Feng Yao skipped happily through the streets with a steamed bun in her hand. After saving up for two weeks, she finally had enough copper coins to buy it.
She hummed a joyful tune as she twirled in circles ignoring the strange looks from the people around her.
Ahh~ My steam bun! How I've longed to have you in my hand like this~
Just as she was about to take her first bite, something heavily collided with her from the side. As if in slow motion, she could do nothing but watch with wide eyes as her steam bun rolled out of her hands and dropped onto the floor. She could practically feel her heart stop in agony the moment the bun made impact with the dirty ground.
"Ah. My steam bun..."
Her voice was monotone as she stared blankly at the scene in front of her. Refusing to believe it, she just continued to dumbly stare at the remains of her beautiful steam bun now lying on the dirty ground.
Why do I feel like this has happened before?
Suddenly, she felt her shoulders being grasped by someone as her entire body was shaken back and forth.
"Feng Yao! Perfect timing! I need you to do me a favor!"
The shaking of her shoulders finally stopped causing her to blink once in surprise. She turned and glanced at the person who was holding her arms.
The familiar sight of an old, wrinkled face greeted her. His elderly face was flushed red from running, and his eyes were slightly bloodshot. He was the local doctor, but everyone called him by "old man" since he never revealed his actual name.
"Old man? What are you doing--" She was cut off by his frantic voice.
"Here! Hurry and go buy me this list of herbs from the medicinal shop. I have a patient--"
Suddenly a loud groan came out of his clinic with a shout soon following afterwards.
"Where did the doctor go! Don't you know the young master is in pain?! You dare leave now?! If anything goes wrong with the young master, you won't be spared!"
The doctor hurriedly shoved a hastily written list and a pouch of silver coins her way before shooing her along.
"Hurry please! Feng Yao, I promise I'll treat you to a tray of goodies later!" With that, he ran back into his clinic as he tried to calm the angry men. "Yes, yes, I'm coming!"
Feng Yao blankly stared at the crumpled list and money bag that had been forcibly stuffed into her hands. After a minute, her head tilted up towards the sky as she wistfully thought to herself.
How many steam buns could I buy right now if I escaped with this money?
She quickly shook her head before slapping her cheeks.
No no nooo, Feng Yao. You must be diligent and brave! Do not give in to the evil of... necessary hunger pains!
She had her fist clenched in front of her as if mimicking the actions of those famed martial artists after defeating their lifetime eternal rival. Her face looked incredibly smug over her self-control. It was quite a great talent actually; to look so childishly proud wasn't something that just any peasant girl could do. Her eyes were even starting to well up from her own self-praise.
Either that or because she just remembered about her stream bun still lying dead on the floor.
Feng Yao didn't seem to notice that the people walking around her had now resorted to covering their children's eyes as they skirted largely around her. Perhaps she herself didn't even realize how strange she looked at this moment.
Her stomach suddenly rumbled with the reminder of not having eaten properly for almost two-weeks. With a drooping head, she heaved a heavy sigh as she forced her feet to turn towards the direction of the medicine shop.
As she entered the familiar little building, the strong scent of herbs swirled around her. She was about to begin mentally naming each individual smell before catching herself. Her eyes blinked silently before she let out a small chuckle. At that moment, someone's voice called out.
"Ah, if it isn't Feng Yao! Has the old man sent you on another errand again?"
A middle-aged gentlemen dressed in modest clothing smiled warmly at her from near the front table. Even though she looked sorely out of place in her shabby clothing, he didn't seem to mind as she'd been here multiple times before.
"Ehh, just the usual. Forcing me to run around like a mad dog doing its master's bidding. For all I know, he could just be having me buy herbs for soup again."
With a gloomy look, she handed over the list of herbs to the shopkeeper. He simply laughed before taking it and walking over to the shelves of medicine.
As he was pulling out different jars and containers, he casually asked, "So Feng Yao, shouldn't you be thinking of settling down this year? Last time you told me, you were already eighteen years of age. Why don't you meet my son--"
"Oooohhh, is this a new medication?"
Feng Yao eagerly pointed to a bottle almost hidden behind the large cluster of jars in front of it. Who knows if it was due to sharp eyes or pure luck that she'd even seen it in the first place.
The jar was completely black with a thin blue lid. The bottle was so thick that she couldn't see through it to what was in it.
The shopkeeper sighed at seeing Feng Yao not even paying attention to him. He wrapped the herbs he'd pulled out into a white cloth before heading over to where she stood with a puzzled expression.
"Hmm? Oh that little jar? You have a good eye, Feng Yao. Actually it's incredibly rare. I specifically put it there so that people would never find it. I'm surprised you even were able to pick it out!"
He let out a hearty laugh. Feng Yao smiled, but didn't say anything in response.
"This is one of the few bottles of herbs left behind by the mysterious medicine master. He was so incredible at creating such impressive and effective medications that every bottle of his creations would instantly be fought over almost until death. As you know though, after he made his last batch a few years ago, he suddenly disappeared."
The shopkeeper grabbed the black bottle out from where he'd hidden it and looked around to find a new hiding spot.
"This bottle is especially rare. They say that these are called the Heavenly Killer Pills known for being able to kill any disease or sickness plaguing the body."
Feng Yao yawned as she replied.
"Ah...I see..."
The shopkeeper noticed her bored expression and figured that she wasn't interested in listening about such complicated matters. With a chuckle, he turned around to get her packaged herbs. With his back turned though, he didn't notice the way that she cast a seeming casual glance back again at the black bottle. By the time he turned back, she already had on her usual carefree smile.
"Total is 25 coins." She gave him the coins in exchange for the herbs.
Just as she was about to say goodbye, he whispered, "Here, I'll also give you this. Free of charge."
He sneakily handed her a candied apple. His wife was famous throughout the town for making them. Instantly, her face lit up at the sight of sweets. Before he could change his mind, she had already accepted the gift.
"Oh, and about what I was saying earlier about introducing you to my son--"
But his words fell wasted on her unhearing ears as he saw she was already biting into the apple gleefully. With a full mouth, she mumbled her thanks.
"Twank-yuu!"
He sighed as he watched her happily walk away. The corners of his lips tilted upwards as he slowly shook his head in quiet laughter. As his smile faded, he continued to watch as she disappeared from view.
He couldn't figure out if she was simply just so great of an actor that he couldn't tell if she was purposefully avoiding his questions or if she really was that clueless. From the bottom of his heart, he wished it was the latter. Only the heavens knew just how terrible of a fate those with intelligent minds often ended up with.
Feng Yao happily munched on her candy apple in one hand while her other held the packaged herbs. Her eyes naturally scanned the environment and noticed something off, but besides slightly raising an eyebrow, she didn't stop her leisurely pace down the street.
She finally reached the old man's clinic. Licking her lips of the candy crumbs, she pushed open the door.
"Ooooiiii? Doctor, your humble servant has returned--"
She abruptly stopped at the sight in front of her.
Four masked men icily stared back at her. The old man was currently collapsed in a bloody heap at their feet. Noticing her presence, he weakly lifted his head.
"Run...Feng Yao..."
But before she could do anything, the cold sharpness of a sword pressed into her back.
"Don't move." An emotionless voice harshly spoke from behind her into her ear.
Plop!
Feng Yao slowly looked down. The remaining half of her candied apple had fallen off of its stick she was holding and was now rolling aimlessly on the dirty floor.
Looking up, she was met with the scary stares of the men.
Looking down, she saw the depressing scene of her ruined candy apple.
She looked up again at the men. Then back to her apple.
Sigh...my apple...