Chapter 3：a killer (2/2)
She took a bamboo broom and swept the leaves that had fallen on the ground from the two trees that were standing outside the door. Seeing the beautiful red maple leaves, she picked up a few leaves and lovingly put them between the pages of her book.
It was winter now and there should not be any maple leaves around. But Taiwan was located in the subtropical region, where winter would be warmer than other countries and so beautiful red maple leaves could still be seen in winter.
She had studied in the United States for many years and naturally had seen maple leaves. She had always disliked the maple leaves there as they were too large and some varieties of the leaves were even larger than her face. She still favored the small maple leaves from the two trees for their meticulous beauty and the size of the red maple leaves were just right. The red maple leaves were like the evening sunset, so beautiful that it was impossible not to keep a collection.
She swept the leaves into a dustpan, her cheeks flushed and her transparent, supple skin showed a tinge of rosy pink.
Hongye Hot Springs, the hot spring restaurant belonged to her parents, who had migrated and she had taken over the business for less than a year.
She remembered a year ago, just after she had returned from Los Angeles, her parents told her that their whole family was migrating to Australia.
She had just returned from overseas and did not intend to leave Taiwan for the time being. She was also reluctant to leave Hongye Hot Springs, where she had grown up. So, she begged her parents not to sell the place and let her continue running the business.
Her parents also did not want to sell the restaurant that they had built up for the past 20 years. So they had granted her request to stay on in Taiwan to continue operating the restaurant.
In order not to disappoint her parents, she worked hard and a year later, the restaurant was doing quite well.
Over the past year, she had met a lot of people and all kinds of strange guests gathered a lot of knowledge and also broaden her horizons. She really liked the job!
”Welcome!”
From the corner of her eyes, she saw someone enter the door, immediately looked up and smiled to welcome the guest. As soon as she saw the person, her eyes widen.
It's him! Someone whose name she did not know, a cold man.
She had actually noticed him for quite some time.
He was a frequent visitor for the past six months. He would come alone, two to three times a week, each time late at night. He would stay for an hour or so and would leave before the closing time, twelve o'clock.
Another reason that attracted her attention was not because of his above average looks but his solemn, aloof, gloomy temperament.
He was always cold, aloof and would not take the initiative to speak unless necessary. She did not know the origin of the man, but her intuition told her that he must have a complex story behind him.
She did not realize that she had stopped all her actions, staring at him until he stopped in front of her. He lifted his eyebrows at her, then only did she come to her senses and found herself staring at him foolishly.
She suddenly blushed, felt embarrassed and wanted to dig a hole to bury herself.
The man did not express any opinion regarding her disgraceful behavior nor did his expression change but instead said lightly. ”As usual.”
The so-called 'as usual' was actually a personal hot spring pool overlooking the foot of the mountain with the night scenery that he utilized every time he came.
There were only a few of this special personal pool, the price was more expensive than the normal baths and in addition, very few people would request for these type of pools every time they came in except for the man.
”Okay, please come with me!”
Ye Ruwei quickly put down the bamboo broom and removed a key for the special personal pool from the wall. Quickly she led the way along the ancient red brick path towards the most remote and quiet personal pool.
”Today you....seems like you are later than usual”
On the way to the special personal pool, Ye Ruwei tried to break the silence, looking for topics to talk to the silent man following behind her.
The man did not speak, not a sound came from him and Ye Ruwei was overcome with embarrassment. When they reached the pool, Ye Ruwei wished him an enjoyable bath, quickly turned to leave.
When she turned around, unexpectedly she caught a glimpse of a wound on his arm. The wound was about five centimeters long, like a scratch left by a sharp object. The blood around the wound had turned dark red.
”Ah! You are hurt” She exclaimed.
The man raised his right hand, looked down the back of his arm and his eyes suddenly darken.
He almost forgot about the wound!
It was tonight while he was executing the mission and shot the target specified by the Lord, he was scratched by the son of the target.
He remembered that little boy, after seeing his father killed, angrily picked up a knife and rushed to attack him. The little boy looked like an irrational little beast!
Should be less than twelve years old?
And he was almost the same age, presumably, now he should also understand the cruelty of the world.
His heart tightened, put his hand down, curved his mouth and said. ”Just a small wound. It's nothing.”
