Doomed To Love

"Where is An Sun?" Yun Suyin's clear and beautiful voice caused onlookers' hearts quiver.

Unlike everyone else, the expression on Aiguo's face turned bitter. He sneered and crossed his arms.

"He's not here."

The graceful expression on Yun Suyin's face cracked a little. She looked at the boy before her. His chin was raised high, seemingly defiant. She pouted.

"What do you mean he's not here?" She asked.

"It's just as I said. He's not here." The boy huffed.

Yun Suyin frowned. "Do you know where he went?"

Aiguo shrugged. "He went off somewhere in the woods. Probably to go fight with the bears and wolves to train himself. That was six months ago, and we haven't heard anything since. I'm unsure when he'll return…in all pieces that is."

Hearing his words, Yun Suyin suddenly felt faint. Her body swayed like a withering flower. She nearly fainted from the shock. Elder Cai beside her paled and supported her. While regarding the scene before him with a snicker, Aiguo suddenly felt a smack on the top of his head.

"Ow!" He raised his teary eyes to see Captain Rui looking at him with a glare.

"Stop joking around." He warned before looking back at Yun Suyin. "The man you speak of, An Sun, he left eight months ago to join the army in Jinping."

Yun Suyin breathed a sigh of relief, her pale face regaining its rosy color.

"Please come in. You must have endured a long journey." Captain Rui welcomed them inside while pulling Aiguo by the ear.

The last sun rays of the day kissed the Bai Manor. The trees silhouettes against a newly silver sky, the blue hue almost gone until dawn. Their branches swayed in the wind, creaking into the gusting air.

"They've all gone off to battle in the west…" Yun Suyin was so startled that the words froze in her throat. Her entire body felt limp.

"Yes. It's been almost three months since then." Captain Rui drank from his cup. Although his tone was calm, his brows were furrowed.

"I see…" Yun Suyin lowered her head. She stared at the hands clasped on her lap.

If it were true that Bai Rin went to fight in the west, then…An Sun would also be there. Just like their first meeting, his mission was to find Bai Rin.

Her fists clenched white. "May I ask how the situation is in the west?"

The captain's expression shifted. He sighed. "I—"

Just before he finished speaking, a soldier slid open the door with a clatter.

"Captain! There's a letter from the commander!"

Everyone's expression changed at that moment. Yun Suyin was alarmed to see the captain abruptly stand up, the tea set on the table trembling. He tore open the seal and read the letter. She couldn't help but lean forward, curious.

From the beginning, Captain Rui's expression hadn't changed—revealing nothing. However, his prolonged immersion in the letter before him made Yun Suyin unsettled.

She gripped the skirt of her dress. "Captain Rui?"

"My apologies, Miss Yun." Captain Rui tucked the letter in his sleeve. "It's late. You and your servants may take refuge in our rooms until you leave."

"But—" Yun Suyin couldn't help but stare at where the captain had tucked the letter. She shut her lips before gently nodding her head.

After Elder Cai checked on her, he left for his room. On the bed, Yun Suyin leaned against the wall and tucked her knees close to her chest.

After she left the Bai Manor eight months ago, she returned to her home. When they heard from Elder Cai that she ran off on a horse to chase some man, mother, and father Yun nearly fainted.

However, their worries were quickly put at ease when they received word from a Bai scout, claiming their daughter was safe in their care.

Knowing the Bai family was a prestigious and trustworthy family, they no longer panicked. Nonetheless, they still missed their daughter.

Naturally, her family was relieved to see her come back. However, they were quickly surprised to find out their spoiled, delicate young girl changed! Since her return, Yun Suyin began investing herself in her father's work managing businesses more than before.

During this time, Yun Suyin spent every moment learning and educating herself on the world around her. Although she still wasn't interested in the world of martial arts, she gained a new respect for it.

And all this time, Yun Suyin would occasionally think of a certain man. Even now, her heart still trembled to the man's name.

Staring down at her toes, she bit her bottom lip, eyes shadowed with a complex gleam.

…

The morning had dawned clear and cold, with a crispness that hinted at the end of summer. The rising sun had not yet cleared the walls of the palace, but the men were already hard at it in the yard below. The yard rang to the clangor of steel on steel.

