Jianshi and Jianjin made their way up the footpath the woodcutter said he often took. As they neared the abandoned temple, the stone path leading up the gentle slope looked well maintained.
\n<\/p>\n
Jianjin took a few steps back and up again, using his scabbard to carefully poke at a white stone on the side of the path.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been concerned ever since I stubbed my toe on one of these stones on the way up,\u201d said Jianjin. He pulled the grass back to expose another one a few steps away.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t really spot them as they seem to be hidden by the grass and dirt, but these are definitely guiding stones,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean the stones that glow in the dark? Are they to guide the townsfolk to the temple?\u201d asked Jianjin.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost likely the other way around,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cMaybe they use them to find their way back to town when it gets too dark to see clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we trace the stones away from the temple, it doesn\u2019t lead back to town, though,\u201d said Jianjin, tracing back their steps and pointing out the direction the inconspicuous stones seem to diverge from their footpath. \u201cWhere do you think it leads?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSince we\u2019re near the temple, shall we check it out first?\u201d asked Jianshi.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we should follow these stones first,\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n
*<\/p>\n
They veered off the path into a thin forest, tracking down the white stones, mostly buried and hidden, until they reached a large thicket.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, there\u2019s something else here,\u201d said Jianjin, squatting down and pulling away at the brambles, revealing piles of loose soil and torn-up trees and bushes.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like the work of a big animal,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n
\u201cI bet it’s a wild bear,\u201d said Jianjin, pulling out a black tuft of matted fur from the undergrowth and waving it. \u201cThe dug-up plants are still green, so this should be recent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think we should assume it\u2019s a bear just yet,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n
\u201cBet you ten honey cakes that it\u2019s a bear,\u201d grinned Jianjin.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you like this,\u201d sighed Jianshi.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose honey cakes are mine,\u201d grinned Jianjin.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cSince the odds are against me, I get twenty if it\u2019s not a bear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGiant bear,\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cI\u2019m including all types of bears, including demon ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDeal.\u201d<\/p>\n
They clap their hands together to seal the bet.<\/p>\n
Both of them started digging with their sword scabbards, but an hour later with a waist-deep hole, there was still nothing else in the ground other than the bit of fur they found on the surface.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe soil is loose here,\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cThere must be something underneath. I guess we\u2019ll need to borrow some shovels.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stood up and stretched, looking at the sun\u2019s position to check the time and wondering if it was time for a meal. \u201cBro, wanna head back to town\u2014\u201d he turned to look for Jianshi\u2014\u201cWhere did you go?\u201d<\/p>\n
He took one step and the ground beneath him gave way.<\/p>\n
\u201cAhh!\u201d<\/p>\n
Brambles and roots slowed his fall but he still landed on his bum.<\/p>\n
He flinched by instinct and looked around, relieved that no one was around.<\/p>\n
He could almost hear the voices of his senior sisters scolding him for his fumble. He untangled himself and hopped to his feet, rubbing his sore bum and looked around.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf no one saw me slip up, no one can scold me!\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n
He poured spirit aura into his sword, using it like a torch to light up his surroundings.<\/p>\n
There were bodies of humans and beasts alike, some in deep slumber, the rest covered in rats and insects. The rats and insects were a familiar sight to him\u2014he had been trained to fight these undead vermin after all.<\/p>\n
His brother was lying not far amidst a pile of dirt and stones.<\/p>\n
He rushed over to pull Jianshi out of the dirt and found that his brother hadn\u2019t been so lucky in his fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cBro, wake up!\u201d said Jianjin, slapping Jianshi\u2019s face.<\/p>\n
\u201cMm,\u201d Jianshi stirred. His head was bleeding.<\/p>\n
\u201cRoaring Pulse!\u201d<\/p>\n
Jianjin poured what aura he could muster into his sword and created a gust of energy to push and scatter the undead creatures away from them.<\/p>\n
