Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Stepping outside, Kakayan found herself at a bustling crossroads where cars streamed past like water. Her amethyst eyes flicked left and right, taking everything in.
Metal boxes—she judged them to be at least as dangerous as cannon shells—hurtled by, every one of them moving faster than anything back home. Yet they obeyed a rhythm: after a while they froze in place and let the people walk.
"Remember, those are called traffic lights."
"If you don't want to die, stop on red and wait for the green."
Jiang Li pointed at the far intersection, giving her a crash course in pedestrian law.
"What kind of exalted spirit do those lights embody?" Kakayan asked, gazing up at the signal with solemn respect.
So many steel beasts, all answering the command of a single pair of lamps—surely some great personage must be behind them.
"They stand for the law."
"The... law..."
Kakayan rolled the unfamiliar word around her tongue. "What is the law, exactly?"
Pedestrians within earshot edged away. Who was this unrepentant criminal?
They were strolling down an old street lined with hawkers, and Jiang Li had a dilemma: he wanted Kakayan to absorb human society quickly, yet feared overloading the witch's processor. So he kept the lessons bite-sized, feeding her common sense as they window-shopped.
So far his caution was justified. Kakayan's curiosity never flagged; she asked about everything—green strips of plants, brand logos, streetlamps. If it was trivial, Jiang Li glossed over it. If it mattered, he stopped and explained.
Take the cameras hanging overhead. He warned her never to make strange gestures beneath them, let alone cast the remnants of her magic.
"They're like crystal balls with eyes behind them. Whatever you do under one is recorded forever."
Kakayan nodded, half understanding. Rules she could grasp; the notion of being secretly watched was new. With cameras everywhere, mischief would have to be confined to her bedroom.
Jiang Li eyed her sidelong. To anyone not listening, Kakayan already looked like a modern girl. Still, caution was best. If she caused trouble and the police came—
"Where do you live?"
"Jiang Li's house."
"Any accomplices?"
"Jiang Li."
"ID card?"
"Ask Jiang Li."
"She's... someone I picked up. Honest."
Black-market residents were impossible to explain away.
"These trinkets are gorgeous," Kakayan murmured, stopping at a roadside stall. "All gems?"
She lifted a jade-green bangle that, to her practiced eye, had once been a beer bottle. The auntie running the stall thought she was joking.
"Pick whichever you like."
Jiang Li still felt guilty about the ruby he had taken from her; this was poor compensation, but at least she could choose something.
"Really?"
Kakayan examined every piece. Flashy, yes, but the craftsmanship felt soulless. She had handled treasures that could buy armies, yet these baubles were mass-produced kitsch. Still, she disliked passing up free gifts.
Jiang Li watched the two-century-old Witch Miss—she did have standards, after all.
"How about this?" He lifted a wine-red hair-tie with a tiny rose charm.
"What's it for?"
"Tying up your hair. Try it."
"All right."
Jiang Li asked the price.
"Fifty yuan."
"Five."
"Done."
Kakayan blinked at the ruthless haggling.
"Your boss seems to respect you," she said as they walked off. On Aze, Jiang Li had been the Hero; apparently his reputation extended to Earth.
"It's called bargaining."
He handed her the tie. After a moment she gathered her long hair into a perky pink ponytail. The sight was so disarmingly cute that Jiang Li reached out to tug it—and received a sharp kick to the shin.
They threaded through several more streets and reached a bus stop. Jiang Li checked his phone: half past seven. His father would arrive that afternoon; if they left now they could reach the shopping center and be back in time.
Jiang Li's neighborhood skewed elderly. The old street was lined with restaurants, appliance-repair shops, and undertakers offering cremation packages. To buy everything they needed, the only sensible choice was a forty-minute ride to the mall.
"Come on, we're taking the bus." He sighed. "Another big expense."
With Kakayan now living at his place, daily necessities were piling up. Toothpaste and chopsticks they could share, but toothbrushes and towels were personal. Besides, his father would see Kakayan—she couldn't keep wearing Jiang Li's shirts. Old Jiang might think the Jiang line was in safe hands.
"We're taking the bus again?" Kakayan grumbled; she'd already endured one ride.
"Any other transport?"
"There's the subway, but you can't use it."
"Why?"
"No ID card."
Jiang Li spread his hands in surrender.
"What happens then?"
Kakayan blinked.
"Without an ID you're an illegal resident. No subway, high-speed rail, or planes—any fast transport. Hotels won't rent to you, landlords won't sign. If you get sick or hurt, hospitals will ignore you."
Vague as the concept was, it sounded inconvenient. If only her magic were intact, human restrictions would be meaningless.
"So I can't take a step without you?"
"Exactly."
"You're not just saying this to keep me around?"
Kakayan leaned in, searching his face for lies.
Who would have guessed that Jiang Li, far from arguing, actually pressed his palms together and bowed to her. "I thank you. If you want to leave, then go; I definitely won't stop you. Just don't use my name once you're out there."
If Kakayan really walked away without a word, it would spare Jiang Li a massive headache.
After he spoke, Kakayan tilted her head and thought for a moment, sensing something off in his tone.
Then the corners of her mouth curved into a lovely smile.
"Not going anywhere."
"I'm sticking to you like glue, heh... Hero."