New Hope

The man who had been following Lulu jumped slightly when she grabbed her hand because he had been looking away at the time. Once in the alley, he kicked himself for not being more inconspicuous. He sighed, "Hello, Miss Lulu."

"Zhang Hao, answer my question. Why are you following me?," Lulu insisted.

The healer searched her face for a moment and then answered, "My apologies. This will take a while to explain."

"I don't have a lot of time, so perhaps you should talk fast," she replied.

Doctor Hao drew her further down the alley where it was darker. "I think you and I are from the same place," he started, then checking for a reaction from her, he continued, "and shall I say from the same time?"

Lulu's eyes had grown wide when he began, but hearing him mention time caused her to put a clenched hand on her chest. She whispered, "Are you saying you know where we are from?"

Zhang Hao seemed surprised and asked, "What do you mean?" Was he mistaken about her?

Thinking quickly, Lulu decided that this man was her closest link to her past and somehow she just felt that she could trust him. Making a decision, she answered, "I have amnesia."

Nodding slightly, Zhang Hao said, "We need to talk further. You'll have to figure out a way to get me invited to Tang Manor."

Lulu began gnawing on her lower lip, wondering how she could do that. An obvious idea presented itself quickly, "Alright. I will pretend to be sick and ask to see you. I have to go now."

Zhang Hao nodded again and said, "I'll see you soon," before departing.

Lulu was left confused and alone. She started walking slowly out of the alley when she caught sight of something fluffy and white at the corner of her eye. Looking in its direction, she saw that it was a little baby bunny. The animal seemed scared as it was shaking. She approached it slowly, scooping it up in one fluid motion. The little thing started shaking even more while Lulu looked around to see if she could spot the mother rabbit or any other bunnies. Seeing none, she got an idea. Holding the little thing to her chest, she unconsciously started petting it as she began walking back toward the store she had escaped from. Holding the bunny felt very familiar to her for some reason.

She was not surprised to find Chen Jing talking to one of the guards outside the store. The other guard was nowhere to be seen as he was out looking for her. The guard that was still there was about to head out as well until he caught sight of Lulu walking toward them.

When Chen Jing locked eyes with her, she looked visibly relieved and ran toward Lulu. "I was so scared! Where have you been?," Chen Jing asked in a tone that started out more demanding then it ended, once she recalled her position.

Lulu apologized, "I didn't mean to scare you. I saw this bunny toward the back of the store and tried to catch it, but it escaped so I ran after it. I finally caught it. Isn't it cute?" She hoped that Chen Jing and the guard would buy her story.

Chen Jing noticed the animal for the first time and smiled. The guard said, "Still, you should not have run off like that without telling somebody. It puts us in an awkward position. What if something had happened?"

The young woman made herself look appropriately chagrined as she apologized again. After that, they all headed back to the carriage.

"Are you planning on keeping the bunny?,' Chen Jing asked once they were inside the carriage.

"I'd like to," Lulu replied. "It's so cute and I feel bad for it, especially since it is all alone."

"What are you going to name it?," her attendant asked after reaching over to pet the baby rabbit.

Lulu considered for a moment and replied, "I think I'll call it 'Bao' since it looks like a little white bun. Plus, that is my favorite food that Mrs. Sun makes."

Chen Jing giggled, "That's a cute name." She scratched the top of its head gently, "Hey little Bao-Bao, what do you think of your name?"

The bunny squirmed under the attention and nuzzled closer to Lulu. Bao-Bao had long ceased shaking once he had felt Lulu's body heat.

"It seems to have taken a liking to you," Chen Jing noted.

Lulu lifted the little thing up so she could rub noses with it and then laughed a little as the tiny whiskers tickled her. She gave the rabbit a kiss on the top of the head and then snuggled it to her once more.

When they arrived back at the house, Xiao Chu was waiting for Lulu in the living area. "Come, let's have some…," she started to say and then stopped mid-way after seeing the bunny Lulu was holding. "Aya! What's this?!," she exclaimed with a smile.

Lulu held up the bunny so her friend could pet it as she answered, "This is Bao-Bao. I found it while we were shopping. Poor thing was all alone. I'd like to keep it if I can."

Xiao Chu considered, "I'm not sure…umm…it's a lot to take care of a pet and I'm not sure where we would keep it."

Lulu's face fell, "I didn't think that far ahead, I guess. But still, if I just let it go then it probably won't survive. I don't think I could do that to it. I'll just keep Bao-Bao with me in my room. I can make a little place for it and I can clean up after it.

Chen Jing volunteered, "I'm happy to help you, Miss Lulu."

Seeing the look on Lulu's face, Xiao Chu felt bad for her little friend. "Alright, I guess it should be fine as long as it stays in your room."

Lulu's smile was glowing as she thanked Xiao Chu.