The Speculations Around Long Zhao Feng
Long Zhao Feng wanted to say more, but when he saw Xiao Yue with her tear-streaked face, he shut up immediately. Instead, he walked over to sat next to Xiao Yue, who was still kneeling by the burnt-up funeral pyre. He mumbled a soft "Ah" when he saw what it was.
"My condolences," he offered.
"Thank you."
Xiao Yue expected Long Zhao Feng to ask whose death she was mourning, but the question never came up. Instead, Long Zhao Feng lifted his hand and patted Xiao Yue gently on the head. Xiao Yue frowned at him but did not stop him. Long Zhao Feng stayed with her for a long time, until Xiao Yue stopped crying, and the morning turned to noon.
They practiced some more swordsmanship after lunch. Xiao Yue's skills were as bad as ever, but other than his twitching mouth, Long Zhao Feng for once did not ridicule her.
After the practice, they rested on the verandah. Yu Fen and the other maids brought cut-up watermelons to refresh them. Long Zhao Feng lifted a piece of watermelon and craftily bit into it, the juice splattering around and some of it even hit Xiao Yue's face.
"..."
"Oh, sorry." the young man said with a grin.
Somehow Xiao Yue did not have the impression that the rascal was sorry at all. She heaved a sigh and looked at the bright sky. A human's life was so inconsequential, she thought. When her tribe was destroyed, people from the Hong Kingdom did not witness anything amiss in their life.
Disasters came and went, only those who experienced them would suffer. The unrelated people would continue their life as if nothing happened.
"Thank you," Xiao Yue blurted out.
"Enn?"
"Thank you for caring. Yesterday in the ancestral hall, and today."
She was the only survivor from her tribe, but Xiao Yue was far from delighted. She never felt so lonely. Every day she was surrounded by maids who cared about her well-being but she could share her inner woes with no one. That was why she preferred to be alone when she was sad because she did not want to drag others into her pit of sorrow. Long Zhao Feng was different. Long Zhao Feng was never affected by her mood. His being there gave Xiao Yue a lot of comforts, and Xiao Yue also did not feel guilty for ruining Long Zhao Feng's mood.
"You are welcome."
Long Zhao Feng pulled out the flute he fastened at his belt and started blowing on it. It was the same melody that Xiao Yue heard when they met for the first time. Xiao Yue closed her eyes and listened to the song.
She wondered what the song was about. Her tribe had many traditional songs for a lot of occasions. They all came with lyrics, so when someone played an instrument, someone would be there to sing. This song that Long Zhao Feng was playing... what was it about?
"What song is this?"
The question seemed so stupid. Xiao Yue flushed. Long Zhao Feng finished playing and put down the flute.
"It's a mourning song."
Xiao Yue stared at him. So he played the song for her today because she was mourning?
"That day in the lake, you..."
Long Zhao Feng gave her a sad smile.
"I was mourning."
Long Zhao Feng stayed for dinner, then he left. Night came a little too quickly that day. Or maybe that was because Xiao Yue was exhausted? She did not know. Yu Fen helped comb her long hair before bed. Xiao Yue was sitting cross-legged on her bed. She was supposed to sit at the dressing table but she never liked to.
"Young Lady, are you feeling better now?"
"Mm, yeah."
"Thank heavens. Second Young Master Long is really a nice person."
Xiao Yue smiled a little.
"Yeah, he is."
Xiao Yue did not know when Long Zhao Feng had become one of her closest people after she entered this new life. Maybe because he was constantly annoying her.
"Does Young Lady... have feelings for him?"
Xiao Yue's jaw dropped. She turned around and stared at Yu Fen.
"What? Noo. No. No. Yu Fen, I am... married. To his older brother."
It was the first time ever that Xiao Yue openly stated that she was married to Long Zhao Xue. She herself was shocked by this statement. Heck, she hated that guy! He was her nemesis, her enemy!
Yu Fen sighed in relief.
"Oh. True. Young Lady must not forget that. No matter how charming he is, he is still your brother-in-law."
"Yu Fen, you are talking as if he goes around seducing his brother's wives."
Xiao Yue laughed heartily, but then she noticed that Yu Fen did not laugh. In fact, Yu Fen was looking rather grim.
"Uh... Yu Fen, what is wrong? Don't tell me that..."
Yu Fen bit her lips.
"Second Young Master Long is being too friendly with the Second Madam. Recently more people see them take a walk after dinner. And the way they stand next to each other, it's like a husband and wife."