Reunion: The Guardians of the Five Elements

Chapter 2

Seated at the center of Wu Shanju where they accommodate their guests, Wang Meng placed his new brewed tea on the rectangular table and bowed nervously at Wu Xie's aunt and scurried immediately behind Wu Xie's and Pang Zi's seat on the left side of the table. "Let me get this straight. This lolita-English woman is your aunt? Isn't she too young to be your aunt, Naive?" Pang Zi asked, not believing his own eyes and ears as the said woman took a sip of the served tea that is seated elegantly in front of them but then her eyes flinch a little. After finishing the cup of tea, she gracefully put the cup down and took out her laced handkerchief, and wiped her lips delicately.

"Never trust a man to make tea. It will become hard and bitter like their liquor." A bit offended, Wang Meng looked at Wu Xie scared and apologetically embarrassed and on the verge of tears, as the other looked back to smile at him, telling him that it's okay while Pang Zi faced the little girl or old little lady, he thought, aggressively. "Hey! I don't care if you are Naive's aunt but at least be thankful that we are serving the tea your brother, Wu Er Bai, his Er Shu gave us." "What a waste." "What the-" The little girl sigh, devastated, ignoring Pang Zi's rant making the large man break a nerve. "Young boys these days. I already told you to call me Nuwa Gù or Nuwa Jíe like my Bai Dídí and Shen Dídí but that will be for another time. Let's move on to a more serious matter. I want you to look into this."

Wu Nuwa said then snapped her fingers. In seconds, two females in black appeared behind her getting everyone shocked and confused. "I sealed the gates and with our walls that high, no one can jump over those walls. How?" Wang Meng said, utterly bewildered. But for Wu Xie and Pang Zi, there's only one person who could. Wu Nuwa smiled at their guarded gaze. "Do you think that the Zhang family lives in seclusion? Speaking of which, where's the little boy?" Just after Nuwa mentioned him, Zhang Qi Ling appeared in an instant. Wide eyes, he saw her sitting just in front of him, smiling motherly at him. Hastily, he went near her and bend his right knee with his right arm over his chest and his right fist over his heart and said, "Master Nuwa."

Wu Xie and Pang Zi are now utterly surprised. Their Xiao Ge hasn't called anyone a master and yet, here they are, hearing him call Wu Nuwa, possibly having the same age as him or older, a master. Wu Nuwa smiled at Qi Ling and said, "I'm your Nuwa Jíe now. You already found your masters or I should say, your important friends." Then looked at her nephew and Pang Zi with a thoughtful smile and looked back at Qi Ling. "So, you don't have to greet me like that anymore. And that goes to the both of you as well, Jun Lian, Yang Hua." The strong tone of Wu Nuwa's voice is something no one is expecting to hear. Clearly, she wasn't shouting but the fullness of the voice would make you shiver and immediately follow even though that order is not for the others. "Master, I mean, Nuwa Jíe, here is what you asked for." Jun Lian said, bending to her master's level to show her the silver case and then placed it on the table, right in front of Wu Xie.

Zhang Jun Lian is a tall girl, 5'6 ft tall, with a healthy thin psyche. She has medium-length black hair with a red triangle hair clip on the right side to emphasize her red dangling earring on her right ear. She is seen standing on the right side of Wu Nuwa. She is Qi Ling's second sibling and his first little sister.

Wu Xie looked at the case then looked back at his aunt, gesturing him to open it. After doing so, he saw five black boxes, each has an animal design on them in different colors. He was about to touch them when Qi Ling immediately holds his reached hand when Yang Hua shut it close taking the others by surprise. "Nuwa Jíe didn't say you could touch it, right?" Yang Hua's cheerful voice covering her insults and mockery as if telling him that he's stupid but that was not got his attention. The force on how she closed the case is so strong. If Qi Ling didn't stop Wu Xie in time, he may have a heavily bruised wrist. "Yang Mei!" "Hua Mei!" Qi Ling and Jun Lian called at the same time with a reprimanding tone as the said girl pout mumbling incoherent words just like a child throwing a tantrum.