\u201cAh-Jin,\u201d muttered Jianshi, his head clearing as he assessed the situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re awake? Use your big brain of yours and think of something fast, bro,\u201d said Jianjin, bringing his sword up again, syncing his own aura with the small spirit stones embedded in his bracers.<\/p>\n
\u201cReport the situation,\u201d ordered Jianshi.<\/p>\n
\u201cRats and insects swarming in. There are some people here, both unconscious and dead. Report your health status.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShallow cut on my head and a sprained leg, but I can still walk,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n
Jianjin generated another roaring pulse to clear the vicinity as his brother drew his sword and looked around the cave. They came across bodies covered in a pile of debris and vines.<\/p>\n
\u201cBro, are all those people on the ground dead or\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jianshi casted a sensing spell.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost are alive,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to find a way to save them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t carry them all out with us. Can you wake them?\u201d<\/p>\n
The chamber rumbled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait, something\u2019s happening at that end…\u201d<\/p>\n
Something emerged from the endless dark of the cave; an ominous shadow encroaching the light.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig demon bear,\u201d said Jianjin, filled with dread.<\/p>\n
\u201cHide!\u201d whispered Jianshi, pulling Jianjin behind a pile of rocks and debris. They suppressed their aura and kept as quiet as they could.<\/p>\n
Peeking carefully, they watched as a large bear-sized demon ambled in, squealing in a damaged, raspy way.<\/p>\n
A wave of demon aura swept into the cave, heralding the arrival of a second beast who bounded in and snarled at the first one.<\/p>\n
They watched as the two tusked beasts fought, the smaller one bearing countless injuries and the larger one resembling a half-rotten corpse.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are they fighting each other?\u201d whispered Jianjin. \u201cThe bigger one looks kind of odd, like it\u2019s already dead…\u201d<\/p>\n
They watched as the smaller beast bit into the larger one and then howled in pain, blood dripping from its mouth. It swayed, poisoned, but carried on attacking until the larger beast finally collapsed.<\/p>\n
The smaller one vomited and then also collapsed, grunting and wheezing.<\/p>\n
Tendrils of a dark, oil-like substance leaked out of the larger beast.<\/p>\n
As it spread on the ground, the dead were reanimated. The rats and insects still alive scattered, squeaking and chittering as they ran or were engulfed to join their dead brethren.<\/p>\n
\u201cShit,\u201d said Jianshi quietly.<\/p>\n
Things were bad if his usually conservative brother cursed. Jianjin kept quiet and steeled himself for battle.<\/p>\n
*<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like you\u2019re both still alive and kicking,\u201d came a voice from above.<\/p>\n
\u201cDi Shibo!\u201d said the two juniors, feeling relieved. They had been holding the line for the past hour, keeping the swarms of undead creatures away from the unconscious survivors.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuess I can leave you both to clean up down there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNooo!\u201d cried Jianjin. \u201cHelp us, Di Shibo! My brother hurt his leg, at least get him out first!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d insisted Jianshi. \u201cSince Di Shibo is here, you should climb out first with the townsfolk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you two so dramatic,\u201d chuckled Di Mie. \u201cIt\u2019s just some insects and rodents. You both are trained for this. Just go put a seal over where they\u2019re coming in from.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that! We can\u2019t clear a path because they keep coming,\u201d whined Jianjin.<\/p>\n
To show his point, he slashed at the wave of insects with another roaring pulse, but half the bugs got back up and advanced again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s because your strikes are sloppy,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n
He looked at Xie Li and grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy don’t you give them a hand?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n
\u201cEh?\u201d said Xie Li, pointing at himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cCatch him, you brats,\u201d Di Mie called out. He aimed a precise kick to the back of Xie Li\u2019s legs and the waiter fell into the cave.<\/p>\n
\u201cHold the line, Jianjin!\u201d yelled Jianshi. Despite his injured leg, he boosted his steps with aura and caught Xie Li, tumbling over and knocking into the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cMister Xie, are you all right?\u201d asked Jianshi.<\/p>\n
\u201cMn,\u201d said Xie Li, shaking off the dust as he started looking around.<\/p>\n
\u201cDi Shibo! What did you do that for?\u201d yelled Jianjin. He was in no mood to entertain the crazy \u2018demon king\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWaiter, catch!\u201d said Di Mie, throwing down a sword.<\/p>\n
Xie Li reached out and caught it. He unsheathed a slender sword from its bamboo-like scabbard and gave it a test swing. The sword thrummed with spirit energy stored within.<\/p>\n
