Elixir of Immortality

Chapter 4

Abahai left me there, standing at my doorstep, waving me off. The moon was glistening as I opened the door. Our house was connected to several others, so it was often noisy. I saw Aunt Ponyo sitting at the table with Māmā.

"Hello, Auntie, hello, Māmā," I said in Cantonese, slipping off my shoes.

"Xiran!" Auntie exclaimed, ushering me over to the table. She poked me in my rib cage. "Xiao, you need to feed your daughter more food, she's as thin as a stick. And she's so tall with that choppy, rough hair."

Insensitively, I tried to smooth my black hair. It was small comments like these that I tried not to get to me. Māmā simply laughed, patting Auntie's hand. "Ah, Xiran has her father's genes. All that height and rough hair. Xiran, did you eat?"

"Ushi and I went to the Soontornvats' gift shop for some food," I replied, shrugging. "I am not very hungry."

"You are still friends with Ushi and Abahai?" Auntie Ponyo snorted. "You need more friends. Xiao, shouldn't you find her more friends?"

Māmā's cheeks reddened. "X-Xiran has a lot of friends, but Ushi and Abahai are much more loyal. You know how kids are, Ponyo."

"Auntie, why are you here?" I asked discreetly.

"I heard from your bàba that you're going to a matchmaking session," she laughed as Māmā pinched the bridge of her nose. My matchmaking session was supposed to be private. "I think it's foolish, your husband is foolish, Xiao."

"I'm going to go to my room," I said quickly, wanting to get out of this conversation. Māmā shot me a dirty look for leaving her to endure Auntie Ponyo's yearning for gossip. Ushi said it was an Asian thing for gossip or something. I went to my bedroom, locking the door. Even with the door open, it was still so hot.

The air-conditioning broke two years ago, and Bàba kept on forgetting to repair it. I lay on my bed, exhausted. Tomorrow was my session with Nǜshì Lian, Lady Lian in English. I rolled back my neck, sinking into my pillow. My mattress was stiff and hard to help with my back, that's what Bàba says.

I closed my eyes, yawning. I drifted off to a sweet dream, at least, that's what I hoped for.

I was in the sky, floating. I couldn't breathe as I was forced further into the air. My vision blurred as I tried to scream, but the breath was stolen from me. On the grassy ground, I saw a man. He had an arrow in his bow, drawing it back. Was he going to kill me?

But to my relief, he lowered the bow, a sad and sombre expression on his face. I drifted further away from the mysterious and strange man until I became lightheaded. I was dazed as I saw stars dancing around me.

The sky got darker and darker. I was close to some source of light—the Heavens? No, no, I would not die. I struggled as I floated, sprawled out awkwardly. Finally, I saw a round, clear moon. Was I in outer space?

I crawled closer to the moon, landing with a heavy THUD. I was finally able to breathe as I collapsed onto the moon. How was this possible? Tears spilled out from my eyes as I worried. Who was the man who almost shot me? Why was I on the moon? Why was I floating?

I didn't feel like myself, but someone else. I suddenly grasped a charm around my neck. I didn't understand. It was a small, empty vial connected with a simple chain. I lay on my back, facing the dark and lurking sky, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes.

"Hou Yi..." I said, the words forced from my throat. I didn't want to say that, what was happening to me? "I betrayed you, Hou Yi."

I jerked up from my bed in a cold sweat, gasping loudly. I looked at the window, seeing that the sun had risen. What a horrible dream I had, it was shocking. Hou Yi, where have I heard that name?