Glancing at her, something suddenly flashed in Xue Yang’s eyes, “What’s wrong? Her eyes are so swollen.”
Xiao XingChen hurried over, “What happened? Did someone bully you?”
Xue Yang, “Bully her? Who’d be able to bully her?”
Although he wore a broad smile, he was clearly growing suspicious. Suddenly, A-Qing threw the bamboo pole onto the ground, and started wailing.
She cried with both tears and a runny nose. Almost hiccuping, she flew into Xiao XingChen’s arms, “Am I ugly? Am I ugly? Daozhang, you have to tell me. Am I really that ugly?”
Xiao XingChen stroked her head, “Of course not. A-Qing is such a pretty girl. Who said that you’re ugly?”
Xue Yang commented with disdain, “You’re so ugly. You’re even uglier when you cry.”
Xiao XingChen chided, “Don’t say that.”
A-Qing cried harder. She stomped her feet, “Well, Daozhang, it’s not like you can see! What’s the use if you say I’m pretty? You’re definitely lying to me! He can see. He said I’m ugly, so I must really be that ugly! Both ugly and blind!”
From all the fuss, both of them naturally believed that some children called her “ugly-pants” or “white-eyed blind girl” when she was outside today, and was feeling frustrated. Xue Yang dismissed, “You came back crying just because they said you’re ugly? Where did your usual unreasonable rudeness go?”
A-Qing, “I’m not rude! Daozhang, do you have any money left?”
With a pause, Xiao XingChen replied in embarrassment, “Uh… I think so.”
Xue Yang interrupted, “I can lend you some.”
A-Qing spat, “You’ve been living and eating with us for so long, and you still call it ‘lending’ if we use some of your money! What a miser! You have no shame! Daozhang, I wanna buy pretty clothes and pretty jewelry. Can you come with me?”
Wei WuXian thought to himself, So she wants to lead Xiao XingChen out of here. But if Xue Yang wants to follow, what should she do?
Xiao XingChen, “Of course I can, but I won’t be able to help you see if they suit you or not.”
Xue Yang interrupted again, “I can help her.”
A-Qing jumped so high that she almost hit Xiao XingChen’s chin, “I don’t care, I don’t care! I only want you! I don’t want him beside me at all. All he’ll say is that I’m ugly! And he’ll call me Little Blind!”
It wasn’t the first time that she acted in such an unreasonable way. The two of them were already used to it. Xue Yang pulled a face at her, while Xiao XingChen agreed, “Alright. How about tomorrow?”
A-Qing, “Tonight!”
Xue Yang, “If you go tonight, all of the markets will have closed. Where else could you possibly go?”
Having no other choice, A-Qing gave in, “Fine! Then tomorrow it is! It’s a promise!”
Having failed a first attempt, if she still begged to go outside, Xue Yang would definitely be suspicious again. A-Qing could only drop the matter for now and go to the table for dinner. During the previous ruckus, although her performance was the same as before, appearing more than natural, her stomach had been stretched taut throughout. She had been so nervous that, even now, the hand that she held her bowl with was still trembling. Xue Yang was sitting right at her left. As he glanced sideways at her, her legs stiffened again. Since she was too frightened to eat anything, she conveniently pretended that she was too furious to have an appetite. She spat the food out every time she had a bite. Stabbing her bowl, she muttered and cursed, “You damned bitch. You filthy maid. Well I don’t think you’re any better, slut!”
Listening to her curse at the nonexistent “filthy maid”, Xue Yang couldn’t hold himself from rolling his eyes, while Xiao XingChen spoke, “Don’t waste food.”
Xue Yang’s eyes left A-Qing and turned to Xiao XingChen’s face instead. Wei WuXian thought, It could indeed be justified how the little delinquent could imitate Xiao XingChen in such an accurate way. After all, they sat in front of each other every single day. He’d have lots of time to figure it out.
However, Xiao XingChen was not at all aware of the two pairs of eyes that pointed at him. After all, he was the only one in the room who was truly blind.
After they finished, Xiao XingChen cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, and went in the central chamber again. Unable to sit or stand still, A-Qing wanted to follow him inside, but Xue Yang suddenly called her, “A-Qing.”
A-Qing’s heart immediately skipped a beat. Even Wei WuXian felt the chills that ran from her head down her back.
She responded, “Why did you suddenly call my name?!”
Xue Yang, “Didn’t you say yourself that you didn’t wanna be called Little Blind?”
A-Qing humphed, “People don’t just suddenly act nice to others, unless they’re hiding other intentions! Just what do you want?”
Xue Yang smiled, “Nothing, really. I just want to teach you what you should do the next time others curse at you.”
A-Qing, “Huh. Tell me, then. What should I do?”
Xue Yang, “If someone calls you ugly, then make her even uglier. Cut a few dozens of times on her face so that she’ll never have the guts to go outside again. If someone calls you blind, then carve one end of your pole sharp, and stab once in both of her eyes so that she’ll also be blind. Then, see if she dares to bad mouth you again.”
A-Qing’s blood ran cold. She pretended as if she thought he was frightening her, “You’re scaring me again!”
Xue Yang snorted, “Well, think what you want.”
As he finished, he pushed the plate that held the rabbit-shaped apple slices in front of her, “Eat up.”
Looking at the plate of cute, delicate slices, disgust filled both A-Qing’s and Wei WuXian’s hearts.
The next day, just as they got up, A-Qing pleaded Xiao XingChen to shop for pretty clothes and makeup alongside her. Xue Yang was annoyed, “If you two are gone, then I’d have to buy today’s food again?”
A-Qing, “Why can’t you buy it? Think about how many times Daozhang bought them! You’re the only one who bullies and plays tricks on Daozhang all the time!”
Xue Yang, “Okay, okay. I’ll go buy it. I’ll go right now.”
After he was gone, Xiao XingChen asked, “A-Qing, are you still not ready yet? Can we go now?”
A-Qing only came inside after she made sure that Xue Yang was long gone. She closed the door and asked in a trembling voice, “Daozhang, do you happen to know someone called Xue Yang?”
Chapter 41 Grasses—Part Nine
Xiao XingChen’s smile froze.
The words “Xue Yang” were too big of a shock to him. His complexion was quite pale to start with. After he heard the name, all of the blood drained from his face. His lips were almost a shade of pink-tinted white.
As if he wasn’t sure, Xiao XingChen asked in a low voice, “… Xue Yang?” He was suddenly startled, “A-Qing, how did you learn of this name?”
A-Qing, “Xue Yang is the person with us! He’s that bastard!”
Xiao XingChen stammered in confusion, “The person with us? … The person with us…” He shook his head, as though he was feeling somewhat dizzy, “How did you know?”