14 CHAPTER 3: Part 1

With the first rays of the sun, Luo Ran landed in a courtyard with a soft thud, a few leaves rose with the soft gust before drifting to the ground again. There was a soft rustle as Luo Ran straightened his robes. His gaze held a kind of restless energy; the kind that you feel when your life has found its meaning again.

Wei Lin Jiang slid to the ground; his eyes sweeping over the region with burning curiosity. In the soft orange glow, the place looked like one of those ancient fairy tale houses; located in the middle of the forest; abandoned and overgrown.

The paint of the walls had faded to a shade of dirty blue. Vines of different kinds covered the roof in an intricate pattern. There on the very top was a rectangular slab that was probably a nameplate; dull and faded but some strokes were still visible. Lin Jiang's eyebrows furrowed but he couldn't make out the name.

Though the house was small, the courtyard sprawled over an acre; barren except for a fountain in the center. The fountain was shaped like two birds; probably eagles engaged in a fight; their talons open and their claws spread out in an attacking stance. When the fountain was functional, the water must have flowed from the open beaks. However, now that the water had dried out, only the ceramic structure remained.

Lin Jiang took a step towards the fountain. Crunch! The leaves grumbled in protest drawing his attention to the ground. It was covered in a thick layer of leaves of different hues: brown, yellow, red, and some fresh green ones too.

There wasn't much vegetation in the courtyard either. A single cherry tree stood proudly in one corner; covered in pink and white flowers. A sudden gust of wind caused its branches to sway in a frolicking dance. The blossoms drifted to the ground in a gentle shower as if welcoming them.

Drawing in a deep breath, Wei Lin Jiang questioned, "Whose house is this, Xian Shen?"

"Huh!" Luo Ran muttered as if he had just been pulled back to the land of the living. Something flashed in his eyes but he regained his composure quickly, "From the looks of it, seems like an abandoned place. It can be a good hideout for us."

A deep frown settled on Wei Lin Jiang's forehead. Luo Ran was an honest and upright man. He didn't seem like someone who would intrude and stay at a stranger's place. Lin Jiang couldn't stop himself from asking, "Do you really not know the owner of this house?"

"You ask too many questions, Xiaowei," Luo Ran replied placing his arm around his shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Let us go inside and see…"

"But…." Luo Ran didn't give him a chance to ask anything else. He dragged Xiao Wei to the front door. The wooden planks of the door had become damp and moldy. However, the latch seemed intact and a large brass lock kept it securely shut.

"How will we get inside. The door is locked," these words had barely left Lin Jiang's lips when Luo Ran kicked the door. The nails holding the latch came off and it landed on the ground with a clank. With another kick, the door swung open; creaking and cranking in protest.

A large cloud of dust rose and drifted in the air causing both of them to cough. Lin Jiang fanned the air in front of them as he spoke, "The air inside seems so stale… God knows how long this place has remained closed."

The dust slowly settled revealing a room layered in dust and cobwebs. Spiders of all shapes and sizes crawled freely over the walls, floors furniture; everywhere. Lin Jiang gasped and took a step back. His words dripped with a deep sense of horror as he spoke, "Can we live in such a place, Xian Shen?"

"Of course, we can!" Luo Ran patted his back and added, "We just need to clean it up a bit."

"A bit!?" Xiaowei broke into a cold sweat and gulped. "It would be better to just sleep on pavements that cleaning this daunting house."

"Don't be a coward, Xiaowei…" Luo Ran taunted. "How can you fight for justice if you are afraid to do a bit of cleaning?"

Conflicting emotions flitted on Lin Jiang's face. The frown on his forehead deepened and his fingers clenched into tight fists. His eyes darted from Luo Ran to the spiders and then back to Luo Ran again. He forced himself to smile and stated, "Who said I am afraid of cleaning? I am not scared of anything in the world…."

Lin Jiang paused for a moment before clearing his throat, "You are right, Xian Shen. We need to clean this place…." He paused for a long moment. Then, the smile on his lips widened and his eyes twinkled, "Since we both are going to live here, Let's divide the work between us."

"Alright, Let us…." Before Luo Ran could complete his sentence, Wei Lin Jiang grabbed an old broom and darted out of the house. Dusting the broom against the wall, he called out, "The courtyard is way larger than the house. You will get tired if you sweep such a large place, Xian Shen! So, let me do it…."

Luo Ran let out a dry laugh and shook his head. Lin Jiang was indeed crafty. He had managed to trick him time and again. He rolled up his sleeves, his eyes sweeping around the room. He was about to pick up a broom when a scream sounded from the courtyard.

He rushed outside to find Lin Jiang lying flat on the ground. His expression hardened and his eyes narrowed. Letting out a deep sigh, he spoke in a stern voice, "There is no use pretending to be sick, Xiaowei! I won't let you shirk your responsibilities even if you throw a million tantrums." With those words, Luo Ran went back into the house.

Lin Jiang groaned and raised his hand. A soft gasp escaped his lips, "Xian Shen…." But, the next moment, his hand dropped to his side and froth started bubbling out of his mouth….