The horse that Zhao Feng Ying was riding with Liu Xing Sheng continued to move in the silence of the night. The two arrived at a settlement after a long drive.
Actually, during their journey---Zhao Feng Ying tried to break the silence by asking Liu Xing Sheng to speak. But the handsome young man in white did not give any response. If anything, it was just a brief mutter.
Zhao Feng Ying pulled the reins of his horse and the four-legged beast started to stop. The other horses also stopped moving.
Zhao Feng Ying descended first before starting to extend both hands towards Liu Xing Sheng. His voice was soft, "Xing Sheng Dagē..."
"Young Master Zhao, you don't need to be like this." Liu Xing Sheng was still uncomfortable with Zhao Feng Ying's treatment of him.
"Xing Sheng Dagē, your arm is injured. I don't want you to hurt yourself,"
"...." Liu Xing Sheng looked at Zhao Feng Ying and only saw the sincerity in the young man. He sighed and then received help from Zhao Feng Ying.
"Young Master Zhao….You are too kind," Liu Xing Sheng's voice was low. His eyes drooped as he spoke. But Zhao Feng Ying heard it.
"Xing Sheng Dagē, what do you mean? What I have done is not even that much. You have saved my life, your kindness is far greater than what I have done for you."
"There is no need for that, Young Master Zhao. What I did to you was nothing more than kindness to other living beings." Liu Xing Sheng's voice trembled slightly.
Liu Xing Sheng was happy because even though Zhao Feng Ying knew about his identity----the youth was not afraid, much less abandoned him. This was the first time in his life, that he was accepted by someone.
"Don't talk about this anymore," Zhao Feng Ying smiled. "I don't want to hear it. As friends, don't be strangers. Xing Sheng Dagē, wait for me here. I will be right back."
Liu Xing Sheng gasped when Zhao Feng Ying suddenly left. He was stunned for a long time and thought about what the young man had said earlier.
'Friend ....'
Liu Xing Sheng looked at the two nearby horses that were lying down and seemed to be resting. This was the first time he was not alone. The feeling was very different from what he had experienced so far.
Liu Xing Sheng sat on the rock and waited for Zhao Feng Ying for a long time. He held his injured arm and looked at Zhao Feng Ying's cloth wrapped around his arm.
This kindness was also Liu Xing Sheng's first time. Usually, he was the one who bandaged the wound even with a messy bandage. This kind of wound healed very quickly because he had great body regeneration, but Zhao Feng Ying's kindness was truly something of value.
'Friend ....'
"Xing Sheng Dagē...!"
Zhao Feng Ying's exclamation brought Liu Xing Sheng to his senses. He coughed and corrected his sitting position. His expression was calm even though he had a faint smile on his face earlier.
Liu Xing Sheng stood up and then asked, "Young Master Zhao. Where have you been?"
Zhao Feng Ying smiled widely and without warning put a Daoli hat on the youth in front of him. He surprised Liu Xing Sheng.
Zhao Feng Ying lowered his head slightly, he lifted the cloth on the Daoli hat so he could see Liu Xing Sheng's face. The smile never faded on his face.
Zhao Feng Ying's actions made Liu Xing Sheng nervous. He had never received such great kindness.
"Y-Young Master Zhao...."
"Xing Sheng Dagē. Although I like the color of your eyes, I think you are more comfortable with this Daoli hat. That's why I'm looking for a replacement, do you like it?"
Liu Xing Sheng didn't know why, but the clear and sincere voice of the young man in front of him made an explosion in his heart. He didn't even know what to do now.
Liu Xing Sheng tried to calm down and then said, "Th-thank you…"
"Friends shouldn't say 'Thank you. Xing Sheng Dagē should keep that in mind," Zhao Feng Ying said again, this time handing him two packs of food.
Zhao Feng Ying said, "I bought some bread for dinner. Xing Sheng Dagē, let's sit down and eat."
Liu Xing Sheng gasped when Zhao Feng Ying was so considerate that he made himself sit on a rock. However, Zhao Feng Ying himself was sitting on the ground right in front of him.
Zhao Feng Ying stretched out the bread in his hand and looked like he was about to feed Liu Xing Sheng. He even wore an innocent expression as if he didn't know that his actions were a bit ambiguous.
Liu Xing Sheng flinched and wanted to rebuke him, but held it back because he remembered this was a gesture of concern from his new friend.
"Thank you…" Liu Xing Sheng took the bread with his left hand, but Zhao Feng Ying gently pushed his hand away.
