[color=slategray]Qing Yuan and Bo Wen continued their morning regimen in the typical fashion. Bo Wen placed down the extremely homemade placard, the lined paper adhered to the folded cardboard backing with scotch tape, the main task in their minimalist activity. Before greeting the dozen or so who were in attendance this cold breezy morning. Qing kept catching Bo Wen eyeing the horizon. Qing's plain light blue cotton and linen wushu suit stirred in the breeze. Bo Wen was dressed similarly, but his own wushu suit was sea green with a swirling yellow streak, which at first sight gave a dragon's appearance, before revealing itself to be no more than a fluid swirl when followed to its natural conclusion. [color=lightgray][indent][indent][quote][h1][b]Qigong - "Chee-Gong" - 氣功[/b][/h1] Qigong is an ancient Chinese holistic practice from Chinese medicine which promotes health and well-being. Using a diverse set of methods, qigong aids in bringing harmony to mind, breath and body in accordance to Chinese philosophy through a combination of meditation, controlled breathing and gentle movements which anybody can perform. Qigong is accesible to all ages. Come and try today![/quote][/indent][/indent][/color] [color=tomato]"So are we getting started?"[/color] Bo Wen looked back at Qing again from the horizon. [color=springgreen]"I guess..."[/color] Qing followed his sightline. [color=tomato]"You really expected her to show up didn't you? Her brother was just laid out and on death's door less than eight hours ago, and she had to give a lot of herself for him to get through that."[/color] Bo Wen smiled and shrugged. An Old Fool's Hope clear on his face. Qing wasn't sure that it had faded even now. He shook his head and walked away to gather those in attendance. He thought back to the night before. Shenden curled up in the corner under her blanket, the amber street light outside of the upper floor window holding her in a golden glow. Qing stopped for a moment at the thought. [color=tomato][sub]"I can't believe you gave her her blanket... did you really do that?"[/sub][/color] He continued to gather the people. Family, friends. [i]You of all people. Are you that desperate for me to actually try and--.[/i] Qing returned to his usual place in the group. One final passing thought swept through on the tides, before meditation cleansed the flow. [i]Or did you see something in [b]THIS[/b] one.[/i] Feet firmly rooted to the earth. Hands open, accepting air, he swept through with one leg. [i]Breathe in.[/i] He felt that which stirred within swell and sluice within his form. His other leg moved through, keeping momentum of the flow. His arms brought it through his core. [i]Breathe out.[/i] He pushed through and his arms carried it through his extended shape. His chi held, bound to its container, but stirred within his form. Promoted. Here, as every morning, cultivation would once again begin. [hr] [CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]Banner[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] F L O W S T A T E[/color] [color=tomato]F L O W S T A T E[/color][/center] [/b][/h1][/sup][/center] [hr] The van pulled up to a stop outside of an apartment block in Chinatown. He placed the drywall sheets down and knocked on the door, before picking them back up, he could hear a rush of feet on the other side. [color=orchid]"Qing! You're here!"[/color] A much shorter woman reached up to his neck to hug him, only to be stopped by a sizeable baby bump coming between them. Qing tilted to one side, away from the drywall sheets he was carrying, and bent further to accommodate. [color=tomato]"Excited to see the job finished, huh? Not too soon either?"[/color] [color=orchid]"No. Not far off now. Phew..."[/color] The woman wiped her brow, the rushed exertion a lot given the close due day. [color=orchid]"Sorry, I'm going to need to sit down."[/color] [color=tomato]"Don't apologise to me. It's your home."[/color] Qing cut a path through to where the new nursery was going to be. Prospective new wall already framed and wired, from his last visit, awaiting his drywall. He leaned the drywall sheets against one wall, and pulled his tape measure once more to confirm sizing. He pulled his knife and began to score the sheet. [i][color=white]"The Muramasa blade thirsts tonight..."[/color][/i] Qing snapped it back and cut the backing paper. [i][color=silver]"...well, something tells me the people of Hudson, are going to be very pleased in the coming days, at an answer we have for them."[/color] [color=white]"Has he tried to buy you too?"[/color] [color=white]"Silver... ...tried to buy... ...might be too far away anyway. My friends, they're west of Brubaker, and further south than your shop."[/color][/i] Qing realised he still had questions. The job was only a few blocks from here... He eyeballed the wall. Well, first sheet to go. Grabbed his electric screwdriver from his hip and carried the four by eight sheet to the ladder by the far corner to start work. He worked the first two screws into the framing beam when he suddenly felt a vibration on his hip. [color=tomato]"Aw-f'r-cryin'out... Li Phu!"