If there was even a chance [Beefleaf]

He gong-zi

It was a particularly rainy day, a week or two after the drama of the Mid-Autumn festival had passed. People couldn't step into the streets for even a second without getting entirely drenched. Those like Shi Qingxuan had it even worse, either being exposed to the rain entirely, for they had no shelter, or their meager shelters were close to collapsing from the downpour.

For Shi Qingxuan, it was the latter. He mentally cursed the rain as politely as he could, (since he didn't want to curse the Rain Master herself,) as he tried to keep the shabby hay and wood roof of his shelter up. The downpour was making the wood creak, and the pressure of it all caused the roof to bend slightly. The dirt floor beneath his feet was muddy and the constant leaks that dripped from the holes in the roof were not helping.

Qingxuan silently pleaded the roof to not give. He didn't want to have to rebuild his house again, since his building skills weren't all that great either. He could always ask Xie Lian, since he knew that the former scrap god remodeled his own shrine- (with Hua Cheng's slight help,) but Qingxuan didn't want to be a burden and bother the two of them. They had their own business to tend to.

He sighed. His hands were cold and aching from holding up the weak roof, and the piles of hay he had tried to use to patch the holes didn't seem to be working. Abruptly, he let out a sneeze, shivering. After living here for over a year, Qingxuan still wasn't used to things like these. The cold. Illness. The feeling of dirt between his toes. I probably need to get new shoes...

Speaking of buying stuff though, Qingxuan had successfully managed to get a little something for his 'guardian angel,' having it tucked in his shirt pocket. Hopefully he'll like it... should I leave a note when I set it out for him so he knows it's for him? 

Despite everything they've been through, they were friends at one point. And no matter how fake their friendship was, it always warmed Qingxuan's heart when he thought of the fun times they had. Perhaps Qingxuan was just that kind of person.

The rain seemed to lighten into a moderate drizzle outside. The clouds parted and through the gaps in the roof, Qingxuan spotted sunlight coming through. When he thought it was safe, he slowly released his hands from the roof, watching it for a moment to make sure it wouldn't fall. 

Qingxuan let out a breath, shaking out his cold hands. He massaged the back of his head as a growing headache seemed to sink in. 

Maybe I should get more wood for the roof. And nails, he thought to himself. Then he looked around the small shack. Maybe a bucket too. For the rain.

The amount of money he had left over from his gift was enough to keep him settled for a few months- surely the water ghost king was too generous! Why would he send such things to his late enemy's brother?

Shaking his head in defeat, Qingxuan went out of his shack. Though it was still raining, he didn't mind getting wet, so here he was. It was better than being confined in his tiny shelter anyway. Despite the mood and weather of the day, Qingxuan smiled, touching the little present he had tucked away in his pocket. The earthy smell of the rain reminded him of how Ming-xiong used to smell oddly like seawater. Qingxuan used to make fun of him for it too.

He walked down the streets, not entirely sure where he was going. By now his clothes were dripping wet and sticking to his skin but he barely cared. Now that Qingxuan thought about it, his legs seemed weaker and he had the urge to sit down. His steps were slow and dragged, and more than once he stumbled over his own feet.

Without realizing it, Qingxuan had plopped down in the middle of the road, his legs giving out from under him. He blinked warily, as if he weren't quite sure what was going on. Why can't I go on? Why aren't my legs cooperating?