I'm enjoying my dinner inside the Hall of Blue Flames. It's the first time I've ever gone inside. The tall ceiling soars high over my head. The large windows in the back are merely decorative as no light passes through the candle ridden hall.
I see Yang Zi Huo's black throne of spikes sitting at the heightened level at the end of the hall, but don't care to pay much attention to it. The hall has sides with tables and chairs, so I was relishing my dinner there. The delicious plates of food entices me to dig in.
With a mouth full, I absentmindedly ask, "You still don't eat?"
Reaching for the boiled pork, I hear Yang Zi Huo laugh through his nose.
"Uh, I mean... Why aren't you eating?"
"I don't feel hungry. Here, why don't I feed you?" He tries to take the chopsticks from my left hand.
"I can feed myself!" I say that but am struggling to grab onto a piece of ginger.
"Yuxing, why don't you take my room for the time being?"
Almost spitting out what I had in my mouth, I yell, "What?!"
"Obviously not with me. Unless that's what you were expecting."
"No need! No need! I can sleep somewhere else. I can sleep at the medicine wing."
"It has too many stairs. It doesn't feel safe to have you going up and down them every time you leave and enter."
"Then I can sleep at the servants' quarters, I'm sure they won't mind."
"I do. You're not here as a servant, but my guest."
"Then I can sleep in the guards' station. There's plenty of room."
"I won't allow you to sleep near the men." His eyes flash instantaneous anger.
"Then if I sleep in your room, where will you sleep?"
"I don't sleep. I can stay in my study."
Isn't this exactly how he treated Ming Yan when she fell at the Bleak Night gates in horrible conditions? That night he didn't show up to watch the fireworks, and immediately had her treated in his room. Now he's making me become his second woman? Hahaha! He wish!
"I'll stay in the study!" I suddenly announce. He is taken aback by my loud tone. "You stay in your room and don't move an inch."
"All right. If that will please you."
He continues to watch me as I eat to my heart's fill.
After dinner, he walks me over to his living quarters. Strangely, it has not changed over the years. We reach the doors to his study, and I wait for him to ask me about the Meteor Sword.
"..."
"..."
"Why aren't you asking me about the Meteor Sword?"
"What about it?"
"Like how did it end up in my hand! And how did someone with poor cultivation skills like me know how to use it!"
His lips spreads into a coy smile. "Even if I ask, you won't admit to anything. Good night."
He leaves in silence and his footsteps lead him to the next door building.
"Tch. He sure is smart."
I open the doors to his study, and close it once in. I put down the bar to lock it. It makes me feel a bit safer. Bleak Night is safe, and with Yang Zi Huo here I feel at ease. For now he won't let me die easily. I hope.
The candles in the room is lit, allowing me to see without a problem. I hop onto the daybed and pull the thick, blue blanket over my body. I am so tired that sleep seems to welcome me as soon as I put my head on the single pillow.
Everything smells like him...
It's morning. I slept well, but the cast made it difficult for me to get comfortable.
I'm able to fold the blanket back into its spot with just my left hand. The sound of knocking at the door surprises me since I've just woken up.
"Miss Yuxing, please open the doors to drink your medicine," the voice says.
Opening the doors, the slim man, not much taller than me, dress in a light armor is carrying a tray with a single bowl of hot liquid.
"Gu Yi?" I smile.
"Yes, I am Gu Yi, Miss Yuxing. I'll place this on the table for you." He enters, passing me.
"Gu Yi, how are you? Are you doing well?" I follow him like a little bird to the table.
He sets the tray down, removing the bowl and it makes a clank as he puts it on the table.
"I'm fine, Miss Yuxing. Please drink your medicine. You can leave the bowl here, and someone will come retrieve it."
"Have you seen Chuju? Is she all right?"
"She is doing fine. Worried about you."
"Mm." I nod. "What are you up to today?"
"I'm just going to assist Sect Leader at the meeting today with the Immortal Sect Leaders."
"There's going to be a Sect meeting for all of Jianghu?"
"Precisely."
"Is this to talk about taking down Wicked Mist?"
"They have been proving to be an ongoing threat. However, I'm not sure what else Sect Leader Yang has in store for discussion. Anyhow, I will ask a servant to bring you new clothes and prepare a bath for you. I'll take my leave."
He bows and heads for the door. I grab his arm before he could leave.
"Gu Yi, why don't we chat and have some snacks later? There's so much I need to talk to you about!"
"Um, Miss Yuxing. I cannot understand you. We've only just met. How can you have so much to tell me?"
"Well, I just mean that it can be kinda boring without someone to talk to."
"Be rest assured. Sect Leader Yang will be able to provide you with whatever you need."
"It's fine! I see you're a busy man. I'll keep to myself in here. I still have to heal anyways."
"If you need anything please let me know."
"Sure, sure."
