Silent Crown

by Feng Yue

  In this era, watches and clocks were still considered luxury goods. Large clocks and pocket watches had been things only the nobles could use. Additionally, everything in the store looked like a work of art with a great history. Some items even had patterns carved using enamel, and small pieces of precious stones. They seemed to be worth a lot of money. Any pocket watch was probably not worth ten children, but definitely worth eight.

  “Uncle, this is my third day at work. You want me pick up such an important item? Is that a good idea?” Ye Qingxuan asked helplessly.

  “You’ve got a point, but if you do not work, why am I keeping you here?” Seton sneered at him.

  Ye Qingxuan hesitated, standing in place.

  “What? Don’t know your way?”

  “I do know a little.” Ye Qingxuan organized the words, “I heard that that’s an area for nobles, and nobles like to beat up people. What if they hit me?”

  “Those kinds of nobles are already extinct in Anglo. Now the gentlemen are in style, and they may even give you two dollars out of pity,” said Seton coldly. “Do not try to be lazy.”

  “It’s not quite safe to go from here, there may be trouble on the way…”

  “This store is on the list with the Avalon police station, and the owner is also in touch with the Parliament. Just say the name of the store and no one will give you trouble.”

  “Uh, I’m not feeling very well today.”

  The way Seton looked at him, Ye Qingxuan could not speak anymore. Seton put down his book, and asked bluntly, “Have you stolen somewhere?”

  “No.”

  “Did you offend anyone there?”

  “Uh, no.” Ye Qingxuan’s face turned bitter.

  “Then why are you still here?” Seton sneered at him, lifting his hammer like fist, “Do you want me to walk you out?”

  “I’m leaving now!” Ye Qingxuan went running.

  -

  “Sign on this sheet.” Outside of the grand hall, the housekeeper, an old man in a black suite pointed to the sheet. The old housekeeper had seemed very surprised by Ye Qingxuan’s arrival. Even after Ye had signed, the housekeeper was still looking at him and shaking his head.

  “What’s wrong?” Ye Qingxuan checked himself, “I have a dirty spot somewhere?”

  “No, no, no.” The housekeeper stroked his beard, and suddenly asked, “It must not be easy working for Seton.”

  “Well, it’s alright. Uncle is a good guy.”

  “He seems to be fond of you.” The old man patted his shoulder. Using a wary tone he said, “The future of young people is always infinite.”

  He did not know why, but Ye Qingxuan had a feeling that he was being trained in hell.

  -

  Under the afternoon’s burning sun, Ye Qingxuan walked along the busy streets, feeling a little tired.

  Avalon was built on an island. The buildings were complex and dense, leaving no empty space. Even the sixteen suburbs on the smaller islands were all occupied.

  The city hall divided Avalon into uptown, midtown, and downtown. These three divisions were subdivided into nine ring areas. Queen’s Boulevard was the most beautiful place among all of the ring areas. The famous area was located in the center of the third ring, Avalon’s golden area. Thirty percent of the entire population in Avalon worked to serve the people of this street. Silk and spices from the East, golden jewelry from India, fashion from the Burgundy empire could be seen everywhere. People would feel dizzy just being exposed to it all.

  Ye Qingxuan felt a burst of strange familiarity. It had been many years, and things had changed so fast, like the popular trends between the nobles was no longer the same; however, everything was still unchanged in its heart. It was like a charming, attractive women, but with a cold heart.

  This feeling was enough to bring back many painful memories, making him feel unconformable from the bottom of his heart. He no longer wanted to stick around. But when he thought of himself, he could not help but sigh, “Such bad luck.” He took out the aether ball from his pocket, played with it, looked at its silence, and thought that he might never figure this thing out in this lifetime. “How come you don’t glow?” He lifted it up to the sun, looking at its almost transparent material, feeling quite discouraged.

  “Young master?” Someone softly asked behind him.

  Ye Qingxuan’s body stiffened a bit. He felt a kind of familiar sense of suffocation coming back, making his face turn dreadful. He took a deep breath and looked back. In the crowded street, he saw an old woman with a basket, wearing a servant’s clothes. She was like a normal old woman, moving slowly, her eyes blurry.