\u201cMister Xie,\u201d insisted Jianshi. \u201cIt\u2019s unsafe here, you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Xie Li stepped in front of them and swung his sword, and although it wasn\u2019t a powerful wide slash like what Jianjin was doing, it was extremely precise, killing eight out of ten bugs that flew towards them.<\/p>\n
Jianshi stared. Even without using any spirit aura, Xie Li was killing more bugs in one strike than they could.<\/p>\n
\u201cHmm,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cIt\u2019s not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that\u2019s called \u2018not good enough\u2019, then what am I? Trash?\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n
Xie Li focused and took a stance. With each consecutive strike, his movement began to flow. His sword rose and ebbed, fluid and graceful. The aura covering the sword sputtered, sparking when he moved it a certain way. With enough speed, it seemed that the aura imbued within the sword could be utilised.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d realised Xie Li. \u201cI\u2019ll just have to generate some torque, then.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Torque?\u201d blinked Jianjin.<\/p>\n
Before he realised it, Xie Li had already carved a path in front of them.<\/p>\n
They watched Xie Li, his every move connecting seamlessly to the next; a continuous torrent that came from his entire being. The sword began to emit aura from his swings and his attack range grew, pushing the bugs back into where they emerged.<\/p>\n
The bugs that bounced off the wall from the first attack would be caught in the second. The debris that was kicked up began to pile, limiting the bugs\u2019 movements.<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t just attacking the swarm; he was predicting<\/em> the movement of everything in this cave.<\/p>\n Under his veil, Di Mie smirked as he watched.<\/p>\n Jianshi and Jianjin watched on, mouth agape as the waiter did their job all by himself.<\/p>\n \u201cStop slacking off, you two,\u201d Di Mie reminded.<\/p>\n \u201cOops,\u201d said Jianjin. He quickly ran over to seal the tunnel the undead creatures were coming from.<\/p>\n \u201cPhew,\u201d said Xie Li, lowering his sword once the two were done sealing up.<\/p>\n Di Mie finally jumped into the cave himself.<\/p>\n \u201cYour sword,\u201d said Xie Li, holding out the borrowed sword.<\/p>\n \u201cKeep it,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cIt seems like these two can learn a thing or two from a waiter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the hell was that?\u201d said Jianjin, staring at Xie Li, who still seemed calm after all that. \u201cI mean, uh, Mister Xie, who are you, really?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI’m me?\u201d said Xie Li, tilting his head, confused.<\/p>\n Di Mie chuckled and shook his head, and said, \u201cA waiter can do better than the both of you. You should be ashamed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh-Jin, let\u2019s leave the questions for later,\u201d said Jianshi, pointing at the missing townsfolk. \u201cWe should bring these people back to town first.\u201d<\/p>\n Xie Li turned away and walked to the fallen beasts. He knelt before the smaller one, which was heavily wounded and barely breathing.<\/p>\n \u201cCan it be saved?\u201d said Xie Li in a soft voice.<\/p>\n Di Mie checked on the wounded beast and after a while, shook his head. He placed a hand over the beast\u2019s eyes and muttered a spell, putting the dying beast quietly to sleep.<\/p>\n Xie Li pressed his hand to the beast\u2019s head and observed a moment of silence.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the way,\u201d said Jianjin as he carried the unconscious people over to the entrance of the cave. \u201cThat beast was fighting the bigger one earlier on. Why was it doing that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis spirit-devouring beast was trying to stop the other one as it was corrupted with dead aura,\u201d explained Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, so this what a spirit-devouring beast looks like!\u201d realised Jianjin. \u201cHey bro, what do these demonic beasts do again? Devour people’s spirits?\u201d<\/p>\n Jianshi rolled his eyes, limping as he worked and explained. \u201cIt\u2019s a type of demon beast that feeds on the lingering desires left behind by spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen they don\u2019t actually eat spirits, do they?\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, they don’t. They\u2019re harmless and usually appear in haunted places. Pay attention to your lectures next time,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cPeak Lord Du will get angry hearing you ask all these questions he\u2019s covered in his lectures.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEheh,\u201d said Jianjin, sheepishly. Then as if he recalled something, he spoke up. \u201cOh, so the white stones we saw on the way up were probably for lost spirits!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cThey must have attracted the lost spirits towards the temple, and in turn, attracted the spirit-devouring beasts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds about right,\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n They both froze when they heard a ‘tsk’ of annoyance coming from Di Mie, who was looking at the casted seal.