I looked at myself in the mirror, I dragged my fingers gingerly across the scars on my face, it hurt thinking about how my face was mutilated in such a way. But it felt so liberating, because the day my face was mangled like this was when I became my true self. “Lao De Nu? I'm back, the retrieval was successful.” I leaned on my staff for support, my entire body ached and the day old wounds plastered along my body stung as if I were on fire. “Finally, my clients will not wait all day, you know.” I hear Lao De Nu scoff at me one would think, with all the things that I do for her she shows me a little more respect. I sigh, knowing that this is the only thing she’ll say to me until she calls me down to eat, I set the satchel of treasures on her desk and limp to my room. “A fool she is, nothing I give her is good enough, even if I were to give her a treasure from the deepest ocean trenches or the Yellow summit dragons temple, she would never be satisfied with me.” I grit my teeth and set my staff off to the side of my bed, I stumble into my personal bathroom and take out my small first aid kit from under my sink. Sat on the toilet seat I remove my tattered shirt and fold it off to the side, my eyes scan my wounded body and then back over to my utterly destroyed and bloody shirt, all this pain for some measly artifacts and crap pay? I can't believe that I put up with this witch's mistreatment. I had absentmindedly patched myself up and when I was done mentally airing my grievances I left my bathroom and stepped onto the cold wooden floors of this bounty shack that I had to call home. As I was digging through my drawers for a new shirt I could hear Lao De Nu speaking with the clients that I had gotten this evening's artifacts for. I listened to how she spoke to the couple, so sweet and kind, pearls of honey practically dripping from her lips, I hated being able to hear what she said to the customers, such a massive difference from how she talks to me. I hear the customers leave, now knowing they took the jade and gold ring I retrieved, as soon as the bell on the shop door rung I heard Lao De Nu scuffle around the shop, a bag of coins in her hands, I can hear them being jumbled around I'm the small leather sack. I hear a wooden cupboard slide open, the coins being placed, and the door sliding shut, the coins now concealed within a secret compartment in the shop. "Tao Lee? Hurry up, dinner is almost done" I shake myself off and smooth out my fur, which was Standing on end from a frustrated state. "I'm coming." I sauntered through the shop and to the back, I pushed away cloth curtains that separate the shop and the living area we have. I could smell the noodles that were boiling on the stove, I heard the utensils being used to serve the steaming noodles, and I could see the short old woman standing in front of the stove, way too occupied with the food in front of her. "Set the table, will you?" I don't speak, I simply nod and take the utensils from the drawer under the empty counter top, I freeze for a moment before moving to the table, something didn't feel right. "Your food is getting cold shazi" I scowled as I sat down. I contemplated throwing the chopsticks and spoon at her but I was not about to stoop to her level. "Do not call me that, I can leave right this second and you'd be out of business" I could tell that comment of mine phased her so she remained silent for the rest of the Night. We ate, albeit sitting in silent hatred, and we were nearly finished until the bell attached on the door rang. Lao De Nu stood up quickly and ushered me to get dressed and prepare for a task. I growled obviously upset from not being able to finish my dinner but I didn't linger on it for long as I left to get ready for the third retrieval of the night. This treasure better be worth it.