STORMS OF FAITH

Mei and Xiao are walking to their classroom. "Sister Xiao, can I not go to school today?" Mei asks, looking like a child who's been forced to attend.

"No," Xiao responds curtly.

"Ahh, can't you just teach me instead? Mo Yuming said the teachers just repeat the same topics, so I'm sure you've already mastered it, sister," Mei says, but Xiao ignores her.

Mei pouts and scratches her head. They stop in front of the door when they bump into Bai Jing.

"Good morning, Xiao and Lady Feng Mei'yin," Bai Jing greets, but Xiao walks past him without acknowledging him.

Mei looks stunned by Xiao's reaction and glances at Jing, who seems hurt as he watches Xiao. Mei is about to say something when someone puts an arm around her shoulders.

"You're so early, Mei. You're really diligent!" Mo Yuming says, but Mei quickly shrugs off her arm.

"Oh, good morning, Bai Yujing," Yuming greets Jing, who responds politely before heading to his seat.

Yuming looks at Mei, who seems lost in thought. "You're thinking deeply, are you going to become a genius?" she teases.

Mei turns to her. "I don't understand something," she says.

Yuming chuckles. "You never understand anything."

Mei taps Yuming's arm hard, and Yuming retaliates, like they're kids fighting.

"Move aside!" a cold, authoritative voice commands. Mei shivers, recognizing the voice, and slowly turns around.

"Y-yuxi?" she stammers.

"Ah, Yuxi, you're back, and you're already being bossy!" Yuming complains, but Yuxi ignores her and walks past them into the classroom.

Yuming rolls her eyes. "He's so mean, right?" she asks Mei, referring to Yuxi.

"Who told you it's okay to stand by the door and chat?" Yijun asks sarcastically before entering the classroom, winking at Yuming.

~~~~~

The sun has set, so the siblings gather to eat together at the dining table. While Ling is serving food to Mei, Mei suddenly speaks up.

"Ah... ah... Sister Xiao, I want to ask you something, please don't get angry," Mei says.

Xiao turns to her. "What is it?"

"Uhm... ahh... about..." Mei is nervous about asking her question, so she stammers.

"Are you sick?!" Yang asks sarcastically, irritated by Mei's stuttering. Mei ignores Yang and continues to ask her question.

"Is there a problem between you and Big Brother Jing?" Mei asks.

Xiao pauses eating for a moment. "Why did you ask that?"

"I-I just noticed," Mei says in a barely audible voice.

Xiao doesn't answer, so Ling responds instead. "It started when Cheng hurt you, and Sister Xiao began avoiding Brother Yujing."

"Whoa, that long? Why? Is it because of me?" Mei asks worriedly.

Ling nods. "As long as Cheng doesn't apologize, Sister Xiao won't talk to him."

"Sister Xiao, it's been a long time. I'm already healed, I don't have any wounds anymore," Mei says.

"Even so," Xiao replies.

"Sister Xiao, please talk to him. It's sad to see you like this," Mei pleads.

"Someone like Chengxing will never apologize, even if he's the one at fault," Yang chimes in.

"Don't make Brother Yujing suffer anymore. It's hard to force Chengxing," Ling adds.

Mei nods, and Xiao says, "Okay, I'll talk to him."

Xiao stepped out of the dining hall, her thoughts consumed by the conversation she'd just had with her siblings. Her mind wandered to Jing, and she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been building up inside her. As she turned a corner, she spotted him standing by the pathway, lost in thought as he gazed out at the moonlit garden. The soft glow of the moon cast a serene ambiance, and for a moment, Xiao's heart swelled with emotion.

"Jing," she called out softly, not wanting to startle him.

Jing turned around, a hint of surprise on his face, followed by a gentle smile as he met her gaze. "Xiao," he whispered, his voice low and soothing.

Xiao's heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight of him. "The moon looks beautiful tonight, doesn't it?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper, trying to sound casual despite the turmoil of emotions inside her.

Jing's eyes locked onto hers, filled with a deep understanding and affection.

Xiao's resolve strengthened as she took a step closer to him. "I don't want our disagreement to drag on any longer, especially not with your brother," she said, her voice laced with sincerity. "That's why I'm here, to talk to you and say that maybe it's not necessary to push Chengxing to apologize to my sister anymore. Mei is fine now, so I don't have any reason to avoid you."

Jing nodded understandingly, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions—relief, gratitude, and love. His gaze softened, and he took a step closer to her. "Thank you, Xiao. I've always cared about you, Xiao. You're the one person who truly understands me and loves me for who I am," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it. Just don't avoid me."

Xiao's heart swelled at his words, and she felt a lump form in her throat. She opened her arms, offering a gentle hug, and Jing wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. The warmth of his body and the tenderness of his touch sent shivers down her spine.

"Thank you, really, Xiao," Jing whispered, his voice muffled against her shoulder.

Xiao smiled sweetly, her heart full of emotion, and hugged him back, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. In that moment, she knew that they would face whatever came next together, hand in hand.

~~~~~~~~

Everyone was busy drawing things that mattered to them, but Mei was struggling to come up with an idea. She gazed blankly around the room, thinking, "Everything is important to me. How can I possibly draw all of it?"

Yuming, who had just finished her work, stretched and glanced at Yuxi's drawing. "Mine's way better!" she exclaimed, trying to get a reaction from him. Yuxi ignored her, but Yuming's eyes landed on Mei's blank paper, and she chuckled softly.