<\/p>\n \u201cI swear I made the seal properly!\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cYou two get the people out of here quickly,\u201d he said. Then he beckoned Xie Li to come over.<\/p>\n \u201cWaiter, what do you make of this?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n Xie Li took the sword he was given and use it like a dousing rod, trying to sense beyond Jianjin’s seal.<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s no sign of a dead spirit gate nearby. It\u2019s likely that the spirit-devouring beast somehow became a host to a mass of dead spirit aura and made its way here.”<\/p>\n \u201cThis brat\u2019s seal will hold for a while, but I should prepare a stronger seal just in case,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm,\u201d said Xie Li. And then he started drawing a seal on the ground in front of the tunnel. The jade carvings on the sword responded accordingly to the drawn seal and began to pour aura into the drawn circuitry.<\/p>\n \u201cI forget that you’re a walking seal library sometimes,\u201d chuckled Di Mie. He placed his hand over Xie Li\u2019s to activate the seal with his powerful aura.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a very good sword,\u201d said Xie Li. He sheathed the sword, the slender scabbard making it look more like a harmless bamboo stick than a sword. \u201cDoes it have a name?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cYou can call it whatever you like.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm,\u201d said Xie Li. He thought carefully for a minute, then spoke up.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Twig*\u2019 it is, then. It’s skinny just like my arms.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201dPfft,\u201d Di Mie huffed, amused.<\/p>\n *he calls it \u2018Bamboo Twig\u2019 but it also implies skinny \u2018Twig\u2019, hence the translation here<\/em><\/p>\n *<\/p>\n The next morning, Jianshi and Jianjin left their room with bags under their eyes. They spent the night bringing the townsfolk to the clinics, reported to the mayor, and filled in paperwork for their seniors.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course Di Shibo wasn\u2019t going to help,\u201d groaned Jianjin. \u201cHe wouldn\u2019t lift a finger to help us back at the cave, so what makes you think he\u2019ll lift a finger for the paperwork?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs unorthodox as he seems,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cYou can\u2019t deny that he\u2019s teaching us something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah! That waiter’s sword skill was amazing!\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cMaybe he’s a retired disciple. Let\u2019s ask him later.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut first,\u201d said Jianshi, his hand gripping his younger brother\u2019s shoulder tightly so he could not escape. \u201cYou owe me twenty honey cakes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUhh\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSpirit-devouring demons are not bears.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey must be a type of bear, aren\u2019t they? Big, furry; their tusks are a bit big and their noses are a bit strange but they\u2019re about the same size\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter how you look at it, they\u2019re pigs,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cPay up!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFine, fine,\u201d groaned Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, customers,\u201d said Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Auntie Ma,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cWe\u2019ll settle the bill after breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n Auntie Ma looked around, and then beckoned them over, speaking in hushed tones. \u201cYoung masters, last night our Ah-Li came back with a sword. He said Valley Lord Di gave it to him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, that,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cHe did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHeavens,\u201d exclaimed Auntie Ma. \u201cThey get along that well?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if they get along, since I swear I saw Di Shibo kick him,\u201d muttered Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cAuntie Ma,\u201d said Xie Li as he emerged from his room at the back of the inn. \u201cI\u2019ll help with the breakfast shift.\u201d<\/p>\n As if caught gossiping behind his back, the trio froze.<\/p>\n \u201cAh-Li, you had a long day yesterday, why don\u2019t you take the day off and rest? The part-timers can take over.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, good morning, Mister Xie,\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you come and have breakfast with us?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHm?\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cGo, go,\u201d encouraged Auntie Ma, her eyes hovering and waiting to spot someone else.<\/p>\n \u201cOur Di Shibo has already returned to the mountains,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n Auntie Ma looked visibly disappointed as she went back to the kitchen to prepare the food.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n If there was one word to describe how the conversation went between the three of them, it would be \u2018awkward\u2019.