24 HIDE AWAY

The consorts and servants finally had the time to go to the market. "It had been long since I went to the market with you," Ling said to Bian smiling and happy that everyone is finally heading to the market. "We need to get boxes of onions and garlic, also pork and shrimp," one of the consorts said. "They must be preparing for the wedding," Ling wondered, "What can I help with?" Ling asked learning how to adjust to the household. "Yes, consort Ling and consort Bian, you two can join the boxes of onions, we need 5 boxes of them," the consort giving out the orders said. "Yes," Ling and Bian answered.

Walking towards the early market, Ling and Bian linked arms following some of the servants and consorts. "Here we are," Ling said excitedly and looking at the onions. "Such ripe onions," Bian said touching the onions. "Here," the consort handed a box to Ling and Bian to pack onions inside. With everyone grabbing onions, Ling and Bian fought for the most decent looking onions. "Let us return," Ling said carrying onto the box. "Let me help you," Bian said trying to help her sister carry the box but Ling turned the box away from her. "I am fine," Ling said not wanting Bian to carry the heavy box with her. "I am not a little girl anymore," Bian said smiling at Ling. "I know," Ling said started walking out the vendor. Bian followed. "Did General Cao Cao instructed you?" Bian asked. "What are you talking about?" Ling said. Bian shook her head. "What is it?" Ling wondered. "It is fine," Bian said brushing the topic of General Cao Cao controlling the people around her.

The walk back was long, even longer when they are carrying heavy items. Almost all the servants and consorts return the same amount of time. "Consort Bian," Servant Bo greeted her at the door. "Yes," Bian answered. "General Meng De is asking for your presence in his study manor," said Servant Bo. Bian nodded and followed Servant Bo to Meng De's manor. "Consort Bian is not like us anymore," a consort said. "Yes, we may be in trouble since she went with us," a servant added. "No," Ling defended Bian, "Consort Bian made the decision." "Yes she did, but we should have told her no," another consort said. The consorts and servants converse away afraid Meng De is going to punish them since Bian is hanging with them as consorts and servants, a lower status. Ling sighs, "is there really a difference between you and I, little sister Bian."

"Consort Bian is here," Servant Bo informed Meng De. Meng De looked up from his writings and waved at Servant Bo to leave. Bian bowed her head and greeted Meng De. "What did you call me for?" Bian asked. "I heard you went to the market with the consorts and servants," Meng De asked. "Yes," Bian answered. "Do you like going to the market?" Meng De asked. Bian was confused of his sudden curiosity, she raised her head to see Meng De looking at her. Bian wondered if the question had anything to do with the kiss last night because she would be embarrassed if he mentioned it. "Yes," Bian answered shortly. Meng De nodded away and continue back to his writing. Bian looked at Meng De seeing him paying no attention to her made her even more confused about him needing her presence. Bian was about to excuse herself but Meng De commanded, "rub the ink for me." Bian looked at the ink plate to see the ink running out. "Yes," Bian went to Meng De side and grabbed the rubbing ink to rub onto the plate.

Meng De smiled to see Bian as she sat across from him, because that is all he wanted, was her presence. He looked at what she was doing and noticed she was rubbing the ink too fast creating clumps in liquid. "You are rubbing the ink too fast," Meng De lectured. Bian stopped and looked at Meng De afraid to have done something wrong. It had been such a long time she had rubbed ink. The last time was years ago when she helped Physician Chang in his studies. Meng De dropped his brush and went to sit next to Bian, "let me teach you," he said as he wrapped his hand over Bian's hand on the rubbing ink. Meng De moved slowly in big circles rubbing the ink. Bian turns to face Meng De as he shows her how to do it. She can smell his lavender scent which helped calm her racing heart as he was next to her holding her hand. Meng De stopped and looked at Bian, "understand?" he asked. Bian blinked fast as she came back to reality and nodded. Meng De went back his seat and watch Bian tried doing it her own. Bian slowed down in running the ink onto the plate trying to show Meng De that she understood. Bian finished rubbing the ink and stood up to place it next to Meng De. After Bian drops the ink plate next to Meng De, he grabbed onto her wrist not allowing her to go. Meng De look at Bian and smiled, "thank you," he said sincerely. Bian can feel her heart melting as this man smiling genuinely at her and actually thanked her.

"General Meng De," Lady Ding enters calling for Meng De. Bian and Meng De looked up to see Lady Ding entering alone. "What is it?" Meng De said as he got up and walked towards Lady Ding. Bian followed. "You are here, Consort Bian,"Lady Ding said trying to control her emotions. "Yes," Bian said being able to read Lady Ding's controlled expression, "I may take my leave now." Meng De nodded and watched Bian leave his room. "Come sit," Meng De said leading Lady Ding to the tea table.

Bian is conversing with Ling in the courtyard as Ling and two other consorts watched Lady Guo and Lady Mei playing around. "When is Physician Chang returning?" Bian wondered. "When the sun set," Ling answered. "Who is the patient?" Bian asked. "Chang did not tell me much," Ling said while playing with Lady Mei. Bian watched Lady Guo playing around and smiled at the fact that Lady Guo is feeling better. "Are there still sweets?" Bian asked Ling. "Yes, there is many in Lady Ding's room," Ling smiled, "would you like one now?" she asked. Bian shook her head, "I want to give them to Lady Guo," she said. "It is in Lady Ding's room on her tea table," Ling said. "I can go get them," Bian offered and left to Lady Ding's room. Bian saw the basket on the tea table. She looked inside the basket to see it still full of sweets and grabbed it. "What are you doing in here?" Lady Ding asked. Bian turns around to face upset Lady Ding, "Lady Ding," Bian said slightly raising the basket.

