A LOTUS BORN OF MUD

CHAPTER 34 - LYING, LOATHSOME, LOVER

  BiMing was tired, so tired.

  He bent over gasping for air and wiped off the sweat on his forehead.

  He had been flying on his rebellious cloud for three days straight, not once stopping for rest. Just a minute ago the spiteful little cloud disappeared from being overworked, leaving BiMing hanging in mid-air less than a second before he tumbled through the trees hitting the ground. He had used what was left of his spiritual energy to shield him from the fall, now he was completely drained.

  Hey kid, was it necessary to run off?

  "Yes, it was very necessary."

  Tch, you youngins... always so needlessly emotional...

  "Oi... this is my midlife crisis and you're calling it needless?"

  Hmph... emotional brats...

  "Ho... I see..." BiMing took the black sword out of his waist sash and began tapping it in front oh him.

  Hey, hey! What are you doing!?

  "Well, it's too bothersome to find a good stick about, I'll just use you. Keep talking and I won't clean you tonight."

  The sword was silent and BiMing smirked. He walked for a long while till the horizon ate up half the sun.

  BiMing came to a stop at a small cabin. He squinted to try and make out the condition of the cabin. He ran his hands over the wood and came to a conclusion. The cabin was empty and in a shit state. He felt holes in the woodwork and it was damp as well. But better than nothing, and anyway, he had given most of his leftover fortune to KeNiang. Which turned out to be a waste as BiMing took out the small vial with less than half its medicine left. He sighed, indeed KeNiang's medicine was good, he could see things a little clearer if they were right in front of his face but to stop taking the medicine so soon, he's afraid his eyesight will return to being as bad as it was before.

  BiMing pushed open the rotting door and went into the small cabin shadowed by the tall trees around. He set to work in the cabin to make it bearable. He collected some dry wood outside and started a small fire in the kitchens stove to warm up the place but not create too much smoke. He stripped the bed and shook it of its dust before making the bed neatly again. After fumbling around he found some candles pans and oil, he lit two by the bed before sitting down.

  He had just squeeze the second drop of medicine into his eye when the front door slammed off its hinges causing the vial to slip through BiMing's hands and hit the ground. BiMing swore colourfully. His eyes were almost completely blinded at that moment because of the drops in his eyes. And so he fumbled towards the door not seeing the tall figure that stood there.

  "How windy can it be to have a door blown off... tch." BiMing bent down and felt for the wooden door. When he felt it he lifted it and tried to blindly fix it back on its hinges, yet when he tried to close it, it wouldn't. "Oi, black sword, come help."

  Um...BiMing I don't think...

  "I'll use you as a walking stick again tomorrow!" BiMing threatened.

  Uh... not going to happen, kid... I'll give you some privacy.

  BiMing scrunched his eyebrow in confusion, "What do I need privacy for, stop messing around." BiMing rubbed his eyes as the eye drops were finally absorbed and opened his eyes the same time he opened the door to see what was blocking it.

  XiuYin stood there glaring down at BiMing who had opened the door. His heart leapt up at the sight of BiMing. BiMing squinted his eyes at him before stepping back and slamming the door in his face.