Huichen

Chapter 3: people don't like to change

All the men were talking about the killing and what woman they'd done as they trudged back up the mountain, the chatter loud all around, only Li Haoli and Hui were silent all the way back. Li Haoli didn't even bother harassing any of the new kids by scaring them out of their wits with a wip, or cutting off a hand or two, but just dragged Hui and himself back to his tent, took a quick bath and curled up in bed, Hui still stuck tight in his grasp through it all, his nose buried in her hair.

Hui finally got tired of being treated like an emotional support stuffy and forced her body out of his brace, sitting up and turning around, before she finally kissed his nose and forehead, soothing his hair back. "It's okay, it's alright, big bro." She smiled at him. "Cause I"m here, big bro, you don't need to be sad!" What was she doing? Was she an idiot? Did she think this would save her? But what if with his emotions like this, he strangled her in his sleep because he couldn't deal with his own guilt? He'd almost slit her neck earlier, after licking the blade, she had no doubts that he would try for it again, once she was fast asleep in his embrace. Afterall, if she was asleep, she couldn't talk back; couldn't convince him not to do it.

Words. They had always been her most trusty weapon. She had no strength in her previous life, and her only way to combat those greater than her was through words. But words could only get you so far. She knew that. She didn't want to have to repeat her dependency on such a flimsy weapon in this life as well. But she was still too weak. The man in front of her was in the early stage of foundation building, and she was nowhere near his match.

Li Haoli eventually fell asleep, and only when his breathing became even again, and very loud, did she follow suit. The next morning, he was normal, as if yesterday hadn't happened. This was good, Hui decided she wouldn't try to reform the guy again, a murderer is a murderer, a rapist is a rapist. let's just let them go to the executioner's blade.

After Hui left the tent, Li Haoli was left behind, rather than finishing getting ready. however, he instead sat down on his bed again, holding his head in his hands. Whispering into his palms: "What am I thinking, what am I thinking?" He looked up, his eyes flashing red. "Should i just get rid of her?" He shook his head. No, no, was his mentality so weak, he had to get rid of something just because it was making him uncomfortable? There was no way a little child could affect him in the first place. If he couldn't change himself in the past, there was no way anyone would be able to change him now. His familiar smile once more took over his face, and as Hui came in, dragging the warm bucket of water into his room, he 'accidently' knocked it over, scratching her skin with it. "Oh no! Hui! I need a new one!" Hui hid her deadpan expression. She knew if she got a new one, it would just repeat itself over and over again, so she just smiled up at him and said, "It's okay, Big Bro! Only, I only heated up just this, so I'll need to go fetch some more water and heat it up again so it'll be a bit!"

Li Haoli smiled, this little child was too clever. Suddenly he didn't feel like bullying her, and instead scooped her up, enjoying the surprise on her face. "Really? Then shall we go see?" He didn't understand the panicked expression on her face until he ended up actually finding a huge bowl of water preheated for him over the fire. He glared down at the little girl. "Hui!" She immediately avoided his gaze. "I was preserving water…"

Li Haoli was having none of it. "Today, little one, I will give you the honor of being my meal!" He lifted her up, carrying her over to the heated pot. Hui immediately scrambled for something to do, before she made an extremely sad expression. And leapt out of his arms, toward the pan.

And so they found themselves with Li Haoli holding her up barely out of the reach of the boiling water, Hui staring at him in confusion, and he also staring in confusion, although whether it was at his actions just now, or hui's no one could tell.

Hui recovered first, smiling widely. Her bets so far had always paid off. "Yay! Thank you big bro for saving me!"

She tried to hug him, but he dropped her onto the ground. "Just go. Get me my breakfast, since this big bro has decided not to eat you, he's become very hungry."

"Yes! Big Bro is always nice!"

She rushed off to the food line.

"Nice?" commented Li Haoli behind her. "Indeed, deciding not to cook someone is quite nice, isn't it?" He smiled humorously and headed over to sit by the other two captains.

"Leader Yunseng!" He greeted the larger captain, smiling widely, before plopping himself down by the shriveled one, stretching his arms, before wrapping them around the older man. "What a great night yesterday was, eh, Leader Sungwu?" Both leader Sungwu and Yunseng ignored him. Li Haoli sighed. "Really, guys, you are so boring, and yet you wonder why I carry around a kid to play with me all day!" 

Leader Sungwu elbowed him in the side, causing him to have to scoot away a little ways. "Playing with children suits you well, Leader Li."

Li Haoli sighed again, standing up to walk over to Leader Yunseng, before promptly plopping himself down in his lap. Leader Yunseng's poker face almost showed shock, before he hid it again, spitting out words that held threats of death in them. "Get off."

Li Haoli ignored him, as Hui returned with his food. "Hui! Come over here, Big bro wants to show you someone!" Hui smiled at him, immediately trotting over excitedly.

"Who?" She asked, handing him his bowl. But instead of taking the bowl, Li Haoli simply picked her up and plopped her on his lap, which was on Leader Yunseng's lap. Yunseng's glare got deeper. Li Haoli ignored it.

"This is Leader Yunseng," He introduced the man on whose lap they had both made themselves at home, "He likes kids, like me."