"You're right, that was fun," Snow said, as she and Chow Chow strolled side by side towards the forest in the Hidden Realm.

"I've got more things lined up, if you do well for your next few lessons," he said, walking with his hands behind his back.

"Things that I never got to do during my childhood?"

"Perhaps," he said with a mysterious smile.

She turned to look at him. You know so much about me, but I know so little about you, she thought. From as early as I could remember, you were always there for me, in your little dog form. There are so many things I want to ask, but first. . .

"Ah, can I ask you a personal question?" she said, coming to a stop under a tree.

"Sure."

"What's your real name?"

"Why do you suddenly ask?" he said, his round eyes growing wide.

"I know I named you Chow Chow, but that's because you were my pet dog. It can't be that a good-looking guy like you would have such a, err, cutesy name, right?"

He laughed heartily, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "Does that mean you find me good-looking?" he asked with a cocked brow and a cheeky grin spreading across his face.

Good Heavens! She wanted to smack her own forehead. I've forgotten that he's such a vain pot. If I tell him what I truly thought, I'll probably never hear the end of it.

"Err, you're easy on the eye, at least," she lied.

"Only?" He pursed his lips in mock disappointment. "I'm so saddened by that. I don't want to answer your question," he sulked as he turned his head away.

Snow drew in a deep breath. Fine! she wanted to say. She had half a mind to just forget about it, but curiosity always got the better of her. If she didn't find out what his real name was, the question would gnaw at her for the whole day and night.

"You're. Very. Good-looking," she conceded, staring hard at the chiseled curve of his jaw beneath his ear.

"The way you've said it with your teeth clenched like that, makes me doubt your sincerity," he said haughtily.

What! I don't want to do this anymore! she thought. But since she had already started, she couldn't leave without getting any answers. She tongued a molar, swallowed her pride and affected a forced smile.

"You're so devastatingly attractive that when girls see you, they go delirious, and fling themselves at your feet, begging for your attention!" she said in a syrupy, flattering tone.

Yuck! I got goosebumps saying that! She hoped he wouldn't press her for any more compliments.

"Hmm! I won't say that hasn't happened before."

"Huh?" Snow said, scrunching up her nose. What do you mean? Have girls been throwing themselves at you?

"I'm appeased by your answer, so I shall tell you." He had such a self-satisfied look on his face that Snow considered punching him. "I'm extremely shy about my real name though, so I shall whisper it in your ear," he said, leaning towards her.

"But it's just the two of us here," she said, her eyes going to the left and right of him. Her heart beat faster when he came so close that she could smell the faint rose scent on his robes.

"My real name, is. . ." He paused, and she felt like she could curl up and die from either the suspense or the sensation of his warm breath tickling her ear.

"Chow. Chow."

"What? Your real name is Chow Chow?!" After all that effort complimenting him, Snow felt utterly cheated.

He chortled upon seeing the furious expression on her face and dodged her hand when she swiped at his arm.

"You scamp!" she cried. "You bullied me!"

"Okay, okay! I'll tell you the truth," he said, still chuckling. He took a few seconds to compose himself, smoothing back his white hair and putting a finger to his lips, his face stilled in quiet contemplation. When he gazed at her, she felt like an invisible barrier had fallen away between them.

"My given name," he said in a subdued tone, "is Zhao Zhao."

She blinked at him. "Zhao Zhao? As in, clear, luminous? Bright?"

"Mmhm, those meanings."

She looked up and down at his pristine white robes and boots. "It fits."

"Of course."

"But why were you Chow Chow to me?"

His smile was wistful. "When you were a young child, you couldn't pronounce my name right. You called me Chow Chow instead. And the name stuck ever since."

"Oh. Should I call you Zhao Zhao from now on?"

"No, it's alright. I'm fine with Chow Chow. In fact, you can call me whatever name you prefer, and I'll answer."

"Any name?" Snow said slowly, her mind working out how to exact revenge for her loss of pride.

"Whatever name you prefer. So long as it's not demeaning."

Think, Snow, think. Think of a good one.

She raised her chin at him. "If I call you Dumpling, will you answer to that from now on?" she said as menacingly as she could.

