" Cao Chang, help me out...at least a little..."
The said person being called upon for help, rather than rendering an helping hand needed, he to face turned to face the Gongzi breathing heavily with a very heavy bag hung across his shoulders and dragging along two big sacks, with a smirk on his face and continued on his way.
Shen Zhufu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His face red with anger and frustrating tears about to forcefully free themselves.
' Damn Peacock.'
His hands were already sore and red from all the dragging and he couldn't feel both his head and shoulders. An heavy bag on one and the other, a baby comfortably sits on.
He just couldn't cry. He wasn't allowed to, as a matured gongzi.
Finally, after the tiring journey, they arrived at their house. After dropping everything, almost at the exit, except for the baby who he now held in his arms, he almost flew to the spread mat and sprawled on it with a content sigh.
' Damn peacock!'
He closed his eyes, just enjoying feeling the squirming baby in his arms and cussing the sore muscles all over his body.
" Gege"
At first, Shen Zhufu didn't hear he was being called until the second time, when he deliberately pretended he was fast asleep. He made sure to ignore whoever must be calling him.
After a few moments, everything went silent. No one was calling him and he was no longer pretending, but his eyes were still closed.
' Eh! Peacock isn't calling again?' He felt relieved by that as he gradually, fell into a deep sleep along with the baby on top of him.
He woke up probably some several hours after. With a big wide yawn, he gently laid Wei Xiang beside him not resisting to the temptation to caress his cheeks, " what time is it?" he got up rubbing his eyes, " Cao Chang? Wha-"
He couldn't finish his words as his jaws were already on the ground. He rubbed his eyes to clear the leftover trace of sleep or probably, him dreaming.
No he wasn't.
The formally ruined...let's say everything of the house were as though they were never ruined.
They were fixed; the walls, the door, windows and everywhere.
His mind went off to Qing Hua, and without single thought, he immediately contacted Qing Hua.
" Good evening, my lord."
Shen Zhufu didn't respond back to her greeting " Qing Hua, Thank you so much...Thank you so much." he said grinning from ear to ear like a kid.
Qing hua mouth fell open with confusion evident on her face, " For what, my Lord?"
"..."
Shen Zhufu face went from blank to confuse, " Aren't Y-you...."
Qing hua, " Me? did what? I'm yet to complete the task you gave me... so.."
" Oh!" He bowed his head to hide his disappointment, " Never mind." he stared at her with a little smile.
Qing Hua, " My lord?"
With a little smile, he bade her good night.
'So it wasn't her. Then who?'
He remained where he was, confused and lost of words.
The person that had done the work must be very skilled. It was exquisite and clean.
Shen Zhufu made his mind to thank whoever the person. It is a must.
A low growl brought him back to reality. It sounded far yet so close.
At first, he searched his surroundings with eyes making sure the sound was not coming from inside. It wasn't. It seemed it came from outside.
He got up to check where the sound came from.
It sounded again as soon he stepped his a foot outside. It was farer than nearer now.
He felt his stomach clenched in fear but that didn't stop him from finding out the source of the sound.
Turning Several corners, he had realized he doesn't know the way back home. There was a small footbridge with shiny river side by side he found himself crossing and the mouth of a small tunnel, entering. From where he was he could see the moon-washed path, barren trees and chirps of bats. Everything was dark, creepy and smelly inside. And something growling close by.
It made the hair on his skin rise. It only took few seconds to reverse his decision and go back. But to where? And he felt something resonate inside him.
He used an handkerchief to protect his nose from melting from the heavy stench of the tunnel and kept walking.
When he emerged, the second he came around the corner, he saw him.
He lying in pool of almost dried blood and was badly injured.
Shen Zhufu went agape for a few seconds, ' who will do something so awful as this?' putting away his handkerchief, he went closer to the bleeding human.
He felt his pulse, no heartbeat and he was cold as snow, ' Is he dead?'
' what should I do?' he bit hard on his thumb.
A little whimper was heard and he looked down to see a pair multicoloured orbs filled with pain staring at him. Those eyes brought a feeling of de javu to him but he shook it off.
