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 Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:25 pm
It was market day in the city, and in a city that size it was inevitable that market day become something of an even. In the lives of many, of the common folk who populated the outer neighborhoods and kept the community running, this was a day to catch up on the lives outside of your home and your profession: To gossip with the vendors, whom you probably won't see again until the same time next fortnight, and to plant yourself stubbornly in the street until that charlatan gives you either a refund or something that worked. For those whose lives were largely hard if honest work, the day spent at the market was almost like a festival.
The atmosphere was appropriately energetic, tongues were wagging in a dozen different dialects, and Xiaolan was rapidly discovering that going to the market alone was a very different thing from going to the market with a quick, light-footed, light-fingered, easily-distracted young woman (or so) who had recently been a fragrant lotus.
As he balanced his pack on his left shoulder and caught hold of Qui Yue's shoulder with his right hand, guiding her away from the crowded stall of shiny trinkets, Xiaolan could not help the thought that came to him, there amidst the bargaining people and their brightly-colored advertising banners:
'This is much, much easier alone,'
"Gege, what's that?" asked Qui Yue, tugging against Xiaolan's hold and doing her best to move towards - horror of horrors - a sturdy wooden stand displaying a number of polished-metal mirrors. Some of them, noted Xiaolan, were actually made of glass rather than the preferred silver or steel, and the idea of having to pay for that made Xiaolan shake his head and steer the young once-lotus back into the main river of folk, and out of arm's-reach of possibly breakable things.
If Qui Yue managed to 'find' anything else, Xiaolan would either go broke making reparations or have to defend himself from a shopkeep defending his wares.
"On the way back, Qui Yue," reminded Xiaolan, for what felt like the tenth time and was actually the twenty-third. "We must Zhang Lao Shi first, and deliver his herbs, and then we can browse to your heart's content."
"Oh, I doubt that," was Qui Yue's perky rebuttal, although she did cease to drift away, allowing Xiaolan to release her shoulder and re-balance his pack.
"But I appreciate the idea, gege."
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:53 pm
"This is interesting," The bright eyed foreigner noted, pulling the soft material over her shoulders a bit tighter as she daintily leaned over to inspect several jade trinkets on display. Lily hadn't come to the market for anything in particular, but market day, she thought was a decent enough reason to get out and explore another aspect of the strange culture.
"This one-- Feng?" She paused, standing up straight, crystal eyes searching the crowd frantically for the redheaded little bundle of energy. she swore under her breath before the merchant started rambling to her about buying the trinket in her hands.
She was quickly alerted to her charge's presence, Jin Feng's mischievous laugh ringing through the air as he ran through the crowd, an angry vendor trying to stay on his tail. Jin Feng was a social, bright child, but unfortunately, a phrase like "Stay away from my stuff" Was taken as a personal challenge.
"'Scuse me!" He shouted, weaving and dodging and slipping around various shoppers in the crowd before popping up behind a green haired girl and a man he assumed was her father. "Hi!" He shouted with a grin displaying his sharp canines. "Nice hair."
He was about to bolt away when he saw the angry vendor pushing through, but stopped, shoulders relaxing when his 'mother' moved in front of the man, the Englishwoman desperately trying to calm him down and pay for his troubles.
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