Yichen and Jie Hong soon arrived at the hut. They moved closer while discussing the height and material that would be best to use on the wall. Now that Jie Hong could see the place himself he had a better idea about what needed to be done.
"Stop apologizing and get out!"
Jie Hong and Yichen looked at each other in shock. Neither expected to hear Mochou screaming as they approached the house.
Without a second thought Yichen dropped everything he was carrying and sprinted forward. He took the shortest route and jumped over the wall. From where he and Jie Hong came from he couldn't see Mochou. He couldn't see him but he could hear Mochou's shout.
His heart nearly stopped when he saw Mochou holding up a piece of firewood while facing off against Fu Ling.
"Fu Ling! What the f*ck are you doing to my husband?" Yichen shouted in unrestrained anger.
Mochou dropped the firewood and looked over at him nearly crying. Seeing his bae in near tears Yichen felt his mind snap. He rushed forward and slammed his fist directly into Fu Ling's chin.
Fu Ling fell hard from the impact. He did his best to curl up and try to protect his most vulnerable parts as Yichen pressed down against him and began beating him.
"Ow! No! Don't hit me. Yichen, I'm sorry. Don't hit me." He screamed.
Mochou had seen Yichen fight before. He had seen him fight but at his moment he wasn't fighting. He was on a brutal rampage and he needed to be stopped.
"Yichen!" Mochou shouted as he reached forward and wrapped his arms around Yichen's neck. As he hugged Yichen from behind Mochou begged him to calm down.
"Yichen, stop! You'll kill him. Please stop."
"He dared. He dared to hurt you. How dare he!" Yichen shouted in anger as he raised his bloody fist.
"Don't." Mochou said grabbing his fist to stop him. He was relieved Yichen had arrived. Now he was afraid of what Yichen might do.
Yichen stop his plans to punch Fu Ling in the face again but when he moved he suddenly heard Mochou wince in pain.
"Mochou?"
"I'm okay. The sudden movement just took me off guard." Mochou admitted. When he grabbed Yichen with both arms all of the movement jostled his fractured arm and caused a jolt of pain to run up it.
Mochou's words were like getting drenched in a bucket of cold water. His anger disappeared instantly and was replaced with worry for Mochou. He turned around and gently hugged him in his arms.
"Did he hurt you?" Yichen asked as he picked Mochou up and carried him into their little hut.
"He didn't hurt or even touch me. I'm okay. So please don't kill him. I don't want to lose you because you killed someone in anger." Mochou said as he hugged Yichen tight.
"Don't worry. I won't leave you. I will always be with you." Yichen assured him as he gently rubbed Mochou's slender trembling back. Mochou pressed his head against Yichen's shoulder feeling depressed.
When Yichen felt his shoulder grow wet where Mochou was leaning against him. He regretted leaving him.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you. I'm sorry I didn't have my father send out a man hunt to catch that bastard last night. I'm sorry."
"Sniff* You can't leave him out there." Mochou said as Yichen placed him on the bed.
"I'll deal with him in a minute. Right now I'm more worried about you. How do you feel? Are you still in pain? I'll get my needles and help you in a few minutes." Yichen said.
"I'm fine." Mochou said in an unconvincing nasally tone.
Yichen lay Mochou down and tucked him in under the quilt. Looking at his red tear stained eyes Yichen bent down and gently kissed Mochou's forehead.
"Yichen, what's going on!" Jie Hong suddenly shouted from outside.
"Yichen, that's..."
Mochou grew tense and squeezed Yichen's arm. His body began to tremble uncontrollably as he stared at the door.
"It's Jie Hong. Mochou, it's Jie Hong. He came with me. He was helping me carry over some wood and other supplies for the chicken coop."
"Who let him in the yard? Did you let him in the yard?" Mochou muttered anxiously. He was having a hard time dealing with another uninvited guest.
"I let him in the yard. I inviting him over to help me with the chicken coop. Don't be afraid. He's a good guy who came to help us because I asked him to come." Yichen said in a low soothing tone as he rubbed Mochou's trembling back.
"In... in that case you... you should go outside to explain what happened and deal with Fu Ling. I'll... I'll be fine here." Mochou stuttered.
"I'll..."
"Go... Go make sure that bastard can't come back." Mochou said as he pushed Yichen away with his only good arm.
Yichen still hesitated to leave. Mochou was obviously unwell. He was unwell and stressed and Yichen couldn't bare to leave his side. However when he heard Jie Hong call out a second time he decided to leave.
"If you need me just shout. I swear I'll come back as soon as possible." Yichen said.
"I know. Come back quick." Mochou said before lowering his head onto the pillow and giving Yichen a warm heartbreaking smile.
Yichen gave him one more soft kiss on his cheek before standing up and leaving.
...
"Jie Hong, thanks for coming. However right now is..."
"Is your spouse okay? Do you want me to go get your father?"