Nothing mattered to Shen Zhufu but the fact the boy was hurt and needed him.
He unconsciously caressed the boy's hair that felt smooth and somewhat sticky under his fingers, " Everything will be alright." he promised as the boy's drooped close, committing himself to Shen Zhufu's promise.
Shen Zhufu let out the breath he never he had, " Thank goodness, he isn't dead."
He got to work.
He tore the boy's expensive looking clothes which he felt pity for. He couldn't help but stare...no gawk.
The boy is perfectly in shape. Evenly toned muscles. The boy is better shape than he is. Though he not bad looking either.
He felt heat creeping up his cheeks, ' Stop looking.' he mentally hit himself for gawking at someone else's body and for feeling jealous.
He lets out a loud gasp with both hands on his mouth, there was a large hole on the perfect male body chest. It was so large, he could see the other side from it.
How would he deal with this?
' Even if I was a doctor... I haven't come across this situation and the patient surviving this...ahhh... this is too much.'
He bit his thumb in deep thought as his body was failing him. It was trembling in fear of not actually fulfilling his promise. What if the boy actually dies? There were a lot of "What ifs' on his mind.
" first, let me clean him up.. is there any clean water nearby?" he searched the dark tunnel with his eyes but found none. Then he remembered the footbridge.
He stared at the boy lying unconscious, " How will I carry him?"
He spent the next few minutes thinking but couldn't decide. So he concluded he carried him on his back.
' Fuck!' He regretted his decision. it was as if he carried hundreds of oxen on his back. His legs slightly trembled, " Why are so heavy? What are you? a mountain!!"
He finally made it to the footbridge, he gently laid the boy on the bridge and caught himself some breath.
Now with the light from the moonlight, he could see the boy's chiselled features, the sunset coloured silk he has for hair and the red forehead painting hidden behind the bangs. His chest clenched with feelings of familiarity. But Shen Zhufu being Shen Zhufu, he pushed it aside.
" So I have brought him here. Now, how will I wash him?" He stared at the boy in thought, " I hope you forgive me for doing this." with that said, he helped the boy up to his feet and walked him inside the river till they were both chest deep.
He finally noticed, the boy is a lot taller than he is.
' Why??!!!!' He felt slightly jealous of that facts and other facts.
He used his handkerchief to wash off the blood off his body making it turn from white to red and help to wash his hair.
While scrubbing off the blood of the boy's body, both he and the boy sank deep inside the river.
It was no longer a surprise to him, he could breathe under water, he swan towards the drowning boy. As soon he touched him, a blinding light shone between them. It lasted for a few seconds. The end result made him wide eyed.
The large hole was no longer there. It was as if there wasn't one not long ago. He searched where the hole was supposed to be if it was just an illusion. But there wasn't any.
He carefully swam to the surface with the miraculously healed boy. He carefully laid the boy on his back on the cold wooden floor of the bridge and once again in disbelief, examined his body till he was quite convinced.
" I need someone to explain to me what just happened!!"
He clothed the bare-chested boy with his coat and carried him back home on his back. Although he couldn't remember the way back home.
He walked in circles till he found the decayed signboard, could he find his way back.
" Gege"
Upon getting to the door to his house, Cao Chang, who has been waiting for him with sleepy eyes. Cao Chang, " Gege, where have you been?" he yawned.
" Nowhere exactly." he glanced at the face resting on his shoulder, " Nowhere."
"...G-gege...Who is that?" He pointed to the boy carried on his gege's back with his finger slightly trembling.
" Oh! I met him wounded and I can't just leave him wounded...you know?"
"....W-whatever!" He turned to enter the house but was stopped by Shen Zhufu, " What?"
Shen Zhufu, " Where were you?"
Cao Chang, " I was nowhere exactly," he yawned again, " As you can see, I was sleeping." with that he went inside and went straight to sleep.
" Oh"
He too got in and laid the boy on his mat before contacting Qing hua again.
All of his questions must have answers.