Caught In A Cage

You Are Mine!

"Gege, dinner is ready! Close the book and start coming over already." A chirpy voice yelled out. Not to far in the distance, a teenage boy dressed in plain cotton white robes looked over and nodded while quietly closing his book and walking over towards the young girl from the rock he was sitting on.

"Xue'er, you should really learn etiquette. Who will marry you later with these kinds of manners?" Although his words were to reprimand, one could hear the warmth and doting love in his tone. Sticking out her tongue mischievously, the young girl ignored his words and ran into the small house. Chuckling and shaking his head, the boy let a soft smile touch his lips and followed the delicious smell wafting from inside the house. 

Gu Xiao Yu was a poor scholar. He paid his way through schooling at the FengHua Academy and was technically studying to pass the imperial exams. However, he did not have much ambition for a court position. His ideal job would be to travel the world in search of books while maybe selling some on the side as well like a traveling book store. It was not only the Classics, war tactics, and poetry that interested him. Even the romantic novels that all the young ladies were crazy about interested him. He read mysteries and ghost stories, pretty much anything that he could get his hands on. His mother worked at an embroidery. Her skills were adequate for simple projects and could get enough money on her hands to keep the family herself. His father was hunter who sold his game to the local butcher. An old hand at it, his father actually made a good amount of income from his hunting and their family was definitely a ways away from wealthy, however, they were content with their means. He had one younger sister whom the family doted on, Gu Meng Xue. She was a lively and mischievous young girl of 12 who had yet to come of age. They could not afford to send her to any etiquette school, so she would just help their mother around the house while learning embroidery. 

"Xiao Yu, would you do me a favor tomorrow and take in some embroidery I have finished in exchange for the usual amount?"

"Of course, Mother." Xiao Yu smiled. His face looked outwardly calm, but only he knew how excited he was to go into town to look at some new books. Early the next day, he set out to the city. His family lived on the outskirts of YuZhou City which was the next largest city after the imperial capital. He did not go into the city often so he felt excited to have a chance to go again. Handing his fee to the gate guards, he walked into the bustling and active city. Avoiding the large crowd to the best of his ability, Xiao Yu soon made his way to the front of the embroidery. He knew that the city was a chaotic place with many despot nobles and robbers, not that he would usually be a target, but it did not hurt to stay low key. Walking through the front doors, he was greeted by the smiling face of Cang Yue, the young attendant of the shop.

"Sir Gu, welcome! Are you here to sell some of your mother's embroideries again?"

"Miss Cang, yes, I am." Xiao Yu answered while placing the pieces onto the desk. As he was not too close with anyone in the store, the transaction was quick and painless and he was soon outside once again. Flying through the streets, he almost ran to the bookstore. He conducted himself before walking in, however, once he was in, his eyes could not cover the shine and wide grin of happiness. Little did he realize his innocent and happy smile had mesmerized the eyes of the other man present inside the bookstore. 

"Xiao Yu! Here again, are you?"

"Old Man Shen, do you have any new books?" He was a regular in this store, so he and the bookstore owner were very close. Their age gap did not prevent the connection of the kindred spirits.

"Ah, sorry, not today. But you are welcome to pick out anything to read again."

"Hmm, okay." A little disappointed, the excitement in Xiao Yu's eyes decreased slightly. Mu Cang who was watching from the side chuckled quietly. How cute. All his expressions show so obviously on his face. Xiao Yu had completely ignored the other existence in the store and just reached for his favorite ghost story. Sitting on the wide windowsill, the sunlight shown down on his black locks of long hair that was casually tied back by a plain white cloth ribbon. Mu Cang could not help but stare at the man's composure as he read with such absorption.