The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 834: Only Friend

Liu Qingying paused, but wasn’t too surprised. “You got a divorce with Old Zhu[1]. It would be awkward for you to stay in the same organization. It’s good for you to have a change of scene. But why the Hundred Rivers Union?”

She added after a moment of silence, “Given your Talent, the Qilin Guild will welcome you.”

“I have my reasons.” Ba Qiuchi’s eyes crinkled. “I can’t tell anyone.”

“Not even me?” Liu Qingying said with some agitation.

“Not now,” Bai Qiuchi responded in a lilting voice. “But there is something I can tell you.”

“What is it?” Liu Qingying picked up her cup of coffee and was going to take a sip.

“I have a child.”

Liu Qingying splashed the coffee out of her mouth. Having anticipated it, Ba Qiuchi lifted the table cloth to shield herself, breaking into a loud cackle. “Hahaha! I said that when you were drinking coffee on purpose. As expected, you splashed it all out...”

Liu Qingying lowered her cup and shuddered with shock. Slamming the table, she shot to her feet and growled, “Ba Qiuchi! Are you *** **** out of your mind?!”

Everyone in the cafe turned to look at them.

Gao Yang included. He hadn’t expected the reveal.

“Oh boy, what are you doing? You’re too loud.” Ba Qiuchi quickly reached out to Liu Qingying while smiling apologetically to the other patrons. “I took her boyfriend from her. She got a little mad at me. Sorry, really sorry...”

“Let go!” Liu Qingying shook Ba Qiuchi’s hand off and took two dollar bills out of her wallet to throw them onto the table. Then she stalked out of the cafe angrily.

Ba Qiuchi had expected the reaction. She quickly took another sip of the black coffee and put on her shoes, jogging out of the cafe after Liu Qingying. The onlookers were left in shock.

Filled with complicated feelings, Gao Yang rose and rushed out of the cafe.

As soon as he opened the door, sprinkle of orange light jumped into his vision and made him close his eyes for a second. He blinked and found himself at the Old Fisherman Wharf upstream of Li River. He saw a rundown port and a decommissioned sand dredging ship. Under his feet was the soft, damp shoal.

Liu Qingying and Ba Qiuchi stood on the shoal. That evening saw the surface of the river shimmering with light as wind flitted across the red river bank, the scenery melancholy and desolate like the feelings that would fill a drunk’s heart after alcohol-induced bliss.

Gao Yang quickly accepted the movie-like transition between scenes. This was Liu Qingying’s Sweet Dream after all. She could pick and choose from her memory at will to make sure she was only giving him useful information.

Ba Qiuchi bent down to pick up a flat, smooth stone and cast it at the water, making it skip six times. She said happily, “Whoa! My new record!”

Liu Qingying stared at the river with concerns weighing her down. She didn’t deem that a response.

“Cheer up, Little Liu.” Ba Qiuchi came up to Liu Qingying and hooked her arm around hers. “I’m going to be a mother. Aren’t you happy for me?”

“The child is Old Zhu’s?” Liu Qingying asked coolly.

Ba Qiuchi nodded. “It’s a daughter.”

“Who does she look like?” That was what Liu Qingying cared about.

“Me, of course.” Ba Qiuchi grinned.

“Thank god.” Liu Qingying let out a sigh of relief.

Chuckling, Ba Qiuchi seemed proud. “Her name is Ba Youchi, nicknamed Cute Little Ba.”

“Where is she?”

“A safe place.” Ba Qiuchi blinked mysteriously. “Her life is more or less put on pause now. You may consider her in hibernation.”

Liu Qingying’s face darkened. “What are you doing now? Why would you do that to a child?”

“So that she can be happy,” Ba Qiuchi said seriously.

Liu Qingying was increasingly confused. “You’re all over the place, Ba Qiuchi. I don’t know what part of your words is true and what part is false. It’s like I no longer know you.”

“Don’t be impatient, Little Liu.” Ba Qiuchi gave her a long look before turning around to sit down on a clean rock. Then she pointed at a small rock beside her. “Come on. Have a seat. I’ll tell you the truth.”

Liu Qingying paused and sat down next to her, still fuming visibly.

“Last spring, I realized that I was pregnant.” Ba Qiuchi narrowed her eyes, a few strands of her hair wavering on her face. “I was beside myself. You know I’ve always wanted a child. I didn’t tell you or Old Zhu immediately, though. I was going to tell Old Zhu on his birthday as a gift.”

She smiled faintly, her gaze turning complicated. “Then I met an amazing person.”

“Who?”

Ba Qiuchi shook her head. “I can’t tell you.”

She turned slightly to the side and took Liu Qingying’s hand gently. “Little Liu, I never knew fear in the past. Even death didn’t seem that terrible a fate. Ever since I had the child, however, it was as if I suddenly gained a weakness. I want the child to live in a wonderful world and lead a happy, complete life. For that, I’ll give everything.”

Liu Qingying got even more concerned. “Did that person threaten you, Little Ba? Was that why you divorced Old Zhu and disappeared for a year?”

“Quite the contrary.” Ba Quichi shook her head with a smile. “That person sought after me and asked for my help.”

“Your help?” Liu Qingying was lost again.

“The person wanted to save humanity and the world, but one person could only do so much, and too many people combined could easily lose their way. Fate is like Jenga. One has to be careful when pulling every block.”

“You’re being so cryptic.” Liu Qingying’s eyebrows knitted closely. “Are you possessed? Who are you? Give my Little Ba back to me.”

Ba Qiuchi laughed. “I’m not possessed, Little Liu. I just got some spoilers about the future, which changed the way I think. Anyway, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“Tell me first,” Liu Qingying said cautiously. “I’m not playing along if you’re doing something insane.”

“Yeah.” Ba Qiuchi nodded. “I’m going to the Hundred Rivers Union tomorrow. If one day I die...”

“Shut up!” Liu Qingying cut her off angrily. “You won’t die!”

“That’s why I say ‘if I die’ and not ‘when I die’. I need an insurance, or humanity’s future will be fucked up! So would my daughter’s happy life!”

Ba Qiuchi spoke in a casual tone, even humorous.

Liu Qingying wasn’t sure what to say.

“I prepared something for you, Little Liu. Then you’ll know everything. And you’ll make a choice.”

“What thing?”

Ba Qiuchi reached out to gently tap Liu Qingying on the temple. “I made a Sweet Dream for you. If something happens to me, the dream will trigger, and you’ll learn everything in the dream.”

Liu Qingying lowered her head in silence.

After a long while, she looked up and squeezed Ba Qiuchi’s hand. “Little Ba, I know there’s no stopping you once you’ve made up your mind, so whatever you’re doing, I’ll support you. But please, please take care of yourself. I don’t want to lose you, and I cannot lose you. The year you went missing, there hasn’t been a day I didn’t think about you.”

“Me too.” Ba Qiuchi looked at her seriously. “You’re my best friend.”

“You’re my only friend,” Liu Qingying said.

“Does Old Zhu not count?” Ba Qiuchi asked with a smile.

“Him? He’s just a freebie that comes with a package deal.” Liu Qingying made a face.

“That’s so mean hahaha...”

Ba Qiuchi shook with laughter. Liu Qingying sighed in resignation before joining in, too.

1. Zhu, the surname, is pronounced the same as zhu for pig. ☜