Chapter 210 Paper Cranes

Sometimes, Su Chan wondered where her talent truly lay: the stealth arts; or the ability to feel puzzled in virtually any situation.

Yes. Any situation, like the one she was in right now.

Argh! This was all just so confusing! Even more so than the nuances of mortal-speak. At least corn-door (or condo) was somewhat related to a building—like, you know, a door. But this! None of this made sense! Why were the members of the Fox Zen School so eager to pick a fight with Master? Shouldn't they be welcoming Master's return with open arms? The most powerful member of the Fox Zen School had just returned to fight for the school; shouldn't she be treated like a hero or something?

But no! They did none of that! Instead, they had to treat Master like she was their mortal enemy!

What on earth was the matter with these people? Grr!

"That sword…" Ye-shibo whispered.

Dread coursed through Su Chan when Ye-shibo's chakram began to screech loudly. Su Chan barely had time to cover her ears before Master's sword materialized in the air and begun circling around them protectively. For a moment there, Su Chan's mind drifted to Yundong. Had the Fan of Seven Treasures acknowledged Yundong as its owner yet? How was Yundong doing?

"I can't believe he even gave you that sword!" Ye-shibo yelled. "So it's true after all! You were in cahoots with the Zhengyi School! No wonder Yan Fang from the Linggong Sect came here nine years ago with all these wild accusations! This was all your doing wasn't it, Ao Wushuang? You traitor!"

A surge of anger coursed through Su Chan. Master isn't a traitor! She's loyal, and kind, and loving, and— Ugh! Enough of this! Emboldened by her anger, Su Chan plucked up the courage to poke her head out from behind Master's arm.

"Master's not a traitor!" Su Chan yelled, grateful that her voice didn't sound like a squeak. "And please stop fighting!"

"Know your place, insolent child!" Ye-shibo snapped. "You have no right to speak here!"

"Chan'er..." Master said in a low, warning tone.

Su Chan glanced up at Master.

"It's okay. Stand down," Master said.

"Oh."

Su Chan hid herself behind Master's back. Master always made her feel safe.

"She's my disciple," Master said. "Of course she has the right to speak."

Ye-shibo laughed derisively. "The fact that she is your disciple is precisely why she has no right to speak here!"

Su Chan winced when the chakram's screeching grew even louder. She covered her ears and sneaked a peek from behind Master's arm again. The chakram was spinning rapidly in the air like some kind of giant metal wheel. It looked like it could slice through just about anything. Su Chan tightened her grip on Master's sleeve.

Master will be okay, right?

"Don't be afraid, Chan'er," said Master.

That voice had lulled Su Chan to sleep and allayed her fears more often than she could count.

"Mmm," Su Chan said softly, reveling in the calmness that Master's voice had instilled.

"Please stand down, shijie," said Master calmly. "None of this is necessary. We have more important things to worry about than settling old scores."

"I've had enough of your goody-goody attitude, Ao Wushuang," said Ye-shibo. "You think you can act all high and mighty just because you're more talented than everyone else? Well, guess what. I'm still your senior!"

"Then start acting like one," said Master coldly.

All hell broke loose right then: the spinning chakram hurtled towards Master.

Su Chan flinched and let out a squeak.

Master raised her right palm, and Bahuang surged upwards to intercept the chakram's path.

"Stand down, shijie," said Master with her palm still raised. "Final warning."

There was a dangerous edge to Master's tone, and Su Chan knew that tone very well: Master was angry.

Actually, no.

Master wasn't just angry; she was incensed.

The chakram suddenly backed away from them and retreated towards Ye-shibo. A split second later, Bahuang shot down from the air and hovered in front of Master's face once again.

What happened next was decidedly the most impressive feat of magical swordsmanship that Su Chan had ever witnessed: Bahuang began to double itself.

From a single sword, it became two swords, then four, then eight.

In just a matter of seconds, there were dozens of Bahuang replicas circling around them. When Master lowered her palm, the swords began shifting into some kind of formation.

It took Su Chan a while, but she eventually figured out the formation's shape.

