Bond (II)

Hui Lan was already on her 4 lap and her legs that had felt much better from yesterday were now beginning to hurt again.

By the time she was on her 6 and 7th lap, Hui Lan was already dragging her legs. The entire lap was not too big, it could have been around 500 metres, but the more she ran, the more she could feel the gap grow.

Elder Yi who had been standing with an upright back on the sideline reminded Hui Lan about her posture, "Keep your legs high, don't slack off."

Hui Lan understood that it was important to run properly, but her body felt like it was being dragged. Hence, she began to just start jogging and adjust her breathing first.

Meanwhile, Elder Yi did not say anything about it as if he had turned a blind eye to her.

Hui Lan took a small glance at the elder before continuing to jog around the running tracks. In her heart, she was grateful that he did not say anything and soon, she could finish the entire 10 laps around the running track.

By the time she was done, she was already greatly panting for air like how a newborn cried for air.

Elder Yi, who was watching from the sidelines, had a brief look of surprise on his face.

...He had not thought that she could endure that amount of running.

...Her will to improve herself was much better than he had thought. He would have thought that she would whine over it, but ever since coming here and ever since she was put to this place, she seemed to have gladly accepted it.

However, only fools would whine if they could not find a deeper purpose...

Hui Lan did not know when but the familiar white robes were in front of her as she was leaning forward with her hands on her knees.

The white boots were embroidered simply yet truly eye-catching.

"Drink some water." Elder Yi's familiar voice suggested from above Hui Lan.

Hearing the word 'water', Hui Lan immediately got up to her full height. In front of her, Elder Yi was handling a bamboo water bottle without looking at her but was staring at something far away or more like nothing.

Hui Lan looked from the water bottle to the elder in front of her.

...He didn't really have to act like he didn't care. Tut tut, Elder Yi, so you are one of those teachers that act like they don't care but in actuality is more worried than what was shown on the outside, huh? She had many of those kinds of teachers before her and she also knew who to deal with them...hehe

Hui Lan took the water bottle from Elder Yi and drank an adequate amount of water to stay hydrated and not over hydrated. Since she did not drink much water, Hui Lan's face looked rather pale.

Elder Yi glanced at Hui Lan's pale face from the corner of his eyes and could see also that the young lady was finally finished. He finally instructed, "Your next task is to finish that course without touching the ground, spend the rest of your time before lunch to practise doing this in one round because tomorrow, you will also be timed. That is all for me, now, off you go." Elder Yi turned around with a flick of his sleeves before heading to stand on the sidelines again.

Hui Lan watched as the elder made his way over to the other side and could not help but smile.

...If she had thought correctly, Elder Yi must have prepared to time her today, but since she still looked 'pale' he was going easy with her.

...Well, that was indeed needed just for today. Since it was the first day, practice was needed and she would make great use of it. Tomorrow, it would be the real thing.

Hui Lan looked at the machine and was swirling around in some parts, some parts of it had bars for swinging, some parts had high rope ladders for her to climb up and beneath everything was some sand that was to prevent any heavy casualties from falling. It was like a whole exercising course.

...Hm, it would be great to help her improve her stamina and more stamina was what she needed.

Without thinking twice, Hui Lan placed the bamboo water bottle down on the ground before making her way to slowly tackle these hurdles.

...It couldn't be that hard.

A few moments later…

...It was hard!

Hui Lan quickly changed her mind about Elder Yi.

...He was just a big bully.

...And he wanted her to finish this with a what? With a time limit!?

...This was just a course to kill her. The timer better be for one hour or she'll be stuck here.

From afar, in Elder Yi's view, Hui Lan could be seen falling over and over again.

Her hair that was tied into a clean ponytail was already dishevelled and dust was all over her. Moreover, there were bruises all over her body, from her head to her toe.

Whenever Hui Lan fell, it was as if Elder Yi's heart had also dropped as well.

...He wondered if her mother saw her state after this, would he not get to eat lunch?

...Aiya, was it that hard?

When it was finally lunchtime, Elder Yi could not bear to see her fall over and over again and quickly called a halt, "Young lady, that is enough! Make yourself look put before following me over!"

Hui Lan who was lying down on the sand for the hundredth time closed her eyes irritatedly.

...She was too weak!

In one flip, she got up in one go and walked outside without looking back.

