Silver Lining [WenZhou]

2. Walnuts

"Look at him, how pathetic!" The man forcefully removed the cloth and pulled him up with his hair, shoving him forward towards Zhou Zishu, "Look how ugly he is."

Ugly? Zhou Zishu saw no ugliness. All he saw was absolute beauty, the long silver locks and the familiar eyes he'd been waiting so, so long to meet.

Wen Kexing's face looked the same at first glance, but then Zhou Zishu saw the cuts and the bruises and the paleness and the loneliness and the sadness. He had an almost healed black eye and a bruised lip, with small cuts on his cheeks. His hair was not neatly tied as it used to be, it was messy and longer than usual, falling over his shoulders reaching slightly lower than his abdomen, his black clothes had holes and were torn up along the edges, and his once beautiful hands were now stained with struggles he never encountered before.

Zhou Zishu held his breath at the heart-wrenching sight of his beloved, of his soulmate. How did the almighty Ghost Valley Chief, the disciple of Four Seasons Manor become so weak and broken? He tried to repress the shock and the heartache but his eyes exposed him. They were already glossy with sympathy, pain, and a bit of guilt. He recalled all the days he spent talking to Wen Kexing's shadow, all the nights he spent crying over his absence, not knowing if he's dead or alive, not knowing if he's cold or sad or lonely, all the heartache and the grief... He had searched for him for seven years with no avail, and now a mere coincidence designed by fate had led him to his soulmate. This world truly works in cruel, mysterious ways.

"Lao-" He swallowed hard and blinked away the blurriness, "what's your name?" He asked softly, stabbing himself in the heart.

"You're asking this filthy beggar about his name?" The merchant laughed disgustingly and grabbed the watermelon knife from the nearby stall and pulled Wen Kexing's hair, "Cutting his hair is the only thing he deserves-AHHHHHHH!"

Zhou Zishu unsheathed his sword slitting the man's wrist, causing him to stumble back, dropping the knife on the floor. The man grabbed his wrist and screamed in pain stepping backwards as Zhou Zishu approached him with the sword pressed to his neck. "You dare harm who's mine?!" He said firmly, eyes threatening, "You dare humiliate my person?!" He taunted, "How dare you!" He screamed and swung his sword, cutting the man's neck from ear to ear; completely neglecting the crowd around him as he watched the man choking on his own blood.

Wen Kexing gasped behind him and tried to run away but Zhou Zishu pulled him back towards him gently, "don't run, I won't hurt you." He said softly, his eyebrows knitted in sympathy.

"I-I-" Wen Kexing stuttered, suddenly searching for the cloth to cover his head, "I'm sorry." He managed to speak out. "I have caused you trouble..."

"Why do you wear that? Why are you bruised? Who hurt you?" Zhou Zishu asked genuinely. "I'll end them."

Wen Kexing didn't reply, he just stared at Zhou Zishu in confusion, surprise and wariness; as if he was astounded by the sudden care and sympathy this stranger had given him, as if he suspected that Zhou Zishu hid some ulterior motive behind the kind act. He finally managed to grab the fabric and wrap it again around his head, ready to face his benefactor, "I'm used to it..." He looked down shyly, "but thank you..." He turned around to leave but was stopped again.

Zhou Zishu didn't know how to act in this situation. Although he had played this scenario a million times in his head, the scenario of reuniting with him despite any condition, yet he still didn't know how to act now that he'd finally found him. "Wait..." He said, "Do you have shelter?" He tried to play it as normal as possible.

"Someone like me never has shelter." Wen Kexing said truthfully.

"I can offer you food and shelter..." Zhou Zishu tried desperately, "and company..."