[She is nothing if not entertaining, though she doesn't know it here.]
I was surprised as well. You must have worried him quite a bit. I will say that I don't condone whatever brought him to my doorstep. But perhaps next time he'll consider stepping past the threshold, rather than hovering outside it like I've written wards with his name on them.
[Yes, she is still annoyed by that, but the severity is melting into humor with hindsight now that the issue is resolved.]
What makes a fake doctor and yet real medicine? If the medicine is real, I would think the doctoring would be.
[How tragic that he just doesn't have the energy to respond to anything else in that. No need to condone anything, and especially no need for anyone else to worry or go outside or whatever. Enough.]
Even fake doctors will pick up some skills besides words.
[What, is she on his side now? Terrifying thought.]
Is he a tiger now? You did say he was dangerous once, though I have yet to see any stripes.
If he has the skill, then he might as well be what he claims to be. I've been told I should continue my practice in this place. Maybe he should as well. We could do business together, wouldn't that be something to see?
[She hopes he can see her smile despite her absence.]
That's flattering, though excessive. Perhaps I should be happy to be included.
[And that's as much as she'll say on that. It's difficult to deny it outright with what things he's seen of her. But he seems discreet, and what does it matter anyway? There's no mission here, no purpose. Somehow the world keeps turning without those things, or perhaps with spite towards their absence.]
He's welcome to that mountain, if he likes it; though I imagine that won't be to the benefit of the town. I haven't fully set my mind to it, but I do know that I have no interest in competing there.
[In other ways, yes. Needling him with pleasantness and swimming in circles around each other like two rival loons. Waiting to see whose false smile breaks first upon the rocks. Everyone needs their hobbies that get them through the day.]
[It certainly wasn't meant to be. But that's part of why it's true.]
Good. You shouldn't compete at medicine. Not the house thing either.
[There's no way he can comprehend any of that about the mountain or the town, but it doesn't matter, because he's right. Their talents would be wasted.]
Shouldn't it be flattering? I don't imagine myself a tiger. I can imagine his face at hearing that, though. Thank you for that mental picture. He would probably find being a tiger less offensive if I wasn't the other one. (The point, I know.) But I don't share his sentiments there.
You're in luck. I'm rather fond of my house now, so there will be no house competitions for me. I look forward to taking my morning tea outside when the spring comes. I'm sure the view will be just as delightful.
[If she doesn't imagine herself a tiger, it's probably just because she's imagining something else. Something weirder. Like a phoenix. He's not buying this, at any rate. She's too good at qi.]
Good. It still wasn't flattering, though. Two tigers, two lunatics.
I think perhaps you think me weird for everything I do now. Where did this bias come from? Nary a speck of blood ink or a star chart or a cursed statue, if you remember. (There are bones now, I'll thank you for the suggestion. I'll show you the next time we play.)
I enjoy watching people go about their business as much as I do with birds. A stranger walks by, and you see a small glimpse into their life. The direction and hurry of their pace, the cut or wear of their clothes, whatever companions they might be with. In a matter of seconds, a hundred little mysteries could pass by. A whole world separate from mine. I simply like to watch and think about it sometimes.
From what you say mostly. Those other things weren't bias. Whose bones?
[He has just barely enough sense not to say half the joke was in how Li Lianhua acted about it, as much as he'd like someone else to appreciate it; that violates some kind of code for sure. She's smart enough to know that's not part of the bias anyway.]
[Including that the bones be named. He'll inspect them with polite neighborly approval nonetheless. And then see if he can be more convincing, in his post excursion report.]
I'll tell you if you tell me why you ask things like that.
If we could agree, you wouldn't be calling us that. But I don't believe I deserve that much suspicion. I've been an exceptional neighbor, haven't I? I'm really doing my best.
"Better" is an extremely vague answer, you know. May I request a better one? What about it do you like?
And yet, I see you coming and going from there more often than elsewhere. How curious. Do you have a house other than that one? I'd like to see it.
I suppose an affection for people is where we differ, if I can take that to mean that you don't care for them much. How did you and your friend meet, then?
It tells me that I'm being considerate of the other tiger's part of the mountain. It also tells me that you don't have another one, since you're avoiding the question. (But if you extended an invitation to either, I would obviously accept.)
That is one way to meet a stranger. Why did you want to fight him?
You're avoiding the answer. I can't invite you to this part of the mountain. [On account of the tiger, obviously. Whose house it may or may not be, but who would probably show out, regardless.]
And even I can't see my house, now. [Maybe she'll forget before he can climb a ladder again.]
You could. But I understand that you won't, and why. I'll be patient. (You already have one doctor to fuss over you, and I think doctors share patients less well than you think.)