She did not even set her dishevelled hair and strode out.

...She'll eat and then practice again.

Meanwhile, Elder Yi was about to call the young lady back, but was out of words. Only his hand was left calling for her in the air from behind.

..That was it for him.

…

At the lunch table, Hui Lan was focused on her own plate and was enjoying her food. With Feng Furen's persistence, she had to get washed and get changed before eating lunch.

On the other hand, Elder Yi was taking cold sips of his hot tea. No food was in front of him while everyone else was eating their food. While Hui Lan had been practising, Feng Furen and her people had been making different kinds of preparation inside and outside of the place.

Although they were hidden away from the outside world, they were still up to date with all the news from the outside. The palace had Su Rong and Su Juo taking care over the Emperor's and Empress Dowager's people.

Meanwhile, Da Fu had General Feng overlooking the current situation.

However, there was one disturbing news that had spread around the entire kingdom.

...News of a mass killing at an abandoned temple that had contained the helpless and crippled people in the kingdom.

A few people had passed by and saw that the place that was once filled with people was deadly quiet. The only thing to be found was a bunch of human skulls lying in one big room of the temple.

News of the mass killing was spread out from houses to houses and the Emperor was pretty much busy with the second mystery killing that was done in the same form but this time, all the helpless people were all targeted.

Feng Furen and her people who had retired all began to get in contact with each other again.

...It was the announcement of the return of their foe.

...However, after this amount of killing, that person would have to go into hibernation for some time. It was just that, this time, she could no longer feel anything from that person like before.

...If she could not feel anything, then she could only hope it was the same for the other person as well.

...Then, both of them would be in the dark.

Blinded with each other's presence for a moment of time in the universe.

Feng Furen watched as Hui Lan was on her second bowl of rice.

...But one day, it was for sure that they would both meet each other...

...Sigh, that was still some time away. Thinking about it again, now that she was with Hui Lan, this was the longest time she had been away from her husband since years…

By a long time, it had only been a day that Feng Furen was away from her husband…

Elder Yi glanced over to his junior sister, but it seemed she was thinking of something else and was not worried at all if he did not eat.

Ever since she came, the kitchen was all hers and he could not even recognise it at all.

The only person that was not at the dining table was Elder Zhang who had been eating along since yesterday.

Only when everyone had finished and cleaned their plates did a clean noble like person came walking towards the group of people.

His hands were held behind his back as he made his way towards the rest of the people in the entire place.

However, today, he had put on a wide black hat as if he was going out.

Hui Lan, who had been looking at the plate of dessert in front of her, quickly sat upright.

She watched as the elder made his way over to her.

However, the more she looked at him. She could not help but see another figure being replaced in front of him.

...That young master with a black wide hat from the day before yesterday

Hui Lan tilted her head.

...Did they have anything to do with each other?

Before long, Hui Lan quickly got rid of the image that appeared in front of her.

...Why was she thinking of him ah, tut tut.

By the time, Hui Lan had finished thinking, Elder Zhang was already in front of her.

"Feng Hui Lan." His low voice spoke from underneath his hat.

...Feng Hui Lan again, Hui Lan thought to herself.

...Everyone seemed to like calling her by her full name huh?

...Although she would have prefered to hear the two elders call her 'Niang Niang', she did not want to take the risk of getting her head cut off, especially from this elder.

...Elder Yi was still manageable since she had Feng Furen.

...However, with Elder Zhang, even Feng Furen had to give in to him. As for her, wouldn't she have to be all meek student to her master?

Hui Lan seemed to be too lost in her thought that she was still sitting in front of Elder Zhang. To add up to that, she was the only one sitting.

Feng Furen quickly nudged Hui Lan to get up.

As if being awoken with cold water, Hui Lan immediately got up to her feet, "Hui Lan greets Master Zhang!" Her voice was loud and clear to the elder in front.

"Hm, it seemed, you still haven't got yourself out of that straying mind." Elder Zhang threw another shot at Hui Lan.

To that, the only thing that she could do was stand in silence.

...Aiyoo, Hui Lan ah, you just have to step on a lion's tail.

"That is alright, today, you will learn to focus and get your mind straight." Elder Zhang turned around coolly before speaking, "Follow me."

Hui Lan took a deep breath in before admitting defeat in her heart.

...Whatever was to come shall come, Hui Lan could only think sadly to herself.