The Inverted Dragon’s Scale

The vehicle drove towards the main road, speedily proceeding to Suzhou city. After crossing the bridge it then stopped in front of a white mansion shadowed by safflower trees.

An ancient bronze door opened from both sides, and an old man wearing a gray uniform stood in the doorway to greet Cui Xioxin.

The old man walked towards the vehicle and opened the door on his own initiative, kindly saying, “Did Miss Cui return? The madame and young master are waiting for young lady to eat.”

Cui Xioxin expressed grat.i.tude to the old man while she said, “Uncle Yan, you’re too polite. I am a junior, and feel sad that you have to arrive right away to see me.”

The old man laughed and said, “It doesn’t matter, just get used to things.”

The blue gowned man got out, cupping his hands to greet the old man. Then walked towards the backyard. Regarding this the Yan family had been on duty guarding the place for a long time, and wouldn’t even dare to have even the slightest neglect.

In the company of Uncle Yan, Cui Xiaoxin walked towards the main hall.

In the main hall the lights were bright, a graceful woman wearing a quality purple Chinese dress and a handsome youth wearing a blue satin shirt were playing Chinese chess.

“Mother, I can’t let you go this time, you just said a moment ago that ministers (Bishop) are able to cross the river, cannon may go curve, now you actually say that the counsellor (Queen) is a traitor within, and must use my counselor (Queen) to checkmate my own handsome Governor General (King)—-Mother, even if I am your son, can you not bully me?”

The glamorous beautiful woman glanced at her white son, as if the woman had the character of a proper and shy girl.

“You’re my son, What use did I give birth to you for? Naturally it’s to make fun of bullying you to relieve my anger.”

“Mother, did someone bully you? You say the name, and I’ll bring people to break his legs—“ The young man said pretending to be angry, not opening his eyes as he smiled.

“Uncle Yan,” The woman said.

The young man blinked for a while, smiled bitter and said, “Can mother, think of someone else? This here is an iron plate. I fear that they would injure their foot if they kicked him—-“

“No. It’s him.” The woman’s whole face was filled of determination condemning the atrocities of that man. She then said, “Three years ago he complied to lead us to go to Tu Long Cuba battlefield to have a look, but failed to make an appointment. One year ago he complied with my great power to celebrate the Spring festival, but persuaded us not to go to the Spring festival as it was his duty to protect our family. Half a month ago we reached an agreement that he had to accompany me to Western Port to shop, but finally also said that there’s task given by the top government, and he needed to accompany them—You calculate how many fingers to break, based on how many foods had he consumed this month? How many agreements he broke? Shouldn’t we teach such a person a lesson? Aren’t you south of Yangtze River’s famous playboy? Everybody said that you’re fierce, how you bullied malicious people, your mom is also pleased, to think that you have a unique face—-you help me report this enmity, calculate how much that man owed your mother, good?”

The handsome man made a mocking smile, then said, “Us playboys are intelligent, otherwise people would see us as a joke, and that would make us lose face. If you think about it, there are some people who enormously resents us, so wouldn’t we still need to be a little cautious and keep a low-profile. I’ll keep a note of the person you mentioned, wait later when have the opportunity to help take revenge in brutally butchering him?”

“Well, I know you’re a scoundrel that bites the hand that fed you. You don’t even think about who’s stomach you came out from.” The woman was furious, pointing at the young man’s forehead and said.

Puchi—-

Cui Xiaoxin charmingly laughed as she walked towards the woman and said, “Sister-in-law, you’re making cousin feel embarra.s.sed. You’re making him bully his own father. He doesn’t have a hundred courage to dare to do so.

“Ah, Xiaoxin you’re back.” The woman’s whole face was full of joy as she looked at Cui Xiaoxin, beckoning her again and again, then said, “Come, come quickly, let your sister-in-law take a look—Where did Xiaoxin went to play? Happy? Has someone bullied Xiaoxin? If there’s a fellow who does anything to you, go tell your sister-in-law, and your sister-in-law would make your cousin bully him. Your cousin idles about all day, so I’m always looking for something for him to do.”

Cui Xiaoxin sat in front of the woman, clutching her hand and said, “Sister-in-law, I’m fine. I just wanted to go out for a walk.”

Yan Xiangma placed a cup of tea in front of Cui Xiaoxin. He grinned revealing his two rows of neat teeth, and asked with a smile, “I heard that Xiaoxin has been recently helping a schoolmate with his studies?”

The smile on Cui Xiaoxin’s face stagnated, and immediately restores it as it was in the beginning, said, “Yes. Exams are near, schoolmate’s academic record is not quite good, so I want to help him succeed.”

Cui Xinci’s whole face showed affection as she looked at Cui Xiaoxin. The woman then said, “Our family’s Xiaoxin is kind-hearted. Sigh, she’s good looking, temper is also good, and life experience is also good. Later, what sort of man can join our family to be with Xiaoxin? Fortunately there’s a great number of competent people in the sky. Brave heroes come forth in large numbers. When that moment comes the Cui family will naturally try to find you a person to be together with that would bring out the best in each other. Merely sister-in-law has been thinking of you this last-half year reversing the rotation of the sky. Heart right away appears to cover a person trying to reach him as it seems as if he’s leaving you. Your sister-in-law has been living here for five years, this sister-in-law has also treated you as if you are my biological daughter, that you go back—-“

“Mother, are you done? Such a bitter play every day, and you’re not bored, other people even Xiaoxin can’t bear it? This kind of thing, would make Xiaoxin more and more eager to reverse the rotation of the sky—Xiaoxin, why don’t you tell her?” Yan Xiangma somewhat reluctantly looks at his own mother who was staging a play.

