Prologue

  "Gege!" A shaky voice cried out, clutching at the white sheets with small, pale hands. The person on the bed was still, his stomach and chest rising at a worryingly slow speed. The door was shut, but the wails could still be heard from outside."Gege!" The little boy repeated, burying his head into the man's thigh. 

  If he could even be considered a man, barely being older than a boy himself. "I'm okay, Zeze." He raised a surprisingly steady hand to lay on the child's head, comforting him. The child was still sobbing, staining the sheets with his tears. Despite the older boy saying these comforting words, he was not far from passing. 

  "Promise me something," the youth said in a soft tone, causing the child to lift his head whilst sniffling. "Mm?" Zeze asked, wiping his eyes with a shaky hand. "If I have to go away, you have to be good, okay? Don't cause trouble for Shifu." Despite saying Shifu, the man he was talking about was less a teacher than a self-proclaimed leader.

  "Gege, you can't leave," Zeze cried harder, clinging painfully to the older boy's leg. Despite his pleas, the body under his head convulsed with coughs. The young man was breathing even slower, but continued to talk. "I'm sorry. I won't be gone for long, okay? Just wait for me." He trembled a little as he said this, cold despite the warm sheets on top of him. 

  Zeze may have been a child, but he was no fool. He understood his brother would not return, and could only hope he would magically recover soon. He knew that his brother was the only one who loved him, and couldn't bear to part with him. Yet he was only a child himself, so he could only watch as his last family member left in front of his eyes.

  Zeze's wails filled the room the whole night, and he didn't even notice when his brother's still body was taken away, leaving the child to mourn. 

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  Zeze had stayed there the whole night, his cries stopping only once he had passed out. His frail body laid against the frame of the bed. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his breathing was hoarse. He was likely having nightmares, with how he was trembling.

  The door opened, and a man that seemed to be in his late thirties came in. He had a simple white robe on, with cold, sharp blue eyes. He had slightly tanner skin than Zeze, who was pale and skinny. He watched him for a moment, remarking aloud; "'A storm tests the strength of a blade of grass.' It is only hopeful this child is strong enough." He said, his voice apathetic. 

  Not long after, Zeze woke up, and began to quietly sob this time. He had felt someone lay a hand on his shoulder. "Li Haitao was a good child. He did many good things. But he would not want you to cry, would he? He'll be sad." There was no telling if the man had watched him the whole time or not, but his voice was now gentle and calming. 

  Zeze wiped his eyes, sniffling. It was not so easy for him to feel better, but he did try to stop crying. This was because he remembered what Li Haitao had said, "'Don't cause trouble for Shifu.'". And so he stopped his tears, quieting down.

  "There are many things to do, child. You will learn to grow up today." Although they would seem to be harsh words for a child who had just lost someone so important, he said them in a kind voice, so it softened the blow.

  Not that it would matter in the end, anyways.