1 One shot (Part 1)
In a dense forest, an arrow was shot at a high speed which landed right at the head of a wild boar, killing it in an instant.
Right after, a handsome man in his early twenties walked towards the dead wild boar with a black long bow in his hand.
"A wild boar meat for dinner tonight~." The man said with a smile on his face and pulled out the arrow he just shot from the boar's head. His handsome face lit up brightly with the smile.
He had his long black hair tied up on his head with a white ribbon and had some hair let down from his forehead. He was wearing a black robe that stuck to his body which complemented his well-built masculine body.
"Heave-ho!" He lifted the wild boar on his shoulder and was about to leave when he suddenly heard a thud behind a bush which wasn't far from his spot. He narrowed his eyes a bit when he heard more rustles coming from far away behind him and decided to check out what was happening.
He went towards the bush where the thud came from, cautiously and parted the leaves to see a heavily injured man of his age lying on the ground with his white clothes almost dyed completely in red by his blood. The man was facing down so he couldn't see how he looked like neither did he have time to do so.
The man was shocked to find the heavily injured man but he quickly became alert and serious after hearing the low shouts coming from behind him.
"Tch. What a bad luck to witness an assassination while hunting. But...I can't just go away, leaving a helpless and injured man to wait for his death when I can help him get out of it. Damn..." The man murmured to himself and sighed. He then lifted the injured man carefully to not make his injuries worse and used qinggong to get away from there quickly with a boar and a man in both hands.
...
****
[Xiao Yun Xing's POV]
*Thud* *Thud*
I dropped the dead wild boar at the ground and put the unconscious and injured man on my bed.
"Whew, what a tiresome day. It's good that my place wasn't far away from the forest." I then walked to the table in the room and drank mouthfuls of water from the kettle directly.
"I wonder whose face I saw when I woke up today. Well, there is only me here though." I talked to myself as I headed towards the bed where I laid the unconscious man on.
"He is injured severely. A deep wound made by a sword on his chest and several wounds around his abdomen and arms. He was extremely lucky to be able to miss the vitals and his heart or else he would be dead in an instant. If it weren't for me being nearby, he would have died from loss of blood or killed by those who chased after him anyway. I will ask for a great compensation for this after he wakes up. Hmph." I checked his wounds on his body and grumbled to myself.
Just when I was about to undress him to tend to his wounds, the unconscious man suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed my hand with his shaky hands. He looked at me with his icy cold eyes that were filled with caution and murderous intent. But when he looked at me like that, I didn't feel fear nor terror at all. His eyes...were beautiful.
"Who...who are you? Are you...also one of..them?" The man asked in a cold voice with difficulty. He was clearly injured and unconscious but his instincts were very sharp to be able to tell that someone was near him even in his unconsciousness.
I finally got out of my trance and found myself staring at his eyes. I looked away slightly and replied to his words.
"You even dare to speak to your saviour like that. Is that how you repay someone who saved your life from near death?" I said as I felt wronged by his tone and the look in his eyes.
"You..saved me? The assassins...what happened to them? Where are we- hisss!" The man looked at me suspiciously after hearing my words and then questioned me and tried to look around but he then hissed in pain after tugging at his wounds from the sudden movement.
I quickly held him down on the bed after seeing him trying to move.
"Don't move! Your wounds are severe but not lethal but if you continue to move around, you will only worsen your wounds. If you want to live then do as I say and don't move. I will treat your wounds only if you listen to me." I said in a serious way and he finally listened to me and did as I said, though he didn't trust me completely.
I sighed lightly and told him to rest there till I brought some medicines for him.
When I came back with medicine for his wounds, I found him unconscious again. I brought a pail of clean water and a clean cloth then undressed his upper body to clean the wounds and bloodstains on his body. Then I applied the medicine on his wounds and wrapped them with clean bandages.
"Finally done. He should be alright after this. I should still look out to him in case he gets fever." I said in relief and then quietly looked at him from top to bottom.