[/color] He shuffled the drywall sheet to one hand and pulled the phone and answered it, putting it to his ear. [color=tomato]"Ace of Tra–"[/color] He struggled with the phone at his ear and load-bearing the half-hung drywall sheet at the wall. [COLOR=9174cb]”Qing?”[/color] the voice on the other end said. [COLOR=9174cb]”It’s Eve, you know. Demon fusebox. I… Have some more work for you today, if you have time. I’d… Appreciate it. If you can’t today just let me know if you know anyone who can?”[/color] He re-adjusted things trying to make sure he could be heard and take the awkward weight. [color=tomato] “Yeah, I’m available. I’ve only one other job today, and it shouldn’t fill my day. What are we talking here? More problems with the wiring? Do you want the breaker conversion today? Just–”[/color] He re-adjusted again trying to better position the phone. [color=tomato]“Just trying to get a sense of what I need to pick up for the truck to do the job, before I get there.”[/color] Eve paused on the other end. [COLOR=9174cb]“Unrelated issue… Wall mount needs fixing. I think a bird flew in… Uhh.”[/color] [color=tomato]“Well, I should be done here around midday.[/color] [i]Other job was a few blocks away...[/i] [color=tomato]“Call it one o’clock. Then I’ll be right there, is that okay?”[/color] There was a pause on the other end of the phone. [color=tomato]“Is that– Is everything okay?”[/color] [COLOR=9174cb]“Peachy!”[/color] She chirped back. [COLOR=9174cb]“Nothing wrong here. Just, the wall is a little…”[/color] More hesitancy. Qing was struggling too much to give it much thought though. He took the opportunity to shift the weight again. [COLOR=9174cb]“There are chips in the wall. The whole thing just fell. I don't know what happened but 1pm is fine. That's fine.”[/color] [i]That will give me enough time to make a stop, anyway.[/i] [COLOR=9174cb]“Do you like––?”[/color] He lost her briefly whilst the weight slipped on him, and he caught it before anything broke. [color=tomato]“Do I like what–?”[/color] His arm was starting to ache from the lactic acid buildup and the awkward way he was hanging off the ladder. [color=tomato]“That’s fine. That’s all fine. I’ll see you at one.”[/color] He pocketed the phone and bowed his head into the drywall. Taking a beat to rest, before finally finishing installing the first sheet. [hr] Qing stepped back and admired the new nursery wall, a patchwork of colours from the natural colour of the drywall and the mud used. [color=tomato]"You're sure you want him to do the paintjob?"[/color] [color=orchid]"He insisted."[/color] The newlywed returned. [color=orchid]"Don't worry, we've still got your number if he makes too big a mess of things."[/color] She smiled. Payment cleared, another side-leaned hug, and once again, Qing was loading up the van. [hr] Bo Wen was looking through a pair of spectacles hanging low on his nose as he inspected the inner workings of the espresso machine. [color=peru][b]"Qing in today?"[/b][/color] The older man gave an irritated grunt, out of character as a response to most people, but certainly not when dealing with this one. [color=peru][b]"I just asked you, 'Is Qing in to--?'"[/b][/color] [color=springgreen]"I heard. I heard. He has one job today. Back later."[/color] The younger man was dressed in designerware and had a pair of expensive sunglasses adorning his face. Which somehow made him look even younger when he wore them, than his twenty one years of age already did. [color=peru][b]"Are you saying he's back later, or that I should come back later?"[/b][/color] Bo Wen turned from his work and smiled. [color=springgreen]"Qing. Please trust I never suggest you come back, Ming Tian."[/color] He turned back and immediately returned to his work, not sparing the younger man a second glance. Grin glued to his face with self satisfaction at his own response whilst he resumed his work. [color=peru][b]"Wow. I love you too, old man."[/b][/color] Ming Tian Jin looked around the shop. Started impatiently tapping the countertop, until it was met by a gutteral sound that came from either Bo Wen or the depths of Hell, and then thought better of irritating the old man any further with his presence. [color=peru][b]"Fine... Fine... I'll go now before I catch the horrible social side effects of this affliction you call 'work'. Just... tell Qing I stopped by. I'll be back later."[/b][/color] [color=springgreen]<"Not going to. Don't feel you have to.">[/color] Bo Wen muttered in Wu, not deigning to look up from his work. [color=peru][b]<"You know I don't speak that Wu shit, but I still know whatever that was, wasn't kind. You're not even from the city, and you know I'm no rural bumpkin, and there's still that smug Shanghainese superiority. I'm your son's friend. That's not cool.">[/b][/color] The younger one replied in Mandarin. [color=peru][b]"I'll come back later."[/b][/color] Bo Wen swatted at the air as the younger man set off the buzzer and bell on his way out. [hr] Qing knocked on another familiar Chinatown door. It took a while. He wasn't expected, but feet eventually shuffled to the door and opened it a fraction to see who was there. [color=white]"Uhh... do you usually call to check if people's toilets are still working."