DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS Book 1 of 5 (Adventures of The Youth) by Jin Yong

Fast Horse And Faint Fragrance Part 5

The girl asked: "What for? Waiting for that poisonous marten of yours?" Zhong Ling replied: "No, I'm waiting for my Big Brother Duan, he went to get my father here to cure those poisoned guys in the Divine Farmer Clan." Turning to Duan Yu, she said: "Sister, can you give me some of the cure for Intestine Fragmenter?" The girl interrupted: "That Duan guy won't be coming around here again." In a panic, Zhong Ling replied: "No way, that can't be. He said he would! Even if my father won't come, Big Brother Duan would still come back!" The girl retorted: "Hmph! Men only know how to lie, you shouldn't believe anything he said." Zhong Ling began to sniff a little: "Big Brother Duan would nev... never lie to me."

Duan Yu couldn't control himself any longer and, with a laugh, took off his mask: "Miss Zhong, your Big Brother Duan really didn't lie to you."

Zhong Ling stared at him, rendered utterly speechless, for a long time before finally becoming overwhelmed with joy and jumped onto him with her arms around his neck while screaming: "You didn't lie to me, I knew you wouldn't!"

The girl suddenly grabbed her by the back of her collar, pulled her aside, and coldly commented: "Don't do that!" Zhong Ling was quite surprised by that, but being as happy as she was, she didn't care. So she asked: "Sister Mu, how did you 2 meet?" The girl just humphed and didn't respond.

Worried about SiKong Xuan come chasing up after finding how ineffective the powder was, Duan Yu spoke up: "Why don't we get going? We can talk about on the way." The girl in black climbed onto her horse and was out in front while Duan Yu briefly told Zhong Ling what had happened, judiciously leaving out the part about how the girl tortured him and only saying that she saved his life. After listening to the whole story, Zhong Ling yelled out to the girl: "Sister Mu, thank you so much for saving Big Brother Duan, I don't know if I can ever pay you back for that." A bit peeved, the girl rebuked: "I saved him by my own accord, what does it have to do with you?" Zhong Ling stuck her tongue out at Duan Yu and made a face at that remark.

The girl continued: "Hey, Duan Yu, I know that little devil Zhong Ling is going to tell you my name, so I'm going to tell you now. My name is Mu WanQing." Duan Yu replied: "Ah, 'Firewood is pure and flowery, pity to the pure willows.' (Huo Mu Qing Hua, Wan Xi Qing Yang) Such a good name and surname." Mu WanQing replied: "Better than your 'one piece of wood, terrible fame (Yi Duan Mu Tou, Ming Yu Ji Huai).'" Duan Yu burst out laughing at that comment.

{Duan Yu quoted a piece of poetry that I'm not too sure about the meaning of, so I just kind of went with the literal meanings of the word, sorry if it is off. If you know what it really means, please e-mail me. Thanks.}

Zhong Ling grabbed Duan Yu's left hand and gently said: "Big Brother Duan, you are so good to me." Duan Yu replied: "Only thing is that it's a shame that you can't find your marten." Zhong Ling whistled a couple of more times before replying: "No big deal really, after those bad guys leave, I'll come back here and look for him. Will you come and keep me company?" Duan Yu nodded and replied: "Of course!" Thinking about that jade statue in that cave, he added: "From now on I would come back here from time to time." Furious, Mu WanQing cut in: "I don't permit you to come back. If she want to look for her marten, then let her come herself." Duan Yu stuck his tongue out at Zhong Ling and made a face. The 2 of them looked at each other and smiled.

The 3 of them did not talk for a long while and just walked. After several kilometers, Mu WanQing suddenly asked: "Zhong Ling, is your birthday the 5th of February?" She was still facing forward on her horse, not even turning around. Zhong Ling answered: "Yes it is! Sister Mu, how did you know?" Becoming furious, Mu WanQing shouted: "Still claiming that you aren't lying Duan Yu?" With a jerk of the reins, she and Black Rose began to gallop away.