He bent his face towards hers, his wistful smile turning roguish. "I'll be your Dumpling."

"Eh!" Snow exclaimed, suddenly feeling embarrassed. This is not going the way I expected.

"It's late, I've got to go back to the real world, goodbye!" she said as she walked as quickly as she could into the forest.

֎֎֎֎֎

Chow Chow watched her figure receding into the woods, before he strode up to the nearest tree, and thunked his forehead against the bark.

Why did I say that? I sounded like such a creep! he thought, knocking his forehead in tandem with the last three words.

"Hey, Dumpling," a low voice called from the branches above him.

"Who's that?" he roared as he looked up quickly, his hands about to draw his weapons out of thin air. From between the leaves, he saw a pair of brown boots worn over tight leather trousers.

"If you're looking for a good whack on the head, I'll be happy to give you one." A feral grin flashed in the semi-darkness.

"What the– how long have you–"

Geriel slid off her perch and Chow Chow had to jump out of the way to avoid being kicked. She landed nimbly like a cat, with her sheathed scimitar in hand. Even without her wings, her stature was imposing. "What are you doing, Dumpling?" she said in a mocking tone.

"You can't call me that," he growled.

"Really? But you said you'll answer to that." Her golden eyes flicked to his reddened forehead.

"Only she can call me that." He bared his canines at her. "What do you want, vulture?"

"I asked you first. What do you think you're doing with Erden's wife?" Geriel said, nonchalantly rolling back the sleeves of her teal-colored deel and exposing her tanned, muscular forearms.

"How does that concern you? Go catch a rabbit, or a mouse or something. Don't bother me," he said, shooing her away with his hand.

"Ha ha, very funny," she said flatly. "I've told you before how everything here concerns me."

"Did you? Sounded more like you just like to poke your beak into other people's affairs," he retorted.

A second passed between them as they stared down each other.

"Are you always this impudent?" she said.

"Are you always this nosy?"

"Must you always answer my question with another question?"

"Must you ask me so many questions in the first place?"

He should have seen it coming by the flaring of her nostrils and the widening of her eyes. His reflexes were usually lightning-quick, and he actually saw her hand moving towards the side of his head, but he could not duck in time.

"Ow!" he cried, sinking to his knees as he gripped his head, feeling like a sledgehammer slammed into him. Constellations swam before his eyes.

"That's what you get for being annoying," she huffed, seating herself next to him. "Answer me now."

"Do you even know your own strength? That could probably kill a– okay, okay. I was just teaching her self-defense."

She barked with laughter. "Right. Don't think I can't see right through your plan, Pancake. I know what you're trying to do, making her spend all that time with you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, rubbing his head.

Her black braids swayed as she tilted her head and said in a conspiratorial tone, "Deny all you want. I've heard all that I need to know about you already."

"What?"

"I heard that she was practically in your arms, but then she chose Erden and left you. What makes you think you can seduce her this time around?"

"How did you–"

"I also heard that you offered yourself to her. You were begging her to, and I quote, use you to forget the human boy. And still, she rejected you," she said with a pitying look on her face.

"I. . . Are you obsessed with me or something? Why do you want to know so much? And who have you been talking to?" he said hotly.

When she smiled a predatory smile, he knew he wouldn't like the answer.

"I met a certain horned friend of yours. Very bubbly creature, we had a good chat about you the other night."

"Who?"

"She's a strange one, with antlers, fish scales, and flames all around. Can you guess?"

The Qilin! Not her! Chow Chow covered his face with his hands.

"She was really shy at first. But after we got to know each other, she gladly answered all my questions about you."

"That's because she's incapable of lying," he replied, his voice muffled by his hands. Ah, yes, trust her to spill all my secrets, he groaned inwardly.

Geriel sniggered close-mouthed. "Aren't you a fool for love. Makes me wonder: if you wanted that half-breed vixen so badly, why did you let her go in the first place? Why go through all that trouble to send her back to Earth?"