“How can this be?” Cui Xiaoxin smiled, holding her sister-in-law’s hand and said, “I also hate to part with sister-in-law. Living at Yangtze river very happily, if not for studies, I wouldn’t be willing to leave.”

“To Xiaoxin be so intimate with me, not like those surnamed Yan who doesn’t have any conscience.” Cui Xinci revealed a happy expression and said, “Xiaoxin, let’s go, have dinner.”

“Okay.” Cui Xiaoxin stood.

“My mother knows that Xiaoxin likes eating fish, so she specially ordered one barrel of rhododendron obtusum fish from Mount Tai. These rhododendron obtusum fish grow between the crevices where the water flow. Their meat is tender and smooth. Placed on top of a stone exposed under the sun to melt it a bit.” Yan Xiangma helped her mother and Cui Xiaoxin scooping the soup into their bowls using a ladle, while he explained saying, “Making soup with this fish, the entire fish melted into the soup. No trace of the fish, nor a single pieace of its scale can be found. However, eating this soup—-would feel like a small fish is hovering in the mouth, it’s really tasty.”

“You’re too flattering.” Cui Xinci reproved her son.

“I’m just sucking up to my mother,” Yan Xiangma said with a laugh and then continued, “Weren’t you doing this to let Xiaoxin cousin know she’s on your mind?”

“Well, regarding my feelings, you declare things with no meaning.” Cui Xinci shook her head, then said, “You, are similar to your father, thought are complex, aren’t you tired?

“Ok, Ok, I won’t say anything all right? I won’t say anything all right?” Yan Xiangma begged for mercy again and again.

Cui Xinci and Cui Xiaoxin looked at each other smiling. Cui Xinci gestured to Cui Xiaoxin to eat the soup, then said, “Hot soup is tasty, when it cools it may have the smell of fish and have a fishy taste. Xiaoxin quickly taste it. You must tell sister-in-law even if it tastes salty or bland, so that sister-in-law can make the kitchen improve it next time.”

Cui Xiaoxin drunk the soup with a ladle, a mouthful of fresh thick fragrance overflowed, praising it, “It’s very tasty. Saltiness is just enough, was just good.”

“That’s good.” Cui Xinci lowered her head to eat the soup.

“Right Xiaoxin—-“ Yan Xiangma looks at Cui Xiaoxin, saying with a smile, “Which schoolmate are you teaching, is it the person who previously rescued your life in the Beast Aspect Pavilion?”

Cui Xiaoxin’s eyebrows slighty moved, looked up at Yan Xiangma, said, “Yes cousin, he’s extremely good, just that his academic record is not good. Furthermore the test is in ten days, so I’m thinking of once again helping him with something. After all, at that time if it weren’t for him helping me, Uncle Ning was also too late to save—-“

“Ahem, the killer crow, would someday die a tragic end.” Yan Xiangma revealed a non-hidden hostility, behaving like this, showed his hostility against such injustice. “The heavens have both already made a move, the masters of Cui and Yan are tracking the whereabouts of crow in every direction, they’ve also started searching the south of Yangtze river city. The city’s main government office expert were all sent by father—Xiaoxin you can feel relieved, the crow wouldn’t dare to come again. Even if he came, they would be made into steamed rice dumpling by Uncle Ning, and would succeed in killing that sc.u.m.”

“Thanks for your trouble cousin and Uncle,” Cui Xiaoxin expressed her grat.i.tude.

“Why thank? We’re family, you are my blood related younger sister,” Yan Xiangma said with a laugh. “But, it would be good if cousin maintains a distance with her schoolmate—-“

Cui Xiaoxin had a complex look at Yan Xiangma, said, “What do you mean cousin?”

“You think that your schoolmate is an average person. The difference between our world with an average person is too big—this time Uncle Ning appeared timely, intercepting crow. If there was a next time, would your schoolmate have the same luck? I know that cousin wants to help her schoolmate, but if it were to happen again, your schoolmate would be injured or even experience worse and have a more serious injury—according to cousin’s nature, it would be hard to forget for a lifetime right?”

Cui Xiaoxin looks became sharp, and said, “Is cousin warning me?”

“Cousin, this is just my advice, and what warning? I’m just thinking about you and your schoolmate, do I need to tell you off? If cousin thinks that I shouldn’t talk about this, then I won’t say anything. Cousin is intelligent, could also think about this matter and understand it clearly.”

“I’ve thought about it,” Cui Xiaoxin said.

Cui Xinci looked at her son, then looked at Cui Xiaoxin again. Making a noise and said, “Xiaoxin, your schoolmate has helped you after all. This matter will be remembered by our family—you said that his academic record is not good, when the time comes I’ll make your uncle help to lend a hand to refer him, allowing him to certainly enter Yangtze River University. Although Yangtze River University is inferior to the Westerly Wind University, it’s actually still considered as one of the empire’s great and well-known college and universities. He could choose which major he wants; do you think this is good?”

Cui Xiaoxin experienced a surge of emotion, tightly holding the ladle until it turned white.

She understood what her sister-in-law meant, this was an offer to buyout Li Muyang for his kindness in saving somebody’s life.
But, can kindness be bought out?