The gentle hands - Part I
The peaceful sound of the typically serene morning in Minister Li's mansion was what woke Xiao Niao from her deep rest. It had been years since she slept so well, the bed was comfortable, she was fed the best food daily, apart from the hot baths, and the calm days she was living. Very different from the difficult days she spent in the brothel. As soon as she remembered the brothel, she stopped to analyze what Madame Ming would be like now and what they would be thinking of her disappearance.
Did they find out that Lin Bo tried to kill him? In addition, the auction? Certainly, Madame Ming's prestige before Honga had fallen considerably with the disappearance of her "Scarlet Fairy."
Xiao Niao thought about all this while she was living calmly in that place. Since she woke up, she didn't leave the room, she just kept quiet waiting for Zhao to arrive with the food and the frivolous news he brought with him. It was always about how the servants got on him or about his master's engagement.
Moreover, speaking of the master, Xiao Niao said little to her savior. He did not show up much, and when he did, it was just to leave a change of clothes or give some quick warning about the brief outings and for her to feel good, other than that there was no deep conversation between them. She did not have a chance thank him for saving her, every time Xiao Niao opened her mouth she felt his hard steps move away from her far away.
Over the days she realized that he could not stand her presence, she became a nuisance in that place. In addition, with good reason because she had stolen the boy's bed and he went to sleep in Zhao's room, while a servant slept with her. Xiao Niao soon ceased to feel the initial comfort and the feeling of intrusiveness came over her. She had already explored enough of the goodwill and charity of both and as her body was strong and lived, she needed to leave. She was waiting for Zhao arrive to give this news, he always appeared after a few minutes that she woke up, and as he had promised to take her away when she felt better, and that was the moment.
The sound of the door opening woke Xiao Niao from her thoughts and she rose from the bed in distress, a little too anxious.
- Zhao ... - she started - I think it is time for me to leave. I already feel strong and well to go back. And I haven't forgotten your promise to get me out of the palace when I feel better. I feel that I am not very welcome by your master, but do not think that I resent him, on the contrary, he saved my life and I owe a lot to your master. However, I think he misses his rooms, the bed and the comfort and I became a nuisance, try to understand my side too...
- When did I say you were a nuisance? - Yan Feng's strong voice sounded cold to Xiao Niao's ears, she felt like covering her mouth by the slip of her tongue she had. Zhao always showed up that morning, why was he the master this time?
- I ... I did not mean...
- Do not try to explain yourself, nor do you need to try to make me understand something that does not really mean. You think it is a nuisance and that I want my room back. However, my doubt is just one. When I expressed the desire to expel you from here? - He tried to sound calmer this time, but every time he looked at her, he remembered the woman smiling in the bathtub last night. Yan Feng's thoughts flew like a bird to the memories in his mind and the more he looked at her, the more she reminded him of Mei Yang and it drove him crazy. Yan Feng just wanted to regain his wits and be able to walk calmly in his room, but it was impossible with the presence of that woman in front of him. Yan Feng got so red at the dirty thoughts about her that he had to control himself.
He was crazy! As much as she vaguely remembered Mei Yang, she was not Mei Yang. He needed to control his repressed instincts for years and put himself in the gentleman's shoes. Xiao Niao was not Mei Yang!
- Miss ... - he started - I am not expelling you, nor do I miss the comfort. I am used to sleeping anywhere. After all, I am a man of war.
Xiao Niao shook her head in affirmation, capturing the word war. Obviously, he would be a man of great battles; after all, he was the minister of Honga.
- Sorry for the wrong judgment, but I really should go ... I thank you for taking care of me, I thank you and your family ... - Xiao Niao tried to express her feelings in the best way so as not to give the impression that she wanted to leave that place as soon as possible!
- Family? What you mean? - Yan Feng smiled when he realized that she thought he was Honga's minister. - I am not from the Li family; I am just a guest in this place. I found you in the forest and brought you. Nobody in the Li family knows about your stay here...
Yan Feng looked at the little woman and smiled. It was not so difficult to maintain a dialogue with her, but at times, she seemed to want to speak more than she appeared. However, he wanted to keep a considerable distance with her so that he would not slip.
Zhao came in humming like a happy nightingale carrying the morning basket, he did not expect to find his master there, since he had vehemently denied sleeping in the same room as Xiao Niao last night and took him out of the comfortable bed and made him sleep on the floor! It was still strange to see his master embarrassed; Yan Feng was so red he looked like he was going to boil at any moment.
- Xiao'er brought your coffee - Zhao approached the girl and made her sit down. Yan Feng felt a lump in his throat when he saw Zhao so close to her. In an unthinkable access, he removed his servant from Xiao Niao and got between the two. Zhao stared at his confused master and Yna Feng just acted disagreed.
- What do we have today, Zhao? - Xiao Niao loved to see the enthusiasm of his new friend when he talked about food.
- Food! - Yan Feng sat in front of her and removed the food from the basket. Zhao had overreacted at all, but at least he could eat too. As soon as he set the table, Yan Feng helped himself to some soup and bread with some boiled mushrooms. Zhao stared at his master sitting at the table with a woman, smiled, and walked away. Xiao Niao who could not see could not see the eyes of both who seemed to ignore each other. Zhao just smirked and Yan Feng looked more and more flushed as he approached her.
Then, Yan Feng took a piece of bread and dipped it in the mushroom soup and took a light bite, he did not even know he was hungry, and only realized when he ate. After eating a whole loaf, he realized that the lady had not touched anything. Therefore, he just deposited the soup pot and wiped his fingers.
- Is there something wrong with the food, Miss? - Yan Feng looked at the woman who did not eat with curiosity.
- It is okay ... - Xiao Niao smiled embarrassedly realizing that Zhao was not there to serve her. She was able to do everything on her own at the mansion because everything was exactly as she organized it. Madame Ming was aware of Xiao Niao's condition and did not allow any of the girls in the mansion to approach the kitchen so that she would not interfere with the organization. Now, Xiao Niao was alone in a house that was not hers, nor did she know where each item was, and that frustrated her absurdly because it left her feeling helpless. Then, calmly she felt her hands on the table and found the bread, however, in a hurried gesture she burned her fingertips in the soup. Xiao Niao protested in pain.
- Miss - Yan Feng stood up and with his pure attention, he gently pulled Xiao Niao's hands watching his white skin quickly turn red with small bubbles. - Sorry, I'm an idiot, I didn't know I needed help to eat...
- I do not need to ... - Xiao Niao tried to pull his hand back, but he was faster and held on tighter. She felt her skin tingle at his touch as he tenderly touched her wounds.
- Um ... - she moaned in pain softly. Yan Feng, who was with his head down watching the small wounds, raised his face to ask if it hurt, but he was so close that he stopped inches from her face. He quickly held his breath and felt his heart fail. Her innocence without knowing what was going on around him was what made him anxious and courageous. He continued to watch her face calmly; her body was so tense that someone could compare it to a statue. Yan Feng had completely lost his mind and he did not even know how he had reached that condition so quickly if only a few words had been exchanged between them.
- Sir ... - Xiao Niao called him awakening from the pathetic state he was in. He released her hands and swallowed, pulled away and sucked in a breath, feeling all the internal organs return to normal. However, the only thing that remained like a drum on a party day with so many frantic beats was the heart of the Young King.