Silver Phoenix by Cindy. Pon Read Free Book Online Page B

sense of amusement and surprised admiration. Suddenly she felt ashamed that she was intruding. She was curious, but it felt wrong. She drew herself back reluctantly, felt the snap as she returned to her own being.
    The world tilted for a brief moment, and she tried to cover her unsteadiness by fussing with her knapsack. She blinked away the black spots that floated across her vision.
    What was happening to her? Had he felt her trespass? She glanced up at him. His expression had not changed. She straightened.
    “I can never repay your kindness. Thank you.” She spoke from the heart. He deserved that much.
    “And to you, Ai Ling. Take good care.”
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    Cindy Pon
    She blushed, turned so he would not see, and walked away. She looked back once, to find him still standing in the same spot, and waved. He lifted one hand in farewell. Ai Ling hoped he would follow. She quickly cast the thought aside as if the desire had never existed.
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    C H A P T E R F I V E
    It was midday. Ai Ling wiped the sweat from her brow and touched the top of her head. Her hair felt on fi re.
    Two boys squatted in the middle of the road. A tan mongrel wagged its tail beside them. They clutched red fi recrackers, heads bent together, and whispered in conspiratorial tones.
    Her stomach growled, reminding her that she had not eaten anything since the walnuts at daybreak. She took two final swallows of water from her flask, savoring the last drops.
    The bang of firecrackers startled her. Ai Ling looked back.
    The two boys scurried toward her with the dog in tow, their mouths wide in surprised fright.
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    Cindy Pon
    “Wah! I didn’t know it’d be so loud. It nearly took my fi ngers off!” the taller one shouted.
    “You said you knew what you were doing!” His friend hopped angrily from one foot to the other.
    “You made me do it.” The lanky boy looked somewhat apologetic and tugged on his queue.
    “I almost lost my nose!”
    The acrid smoke from the firecrackers dissipated while the two argued. Ai Ling turned and walked back toward them.
    “Are you all right?” she asked.
    Afraid they were in trouble, the two nodded in unison.
    “No problems here, miss! Everything’s fi ne!”
    She smiled. “You need to be careful.” She’d always wished for younger siblings. The short one seemed quite taken with her and grinned, his eyes nearly disappearing into round cheeks.
    “They’re good for scaring away evil spirits, you know. The fi recrackers,” he said.
    “So they say.”
    The lanky boy tucked the remaining firecracker into his dirty tunic.
    “Do you know a place where I can rest and have a nice meal?” she asked.
    “Yes, miss! My uncle owns the best noodle house in town.
    It’s this way.” The chubby boy trotted down the dusty street with his lanky friend beside him while the dog trailed behind. Ai Ling followed the trio down the road.
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    S I LV E R P H O E N I X
    The boys led her to a crowded one-room shack at the end of a narrow alleyway. The noodle house décor consisted of a few rough-hewn mismatched wooden tables and stools. No panels covered the two small windows looking out into the alleyway. Ai Ling wondered how the establishment kept cats and other critters out at night. She examined the room’s edges and corners for scampering things. Seeing nothing that darted or crept, she sat down at one of the rickety tables. The scent of scallions and sour wine hung in the air.
    Despite its coarse appearance, the noodle house indeed offered delicious fare, at least by Ai Ling’s ravenous stan-dards. Her disheveled appearance and dusty attire did not draw much attention in the busy establishment. She devoured her large bowl of beef tendon noodles in peace.
    She was wiping the sheen from her face, brought on from the steaming soup and chili paste, when a roar of laughter drew her attention.
    “Why don’t you go back to whatever barbaric country you sailed from?” The man who spoke was nearly as wide as he was tall, and he waved a