Chapter 2: Ning Xue

A white fox looked hungrily at an unaware hare that was busy eating. It advanced quietly and slowly at its prey, pausing when the hare stopped eating and scanned around. The hare resumed attacking the shoot it was chewing, unaware of danger lurking near it. The vixen jumped and its sharp teeth clamped sharp at the hare's neck, only dropping it after its prey stopped struggling. Holding the dead hare by its neck, the fox ran towards its den.

As it ran, its nose caught the metallic smell of fresh blood. It was not from the hare it was holding. Curious, it scanned the surroundings and saw something bright and sparkling nearby. The vixen made its way and saw a blade reflecting the sun's ray. Next to the blade, laid a man dressed in gold and red. He was unconscious and looked seriously wounded. The vixen cocked its head curiously, and sniffed the man cautiously. Using a paw, it touched the man and found his skin warm but he did not move.

After making sure the man was truly unconscious, the fox retreated a few steps from the human. The vixen shook and took on the shape of a young human girl and squatted besides the man. She looked curiously at him and wondered if she should bring him home. "Do not talk to humans. Do not bring them home. Do not befriend them and do not harm them." she murmured to herself, her grandmother's last words. "I should heed granny's advice."

The girl got up and was about to leave the man to his fate when he moved. The human moaned in pain and whispered something incoherent but he did not wake up. As he stirred, the girl saw fresh blood seeping through his wound on the arm. "If I don't save him, he'll die. Granny said not to harm them, right?" The girl muttered, scratching her head in confusion. She looked at the man and sighed finally. "Oh whatever."

She tied the hare to her sash, picked up the sword and lifted the man easily in her strong arms.

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Lu Xun blinked his eyes and stirred; a sharp pain in his left arm assured him he was still alive and feeling a throbbing headache forming at his temples. As he gradually became aware of his surroundings, he found himself alone in a large room, lying on a rather comfortable couch. A thick woollen blanket covered him. His arm was bandaged and when he tried to get up, his ribs groaned in protest. The blanket slipped and the man found himself half-naked, bandages on his chest, leg and left arm. He slowly move his uninjured arm and let his fingers massaged his temples, trying to sooth the daze and headache away.

Since he was unable to move much, he scanned his surroundings. The room was cozy but not decorated elaborately. A small fire in the fireplace provided him warmth. Hanging above the fireplace, he saw one of his blades. As he looked around for the missing pair, and suddenly remembered it was stuck in one of the trees that broke his fall. A small table was placed in the middle of the room, besides it was his clothes neatly folded into a pile.

"Oh good. You’re awake." a sweet melodious voice said. Lu Xun turned to see a girl carrying a tray at the door. She smiled curiously at him and put the tray on the table. She was dressed in simple white attire and her hair was partially plaited into several small plaits over her crown, fastened with several small pretty ribbons. Lu Xun noticed the girl was tall, almost as tall as he is and she looked like she had not seen more than fifteen winters. He blushed when she winked at him with a mischievous grin on her face. It was then he noticed her eyes were not black. He looked carefully as she approached him and found they were of a dark blue hue.

"Well, stare enough yet, human?" she said in a teasing tone. Lu Xun realized her eyes twinkled whenever she smiled.

The strategist blushed furiously and looked away quickly, embarrassed.

The girl giggled and sat down besides Lu Xun on the bed, who blushed even more at the nearest to a female. He shifted away from the girl on reflex; it was improper to be so close to a girl who's not one's wife. Then he suddenly remembered he was half naked. Immediately he reached for the fallen blanket, wincing when he felt sharp pain from his ribs and arm.

"Don't move or you'll tear your wound. I took a long time to clean up all that blood." she chastised lightly and grabbed his arm lightly, removing the bandage.

"I... um..." he pointed at the blanket, feeling all his blood rushing onto his face.

"Oh, are you cold? I thought the room was warm enough..." the girl tilted her head in confusion but she picked up the blanket and covered the strategist.

"Thanks." Lu Xun muttered gratefully. "What's your name?" he asked softly.

"Ning Xue. You can call me Xue-er if you like." the girl tore her attention away from his arm and replied cheerfully, looking the man in the eyes and still holding the strategist’s arm in her hands.

"Xue-er." Lu Xun repeated, feeling the syllabus rolled off his tongue. He gazed into her dark eyes and smiled. "That's a beautiful name. Xue as in snow?"

Ning Xue smiled and nodded. "Yes, granny said I was white as snow so she gave me that name."

Lu Xun nodded, indeed the girl was very fair; she was almost snow white and her black hair contrasted sharply against her porcelain skin. "You live with your grandmother?"

The girl frowned and thought for a moment before she replied quietly. "No, granny died a few years ago. She had gone to be the other world." She unrolled a new bandage.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. You live alone?" he asked kindly.

"Yes." came her quiet reply.

Lu Xun looked around, it was quiet and he could hear the birds chirping. "Where am I?"

"You're in my hut." Ning Xue paused to bind the strategist’s wound. "Deep in the forest. I found you near the lake, dying." she added.

"Xue-er, you have my deepest gratitude. I'm so sorry to cause you trouble." he said sincerely.

Ning Xue met his gaze and grinned. "It's not a problem. Granny always said I must help others."

"Your granny must be a very kind lady." he commented. "How old are you?"

The girl held up five eager fingers to the strategist in response.

The scholar looked puzzled before he nodded his head. "Fifteen? So young and alone in the forest... It must be hard on you." Lu Xun sighed, as he looked kindly at the girl.

Ning Xue grinned brightly and shook her head. "Five hundred." she said.

Lu Xun chuckled, feeling his headache lifting. "How can you be five hundred years old?"

The girl frowned and looked alarmed for an instant and her hold on the strategist’s arm tightened suddenly.

"Ow!" he winced.

"Oops, sorry." she offered an apologetic look. "Yeah, you caught me. I'm fifteen." she replied, her eyes clouded for a moment.

The scholar smiled and nodded, not suspecting anything amiss.

"There, I've cleaned the wound and bandaged it. I'll go get you some food, take a rest first." she tugged his arm gently underneath the blanket and placed the old crimson-colored bandages on her tray and left the room.

Lu Xun looked at her retreating shadow and fell asleep listening to the birds chirping outside.