”Small wound? You are bleeding!”
Ye Ruwei really could not believe that someone would actually not care about their own body. Did he want his blood to flow like a river to consider it as serious?
”Wait here. I'll bring the medical kit to help you disinfect. Otherwise, it will fester and there will be inflammation.”
Ye Ruwei did not wait for him to answer, turned and ran back to the counter.
Solitary Wolf looked at her slender figure running away with lifted eyebrows. In fact, he could have ignored her but he did not know why, he stood obediently, patiently waiting for her to come back.
Not long after, Ye Ruwei carrying a white medicine box came running back.
”Sorry to keep you waiting!”
Ye Ruwei looked at him and smiled. She placed the medicine box on the side antique octagonal coffee table, took out the cotton and a bottle of iodine.
”Stretch out your arm.”
Mu Zheng obediently held up his arm to let her clean the wound. He looked at Ye Ruwei standing on tiptoe, carefully wiped his wound with cotton and applied iodine, blew lightly on the wound.
He stared at her and thought she should really work as a nurse. A gentle and loving woman, in today's society, was becoming a rarity.
Ye Ruwei applied iodine, dried the wound and then pasted on a plaster and it was done.
”Okay!” She nodded and smiled with satisfaction.
Mu Zheng knitted his eyebrows, stared at the plaster.
He did not even remember that he had ever pasted this thing in his life!
In the past, his injuries were several times more serious than this, and if he were to paste plaster on his injuries, he would have long turned into a mummy!
Moreover, if people saw him, the frightening assassin Solitary Wolf using plaster to cover his wound, then he would die with shame.
”Get rid of this stuff!” He pursed his lips and tried to pull it off.
”No!” Ye Ruwei exclaimed, quickly stepped forward to seize his hand. ”If you tear it off now, you may tear open the wound as well. It would be better to tear it off tomorrow morning.”
Her response was instinctive and without hesitation. Mu Zheng was surprised for a moment, he involuntarily lowered his head, looked at her white, delicate hands and was shocked by her cool, soft touch.
All along, he was not used to having physical contact with people but this once, her touch did not make him feel disgusted nor awkward.
Watching him staring at her hand, Ye Ruwei was shocked by her own actions.
”I'm sorry!” Her face flushed, quickly released her hand and stammered. ”I'm afraid your wound will open up wider. I was nervous...really sorry!”
”It's okay!”
Mu Zheng lightly shook his head, his eyes staring at her. At this time, he finally realized that she looked beautiful!
”Please take your bath!” Ye Ruwei shyly suggested to him.
”Uh” Solitary Wolf lightly humph, turned towards the pool, twisted his neck twice, intending to take a comfortable bath.
”Please slowly enjoy your bath in the hot spring. Remember, do not let your wound get wet.”
Ye Ruwei politely shut the door for him. The moment the door closed, instantly she blushed, turned and ran back to the counter.
So embarrassing! How could she act so foolishly in front of him? He must have thought she was a crazy woman!
In her life, she had never been so disgraced!
Oh! She really cannot wait to jump into the hot spring pool and drown herself.
Mu Zheng heard the sound of fleeing footsteps outside and he lightly smiled.
Interesting little woman!
He did not know how long he had not seen a girl blush. It was difficult to imagine in this open society, there were girls who still blush.
That girl would not know his true identity. He was a killer with hands full of blood, where people walking down the white or black path was afraid of him. He had come to bath in the hot spring to clean himself because he had just recently ended a life.
Mu Zheng took off his clothing, exposing thin and healthy long legs. He walked into the large rock pool, looking for a comfortable spot to sit down. He laid back on the rocks, eyes closed and let the hot spring water soothe his tired body and mind.
He did not know when did he develop the habit of taking a hot spring bath in the mountains after completion of each mission. On recollection, this habit had started many years ago.
Once by chance, he had passed by this area and was attracted to the elegant Japanese garden scenery and after trying once, he had become a frequent visitor to Hongye Hot Springs.
In fact, he did not like to kill. He hated the smell of blood which was why he wanted to take a hot spring bath after each mission.
Perhaps he subconsciously hope that through the hot springs, the sulfur would wash away the smell of blood....