Hmm. Because you made him sound interesting. Though I'll admit that my offer to compete with him was half hearted at best. I was teasing you. I doubt your answer would be the same.
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I was surprised as well. You must have worried him quite a bit. I will say that I don't condone whatever brought him to my doorstep. But perhaps next time he'll consider stepping past the threshold, rather than hovering outside it like I've written wards with his name on them.
[Yes, she is still annoyed by that, but the severity is melting into humor with hindsight now that the issue is resolved.]
What makes a fake doctor and yet real medicine? If the medicine is real, I would think the doctoring would be.
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[How tragic that he just doesn't have the energy to respond to anything else in that. No need to condone anything, and especially no need for anyone else to worry or go outside or whatever. Enough.]
Even fake doctors will pick up some skills besides words.
[What, is she on his side now? Terrifying thought.]
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Is he a tiger now? You did say he was dangerous once, though I have yet to see any stripes.
If he has the skill, then he might as well be what he claims to be. I've been told I should continue my practice in this place. Maybe he should as well. We could do business together, wouldn't that be something to see?
[She hopes he can see her smile despite her absence.]
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[Nice try. As for stripes, he doesn't need to get into that either. Surely stubbornness counts. And eating poison.]
And there's the mountain. Though fake doctors share patients better than tigers share mountains, so maybe.
[He can, yeah. It's a very funny joke and he will be sure to tell Li Lianhua later what his next undertaking should be.]
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[And that's as much as she'll say on that. It's difficult to deny it outright with what things he's seen of her. But he seems discreet, and what does it matter anyway? There's no mission here, no purpose. Somehow the world keeps turning without those things, or perhaps with spite towards their absence.]
He's welcome to that mountain, if he likes it; though I imagine that won't be to the benefit of the town. I haven't fully set my mind to it, but I do know that I have no interest in competing there.
[In other ways, yes. Needling him with pleasantness and swimming in circles around each other like two rival loons. Waiting to see whose false smile breaks first upon the rocks. Everyone needs their hobbies that get them through the day.]
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[It certainly wasn't meant to be. But that's part of why it's true.]
Good. You shouldn't compete at medicine. Not the house thing either.
[There's no way he can comprehend any of that about the mountain or the town, but it doesn't matter, because he's right. Their talents would be wasted.]
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You're in luck. I'm rather fond of my house now, so there will be no house competitions for me. I look forward to taking my morning tea outside when the spring comes. I'm sure the view will be just as delightful.
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Good. It still wasn't flattering, though. Two tigers, two lunatics.
Delightful as a river? That's weird again.
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I think perhaps you think me weird for everything I do now. Where did this bias come from? Nary a speck of blood ink or a star chart or a cursed statue, if you remember. (There are bones now, I'll thank you for the suggestion. I'll show you the next time we play.)
I enjoy watching people go about their business as much as I do with birds. A stranger walks by, and you see a small glimpse into their life. The direction and hurry of their pace, the cut or wear of their clothes, whatever companions they might be with. In a matter of seconds, a hundred little mysteries could pass by. A whole world separate from mine. I simply like to watch and think about it sometimes.
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[He has just barely enough sense not to say half the joke was in how Li Lianhua acted about it, as much as he'd like someone else to appreciate it; that violates some kind of code for sure. She's smart enough to know that's not part of the bias anyway.]
I would prefer the river.
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[This time. Though she wouldn't have minded if they did have a name.]
Is that a preference for rivers or an aversion to people?
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[Including that the bones be named. He'll inspect them with polite neighborly approval nonetheless. And then see if he can be more convincing, in his post excursion report.]
I'll tell you if you tell me why you ask things like that.
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So suspicious! I ask because I find your company enjoyable and your thoughts interesting. Is that not a part of holding a conversation?
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The tigers can't decide if I'm too suspicious or not enough. I just think the river sounds better.
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"Better" is an extremely vague answer, you know. May I request a better one? What about it do you like?
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The river doesn't matter, watching strangers just sounds tiresome.
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I suppose an affection for people is where we differ, if I can take that to mean that you don't care for them much. How did you and your friend meet, then?
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That doesn't mean this one belongs to me. You ask to see my house, but not this one? What does that tell you.
[And what does she mean, 'then?' Caring about strangers isn't a factor.]
I wanted to fight him.
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That is one way to meet a stranger. Why did you want to fight him?
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And even I can't see my house, now. [Maybe she'll forget before he can climb a ladder again.]
Why did you want to compete with him?
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Hmm. Because you made him sound interesting. Though I'll admit that my offer to compete with him was half hearted at best. I was teasing you. I doubt your answer would be the same.