Lady Ding nodded and sighs. "Are you fine?" Bian asked worry about Lady Ding. Lady Ding looked at Bian, "why were you with General Meng De?" she asked. "General Cao Cao told me to help rub the ink," Bian said. Lady Ding was smirked and looked at Bian, "so he does need help with him ink," she said. Bian nodded. Lady Ding was hurt, Meng De had never asked her to help him on his ink whenever he is writing. Lady Ding held onto Bian's arms, "you do not go close to him ever again," she sneered in anger. Bian held onto Lady Ding's wrists as Lady Ding squeezed into her arms, causing pain. "This is not warning," Lady Ding threatened Bian.

Bian walked out of Lady Ding's room in fear. How much more can she offer, Bian thought as tears rolled down her face. "Consort Bian," Ling called seeing Bian walking away without bringing the sweets. Ling wondered what was wrong with her as Bian ignores her and continue walking away. Bian went to hide behind the consort's hall and cried to herself, feeling powerless again and how Lady Ding is the one treating her bad now.

Bian had fell asleep crying. The sun was setting and Ling was worried about Bian. She called to look for Bian to find her nowhere. Servant Bo walks past Ling heading to Meng De's room to call him for dinner. "Servant Bo," Ling asked him, "have you seen Consort Bian?" Servant Bo looked confused and shook his head no. "You can go," Ling excused him. Servant Bo nodded and walked away. Ling can hear someone knocking the manor's door and ran to it to see if it was Bian, only to see it was Physician Chang. "Chang," Ling called walking towards her husband. "I have return," Physician Chang said smiling to see his wife greeting him. "Did you see Bian outside the manor?" Ling asked. Chang shook his head no, "where is she?" Ling shrugged, "I do not know and I am worried," Ling said. "Let me help you look for her," Physician Chang said. He gave his bag to Ling to put it away as he walked towards the kitchen, knowing Bian may have been cooking.

Physician Chang only saw the consorts cooking dinner in the kitchen but no sign of Bian. "Have any of you seen Consort Bian?" Physician Chang asked. The consorts shook their head. "What is wrong?" one of the consort asked. "Consort Bian is no where to be found," Physician Chang informed them. The consort said, "I saw her walking to the consort hall, she may be in her room." Physician Chang nodded, "can you take me to her room?" he asked. "Yes," the consort said and lead Physician Chang to Bian's room in the consort's hall. She knocked on Bian's room and there was no answer. "Consort Bian," the consort opened Bian's door to find no sign of Bian. "She is not here," the consort told Physician Chang. "Thank you," Physician Chang smiled at the helpful consort. "I can help look for her in the other manors," the consort offered. "Yes," Physician Chang nodded. The consort walked away to look for Bian.

"What are you doing?" Servant Bo said seeing the consort looking for Bian peeping into Meng De's room. "Servant Bo, I am looking for Consort Bian," the consort explained. "She is not here," Servant Bo said. "Yes," the consort said walking away to Mother Yan's manor. "What is going on?" Meng De asked Servant Bo to see him conversing with the consort outside his manor. "The consort is looking for Consort Bian," Servant Bo informed Meng De. "Who is calling for Consort Bian's presence?" Meng De wondered. Servant Bo shook his head, "it may be Consort Bian is lost," Servant Bo said. "Where did she go?" Meng De asked. "I do not know," Servant Bo said. Meng De sighs and walk out his manor and Servant Bo followed him. "Go look for Consort Bian outside of this manor," Meng De ordered Servant Bo.

Bian woke up to someone calling her name to find out she had been gone too long. She followed the voice to see Physician Chang looking for her. "Yes, Physician Chang," Bian answered him. He turned around to see Bian. He ran to her and held her by the shoulders, "are you fine?" he asked. Bian nodded in confusion. Physician Chang took Bian's wrist to check her health. He sighs in relief, "where did you go?" he asked. Bian pointed behind her, "I overslept," Bian said trying to conceal her hiding place. "Everyone is looking for you, and Ling is very worried," Physician Chang informed her. Bian faked a smile, "I am fine," she said. Physican Chang took Bian by the wrist and led her to Ling.

Meng De called for Bian as he looked at one consort room to another. He sees Bian coming out behind the consort hall and answered Physician Chang as she sees him. Meng De almost walked towards Bian but saw how Physician Chang reacted faster. Meng De watched both of their interaction. Meng De smirked knowing how Bian admires Physician Chang even though Physician Chang is her brother in law. Meng De purposely hired Physician Chang to keep his enemy close and just maybe one day if Bian happens to run away with Physician Chang, Meng De would be the first one to know.

"Do not worry," Bian smiled at Ling to comfort her sister, "I am fine," Bian informs everyone and thank everyone for looking for her. "You must be hungry, it is dinner time," the consort looking for her informed her. "Yes," Bian said. The consort led Bian to the dining room to see Mother Yan, Meng De, and Lady Ding already present waiting for her. "Come eat," Mother Yan told Bian. "Yes," Bian said sitting next to Meng De. Mother Yan started eating and everyone else followed. "Eat more," Mother Yan told Bian as she heard about the Bian missing. "Where did you go?" Meng De asked, already knowing where Bian hid at. Bian swallowed hard, "I went to take a nap," Bian said. "Sleep timely so you do not have to waste time during the day to sleep," Meng De lectured Bian out of jealous and anger of her and Physician Chang's interaction. "Yes," Bian said. Mother Yan wanted to defend Bian based on her pregnancy but could not take sides since Lady Ding was also present. Lady Ding also didn't even defend Bian and only cared for her dinner.