Twenty four

She looked back up at his face and his eyes were open, looking at her.

Cough!

She choked. 

She coughed again and again but it was nothing serious.

"Huh?" she asked.

"I can bet you anything that that's not how the actual story went," he repeated.

Dong Mei: .... what story?

Dong Mei turned away, "you seem invested in stories that end happily."

Cang Mang shrugged, "life isn't so pretty. Why would I waste time on something that would make me unhappy?"

"Somethings make you happy later," Dong Mei reasoned.

Cang Mang sat up, "like what?"

Dong Mei shrugged, "children?! Things don't always make you happy. Sometimes they make you happy and sometimes make you sad."

"So you stick to things that don't make you happy now, hoping they'll make you happy later?" He asked.

Dong Mei turned to face him out of habit. When she was talking to people, she normally faced them.

On turning, she found that they were a bit too close. Her eyes were drawn to his lips before she quickly looked away and put some distance between them.

He laid back down, "well, whatever rocks your boat."

The next time she met him, it was under a bridge. Still, she was running away from her father because she really didn't want to confess her crimes. Also, what was he so unreconciled about? Those wines tasted horrible. She just forced herself to down them out of misery.

Further more, when he talked about the wines, she kept recalling why she took them in the first place and that was the last thing she wanted to do. So any chance she had to get out of the house was used.

"Why are we under a bridge this time?" She asked.

It was a non functional stone bridge. It had collapsed during an earth quake and had never been fixed. Instead, it was used for rendezvous by those between thirteen and fifteen years in the village.

"You didn't dress up today?" He asked, eyeing her outfit.

Dong Mei retorted, "do you expect me to look like a Queen everyday?"

"Forget that," he said and tapped the arch of the stone bridge, "it took me a lot to get this place for today so don't over look it."

The stone bridge was a small stretch over a trench that wasn't too deep or too wide. It could easily be crossed during the dry season without need for the bridge. But once it started to rain, being in it was the same as begging for death.

It was still popular among young couples whose parents knew nothing about their relationship. The bridge was wide enough to hide their bodies during day so their neighbors wouldn't be able to spot them. In that way, they'd be able to meet during day and be at home by nightfall.

Dong Mei didn't like the place. She felt it was a step or two beneath her.

"Can't you find anywhere else?" She voiced out, "I don't like it."

Cang Mang mumbled to himself, "you only don't like it because you weren't brought here before."

Then he said out loud, "there's no better place than this. I'm sure you must know the legend about the bridge."

"Yes! Yes!" Dong Mei waved at him offhandedly.

It wasn't really a legend but it had been around long enough. Apparently before the stone bridge was built, there was a young loving couple. Like most couples between the age of thirteen and fifteen, their parents knew nothing about them.

They were afraid their parents would separate them after finding out so they met secretly in the trench. One time, they made an appointment to meet up. The girl arrived but the boy was delayed by some chores.

It so happened that a storm was set for that day. It started to drizzle then rain but the girl waited. The water in the trench rose to her ankles and then her calves before she decided to climb out of the trench. But it so happened that the ground had become soft and she couldn't get a proper grip.

In short, she died.

The bridge was named "awaiting promises," after the pair. It served to remind parents that children should be allowed to make a bit of a choice in their marriage

"It works to give the perfect atmosphere for you to meet your Lancelot," Cang Mang said.

"Lan she Lo?" Dong Mei asked.

"It's from another fairytale though not so happy," he said, "he's nothing like the Prince Charming. He's the second chance. That rekindled match. The not-as-brilliant-as-the-prince warrior in shining armor."

"Oh!" Dong Mei nodded perfunctorily, "so how is it supposed to go without food?"

"Well, you talk. You hold hands maybe. You can also," he pulled her into his arms, and gave her a mischievous smile, "get naughty."

She pushed herself out of his arms, "what are you doing?"

"Giving you a few lessons in what to do," he said casually.

Dong Mei frowned, "I don't want to be touched."

"Then you won't be touched," he turned and pointed at a tree a small distance away, "I'll be right there. If he tries to play hooligan with you, I'll swoop right in."

Dong Mei didn't look convinced.

Cang Mang continued to explain, "no matter how he tries to hide. I can see all parts of the bridge from up there and it will seem like I'm not there," he added, "you don't have to worry. Everything will go well, according to plan."

He pulled out the paper that contained the plan and spread it out. Dong Mei moved closer to Cang Mang and looked at the drawings. She confirmed for the second time that hers was indeed the ugliest.

The way he drew the body made her look like a bucket. Her arms were sticks and for some reason, so were her legs. Her head was drawn round with two hairs and single dots for eyes.