Chapter 2
As the days turned to week and weeks into months, the newly named Long had begun to take up chores within the Bai household. He was utter rubbish at cleaning, but excelled at cooking. Bai TaiLi praised each and every dish he had made. It made Long feel warm. He also enjoyed gardening in the back of the small cottage Bai TaiLi owned.
Bai TaiLi was preparing to head into town when Long worked up the courage to ask, “May I come with?”
She looked at him with a strange expression on her slightly tanned face, “Are you sure?”
He nodded, “It is rather boring to sit and wait for you.”
She frowned, but nodded, “Let me put your hair up for you.”
Long had forgotten about his hair. Whenever he looked into the mirror, he always expected to see short, cropped hair. Instead, his locks were long, reaching past his waist. He nodded to Bai TaiLi’s request.
She put it up in a nice, tight and simple bun. As he adjusted his robes, ones that Bai TaiLi had gotten him, he was once again struck with a sense of unfamiliarity. The clothes he originally woke up in were unusual to Bai TaiLi and Long agreed that he should fit in. Although, his hair certainly stood out.
As they entered the town from the forest where their home resided, Long grew intrigued by the crowds and merchants. After Bai TaiLi left to speak to a merchant, someone approached him, blocking his way to Bai TaiLi.
“Your hair…” The man spoke, reaching out, “It's quite unusual.”
Long dodged his hand and gave a forced smile, “Thank you.” He tried to move past the man, but the man moved in front of him again.
“Your face as well. You have a unique look all together.” He continued as if Long hadn’t tried to leave.
“Thank you.” Long spoke a little more forcefully than before, doing his best not to let his annoyance show. He tried to brush past him once again, but this time the man grabbed his arm.
“You may not be a woman,” He said, “But I’m sure you’d make a pretty penny.”
Long narrowed his eyes, “Excuse me?”
He didn’t answer as he began to drag him off. Long tried to pull away, but the man was stronger. He led him into an alleyway and Long’s anxiety worsened.
“Where are you taking me?” Long demanded, his voice coming out high-pitched and scared.
“I have a special job for you.” He told him, “I’m sure you’ll draw in some customers who are cutsleeves-”
Before the man could continue, Bai TaiLi’s voice cut him off.
“Excuse me, sir, would you like to explain why you are grabbing him like that?” She asked, her voice sickly sweet.
The man looked at her and rolled his eyes, “Why should I tell you? Leave, little girl. This is no business of yours.”
As if summoned, a sword appeared in her hand and she held it up, pointed at the man, “That’s my didi you're touching, so it is my business. Unhand him if you don’t wish to lose a hand, sir.”
The man went pale and let go immediately before fleeing. Long looked at Bai TaiLi, whose sword had vanished from the palm of her hand.
“Thank you.” He told her, “But how did you summon that sword?”
Bai TaiLi tilted her head before her eyes widened in realization, “Oh! I had forgotten! You must not know about cultivation.”
“Cultivation?” Long questioned.
She nodded, “It’s a way of prolonging your life. You strengthen your Golden Core and harness your Qi in order to gain abilities that those that don’t cultivate don’t have. Summoning your sword is one of the first things you learn.”
Long nodded, accepting the answer, before he remember something else she had said to the man.
“Also,” He spoke to her before raising an eyebrow, “‘Little brother’?”
She seemed to flush and looked away, seeming flustered, “It just came to mind! Besides, in all ways other than blood, I see you as my didi.”
Long smiled, “If that’s so, should I call you jiejie?”
She smiled back, “If you wish to.”
Long nodded, his heart feeling full and happy, “Let’s finish shopping, jiejie. Then you’ll teach me some cultivation.”
Bai TaiLi laughed, “What a demanding didi you are!”