Chow Chow raised his head to glare daggers at her. "Are you done laughing at me? You know, I can take it if you made fun of my hair, or my body, or whatever else. I've heard all those things before. It's nothing new. But you. . . you're going too far. This has gotten way too personal."

Geriel was silent for a long moment. When she spoke again, her voice was devoid of humor. "I was not laughing at you. I'm only trying to understand you and your motives for being here."

"Trying to understand me," he said bitterly. "What's there to understand?"

He pointed a shaky finger at his chest. "I have pride too. I know when I'm not wanted. I won't force anybody to be with me, if they didn't want me." He turned away from Geriel. "Now, go away."

"How long are you going to be hanging around her like a lovesick puppy?"

"She said five weeks. Does that answer your question?"

"Will you leave her after that?"

"If she doesn't want me around, I'll leave. That's what you want to hear, isn't it?"

Her kohl-rimmed eyes studied his face as he struggled to maintain a neutral expression. "You sure you can bring yourself to do that?"

"I think we're done here," he said, getting to his feet.

"The longer you stick around, the harder it gets," he heard her say as he walked away.

"How would you know?" he said, whirling around to face her.

"I know, because I've seen it with my own eyes." She came to stand before him.

"For as long as the Earth was created, there's been an unspoken rule that spirits like us should not have relations with humans. They are rapacious creatures, always plundering the Earth while we work so hard to preserve it. They are inherently wicked and guileful. Those who are not, are corruptible.

"Most spirits abide by this rule, but on rare occasions, you have some who break it. Spirits who have fallen so hard for a human, that they would do anything for them, even commit atrocities for them. The world suffers for it, and the spirit suffers for it too."

"Who are you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter. Listen to me." Geriel jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "A relationship can never work out between us and humans. They are too different from us. Humans always have an idea of a life or a future that we can never give to them, be it a family, security, riches or power.

"The sooner you realize that, the better. It's easier to leave, when you're not so attached to her. If you value your pride, you should cut ties with her now, and go back to wherever you came from. Forget about her, and leave Earth in peace."

Chow Chow was quiet at first, looking like he was deep in thought and considering her words. But then he snorted derisively, and looked up at her through his lashes.

"What if I don't want to?"

"Ah, horse crap! You're as stubborn as a yak! After all that I've said, you still don't listen!"

This time, he was prepared and avoided her oncoming hand.

"Violence is not the way, Geriel, daughter of Odgerel," he taunted as he walked backwards. "Just stay out of my affairs, will you? And stop giving me that look all the time."

"What look?" she snarled.

"That look like someone stole your lunch right from under your nose. Bye!" he said with a dismissive wave of the hand before disappearing in a cloud of white smoke.

֎֎֎֎֎

"What a brat!" Geriel said aloud, wishing she had wiped the smirk off his face.

I agree, twittered a black needle-tailed swift that dove from the night sky.

"Anything, Needle?" she asked as it landed on her shoulder, its tiny dark claws lightly gripping the fabric of her deel.

No, Geriel. I checked as far back as four hundred years, and I couldn't find any records of a white-haired soldier of his description in the Celestial Army, it chirped.

"It cannot be. I was so sure he's a soldier."

Maybe he's not a soldier? Perhaps he's something else? Higher ranked maybe?

She turned to look at Needle perched on her shoulder. "Can you access the upper realms and ask around for information? We have a name now, Zhao Zhao."

I'll give it my best shot, Needle said, spreading his sharply angled wings.

"Ask the Phoenix for help if you need to. Say that I sent you. Safe journey," Geriel said, and she watched her little friend shoot towards the heavens.

"Who are you, Dumpling? What are you hiding?" she said to herself, staring up at the glittering stars.

Author's notes: 

What did you think of Chow Chow's given name? It looks like this:  

昭昭
zhāozhāo

Do you like the nickname Dumpling or Pancake more? 😂 Geriel will never let him live it down now!

Did you like that the Qilin is a shy, innocent creature that would blab all your secrets to a total stranger? 

Look what I found on Pinterest! When I first saw it I thought omg it's Chow Chow and the Qilin! I don't know where it's from or who's the artist though.

Next week, we have a fun chapter called Two Girls and a Dog 🐶