Zhang Yang Hua is a bit smaller in height. She's 5'4 ft tall and is physically fit with long black hair that she tied in pigtails by a bloody red-colored triangle dangling ribbon. Just like her sister, she also has a red dangling earring in her right ear. She is Qi Ling's and Jun Lian's younger sister.

Wu Nuwa laughed loudly but is muffled down because she covered her mouth with a handkerchief. "Nothing changes from the three of you." She said after composing herself and then looked at Qi Ling. "No harm was done, Qi Ling, Jun Lian. Besides, Yang Hua knew what she was doing." She said as the youngest playfully let out her tongue towards them as the older siblings just rolled their eyes at her. Then Wu Nuwa looked at Wu Xie with a reprimanding look. "You are my big brother's son. Curious as always. You do know by now it gets you to trouble for being too nosy. But, you won't be my nephew if you aren't. Anyway, I just gestured for you to open the case. I didn't tell you that you can touch them. I may be your aunt but that doesn't mean you could trust me just because we're a family." "I'm sorry if I almost touch them but may I know why to show me those if I can't take a closer look?" Wu Xie asked, having his point across. Not that he's being disrespectful. Maybe a bit since she's being high and almighty since I met her, he thought. But, he's been wondering and questioning his aunt's sudden appearance for a long time. Wu Nuwa smiled, all knowingly. "You have a sharp eye, Wu Xie. I know you saw all that is inside. May you share it with everyone here?" "Hey, Naive. I know I should be at your side but I want to know." Pang Zi said softly after scooting near him which Wu Xie sighed. "Those black boxes have the animal symbol of the five elements designed on them." "The five elements? The Five Elements?!" Pang Zi asked, shocked. "You are correct. I can't just let you touch them because the only people who can touch them are the ones destined to. If you think you are, could you risk getting killed in an instant just by randomly touching any of them? I don't think so, Wu Xie."

Wu Xie felt a lump in his throat after hearing his aunt's angry tone. If he remembers correctly when he was a kid, he remembered the same voice, the same tone and clarity, talking to his San Shu, like telling him an absolute order which his San Shu didn't listen to at all. "Well, you'll know more about this tomorrow, I'll be expecting you at the Wu Manor. 8 am. Please bring Xiao Mei as well." Wu Nuwa said smiling at them getting Pang Zi enraged. "What- How? No! Whatever this is, I'm not getting her involved in this!" Wu Xie and Qi Ling immediately hold him to prevent him from moving forward as Jun Lian and Yang Hua already positioned themselves in front of Wu Nuwa when they saw Pang Zi standing up, shouting at their master while Wang Meng, even though scared, he made himself a buffer for the two groups. "Whether you're denying it or not, it's completely up to you but I will be expecting her with the three of you tomorrow. Farewell."

With that, the three women left just like that. "Naive, I'm not bringing Xiao Mei with us. I don't care if she's your aunt. I don't want -" "I'm going." Wu Xie and Pang Zi looked behind them to see Xiao Mei in her sweaters, pants, and sneakers holding, what it looks like, an invitation. Qi Ling looked at the little girl and asked. "May I?" Xiao Mei nodded and gave it to him. Wang Meng looked from Qi Ling's shoulders and then looked at Wu Xie and Pang Zi. "The invitation has your family seal, Wu Xie. Even if she does not go, your family will fetch her and will make sure that she does come." Wang Meng said, worried for Pang Zi since he's very sensitive when it comes to her as Wu Xie looked at Qi Ling for confirmation. Their Xiao Ge nodded telling them that Wang Meng is correct. Wu Xie sighed at this as they looked at Pang Zi walked towards Xiao Mei and kneeled. "You are not going. My job, our job, if this is a job, is dangerous." "All the more reasons that I should come with you, right?" Xiao Mei said, excitedly and making a fair point. Then she looked at her step father's worried and terrified eyes. She sighed. "Look, Papa. I already know how dangerous your job is. I may have not understood it yet but I want to. Please. I don't want to be alone."