Chapter 2: A Child’s Dream (2)

Wang Lei was a peculiar child, and I was sure of his speciality when he returned my money stating that he didn't want to be indebted. I was intrigued by this particular lad.

"You don't have to return my kindness, keep it. It'll help." I argued.

"Tell me what I can do in return, then I might accept it." He stated ever so confidently.

"What can a pauper do to help me?" I questioned.

"You tell me,"

I was thrown into a dilemma that I never wanted to be in. I don't know if I uttered it without conscience, but what I told him surely impacted his life to a large extent, and even mine to an extent.

"I am looking for a successor. And for that, I'm holding a competition. Why not beat every challenger?"

His quietude followed as he pondered my words for a while. I asked myself if I demanded the improbable from a ragged kid who looked scrawny and weak.

"Those five coins won't suffice for your demand. I'll need more."

I laughed at his demand and asked him to state his worth.

"Multiply it a thousand times, that shall do the job. And I can't guarantee my victory."

"A thousand times?! That too when you can't guarantee your victory!" Frowning, I showed my dissatisfaction.

"Yes, you heard it."

"How about removing a zero from the right? After all, zeroes mean nothing, right?" I tried to bargain. And since the child looked to be no more than nine of age, I assumed that I could fool him.

"If it doesn't have any value to it, then all the more reason to just ignore it and let it stay in its place."

Five thousand was an amount that would last me three days in the most expensive brothel, and for a brat like him, it could last a whole year if he were to use it carefully for food and shelter. I did claim that money didn't matter anymore, but I still felt my heart itch when I gave away such huge volumes of money.

"Fine, I'll give it, but not plain coins." I decided to give it anyway since I felt like it, or maybe I was too drunk to recognise that I was being scammed by a soon-to-be con man.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"Well, the tournament will take place in six months. I'll give you free food and shelter, along with facilities to train. Then you don't have to guarantee your victory."

"That for four thousand, pay me the rest in coins."

"Brat, don't fly where you're not supposed to! You are robbing me!" I cried in dismay.

Again, I was curious and lured by this boy's way of speaking. I wanted to see this to the end, even if it bore no fruit. I promised to give him those thousand coins even though I felt my heart ache whilst doing so.

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Night's hours passed by quickly with me barely noticing it. I arose to the brilliant sun's dawn the following day. I found a familiar boy sleeping on the floor beside my bed the next morning, whom I recognised quickly. He had a woollen rug atop him to save him from the harsh chills of the wooden floor.

I barely could remember anything after my conversation with that lad, and I had woken up with a terrible headache.

"What happened last night, again?" I muttered as I rubbed my eyes gently. I yawned whilst tearing off the mask from my face.

These noises were loud enough to awaken the boy beside me. He woke up and followed suit rubbing his eyes.

"Hey brat, what happened last night?"

"But before that, who are you?"

"Oh, that? It was a farce that I pulled off to have some fun. This is my real face. Take a nicer look at it and forget what you saw earlier." I flinched and trembled not wanting the child to spill the beans, but I stayed calm and acted as if nothing had happened.

He took his time explaining last night's events. Apparently, I had snuck him into the pavilion and he decided to sleep on the floor as there wasn't much space on the bed.

"Now, hand over the money. I have to keep it safe after all." He insisted.

I nodded and sighed as I got off the bed, "First, let's get ready first, You stink! Take a nice shower and rub some flowers from that garden on your back. Some maids will help you. Maybe that would offset that filth." I said pointing towards the garden outside the window.

I got the boy cleaned and got him groomed. With finely woven cotton clothes, he exited the room as a completely new person. He requested his hair not be cut, and I consented, but I got his hair washed nicely and clean forcibly.

I chose not to be extravagant with my dress and wore simple white clothes to the outing.

"What will you do with that money?" I mentioned as we both took a stroll in the gardens within the Institute's premises. The sky was not still clear enough for the students to wake up, and the guards and maids didn't bother annoying me with questions about the little guest that accompanied me.

"I will get myself treated by a good physician."

"A physician? What disease bothers you?" I was worried.

"Did you even take a look at me? I am a stick wearing fancy clothes."

"I agree that you are scrawny, but a physician? Won't food do the job?"

"I need a diet to get bulkier quickly. After all, the tournament will have many kids who are stronger than me. I want to stand my ground against them even if I can't win."

I realised that he asked for the money for a good reason, and that is to fulfil his end of the deal. This only interested me more about this boy. "I'll summon a physician for you, for free. Keep that money with you." I added, as a gesture of my kindness.

That was my first day with that boy, and it was a conversation that I remember vividly to this very day. I don't think I could ever forget it. My time with him was memorable for sure.

"I'll remember this favour of yours!" He affirmed with a smile on his ever-so-delightful face.

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