The instant dislike Feng had of Xiaohu spread to most of the other students as well. All seemed to get along well enough with the redhead, who joked and practiced with any who asked, even those students far below her training. This action was beyond Feng's understanding. She would try to watch the practices, only to turn away in disgust at the patience the girl showed, down to the youngest student. Why did this girl spend so much time helping the other students practice when she got nothing out of it?

Often Jiaoshu or Li Mei would observe these practices. Feng finally came to the conclusion that Xiaohu was merely doing these things to gain favor with the old man. In hopes of showing her rival up, Feng asked to be allowed to give practices. Jiaoshu turned her down, telling her that she first needed to learn to control and discipline her emotions before he would let her handle any teaching. This infuriated Feng all the more.

From that moment on, Feng spent as much time observing the behavior of those around her as possible. By watching them, she began to pick up acceptable behaviors and put them to her own use. At the same time she pushed aside the thought of imitating either Xiaohu or Manchu. She thought them both simpering fools after she saw one of the cooks, a cook, berating them for taking a handful of custard tarts. When they allowed the cook to put them to work scrubbing pots and pans, it was too much for Feng.

"To let a dirty servant order you around and punish you! They disgrace their honor!" she hissed to herself. "That servant would be getting whipped in my house!"

With sadness, Jiaoshu and Li Mei both saw the ugliness in the heart of the little girl. Each stayed up late one night discussing what could be done to change her heart and mind.

{She disdains all of us. I know Master Da who was her teacher in Metropolis. He would not encourage such behavior.}

{Have you spoken to him?} Li Mei asked.

He nodded. {Master Da told me that he had tried a thousand times over to discourage her actions. This is why he sent her here. It was China or us, and they wish to test her through us first, especially since her Chinese is not good enough to send her to China.}

Li Mei refilled their teacups and nibbled on a sweet dumpling before speaking. {I have had complaints from the boarding house on her manners. She refuses to do a chore she thinks is beneath her. When they try to punish her, she lashes out. Not only that, but she's taken to holding practices at the house and punishing the children who do not do as she says!}

Jiaoshu pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. {This all must stop. I shall have a talk with the Elders about her behavior. These practices of hers are hereby ended!} He set his teacup down with such force that the remaining liquid slopped over.

Placing a calm hand on his arm, Li Mei looked up at him lovingly. {Ai, you will do what is right. You always have,} she said, turning his face to hers and placing a light kiss on his lips. {Leave this. I will have someone clean this up.}

Smiling he patted her hand and rose, pausing to help her up. {Stay with me tonight?} he asked.

{Yes, my love. I will be up as soon as I send someone to clean this.}

They walked together as far as the third floor where they parted with a kiss. On soft feet Li Mei walked down the hall and tapped softly on Dee's door. Slipping inside the moonlit room, she saw papers and books strewn across the bed. Curled up in each other's arms was Dee and Manchu. She smiled and tried to recall all the times she had found the two this way in one another's room. Ever since they first met, the two had kept the promise to help each other with their studies.

"Xiaohu," whispered Li Mei, tugging at the girl's shirt.

Slowly Dee awoke, picking her head up from Manchu's chest. "Yeah, what's up?"

It wasn't unusual for Li Mei to ask Dee to do a late night chore, so the girl thought nothing of it as she disentangled herself from Manchu and left her room. After asking her to gather the dishes from the small dining room, Li Mei asked Dee to leave a note for a pot of tea to be left outside of Jiaoshu's room early in the morning. Dee giggled as Li Mei nudged her and winked. She was so pleased that the two had a healthy and active relationship. Waving Li Mei up the stairs after assuring the woman that she looked fine, Dee went to clean up.
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