It was a lotus throne.

"Looks like we're in agreement," Ye-shibo sneered. "Now it's time to settle our—"

"Why are we fighting each other when we're all sisters from the same school," a voice sounded.

Su Chan frowned. Why does that voice sound so familiar?

Su Chan looked up and saw a woman clad in a white robe slowly floating down from the ceiling. Draped over the woman's shoulders was a transparent veil, which billowed gently in her descent.

Su Chan couldn't help but stare in wonder at the woman.

W- Whoa… Am I seeing things? S- She... She looks just like a... a Bodhisattva!

By the time the woman landed on the floor, Su Chan had convinced herself that she wasn't seeing things. The woman did look like a Bodhisattva, albeit a youthful one (like a woman in her early twenties): long dark hair, bunched up at the top of her head, held together by a golden hairpin; the regal and saintly mien, which garnered respect and reverence;

The chakram stopped spinning and returned to Ye-shibo's hand.

"Shijie!" Ye-shibo greeted the woman with a nod.

Once Bahuang had returned to its normal state, Su Chan tugged Master's sleeve. "Master, is she another shibo?"

Master nodded and lowered Bahuang to her side. "Yes, she is. And her name is Mo Ahshi. She is the eldest among all your shibos."

There was a hint of reverence in Master's tone when she spoke of Mo-shibo. Perhaps there was someone in the Fox Zen School that Master held in high regard after all.

"B- But Mo-shibo looks like a Bodhisattva!" Su Chan blurted out.

"Shijie practices Vajra magic in her spare time," Master said. "That's why she looks like a Bodhisattva."

Su Chan thought she saw a flicker of admiration in Master's eyes when she looked at Mo-shibo.

"Oh."

A rustling sound came from above: four more beautiful women had just flown in from the top window and were now floating down towards them.

"Looks like everyone's here now," Master mumbled.

The four women landed beside Mo-shibo.

Su Chan shot Master a questioning glance, to which Master answered with a tight smile.

"Come, Chan'er. Allow me to properly introduce you to all your shibos." Master draped her arm over Su Chan's shoulders and then guided her towards the women. Su Chan clung tightly to Master's sleeve and resisted the urge to hide behind Master's back.

Those women looked a little intimidating.

"Now. In decreasing order of seniority...." Master directed Su Chan's gaze to Mo-shibo, the Bodhisattva lookalike. "First we have Mo Ahshi." Then, Master pointed at the pervy man who had been leering at Su Chan earlier. "Gu Feng." Master pointed to the rest of the women. "Next up, we have Zhuang Yating, Chang Sunhong, Liu Yuehong, Cao Yi, and finally... Ye Yu."

The sharpness in Master's voice when she mentioned Ye-shibo's name was unmistakable.

Su Chan bowed at her elders and then studied them one by one. While doing so, Su Chan memorized their names and faces, then ranked them in the order of seniority: one, Mo Ahshi; two, Gu Feng; three, Zhuang Yating; four, Chang Sunhong; five, Liu Yuehong; six, Cao Yi; and seven, Ye Yu.

Hmm… Master called Ye-shibo her shijie just now, which means that Master is the youngest.

Yet Master was the most powerful among them.

That thought filled Su Chan's heart with a sense of pride.

An awkward silence spread across the hall. Su Chan could feel the elders' eyes on her, sizing her up. Eventually, Su Chan felt her own gaze drifting towards Mo-shibo.

A Bodhisattva! Awesome....!

Su Chan nearly squeaked when Mo-shibo smiled back at her. Mo-shibo's face looked kind and gentle. A Bodhisattva!!!!

A second later, Mo-shibo turned away from Su Chan; she was looking at Master now.

"Welcome home, shimei," Mo-shibo said to Master.

Su Chan studied Master's reaction from the corner of her eyes. Master raised a palm, holding it in front of her chest—a Buddhist form of greeting. Then, Master tilted her head forward slightly. Su Chan did a double take.

Master never bowed to anyone, not even to Grandmaster Liu Ye!

