29 A Day with the General

'Did you get into trouble again?'

'No, I didn't! Trouble seek me out again.'

'It is the same thing.'

'It isn't! I am just standing there and the thing just happen to go at my direction...'

'Then why were you just foolishly standing there waiting for tragedy to strike?'

'How am I supposed to know that my luck was trash today too?'

Those were the inner monologue of two naturally introverted persons - or maybe a Zhi's perspective (but that slightly apprehending gaze by Master definitely thought so).

They were literally having a conversation with their eyes. Zhi felt her body shrinking with each narrowing gaze from Master.

General Yanchen was suffering a back graze. His doctor friend was ignoring his condition to silently scold her disciple. Although it was not a big deal for a huge man like him, but being left to the side like this, his back was feeling breezy...

Okay... Cue the opening scene!

***

As if the hassle caused by the rushing carriage was a common happening, the streets returned to its happy and buzzing atmosphere. Now, a luxurious carriage was amongst its midst. The destination was the medical storehouse Zhi was assigned to go.

Inside the carriage, a half dressed man was being administered some ointment on his back.

Zhi thought she was an innocent and pure young lady, repeated for the nth times on her head. She refused to face towards the direction of the man, instead admiring the exquisite designs of the curtain.

The General had been staring at her, with an enquiring expression.

Being a straightforward person he was as his ever straight back, he just asked the question that had been lingering on his mind.

"Has your injury healed?"

Zhi had always been a person who looked in the eye when communicating despite her shy nature. But before her eyes could lock on the other party's eyes, his skin exposure made her eyes skidded across. She locked onto Master's face instead.

"Replying to General Yanchen's question, yes, I have fully healed."

At his name being said, his mood turned a bit cheerful. He quite had likened the sound of his name coming from her mouth. He had definitely seen that fast eyes making a pass at him. For sure, his dropped mood had risened back with her voice calling his name.

Then he seemed to realized that the young lady in front of him was sort of a calamituos magnet. The two times they ran to each other, she would be injured or going to be injured.

General Yanchen pursed his lips.

"Done."

A gentle slap from behind signaled the General that she had finished her treatment. The man promptly fixed his clothing and said his thanks.

"I'm going to take a nap now. Do not disturb me until we reach the place."

Both the General and Zhi stiffened. 'Don't leave us!'

General Yanchen had always known that this great friend of his had low stamina after staying in the cold border for four years. She even said that she was drinking some tonics to regain back her vitality. But, couldn't she force herself to stay awake?

That lady disciple of her looked like she was going to cry any minute now!

Before the General could reply back, the sound of low and steady breathing drifted by his side. She sure napped fast.

"..."

The General thought that it was time to utilize his newly found knowledge from 'How to lower the guards of a female' which he had 'acquired' (confiscated) from a soldier last night. The soldier, if he had remembered correctly, had bragged that he had swooned a few ladies with the virtue of the book.

Interestingly, the General did not comprehend what it meant to swoon. But if it could make the shy young lady in front of him to face him thoroughly, he was willing to take up the challenge!

He racked his brain quickly for some information he had read from the book. A certain memorable sentence popped up...

Zhi was practically begging inside for Master to wake up. Even though the General appeared like a nice person, a man was still a man! Her instincts was short-circuited when facing the male species. No manual or know-how came up on how to have 'basic interaction' with them.

"What do you call a sheep with no head or legs?"

The most intense stare of the day was on Zhi as the General mouthed the question. Zhi found herself staring back at him with a blank expression.

"A cloud."

Zhi, "..."

General Yanchen, '...Does it work?'

Master, 'zzz'

Little Jae, "I'm back but what's with this development?"

Once the joke registered on Zhi, a curl appeared on the ends of her lips. She put both of her hands on her face. Small tears formed and her heart beat started to thump.

Not giving up yet, General Yanchen then threw another sentence.

"What do you call a pile of kittens? A meowntain."

Zhi held out her breath, not expecting another attack.

And the sound of small giggle filled the silent carriage.