Chapter 2

Xiao Bao has nearly fallen to hysterics.

The blind concubine, however, remains unconscious, unfeeling, a sweet, slightly lost expression on his face. Yu Li can feel the unusual shift in the atmosphere and opens its eyes.

Its clear penetrating eyes sweeps about the courtyard. It meows, arches its back, nimbly leaps past the crowd of people and is gone in a blink of an eye. Hearing Yu Li, the blind concubine begins to stir awake dazedly and rubs his eyes. Subconsciously, he claps his hands, crying "Yu Li." No response.

How can that be? Yu Li was there just earlier.

" Yu Li," he cries again, louder this time.

Like before, he receives no response.

He can sense that Yu Li is no longer there.

Why did Yu Li suddenly run off? The blind concubine cannot help but feel a tendril of worry.

He cannot sit still any longer. He cautiously stands up from the rattan chair and begins to grope about the courtyard, softly crying "Yu Li, Yu Li…"

As if this would call his precious Yu Li back to his side.

Xiao Bao kneels off to the side, seeing his master fumble steadily in the direction of the yellow robed man. However he can only watch in silent trepidation.

Please let nothing happen to him, Xiao Bao prays. That is not someone who can be offended lightly.

If by any chance, master displeases him, even if Xiao Bao kneels until both legs break off, he cannot save him.

The blind concubine can think of nothing else but his cat, oblivious to all else around him. His steps quicken, stumbling forward. The flagstones of the cold palace are paved unevenly and the blind concubine cannot see. His toe catches in a crack in the rocks and he is suddenly falling headfirst towards the hard, unyielding ground.

Xiao Bao cries out in fear. The yellow robed man takes a large stride forward, sleeves fluttering. The surrounding servants haven't even had time to make sense of what happened and the blind concubine is lying securely in his embrace.

The blind concubine's heart flutters like a bird, and he has broken out a thin film of sweat. How careless of him to nearly have fallen flat on his face! It's a good thing Xiao Bao caught him in time.

He leans against that broad chest. The ankle he twisted in his fall throbs painfully. It takes a while for him to come back to his senses. Something's not right.

This is not Xiao Bao.

Xiao Bao is small and thin and is not even as tall as himself.

Then who is this person?

Heedless of the pain in his foot, the blind concubine hurriedly pushes himself away from the other man's arms, "So-sorry.."

"No worries, just be more careful next time." The man's voice is soft, carrying no trace of anger.

The blind concubine relaxes.

"Who are you?"

"Me?" The voice pauses, as if thinking how to respond in a better way, "I am a bodyguard in the imperial palace."

"A bodyguard," the blind concubine nods, "Then how come you have come here?"

The voice pauses again, "I was sent somewhere on a mission but lost my way coming back."

"Oh, I see." The blind concubine nods again.

The man asks: "Does your foot still hurt?"

"A bit…"

"Let me take a look."

"Alright…"

This is the first meeting between the blind concubine and that man.

Afterwards, a very long time afterwards, when the blind concubine reminisces upon these memories, he will ask: "Why did you lie to me and say you were a guard?"

The man teasingly says: "Because you looked easy to trick."

The blind concubine will say indignantly: "I do not!"

The man raises his eyebrows in disbelief, opens his mouth, thinks for a moment, but then swallows the words that he was originally saying, "Oh alright, I concede."

Like their first meeting, the man's soft gaze concentrates on his lover. Never has it wavered in the slightest despite the endless passing of time. Regardless, regardless of the fact that he knows the blind concubine will never be able to see it.