"Greetings, Mo-shijie," said Master. "Have you been well?"

"Indeed I have been well," Mo-shibo said. "I'm just so glad that you've decided to return, shimei."

"Ye Yu." Mo-Shibo glanced over at Ye-shibo. "The school is under threat. Can't you put your differences aside for now? You're doing the enemy a favor by starting a fight amongst ourselves."

Ye-shibo shot Master a quick glare. "So it's all my fault, and she's completely without blame." Ye-shibo snorted. "Wow. Just... Wow." Ye-shibo turned around and stormed off.

Mo-shibo shook her head and looked towards Master again.

"It seems like your powers have grown over the past ten years, shimei," Mo-shibo said. "I'm impressed."

Mo-shibo was smiling at Master now.

The corners of Master's lips pulled into a smile, though the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Su Chan wondered why.

"Not at all, shijie," said Master. "My power level is about the same as it was ten years ago." Master paused for a moment as though she was studying Mo-shibo. "You on the other hand seemed to have improved substantially, shijie."

Su Chan was so puzzled.

How on earth could Master tell whether or not someone's power levels had increased?

Maybe it was a master Cultivator thing.

Mo-shibo sighed gently, then smiled. "I'm sure my powers are nothing compared to yours." Mo-shibo turned to address everyone gathered at the hall, including those annoying women who attacked them earlier. "You're all dismissed. Go back to your quarters."

As feet began to shuffle and whispers arose, Mo-shibo gave Master a nod, then said, "You two should come with me."

Master was clearly familiar with the place as she just kept walking straight without turning her head at all. Su Chan barely had time to indulge her curiosity before they had to turn around corners or pass through hallways.

Maybe she could sneak out and explore the place on her own later. If Master would let her, that is.

Eventually, they arrived in front of a large, old-fashioned wooden door.

"Go right in," Mo-shibo said. "Head Liu is waiting for you inside."

Then, with two parting nods, Mo-shibo turned around and left.

Grandmaster Liu was smoking his pipe when they stepped into the room.

Grandmaster Liu looked as though he'd been anticipating their arrival, which didn't surprised Su Chan at all—he wasn't known as the Great Seer for nothing.

Grandmaster Liu gestured at the square table with his pipe. "Have a seat," he said.

Su Chan followed Master towards the square table, then waited for Master to take a seat first before taking the seat beside Master's. The square table looked similar to the one Master had back at the corn-door building.

"With all due respect, Head Liu," Master said coldly. "The standards of the Fox Zen School have been substantially reduced under your leadership."

Su Chan stole a glance at Master. There was a look of pure distaste on Master's beautiful face.

"Just look at our outer disciples, for Heavens' sake! Acting like a bunch of vulgar brutes." Master shook her head and lowered her voice to a low mumble. "It's like there's no proper code of conduct at all in this godforsaken place."

Grandmaster Liu chuckled. "A reasonable complaint, no doubt," he said. "But you haven't been back here for a decade, Wushuang. So you can't possibly know the state of affairs here." Grandmaster Liu sighed. "Right now, I'm the Head of the Fox Zen School in name only. Your shijie, Mo Ahshi is the one who's been handling the school affairs. Take it up to her if you have any complaints."

An awkward silence permeated the room as Grandmaster Liu busied himself with his pipe. Su Chan kept sneaking glances at Master, but every time she did, Master appeared to be staring at the same spot on the table. And judging from the scowl on Master's face, she didn't look too happy with the conversation. If there even was a conversation going on.

Su Chan was so confused. Why were they even here? Was there some kind of secret conversation going on that Su Chan didn't know about?

Eventually, Su Chan decided to stop puzzling over whether or not there was a conversation going on and instead began to occupy herself with studying the billows of smoke emerging from Grandmaster Liu's pipe.

Thick, white, fluffy puffs of smoke... Like clouds...

Clouds. The Yun in Yundong's name means cloud and the Dong means east.

Yundong... The eastern cloud. The cloud from the east… Hehehe...

"Where are my quarters?"

Master's sharp voice ended Su Chan's reverie.

