Chapter - { The creek and ten overly excited children}

Squeals echoed throughout the forest as a frog leaps from one of the hands of a child, jumping back into the creek they all stand by, watching as the frog floats away like a lazy man resting in the sun, giggling as they watched with amusement.

Ju Liang stands near the children, his boots off and his trousers rolled up to the knees as he held his robes skirt up a little, so the hem didn't get wet from the running stream of the creek, as he continued to watch the children play and splash about, Ju Liang feels a shiver go down his spine and the hair on the back of his neck rise.

Ju Liang turned his head just enough to look over his shoulder, but he saw... nothing? He could've sworn he'd felt eyes on him, shaking his head and turning his attention back to the children. Ju Liang passed it off as a curious animal who just happened to get scared and ran before he could look back.

Later on, after the children had all gotten bored with the creek, Ju Liang and the ten little ones all went on a walk around the forest, some occasionally picking up a stick they deemed interesting or a leaf with a bug of some kind.

Ju Liang once again felt that feeling on the back of his neck, yet this time it was cold and made the hairs on the back of his neck raise up once more, his spun around fast, boots kicking up a small amount dirt, for a split second he swore he could've seen something, a flash of gray and two red dots like eyes. The children, seeing this abruptly stopped, all staring at their caretaker.

Ju Liang quickly gently laughed it off, assuring them, "I'm sorry, I saw something out of the corner of my eye, it must've been a falling leaf." he reassured gently. One of the children, a little boy, piped up with a grin "like the time Li Ying had a leaf fall on her nose!!" the child giggled, while the one mentioned in the little story, Li Ying, short little girl with a small ponytail and pale pink robes, darted over and smacked the back of the little boy's head.

Ju Liang quickly intervened, his voice gentle as usual. "Hey now, let's not hit each other, now, apologize to each other please." he watched as the two huffed and reluctantly apologized to each other.

After that situation, the group continued on their little walk through the forest, eventually the sun began to set. Ju Liang lead them all back to the bamboo hut, shutting the door behind them all.

Ju Liang lit a few candles to light up the small bamboo hut, and begun cooking over a small clay stove in the corner, he grabbed a pot, some vegetables and soup, then lit the stove, placing the pot on top, pouring the soup into the pot and dropping the vegetables in.

Once Ju Liang was done, he grabbed the now clean wooden bowls and spoons from the crate, which he had cleaned right before their departure to the creek for the day, pouring an equal amount of soup into each, steaming. He set up the bowls and spoons, the children, playing with wooden toys and colorful cloth tigers, all immediately stood up and darted right for the table, it only took around five minutes for all the soup to disappear, Ju Liang had only just finished his own soup ten whole minutes after!!–– so unfair.

Ju Liang instructed them all to get ready and go to bed, which thankfully they all complied with him. Dressing into their night robes and laying down into their bamboo mats. Ju Liang smiles and whispers a quiet "goodnight" before pulling the curtain to their little corner closed.

Next it's his turn, Ju Liang let's down his hair and takes his outer robe off, now left in his under robe he slips his boots off, folding his outer robe up and placing them next to his boots by the door, which is next to ten little shoes–– flats, boots, sandals, etc. Ju Liang rummaged for about a minute until he found his own bamboo mat, unrolling it next to the shelf and laying down, the wind howled outside like wolves howling at the full moon.

Ju Liang's world goes black as he closes his eyes and succumbed to sleep.

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