"You're so clever. Why do you think I did that?" the doctor asked as he gathered the pieces from the go board.
From behind them came the sound of a bowl clattering to the floor, before being silenced immediately.
Lu Yan didn't look back.
She stared intently at the go board, trying hard not to blink and let tears slide down her face.
When she remained silent for a long moment, the man sitting across from her tapped the table.
Lu Yan glanced up at his face, then said, "It was a warning."
He smiled slightly, "No, it was a lesson."
Lu Yan clenched her fists tightly in her lap and remained silent.
He continued clearing the board, "You're overconfident. You're what- seven years old?"
"I'm eleven!"
He nodded, "Too young to invite strange old men into your home unless you have a way to protect yourself."
"What else was I supposed to do?" Lu Yan asked, feeling a strange combination of fear and anger. "Should I just die quietly?"
The doctor looked at her little distressed face.
At this point, the tears finally fell. Lu Yan looked away and hurriedly wiped her cheeks with her dress sleeve.
"No," he said, and gestured to the empty board, "Let's play another game."
Lu Yan's belly was full of accusations and questions.
She watched as the doctor looked seriously at the board and slowly swallowed all her dissatisfaction.
With trembling fingers, she placed her stone.
What followed was a similar lecture, where he both played, and told her about all the options she had for countering.
A quarter of an hour before, she had been so eager to learn. Now, in the same situation, she trembled.
It felt unreal, like she had imagined Gu Sheng and his sword, Luizhu and her tears.
The doctor hadn't raised his voice even once throughout.
This was nothing like battling and manipulating her aunt.
This game went on longer than the one before. He continued talking in the same calm and gentle tone, explaining every move patiently.
Slowly, Lu Yan calmed down.
Luizhu brought tea, placed it on the side of the board, and retreated.
The doctor poured tea for both of them. He offered her a cup, and she accepted it with shaky hands.
She took a small sip. The hot tea brought a small measure of comfort as it slid easily down her throat.
The game continued. The world was silent, except for the soft clinking of the stones, and the sound of the two of them sipping their tea.
After a while, he placed the final stone, "You've lost."
Lu Yan stared at the board. This was only her second game. Of course she had lost!
She glanced up at the doctor, but didn't dare to say anything.
The doctor leaned back in his chair, and watched her.
Lu Yan sat upright, feeling scared, angry and helpless all at once.
"Let's make a deal," he said. "You won't let anything about my identity leak. If anyone asks, I'm just an old wandering doctor. In return, I'll stay here for a while. I'll treat you properly. You'll have good food and medicine."
Lu Yan didn't reply immediately. She looked down at the tea in her cup thoughtfully.
Suddenly, her throat itched.
Hastily taking her handkerchief out, she covered her mouth. She coughed and coughed, unable to stop, patting her chest with her palm.
Her health was better than it had been the day before, but this fit still left her red-faced, gasping for breath and with her throat and chest aching.
Luizhu appeared at her elbow, her brows furrowed and patted her back gently as she always did during such fits.
Lu Yan took a sip of the still warm tea, felt the slight easing of her throat, and reassured Luizhu, "I'm alright, I'm fine."
She leaned back in her chair, suddenly exhausted.
Still covering her mouth and nose, she breathed carefully, trying not to disturb the itch in her throat that would lead to another coughing fit.
No one spoke.
Lu Yan closed her eyes for a moment, and somehow a spark of courage ignited inside her.
"I want you to teach me medicine," she said firmly.
The doctor was taken aback. He looked at her watering, yet determined eyes.
When he didn't speak, Lu Yan leaned forward, and said persuasively, "If you're hiding, it must be a big matter. I'm allowing you to hide here. This favor will probably make a difference even when you leave."
The doctor continued looking at her.
Lu Yan took a deep breath, "But I might get sick again just after you leave. Your favor won't last. This doesn't seem fair. So you have to teach me medicine!"
By the end, her voice had risen, and she spoke firmly.
The doctor smiled. But it wasn't a nice smile.
Lu Yan felt her courage disappear again. She sank back in her chair.
Everyone was silent.
Luizhu, standing beside her, was visibly trembling.
Just as Lu Yan opened her mouth to take her words back, the doctor said, "I've already taught you this lesson. You're still overconfident."
Lu Yan remained stubbornly silent.
"You don't have anything to bargain with," he continued coldly.
Beneath the table, she clenched her fists tightly.
"All you're relying on is my goodwill."
Luizhu fell to her knees, but didn't dare make any sound.
For a few oppressive moments, the doctor examined Lu Yan from head to toe.
Luizhu took her hand, and squeezed tightly.
Lu Yan squeezed back.
Despite the fear, she felt like she couldn't give in.
She pressed her lips tightly together, and looked back at the cold-eyed doctor.
She couldn't believe that her first impression of this man had been so wrong!
He wasn't harmless and he wasn't old.
Looking at his expression now, struggling to breath properly under his displeasure, she realized that he was, in fact, very good at disguise, he just hadn't bothered with Luizhu and her before.
She kept her ears strained for any sound that might indicate Gu Sheng had appeared behind her.
The silence stretched.
Lu Yan's heart was racing.
He sat back in his chair again, and suddenly smiled, "But I like your guts. So I'll teach you the basics."
Lu Yan remained frozen for a moment.
"Really?" she asked. Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.
He started clearing the board again.
"Hmm."
Lu Yan sank back in her chair, relief creeping over her. But with it came an undeniable exhaustion.
"Really, really?" she asked again.
He looked at her and said, "Yes, really."
She smiled, a soft curve of her little mouth.
The exhaustion took over. Suddenly her vision blackened, and she knew no more.