Grandmaster Liu pointed to his right with his pipe. "Down this hallway. Twenty meters from this room."

Master had stood up so quietly that Su Chan didn't even notice her movements until she was already at the door. Su Chan stood up, gave Grandmaster Liu a bow, and then hurried after Master.

Minutes later, they walked into their quarters, which came with two rooms. The place was about the same size as Master's apartment at the corn-door, but this one was better furnished.

"Which room do you prefer?" Master asked. "Left or right?"

Su Chan studied the two rooms. Hmm... Which one is better?

Seconds later, Su Chan came to a decision. Hehehe...

"I want the one on the left!"

Master raised a brow and studied Su Chan's face. A moment later, Master chuckled, then reached out to pinch her cheek. "You picked that one because it's closer to the door, so that it's easier for you to sneak out."

Su Chan's face fell. Then, she gave Master a pouty look. Hmph! Master is always so smart.

Su Chan stole a glance at Master, who was still smiling at her. Hehe… At least I managed to put Master in a better mood! Su Chan would take that as a win even if Master prohibited her from sneaking out.

"Fine. You can have the one on the left."

Su Chan stared at Master blankly. "R- Really?"

Master didn't look angry at all, just amused. "Mm-hmm."

"Yayyy!!!"

"Settle down, Chan'er," Master said, already moving towards a corner of the room.

Master pulled out a cushion from under the couch. After that, she sat on the cushion and began to meditate.

In other words, Su Chan was being totally ignored.

Su Chan sighed and turned away from Master.

Great. Now what am I supposed to do...

After poking around their living quarters for a while, Su Chan sat down on one of the stools beside the square table. Master hadn't moved from her meditative posture ever since she sat down to meditate half an hour ago. Su Chan got up from the stool and went into one of the two bedrooms.

The bedroom took the definition of spartan to a whole new level. Other than a simple red sandalwood bed, a square table (another one!), and a few stools, there was nothing else.

Su Chan walked out of the bedroom with her head hung low, then trudged towards the square table beside the living area. She sat down with her elbows planted on the square table and held her chin in her palms. I'm so bored…

Was there anything for her to do here?

How about sitting down and practicing some Qi control, said a voice inside her head. The voice sounded suspiciously like Master. Su Chan glanced around the living room again. There weren't TV boxes lying around, which meant no soap shows. She didn't see one of those mini TV boxes (with tiny buttons) either, which meant she couldn't use the Net. The invisible ones, not the ones used to catch fish.

And worst: No food!

There was nothing to eat!

She wished Yundong were here.

Eventually, her thoughts about Yundong made her unbearably sad, so she rose from the stool and decided to sneak out. Maybe she could explore the school, or find something to eat. Anything to distract her mind from Yundong. Would Master be mad if I sneak out? Su Chan stopped walking and stole a glance at Master.

Master was still meditating peacefully. Phew.

Master did give Su Chan the bedroom on the left just now, so maybe Master was okay with Su Chan sneaking out?

Maybe I should just ask.

However, the peaceful look on Master's beautiful face prevented Su Chan from opening her mouth. She should just go and give Master a moment of peace. If Master asked her later where she'd run off to, she could just tell Master that she had gone out to look for food. Please. As if a responsible pupil like Su Chan would ever allow her beloved master to go without food.

Besides, Master probably wouldn't want Su Chan to starve either.

Su Chan tiptoed towards the door.

"Going somewhere, Chan'er?"

Su Chan gasped and turned around. How did she—

Master's eyes weren't even open!

Su Chan shuffled back towards Master. "Can I explore the school grounds a bit?"

"Sure..." Master said without opening her eyes. "If you're not afraid to be bullied by everyone, that is."

"Hehehe... Nobody would dare bully me because I'm under the protection of my great master!"

Master's eyes remained close, Su Chan could see a ghost of a smile on Master's lips. Master looked so beautiful when she smiled, even though her smile was barely noticeable at times.

"Tsk. Look at you, trying to butter me up," Master said in a tone of amusement.

