A story that starts by Ending

2

The next time they meet it's a Monday afternoon. Xie Lian's just left his morning lecture on historical art tools and it was honestly amazing to hear about. His notes from the class spread well over a five page document and he's incredibly happy about it. He wonders if that information will be able to help him decipher whether this Hua Cheng really has lived forever or if he's a fraud.

That sounds a bit harsh. Not a fraud but a liar. No that's not much better. He'd be an... exaggerator. Yes. He's elaborating the truth that's twisting it into more of a fairy tale than actual history. Although he has seen Hua Cheng has never explained just why he claims to have been there in what he paints. So he could be talking of reincarnation, a topic Xie Lian believes in wholeheartedly, not immortality or something fantastical like that.

Laughing to himself he pushes open the library doors and walks in. Yeah, he really does love it here. The books, the study area, even the friendly lady that seems to know everything about the books in this place.

Xie Lian walks over to his usual computer table and there Shi Qingxuan is already sat where they were last time a larger mountain of books beside them. It makes the boy shudder. He likes to read but geez that's a lot of books to get through. How long has she even been here?

"Fashion looks hard." Xie Lian comments settling down on the computer next to Shi Qingxuan. "The girl pouts. "It is and I forgot to eat breakfast, my heads spinning so fast I feel like I'm caught in a hurricane."

"And you know how that feels?" Xie Lian giggles shuffling around in his bag. "Of course they don't call me the wind master for nothing." She grins. "Wind master?" Xie Lian repeats. "Why is that familiar?"

Shi Qingxuan perks up. "It is? Have you heard of me before? I always new choosing light breezy fabrics would get me known. I'm so glad I decided to brand myself early on." She chatters explaining her nickname in far to great a detail for Xie Lian to understand. What's a weft? Or yard?? And why is there overlocking involved? Sounds far to complicated. He'll stick to his art history. Much more simple. Less books... maybe.

Xie Lian just nods along letting the technical terms brush over him as he's thinking back. "Let's see when was it... oh!" He snaps his fingers. Shi Qingxuan pauses looking over. "You what?" She asks. Xie Lian grins. "I know where I've heard wind master before." He repeats. "Aww man it wasn't from my reputation?" Shi Qingxuan pouts.

Xie Lian looks sympathetic. "No sorry. But you let easy breezy lemon squeezy dresses sound lovely." He nods. Shi Qingxuan blinks in absolute disdain. "Did you just call my winds of time collection. Easy breezy?" They question.

Xie Lian feels he should say no but also that it's a rhetorical question. So he shakes his head. "Good." They says slowly. "Now this other dude that stole my name?"

Xie Lian snorts. "This wind master came well before you shi Qingxuan. It was..." he taps his hands on the desk. "That dead artist guy... ummmm god i forget his name all the time. Ming something... ughhh Ming Guan? No that's a war general. Umm. Ming... Xuan?" He shakes his head. That's not right either. God what is this guys name?? His hands start rooting through his backpack again as if it will give him the answers. Surprisingly it does.

"Ming Yi!" He cheers pulling out a tub. "The artist was called Ming Yi. He was around thousands of years ago. In the god reigning Dynasty." The same time that Hua Cheng claimed to be from. Maybe he knows Ming Yi?

"Ming Yi was an artist?" Shi Qingxuan gapes. "I thought he was just a tragic tale." One she may or may not have everything to do with.

Xie Lian nods his head. "Yup. He was certainly tragic the poor guy was definitely depressed. Maybe that's why he only created one painting. They call it a fall of a wave. But the artist never named it himself. I think 'the blood stained sea breeze carried on the last wave.' Suits it better. Also Ming Yi was just a pseudonym. No one knows his actual name. Plus, it's so long ago that it's really hard to find out more information."