  Once she saw the kid look back, she was shocked. Her basket fell to the ground, melons rolled all over the place. She seemed to have seen something incredible. “Is that you, young master? Are you back?” She caught Ye Qingxuan’s hand, excited and spoke incoherently, “You finally came back. If the master knew he would…”

  “I’m sorry, you got the wrong person.”

  The old maid was stunned. She stared at Ye Qingxuan surprised and speechless.

  “I am not a young master. You must be confused.” Ye Qingxuan bent over to help her pick up her fruits and vegetables on the floor, and put them in her hands. “I have to go, please do not waste my time.”

  The old maid looked at Ye Qingxuan, disappointed. She bowed her head, “Sorry.” She did not say anymore. She held the basket and limped away. At times, she would look back at the boy, seeming very lost and sad.

  It was not until much later that Ye Qingxuan was no longer able to see her in the crowd.

  -

  “Was everything alright?” Seton asked as Ye Qingxuan returned to the store.

  “Yep.” Ye Qingxuan smiled, “Saw some things. I suddenly realized Avalon was really scary sometimes. You never know if you’ll run into something you don’t want to see.”

  “If you do not want to go out, you can watch the shop.”

  “That’s alright.” Ye Qingxuan shook his head, “At first I just thought it’d be too much trouble to go out, but now, it doesn’t seem so bad.”

  “Oh, it’s good that you got used to it.”

  “Where is Old Phil? Have you seen him?”

  “It went out by itself. It seemed to have lost something.”

  “Uh…” Ye Qingxuan thought of something, his expression became strange. Did Old Phil go to pick up some strange stuff again? He could not help but wonder.

  -

  Ye Qingxuan’s worries were proven correct again. Late that night, Ye Qingxuan was awoken by Old Phil’s barking at the backdoor. He yawned and got up to open the door. He sighed again. Had Old Phil restored its bad habit?

  In the past, it had also been like this. It had always run around at night, bringing back a variety of strange things such as dead mice, dead rabbits, dead snakes, other people’s kids’ toys, or coins and pocket change on the ground. Not to mention, since Old Phil had developed this habit, Ye Qingxuan’s pocket was fuller than ever! But the bad thing was that what Old Phil decided to bring back was completely unpredictable! Just like those mysterious little jars sold by the Indians, you never knew what was hidden inside!

  Old Phil barked, sounding even more anxious. Ye Qingxuan felt a sense of helplessness and unlocked the bolt, “Do not worry, do not worry, I’m opening the door for you. Come, let me see what you got…f*ck!”

  Outside the door, Old Phil was squatting on the ground, proudly sticking out his tongue.

  Ye Qingxuan was petrified.

  34 Save Me

  After all these years, whether it was before or after returning, Ye Qingxuan always felt that Avalon was a crazy place. One could run into anything, such as pests that one would not want to encounter, like that nude man running at midnight.

  But what had happened today was really testing the limit! It was not that he could not take a lot of pressure, but that Old Phil’s level of intensity was too high! Throughout these years, Old Phil had brought back money, dingy lanterns, unop
ened bottles, copper cups stained with unknown substances, old rings, tattered books of foreign languages, a pot with a hole, jewelry that would cause hallucinations. Ye Qingxuan had just assumed that Old Phil had a wide range of interests, and then would throw it all out. But this time, he brought back a living human?!

  Under the still moonlight, the little alley was more serene than usual.

  Ye Qingxuan stared blankly at the girl in front of him. The dirty kid wore a tattered dress. The original color seemed to be white. The shoulder straps were about to tear, and the dress looked like a pile of rags.

  Bruises and scars covered her face as if she had been beaten. Her bare legs were covered with wounds. It was as if she had been chased and ran away blindly.

  Sensing that Ye Qingxuan was looking at her, she stubbornly raised her head to stare back at him. Her pupils quivered, but her eyes were full of defiance. The moonlight cast over them so that they glowed like silver.

  “Hey, Cousin.” Ye Qingxuan glanced at the kid he had just met and forced a smile, “Long time no see.”