"Hehehe…"

The corners of Master's lips twitched. "Go ahead then."

"Yay!"

Su Chan practically bounded towards the exit.

"Chan'er?"

Master's voice made her pause at the door.

"Master?"

"Don't go around causing trouble," Master said sternly. "I don't want any mischief, am I clear?"

Su Chan raised three fingers and placed them beside her cheek. "Yes, Ma'am!"

***

Su Chan skipped down the hallway with an extra bounce in her steps. She knew she shouldn't be feeling this happy considering the circumstances, but she just couldn't help it. Master had literally given her permission to poke around the school! Provided, of course, that she didn't cause any trouble.

Heh! Of course I won't cause any trouble...

Su Chan could already picture the eye roll Yundong would give her if he were here.

Meanie.

Su Chan came to a halt outside Grandmaster Liu's door, which was slightly ajar. Strange... Didn't I close it when I leave just now? Someone else had to have entered or left the room after Su Chan left with Master. Maybe Grandmaster Liu forgot to close if after he left?

Su Chan sidled up to the door and slowly poke her head through the gap. Grandmaster Liu was still sitting at his desk, smoking his pipe.

Ooh… Interesting.

That wasn't Grandmaster Liu's usual pipe. It was a different contraption, one that came with a flexible tube attached to some kind of strange chamber. And those heavy fumes didn't smell like smoke at all; they actually smelled kind of nice, like perfume.

"It's called a hookah."

Su Chan jumped slightly at Grandmaster Liu's voice. When she tore her eyes away from that hookah thingy, she realized that Grandmaster Liu wasn't even looking at her!

Su Chan stood stiffly at the doorway, wondering if she should make a run for it. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. No mischief, remember? No mischief!

Seconds later, Grandmaster Liu laughed. "You might as well come inside, little one."

Su Chan smiled sheepishly and shuffled into the room.

Grandmaster Liu tapped his finger on the top part of the chamber. "You basically burn tobacco, cannabis, or opium inside this chamber," he said. "There's also a water jar at the bottom. So when someone sucks on the pipe, the fumes will travel down and mix with the water." Grandmaster Liu sucked on the pipe as though to demonstrate how the device worked. More fumes filled the room when he blew out.

Su Chan stared at the chamber.

"The fumes are scented, of course," Grandmaster Liu said.

So essentially, it was kind of like inhaling perfume while smoking? Sort of.

I wonder how it tastes like—

Ooh! Paper cranes!!

Su Chan moved towards Grandmaster Liu's table, where the crane sat idly. Sooooo cuuuute!

One of these cuties had flown into their room at the corn-door days ago. Su Chan assumed that it was sent by Zi Yuan, since Master told her that Yundong had passed the Zhuji phase after she read the note.

But now that she thought about it, Grandmaster Liu could've sent it too. He was the Great Seer after all. Maybe his gifts of foresight had allowed him to predict Yundong's success. Would he be able to predict whether Yundong would survive his divine punishment as well?

Su Chan reached out to touch the crane on the table, but then stopped short when she remembered the no-mischief promise she made to Master earlier.

Grandmaster Liu chuckled beside her. "You're a curious little thing, aren't you?"

Su Chan withdrew her hand from the crane. "Hehehe..."

Grandmaster Liu flipped over his palm. The crane fluttered its wings and flew up from the table top before landing in his palm.

"Here." Grandmaster Liu extended his hand towards Su Chan. "It's yours."

"Really?!" Su Chan would be doing cartwheels right now if she were alone in the room.

"Of course," Grandmaster Liu said with a smile.

Su Chan took the cute crane with both hands, careful not to crumple it. "But... How do I use it?" She looked up at Grandmaster Liu. "Does it... Does it go wherever I tell it to go?"

"Yes."

Yessss!!! Now she finally had a way to send a message to Yundong!

But wait... What if...

Su Chan shot Grandmaster Liu a wary look.

"Can I really have this?" Su Chan held the crane closer to her chest. This wasn't one of Master's tricks was it? Was this an illusion to test Su Chan's obedience?

