My Beloved Enemy

8. Confusion and Denial

Seeing Du YuShi carrying Yu Qiao Bai, Chun Hua almost had a heart attack. She stood up and rushed to the coming men.

"Ge, are you alright?" she asked with panic, her eyes trailed from his dishevelled robe, stained by dirt and blood to his bruised face.

"Don't cry, silly girl! I am still alive," Yu Qiao Bai patted her head gently.

"En, thanks to me," Du YuShi snorted as he put the prince inside the carriage.

Chun Hua threw Yu Qiao Bai a doubtful glance and the latter nodded. With a slight bow, she said "thank you, General." Then, she got into the carriage and closed the carriage's curtain so that she could treat the prince's injuries.

"Ge, I almost died out of worry," she said, taking out a few medicine bottles.

Yu Qiao Bai smiled softly, "I also almost died, but out of shock when I saw the general. How come it wasn't you but him who came to rescue me?"

Chun Hua lowered her head with embarrassment and continued to apply medicine to his cuts, "actually, it was the general, Dong Feng and I coming, but then I slipped and rolled down with Dong Feng. We checked around with Dong Feng but couldn't find either of you. Then, we returned to the carriage when I noticed his wound on the arm didn't stop bleeding."

"He is wounded but you are fine?" Yu Qiao Bai scrutinized her with his squinted eyes as she blushed profusely.

"He... might have... covered me..." she finished the sentence with two pauses, her eyes averted.

"Hmm, such a nice fellow," Yu Qiao Bai let out a chuckle before hissing as she pressed a wound to stop his teasing.

Likewise, outside of the carriage hosted a similar interrogation although it harboured more intensity.

"How come I managed to find him but six of you couldn't find us?" Du YuShi asked with a fake astonishment, shifting his gaze on them one by one. Well, even if they found them, Du YuShi would never let any of them carry Yu Qiao Bai, but that was another matter.

"We were busy with bandits, we killed around ten," Ren Jing defended him and Hua Suo.

"We killed fifteen!" Fu Jian said excitedly, pointing to himself and Wu Bo in turns.

"We..." Dong Feng started, but Du YuShi interrupted him when he saw his hesitation.

"Ah, I remember now, are you okay?" the general changed the topic, saving Dong Feng.

Dong Feng sighed in relief and touched his left arm where he was hurt while falling, "it is nothing important, General," he said softly while thinking; it was totally worth it.

Du YuShi nodded at Dong Feng, then said "if any of you also doesn't want to be kidnapped, let's go." His tone was deliberately loud so that Yu Qiao Bai could hear from inside the carriage.

Maybe, Heaven pitied them after the happenings of the day because as soon as they descended from the mountain, they saw there was a big town set on the foothill of the mountain.

Minding Yu Qiao Bai's injuries as much as his own exhaustion, Du YuShi decided not to move further and rather rest early for the day. Seeing the bustling town, the soldiers agreed with the general whole-heartedly while Chun Hua sighed in relief as the prince needed rest.

With excitement, the convoy entered the town, their eyes on the crowded street. It was as if the war didn't affect them at all; street vendors shouting to gain the customers' attention, pretty girls walking up and down, flirtatiously, children playing around...

Du YuShi saw Yu Qiao Bai open the window curtain and was looking at the lively street with apparent melancholy and yearning in his black eyes. His hand holding the curtain was trembling and soon a lonely tear fell from his eyes while there was a smile painted on his lips.

The scene was... mesmerizing...

Du YuShi's eyes stuck on Yu Qiao Bai and refused to let go. Although he didn't know the reason for his sudden emotional outburst, he wanted to console him, hug him and cry with him. However, the group stopped abruptly and Du YuShi's intense trance was broken.

"General, is this inn okay?" Fu Jian asked and Du YuShi nodded in a daze without even looking. They gave the reins to the stable-boys and went in, Chun Hua helping Yu Qiao Bai.

No, it was out of the question for Du YuShi to help Yu Qiao Bai after what he felt. He must have avoided him like a plague otherwise he... he didn't know.

"How many people?" The waiter's question brought Du YuShi's wandering soul back.

"Six," he answered out of habit and Yu Qiao Bai's shoulders stooped slightly.

So, he was telling the truth, he saved me only out of duty, silly me, he said inwardly. There was a bitter taste in his mouth.

"It is five actually and one table for three," Dong Feng corrected before the waiter left, nodding.

Chun Hua and Dong Feng exchanged a smile in front of Yu Qiao Bai, but he was too immersed in his thoughts to notice it.

When the waiter showed their respective tables, the group sat down separately. However, to Du YuShi's dismay, the tables were side to side, so he couldn't avoid the prince as much as he wanted.

After they finished the meal and most of the crowd dispersed, several girls entered the inn. They wore cheap, revealing clothes and heavy make-ups. Seeing the five handsome men sitting, five of the girls went to their table while two of them approached Yu Qiao Bai and Dong Feng.

"It is rare to have such handsome guys here, mind you buying us a drink?"

Chun Hua's face darkened, Dong Feng looked horrified while Yu Qiao Bai seemed unbothered.

He reached and put his hand on Dong Feng, saying "I am sorry ladies, but our preference is a little... peculiar."

The girls gaped at them with wide open eyes, so did Du YuShi. "It is our loss," one of the girls said with genuine regret and they left them to find some other guys.

Chun Hua and Dong Feng let out the breath they were holding in. Apparently, Dong Feng had no questions about Yu Qiao Bai's previous action.

As the show was over, Du YuShi could focus on his own table. While he was looking at Yu Qiao Bai's table, the girls were already invited to their table by his more-than-eager soldiers.

"Can you pour me some?" a girl asked Du YuShi, wetting her lips seductively. Instinctively, the general looked at Yu Qiao Bai and their gaze met. The prince's eyes were too dark and his demeanour was too solemn.

"Sure, my lady," Du YuShi ripped his eyes off Yu Qiao Bai's daring ones forcefully and poured some liquor to her cup with shaky hands. How come that annoying prince could affect him that much?! As it was impossible for him to feel something for Yu Qiao Bai, then why was his stomach churning and his hand shaking? Focus on the girl, his mind told him and he decided to prove himself that he felt nothing for Yu Qiao Bai.

"Do you want to go somewhere more... private?" the girl pressed herself to Du YuShi invitingly.

Du YuShi stole a furtive glance towards Yu Qiao Bai and saw there was black fire in his eyes, his hand around the chopsticks tight.

Why am I looking at him?

"Hmm?" the girl asked, caressing his arm and the general gave in. He raised to his feet with the girl, clinging to his arm and went out under the burning gaze of Yu Qiao Bai.