  The girl stared at him and opened her mouth, but did not say anything, then closed it tightly.

  “That kid disappeared!”

  “Keep looking! I saw her run over here!”

  Someone banged a metal rod in their hands. “She can’t be far!” The clamor of voices—a mess of broken sounds—approached from a distance. They were running and searching. Countless people were running around outside, but here, it was still.

  Old Phil stared at Ye Qingxuan impatiently, telling him to shut up and hurry.

  Ye Qingxuan finally understood. When he studied the girl, his eyes had a storm of emotions. “What is your name?”

  Under his stare, the girl chewed on her lips but refused to speak. Just as Ye Qingxuan was about to give up, he heard a soft voice, “…Bai Xi.”

  “My name is Ye Qingxuan.” He reached out his hand, “Come with me.” The boy held onto her wrist. It was so weak and soft. The girl did not protest, but her trembling revealed her fear.

  “She is but a child, after all,” Ye Qingxuan thought.

  —

  “There’s a white-haired kid just like you. She’s a distant relative staying with you?” Seton asked the next day, glancing at him coolly. “And she’s out of travel money and decided to spend a few days here?”

  “Uh, sorry but there really isn’t…”

  “Where is she?” Seton interrupted.

  Immense pressure suddenly pressed down on Ye Qingxuan. After stuttering, he finally waved his hand, and Old Phil excitedly grabbed onto the corner of the girl’s shirt, dragging her out.

  She was no longer dirty. She had showered and treated her wounds, and was wearing Ye Qingxuan’s old shirt. The sleeves and pants were rolled up and she looked even smaller in contrast. Her white hair was hidden in a tweed hat. With her head lowered, she looked like a poor family’s kid—self-loathing and insignificant. She was silent under Seton’s scrutiny.

  She looked like an obedient and quiet kid. It was pitiful. “Yeah, right!” Ye Qingxuan thought, he would not take it. His hand was still wounded from when the kid bit him last night.

  Her eyes were lowered because her gaze was so piercing, as if she wanted to find fault in anyone, at any time. She did not speak because whenever she did, her words were provocative. She looked cute, but her personality was definitely disagreeable. If she was able to do what she wanted, Seton would have her sent to the White Church’s intensive care unit before she could say three sentences.

  Seton was silent too as he studied her, deep in thought. Beside him, Ye Qingxuan nervously wiped his sweat, awaiting the final decision.

  After a long time, Seton just said, “She’s yours. Look over her.”

  “Huh?” Ye Qingxuan was a little dumbfounded. He thought he would get kicked out.

  “Like you, she’ll only get food. No money. And if she doesn’t work, then get out.” Seton’s voice had no warmth at all. “Kid, this isn’t a shelter. So remember, this is the last time.”

  “Yes, yes! Got it! Ye Qingxuan let out a sigh in relief. Wiping his cold sweat, he gave Seton with a string of praises. “Sir, you are so kind and wise. You are glowing upon Avalon. The world will see your power someday, and Anglo will be yours!” He kept going until Seton couldn’t take it anymore.

  At the end, Seton said was, “She isn’t really your cousin, right?”

  Ye Qingxuan blanked.

  “I saw Old Phil bring her back yesterday.” As Seton turned to leave, he coolly let out the last words, “I don’t know why those hooligans were looking for her, but don’t get into trouble.”

  Ye Qingxuan’s heart skipped a beat. Before he could react, Seton’s voice drifted back to him, “If you die in the store, it’ll be a chore to collect your body.”

  Ye Qingxuan was sure that phrase was spoken from his heart. Thinking of this, he sighed and glanced over at Bai Xi. She was sprawled on the counter, watching the clocks curiously. Only now did she look like a kid. A quiet kid.

  Well, if he could just ignore her hand that was reaching into the counter…

  Ye Qingxuan slapped away her sneaky hand, “No stealing.”

  “Huh, as if I don’t know about your motives.” Bai Xi side-eyed him. “You and that big dark guy want to sell me, right?!” As she said the words “big dark guy,” she glanced around nervously, scared that Seton would hear.

