SMALL DISTANCE (3)

He patted her shoulder, "I wanted to see and confirm myself that you were fine," "Do you think it's necessary even to face arduous journey and suffering just to see whether I was fine?" he separated her from his chest, looking in her eyes.

"What if you were really in danger?" she brushed off his question simply.

"So what if I was really in danger?" he asked curiously.

"I am hungry you know that I suffered long journey yet you are insistent on one after other question, I know nothing only that I have told you," she was as always righteous this time again that he could not help.

"You have to stay at old Nie house until I make arrangements to send you back," he advised her strictly.

"Who wanted to stay in this shabby tent, but…" first she shrugged her shoulders and then bowed showing respect slightly smiling, "Sarcasm? When did you learn it?" he was dumbfounded at her newly learned behavior.

"But?" he asked, "I did not bring my dresses for any stay; by the way, can I take this one of yours, because of the long journey my dress got smelly with sweat," she casually picked his new clothes and went into changing chamber.

He was standing helpless and reckless, "I am going to kill someone if she continued like this," he thought, her new caretaker must have influenced her in some ways.

"Did not I just say that I am hungry?" she was looking at him complaining tilting her head to the left. "It will be brought soon," he sat on his chair helplessly.

She ate her food with complete manners and drag herself toward the bed and soon he could see, she was in deep sleep, his long big attire was exceptionally unfit for her, he shook his head and came out from the tent…

...…

Early dawn, he woke her up, all night he was guarding the tent like a soldier, she complained it was too early but he wanted to send her early because anyone could come that there was a girl in his tent. She was wearing his attire so it was convenient in one way or another.

He got her up on the horse and galloped toward villages, she was still half asleep, crossed her arms and rested her head against his chest while sleeping.

He had to carefully ride because he doesn't want to disturb her sleep, he looked at her while riding and his horse got slower with his command since she was center of attention he cannot ride blindly. There was considerable distance between the construction site and villages, first came small patches of forest and then vast fields with ready to harvest crops.

Wan Hu did not bring any guards with him, an arrow barely brushed past his shoulder, sensing the danger he sped up his horse and crossed the forest; it was now safe because peasants start work in the fields early morning.

He woke up Henan, he slightly shook her shoulder.

She woke up, she looked soberly at him this time, and said, "Wan'er are you still angry?" she accumulated all her innocence on her face.

"I should be and I was but not now, after all you came here to look for me but I strict you to not do this act in future," she always felt that other than her father Wan Hu ignore her rash acts and there were many more things that she felt differently for him but she would not tell because she himself was little ignorant of her actions sometimes, like her act to hug Wan Hu on some occasions when he consoled her or did not behave harshly instead her improper attitude and the most of all things was that she felt comfortable to be on his side.

They reached Old Nie house, Wan Hu handed her pouch of gold coins and left her immediately.

He wanted to advise her but he knew better than she only listens to her heart.

Old Nie was surprised to see her but she did not ask her random questions instead she asked how Ying Jun was doing in the Palace.

Henan told her that she gave her consent and now Ying Jun was living a happy life with her husband and her new family was agreeable people.

It was big news for Old Nie; she bowed to Henan again and again to express her gratitude and her eyes were pouring rain with happiness.

They went to buy some clothes for Henan.

After one-week harvest fair would open for three days where harvested crops would be in the fair for sale. Anyone could buy grains at a low price, here landlords would buy in bigger quantity to store and later earn huge profits.

She brought her black dress and bow in a small bag.

She set out in the night.