"Now that I look at him after cleaning the blood stains, he has quite a handsome face and a good body. He must be someone of big status to be chased after by assassins. And that look in his eyes....who is he?" I murmured softly and remembered those cold eyes that I strangely found very beautiful. They held a type of brilliance inside which mesmerised me with just one look, like a pair of jewels.
" Who are you..?" I asked in a low voice.
...
....
[Jun Bei Ming's POV]
"Who are you?" I asked the man in front of me right after waking up. The pain I felt before I lost my consciousness had subsided quite a bit so I was able to speak normally and move a little.
The man looked a bit haggard than when I saw him before. Did he become like this because of me? I felt a bit guilty inside but still kept my cold exterior as I stared at him.
"And...that's what you ask me right after waking up. Sigh, to think that I tended to your wounds for 7 days and 8 nights without any proper rest just to hear this cold question from you right after gaining your consciousness." The man made a wronged face and complained like he was very helpless about it and looked at me with his pitiful eyes.
I didn't know what to say to him so I just stayed silent and avoided his eyes.
He sighed again and said, "I am Xiao Yun Xing. I found you unconscious in the forest when I went for a hunt. You are currently in my secret base that I use to cultivate in peace and hide from my family who always want me to marry someone quickly. Anyway, putting that aside. I am your saviour and you have to repay me anyway you want but it should be satisfying. Money excluded since I don't lack it."
'Xiao Yun Xing..?' I said inside my head.
"Hey, are you listening to me?" Xiao Yun Xing waved his hands infront of my face when I was lost in thoughts.
I looked at him in the eyes and said, "I am Jun Ling. I will repay you somehow in the future for saving my life. I promise that."
"Jun Ling? As lofty as a mountain, Jun Ling. It suits you very much, tch." Xiao Yun Xing said with a click of tongue. I don't say anything to him and look at him quietly.
"Anyway, you haven't recovered yet so don't move around too much. Your wound on your chest was very deep so it will take more than a month to recover and the bandages must be changed every two days to apply medicine."
"So what do you want to do? Do you want to go back to where you came from right away? Well, if you want to, I can generously let you stay here for your recovery. You have already stayed here for 7 days so a month or so isn't much. You can tell me your decision later. I have to cook breakfast now." Xiao Yun Xing then got up from his seat and went out of the room without turning back. I quietly watched him go away as I thought of his offer.
Indeed. I could clearly tell that my wounds weren't simple. Although the pain had lessened a bit because of the medication from him, it still hadn't recovered completely. And...Jin country was at the north of the forest which was also quite far and needed at least 8 days to get there on a horse. I wasn't in the condition to ride a horse either so it was close to impossible to get there before my condition worsened.
'His offer isn't bad. Seeing how confident he was to let me stay here without any fear for the assassins, this place must be hidden very well.' I considered the pros and cons and finally made up my mind then saw Xiao Yun Xing coming in with breakfast in a tray.
"I haven't gone out for hunting since I brought you here so I could only make some porridge and vegetable soup for you. I will go to hunt later in the evening. So, keep up with this for now. You must be hungry after being unconscious for a whole week." Xiao Yun Xing placed the tray on the table at the side and sat on a wooden stool beside the bed.
"Th-" *growwl* I was just about to thank him when my stomach suddenly growled loudly, making me freeze abruptly.
"Pfft! Hahahaha." Xiao Yun Xing first looked at me in shock then started to laugh non stop.
"Hahaha.. T-that..that face! Hhahaha oh..oh my puahahah! W-what's with that.. Hahaha I can't stop..haha laughing." Xiao Yun Xing nearly rolled on the floor while clutching his stomach in laughter.
"You.! W-what's so funny?!" I asked in a cold voice but it cracked as I felt great embarrassment inside. I didn't know what kind of face I made but it was still very embarrassing to be in such a situation.
"Hah...haha. N-nothing. Haha.." Xiao Yun Xing tried to stop laughing and said but his lips were still lifted up in a funny way. He looked...cute.
