Lu Kai and I had been on the road, traveling for days. The way to Shui Jing Mountain wasn't as smooth as I'd initially thought. It rained for many days and nights causing delay in our travel.
One particular night, I took off my robes to dry by the fire. We weren't able to find shelter before the storm and got completely soaked. Finally resting inside a hollow cave, I turned to Lu Kai.
"Ah Kai, take off your robes. Let me dry it here."
"No-- No, it's all right." She crossed her arms as if to defend against me.
"It's just us two here. Don't be shy."
"I'm not shy... I'm just... I'll just warm up by sitting next to the fire."
"Okay."
She scooched closer to the fire, rubbing her shoulders for warmth. I knew that the burn scars were an insecurity of hers, so I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
Instead, I placed my hands in front of the heated flames and then wrapped them around her small face. Her soft lashes batted like the wings of a butterfly as her pale cheeks became rosy in color. I'd never looked at her closely before, but in that moment my heart almost skipped a beat. She was always beautiful. Her eyes were innocent and bright like two full moons. Although her lips were small, they were thick and poke out like cherry blossom petals. If she was a man, perhaps I would have broken my Fidelity Oath.
"Feel better?" I asked after removing my hands.
"Uh-- yeah..." she mumbled.
I situated myself on the other side of the fire and lied down, attempting to fall asleep. Xiao Kai huddled to herself, shivering.
"Hey, Senior Luo?"
"What? You hungry?" I reached into my bag to grab her a wheat bun.
"No. I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh. What is it?"
"If you weren't a disciple of Crimson Snow Valley... not of a member of the pugilistic world, what would you be doing?"
"Me? I guess I'd be the concubine of some big shot politician."
"Concubine? Why a politician?"
"So I wouldn't have to work hard."
"You'd just like to lie around and do nothing?"
"Or at least have enough money, so I wouldn't starve."
"..."
"What about you, Little Kai?"
"Me? I'll be with you wherever you go."
Laughing, I said, "Hey, if I wasn't a student of Crimson Snow Valley, I would have never met you."
"I guess that's true."
"Let's say you never met me. If you didn't have this life, what would you want to be doing?"
"I don't know. It's hard to imagine... what life would be like without you."
Not intently listening, I blurted out, "With a pretty face like yours, I'd say it would be easy for you to even join the Imperial Harem."
"Don't even joke about that! I wouldn't want to."
"Hahaha."
The heaviness of my eyelids slowly allowed my body to rest. I fell asleep with a joyful feeling in my chest. Like I had felt this emotion of happiness before. But I couldn't remember a time in my life that I had ever felt that way.
I did not feel as though I'd gotten enough sleep. As the birds chirped outside with the morning sunrise gleaming into my line of sight, I felt a warm pillow as I pulled it close to my chest.
Opening my eyes, I let go of the warm body. It became apparent that all night, I was holding onto Lu Kai.
Did I sleep walk to her side? What is wrong with me? Has my libido tried to overthrow my control in my sleep?! But what the-- This is my side. She moved over to me...