**
We stay on the low for the rest of the night in the rural village.
By the time it was morning, we hurry into another horse carriage and head back to the city through another route. It should be safer this way, as it is a secret route.. at least according to Co-Commander Xu Kai.
Inside the carriage is Xu Kai and me again, sitting silently. He stares at the wound on the side of my palm. Ah, my work of art when I harshly slammed the side of my palm past the cobble sand to rush to the hairpin.
It was wrapped by a cloth a few hours prior by Xiu Ying. She sincerely apologized for not helping me earlier but I forgave her. She would not have reacted fast enough anyways.
"Does it still hurt?" He asks me with a face of concern. He tilts his head to see my wound.
I shake my head and lift up my hand, twirling it around. "Nope. It's all good." Some blood bled through the cloth.
Ouch.
C'mon blood platelets. Do your job!
He pulls me by the arm and takes my hand.
"Ow, ow! That hurts!"
He curl his lips into a frown, "Stop forcing upon yourself." He unties the cloth and reveals the fresh wound.
I express a grunt in pain, looking in another direction. I observe that he takes a jade bottle out of his sleeve pocket and dabbles some of the powder on my hand.
"That is yours?" I question.
The medicine powder Xiu Ying applied for me earlier. I thought it was Li Shi Zhen's, since his specialty is medicine but I guess not.
"What do you think?" He interrogates me with a raise of the brows.
I guess he has a heart, overall.
I laugh silently, "Of course it belongs to Sir Xu. Jade bottle, very expensive."
He wraps my wound with a new cloth. A momentary silence persists again. And then I hear some giggles outside of the carriage. Was that Xiu Ying?
"Don't do reckless things next time," Sir Xu comments. I shift all my attention back to him again.
"Okay," I say as I nod silently while looking at Sir Xu. "Were you worried about me, Sir?"
"..."
"I presume not," I laugh to ease the awkwardness.
Why did I ask that when I know he won't say 'Yes'?
"You didn't even let me answer."
I stare back at him again. Hm?
"Call my name the next time something like this happens." His glance was at the carriage exit but now it's on me.
My heart races when I hear what he says. Am I really moved by this little fresh meat's comment? He looks like he is in his early twenties.
I would have been in my late twenties if I am still in the 21st century!
Wait, but then again, this body is about seventeen in age. I basically have the cognitive functions of a teen; that's right. That explains why I am so joyous right now. All the dopamine and endorphins are flowing in and out of this undeveloped brain.
"Hey! Leave him alone! His lover will haunt you with her ghost!" My superego tells me.
"Will do! Oh... And Sir, did the hairpin belong to your betrothed?"
His gaze rests somewhere else now. "No," He holds a frown again. "..My younger sister. Intrigued with creating hairpins, she left one for me to give to someone who is worth sentimental value."
"Ah," I nod and look out the miniature window again. Somehow, a sense of relief appear within me, knowing that it's not his lover's.
Please don't take this the wrong way, Xu Kai's sister. I don't mean any harm!
When the horse carriage arrive at the Yuan Manor, Xi Ning came out to welcome me back. Upon greeting Co-Commander Xu, Master and Madam Yuan return inside.
"Thank you for all your help, Miss Yuan. I prescribed you some formulas for blood circulation. I hope that will be of help. None of this is possible without you," announces Li Shi Zhen.
I smile, thanking him for his formula. "I wish you best of luck with the rest of the mission." My eyes turn to Co-Commander Xu, as if I am waiting for him to say something.
We exchange stares for a few seconds before he says, "Don't push your luck."
I scoff and roll my eyes, "Thank you for the tip. I'll make sure not to."
"Good," he whispers before his lips curl into a mini smirk. He walks towards me and reaches into his pockets to get something. It is the jade bottle. "Take care of yourself."
I smile and take the jade bottle from his hand, "You owe me this."
Soon, I wave my final farewell to them. It will be a while until I see them again.