[/color] [hr] [CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]Banner[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] F L O--[/color] [color=tomato]F L O--[/color][/center] [/b][/h1][/sup][/center] No wait-- we did that before. Both the joke and the title card... Disregard. [hr] [color=tomato]"I wanted to talk more about something you mentioned when I was here."[/color] The face on the other side of the door. Looked at him and then to the floor, as if considering whether he was worth the time. [color=tomato]"It's about your friends in Hudson. West of Brubaker."[/color] [color=white]"Did he-- did he try to buy you too..?"[/color] Before Qing could answer, the chain dropped off the door and it swung open before him. [color=white]"Don't matter. Whatever it is, you should probably come in. Better than the hallway."[/color] Qing sat in the living room. Water was set to boil in the kitchen. [color=white]"So what exactly [b]IS[/b] this about?"[/color] Tea was brought out and set on the table. It would remain untouched. [color=tomato]"Your friends. How exactly [b]were[/b] they to get in contact with Silver about selling their home?"[/color] [color=white]"Eh? Through the real estate--"[/color] [color=tomato]"So they didn't have any clear way to make contact with him? If they decided--"[/color] This wasn't sounding promising. [color=white]"Why would they? It's not like he was proposing going into business with any of these people. He just wanted to buy what they had."[/color] That stopped Qing for a moment, and left him deep in thought. There was far too much for any of it to plausibly be coincedence. But that didn't matter. Didn't mean anything. If he was to do anything meaningful about what was going on, he was going to need a way to make direct contact. Even if it was just to tell him that someone knew what his game was. To make him nervous. To shuffle the stacked deck and at least make him reconsider things. [color=tomato]"Well, where could I find him to talk to him..."[/color] He gave his thoughts and frustrations voice, as he tried to turn the puzzle over in his own mind. [color=white]"Silver..? The penthouse of the Sterling Silver Spear downtown would be the best bet."[/color] [i]Shit.[/i] Qing realised he'd been thinking aloud. [i]Yeah. And bring an army of security down on my own head. If I could even get within a hundred feet of there.[/i] It was his 'baby', the tallest building in all of Calder City - after numerous disputes and arguments to get it constructed at that size, defying usual city building regulations to get the record height. [color=tomato]"I'm pretty sure he has a whole team of security there to ensure he never has to speak with the likes of me."[/color] Qing replied. There was no point in bottling the response up, he'd showed his cards enough voicing his thought in the first place. [color=white]"You realy want to speak with him?"[/color] Qing considered everything one final time. The collector's item cursed sword in the hands of an ignorant, murderous lunatic. The exploitation of the people in his community. The fear on the face of Mrs Wing, looking out peeking - a different shade of red. [color=tomato]"Absolutely."[/color] [color=white]"Well... there may be one way..."[/color] [hr] The van drew to a rolling stop half a block from the front of [i]Liu's Fix-It[/i]. A bell dings, the buzzer blares. [color=springgreen]"Qing! There you are! Where TV?"[/color] His father immediately showed his hand, diving on what was most important to him. [color=tomato]"Oh, I dropped it. It's all over the sidewalk out there."[/color] He jerked a thumb over his shoulder as he cut a path through the shop. [color=springgreen]"What?!"[/color] He gasped, not picking up Qing's joke. [color=tomato]"It's still in the van, Ba. Relax. I'll get it in a minute."[/color] He placed a takeout box next to his father on the counter. He went upstairs to the living quarters. Qing returned a few seconds later with a drink. [color=springgreen]"What this?"[/color] Bo Wen pointed to the box. [color=tomato]"Bagel. Chicken-and-cheese. Eve gave it to me to give to you."[/color] Qing kept walking. [color=springgreen]"Pretty lady? Get for me? You better go get TV!"[/color] [color=tomato]"Where do you think I'm going?"[/color] He called over his shoulder, leaving the buzzer and bell in his wake. Qing returned a few minutes later, awkwardly carrying a television, his person protected from the broken glass of the shattered screen by a simple drop-sheet. Bo Wen finished the food just as Qing placed the television in front of him. The elder noted the make and model, and gave his son the box to find a trashcan. [color=springgreen]"I make some calls."[/color] He shoo-ed the younger man away, and cut his own path to the stairway for the privacy kept upstairs. Qing took his place behind the front counter in case of customers, and closed his eyes for a few minutes respite. [color=peru][b]"So did your father tell you I stopped by..?"[/b][/color] [/color]