<\/p>\n Xie Li ate slowly, chewing his food properly like a good kid. He was glaring at his food and did not smile. It seems like eating wasn\u2019t fun for him at all.<\/p>\n \u201cIs the food too bland? Shall I order some meat to go with the buns?\u201d asked Jianjin, breaking the awkward silence.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t eat meat,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201c…\u201d went everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2026who taught you those cool sword moves, huh?\u201d tried Jianjin again.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one,\u201d shrugged Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201c…\u201d went everyone again.<\/p>\n Jianshi stood up, left the table and came back in a jiffy with a small jar of wine and some cups. He poured out three cups and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI would like to give you a toast to thank you for your help with our investigation, Mister Xie.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood save, bro,\u201d whispered Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d said Xie Li, looking unused to the greeting. He put down his chopsticks clumsily and picked up the cup with a hand, and then corrected himself by using two hands.<\/p>\n \u201cTo you,\u201d said Jianshi, holding up the cup and drinking it. Jianjin followed suit, and Xie Li watched and copied them.<\/p>\n \u201cSweet,\u201d said Xie Li, wrinkling his nose slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s talk casually and not worry about etiquette,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n Xie Li nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cBro, this wine is really sweet,\u201d said Jianjin, pouring himself another cup. \u201cCan we buy a jar back later?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBetter not,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cIf our senior sisters find out, those alcoholics will drink it all\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut bro, this is the popular Dream Wandering Immortal of our town,\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cYou can\u2019t not buy some back\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cIt\u2019s too sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d blinked Jianjin. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n This time, it was Xie Li\u2019s turn to stand up and walk away from the table.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, did I say something wrong?\u201d gulped Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cLet\u2019s just wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n After a while, Xie Li returned with a pot of tea. He took the jar of sweet wine and poured a bit of it into the teapot.<\/p>\n \u201cTry this,\u201d he said, pouring them a cup of what smelled like fragrant osmanthus tea.<\/p>\n They obediently tried it, not wanting to be rude.<\/p>\n \u201cMm, this tastes pretty refreshing,\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not as strong or sweet, but I do like this better,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is how it\u2019s meant to be drunk,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cWow, how did you know about this?\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cIngredients, hm, recipe,\u201d he uttered, then frowned, as if not knowing how to explain. He shook his head and shrugged. \u201cNevermind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Xie,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cIt would be our honour if you could visit us at the Fallen Leaves Valley some time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot Mad Tiger Peak?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, we\u2019re male disciples, so while we are official disciples of the Mad Tiger Peak, we\u2019re staying at the Fallen Leaves Valley with our Di Shibo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see,\u201d said Xie Li. He took another sip from his cup and set it down, his gaze elsewhere. \u201cI\u2019m afraid I have to turn down your offer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot a problem,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cThen allow us to visit you here sometime soon then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMn,\u201d Xie Li nodded.<\/p>\n Auntie Ma took over as Xie Li went to clean the tables.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll be holding a feast tonight at the inn to celebrate the returned townsfolk,\u201d said Auntie Ma. \u201cIt would be an honour if you could join us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOhhh, a feast!\u201d grinned Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cThere will be roast duck and wine for everyone who attends. It\u2019s free for you both, of course,\u201d grinned Auntie Ma, \u201cand your Shibo is very welcome to join us if he is free\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt he\u2019ll come, but we\u2019ll ask him anyway,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you!\u201d chuckled Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n Translator\u2019s Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n If you enjoyed our efforts and would like to buy us a coffee, click on the kofi button below!
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