"It doesn't look good, Shixiong." Wu Huan felt the invisible pain having to rub medicine on the bloody cut. Well, the victim wasn't even cringing. "I know you're not angry because I slammed my whole body on you. But, I am sorry. I was not thinking when I saw the sword aiming for your head." He wiped his hands over a towel then submerged a new one into a warm bucket of water.
Wringing it out, there was a hesitation before he reached for Shi Lihua's hand. When he wiped the dirt of his slim fingers, his eyes involuntarily flickered to his rare empty expression. "Shixiong. Let me be by your side tonight."
Shi Lihua's eyelids finally fluttered but his lips pursed in annoyance. "So I'm your Shixiong now?"
Wu Huan couldn't suppress the smile. He wrung the towel one more time, wiping the jade white face. "Does Shixiong not like that side of me? I thought I was very manly."
"Stop," Shi Lihua swatted at his hand. "I never like you to begin with."
The Shidi who had just been embarrassingly rejected could only sigh in resignation. He grabbed the other's chin and made a quick wipe before he got pushed away again.
[He doesn't want me to touch but it only makes me want to do it more.]
"Shixiong, why did you want to see me at the bamboo forest? I thought it was strange. Was it connected to the fire...somehow?"
Shi Lihua squeezed his hands together, "As I suspected. Peng Yu lied." There was a slight tremble when he mentioned her name.
"That's right. Lady Peng Yu was the one who told me."
Wu Huan threw the towel into the bucket and settled quietly next to him.
"She told me to meet you by the forest."
Silent enveloped them for a moment."So, she saved us. She knew all along."
"She could have run away with everyone...or maybe she couldn't. Why not? Why couldn't she?"
"Shixiong,...what is your relationship with her?"
Shi Lihua rubbed his face, "I found out Qi Xue was involved in prostitution. I promised Lady Peng Yu to get her out. I was going to have a talk with Uncle Tao after dinner." He sighed, "She also hinted to me that it wasn't my fault before I left to meet you in the forest. No sane person wouldn't have picked up at the strangeness."
Wu Huan finally dropped his head into his palms. "If Shixiong thinks it's your fault then what would that make me?"
"..."
"At lunch, I got lost finding the restroom. I overheard someone else from Qi Huiling's room." Shi Lihua didn't comment so he continued, "It seemed to be a guy. I think he must be involved romantically with Qi Huiling. Maybe not as devoted. He has wanted to leave because of us but she tried to stop him. For some reason, it sounded like she was talking down on him. Then he threatened to kill their family. Shixiong, this guy wasn't joking. I could tell from his tone."
"Whether he is the culprit or not, we need to find him. Uncle Tao is still alive. He can tell us the story. I'm surprised he let his daughter be involved with someone so dangerous. It's either he doesn't know or he is being threatened."
Wu Huan felt uneasy the more he thought about it. As he recalled, the second and third daughters weren't getting along with Qi Jinjing as well. Could it be because of this unknown person? But then if he had killed them, wouldn't it be obvious to Lord Qi Tao?
"We haven't even talked about those attackers in the forest. Timely made a move on us when we tried to return, wore black masks and red ropes, used swords, and very skilled in escaping. Not to mention, they knew just when to run."
"What do you mean?"
"My third wave. Even though it has the same quantity in numbers as the first and second, it is very deadly because I can make them explode once the enemies are trying to knock them away."
"Blades that explode?"
"They may look like blades but each of them is formed from spiritual power able to materialize as weapons. To put it simply, I can turn my power into any weapons I know."
Wu Huan looked genuinely baffled and he still had questions, "Why didn't you make it explode on the first wave then? They wouldn't be able to escape so fast."
He was being glared at like a dumb idiot.
Shi Lihua scolded, "Then I would have brown myself into bits as well. I have to get them far enough. Nevertheless, it's weird for them to know my fighting style. I rarely use my first skill."
"First skill?"
"I use mostly my second skill. One strike kill."
Gulped.
"I'm going to bed. Get out." Before even a strand of his hair could touch the pillow, his Shidi pulled him back up.
"First of all, you can't sleep with a gash in the middle of your head. Second of all, I will have to wrap a bandage around it first. And third of all, we're sleeping here together because I only got a room booked."
Shi Lihua scowled unpleasantly. "You did it intentionally, didn't you?"
"Did what?" he replied innocently, gazing down at the irritated face.
He felt Shi Lihua tried to inch away. "Book-" There was no time to finish his sentence. His Shidi already slid on the bed and brought his head to rest on his chest. His cheek ended up propping against the firm muscle.
"This way you won't be hurt. Tomorrow, we will see a doctor so he can stitch you up."
"Let go this instant," Shi Lihua panicked, his breathing rough. Such humiliation.
"What? Not comfy? Rest on top of me then."
Just the imagination brought the Shixiong rage like never before. He barely controlled himself not to call for his sword. "You lunatic. Pervert! Let me go."
"Pervert? Shixiong's imagination is running wild. I'm just being a good Shidi. If Shixiong likes it, I can still be a bad one," the smile he gave after the speech didn't need anyone to decipher. It wouldn't also be weird if his corpse will be found tomorrow because his Shixiong felt like shedding his blood to clear the humiliation and lewdness.
[Today, I must be braved.]
"Wu. Huan. Let. Me. Go. This. Instant." The phoenix eyes were shooting lava and seething with a killing aura. This rare scene would send anyone chill to their spines.
Yet, the brave gentleman wasn't bothered in the least. In his mind, he had too many fears and unspoken deep dark secrets to prioritize his life over protecting this person.
"Remember what I said?" His pensive eyes found the phoenix ones. "That we have met before?" He knew the other person's breath suddenly hitched. Rage turned into shock. "Shixiong." Wu Huan called, wiping the pinkness at the corner of his eyes.
"Don't-"
"From now on, I will be actively pursuing you...protecting you...and not even you can ever change that."
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