110 – Assassin North
“Yo yo yo, ready to spread your wings and leave the nest, are you?! Who was is that cried and wanted to realize my designs when they saw my drawings?”
Xue Qilin said with a smile that is not a smile.
“I haven’t…”
The shopkeep in black narrowed his eyes, and his sharp gazed stabbed straight at Xue Qilin.
However, as if she didn’t feel it, Xue Qilin didn’t pay attention to the gaze that is usually laced with killing intent.
“What, you want to fight?”
Xue Qilin sat down on a chair tat appeared out of nowhere, crossed her legs, and swayed the leg on top as if no one else was present.
“…”
The man didn’t say a word, but he did retract his gaze.
“Young Teacher, this person has killed people – and many to boot.”
Shui Yun’er wrinkled her face and whispered next to Xue Qilin’s ear.
As if he heard her, the man’s ears hidden under the black cloth jerked imperceptibly.
Taking note of the other party’s reaction, the warning in Shui Yun’er’s mind increased in intensity. Her right hand has already grasped the hilt of the Hengdao at her waist, ready to unsheathe the blade at a moment’s notice to cope with all unexpected situations.
“Yeah… Speaking of which, he seems to have been an assassin before.”
Relaxed, Xue Qilin played down the disturbing fact.
“Hey, North, you were an assassin before, weren’t you?”
The man’s name seems to be North.
However, Shui Yun’er feels that it shouldn’t be his real name.
“Assassins don’t have names.”
Probably taking note of Shui Yun’er’s doubts, Xue Qilin suddenly said: “I guess he comes from the north, so he took North as his name – right, North?”
Eyes glowing faintly, Xue Qilin gazed at North.
It seems that even Young Master doesn’t know why he is called North… that must be it. This man doesn’t seem to be the type to talk to strangers about his past…
Shui Yun’er suddenly felt that the other party might be similar to her in some aspects – the both of them aren’t willing to disclose their past.
… that is a secret that must be hidden well.
Otherwise, when the truth is laid bare, they will lose their shelter.
However, compared to the man’s past, Shui Yun’er is more interested in why the man in front of her – the man who used to be an assassin – would become a tailor.
“Surnamed Xue, you talk too much.”
“That so?”
Xue Qilin tilted her head disapprovingly.
Then she smiled a little nostalgically.
“Also, those of you who are hiding in the shadows of the world can hardly expose yourselves to light.”
The lass occasionally assumes an expression as if she’s recalling her old acquaintances and hometown. But Shui Yun’er doesn’t know what she’s recollecting.
At times like this, Shui Yun’er can tell that even the lass who appears to be carefree at first glance has a secret past.
Well, everyone is the same.
The present will become the past in the next moment, and turn into a memory.
No one can completely shed their “past”.
However, you can choose whether you want to bear it, or be bound by it.
The former is laudable, while the latter is lamentable.
“So you came here just to say a bunch of nonsense?”
The man frowned and made it clear that he’s dissatisfied.
“I’m not that idle!” Xue Qilin rolled her eyes, “If I have the choice, I prefer not to come to this damn place. It’s too dusty.”
“… it’s best you don’t come.”
Xue Qilin placed a elbow on the armrest and propped herself up, a beaming smile on he face
“Yo yo yo, I don’t care one way or another, but are you willing to give up my designs?”
Propping her head up with a hand, the lass spoke sarcastically.
“…”
North fell silent.
Does he not want to answer, or is he speechless?
Seeing a lofty assassin being stumped by her teacher’s sarcastic remark, Shui Yun’er doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Next silence filled the shop.
A cold gaze and a leisurely gaze met in the air as North and Xue Qilin stared at each other, silent. Shui Yun’er also didn’t speak.
It was a sigh that finally broke the ice.
“You are really disagreeable.”
North looked away, as if saying “I lost to you”.
“Alright… what can I do for you?”
“The long socks you made last time, you should have some left, right? Sell me a few pairs.”
“Is it the the same size as earlier?”
“Um, yes!” Xue Qilin nodded in satisfaction, “Make some for my disciple as well! I want them to be white!”
“Your disciple?”
Stunned, North asked, half surprised and half disbelieved: “Flippant and likes to use strange final particles [1] – such a person can accept disciples? Isn’t that a misfortune in and of itself?”
“Hey, whom are you talking about?”
Xue Qilin raised her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose.
“It appears that self-reflection is lost on you.”
The former assassin seems to be more talkative than Shui Yun’er imagined.
“That’s not true!”
Xue Qilin turned to look at Shui Yun’er.
“Come, Little Yun, tell this shallow person if I am qualified to accept disciples, if it’s a misfortune to be my disciple! Be sincere!”
Shui Yun’er nodded, and then gazed at North with a straight face.
“Young Teacher is often flippant and willful. She not only likes to use a strange final particle to the end of her speech, but she also appears foolish.”
Xue Qilin almost hit her head on the armrest.
“Little Yun, you’re on his side!”
The lass protested, agitated.
But Shui Yun’er ignored it and carried on: “However, in my opinion, she is worthy of the title ‘teacher’.”
After listening to Shui Yun’er to the end, Xue Qilin snorted twice, and looked at North with a smug expression.
“Oh, really?”
North ended the topic with a cold tone.
“Last time’s socks… I have three more pairs left, is that enough?”
While talking, he squatted down and rummaged behind the counter for a while, and then finally fished out three pairs of folded long black socks and threw them to Xue Qilin.
Shui Yun’er recognized this special kind of socks. It is the long socks Qi Qiqi wears often.
“It is.”
Xue Qilin gave Shui Yun’er the socks to put them away.
Shui Yun’er originally wanted to put the socks directly into the bag, but then she remembered that there is a strange fruit in the bag, and so she took the fruit out and put the socks in.
“Ah?”
She was about to carry the fruit in her arms, but then she realized that Xue Qilin has thrown the spiky fruit.
“Let’s eat!”
North took out a dagger from god knows where and slashed at the fruit suddenly flying towards him several times.
Several blade rays flashed.
The fruit landed on the counter, steady.
Then, like a flower blossoming – the hard shell of the exotic fruit peeled off, revealing the light yellow fruit flesh inside.
A strong smell that is difficult to distinguish whether it is smelly or fragrant emerged.
“Catch!”
North dug out a piece of the fruit flesh with the dagger and tossed it to Xue Qilin.
Xue Qilin caught and bit at it without hesitation.
After two bites, an expression of sudden realization appeared on her face.
“North, you haven’t applied poison to your dagger, right?”
Shui Yun’er’s eyes widened sharply when she heard this question.
[1] – Xue Qilin often uses 咩 (mie); she is the only character to use it in this novel. 咩 is a final particle which transforms statements into questions that indicate doubt or surprise (Cantonese). Take “Really?” as an example – everyone else would say 是吗 (shi ma), while she would say 是咩 (shi mie).
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