Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 10: Second Life - Someone Like You

On my way back home with the food in one hand in a bag and my bamboo stick in the other, I heard two men whispering to each other from behind.

"Hey, what's her deal?"

"Her? That's Doctor Lu's disciple. Blind since birth, she was raised by him."

"Is she just blind or also dumb?"

ME? Dumb?

"Probably both. She's eighteen already, but no one's willing to marry her for fear that she'll give birth to unhealthy children. They don't wanna take the risk."

"Wow, so old already?"

"Hey!" I yelled, "I'm blind not deaf!"

I heard them both jump, must had been surprised I wasn't too stupid to not understand. I hated it when people called me dumb. They're the actual morons if they can't differ which type of disability from the other.

"Good for nothing, gossiping about others. You probably don't have a lot going for yourself!"

Done with lecturing them, I turned around to leave. While occupied with giving them a piece of my mind, I didn't notice I was going in the wrong direction and went headfirst into a wall.

Ow! When did that get there?

I could hear them snickering in the background, laughing at my pain. Their steps got farther and farther away.

"Ow... my nose... more like ow my pride..." I mumbled to myself as I tried to rub the pain away from my face. Quickly feeling around the loose dirt, I found my bag of food spilled out. The steamed meat buns, beef on a stick, and dessert Tanghulu were covered in dirt.

My money!

I almost cried out of frustration. It wasn't hard to go to the market, but it took me so long to get just all that.

"Miss, are you all right?"

"Oh my God!" I said without realizing. I didn't hear this person approach. Sounded like a young man.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's all right..." I stood up. It was useless to bring all that contaminated food back to Master.

"Here, your stick."

"Oh, my bamboo stick, thank you." I reached out and grabbed it from his hands, accidentally brushing over his soft and slender fingers. I heard him cleared his throat out of awkwardness. He must not like being touched.

"Your food got ruined."

Yes, thank you. That's obvious.

"Uh, yeah."

"How about I take you back to the market to buy them again?"

Hmm. He's being too polite. Unless he's a saint, there's no way he'd just help me for no reason.

"Oh, I don't have any money. Good day, sir." I was about to walk away but ran into another wall.

Ow, how could there be such a tiny alley?

"I'm sorry that was my shoulder..."

"Young Man, why did you block me?"

"You should address our Lord rightly!" A mosquito like voice barked. There was another person? A sassy youngish male. 

My poor nose.

"I just wanted to help," the young man said.

"Well, I'm fine really."

This man is so determined! Doesn't he understand that it's impolite to force yourself on others?

"Didn't it take you awhile to buy all those things? The moon is already high in the sky. I'll lead you back to the market all right?"

"I really don't know you..."

"You think our Lord would just go out of his way to help someone like you?" The bitchy voice continued.

"Ah Xi, you're being impolite," I heard him lecture the sassy child,"Please Miss, I'll offer to pay for the food."

Oh? Interesting.

"Well, if you insist," I cleared my throat and swung out my bamboo stick, heading back to the market.

The young man, his sassy servant, and I walked in silence for a minute. We entered the busy street market again. At night time like this, the market still had vendors selling freshly cooked food. Tea houses and other businesses remained opened until late.

Suddenly a man bumped into me, sending me back a few steps. He smelled of rice wine. Must be out drinking with his buddies.

"Sorry, Miss," he said slurring his words.

"Oh," I said as I just realized that someone had their arms around me. Their left hand holding onto my arm and their right hand holding onto my shoulder. I felt my face get hot.

"I'm sorry, Miss. I didn't mean to hold onto you," the young man apologized.

"It's fine." He said he didn't mean it, so I didn't hold it against him.

"There's a lot of people. Would you like to hold onto my sleeve?"

"Haa? I guess that should be okay."

Reluctantly, I felt around his body until I found a loose part of his sleeve.

Oh... he has muscles...