It had been a month since Jing Shao left for the village to work. He had saved up enough for the trip. He was on his way home a little earlier than usual. The air was so fresh that it burned a little in his lungs with every breath, but that didn't stop him from walking. The frost covered the stones along the path and the mist danced between the trees as if the mountain wasn't fully awake. It was already freezing, but Jing Shao had learned his lesson this time. He came well prepared. He had a cloak to protect himself from the cold. The cloak was a dark shade of red, thick but flexible, woven with well-crafted wool and lined inside with a fabric that was soft to the touch. It had no embroidery or unnecessary embellishments, but the stitching was firm and straight, a sign that it had been made with care. It fell to his calves, enough to control the biting wind without hindering his stride. The polished wooden clasp at the neck was shaped like a leaf, discreet but pretty, and the wide hood fell elegantly when not in use. used
Jing Shao was in a hurry to get home, but she heard a scream: "Let me go! You're crazy! Let me go, Mom!" "Mom!" save me- jing shao ran towards the screams but when he saw the scene his eyes opened wide. mei lin was on top of another girl hitting her but before she could throw another blow jing shao had grabbed her arm. "What do you think you're doing?" he said with an icy voice as if he was deeply upset but someone pulled on her robe it was mei an with eyes full of tears. "shizun..." she said choking on sobs, then mei lin stood up and let the girl go jing shao let go with a gloomy face the girl stood up and started whining to jing shao "sir is this crazy she started hitting me please save me" she said while hugging jing shao's arm the girl was about 12 years old she was a little taller than mei lin her cheeks were red and her eyes were red from crying she squeezed hard and jing shao couldn't be more uncomfortable
Jing Shao was in a hurry to get home, but she heard a scream: "Let me go! You're crazy! Let me go, Mom!" "Mom!" save me- jing shao ran towards the screams but when he saw the scene his eyes opened wide. mei lin was on top of another girl hitting her but before she could throw another blow jing shao had grabbed her arm. "What do you think you're doing?" he said with an icy voice as if he was deeply upset but someone pulled on her robe it was mei an with eyes full of tears. "shizun..." she said choking on sobs, then mei lin stood up and let the girl go jing shao let go with a gloomy face the girl stood up and started whining to jing shao "sir is this crazy she started hitting me please save me" she said while hugging jing shao's arm the girl was about 12 years old she was a little taller than mei lin her cheeks were red and her eyes were red from crying she squeezed hard and jing shao couldn't be more uncomfortable
Jing Shao saw her leave and her brother behind her. He wanted to ask her to explain but he didn't have time. The other girl wouldn't let him. "Sir! She's so mean," she said between whimpers. It was desperate. He tried to break free but she continued. "That's why she's always alone, she's always so arrogant, even with her own mother. If I behaved like that in front of my parents, my parents would surely kill me, that's why her father abandoned her." Hearing her say that, Jing Shao's face became uglier and he roughly pulled her arm and went home.
when he got home he was a little upset pacing around the living room like crazy "should I go apologize?" while he was in a giant dilemma someone knocked on the door "shizun are you awake?" he said cautiously but not like he was scared but like he was ashamed to death "come in" jing shao said almost immediately when me an had his head down extremely very embarrassed as if he couldn't look at his face "shizun..." knelt down jing shao got scared when he saw this action "shizun apologize to mei lin it's just that girl always bothers her and always says mean things to her" he shook his head he was about to cry again "that girl always wants to humiliate her normally mei lin ignores her but this time..." mei an clenched her fists tightly she threw water on her telling her that her mother sold herself to men and that was why our father abandoned us "this wasn't true jing shao remembered one night mei an had told him He told that his mother was a waitress in a restaurant to cover expenses, but Mrs. Mei was very pretty and men always bothered her, but she was always very much in love with her husband.
Jing Shao unconsciously clenched her fingers into fists. Mei An continued speaking. "Mei Lin didn't say anything but I couldn't keep quiet so I told her it wasn't true, that my father didn't abandon us but she just spit on me saying that I was just a dog and that I had to keep quiet." Mei An lifted her face, her peach eyes red from crying. "Shizun, she thinks she can treat us badly just because her father is one of the richest people in town but I wasn't afraid but." She lowered her head again and her tears fell onto her little hands. "My sister hit her and got in trouble with Shizun," she said between sobs. "I'm not angry." Jing Shao turned his back on her as if he didn't want them to see his face. "Defending those you love can never be shameful, forget it, get up. I had something to tell you both but since you're only here then listen to me, we'll leave in 3 days."
He turned around slightly and said with a smile "please tell your sister" even though he was smiling he was very angry but Mei An smiled at his smile too and left and Jing Shao just sighed he could only force himself to calm down in the last three days Mei Lin avoided going to Jing Shao's house so he made the decision for the first time to take the initiative and go he knocked on the door twice the door opened it was Mei Lin who opened the door she looked at him as always but a light shone in her eyes reflecting a bit of sadness "why didn't you go to train?" Jing Shao asked seriously "this disciple apologizes" he said coldly but inside he wanted to say to Jing Shao "I'm sorry I can't look you in the face after what happened" but he never said those words he felt it was embarrassing
"Hmm. Very well, alright. Please get ready. We'll leave in the afternoon." "This disciple understands." When she said this, Mei Lin was going to close her door. "Wait," said Jing Shao. "About the other day..." "Shizun, you don't have to say anything else. This disciple learned his lesson and..." She was going to say, "You don't have to think about it anymore." But she was interrupted. "I'm sorry, it was my fault." Mei Lin got a little scared and said with her head lowered. "It doesn't matter. This isn't the first time that this has happened." "It was my fault, I accused you unfairly." "It wasn't your fault." She turned her head to the other side. "It was mine, there's nothing we can do about it now, Shizun. See you later."
She closed the door still with her head down she gave a small smile when no one was looking at her her gaze was soft it was not as sharp as usual she was extremely happy it took her a while to put her expression back on normal but she quickly went to pack she noticed that Mei An was not in her room and assumed that he was already with Jing Shao and she took a piece of cloth put some things and went to Jing Shao's house sure enough her brother was there "Jie, jie you're late I want to go now" Mei An said this pouting with her cheeks full of air Mei Lin found it funny so she nodded
the afternoon had fallen without them realizing it the sky was covered by a grayish blanket and the sun was barely distinguishable as if it were resisting Mei Lin closed the door of Jing Shao's house the air cut her skin with each gust but it wasn't snowing yet it was that dry cold of the beginning of winter that slipped between her fingers and settled in her bones Mei Lin adjusted her coat with one hand while the other held her small traveling bag at her side, Mei An trotted happily and excitedly with a badly rolled scarf that was falling apart with each step Jing Shao was waiting for them a few meters ahead standing next to the path with his red cape fluttering slightly in the wind he didn't say anything but when he saw them approaching a smile escaped his lips they didn't exchange many words the three of them began to walk down the mountain they were in no hurry they knew their journey was long but they were very happy