"Not the same... Not the same... Just a name..." he muttered to himself, reminding his unsettled heart that this girl and the one in his dreams are not the same. It was just the name that was the same and nothing else. sighing, he took his gaze off her and looked at the setting sky instead.

It's going to be dark soon and he needs a place for the night. Hence, without another glance at the girl, he walked away.

But even then, his heart can't help but feel like it has lost something precious again.

——————

After being heavily interrogated and rebuked by the village's auntie, Xi Rin dragged her sorry, tired self back home. She was dirty and in need of a good bath along with lots of sleep. She just discovers from the auntie that she had disappeared for two weeks and her head ached from all the explaining she would have to do. So she desperately just want to go home and sleep now. However, fate seemed to have other plans because halfway home, a flying slipper came and smacked her right in the face!

".... Which b.a.s.t.a.r.d threw a slipper at me?!"

Rubbing her slightly red forehead, she picked up the slipper and walked up to a group of boys with one obviously missing a slipper from his feet.

However, the closer she got, the clearer the sounds became. She couldn't exactly see what they were doing since the boys were closely huddled together, but the sounds of flesh hitting flesh couldn't be mistaken.

Now standing right before the boys, she could tell that it was the sound of someone being hit and thrashed. The rowdy voices of the boys only further confirmed that thought as she peered over their shoulders.

"Serve you right!" One boy said as he sent a kick to the person in the center.

"You do nothing around here but deceive and steal!" Another said, sending another kick.

"Think you can deceive me? Hmph!"

But something is funny about this picture. In the middle of the group, was a grown man being kicked by a bunch of little, pre-matured boys.

Yet that's still not the strangest thing!

With a pig-like swollen face, the man was no other than... Qiu Zhi!

(⊙_⊙)

"Eh? What are you doing there?" Xi Rin said, involuntarily out of shock.

Her voice gave the bunch of boys a scare as they all turned around to look at the girl who had unknowingly sneaked up to them. She was about their height with adorable features and shock-widened eyes. Although... she would have looked better if not for her dirt-ridden clothes and a slipper in her hand.

"What... Isn't that my slipper?!" One of the boys suddenly realized as he looked down at his feet.

But before Xi Rin could reply, a whiny voice suddenly cried out. "Xi Riiinnnn! Where did you go? How could you leave this miserable one and run off to have fun? *sniff sniff* Look, I was even bullied!"

"Really? I suddenly feel like leaving again." Xi Rin suddenly feels like the forest was a better place.

"No!" Qiu Zhi cried, quickly latching onto her leg. "Come one, it's about time you start repaying me for saving your life. Come, beat these brats for me!"

[Ding! Xi Rin joined 'The Bullies' party]

"..."