Vol 2 Chapter 4 (2/2)
Huo Qu Bing smiled at Zhao Puo Nu “That was quite a response, with such bad alcohol tolerance and gulping that bon Normally this one doesn’t drink
I sat for awhile and then o back before the alcohol hits ether”
Huo Qu Bing’s tent is set up at the back of the mountains Because of consideration for me, he ordered other tents to be set up some distance away Before I arrive at the tentassistedso he ignored ht me inside the tent
In the darkness, myback in moments of clarity and then confusion I can’t control what I’s I rather not think about keep co my heart to hurt
Huo Qu Bing lit the lahed and took out a handkerchief to wipe my tears “Are you still sad because of Xiao Tao, Xiao Qian, and Li Cheng?” I grab his sleeve and keep sobbing “My Papa is gone, Jiu Ye doesn’t want one, and even Brother Wolf has his oife and daughter I’m all alone now”
Huo Qu Bing’s hand froze and he took a drink fro to wipe my tears “Nonsense! What do you mean you’re all alone? I’ll be by your side”
My nose was running and I grabbed his sleeve to blow ood to me and spend all this effort on me?”
He stared at his own sleeve and shook his head with resignation He jerked my hand away and shoved the handkerchief inoff his outer robe “Are you really that stupid or just pretending to be stupid? I may have never explicitly said it, but can’t you see that I want to marry you?”
I grab for the flask but he keeps it out ofany
I reach for it again and he grabbed my hand “Answer me this, and I’ll let you drink Do you likeeyes stared atbefore answering “I don’t know”
Huo Qu Bing let out a long sigh “Then in the past, did you ever feel sad when you saw ? Did you worry about me today?”
I nodded orously “Even today I refuse to look at an acacia flower The moment I see it my heart hurts I was so afraid you would be injured by the Xiong Nu that I rushed all night to get to you”
He gave a sad smile “Then I am in your heart” and he continued to drink “That day at the Yue Ya Spring, you had walked away, but why did you turn back? When you turned back to look at me, did you know your face was all red? Why was your face red? If your heart didn’t want to seeroom at the Luo Yu House for h But when I’e the subject When I was stewing over the criticism of those scholars like Xi Ma Qian that day, norrabbedtoup ideas because I had kept you here, but the ed the subject and kept nattering about rando An……”
I laughed and pointed at his face “You’re getting drunk You’re face is so red, like a monkey’s bottom” He smiled and shook his head “You’re the one who is drunk Otherwise how can you cry one h another moment”
I shook my head and then splayed open my hands “I’m not drunk, I’m completely lucid”
I stared at the flask in his hand “I want to drink, I haven’t drank horse wine in a long time I snuck some as a kid and it tasted terrible” He took another drink “Now you don’t think it tastes terrible anymore?” I make a weepy face “It still tastes terrible, but the taste reminds me of Papa”
He handeddrink He finished up the rest and then tossed the flask aside “Yu Er, don’t return to the wolf pack Marry ave le back at hi Jiu is indeed not bad Like atree, with a calht He is indeed one of those rare young men in this world But I’ood to you So just forget him!”
Before I can answer, he started laughing “I am drunk If I wasn’t drunk, I couldn’t possibly have spoken aloud what I just said, even if that is what I believe in my heart”
I furrowed entle cal’s face was suddenly in front of ht now I’m the person in front of you, don’t think about someone else”
I stare at hi wipes my tears away and his hand caresses my face He hesitated when he touchedHe stiffened and I just stared at him He suddenly took a deep breath and kissedand didn’t knoas happening My body becaht and soft, like I was about to float away, or suddenly fall to earth Only his lips, his hand, his body, it was like a burning flame My heart was so cold, and I wanted this heat……
……………………………………………………
I vaguely heard the sound of wolf howling and it woke le to open my eyes, but when I see that I a, I iht ca back I’m too afraid to move and my mind is muddy Another wolf howl sounded, so I closed ’s eet dressed
There is a flickering candle but I can’t face such a bright room so I blow it out I stand in the darkness, while behindturns over I startled and then quickly run out of the tent I can see the soldiers doing their rounds so I dart into the forest and run towards the direction of the howling
A crescentdown on a s rock next to the lake, howling into the sky Snow Lady hoith him Little Princess sees me and immediately jumps forward, but she stops herself when she reachessounds and hesitates I bit ed?” I walked over to Brother Wolf and he suspiciously sniffed nored him so he just flopped back down
My sirl anymore, I’ it to wake myself up But what can I do after I ahts I can’t make sense of
Little Princess started squirets io bite her dad’s tail Snow Lady suddenly jerks in the direction of the forest and gives a warning growl I turn to look towards that direction but don’t see anything I knew there was so in the distance that alar with Little Princess He gave a lol to Snow Lady, causing rowl, she relaxed her attack stance, but re Little Princess
A short while later, I heard someone softly walk up behind me With worry and hesitation “Yu…Yu Er, I…I…” his voice trailed off The surroundings turned silent again One forward, one back, neither of usaround and turned to give us a quizzical look Brother Wolf got i howl He swattedSnow Lady and Little Princess aith him
Huo Qu Bing walked closer behind me “I’m…I’m sorry I…I…”
A man like hiet a full sentence out I hugto be sorry for If we did so, we are both equally to blame It’s not like you forced
Huo Qu Bing walked a few steps away and then sat down on another rock He stared out on the lake and we sat there in silence for some time He picked up a rock next to his foot and tossed it into the lake, happening to hit the reflection of the moon on the lake The moon shatters He suddenly stood up and walked back to rabbedlook “Yu Er, marry me”
My heart was a mess and I don’t dare look at him, so I avert my eyes and look at the opposite side of the lake I discovered Brother Wolf and Snow Lady were sitting side by side intently looking at us Little Princess round with her head cocked, staring at h I picked up a rock and threw it towards Brother Wolf “See so?”
Brother Wolf didn’t ht next to hihtened Little Princess who yelped and clih Brother Wolf couldn’t talk, I can see the worry in his eyes, and his hope and encouragement It was a look that revealed how much he wanted ave me e parted that final time
I looked into Brother Wolf’s eyes and smiled “Yes”
Huo Qu Bing grabbed my arms “You said yes? Was that yes directed at hed “Is there anyone else here? If so then Istared athoards the sky Little Princess mimicked her father and let out a teeny baby hoards the sky
In that h the forest I looked at the slowly disappearingon that person still in Chang An? I looked at Huo Qu Bing and I could see the unfettered joy in his eyes I stared at hie I squietly eain? Did you really agree?”
My heart was filled with both happiness and a touch of aching for hihed “This is the best thing I have ever heard in ain?” I punched his shoulder “Not saying it again”
He lowered his forehead and rested it againstat hter than the stars He softly pleaded “Say it one more time Just one more time”
I stared a hi tokissed me on the cheek “My wonderful wifey”
I stood there stunned, so immediately his smile froze and he looked at me with hesitation “My wonderful wifey”, those three words tuh my mind Only now do I really understand thatup and I couldn’t helpand his worry went away He stared ata word, continuing to ehtly
The Eastern sky is starting to turn bright, and in the forest all the birds are beginning to sing The darkness is ending, and a new day is beginning, just like my life