"That's... Actually could you take that bastard with you." Yichen asked as he pointed at Fu Ling who was still curled up in pain and fear on the ground not far away from them.
"No problem." Jie Hong said. He placed the wood he was carrying down and walked over to Fu Ling. Like a sack of rice Jie Hong picked Fu Ling up and flung him over his shoulder.
"No... No, don't take me. Yichen I need to talk to you!" Fu Ling shouted as he struggled to break free from Jie Hong's grasp.
"I have nothing to say to you." Yichen stated as he glared at the man.
"Please, I don't want to go to war. You need to tell your dad that I wasn't involved in the robberies. I didn't do anything!" Fu Ling desperately pleaded.
"You think I'd do you any favours after what you just did to my spouse!" Yichen snarled.
"I didn't do anything. I only came here to talk. He's the one who... who freaked out."
Chop*
Yichen didn't want to listen to the man's words another second. He swung down and hit the back of Fu Ling's neck swiftly knocking him unconscious.
"Take him away." Yichen said.
Jie Hong didn't delay and walked away with the limp Fu Ling slumped over his shoulder.
...
With Jie Hong and Fu Ling gone Yichen returned inside the little hut to check on Mochou.
"Mochou, I'm back. Jie Hong took Fu Ling away and it's just the of us again." Yichen said as he walked over to Mochou's side.
"I should have been able to handle things. I'm not some weak person who can't handle a trespasser. I should have been able to calmly handle the situation." Mochou muttered as he curled up under the quilt.
"Mochou, I know you aren't weak. You are a strong independent person. Even so, there will be days or situations that are difficult to handle alone. That's why I am here with you. I'm here so you never have to be alone again." Yichen said.
"We... we can't always be together." Mochou mumbled in a pitiful voice.
"We can. I'll make sure we can."
"Yichen, don't make promises you can't keep."
"Mochou, this is one promise I swear I'll keep."
"Even if you could keep it I don't want you to keep it. I don't want to become someone who can only exist by your side. That's not the type of life I want us to have." Mochou said.
"Tell me my dear. What type of life do you imagine for us." Yichen asked as he caressed Mochou's face.
"I want us to be partners; to live, work, and build a life together full of love and trust. I don't want to be someone who can only cling to you."
"We can have that."
"How? How can we be partners when I can't go one hour alone without you?" Mochou asked.
"Personally I have no problem spending all day, every day together. However, I understand that isn't what you want. We can work together to help you feel safe even when I'm not by your side. I can teach you self defence. Once the new house and walls are built you'll have a safe and secure place to live. We'll figure out a way to help you feel safe and secure and give you the life you want."
"Yichen, I'm not a weak person. I shouldn't be like this. I should be someone who can survive in any world, in any reality. I don't understand what's wrong with me. Why can't I do what I've done all my life? Why am I suddenly unable to live alone?" Mochou questioned with eyes that begged Yichen for answers.
Yichen smiled back with kind loving eyes.
"You can't live like that anymore because you don't have to. Mochou are you familiar with what happens when people find themselves in a disastrous life threatening situation? It's amazing. They don't feel any pain and they can do incredible things. But once the danger passes, sometimes they collapse and become overwhelmed by all the pain and fear. Sometimes they survive the immediate danger only to break after it has passed."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying you've been fighting for so long and now, finally the danger has passed. It has passed because now you aren't alone. You don't have to face this world alone anymore. Now, you're rebounding and all the fear and suffering you managed to push away has come back with a vengeance." Yichen explained.
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Nothing. Right now let's take things slow and steady." Yichen said.
"Okay." Mochou mumbled as he dug his head into his pillow.
Yichen wished he could help Mochou through his current difficulties but he didn't know how. The only thing he could think to do is stay by his side and try his best to comfort him.
...
"I haven't finished cooking lunch yet." Mochou said after some time passed and his body stopped trembling.
"What do I need to do?"
"I'm not sick or hurt. I can finish cooking lunch." Mochou said as he climbed out of bed. Yichen tried to stop him from leaving and gave him a big strong bear hug.
"You're right. You aren't sick or hurt. You just need a little time to adjust to living a life that isn't full of suffering and fear. A life with me by your side." Yichen said.
Mochou hugged him back before pulling away and returning to the little corner of the hut they called the kitchen to finish making lunch.
"Do you want my help with anything?"
"No. I've got this. You should go build our chicken coop. I'll be fine in here." Mochou said.
"My dad might come by later to talk about what happened. If he does..."
"I won't freak out. It's fine if we have visitors as long as they don't hop the wall and break in without permission." Mochou said in a lighthearted tone.
"I spoke with Jie Hong and he'll start rebuilding the wall in a few days. We'll also replace the gate so this little hut we call home will be nice and safe. No one will be able to come in without our permission again." Yichen said.
"That's great."
"It is."
...