For those who are interested in how the scented sachets look like in this chapter, please check out the uploaded picture! <3
Music on to feel the vibe?
**
Tiny specks of dust seem to dance in the shaft of afternoon sunlight that slant through the broken windows.
Yuan Zi Yan wakes up to Xu Kai by her side. Their hands are intertwined together, with their bodies lying facing each other.
Gazing at the sleeping Xu Kai, she lifts up her hands to trace his features. "If only I can stay.." She thinks aloud. Surely, she will treasure the days she have left in this world.
Sir Xu's eyes open up, "Stay here?"
Zi Yan jumps back in surprise, releasing her grip on his hand. "Sir, you were awake! Were you pretending to sleep this whole time?" She gets up and pats her chess to relief the shock.
"You seemed to be happy, so I did not want to disturb you."
The Elder Miss rolls her eyes with a smile, "You see pleasure in embarrassing me, Sir."
The Co-Commander rises up and pats her on the head, "Do you feel better today?"
Reminiscing back to what happened yesterday, Zi Yan realizes she totally ruined the mood with her unnecessary tears. They ended the night by sleeping next to each other. She sighs with relief before nodding with exuberance, "Yes, Sir! Yuan Zi Yan reports feeling completely better from last night."
He lightens up, "That's good to hear." He equips his cape over his armour, "Are you ready to return?"
Standing up, the Elder Miss dusts her back and claps her hands. "We shall return; but, before that.." She points her two index fingers together, "Can we please stroll around the city? Just you and me."
When Sir Xu agrees to her request, Yuan Zi Yan jumps in happiness. She swiftly opens the worn down door, allowing the sunshine to enter.
"UH-"
"--Who are you people?!" She points at the men who are waking up from their slumber. They all are lying on the ground, dressed in armour.
Sir Xu taps Zi Yan on the shoulder. Without the smallest apparent embarrassment, he replies, "These are my soldiers. They have been here since last night."
"L-Last night?"
She blinks.
The Elder Miss thinks back to what happened last night, turning crimson red.
"SIR!"
"DO YOU NOT HAVE ANY SHAME!"
**
The streets are more active than usual. Sir Xu strolls beside Zi Yan down the street; they both observe the services and items on display.
As they saunter side-by-side, Zi Yan's left hand accidentally brushes against Xu kai's right hand. She takes a glimpse at Sir Xu before looking away, "..Sorry."
While looking at the opposite side, Xu Kai loosely interlaces his pinky with that of Zi Yan. Then he lightly holds her hand with a soft grip. From that moment, Zi Yan expresses a coyish smile before clasping his hand fully with interlaced fingers.
As they wander through the streets, Zi Yan sights a stand displaying a large collection hair sticks and hair pins. "Sir!" She runs towards the stand and marvels, "Should I get one?" Zi Yan picks up a silver hair pin, with blue crystals and stones dangling from the edges. "Does this one look good on me?"
The granny who runs the stand claps, "Miss, it looks marvelous on you!" She glances at Xu Kai, "Sire, don't you think so too?"
Sir Xu returns her glance and apologizes, "Sorry, granny. We won't be purchasing a hair pin today." He gently takes the hair pin from Zi Yan's hand and returns it to the table.
"Oh.." The Elder Miss' lower lip protrudes in a sulky pout as they take their leave from the stand. "Sorry Granny," Zi Yan bows.
A feeling of disappointment surges within her but she shakes it off. "No worries. If it doesn't look good on me, we can always get something else." Sir Xu takes a peek at Zi Yan with a sense of guilt.
Their walk remains silent, only to be interrupted by a random middle-aged man. "Fortune telling-- Fortune telling! Young couple, would you like to consult a fortune teller?"
Fortune telling?
That has always been on Yuan Zi Yan's bucket list.
She shines her puppy eyes on Xu Kai, "Sir.. Please?"
Next thing they know, they are taking a seat on the fortune teller's stand. After a long session which consists of palmistry, facial fortune telling, horoscopy, and fortune sticks, the fortune teller nods while stroking his beard. He remarks, "I see, I see..."
"The past is certain, but the future is obscure.. You two are the sun and the moon." He closes his eyes, "There will be an unexpected turn." All of a sudden, he jumps back, "What! You two have a very obscure fate and destiny.." He opens his eyes and calculate the possibilities again, "How is that possible..?" He continues to mumble to himself.
Xu Kai and Zi Yan exchange a glance.
When they finish off the fortune telling session and begin to depart from the stand, Xu Kai notices the gloomy expression across Zi Yan's face. "You seem uneased." He stops, "Is it because of what the fortune teller said?"
"..."
Zi Yan does not reply, other than stare at the ground.
"I will break that old man's leg." He turns around and reaches down to his sword, "Old man—"
The old man's attention is on Xu kai but he can barely hear him, "HAH?"
Zi Yan panics, "N-Nothing, Mister! Sir, let's go! People are watching!"
Following that, they come across a stand that sells scented sachets, ornaments worn on the body for embellishment as well as repellent of insects and evil. "Miss and Mister, would you guys like to buy a matching pair?" asks a middle aged woman.
Zi Yan smiles and shakes her head, "No thank yo-"
"-We'll get a pair."
And so they ended up with a matching pair of scented sachets, one red and one blue. Both of which have a simple and floral pattern.
The Elder Miss cheerfully wraps her hand around the matching pair of sachets. To her, they serve as a token of familiarity and affection.
Sir Xu is a strange guy, thought Zi Yan. For he is willing to purchase scented sachets but not hair pins.