Yuxi caught her eye and shot her a stern look. "I'm not laughing at you!" Yuming defended herself, her voice rising slightly.

Yang, Mei's brother, turned around, his brow furrowed in concern. "Are you guys making fun of my sister?" he asked.

Yuming shrugged nonchalantly. "Just kidding!" she said with a laugh, trying to diffuse the tension.

Bai Linyan, sitting nearby, suggested, "Maybe you could help Mei, Yuming?"

Yuming rolled her eyes. "I finished mine already, so I'm good. Why don't you help her instead?" Her tone was sharp.

Linyan's face reddened. "What kind of friend are you?" she snapped, her voice rising.

Yuming snapped back, "A smart one! I'd help anyone if I could, but the teacher said no cheating. Are you even listening, Bai Linyan?"

The argument escalated, drawing attention from nearby students. Yuxi intervened, his calm voice a contrast to the tension. "Calm down, Yuming. Linyan, that's enough."

Yang added, "Please don't involve my sister in your argument."

The teacher approached, curious about the commotion. "What's going on, Yuxi?" she asked.

Yuxi stood up, composed and serious. "We're done with our work. Can we leave now?" The teacher nodded, and Yuxi quickly stood up, pulling Yuming along with him.

Mei watched them leave, puzzled. "Are they in a bad mood or something?" she wondered, glancing behind her brother's seat.

Yuxi dragged Yuming to the riverbank to take a breather.

"If you hadn't stopped me, I would've definitely smashed her face in," Yuming said with irritation.

"You shouldn't have paid attention to her." Yuxi advised.

Yuming retorted, "Why not?! We weren't even talking to her, and she just burst out like that... Ugh, she's really annoying!"

Yuxi handed Yuming a flower he'd picked by the river. Yuming took it, and Yuxi said, "Sorry you're getting caught up in the misunderstanding of our families."

" It's okay, it's not your fault" Yuming said. He smiled briefly at her. "You're really ugly." Yuming teased, Yuxi ignored her.

Yuming picked up her sword and invited, "Come on, Yuxi, let's spar!"

Yuxi declined, "I'm going to rest. Why don't you go challenge the wild beasts in the forest?" He left her standing there.

Yuming shouted after him, "Hey! Let's eat first!"

~~~

The Feng siblings and Xiao's fiance were at the dining hall, and Qin Yijun, who was standing and looking for a seat. "Qin Yijun! Come join us!" Xiao called out.

"Don't you have anyone with you?" Jing asked as Yijun approached.

"Yuxi and Yuming went somewhere and haven't come back yet, so I'm alone," Yijun replied and sat down.

Mei had been staring at Ling, who kept avoiding Yijun's gaze, and Yang noticed it and nudged Mei. "What are you doing?! Eat already!" Yang said.

"That hurts, ah!" Mei complained, rubbing her arm.

"What's going on with you two? Stop it," Xiao intervened.

"It's because of you, brother yang!" Mei said.

"You're always staring at sister Ling and then at Qin Yijun," Yang retorted, making Yijun suddenly face Ling, who just took a bite of food.

"Why? Is something wrong? I just wanted to ask Brother Yijun something," Mei said.

"What is it, Lady Mei'yin?" Yijun asked.

"Do you have feelings for my sister?" Mei asked bluntly, making Ling stop eating and stare at Yijun in surprise.

Yang quickly fed Mei to shut her up. "You never know when to stop talking!" Yang said.

"Mei, that's not a good joke," Ling said.

"I'm not joking," Mei replied, still chewing.

"Just eat, Mei, and don't talk anymore," Xiao said.

Mei pouted and suddenly thought of another question. "Where's Yuxi? I still haven't thanked him yet. He's scary to approach or talk to," Mei said.

"Don't worry, Lady Mei'yin, I'll tell him," Yijun said.

After a few minutes, Bai Linyan and Bai Chengxing arrived to eat and saw their older brother joining the Feng siblings. "Looks like our great brother forgot about us!" Cheng said to Linyan with annoyance.

"Let's find another seat and not join them. They look happy, so don't ruin it," Linyan said. Cheng faced her and glared.

Just then, Qin Yuxi and Mo Yuming entered the dining hall and saw Yijun happily chatting with the Feng siblings. "Let's go there!" Yuming said, pulling Yuxi. "You guys look like you're having so much fun!" Yuming said as they reached the table.

"Mo Yuming, Qin Yuxi, come join us!" Xiao invited.

Yuming smiled and sat between Yang and Mei.

"It's so cramped here, move!" Mei complained.

"Hey, why are you staring at Yuxi?" Yuming teased Mei in a low voice.

"N-not true!" Mei defended herself.

"Where did you guys go?" Yijun asked Yuxi.

"To the river," Yuxi replied briefly.

"What did you do there?" Mei suddenly asked, making Yuxi look at her, which made Mei look away and focus on Yuming instead. "Did you ask me?" Yuming asked, and Mei nodded like a kid. "We had a sparring session," Yuming answered quickly.

"Let's just eat," Bai Yujing said.

When Ling scooped up food, Yijun did the same, and their hands touched, leading to a prolonged gaze between them while the others watched.

"Hey!" Yuming suddenly exclaimed, breaking the spell.

"You ruined the moment!" Mei complained.