Always You

Act 1: Chapter 3

Act 1: Si Yin and A-Hua

Chapter 3

Si Yin blinked.

"...what?"

She whipped her head up to the girl in front of her and then squinted back down at the words on the missive.

Her eyes narrowed.

'Is he crazy?!'

"I really am sorry to trouble you with this, but I don't have anywhere else to go," a tremble from the girl before her and then tears.

Si Yin closed her eyes briefly and groaned internally.

'Si Ge...no doubt about it...I am going to push you off that phoenix of yours the next time I see you.'

She turned her attention to the girl, and tried to give her the most gentle, yet apologetic, smile she could muster at the moment.

"Xuan Nu...I truly understand the predicament you are in, but Kunlun is not a place where women can just feely stay..."

The girl was sobbing now.

Si Yin coughed on her next words and tilted her head up helplessly. Her body was sore, her head was still pounding from too much wine the night before, and she very much wanted to chuck the wooden scroll at the nearest boulder and watch it crack into pieces.

What in the Nine Heavens was Bai Zhen playing at? Hide Xuan Nu away in Kunlun so she won't have to marry some bear with an unpleasant face, he wrote.

'Did he forget that Xuan Nu and I grew up together and she could very well recognize me as Bai Qian?'

She glared at her brother's elegant handwriting and the sentence he always ended his letters with. My dear Xiao Wu, I love you to pieces but try not to cause any trouble - for your Shifu's sake and my own peace of mind.

Having her childhood friend following her around would be the opposite of staying out of trouble if Xuan Nu were to find anything amiss. And also, did Bai Zhen ever bother to consider that she might have other things to worry about?

Her mind unwillingly went to the event awaiting her and she coughed to chase them away.

She turned to the girl, intending once again to explain her case, but one look at Xuan Nu's red, puffy eyes and her resolve crumbled. This was the same pale-faced girl who had kept her company in the Peach Tree Grove before Kunlun, who had looked up to her like a little sister would, eyes and words full of admiration. The girl that she had played and laughed with under peach blossom petals and had dragged with her on adventures to the outskirts of Qing Qiu. How could she turn away this teary face in her time of need?

Si Yin sighed. She rolled up the missive and tucked it under one arm.

"Er...come with me. I'll see what I can do."

Xuan Nu's tears subsided and a tentative smile appeared, "R...really? You're letting me stay?"

Si Yin shook her head, but softened her eyes at the desperate girl, "It's not that easy. I have to ask Shifu if he would be willing to make an exception. If he says no, I still won't be able to keep you here."

"I understand!" Xuan Nu nodded and wiped away her tears, "I'm just thankful that you are even considering it."

Si Yin shot Xuan Nu a small, uncertain smile and gestured for her to follow.

Xuan Nu trailed closely behind Si Yin, curious eyes trained on the disciple's back. She was relieved that she wasn't being immediately turned away, but something was nagging her about the young man leading her.