Would Grandmaster Liu report it back to Master after this?

Grandmaster Liu laughed. "Of course, dear child." Then, he smiled at her. "Nobody else has to know."

Joy coursed through Su Chan. Yayy!!!

She beamed at Grandmaster Liu. "Thank you, Grandmaster! You're a kind man!"

Grandmaster Liu chuckled again. "Off you go now, child." He gave her a meaningful look. "I'm sure you have lots of things to write about."

"Mmm!" Su Chan turned around and rushed out of the room.

***

By some miracle, Su Chan managed to smuggle the crane into her bedroom without Master noticing. Granted, Master was probably still in a deep meditative state when Su Chan entered their quarters, so maybe Su Chan shouldn't feel too smug about it.

Su Chan tiptoed towards the little square table in her bedroom and set the crane down. The crane waddled back and forth on the table like a duck, then rotated its head around as though its neck was sore. Finally, it flapped its wings a few times.

"Aww... I didn't mean to hurt you just now..." Su Chan patted the crane's head. "I had to cover you up in case Master saw you..."

The crane waddled away from her hand. Is it ignoring me?

Well. That couldn't be good.

Su Chan rested her elbows on the table, wondering about the best way to use the crane. Back at the corn-door building, the crane Master received had unfolded itself into a note. Su Chan stared at the crane on the table. Could this one do the same? Or was this one a different kind? Hmm... It certainly looked different from the one Master received at the corn-door. This one looked bigger and more sophisticated.

"Here, birdie, birdie... Here, birdie, birdie..." Su Chan clicked her tongue a few times. "Unfold..."

The crane stopped in its movements and engaged Su Chan in a staring match.

Su Chan waited with bated breath for the crane to unfold itself so that she could write her message. It would work, right? Grandmaster Liu said I could give it orders and—

The crane returned to its waddling.

Gah!!! How am I gonna write a message on it if I can't even get it to unfold!!

"Paper!" Su Chan pointed a finger at the crane.

"Transform! Letter! Write! Change!"

Su Chan tugged the ends of her hair. None of those keywords had worked.

Su Chan groaned into her palms. She wished she had her phone. As useful as these paper cranes were, they still weren't as effective as those clever boxes that the mortals had invented.

Those phone boxes really did come in handy (when they weren't being rude by ignoring her, of course)! Like, they could even send voices and sounds over large distances without even having to move from their spot! It was like a spell!

Such a clever bunch, these mortals. Cultivators should take a page out of their books and come up with spells that do the same thing.

Su Chan lowered her palms from her face.

The crane was still waddling about.

Waddle, waddle, waddle. Why did they even fold you into the shape of a crane in the first place? You should become a duck!

"Unfold!" Su Chan waited for a few seconds.

Still nothing.

Argh! Whatever. I'll just write a short message on its body and tell it where to go...

Su Chan sneaked out of the bedroom and poked around the living room for a while until she found a ballpoint pen. After that, she tiptoed back into her bedroom.

Back at the table, Su Chan picked up Waddly Birdie from the table and tried to write something on one of its wings—the only surface large enough to write on.

"Tsk! Hold still!"

The crane kept fluttering its wing and pushing the tip of the pen away.

Su Chan sighed. "Stop moving around!" she hissed at the crane.

The crane flapped its wings harshly.

Su Chan forced herself to take a deep breath. "Just let me write a few words, okay? Pleeease? Pretty please, please?"

The crane kept struggling.

"I'll be reeeeally gentle," Su Chan coaxed. "I promise."

The fluttering of wings slowed down.

"Good birdie... Good birdie... Hey—"

The crane flew out of Su Chan's hand.

"No, no, no! Don't run away..." Su Chan pleaded.

Seconds later, she managed to secure the crane between her fingers. Phew. That was close.

Hey... Wait a minute...

Su Chan suddenly gasped and smacked her own forehead Ugh! You idiot, Chan'er!

Why did she have to write on the crane itself? Why not just write the message on another piece of paper and then attach it onto the crane somehow!

