Red Snow

Chapter 11

It took weeks for the water to recede. When Bai Qian and Ye Hua made their way back home, they found their home was practically in ruins. The place was covered with mud and grime. Not much of the furniture survived. At least the structure of the house was still in place, except for the roof. 

They both set to work immediately, Ye Hua patched up the roof while Bai Qian cleaned up everything. They managed to return the house back to normal, but it didn't feel the same anymore.

Ye Hua kissed Bai Qian on the top of her head. "I'm going to make sure things like this never happen again, " 

Bai Qian looked at him quizzically. Was he planning to tame nature? Ye Hua may be able to do it with a snap of his finger, but Zhao Ge could not. 

"Zhao Ge, are you sure about this?" Bai Qian asked. 

Ye Hua gripped her shoulders, "I don't know why, but I feel like this is a calling to me. I was brought here for this very reason, " 

A long time ago, the Bodhisattva Guan Yin told her Ye Hua was sent here to relieve the mortals. She couldn't mean this, right?

"I know it's going to be hard and tiring for both of us. But I had to do this. If I know a way to help these people shouldn't I do it?" He explained.

"I'm not stopping you, " Bai Qian tried to say, "I'm just worried, " 

"All I'm asking for is your support," Ye Hua said, "Can I at least have that?" 

Bai Qian took a deep breath and nodded, "You shall, " 

There were many stages in Ye Hua's plan. They hiked up every mountain peak in the valley, explored the river bank and its headwaters. There, Ye Hua would sit and draw for hours, calculating the topology of this land. Bai Qian was mostly there to accompany him. 

She also sent out an aura to wrath off dangerous beasts from eating them. The tigers and wolves in the forest knew better than to mess with a nine-tailed fox.

After that, Ye Hua would spend hours at the table drawing out his spreadsheet. Bai Qian helped him by providing his needs, serving food, refilling his teacup and preparing his ink. 

When Ye Hua was hyper-focusing, nothing could distract him. Seriously, Bai Qian tried everything from delicious food to yelling at him to take a break once in a while. Nothing.

Ye Hua tended to work late hours at night. He barely ate or drank. This couldn't be healthy for him. 

"My hair is on fire," she once told him.

"I'm sure you look nice," he just mumbled. 

"I killed your brother in your past life," she said in a deadpan voice.

"I think there's still some peaches left, " he said without tearing his eyes away from his papers. 

She wasn't even talking about peaches. 

Bai Qian had to resort to using her feminine charm. She walked out of the bath, wearing nothing but her undergarments and walking right up to him.

Ye Hua just took one look at her and said, "Aren't you cold? Go put on some clothes, "

Bai Qian let her undergarments slip loose, exposing a bit of her chest. She said in the sweetest voice possible, "But I prefer you keeping me warm, " 

This time he didn't bother to look up, "Five more minutes, " 

"I don't want to wait," she cooed. Bai Qian climbed onto his lap and snaked her hands across his chest. Ye Hua just gently pushed her away, "Give me a moment, I almost figured this out, "