Huoqiang couldn't fall asleep. She'd been tossing and turning in bed. She thought about what happened earlier at the Wisteria and she couldn't help but blush for the umpteenth time.
Careful Huoqiang, she warned herself. If you're not careful you might end up catching feelings for him. He's your host remember? You're only a guest.
"Right!" She nodded her head but still she couldn't sleep.
She got off bed and decided to go outside. Maybe she'd get some fresh air and feel sleepy afterwards.
Dressed in a night dress with her slippers on, she went out. She was passing by the room next to hers when she heard voices coming from behind the door.
This was Li Jun's door. Yes Shang had told her earlier. Was Li Jun in? And who was he talking to? Because clearly she was hearing two voices.
She went closer to the door and leaned forward, placing her ear on the door. She heard mumblings and mutterings, she couldn't make out a sentence of anything but she did grasp the word 'father'.
Was Li Jun with his father? She had never seen him in the mansion before. Were they talking about her? Oh she desperately hoped not.
Maybe she leaned in too close because at a point she heard no more voices and the next thing she knew, the door opened making her lose balance and she fell flat on the floor.
"Ouch!" She wailed when she hit the floor.
"Watch it," she said rubbing her head.
"Watch it? You were literally eavesdropping!
Serves you right!" Li Jun said with an amused smile.
"It's not like that!" Huoqiang pouted.
Raising her head up, she saw Li Jun's han stretched out to her.
"Get up," he said.
She reluctantly held his hand while he firmly helped her up her feet.
"Thanks," she said and he merely nodded.
"So what were you doing here?" Li Jun asked.
"I was just going out to get some air then I heard voices from inside your room so I..." Huoqiang tried to explain but she knew what was wrong was wrong. She shouldn't have eavesdropped in the first place.
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
"It's alright. Curiosity gets the best of us sometimes," Li Jun said with a warm smile of which she returned.
"So umm who were you talking to?" Huoqiang asked curiously.
"My father," he replied.
"Are you serious?" She asked and he nodded.
"Can I meet him?" She asked.
"I'm afraid not. He has left already," Li Jun replied.
"Left?! How? When the door opened, only you got out so how did he..? Or did he jump through the window?" Huoqiang asked. No that was probably not it. His father wouldn't jump out of his own mansion, would he?
Li Jun chuckled.
"Ofcourse not," he laughed.
"Then how did he..?"
"He teleported"
"Ahhh...makes sense," Huoqiang said.
"Are you still going out for the fresh air?" Li Jun asked and Huoqiang nodded.
"Mind if I tag along?" He asked and stretched out a hand to her.
"Ofcourse," she replied taking the hand.
He took her hand in his, clasped them together and they both went out into the courtyard.
The gentle breeze blew across the courtyard. The trees and flowers danced though darkened by the night. The two youth found no other view breathtaking than the faces of themselves illuminated by the moonlight.
He looked into her eyes and she looked into his. No picture could be better, no artwork as perfect as this midnight scene.
They stared at each other for a long while, the moon thought it should also find it's partner sooner or later.
"You're staring too much," Huoqiang said and shyly looked away.
"Am I now?" He asked. His voice musical to the ears. He held her chin and made her look at him.
She shyly nodded.
There was a deafening silence between them.
"You know you're different from other girls I've met," Li Jun broke the yoke of quietude.
"How so, master Jun?" The shy lass asked.
"Most girls only want to be around me because of my family's influence and my face but you.... you never cease to be a pure pain in the back!" Li Jun chuckled though Huoqiang was not amused.
"Who said I wanted to be around you anyways?" She scoffed and hit his chest gently.
"__"
"Master Jun I think I've had enough air. Good night," Huoqiang bowed in curtsy and walked off leaving Li Jun in a daze.
"What in the seaven seas?"
He pondered on the fairytale that had just played.
He sighed and caught a glimpse of the Wisteria and his gaze lingered on it.
"You never said it was going to be this difficult."
Li Jun shook his head and went back into the mansion.
Later that night, he stayed up just thinking. He kept on remembering that little frown in that tiny girl's face and couldn't help but be unhappy.
"Oh Li Jun you've outdone yourself this time. You've run mad!"
He chuckled to himself in disbelief.
Normally he would never have a second thought about the last girl he met but here he was completely delusional about someone he's just known for a few days.
"I'm done for!" He laughed silently.
~~~~~~~~
"....you never cease to be a pure pain in the back"
How insolent!
"How dare he? Me? A pain in the back?"
What an idea!
'Why should I care tho?' she thought, 'it's not like I'm his wife or his betrothed.
But still.....!
"He should've been nicer."
Saying Huoqiang slept happy that night would be an overstatement.
She slept disappointed and infuriated.
How deeply she prayed that in her dreams she'd meet Li Jun and show him what a pain in the ass really was.
Li Jun, on the other hand, also prayed that he would meet Huoqiang in his slumber realm and tell again and again to get face that she was a PAIN IN THE BACK and he'd say it in the most sarcastic way possible.
Hell yeah! He was loosing his mind...