"Hya!" Yin Changpu charged forward, blade colliding with his opponents.

He closed in and quickly knocked the sword out of the other man's grip. The steel clattered onto the ground.

"Damn it! Can't you go easy on me?" The young soldier clicked his tongue and recovered his sword.

Yin Changpu laughed. "How would that be fair?"

"Very fair! At the very least, I can have a chance at getting you."

"Right, right."

At that moment, they were summoned to eat by a bell, bronze struck from deep in the palace's turnings. The men put away their weapons and tumbled out into the hallway.

"Are you coming?" The young soldier turned around to see the man still in place.

"You go without me. I'm going to train some more." Yin Changpu grinned and flicked his hand to usher him away.

"All right. I will try saving some for you. But you know how savage they can be." The young soldier said before jogging away to catch up with the others.

Yin Changpu watched him leave with a light chuckle. He tested the weight of his longsword, slicing at the cold morning air. Embossed jewels glittered in its hilt, and the sunlight ran down the polished steel. He felt a small delight in his heart. He thrust his sword and continued to thrash all around the air.

"It's not good to train so long on an empty stomach." A cool voice disturbed him.

Yin Changpu swallowed a lungful of the cold morning air. He turned to see Jin Yue staring back at him, expressionless as ever. His heart thumped a little, but he quickly regained his calm.

"Ah, I can last long without eating. Besides, I usually eat more than I can handle during dinner." His laugh suddenly sounded stiff.

As if she couldn't sense his awkwardness, Jin Yue sighed and unraveled something from the bundle in her hands.

"Here." She stretched out her hand.

Looking down, Yin Changpu's eyes widened. In her hands was a large piece of dried jerky. He swallowed.

"For me?" He was almost too nervous to ask.

She quietly nodded her head.

"Then…thank you." He took it with gratification, a large grin on his face.

"Let's sit over there and eat. After that, you can proceed your training." Jin Yue walked over to a wooden bench, already taking a bite of her jerky. Yin Changpu wasn't too far behind, sitting beside her stiffly.

He watched those red lips of hers lean down and tear a piece of jerky. Her cheeks enlarged somewhat, chews quick. For the first time in his life, Yin Changpu felt he could watch someone eat for hours without boredom.

"Quit staring and eat." Without glancing at him, Jin Yue took another bite.

"Right." Yin Changpu chuckled, then chomped off a large bite of jerky. It was salty and faintly sweet.

"I noticed you've been training more than usual. Is there a reason?" Jin Yue suddenly asked.

Yin Changpu's mouth slowed. He swallowed. "…I want to become stronger. So, I can protect everyone and make sure…that he will not die in vain."

Jin Yue looked at him quietly. It seemed that this was the first time she saw this type of expression in his eyes. The man was always frivolous, in her opinion. But now, his gaze was serious, determined, and certain. She couldn't help but admire his conviction.

"You will succeed. Don't worry." Jin Yue's voice suddenly softened, a rare smile brushing her lips.

Yin Changpu stared at her, stunned. He had never seen her smile before. He was hit by her smile, and his heart moved. His face exploded into a glowing blush.

He was silent for a long time. When he did speak, his voice choked. "T-Thanks."

Jin Yue noticed his stiffness, and her smile widened. Unexpectedly, she reached out and tousled his hair. Again, Yin Changpu fell silent. Only this time, his body trembled at her touch. He could only hear his heartbeat and quickly lost control of it. Jin Yue simply looked at him; her eyes were bright and clear like water.

This woman…he liked her. A lot. Too much in fact.

"I must return to Advisor Bai's side." Jin Yue calmly retracted her hand and stood up.

Losing the sense of her touch, Yin Changpu's hand clenched. He looked up at her and smiled.

"All right. Thanks for the jerky." He waved the dried meat in his hand.

Jin Yue nodded her head and turned to leave. Her steps paused for a moment before she turned around and stared at him with a soft gaze.

"I'll come by more often in the morning to feed you." With those parting words, she turned around and left.

However, those words were enough to make the large man sitting on the bench break out into a furious flush. His entire body felt heated and fuzzy.

"I'm doomed…" He covered his face with both hands. After calming himself down for a moment, he stared at the jerky and stuffed the entire thing in his mouth.

Somehow it as the best jerky he had ever tasted.