A Broken Heart Still Beats.

Chapter III

"Shen Yuan."

Turning to who had called him, Shen Yuan met the gaze of Chen Qiang, who only nodded stiffly for him to follow. Smoothing down the long sleeves of his robes, he followed after the brothel master until they entered the west courtyard where the stables were.

"Since you will be running more errands outside, you will get accustomed to one of our horses so you can go farther distances without being a hindrance, am I clear?" He led Shen Yuan to the stables' entrance where three horses stood or laid on their hay beds, keeping them safe from the cold of the coming fall.

Spring had turned to summer, and summer was coming into autumn, the weather was quickly taking a turn. Meng Lian had been complaining the past few mornings that breakfast would get harder to keep warm in the mornings and that her poor old stove would freeze this winter, always saying that she could feel it in her bones that the fall wouldn't stay for long this year, and winter would soon take over, leaving nothing but a harsh atmosphere for people to brave through unwillingly.

"This one understands, Chen-ye." Shen Yuan nodded. He already knew which horse to go to.

While in the past life, he hadn't been allowed to leave the brothel at all, he had been instructed to help take care of the horses that Chen Qiang kept at the brothel estate in case of emergencies. One of his best was Xiao Yingzi: Little Shadow. However, Shen Yuan always found the name misleading. Xiao Yingzi was anything but little, with a wide and stocky body that left the beast of a horse nearly reaching the ceiling of the stables and inky black hair, Shen Yuan always thought the name Da Yingzi: Big Shadow, would be better suited for such a creature.

Xiao Yingzi was a large horse, but he was also temperamental and aggressive, biting and kicking at anyone who tried to ride him. The only reason Chen Qiang hadn't gotten rid of him was because he was useful for pulling carriages once they could wrangle him into the reins and because the great beast had been a gift from some old confidant of the brothel master, and the man refused to part with the temperamental creature.

Somehow, despite the hesitance he had that day in the past life, Shen Yuan had approached Xiao Yingzi and offered him some sugar cubes, and from there on, the horse had been rather calm around him. Allowing him to groom him and enter the stall with him without fear of being kicked or bitten, there were even times that Shen Yuan would hide from the rest of the world in the stables, and he always sought out Xiao Yingzi for protection, and without fail every time he ventured into the stall and allowed himself to rest, not a single soul would come to bother him.

Freeing himself from his thoughts, Shen Yuan looked up and realized that Chen Qiang was watching him expectantly, a hand holding out some sugar cubes and carrots. Does he want me to do it now, while he watches? Nodding slowly, Shen Yuan took the horse treats and ventured over to the stables, letting the first two sniff his hands and either turn away from him or just nudge his hand gently as they accepted the food, however, when he tried to shuffle closer to Xiao Yingzi, Chen Qiang's hand stopped him.

"Xiao Yingzi is temperamental, Shen Yuan should pick one of the others." It wasn't a suggestion but an order, however, Shen Yuan almost felt inclined to ignore it outwardly.

You should have treated him more calmly. Shen Yuan thought as he pretended to go back to the other two, before quickly jerking off to the side until he stood in front of the large beast. Raising his hand smoothly, he offered the sugar cubes as the horse lowered its head to sniff at his hand. "Shen Yuan–." Silence fell as the horse ate from his hand calmly, even reaching out to nudge at Shen Yuan's chest, huffing and puffing expectantly...almost excitedly. Stomping at the ground and nudging him some more, Shen Yuan answered with a gentle hand to Xiao Yingzi's mane, petting him and soothing him.