Pharmacist Penumbra (Draft)

Chapter 17: An Outing Part 2

Long Fan looks unsure, but he complied with Ying Yue's strange request. "Are you entering the competition, good sir?" asked the announcer.

"Yes. I am." answer Long Fan, confidently.

"Is that all!? Okay the rules are simple it's an arm wrestling match. Basically it base purely on strength. Good luck!!" declares the announcer.

It was a series of matches of very muscular men battling it out with their arm strength. Long Fan seemed to be quite good at it, as he remained unbeaten from all his matches. But then a man with unusual blonde hair appeared. Was he a foreigner?

"Hello. It seems that you are my new opponent, good sir. It seems that I could actually have a worthy challenger." smirked the foreigner.

Long Fan remains calm and collected sitting at the makeshift table as if the statement meant nothing to him. Everyone's eyes were in them. These two men were unrivalled until now. "You can do it, Fan Fan!" cheered Xiao Bao. Fan Fan was Xiao Bao's nickname for Long Fan, as Ying Yue snickered in the palm of her hand. That nickname always got to her.

"It seems that you are very close to that woman, she is rather nice looking. How about we make a bet? If I win, I get to spend the night with her, but if you win, I will pay you 50 gold coins?" bargained the closed eyed foreigner.

Ying Yue's face darkened at the deal. But Long Fan was silent, "Begin!" yelled the announcer. But as soon as the match started, a dragon like entity enveloped Long Fan's body. The foreigner's arm slammed suddenly onto the table dislocating his shoulder joint. Everyone stared in shock, as the match was finished as soon as it begun.

"Don't treat women as items for a game." growled Long Fan, as the foreigner inaudibly gulp down on his saliva in nervousness. Holding his arm, as he walks off into the crowd.

"Congratulations for winning the competition. The prize for your lovely lady!" declared the announcer. Ting Ting smiles gently at Long Fan, as Ying Yue goes up to the master artisan.

"Greetings to Master Ting Ting. I am Ying Yue. If you don't mind, could I have a bit of your time?" inquired Ying Yue.

Ting Ting smiled beautifully, "I don't mind at all. Why don't we discuss matter in a nearby tea shop?" She suggested. The four individuals walk together going through a series of twist and turns, until they enter a hidden tea store with very little people inside. "The usual, please!" ordered Ting Ting.

"Coming right up."

They sit in the isolated corner of the tea shop where no one will be able to listen to their conversation. "What is it that you would like to talk about?" questioned Ting Ting.

"Do I have some sort of connection with you?" asked Ying Yue.

"What make you think that?"

"Well if I could say that this dress is only a prototype of the original design." answered Ying Yue. The woman only gives her a quiet smile with a shadow hat overcasts her face to make more mysterious. She glances over to Long Fan quickly, but this doesn't go unnoticed by Ying Yue.

"Hey Long Fan. What that?" questioned Ying Yue. Long Fan turns his head to investigate. A drugged covered cloth wraps around his nose and mouth, as he struggles firmly but is unable to from the drugs strong effects. Turning to the master artisan, "Does this make you more comfortable?" asked Ying Yue, as she lays the sleeping General's head onto her lap.

"It seems that you haven't forgotten everything from your past." sighed Ting Ting.

"My past?" This could shed some light on her mysterious origins.

"Although it isn't time to tell you the truth, I will shed a bit of light on our relationship." she admitted. Ying Yue watches the master artisan expectantly, as Xiao Bao leans into her side tiredly.

"Before all of this, your family and my family have known each other for many years and have helped each other on many occasions. I am your life long companion. Supposed to look after you and care for each other like sister, but it didn't last for very long. So I come from a specialised tailor family and you are my life long sister by bond." she explained.

"Is there anymore that you can tell me?" pressed Ying Yue, who was desperate for any clue for her origins.

"I am sorry, but I cannot disclose any more information. It too early. But if there comes a time where you need my help, use this and a messenger bird with come." she said, and walked over to Ying Yue and embraced in a warm hug. "I'm so glad to see you again." she whispers softly, walking away and paying for the bill of the tea.

Ying Yue continues to sit down at the table sipping the tea, as Long Fan stirs from his drug induced sleep. He shots up from her lap, drowsy from the drug. "What the hell? Why did you drug me?!" He yells but there was a hint of hurt in his voice.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't disclose any information from her with you awake and this is my business. I have no need for anyone to know my secrets." muttered Ying Yue, as she places Xiao Bao into the sling.