Pity, for the soldier who had dared to touch me had stopped puking his guts out sooner than I had hoped, but I decide to let it go. After all, killing him would be overkill, and I was all about justice, kindness, and all those shiny things.

Anyhow, after the whole thing, the senior guard had looked shook up, and without further adieu, he had taken us to what looked like a well to do home.

He had proceeded to introduce us to the owner, a middle-aged man with graying hair, goatee and protruding tummy called Lung Chi.

Lung Chi told us that he was a the tunnel supervisor (whatever fuck that meant) but the way he had looked, scratch that, leered at Zhan and myself and completely ignored Weredra, made bile rise to my throat.

"You will stay here till further notice." The senior guard had instructed before pulling Zhan out of earshot. The two had spoken for a couple of minutes.

As we waited for Zhan's return, Lung Chi approached me, "Where are you from?" He had enquired, to which I had shrugged, "I am an orphan. I grew up here and there."

"Oh, is that so." He had mused and asked, "Such a delicate-looking boy, I wonder how you survived in the big bad world?"

Smirking, I had replied, "I am good with my sword."

"Ahhhhhhh," He had dragged, looking at my crotch, "Yes, even sheathed, your sword looks remarkable." He had winked and blown a whistle.
His words had rendered me speechless.

How shameless!

In the meanwhile, Zhan had returned with sad eyes and down-turned lips.
Moments later, a young man clad in what looked almost like undergarments, walked out and escorted us to a room.

Just as we were about to disappear inside, I had turned to look at the two men and seen coin change hands.

Did we just get sold to a brothel!?

Fuck!

Even though I was pretty sure I was right, I did not have a choice but to follow the meek young lad inside.
"Please ring the bell if you need anything." The young boy had replied before leaving us alone in a fairly spacious room.

All alone in a room that felt more like a cage than an accommodation, I walk over to Zhan. He had not looked me in the eyes since the time he had wiped my lips.

"Zhan ge, what did he tell you?" I enquire; Zhan steps away, "Nothing." He mutters elusively.

I am not the one to push someone for answers, so I leave him alone with his thoughts and walk over to Weredra, who looks lost in thought as well.

"Hey, what's with the long face?" I ask softly, almost ruffling her hair.

"This place- " She trails off; her brows knit, "When we first met, you told me that you were running away. Is it not?"

I nod.

"What were you running from?" She questions, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, reminding me of my mother.

The gesture, her innocent eyes, and the concerned tone, everything makes me tear up. Choking back tears, I reply, "I was trying to get out of a marriage."

"Why?" She tilts her head slightly, "Did you not like her?"

"Weredra, I was a girl at that time, remember? It was after you granted my wishes that I became this way." I reply, pointing at myself.

Her face contorts like she had bitten into a lemon. "I am pretty sure you weren't. Moreover, if you were a girl, why didn't you correct me when I called you a lad?"

For this, I had no answer to give her. At least not without either offending her or making myself sound like a coward. So I use my default setting for such situations: I lie. "Did you call me a lad? I don't remember ever being called a lad." I reply casually, but
instead of letting the matter drop as I had expected, she glares at me, "Are you sure about that?"

"Mn?"

"Are you sure you don't remember being called a lad?"

Of course, I remember being called a lad. "Of course not." I shrug. She narrows her eyes and looks away. "Fine."

"So, what did you want to know?" I urge, but she continues to avoid eye contact, "Go away." She orders and leaves my side.

I see her hand rise, touch something on her face and fall away. It is at this moment that I remember that she could hear my thoughts.

Had I made her cry!? Fuck!

An urge to go over to her and pull her in my arms fills me, and without second-guessing myself, I do just that.
I feel her go stiff and immediately regret my actions. But before I can pull away, she relaxes. "Thank you. I don't remember anyone ever doing that, but it feels nice." She whispers, wrapping her tiny hands over mine.

