8 UNTIL I SEE YOU AGAIN

The consorts set up the dining table for Mother Yan, Meng De, Lady Ding, Chang, and Ling to eat dinner. Everyone attended to the dining table and sat down, except for Bian. "Daughter Ding?" Mother Yan said. "Yes, mother?" Lady Ding responded. "Why not tell Consort Bian to eat dinner with us?" Mother Yan said. Everyone looked at Bian. "How are you feeling?" Ling asked Bian. "I.." Bian starts to talk but Lady Ding cuts her off, "Consort Bian still have symptoms, she will not be able to join us," Lady Ding looked at Bian, "is that right?". Bian lowered her gaze, "yes, Lady Ding."

To start eating, Meng De grabbed a vegetable to his mother's plate, "eat mother." "Yes," Mother Yan turned back to her own bowl and nodded for everyone to eat. As soon as Mother Yan starts eating, everyone dig in after the elder. Lady Ding notices Meng De's hands, "what happened to your hand?" she said as she grabbed his hand to look at it. It was bruised on side of the palm. "I do not remember," Meng De said looking at his palm. "Why did you not tell me to put some medication on it?" Lady Ding said. "It does not hurt so I did not want to bother you," Meng De said. Lady Ding sighs, "I will tell Consort Bian to bring medicine after dinner."

"Did you eat well?" Ling asked little sister who join the consorts for dinner. "Yes, the consorts made food perfect for my symptoms," Bian said. Ling smiled at Bian. Bian smiled back. "Who knew my little bookworm sister will know how to seduce a man in bed, did you learn it from all those books you read?" Ling laughed. Bian shook her head and looked at her sister confused, she never seduced any man in bed. Bian wants to tell her sister all the truthful events but held her tongue because she may bring trouble. The only person that knows the real story is Lady Ding. Even being a surrogate mother, only Lady Ding knows that Bian consent to giving her child if it is a son after being forced by General Cao Cao. If it is not a son, Bian honestly do not even know the future of her role anymore.

"Is there something you want to tell me before I go back home and get wedded?" Ling asked looking at her quiet sister. Bian shook her head as she linked arms with her sister. "Probably some bed tricks for the first night?" Ling joked. Bian shook her head even more in embarrassment. Her sister was getting perverted. "Then anything to tell mother and father," Ling changed the subject. "Just let them know that I want them care for themselves," Bian said. "I will tell them," Ling said. Bian looked at Ling, "is there something you want to tell me before you go?". "Take good care of Lady Ding," Ling said, "like usual, and take care of yourself because now there is a future heir inside of you." Bian forced a smile trying to be grateful.

Both sisters view the beautiful dusk from the court yard. They linked arms, not wanting to be apart at all. There may be promises that they will reunite or be together again, but tomorrow is never known. There are many sisters separated through marriages for a long time, even for a whole life time. Ling and Bian knew their fate one day would be similar. They wanted to make the most of the night.

"Let me join you two," Lady Ding said as she came with her oldest daughter Guo. Although, Lady Ding did not have any sisters, she sometimes was jealous of Ling and Bian's relationship. Sometimes she wouldn't be because she had no one to lose half across the world. Bian took 3 years old Guo into her arms she as she snuggled and tickled her. "Consort Bian," Guo laughed, "it tickles." "Who knew our fate would tangled like this?" Lady Ding said as she watched Bian interacting with her daughter. "Everything was meant to happen for a reason," Ling said as she helped Bian tickle Guo. Bian looked at Lady Ding and sees the unpleasantness in her eyes. This made her feel even more guilty.

"Bring this to General Meng De," Lady Ding said as she starts laying down on her bed with her youngest daughter Mei. Bian nodded and helped cover Lady Ding and Lady Mei with the blankets before heading out. Bian grabs the medicine and walks to Meng De's manor. She sees him focus on his studies in his study room. "General Cao Cao," Bian stands on the door and called him to make her presence notice. "Who is it?" Meng De said look up from his studies to see Bian at his door. He smiled inside and dropped his studies to walk towards Bian. "What is it?" Meng De asked. "Lady Ding told me to bring this to you," without eye contact, Bian hands out the medicine to Meng De. She waited to not feel anyone taking the medicine out of her hand. She looked up to see Meng De looking at. He quickly pulled her wrist as she stumbled towards him. With his fast reflexes, he catches her. Bian lands on Meng De's chest and wrapped in his arms to support her. Her heart almost stopped at the action.

Bian quickly fixed herself and stepped away from Meng De. She can see him trying not to smile in pleasure, but she apologized, "I am sorry." Meng De shook his head as it was not a problem for him at all. He bent down to grab the medicine that Bian dropped and walk to the tea table where the medicine box was already laid out. Meng De took out a bandage and opened the medicine. He sat down, applying the medicine to hand. Bian watched Meng De, noticing that he was treating what she had done to him last night. After applying the medication, Meng De struggle in wrapping his hand with the bandage, with his other available hand. Bian walked towards Meng De and offered, "I can help." Meng De looked at Bian and handed his half-wrapped hands to her. Bian unwrapped the bandage to fix the wrap and saw how bruised his hand was. She tried not to think about what happen and wrap his hand with the bandage nicely. After she was done, she packed stuff back into the medicine box. "Why didn't you treat it earlier?" Bian asked as she puts the medicine box back where it was from. "It does not hurt," Meng De shrugged and looked at Bian putting the medicine box away without him telling her. Bian knew she shouldn't even ask him that question knowing how ruthless he is.