"Jun Ling...your ears are red." Xiao Yun Xing playfully teased me with a grin.
"Mind yourself!" I said and didn't talk anymore.
"Okay, okay. Let's eat now." Xiao Yun Xing also stopped teasing me and served a small bowl of porridge. He stirred it with a spoon and blew upon it then scooped a spoonful of porridge and held it infront of me.
"Say 'ahh'." He said with a smile.
".....What are you doing?" I stared at him for a while then asked.
"Feeding you."
"Why would I need you to feed me?"
"You are injured!"
"My arms aren't gone yet!"
"Then try to lift them if you can!"
"I- hiss!" I tried to lift my arms as he said and then hissed in pain.
"See? I told you." Xiao Yun Xing said with a 'Now you know' face and held the spoon in front of me again.
I was about to deny it when my stomach growled again.
*growl* *growwl* and...quite louder than before too.
"Pfft! Eat it already~. Your stomach is more honest than you." He teased as he held back his laughter.
"S-shut up!" I retorted and opened my mouth obediently.
Xiao Yun Xing smiled happily and fed me the porridge and soup till I was full.
"I will bring you your medicine." He then went out of the room with the empty wares.
I only looked at his way after I heard the door close.
A light blush spread upon my face and ears without me knowing as I remembered the embarrassing moment just now.
"What is this feeling...?" I murmured softly under my breath.
..
....
[Xiao Yun Xing's POV]
'It's been half a month since Jun Ling stayed here for recovery and I should say that his body recovered much faster than other people. His wounds have already started to form scabs. Before, I used to help him take a walk by letting him lean against me but now he can walk around by himself.'
"Yun Xing, what are you doing?" I heard a voice call out to me from behind and I already knew who it was. Who else other than Jun Ling?
"You woke up? I was making breakfast for us." I turned around slightly and looked at him, getting attracted to his eyes again. His eyes never stopped mesmerising me and making me stare at it intently whenever I met them.
"Mm. I'll help." He said without letting me object and helped me cut the vegetables.
"Oi, you are still injured!" I said with worry in my heart.
"I'm fine already. I can at least help you in this. I'm not so weak." He said then tapped my forehead with his finger lightly. I rubbed the spot he tapped in a daze.
'I don't know when but he finally doesn't avoid me and look at me cautiously anymore. He is more open and close to me than before.'
And I'm glad about that.
"Thanks for the food." We both echoed after finishing our meal together.
"Ah, by the way. Jun Ling, why do you always carry that flute around with you?" I asked after seeing the flute on the table in front of Jun Ling.
After he woke up half a month ago, he searched for the flute everywhere anxiously which I thought wasn't like him at all. I then went to the forest to see if it dropped somewhere when he was chased or when I saved him and found the white jade flute near the place where I found him inside a bush. He looked very relieved after I gave it back to him. I was always curious about it but couldn't find any chance to ask him about it.
"This...is the keepsake from my mother. When I was small, she used to play this flute for me. This was her favourite flute and she used to cherish it very much." Jun Ling said as he looked at the flute, lost in his own memories. He had a look of yearning and sorrow which made my heart twinge in pain to see him like that.
It was really weird. I always got affected by his emotions without realising it all the time. Whenever he was happy, I was happy, whenever he was shy or embarrassed about something, I wanted to tease him more, whenever he was angry, I felt bad and always tried to make him happy. And now, seeing him sad...I felt sad too. It was very strange, what did I take him as? A friend? Someone who lived together with me? Or something else..?
"Jun Ling...can you play it for me?" I asked without thinking and expected to get rejected when surprisingly, he nodded. I looked at him with wide eyes as he picked the white jade flute and placed it near his lips and started to play a soft and melodious tune. It first sounded very warm and happy like a kid playing in his mother's arms but then it started to change from the initial warmth to sadness and then became cold.
"Jun Ling!" I didn't know why but I abruptly stopped him from playing the flute any further. He was just simply playing a tune but...I felt like my heart was being pierced by needles instead.
"Stop...don't play it anymore." I said in a hoarse voice.
