39 It was you

The forest was in deep silence. Quite strangely at that too. Remote and close sounds of birds chirping or crows cawing which were usually loud during sundown were muted out. Only cold autumn winds breezed through the forest like the mother nature was whistling a teasing tune.

And there's the soft wheezing of a certain somebody.

Zhi had calmed down after taking three sets of deep breath. Her trembling arms had become numb so she lowered them down. Feeling a pair of intense eyes boring onto her from behind, she didn't dare to raise her lowered head. Other than that, the owner of the eyes just stood still. Nonetheless, with his overbearing aura on the leak, her legs went offline, status update: not listening to what the brain says uh-oh.

She was bounded with his invisible shackles even after the hard struggle. His body heat stayed on her back as if he had never let her go. This feeling felt inexplicably familiar though?

Her body definitely remembered the sensation of someone who had nearly gripped her waist to death!

The familiar dominant muscle flexing unnecessarily on her...

The awkward air continued inside the dead forest, until Zhi broke down to the pressure, she forced her feeble legs to stand up. She had to face the man sooner or later so, why not now to end her suffering?

Before Zhi had the chance to turn around, a fast arrow whirred towards her out of the blue, aiming exactly at between her brows!

The previous huge hands swiftly clutched her right shoulder, forcefully twisting her body in order to evade the incoming arrow.

As if the passage of time had slowed down to a 0.25 speed, Zhi clearly saw the sharp arrowhead narrowly brushed past her mask and disappeared into the forest. Her frivolous extensions floated by the turn. Then, a well-acquainted face entered her vision, wholly filling the frame as the face was in close proximity.

He had a manly structured face and such serious and deep eyes that both compelled and propelled her. Due to his tall and straight back, Zhi had always been forced to lift up her chin to look at him in the eye. In such proximity, she still had to tilt up her head but Zhi saw that this man had an actually pretty sharp and thick eyebrows. Arching downwards like he was default frowning, yet in this moment he held a gentle gaze as his brows relaxed.

Zhi was reminded of her first husbando. Not that she could recall 'who' and what did that word even mean.

He had a high-bridged nose too, finely sculptured to match his sharp angular jaw. His lips were perfectly shaped as well, completing the visual of a perfect masculine military man.

The skies slowly darkened as the moon appeared brightly against the dark blue hue. Due to the sharp turn, Zhi had to grab the sleeves of the man, and he had to hold onto her shoulder to prevent her from falling.

As a result, one person was staring upwards and the other gazing downwards.

That deep black eyes reflected a bit of a brown and black outlines in it. Unfortunately, the reflection was not the girl's face, so Zhi, as the substitute secondary female character or a villainess to be exact, lacking in the romance points to capture the target. As it should be for a non-heroine character like her?

More importantly,

a fleeting thought danced in her mind; Zhi couldn't decide, after all this time, was it her own heartbeat that drummed vigorously for him or her soul friend, the original owner of this body, what's left of her feelings, who still had some space left for him in her heart.

Yes, it was you, honorable General Yanchen. It had always been you, the hero who saved me from death.

First, you saved me from the burning house when you could send others to get me out of there or even let me burn to ash. Then, you promised to provide shelter as well as protection in the city to the helpless me.

Who could have blamed me, a despaired person to not be head over heels to you!?

'Fate had brought us together,

Hearts separated us apart,

What should be mine, ought I own,

Yet, you refused and denied our destiny,

This lifetime, I'll be the one who walk away...'

The soul inside of Zhi snapped after some while reserving herself. Maybe the close shot up view of General Yanchen had triggered her up for the second time. She chose to speak at this moment but the man himself couldn't hear her but only Zhi. Zhi really thought this was an inappropriate timing and at the wrong place. Was Zhi supposed to deliver the soul's words now? Wouldn't the general be first expecting a thank you?

But...

Strong emotions poured out like an overflowing water from a jug from inside her. Was it hatred? Was it frustration?

The soul had been bottling things up to the point of it breaking loose.

Thank goodness Zhi had her mask on, her expression currently if were reflecting the turmoil in her heart, would be devastatingly unpretty. And she could definitely not let him see the uncontrollable bloodshot of her eyes.

Eyes were the window of a soul after all.

General Yanchen was the one who broke the stare first. He gently let go of his grip on her. Facing towards the origin of the arrow, he shouted, "Come out! You've failed to kill me and I know exactly where you stand. If you value your life, come on out!"

Zhi thought the General's cries were strange when a womanly laugh echoed throughout the forest.

"Well well, if the esteem General values this lady's life, you should let us go!"

From behind a big tree, a lady in a marmalade dress appeared, with a horrified Yue as her hostage.