stood near the door and watched for a while, before he left to wherever he vanishes to.

"This is hard," whined Meifeng, her eyes burning with determination as she tried to get through the right beads.

"A child doesn't have the dexterity of an adult," said Chaoxing with a soft smile. "You're doing rather well for a first-timer though."

Meifeng dropped the string and sighed.

Chaoxing handed her the bracelet she'd finished. "A gift," she said, wondering if she'd ever put so much effort into making something look pretty. She'd used her prettiest beads—ones with a natural shine to them. Meifeng nearly squealed with joy as she put it on.

"Thank you!"

Baizhu walked in, cups of medicine in both hands, and Meifeng sat down immediately. He handed both of them their doses, and they both grimaced.

"As the days go by, I can't tell whether she's influencing you, or if it's the other way around." He pushed his glasses up, his eyes glittering with amusement.

"I don't need an answer to that," Chaoxing muttered. She looked at Meifeng, who was staring into the cup as though she wanted to be anywhere else. Meifeng glanced at her, and Chaoxing nodded. "Ready? Three, two, one!"

And they both downed it as though they were taking a shot. If there was one thing Chaoxing knew about medicine, it was that you down it as fast as possible. If you took a sip instead, you were done for.

Meifeng stuck her tongue out, and Baizhu sat down beside her. Chaoxing watched as he asked her some questions, checked her pulse, and told her she was free to go home tomorrow.

When Baizhu left, Meifeng looked at Chaoxing. "You've been here longer than me, and you're still staying." She tilted her head. "Are you alright?"

"I... yep. I guess I'm just tired and he knows it."

"Will you be lonely when I leave?"

"Maybe."

Chaoxing looked outside, where the sun had finally gone down. Meifeng yawned, and then lay down, throwing her covers over herself. "Tell me a story."

Chaoxing lay down as well, and stared at the ceiling, wondering if someday she'd see the stars the way the child did, as though they were the most beautiful things in the world. As though that beauty itself was worth living for.

"A long time ago, there was a Seelie in the Akademiya..."

***

Meifeng's mom had come in the morning to pick her up, and Baizhu stood at the reception, talking to her. Meifeng was holding her mom's skirt, and her eyes brightened when she saw Chaoxing. Chaoxing waved a farewell to her with Gui, and watched as they walked down the stairs together. Chaoxing headed back in, but bumped into Baizhu.

"Thanks for looking after her this week," he said.

"It was fun for me too," said Chaoxing. Baizhu walked past her, and gestured for her to follow. They walked together to the side of the pharmacy, looking down into the river.

"You're..."

"Not thinking of jumping, if that's what you were wondering."

"Right."

"What's your take on mortality?"

He raised an eyebrow, and Changsheng raised her head slightly. Qiqi looked outside, saw them, and then walked back in. "That's quite the topic of conversation you've chosen."

"Someone once told me you were obsessed with the idea of immortality," she said nonchalantly. "Thought I'd hear from the man himself."

"Whoever told you that was right." He leaned over the railing, watching Chaoxing from the side of his eye for her expression. It was wistful.

"I wonder what it must be like to love something enough to live forever for it."

"And what do you think that must be for me?" he asked, surprised that she had come to that conclusion.

"I don't know. Healing others?" Chaoxing saw something pass between Changsheng and Baizhu, but didn't know what it was. "All I know is that there's no fool who would desire immortality for no reason. I've lived twenty-one years and decided I've had enough."

"You're the odd one out in this case," hissed Changsheng softly.

Chaoxing pulled herself up to sit on the railing, and Baizhu looked alarmed, reaching out to steady her. His hands grasped her waist. "You're going to fall," he said.

She shook her head. "I'm holding on to the railing, don't worry."

Qiqi walked over to them. "What is it?" asked Baizhu, releasing his grip on Chaoxing.

"Qiqi wants coconut milk..."

Baizhu smiled, and they walked in together. Chaoxing stayed out a while longer, watching the clouds drift overhead, and the water ripple. She did have a desire to let go of the railing, but she had sort of said she wouldn't. She slid down instead, heading back inside. Seeing some of Baizhu's medical texts, she wondered if anything she'd studied in Amurta would be of use.

***

"If you really wanted to read a book, you could've asked," said Baizhu, leaning against the door frame. "I hear Legend of the Sword is popular nowadays."

Caught red-handed, she placed the scripts back on his desk. "I'm sorry. I should've asked."

He waved a hand. "It's not like there's anything I was hiding."

"What if it was your notes on that Elixir of Immortality or something?"

He smiled, and it seemed even more snake-like then Changsheng. "If that's the case, do you really think you would find them?"

She considered that. "Nope, I guess not." She looked back at the texts. "Tighnari gave me an infusion of Vasanti grass, didn't he?" She recalled reading that from the House of Daena.

Baizhu gave her an apprasing look. "That's not in my texts. But yes, you're right. If we were to replicate the effects with Liyue's herbs—"

"Lotus heads and Mist flowers?" asked Chaoxing.

He nodded. "Lotus heads can calm down the nervous system, and Mist flower reduces fatigue, but they likely wouldn't work well together."

"The way they act is contradictory, is it?"

"Correct again." He tilted his head. "Have you studied medicine before?"

"Not especially," she said, running a hand over his desk. "Just a little I've read from places."

"Really? I think I'd like to visit those 'places.'"

She looked away sheepishly. "If you can, sure."

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