Fenhua comes carrying two plates on his hands and two resting on his forearm. He let them across the table along with cups of water.
The children maniacally pull the plates to their side. Ai and Cong calmly on their side. The smell of the cooked fish making their bellies growling. Cong says "thank you Fenhua"
Fenhua sits on the chair and says "my pleasure"
He leans on Ais ear whispering "can you maybe hand me some money? I spent most of them for the children"
"How did you manage to spent so much?"
Fenhua shrugs, tilting his head to the right
Cong leans her hand on her pocket. Coins clinging, and she lay twenty gold coins on the table "take them. All for you, and the children"
Fenhua raises his hands
"I cannot take them"
"Do not fret it. I do not care about twenty gold coins"
She pushes them closer to Fenhua, arguing with an obnoxious tone he moves them back with his hand
She calmly pushes them again with her finger.
Fenhua sighs massively looking at the children. He grabs two of the coins in each hand and leans his palms behind the children's ears, and then in front revealing the coins, and the children grabbing them and laughing.
Cong finish her plate and look at the children, letting pencils and two apers from her pocket. Grabbing her white robs and placing them in her lap. saying compassionately "What are their names?"
Fenhua took a quick look at Ai. Stammering "tao and jing"
Cong lay her coarse, and wounded hand in front of the children "Tao, Jingg would you like to learn to draw?"
Tao and Jing's eyes focus on Fenhua.
Letting a smile the kids go close to Cong and she grabs them and let them rest on her lap. Teaching them to draw as Ai and Fenhua look perplexed at the sheets.
After many minutes the kids rest their hands and cong slide the papers at Ai and Fenhua. Green plains with three trees at the far right. Bland but drawn ornately enough for their age
"They have a talent for art, maybe you would like to emphasize on that"
Fenhua smirk bright. Asking "do you want to keep them?"
The kids start hoping, trying to reach the drawing "come with me"
He holds the sheets lightly. Waving it, and the children following him upstairs.
Ai look at Cong staring blankly the table
"Is everything alright?"
Cong continue to look at the table. sliding her fingers on it
"Yes. I just think of my final work, it's almost done"
"You mean you will abandon your art after that?"
"I'm not sure for now. I just know if all these pieces of art I created over the years don't mark me on history. I'm sure my final one will birth me posthumously"
"Like your friend?"
Cong looks at her with a sudden smile "exactly"
"You never told me exactly what his achievements were"
"Mostly in the scientific field. He was an inventor"
"Can you bring me an example?"
She looks outside at the orange sky "the lamps that light the city its one of his works"
"But the emperor said it's invented in the palace ground by his men "
Cong nails scratch the wall with force "the liars construe it to not show weakness. The truth is my friend, an independent scientist invented them along with many more things"
She look inside Cong's vexed eyes.
Shrugging her shoulders and letting a calm sigh "I will go now. I have to finish my work"
Ai accompanies her to the door. Opening it, and as she turns cong holds her by her forearms, her eyes wide "Goodbye Ai"
Ai repeats the same and Cong wave at her as she walks.
She close the door, walking to the kitchen hearing the children laughing and then goigng upstairs.
After many hours she walks downstairs hearing heavy steps outside
Lixin smash the door, Water dripping from his armor along with the smell of the sea filling the room.
Ai and Fenhua come close. Lixin takes a step forward
"We found some of the perpetrators. They are all gathered at the capital. Gather your weapons and armour, and wait for orders at the palace"
Ai and Fenhua look at each other. Fenhua loosen his facial muscles "another day in the army"
Ai look plaintive at him
"Do you still think of the day at Klaebens village?"
Ais hands start shaking "we killed so many without reason"
Fenhua lean back. Hitting feebly the wall
"I will agree with you. But in the end we stopped them from rampaging the country"
Ai's eyes narrow.
Fenhua pats her back "let's go"
"Will you lock the door again?"
Fenhua starts whistling, placing his hands on the back of his head, and Ai follows him.
ns 18.68.41.148da2