"You are welcome," I reply and come clean: she can read my thoughts anyway. "It's strangely comforting to me too."

"There is nothing strange about liking hugs." Zhan ge's voice interrupts our conversation, and a moment later, his warmth engulfs us.

Tears threaten to break free. For, I had not expected to feel like this again so soon. Surrounded by Weredra and Zhan made me feel like I belonged and that I was with my family.
But even before I can bask in this warmth, I hear someone knock and clear their throat rather loudly.
It's the owner of the establishment.

"My apologies, " Lung Chi states, not sounding apologetic at all, and walks inside, fixing me with a smile that makes me feel like a maiden surrounded by hungry men looking to get into my pants, "Have I interrupted a family moment?" He continues, coming to a stop a few feet from me.

Why can't good moments last?

Zhan bows, "Sir, what brings you here?" He inquiries, giving a polite smile.

Don't do that, Zhan. This scum doesn't deserve it!

"Ah yes," The sleazeball strokes his goatee and turns his eyes one again, "Senior guard Cho mentioned that you are suffering from a curse, is that right?"

I nod.

"How unfortunate." Goatee sighs, "He tells me that you and your senior brother were caught entering the inner-city without permit and are now looking for employment." He states, closing in.

I nod and start thinking of ways to make stop him from entering my personal space when Weredra hugs me and starts wailing, "Junior gege," She sobs, "You are good looking, and that's your true curse. How will you ever find love?"

The advancing feet stop and stagger back, "What are you talking about, little girl?" He enquires, narrowing his eyes.

Detaching herself from my thigh, Weredra wipes her now-familiar crocodile tears, "Didn't the senior guard tell you, Sir?"

"Senior guard told me that the boy is weak; that a witch had cursed him. But he looks fine now." Goatee responds, giving him a once over.
Weredra nods sympathetically and approaches the man, asking him to bend over. The man does as told, and Weredra whispers something in his ears.

The sleazeball gasps and jumps back a few more feet, "That treacherous mutt!" He bellows, his eyes swim with rage.

It was hard enough getting in, so,  wanting to spend the night with something other than the sky over my head, I add, "Sir, as long as no one lusts after me, I will be alright."

The Goatee nods, "What of your senior brother? Is he cursed too?" He enquires; my heart sinks. I see Zhan fist his fingers, "I am not... "

"Senior brother, I know we need a place to stay, but that doesn't mean we should lie to this kind man who has taken us in." Weredra clings to Zhan's legs.

"Mn..." He starts, poor innocent soul, and I am about to give him a signal to play along once again, but a split second later, understanding dawns on him, and he changes track. He nods solemnly, "You are right, Meimei, but I am too ashamed to admit it. Why don't you fill him in?"

Nice move, Zhan ge!

Lung Chi blinks and looks at Weredra questioningly. The child gestures him to bend down once again, and he does as told. Color rises to his cheeks, and when he looks at Zhan next, there is pity in his eyes.

What the fuck did the little devil tell him, I wonder and feel an invisible flick on my forehead. "Ouch!" I yelp and glare at Weredra, 'What are you up to now!?'

She winks and runs to my side, "Junior gege! Is it the curse!?"

I nod and make grabby hands at Zhan, "Zhan ge, hold me."

I don't need to ask Zhan twice. This time, he looks surprisingly very much onboard. Moving next to me in the blink of an eye, he holds me by the waist like before. "YiJun, I think someone is eyeing you with lust." He asserts, side-eyeing Lung Chi, who gulps, and waving his hands, leaves the chamber.

Zhan closes the door and takes the bed. He looks between us and demands, "As the oldest of us, I demand to know what is happening."

"Well, Zhan ge, long story short, we played them." I shrug.

Zhan shakes his head and crosses his arms over his chest, "Now would my Didi," He stress Didi and continues, fixing Weredra with an intense gaze, "and my beautiful Meimei give me the long version of this story?"

{Word count: 1600}