The empire of Yan Shun(赝舜) seemingly shines as a gem next to all others. This empire lies along a great river, Long Yanlei(龙眼泪) which is said to hold the remnants of a great dragon blessing the people with great spirit. While all people hold spirit...
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The doctor's visit went exactly as Huixin guessed it would. She hated every part of it. There was no point in the visit. Could she not walk just fine right now? Nothing in her body was dying and the doctor only confirmed what she already knew. What a waste of time and money, she could have been doing something more interesting and instead she was stuck here listening to the doctor tell her she was fine and would be fine.
She would have run away again if Mingxia was not guarding the window and Chaoxiang at the door. Though she was sure that if she tried hard enough, she could get past Chaoxiang and get enough of a head start on Mingxia.
The thoughts of escape kept her occupied until the doctor had left. Now the three were left in the room alone and judging by the silence, Mingxia was working on another lecture.
"Huixin, I believe you know what I am going to say," Mingxia began.
How could I not, Huixin thought, you have only repeated it thousands of times in just this day. Through years of these lectures, Huixin had learned the best move was to stay silent and nod in agreement.
Chaoxiang grew tired of standing guard at the door and joined Huixin in sitting before the tea table. Mingxia sighed loudly to show her disappointment before joining the two at the table as well.
The three sat there silently picking at some snacks that had been left. Huixin decided she would be the one to break this silence.
"How is your leg Chaoxiang?" she asked. He had been able to stand fine, but for a guard, his endurance for standing seemed quite low at that moment.
"It is fine. Sometimes it is irritating, but it is manageable. What about you, are you fine?" Chaoxiang asked.
One look at him had Huixin almost ready to confess everything. The pain she felt when she noticed a crack that had yet to be fixed, the fear she felt when trying to leave her room, the anger she felt when realizing her home had become frightening to her. It was his innocent puppy-like eyes that got her every time. This man was really not suited to guard anything. Perhaps he would be a better interrogator.
Sighing, Huixin had already decided her answer long before. "What was the point of bringing the doctor if you did not plan on believing his diagnosis?"
"The question was not about you physically, Huang Huixin," Mingxia began. Huixin knew she was about to get it when Mingxia used her full name. "You know exactly why we are asking and why we are worried. Give a real answer, if not to that question then answer this. Why in the world did you run off on your own?"
Ah, so this is the pain of having a lifelong friend, Huixin thought. She knew any lie or false answer would be caught immediately. If not by Mingxia, then by Chaoxiang. She would just have to use her secret third way once again.
"We are all aware of what I am capable of and that I made it through alive. I think this lecture should be directed at Chaoxiang." Huixin declared. It was a desperate plan but she would only get out of this by shifting attention.