After Gu Yi has left, a servant does come by with a pale yellow dress with brand new shoes to match. It is challenging to bathe with a broke arm, but I manage to unwrap the bandages and hastily wrap it again.
"Do you have any powder or lip stain I can use?" I ask the female servant.
"This lowly does not, but can run to the market to buy some for you."
"If it's not too much trouble, here I have a few taels on me that I can give you."
"No need, Miss Yuxing. Sect Leader Yang has ordered us to gather you anything you wanted with his money."
"I don't want to owe him anything, so you take this!" I shove the money bag in front of her face. She begrudgingly accepts.
I wait for the little maid to return. Looking through Yang Zi Huo's papers on his desk, I see that it's filled with information on Bleak Night's departments, billings for expenses, records of pay, information from the Immortal Sects and exchanges of resources. All of it are subjects my brain cannot absorb.
"Hmph." I move onto the bookshelf at the side. He has all sorts of manuals and texts on complex research.
"Why don't you have anything fun to read?"
At the top of the shelf, I see a dusty wooden box with a small latch.
What could be in there?
Tip toeing I try to grab it, but the shape is too wide for my hand. I accidentally knock it over to the other side. Pieces of paper flooded the floor.
"Uh-oh."
I run to the other side to pick them up, but quickly shuffle the paper underneath the bookshelf when I hear someone open the door.
Yang Zi Huo furrows his eyebrows. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing... just stretching." I kick my legs up and down as well as shake them like a lunatic.
"I have your things." He shows me a bundle wrapped in a his hand. Bringing it over to the desk, he unwraps it and takes out the makeup materials.
"Why do you have these things? I asked the little maid to buy it for me."
"I had time, so I ran the errand for you."
"I thought Gu Yi said you have to meet with the Immortal Sect Leaders today?"
"Since you're here, I wanted to spend some time with you. Wu Jing and Gu Yi can manage that in my stead."
"I'm fine. Please tend to your duties."
I can't stand you, and you want to spend more time with me?
"As you've told Gu Yi, you have a lot to share with him. Why not me?"
He tilts his head. His face is stone cold. Could he be angry I showed interest in Gu Yi? Not possible.
"I just said that because I was bored."
"Then I shall accompany you."
"There's really no need--"
His face contorts into disgust, and his hand lightly glides over my cast.
"Who did this to you?"
"What?"
"It looks like your arm was ravaged by an animal."
"Hey! It was because I took a bath and had to put the cast back on. I'm only functioning with one hand at the moment, if you haven't noticed."
"I'll redo it for you. Come sit."
"Mmm..." I'm reluctant to follow.
"Come willingly or do you want me to pick you up?"
I glared at him with a snarl. Abiding by his command, I walk over to his desk and sat in the chair.
He begins to unwrap my cast carefully. His eyes concentrates on the movements of his fingers, not wanting to put pressure on my arm.
"I'll have Ming Yan take a look at your bandages inside your robes later. I'm worried if you move too much your arm won't heal as fast. You may not feel pain, but your mortal body needs time to heal itself."
His face is too close to mine as he speaks. I stutter when trying to talk. "Why-- Why don't you just give me some pill to heal? I'm sure you have all sorts of medicine in the world to fix any kind of ailments."
He kneels and finishes tying the last knot. "Nothing heals better than time."
Time. Time and time again, we meet in all our lifetimes and hurt one another. I never truly knew if he ever really loved me. I just know that I loved him every time with all of my being, in whatever way I could expressed. Yet after all this time, I'm still in pain from all that he's done. All that we have never addressed.
"Yang Zi Huo, tell me. Do you worry for me?"
He lifts his face to look at me. Without hesitating, he says, "I do."
"Do you or do you not have feelings for me?"
"I love you, cherish you, adore you."
I cringe from hearing him say all that. "We just met, and you already love me? That doesn't feel sincere at all."
"Ever since the day you and Ming Yan revived Sect Leader Gao, I've known of you over the years without making a move to get closer."
"So why now? Why try to meddle in my life? I've been doing well up till now without you."
"Because I cannot live in a world where I can't be with you."
The abnormal speed of my heart beat is as if I had just overindulged in sweets. The heat arising in my chest, neck too is mocking my inability to not be swayed.
"How do you know for sure I'm the one you've been waiting for? Because of my soul essence? Because I can use the Meteor Sword?"
Reaching for my left hand, his icy fingers places it above his chest.
"Can't you feel my heart? It's saying that this is the person you love."
I quickly remove my hand after feeling his muscular chest. Clearing my throat, I avoid his melting gaze.
"Fine," I say reluctantly. "I'll give you one chance. Just one to prove your dedication to me. Can't promise that I'll turn to like you."
He shows me a warm closed smile. "Thank you. I won't let you down."
"Hmph."
We'll see about that. When he fails miserably, I'll laugh at him while moving on with my life. Whether it be that I pursue my solitude or whether I find another, I won't let him have the upper hand. This time revenge will be served cold as his tea.