Falling Dreams of Fang Hua ✔

Chapter 002: An Encounter Returning Home

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The Fang Hua Shou is a primarily male animal with a peaceful disposition. It prefers to live alone and its figure is not much different from a mortal's. It is skilled in growing unusual, treasured medicinal herbs. Initially nameless, its flowers (hua) gave rise to Hua (or splendid), and the ancient name Fang Hua Shou.   — 

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"If you agree to come home with me, I'll give you three meals a day and guarantee you eat until you're full." The light but innately intoxicating words of the male had the obvious markings of a fraudulent kidnapper.

His hand was very warm. A person had yelled at me once for being a smelly beggar, but no one had ever led me along like this.

Thus the young and clueless me fell into enemy territory, led by food and his charm. For a trifling mantou, I nodded my head and obediently allowed him to take me away, aSsuming an air of shyness, but my heart was surging like a river inside.

The main streets were rather chilly, and occasionally two or three shabbily-clothed people would breathe, eyes half shut, as they leaned against some stone steps. A little beggar wearing a rough burlap gown raised a hand to block the way ahead of him.

Geez... ...what for?

He's not thinking to block the way and rob him, right.

I raised my head, lifting my eyes to take a look at the beautiful person.

He seemed to show no interest, indifferent to asking or listening.

Although this child had a filthy face, he was intelligent and strong. A pair of dark, swarthy eyes stared at our hands as he half-jogged to follow, trying to tug with his own hand. But the beautiful person waved his sleeve and pushed him away.

I thought he had a good temper, but it seems that wasn't so... ...

"Remember, I don't like coming in contact with people."

The leaves on the willow branches flew wildly while a gentle breeze ruffled his sleeves. Beneath the sunlight, his face was so beautiful that it was hard for people to see clearly, as if a pale glow of moonlight shrouded him. He used this sort of soft manner to speak these words, even as his hand was firmly attached to mine, leading me along.

A delicate expression on that face.

I grew silent.

He also grew reticent, and without uttering a sound, led me along a fragrant lane towards the depths of a outlying forest bordering the edge of civilization.

I started to feel dread and tugged my hand free, wanting to run away, but the beautiful person only gripped it tighter.

Rumors went that they were people who intentionally preyed on little urchins and used them as catamites in remote, out of the way places.

I also heard that poor people had nothing to eat, but some rich people who were bored of the same foods enjoyed washing clean a five or six-year-old child and steam them in clear soup, of course... ...also in remote, out of the way places.

The whole time I followed, I was confused and shaking, my entire body weak.

I wasn't sure how long we walked, but by the time I couldn't keep up and was stumbling along, he turned back and lightly caught me, before carrying me in his arms. Nowadays I call this an unexpectedly flattering favor.

I blanked out.

"Don't move around."

The beautiful person emanated an unusually sweet smell that calmed one's heart and smelling the aromatic scent tired me out. Those warm, soft tones continually spoke in my ear, "We're almost home."