A Lifetime Promise

Chapter 12

A loud noise of broken porcelains could be heard inside the teahouse 'The Calmness of Heavens'. Someone had swatted the teacups and the kettle away from a table, making them crash down into pieces on the ground belonging to the first floor.

"What did you just say?!" The one who caused a scene was an older man around thirty, he shouted at the other that sat calmly before him.

"This gentleman will say it again for the sake of your muddled ears. Please, do not use your loudly foul mouth to talk about how your nights went in the red light district. Such a disgusting pig. Just having your voice invade my ears makes my mood go bad." The one sitting was a very young man in his late teen.

His medium long black hair was set into a loose braid as he wore light blue clothes. The appearance of his made him look like a calm gentleman who just wanted to enjoy his tea peacefully, despite the fact that his tongue was poisonous as soon as he opened his mouth. 

"You little bastard! Who the hell are you to insult me?! Do you have a death wish?!" The older man was filled with anger, he wanted to teach the little bastard a lesson for insulting him.

"Please, lower your barking voice. It really makes my ears hurt just from hearing it. Go back to the other wild dogs that you belong with." The young man indifferently told the other off.

The older man could no longer take to hear the insults from the young man he called bastard. He was at his limit so he unhesitatingly threw a punch at the bastard who made him angry.

But he never expected that before he could succeed, he felt a sharp pain before falling backwards down on the ground. Knocking a table along with him as the hot tea from a fallen teacup splattered all over his body, he screamed in pain.

He wanted to ask who was the one who tripped him but he didn't get the chance to as a figure walked between him and the young man in light blue clothes.

"Have you two had enough fun? If so, please pay for the damage and stop disturbing the other customers. You're being a nuisance." The childish voice could be heard by the people from the first floor.

The figure was that of a female child who seemed to be no more than twelve years old. The child with a small hair bun wore servant clothes of the teahouse, indicating that she was working there. It was none other than Lin Xinglan!

Although she sounded harsh, she was showing a childish smile.

"W-Who are you to interfere us?!" The older man who fell down stuttered. He was now embarrassed over the state he was in.

Lin Xinglan took a short glance at the young man before she shifted to the older man.

"This little one will say it once more, please pay for the damage you have caused and quickly disappear from this teahouse. We don't tolerate people who cause scenes like you do, mister." As she finished her sentence, she gave the older man a list of things he had damaged. The older man's face paled when he saw the charges.

The people in the teahouse began to clap and praise the little girl for doing a good job, this made the older man lose more face so he could only take out his money to pay and quickly run away from the embarrassment.

Watching the older man exit the teahouse, Lin Xinglan immediately dispersed the crowd of people who came to watch the scene. Finally having to calm down the people, the teahouse became once again peaceful as if nothing had happened.

"Little brat, you're not bad." The young man in the light blue clothes suddenly spoke, complimenting Lin Xinglan.

"I don't know what this gentleman is talking about but thank you." Lin Xinglan innocently answered, feigning ignorance.

In front of people, she was just a cute child who behaved well but in front of the young man, he knew that she wasn't as simple as she looked.

Her act back then didn't escape from his eyes. He had seen her stealthily throw two small stones towards both of the older man's knees, making him fall backwards. Of course that small act wouldn't make him fall down to the ground.

The gentleman later noticed a small pool of tea behind the older man that was spilled from the crash the latter caused at the beginning. He could only think that the child was a sly one.

"This gentleman's name is Yu Shun. What's your name?" The gentleman introduced himself.

"This little one's name is Xinglan! Gentleman's name sounds very beautiful unlike your mouth." Lin Xinglan told her name as she complimented him but at the same time also insulted him. The gentleman's lips twitched, such a smart mouthed child.

"Nice to meet you, little Xinglan. Let us have a tea time together, alright?" Yu Shun proposed, he wanted to see if there were more than what meets the eye.

Coincidentally, it was time for Lin Xinglan's break so she didn't reject his offer and sat down on an empty chair, facing opposite of him.

Lin Xinglan took her time to observe the young man calmly drinking tea before her, she noticed that he had a tiny black mole just below his lips on the right side. Her eyes landed on his eyes and she gasped in surprise.

"Gentleman Yu, is your left eye blind?" Lin Xinglan covered her mouth with her small hands promptly after she realized she had asked a rude question.

"I'm sorry if I offended you." Her voice became timidly as she apologized, she didn't mean to sound rude.

Yu Shun gave her a calm smile, ignoring her apology.

He put down the teacup, "Almost blind, it's only a matter of time before it'll be fully gone. You got a good eyesight, little brat."

Lin Xinglan didn't know what to do, she wasn't good at comforting people so she sat up from her seat and walked to the gentleman then, she awkwardly patted him on his back.

"I'm very sorry your life is ill-fated and full of tragedy, really a pity ah. In the future, you shouldn't be so depressed about it or else, who knows if it will make your other eye blind too. " She spoke some comforting words. But for others it sounded like she was cursing him instead.

"....." Lin Xinglan left Yu Shun speechless.

What ill-fated, what tragedy, what depressed?! He didn't know what she was talking about as it was only an eye condition he was born with, it wasn't like he could do anything about it.