"How did you know that the medicine box goes there?" he said as he walked towards her. Bian stopped her tracks afraid Meng De will suspect her again. "It's place in the same as Lady Ding's room," Bian lied. He looks at her almost detecting her lie. He wrapped around her waist pulling her closer to her. "Are you fine?" he asked her. Bian fidgeting out his grasp as he tightens his grasp. "Yes, I am," Bian stuttered the answer out for Meng De to let go of her. Every moment she doesn't pay attention, he would take advantage of her. Instead he nodded, "how is our fetus then?" he asked. Bian looked away in shame. It wasn't a baby created out of love. Anyways, she is giving the child away to Lady Ding. Using the word "our" made Bian more ashamed. "Someone is going to see," Bian tried every way for Meng De to let go of her. "Let them," he said. "Yes, yes the fetus is healthy," Bian quickly answered for Meng De to let go of her. Meng De finally expose his smile as he lips curved. He slowly released his grasp. The moment he let go of her, she quickly rushed out his manor before he takes another advantage of her.

That night, Bian had nightmares back to back. The prophecy echoed and rang in her nightmare. "Her sons will end this dynasty and becomes Kings." Bian sees Meng De gets stabbed by bandits. She ran to him to help him. When she looked at him, it was Chang with his fingers all cut off. Anger grew inside of for Meng De, she did what he wanted, and he is still heartless to cut Chang's fingers. In anger, Bian wake up breathing hard. It was already dawn as the blue light coming in through her room. Bian struggle to get out of bed since was she tired than usual. Bian is assuming it is the pregnancy creating all types of things happening to her lately. Although, today was the day Ling and Chang return home. She wanted to make breakfast for them and prepare lunch for their trip back home.

Bian wakes up Lady Dian for the warm bath. Bian returns to the kitchen to help the consorts cook breakfast and prepares lunch too. "Why are you cooking two meals at the same time?" the consort asked noticing two types of food. "I am preparing lunch for Ling and Chang's trip to return home," Bian said. "Right, but your complexion does not look so well," the consort told Bian. "I am fine," she lied. Bian is tired but she can rest later. She did not want to miss any other opportunities she can do for her sister.

After breakfast and packing of Ling and Chang's things, Ling and Chang thanked everyone for their hospitality. "Please come back soon," Lady Ding said holding onto her favorite consort's hand. "Yes, Lady Ding," Ling responded. "Take care of yourself," Chang told Bian, who he had always treated as a little sister. "Please take good care of my sister," Bian said. "You two have a safe trip back home," Meng De told Ling and Chang.

The morning went by quick. Ling and Chang had already left in the distance. Everyone had return to the manor. Restless thoughts were still in Bian's mind as she stared into the distance of nothing. She didn't want to cry any further, but tears rolled down her face. "Consort Bian," Guo pulled on her dress. "Yes, Lady Guo," Bian said as she bent down to carry Guo. "Do not cry," Guo said as she wiped Bian's tears. "Yes, I will not," Bian smiled at innocent Guo. "I made her smile father," Lady Guo said looking behind Bian. Bian quickly turned to see Meng De behind her. She was startled not noticing him. "Well done," Meng De said as he patted his daughter's head. Bian stared at Meng De having a feeling that he used Lady Guo to get close to her. "Let's go home," Meng De said as he pinched his daughter's cheeks. "Yes, father," Lady Guo said in excitement. "Come on," Meng De reached out his arms to Guo. "I want to be carried by Consort Bian," Guo avoided Meng De's arms. "I can carry Lady Guo," Bian said not to bother Meng De. Meng De ignored Bian because he did not want her to do things that can affect her pregnancy. "Listen to me," Meng De said in his serious voice that gives everyone chills. Lady Guo listened to Meng De and climbed onto him. "Listen well," Meng De lectured Lady Guo while looking at Bian, as if he was also lecture Bian. They walked the whole way home in silence.

When they got to the manor, Guo was fast asleep on Meng De's arms. "I can take Lady Guo to sleep," Bian said out of habit like she always does with Lady Ding. Meng De ignores her as he walks straight to Lady Ding's manor to the girls' room. Bian follows quietly even though Meng De ignored her offers. Meng De puts Guo to sleep in her bed as he slowly laid her down and sat by the bedside. After Meng De laid Guo to sleep on the bed, Bian helped put the blanket over Guo and Guo adjusts herself to sleep more comfortably. Bian slowly rubs Guo on the back to soothe her back to sleep. Meng De watch Bian, "you may be young, but you are experience," he said. Bian ignored him as she continues to soothe Guo back to sleep. "You will be a great mother," he said looking at her. Bian quickly got up from the bed to leave but Meng De grabs her wrist before she can turn away and pulls her back to the bed as he pins her down with his body. "You are hurting me," Bian yelp in pain. "Do not carry Guo again," he said firmly. Bian was confused, was she not allow to interact with Guo. "In fact, do not carry anything heavy again," Meng De said caring for Bian, "do not do anything that will hurt our baby." Bian gulped at his order and inhaled in his lavender musk odor. She did not dislike it. She stared into his eyes not sure of his intentions. After a moment of eye contact, she finally pushed Meng De off her with all her power. He got off her and checked on Guo since Guo shifted in her sleep again. He smiled as he soothes Guo to rest comfortably. Bian got up quickly and left in a hurry.

Bian stopped half way before reaching the consorts' hall. Her heart raced, and she got hot all over her body. His odor was the smell she remembers from his bath room that she liked. Bian touched her cheeks to feel her temperature raised. Bian took couple deep breaths to calmed herself down. "Consort Bian," Lady Ding called. Quickly calming down, Bian followed the voice to tend Lady Ding's needs.