But... Hmm…

Su Chan glanced at the struggling crane. Will the note fall off?

Su Chan brought the crane closer to her face. "You don't like it when people write stuff on your wings, huh, birdie?"

Then, the most amazing thing happened. The crane shook its head!

Hey... It can actually understand me!

Su Chan giggled. "Hehe... Sorry, sorry... I didn't know just now." Su Chan eased the pressure of her fingers on the crane's body. "I'm gonna let you go, but will you promise me not to fly away?"

The crane nodded.

Yayy!!!

Su Chan sneaked out of her bedroom again, this time to look for a piece of paper. Once she returned to the table, she scribbled a quick note and then folded the paper into a small square.

Su Chan poked the crane's head with her finger. "Will you be able to deliver this note for me?"

The crane nodded.

Su Chan's heart leaped in joy. But wait... What if it rained and the note got wet?

Argh! This is such a paaaaainnnn.

She should just ask Master for her phone back...

Su Chan sighed and tapped the crane's head again. "Hey, hey, hey... Will you be able to protect this note from the rain?"

The crane stared back at Su Chan for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Really, really, really?"

The crane nodded again.

Yes!!! Su Chan did a fist pump. "Good birdie, good birdie..."

Suddenly, Su Chan narrowed her eyes at the crane. "You better not be lying to me..."

The crane shook its head quickly.

Su Chan narrowed her eyes even further. "And you won't lose the note?"

Another head shake.

"You promise?"

This time a quick nod.

Su Chan grinned. "Good birdie... Good birdie... Hehe..." Su Chan placed the little square of paper on the table and slid it towards the crane. "Here you go... Bring this note to my beloved Li Yundong."

The crane stared at the paper for a moment. Suddenly, it began to glance around as though it was confused.

Su Chan's face fell. "Hey... What are you waiting for? Go ahead. Deliver my message. Do your duty!"

The crane looked up from the table and shook its head desperately.

Su Chan scowled. "Are you refusing me request?"

The crane shook its head and flapped its wings a few times.

Su Chan huffed out in frustration. "Then what?"

The crane waddled around in a circle, then flapped its wings again.

Su Chan smacked her forehead. You idiot, Chan'er! The birdie probably needed Yundong's address!

"Hehehe..." Su Chan smiled sheepishly at the crane. "Sorry, sorry." Su Chan lowered her face to the table. The crane waddled a few steps away as though it was afraid of her. "Shh... Don't be scared, birdie." Su Chan poked the crane's head with her finger. "Apartment 20A, New Hongsheng District. Now go."

There was a loud rustle, and the crane took off from the table and flew out of the window speedily.

Ahh... Finally. A message to her beloved Yundong.

She wondered what his face would look like when he saw her note...

Would he cry? Would he smile? What would his reply be?

That was when she saw something that shattered her fantasies: lying on the table was that piece of square paper that contained her message.

The stupid birdie had forgotten to take it. Or rather, the stupid cheap monk Chan'er had forgotten to attach the paper to the birdie.

Su Chan darted towards the window and leaned against the sill. "Hey!! Idiot! Come back!!! You forgot the paper!!"

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Chan'er? What's with all that yelling? What are you up to in there?"

"N- Nothing! Master! It's nothing! I was just… just talking to myself!"

"I'm gonna head out for a bit to get us some food," Master said. "Do you want anything in particular?"

"No! Anything will do! Thanks Master!"

"Okay."

Seconds later, she heard the front door close. She sighed and threw herself onto the bed.

"Argh! You idiot, Chan'er!" she screamed into a pillow.

What was the point of sending a paper crane if it didn't even carry a message? Would Yundong even know that she was the one who sent the crane? It wasn't like the crane could speak.

Su Chan wanted to cry.

Gah!!! Idiot, idiot, idiot! She rolled back and forth on the bed, then smacked her own face with the pillow.

Seconds later, Su Chan lowered the pillow from her face. "M- Maybe Yundong would put two and two together and guess that I'm the one who sent the crane?"

Yep. He would.

He definitely would.

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