"Xing Sheng Dagē, you must not eat with your left hand. This food is sacred and with it, people can survive. So it must be treated well,"
Zhao Feng Ying continued, "Because Xing Sheng Dagē's right arm is injured. Then let me feed you, so let's eat..."
"N-no need. I can do it myself," Liu Xing Sheng took the bread in Zhao Feng Ying's hand with his right hand. He felt bad for receiving too much kindness from the young man before him.
"Xing Sheng Dagē, but you are injured." Zhao Feng Ying himself was worried, he didn't want Liu Xing Sheng's wound to open again.
"I'm fine. An injury like this is fine," Liu Xing Sheng couldn't tell that the wound on his arm had closed and didn't even leave a mark anymore. This was because he didn't want Zhao Feng Ying to be shocked.
"But...."
"...I can do it myself," Liu Xing Sheng assured, he even smiled kindly and made Zhao Feng Ying freeze.
"Hmm? Young Master Zhao, what is it?" Liu Xing Sheng noticed him and asked.
".....I love it when Xing Sheng Dagē smiles, it looks so beautiful,"
!?
Liu Xing Sheng was shocked. He coughed lightly and looked the other way. A little nervous, Liu Xing Sheng said, "We will rest here for a while, before continuing our journey."
Zhao Feng Ying blinked but quickly nodded slowly. "I'll follow Xing Sheng Dagē. But shouldn't we just change places? Let's find an inn,"
"How much money do you have now?"
"Ah…." Zhao Feng Ying blinked. He lightly scratched his cheek and smiled bitterly, "That… I have quite a bit of stash. Xing Sheng Dagē doesn't have to worry."
"Save your money. We're just going to rest for a while,"
"But Xing Sheng Dagē was injured,"
"This is not a problem. I know the condition of my own body, it's only a minor injury." Liu Xing Sheng felt a little uncomfortable at Zhao Feng Ying's attention. He didn't want to continue to trouble this young man.
Zhao Feng Ying sighed and nodded slowly. He no longer asked Liu Xing Sheng to find an inn, but instead----Zhao Feng Ying kept staring at Liu Xing Sheng and made the young man feel nervous.
"Young Master Zhao…. Do you want to say something? Liu Xing Sheng finally spoke up.
Zhao Feng Ying shook his head slowly, "I'm just curious about how Xing Sheng Dag's life has been so far. Could it be that Xing Sheng Dagē continues to wear a Daoli hat to cover the color of your eyes?"
Liu Xing Sheng took a deep breath and calmly replied, "Not many people like to see this eye color. They are scared, so I can only cover it up."
"Xing Sheng Dagē, why are you helping a stranger like me? Have you also done this to other people?"
"Mn, I'm doing it for humanity. I'm helping people in need, there's no particular reason. It's just that Young Master Zhao is the first person I've been with in a very long time."
Zhao Feng Ying blinked his eyes, he asked, "Why is that?"
Liu Xing Sheng sighed and replied, "Most people who have seen this eye color would be very frightened. They ran and many threw stones at me. I don't want to hide anything for too long, including this eye color."
"What... They also threw stones at you even though you helped them?"
Liu Xing Sheng didn't answer, but Zhao Feng Ying already knew. Such is human nature. Zhao Feng Ying didn't even need to explain.
"Xing Sheng Dagē must have lived a tough life…" Zhao Feng Ying asked, "Why would Xing Sheng Dagē still want to help others when you know that in the end, they won't even be grateful?"
"..... If one or two people do it, it doesn't mean that all humans will act and do the same thing. The proof is Young Master Zhao. You're still here and you're not at all afraid to see me."
Zhao Feng Ying gasped, he looked at Liu Xing Sheng speaking again.
"I've always believed that there are still good people in this world. Those who accept strangers regardless of differences. I believe that one day, I will be accepted as a part of them."
Zhao Feng Ying continued to stare at Liu Xing Sheng and carefully watched the face of the man in front of him. He didn't see any lies, instead, he saw a strong determination to be a part of humanity.
Zhao Feng Ying began to realize, that one day they would take a different path. Not Liu Xing Sheng, but himself. Zhao Feng Ying would take that path.
Under that sky. There is someone who is not part of humanity but believes that there are still good humans in this world and will accept his identity.
But under that sky as well, someone who was part of a human no longer believed that there were any good humans in this world.
One person was trying to get a confession from the human who had insulted the Hell Wolf blood within him. And another person who is still hiding his hidden intentions of retaliating for all human actions against him.
******