Chapter 49 (1/2)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Bei Dou’s heart began to act strange.

Bei Dou thought it started since the day Yan Shi Ning was injured and he asked the ‘calm’ maid to clean and bandage Yan Shi Ning’s chest wound. That day the ‘calm’ maid collapsed onto him after helping Yan Shi Ning, blood made her queasy. He had lived for more than twenty years but he didn’t like being close to women. But the ‘calm’ maid’s accidently collapsing onto him felt like he was struck by lightning.

From that day Bei Dou didn’t know why he was aware of the ‘calm’ maid’s presence. In the morning when he was practicing Kung Fu, he noticed she was carrying a tray of food somewhere nearby. In the afternoon when he walked outside to buy medicine, he noticed she was embroidering flowers. In the evening when he stood under a tree, he noticed she was climbing another tree to help retrieve a kite for another maid… he didn’t know why but he was scared she would fall off the tree.

Bei Dou’s fear came true, the ‘calm’ maid broke a branch and fell off the tree… he didn’t know when he braced her fall until a group of maids surrounded him and he realised he was carrying her in his arms.

Bei Dou didn’t know why he ran to brace the ‘calm’ maid’s fall. He was someone who prioritized himself so after she stood steady on her feet, he wanted to walk away but she stopped him.

‘Gentleman Bei, can you help me retrieve that kite?’ Xiao Tu asked.

Bei Dou thought why he needed to help the ‘calm’ maid, he didn’t have enough free time to help. But his body didn’t cooperate with his thoughts, he blinked and the kite was in his hands. His muddled head and body left the group of maids.

‘Big sister Xiao Tu, I didn’t think you would dare to talk to Gentleman Bei,’ the first maid said.

‘Big sister Xiao Tu, you even dared to ask Gentleman Bei to retrieve the kite,’ the second maid said. ‘Big sister, did you know that each time I see Gentleman Bei, I want to run away?’

‘Big sister Xiao Tu, Gentleman Bei is no different from a demon,’ the third maid said. ‘I shiver each time I see him. It’s alright if he doesn’t say anything but it’s scary to death if he speaks.’

‘That’s right,’ the fourth maid said. ‘What’s scarier is why he helped big sister Xiao Tu retrieve the kite.’

‘Gentleman Bei’s strange behaviour is scarier than his usual scary self,’ the fifth maid said. ‘In the past he never glanced at a maid so it’s strange he would help big sister Xiao Tu.’

While the group of maids were gossiping, Bei Dou stood nearby to eavesdrop. He finally found out the ‘calm’ maid’s name was Xiao Tu. He waited half a day to hear what Xiao Tu said about him.

‘Perhaps today Gentleman Bei ingested the wrong medicine,’ Xiao Tu said.

Bei Dou took a step back and fell on the ground. What wrong medicine? He stood, returned to his chamber and thought deeply about Xiao Tu’s words. He finally agreed he must haven ingested the wrong medicine otherwise he wouldn’t do something strange like brace her fall and help her retrieve a kite.

A few days later, Bei Dou’s old personal maid returned to her country home to take care of her sick mother.

Pei Jin visited Bei Dou’s chamber and asked him who he wanted to be his new personal maid. He didn’t know what demon possessed him but he pointed at Xiao Tu who was passing by his chamber.

‘I choose her,’ Bei Dou said.

‘I was only passing by,’ Xiao Tu said.

‘Bei Dou, did you point to the wrong maid?’ Pei Jin asked.

‘She has steady hands,’ Bei Dou said. ‘She’ll be able to help me with many things.’

As a result of Bei Dou’s words, Xiao Tu’s belongings was moved to the chamber closest to Bei Dou’s chamber. He was used to having his courtyard to himself, it was a strange feeling to live close to another person. He wanted to chase her away but he also didn’t want her to leave. Besides, she was pleasant to look at.

Bei Dou put the bottles of remedies down on a table and he watched Xiao Tu familiarising herself with the medicine in the drawers.

Xiao Tu was wearing a blue dress. She tiptoed on a ladder step to open the higher drawers.

Bei Dou didn’t know why his eyes were focusing on her exposed arms and why his heart was pounding.

‘Gentleman Bei, where is the Xue Lian herbs?’ Xiao Tu asked.

Bei Dou was flustered after being caught staring at Xiao Tu. ‘It’s the third drawer on the same level as the seventh rung.’

‘Thank you Gentleman Bei,’ Xiao Tu said. ‘Also, Gentleman Bei did you buy new clothes?’

Bei Dou looked at his new brown clothes and nodded his head.

‘Gentleman Bei, you’re too young to suit wearing brown,’ Xiao Tu said. ‘You’re young white skin suits wearing blue clothes like the same colour as my dress.’

Bei Dou wondered how soon Gentleman Su could make him ten new blue clothes.

Suddenly Bei Dou heard Xiao Tu cried out, he blinked and he didn’t know when he braced her fall. His neck to his forehead turned red after he realised he was carrying her in his arms.

In that moment Pei Jin and Yan Shi Ning walked into Bei Dou’s chamber.

‘I didn’t see anything,’ Pei Jin provoked.

Bei Dou glared at Pei Jin. Then Bei Dou heard Yan Shi Ning’s demoness laugh so he put Xiao Tu onto the floor.