  Seeing her like that, Ye Qingxuan could not help but sigh. “Look at you. All you are is skin and bones. Even if we wanted to sell you, who would even buy you?”

  “I don’t know about that, but some people are bad!” Bai Xi’s expression was completely defensive.

  “Hey, you’re the bad one!” Ye Qingxuan thought. “You’re the one who was going to steal! I was saving you. Saving you! Stealing isn’t the problem, but if Seton found out, you’d be sent to the intensive care unit!”

  For whatever reason, this girl was practically a porcupine! She was the same last night. No matter what Ye Qingxuan said in order to get her to shower and change her bandages, it was no use. She kept thinking that Ye Qingxuan was going to peep in. Ultimately, Ye Qingxuan could only help her lock the attic’s door from the inside, remove the ladder and sleep on the ground behind the store’s counter.

  He could hear every sound from upstairs, and had been unable to sleep the entire night. He knew that she wanted to escape, but had nowhere to go.

  She finally fell asleep at dawn, but not on the bed. She had curled up in the corner with Old Phil. She would rather believe Old Phil who could not speak instead of any person because Old Phil would never hurt her.

  Thinking of this, Ye Qingxuan felt a little bad. “What happened that turned her into this?” He could only imagine. He knew how hard it was to have no home, so he was able to endure Bai Xi’s odd personality. At least she was as annoying as Ye Qingxuan had been.

  “Hey!” Bai Xi sat on the counter, staring at Ye Qingxuan as she munched on his bread.

  Hearing her unwavering voice, he felt a headache coming. “Call me ‘cousin,’ and you heard that we need another worker. Mr. Seton doesn’t talk much, but he’s a good person. I have to leave some day, so if you work hard, you can stay here.” After a pause, he told her, “At least, you won’t have to live by scamming.”

  Bai Xi was angry, like a cat arching its back. But she did not say anything and just took her anger out on the bread. Her temper did not go away until she had finished all of Ye Qingxuan’s breakfast, yet she still continued to glare at him silently.

  “What’s wrong?” Ye Qingxuan could not keep cleaning with her staring at him like that.

  Bai Xi chewed on her lips, as if debating whether or not to speak. At last, she asked in an unwilling tone, “Why did you save me?”

  “You made me save you.”

  “Don’t joke! I’d never beg you, even if my life depended on it!” Bai Xi was seriously angered. She glared at him, gnashing her teeth. “Nothing good has happened ever since I met you. Peop
le chase me every day, but now even my money is gone. I don’t need your help!” She yelled. “Does it make you proud to have a little girl thank you? Do you think I’ll be grateful that you saved me? You just want to feel proud, right? You really enjoy having a little girl thank you? Let me tell you. No! Way!”

  Ye Qingxuan was dumbfounded. He felt defeated. Not because of himself, but because he did not know she thought like this.

  “I never wanted you to thank me, really.” A little awkward and helpless, all he could do was sigh. “You know, when I was at my lowest point, someone saved me. He gave me food, gave me a shower, and let me stay in a small town until now. He also taught me how to keep living.” He thought of the priest’s serious expression and could not help but laugh in nostalgia. “He told me that a human’s language isn’t only spoken. Some words can be seen through one’s eyes.”

  Bai Xi chewed on her lips. She glared angrily at him without speaking, as if trying to see through his disguise.

  “He told me that when he first saw me, I was standing in the mud. I was angry at the world and my eyes were provocative and piercing. Probably just like you, right?” He studied the girl’s eyes, seeing the fear and pain hiding deep under the angry, coldness and hate. “And those eyes were saying, ‘save me…’”

  35 Hallucination

  Late at night, in a room filled with smoke, Ghosthand had been waiting quietly in the Black Octopus pub’s secret room.

  Someone silently walked into the room. He took off his cloak, revealing an elegant long robe from the East. He seemed very old, his hair was mottled gray with black and white flecks. His movements were silent, like a ghost. “Lost him again?” Mr. Chang sat opposite him, “To be honest, I am very disappointed with your work attitude.”