Something Beautiful and Wicked

The inside of the Inn had a connected restaurant that served less than a handful of customers seated by wooden tables. Most of them were sipping tea, awaiting the arrival of their food, which made Shi Ailin's stomach growl and her mouth water at the sight.      

"Let's check-in, first," suggested Luo Wanting.      

Shi Ailin followed his lead. They approached the Inn Keeper at the front desk and requested a room.      

"You came right in time," her gentle voice said. "The rooms are limited, and I only have one left."      

The Inn was the size of an average-sized home, and the restaurant occupied the entire first landing. Shi Ailin should have expected that there was a limited amount of space, but they were fortunate for the last available room. Anything would do for the night.      

Shi Ailin and Luo Wanting signed their names, and in exchange, they received a key before making their way up the squeaking steps.      

Inside, the room was snug and tight, but warm. There was a dresser and bed propped against the opposite sides of each wall—a complimentary bottle of the Inn's cheapest wine rested on the top of a small table, and an old television lay on the dresser, collecting dust.      

Shi Ailin trudged towards the bed and collapsed in exhaustion. She bounced against the firm mattress. But in her drained state, it felt like the softest, most silken and velvety thing she'd ever laid on.      

Luo Wanting then walked outside the hall, looking for the shared bathroom between the rooms. Thankfully the Inn Keeper had exited the bathroom, cleaning up all the areas for him to use. He then stripped bare, stepping in the shower. After he finished, he changed and brushed his teeth before returning to the room. Shi Ailin was on the bed fast asleep, still wearing the same clothes she wore when they left Shanghai the night before.      

Luo Wanting noticed how uncomfortable she looked, so he adjusted her body, and he pulled the blankets over her.      

He then went to the small restaurant on the lower level, ordering food and patiently waited for it to arrive. He then asked the Inn Keeper if he could bring it to his room, and she agreed gleefully when he mentioned that it was for his 'future wife.' Though, he hadn't asked her the big question yet.      

He then brought up the food on a tray. He set it aside on the table, and then he strode towards the bed. He sat next to Shi Ailin, and then he swept some loose strands of her hair over her shoulder. He watched as her breathing evened out, and she slowly opened her eyes.      

Shi Ailin gazed up at him through lowered lids as she rubbed one of them. She sighed as he continued to sweep her hair aside, brushing her temple.      

"Come and eat," his silvery voice coaxed.      

Shi Ailin pulled herself from the bed with some effort; her legs ached from the walking.      

She felt unkempt since she hadn't washed up or changed yet, but she didn't care. She was burning with hunger, and when Luo Wanting presented the food to her, she felt like kissing him, but she decided to eat and wash up first.      

Shi Ailin devoured the food quickly, savouring the perfectly cooked dishes. When she finished, Luo Wanting had offered to return the plates for the both of them while she washed up.      

The first splash of hot water felt satisfying on her skin. She scrubbed off the dirt and salty smell and cleaned and wiped every inch of her body. When she finished, she stepped in front of the mirror, caressing the fresh scar over her midriff. Her first battle scar, she thought, and hopefully the last.      

Shi Ailin then wrapped a towel around her body and hair, and then she continued to brush her teeth and moisturize her face—she no longer had the luxury of using face scrubs, honeyed face masks, or expensive creams. But she wanted to be as minimalistic as possible. After all, what was the point when they were going to be always on the move, hopping from city to city?      

When she finished, she joined Luo Wanting in the room.      

She then dressed in one of the three outfits she packed. Both of them carried light for this indefinite trip, but they figured that washing their clothes or buying more when needed was better than hauling a couple of suitcases across the country.      

Shi Ailin patted her hair dry as she approached the window. The sky had greyed and began to pour. Rain tapped across the window, and she gazed at the connected lakes that surrounded the city. "I can't believe they were here," she said more to herself in a dazed state. She then reached out to touch the glass, which was cold beneath her fingertips. "But I feel like their tracks have staled, and they may be far away, on the move, or lying still in a ditch."      

Luo Wanting overheard. He then stood up from his seat, walking towards her. He pressed a hand to her hip, and he turned her around. Shi Ailin wore a frown, but he pulled her against him. There was nothing he could say. Whether her parents lived or died, all they were searching for was the truth of their fates. He only hoped that he and Shi Ailin didn't end up like them—running endlessly, lost.     

He caressed the small of her back. He then grasped her hand and said, "Let's go to sleep."      

He took her to the bed, and under the covers, Luo Wanting held her close throughout the night. And in the morning, they started the new day.      

Eating breakfast and paying for their stay, Luo Wanting and Shi Ailin went to a car shop. "I'm going to buy a car," Luo Wanting said. "It's the only effective way we can get anywhere."      

Shi Ailin agreed and said, "all right. But we can't get anything flashy. It's best to blend in."      

They then purchased a grey Honda Civic Hatchback before syncing their Global Positioning System. "If they were really headed towards Shanghai, then Hunan province is next. It's not far from here, and we can gather more information when we get there," said Luo Wanting."      

"How could we do that?" she asked.      

"That's where you come in," Luo Wanting informed her. "Think. Where would they go? Where would they stop? Think the way they do. They might not have had the luxury of buying a car or clothes like us, so think about what they'd do without relying on money."      

Determined, Shi Ailin nodded. "So it's possible to catch up with them? They must have been travelling on foot or by hitchhiking."      

"Maybe," Luo Wanting answered. "But I also doubt they made frequent stops. It'd attract too much attention. Our safest bet is to look out for hotspots of places they may have stopped by. They're far as of now, so we can keep going until we somehow know we're close. Until then, we'll just be travelling."      

"All right," she said. "I'm going to contact Yenni."