"Yun Xing..?" Jun Ling looked at me with a confused face and called out my name.
"Don't.....don't look so sad in front of me. Or I won't...be able to take it anymore." I looked into his eyes and said which made him widen his eyes and freeze.
I went out of the room in order to calm down my messy emotions.
..
....
[Jun Ling's POV]
"Yun Xing..." I whispered as I looked at the door.
"Why....do I feel pained?" I looked at the flute and caressed it gently.
"I wasn't sad at all..." I murmured.
Since I started to stay in this place together with Xiao Yun Xing, I had been feeling many changes in me.
I never really liked very talkative people but I never hated him talking so much around me. I didn't like people who smiled all the time because I found them very fake but his smile never disgusted me. I instead found it very beautiful.
His expressions, his cooking, his voice, his smile, his breath....everything affected me greatly. Whenever I was with him, I felt relaxed and felt like I could be myself around him. Just now...I was reminded of my dead mother but I didn't know what made him feel that I was sad. But now, I truly felt sad for making him have such a pained look on his face.
I wanted to make him happy again.
"Yun Xing." I went out of the room and called out as I searched for him.
"Yun Xing?" I looked around the house but didn't find him anywhere.
"Did he go out?" I looked around again but couldn't find him anywhere.
"Where did he go...?"
...
....
[Xiao Yun Xing's POV]
"Ugh...why did I react like that?!? It wasn't like just a sad tune meant he was really sad but even if he was so what?! Why did I overreact just because he was sad?! Ugh!! Am I going mad or what?!" I scratched ny head in frustration as I thought about the scene before.
I was currently sitting on a cliff right behind my secret base that I always came to when I felt sad or angry to let out my frustration by looking at the scenery from here.
The cold air calmed me down and I sighed.
*rustle rustle* Then I suddenly heard a rustle behind me and I turned around quickly after hearing my name being called out.
"Yun Xing, so you were here." I saw Jun Ling coming towards me with a hint of worry in his eyes. I could always tell what he was feeling whenever I gazed at his clear eyes. I quickly got up and walked to him and said worriedly.
"Why are you here?! You shouldn't get out of the house while you are still recovering!"
"I...couldn't find you anywhere so I searched for you." Jun Ling said like a small kid being reprimanded by his mother. I looked at him helplessly but I still found him very cute at the moment.
"Why were you looking for me?" I asked.
"I...I was worried that I made you unhappy somehow." He said guiltily.
"Huh? How could that be? You didn't do anything to make me unhappy at all. I..I just overreacted a bit." I said with an embarrassed look.
"Really? But...you clearly looked sad." He said.
"I...I just didn't like to see you being sad! Your flute sounded...sorrowful to me and I felt pained and couldn't control myself and reacted like that. It wasn't your fault. I just don't want you to be sad! It makes me feel like I am the only one happy to be with you but you aren't! Do you really hate to be together with me?!" I said whatever came in my mind and felt like a stone had been lifted off my heart when I suddenly realised that...it sounded like a confession and a complaint.
" I-", " I!" Just when I was about to explain, I was interrupted by him.
"I don't hate it! I don't hate being around you." He said.
"I was..reminded of my mother so maybe I looked sad but...I swear that I never felt sad or hated to be with you. Actually, it's the opposite. I don't know why but I feel relaxed around you and open up without me realising. I don't know what it is but I.. want to know it slowly by your side." He said with a sincere face as I met his eyes and saw my clear reflection in them.
I stared at him for a moment then smiled a bit and said in a low voice , " If you say it like that, I won't be able to deny it, can I?"
He also smiled gently after hearing my answer which shocked me.
"Jun Ling...you are smiling?" I said.
"Huh? I'm not." He quickly changed his expression and said.
"Hey, you were clearly smiling! I saw it with my very eyes!"
"I didn't! You must be imagining it."
"Hey! I'm sure that it wasn't an illusion. You were really smiling."
"No, I wasn't!" We quarreled all the way to the house as I chased after him.
