Night of the Broken Gliph

Chui Yim went off like a light as soon as he reachedhis dorm and only woke up the following day. If he hadn’t been human for both his lives, he would have already fainted just by hearing such information. 

That’s why Chor Shing Chit said it was important for a gliphist to have a strong mind. Without one, just looking at some confusing gliphs was tiring enough to make one faint. 

Seeing that Chui Yim had woken up, Lam Ming turned to him anxiously. “Brother Chui, you’re awake? You kept muttering to yourself when you returned yesterday until you fell asleep. You didn’t even answer me!” 

“I’m fine,” Chui Yim shook his head as if he was trying to shake the heaviness and giddiness away. “Drink some. This is warm honey lemon. It’ll help you stay awake,” Lam Ming said and handed him a cup. Chui Yim took the cup over and sipped it slowly. Indeed, he felt less tired after having the drink. 

“Oh yeah, brother Chui...” Lam Ming looked at Chui Yim shyly.

“Speak your mind. Stop being so wishy-washy.” Chui Yim glared at him in reply.

“Erm… So, since I’ve mentioned you so frequently to my mother, she wants me to bring you home for dinner next weekend,” Lam Ming stuttered while peeking at Chui Yim’s reaction through his long fringe. 

“What’s there to be anxious about when it’s such a simple matter? I’ll follow you home this coming weekend,” Chui Yin said, speechless.

“Really?” Lam Ming looked up, flashing a bright smile. Lam Ming wasn’t very good-looking; in fact, he was an ordinary kid. However, when he smiled, Chui Yim felt that his smile had lit the world up.

“There’s no need to be so surprised by such a small matter. Hurry and go; it’s time for class soon.” 

“We’re here?” A group of three could be seen standing outside the Riding Clouds academy. All of them wore a badge with the word “Chan” carved clearly on their waist. 

In the entire city of Southary, only Chan Clan members were allowed to wear such a badge. It was specially designed so that the Chan Clan could distinguish fake badges from real ones. Anyone who tried to counterfeit them would become the Chan Clan’s enemy immediately. 

The old signboard of the school made the Chan Clan members frown. Why did the young master even choose to attend this ordinary institution? 

“Alright, knock.” 

Chui Yim sat in class, staring out of the window in a daze. After listening to Chui Tin’s short and simple explanation, he no longer viewed gliphism the same way he used to. Basic gliphism was now boring to him. The fluffy white clouds floating in the sky attracted his attention more, where their constant movement and changes looked just like a naturally occurring gliph to him. 

Chor Shing Chit frowned at the sight of Chui Yim. However, there was nothing he could say as Chui Yim always placed first during examinations. Just then, a voice was heard coming from the door. “Sorry to interrupt your lesson, Mr Chor.” 

Chor Shing Chit looked outside to realise it was the school’s guard. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Is Chui Yim in your class?” the guard asked, scanning the class. 

Currently, three people were sitting calmly in the guest room of the Riding Clouds Academy. They only took a sip of the tea that the academy served them out of courtesy. It was clear from their demeanor that they were part of the Chan Clan.  

Knock knock. 

A bulky man walked into the guest room, with a bald boy following behind him. It was evident that the man in the middle was the leader of the three. Seeing the bulky man, the leader frowned. But when he saw the arms wrapped in black cloth, he kept his guard up. A two-chambered glipher? 

“May I know who you are…? If I’m not wrong, I only asked for Chui Yim.” 

“I’m Chui Yim’s teacher, Chor Shing Chit,” Chor Shing Chit answered in a low voice. “Chui Yim isn’t from Southary, so I’m temporarily taking the place of his father. May I know what brings the three of you here?

Chui Yim turned to Chor Shing Chit in surprise. Chor Shing Chit was usually direct and to Chui Yim usually, to the point that Chui Yim didn’t expect him actually to have a soft heart.

His cold and emotionless face doesn't look too bad now either. 

“Let me introduce myself first.” The man in the middle smiled. “I’m Chan Ching, the Chan Clan’s housekeeper, and I’m here to hear an explanation from little brother Chui for our missing weapons during these four years.” 

Hearing them, Chor Shing Chit pulled Chui Yim upright and frowned. “I heard about the news too. It’s said that the Chan Clan had six grade-two gliph weapons stolen in four years. This news flipped Southary upside down, and it’s weird that the thief remains unknown after four years.

“However, I don’t understand what this incident has to do with my student.” 

Chan Ching didn’t go into a fit after hearing Chor Shing Chit. He turned to a man standing behind him instead.

“Little boy, do you still remember me?” the man spoke up. 

Chui Yim looked over at the man. With his memory, he would definitely remember him. “You’re the shopkeeper.” 

Yes, he was the shopkeeper that showed Chui Yim the grade-two weapon, Water Reflected Moon, to satisfy his vanity four years ago. He couldn’t help but flush red in shame when he looked at the young Chui Yim. 

The shopkeeper knew very well what he was here for today. Even if the young boy had nothing to do with stolen gliph weapons, he’d be forced to pay for the Water Reflected Moon they lost four years ago. How could one not feel ashamed to do this to a child? 

“After I showed you the Water Reflected Moon that day, I was attacked before I could put it back.” 

As soon as Chor Shing Chit heard the shopkeeper blame Chui Yim, Chor Shing Chit stared at him coldly. “What a joke. Are you saying that a ten-year old… No, in fact, a six-year-old could defeat an adult like you? That’s absurd.”

“We heard that Chui Yim was born extremely talented, so talented that he’s even at a place that our young master who has consumed g-food since young is unable to compare with. If he had the intention, it might not be impossible.

“Moreover, it might be because it was so “impossible”, that the shopkeeper let his guard down towards a six-year-old.”

Chor Shing Chit shook his head. He was unable to believe his ears. The trio was currently making up for a fallacious argument to make Chui Yim take the blame. “So why don’t you report this to Southary’s government and let them make the call?”