Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part I - Born of the Water Moon: 7. Inn

Cui Xi was glad when they finally met up with Master Yang. He had finished up his business with the apothecary and tapped his chest to show Cui Xi that he had been able to trade the pearls for more practical currency.

"Not here," he mouthed, shaking his head cautiously, motioning for them to move toward an inn. They strolled in under the wooden sign and an attendant immediately rushed up to them.

Feeling a bit stuffy, Cui Xi parted her veil, looking around.

"Welcome guests!" the young man greeted with a genuine smile. "Food or a room?" he asked.

"Both," said Yang Ming Xi. "Two rooms. And we'll have our meal down here."

"Aiyo, I'm sorry, honoured guest. There is only one room left, but the meal we can definitely do. We have the best fried beef dish in the city! Please try it."

"Only one room?" Xiao Yu frowned.

"Fine, fine, I'll sleep with the donkey in the stable. Don't worry..." Yang Ming Xi joked, waving his hands and smiling at his daughter.

"But Da!" Xiao Yu bit her lip a bit, looking worried.

Her father reached for her hand and pressed it lightly.

"It's alright. It's better if you two girls are together," he said.

As if on cue, a young man descended the stairs to stand before them. Obviously rich, he was dressed in green silk, with his hair was pulled up into a jade hair crown. Exactly like a privileged young lord, he swept his fan open, smiling pleasantly.

"I didn't mean to overhear, good sir, but why don't you take my room? It is a double," he offered, waving the fan in an affected manner.

"Oh," said Xiao Yu, awkwardly. "That's very generous, my Lord, but we don't have the money to pay you..."

"No need. No need. Please, both young Misses, good Sir... You'll make me look bad if you don't accept," the young man chuckled.

Yang Ming Xi did his best to hide his irritation as he had already recognized this person even if the young man himself had an exceedingly short memory. Standing before them, looking self-satisfied, was Gao Wei, the Young Master of the Gao family and eldest son of the City Lord. Given the information he'd been sending out of the Northwest, avoiding the Gao family would have been preferred.

Yang Ming Xi's jaw flexed slightly as he weighed things out...it would not do to offend Gao Wei so publicly, but he was not sure he wanted to accept his offer and whatever else came with it.

Cui Xi watched the interplay with interest wondering about the identity of the young man. He wasn't that much older than her, probably about twenty, well dressed and not ugly. However, he could not be described as handsome as his features, though pleasing, were spoiled by such self-importance that it contaminated his whole being. Cui Xi felt her skin crawl.