'Clack! Clack! Clack!'

The sound of the keyboard was pleasantly sounding, making her ears enjoy the rhythm of 'Clack! Clack! Clack!' Everytime the keyboard sounds, it rings bells of new ideas to her mind.

Every turn in her novels create a ball of interest as the characters are formed to become more and more pleasant.

The truth was, she indeed didn't know how to write. When she was young, she met a beautiful girl in school who would give her dumplings everyday. Her friend would bring her more everyday until, on her eighteenth birthday, she was gifted a big lunchbox filled with delicious dumplings. She then brought home some to serve to her parents, who later after that, mysteriously died.

Unable to move on with her life, her aunt sent her to the mountain village where she was taken care of by a handsome old man. This old man later taught her the skills of all aspects like swordsmanship, culinary, writing and arts. In her hands and mind came a great intelligence. Unable to realize what was happening and unable to see through the evil that was casted upon her, what would be the price she had to pay? Who else would she sacrifice?

...***...

Five years ago, Lin Xuan fell into a dangerous trap that made her sign a contract with the devil.

She had a beautiful friend in middle school who gifted her a pack of delicious dumplings on her eighteenth birthday. It was a very pleasant gift that she took home and it was the most delicious dumplings she'd ever tasted and she thought bringing some home for her parents wouldn't hurt, after all, it was a present for her.

From the outside of Lin's Mansion, an invisible smoke towered from the windows towards the attractive aroma of the dumplings. Without any clue, Lin Xuan had no idea what curse had been casted into the innocent-looking delicacies.

It turns out, the beautiful friend she had was the daughter of a servant from the company rivaling with her dad's. Later that same month of her birthday, her parents died in a car accident, leaving the prosperous company to it's sudden and tragic downfall.

Unable to leave a will and testament, the company slowly fell in a corruption conspiracy. The people who once were loyal confidants of her family had turned their backs as soon as they have taken money, leaving a bankrupt and useless nutshell for an innocent girl to handle.

Lin Xuan not only lost her family, but also her home and luxury. Her aunt, sent her away to a strange house by the mountains, where a handsome old man awaits her arrival.

For five years, she was trained and taught all she needed to learn from school. The old man even gave her gifts of precious jewelries, wonderful books and taught her how to cook...

He taught her how to cook dumplings!

In her memory, she would always remember the taste of that dumpling, and it would give her comfort of the situation. Never did she realize that such ordinary dumplings could transform her into a dangerously different person.

...UP NEXT:...

...Lin Xuan's First Novel...

"How much is this bundle of fish, Big Uncle?" Lin Xuan raised the bundled fish of about four to five pieces, inspecting any damages.

"That would be forty-five yuans, miss," the store owner answered. He looked around for a bit before he turned to Lin Xuan again.

"Miss, I heard you were taken in by the Mysterious Mountain Master! Did you personally meet him?" the store owner asked. Gu Nuan is so old, but he wouldn't miss details of such gossip if he had the chance.

Lin Xuan just smiled at him shyly, she, of course, couldn't disclose any information about the man who took him in. If the Master remained a mystery all this years, he must have a reason. She came here and the master has accepted her into his home, so as a sign of her gratitude, she will maintain his lifestyle to remain an untold story.

"I didn't meet him yet, sir. Actually, I was only living on a portion of his house. I eat and live by myself. The person who brought me to him told me he should never be seen."

The old store owner laughed so hard that a few sprinkles of saliva flew into the air, scaring the flies away.

"I knew it! Little Miss, did you know of the Mysterious Mountain Master's legend?"

"No, sir." Lin Xuan indeed haven't heard any stories of the Mountain Master before. Well, maybe, that was because she once lived a privileged life and she didn't take time to look around and listen to people.

"Aiyoo! Haven't your parents told you? People who have claimed to see the Mountain Master all died of an unidentifiable disease not long after seeing him."

Lin Xuan's eyes widened with fear. She felt shivers down her spine, but she still managed to ask the store owner, "What does he look like?"

"That ~ They say he looked like a terrible mixture of a human and a monster. His skin is pale green, his bulging eyes are burning red and will blind you like laser beams, his long hair is pure grey and his feet were that of a tiger's claw. There is also a big slit on his lips, making you want to squirm when you see it."

"Okay. Here's your money, I'll take the fish and go now, uncle." Lin Xuan hurriedly scurried away as she tried to calm her breathing that has been sped up by her fear.

"Make sure not to see him, Little Girl! If you do, then it would be the end of you!" The store owner even shouted after her.

Lin Xuan rested herself a few steps away from the house by the hill. The Mountain Master's house stood proudly near the forest areas of the small provincial village.

Before she came here, her aunt told her that the Mountain Master would take care of her like her own father, but alas, now she wouldn't dare return back to that house.

She indeed stayed in the Mansion for two days now, but she only meet the servants whom she gladly volunteered to help. What if what the store owner said was actually true?

What if the Mountain Master is actually hideous and ugly? And dangerous?

... UP NEXT: ...

... The Mountain Master ...

Lin Xuan was anxious as she walked through the long narrow and seemingly unending hallway inside the mansion, in her hand was the struggling bundle of live fish.

A servant came to her and snatched the fish away. "Lady Xuan, you shouldn't have bought anything. The Mountain Master doesn't want the smell of sea in his mansion."

"I'm so sorry. I only wanted to give something back to thank him for accepting me in his home." Lin Xuan reasoned. The maid slapped her back lightly and grinned a friendly grin to her.

"Silly. You don't even know whether he's a man or a woman."

Lin Xuan stopped walking, she looked at the servant. "You mean, the Mountain Master is actually not seen?"

The servant laughed. "I'm kidding. Of course, he's a man, and yes, we don't see him. In this house, only his steward, Xun Dali, have met him personally."

"And that steward is still alive after seeing him?"

"What are you asking, silly. Of course, he's alive, he's the one who is often taking charge here because the Mountain Master is always staying in his mountain sanctuary."

***

"What's the fuss all about?" From a nearby room, a man wearing a black suit and a dark red coat walked out the door. He immediately looked at the struggling fishes and shifted his gaze back to the servant holding it. The servant got startled and the fish fell with impact to the floor, causing water to splash messily on the shiny marbled floor.

"Who said you could bring in a creature from the sea into this house?" he asked, his brows meeting in a single line, symbolizing annoyance and indifference.

Lin Xuan stepped forward. "It was I, sir. I wanted to help prepare something for the Mountain Master. I just didn't know that fish is not allowed. I'm sorry, I will bring it out right away."

She took the fishes and looked apologetically at the servant before taking a step back. The servant smiled at her.

"Wait!" it was another voice.

She looked back halfway to the end of the hallway.

"Sir?"

From the same door where the first man came out, a slender handsome man stood leaning on the door frame, looking at her with such dangerous eyes. "Do you know a good recipe for fish?"

Her face brightened up, but the servant was caught in awe, she couldn't take her eyes off the man at the door.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I am He Zun, a friend of Xun Dali. You can cook the fish for me"

Xun Dali looked at the man. "Zun, you know you can~"

"Hush, Xun Dali. The fishes are fresh, besides, throwing it will be such a waste. Right, Miss Lin?"

'Uh? How does he know my name? I haven't introduced yet!?'

"Yes, sir."

The servant came to her side in a flash, she took the bundle of fish and grabbed her hand. "We'll have it prepared, sir."

"Sure. I want it hot and delicious in this room later."

"Yes, sir."

"Let Miss Lin send it to me, aye?"

Lin Xuan's heart skipped a beat. 'What's going on here? Why does he want me?'